Coming Soon

Couple of cool sci-fi trailers to share... take a look.

Surrogates

Love the premise and the look of the film. reminds me of the Matrix meets Total Recall. I am a sucker for stuff like this. Sadly no one has really done this kind of movie justice like Dark City and The Matrix

District 9

Movies like Alien Nation really brought the idea of immigration and integration to light using Fiction. Love this gritty documentary feel and some great ideas at play in this teaser. Looks interesting.

Drag Me to Hell

Horror movies need to keep changing the game to stay interesting. Something like The Descent which relies on darkness and claustrophobia or recently My Bloody Valentine in 3D. Its not that its harder to terrify the audience but it is difficult to do it well. Director Sam Raimi's beginnings were in the world of horror. Evil Dead has become a cult classic as has Evil Dead 2. The reason these movies worked well in the 80's is because they were distinctly different from the schlock being produced at the time. He was able to bring this element of goofiness and accidental humor to some pretty gory and nasty visuals.

After many years of directing in different genres, namely comic book films (yes he directed the terrible sequel, Spiderman 3 but it was also the studios fault) he returns to scare the hell out of people. Did he succeed? Well, almost.
I wasn't sure what I was getting into watching this movie. I have seen the bad reviews by the common man (you know us little people who don't get paid for our opinions) and the adoration bestowed by so many critics. I can see where and what both were witness too. The beginning is shocking and pretty effective. Overall the movie has some interesting and shocking gross out scenes. Definitely gag inducing. There are some just crazy moments that are like OMG. All of this is more of the first hour of the film. Towards the last act things get a little too wacky and silly to really care. One word comes to mind: Goat. I like the lead actress, Alison Lohman. She handles this material with a sincerity and motivation that works well within the confines of a surreal, demonic movie.

The effects are well done and the visual gags work. One Word: Gums. I can't say I didn't like the movie because I found it to be entertaining and hilarious. It did make me feel uneasy at times and some of the imagery was pretty frightening. Its supposed to be a horror-comedy but I think most won't be able to take it as such. My Grade: B-
Note: The movie is very LOUD, you've been warned.

Rich-it Rental Bites 6/5/09

Writer-Director Kevin Smith spins this raunchy tale of two thirty-something’s (Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks) struggling to make the rent. Their plan?, Make a porno of course. With the help of their misfit cast and crew they set out to create a sex filled spoof of a well-known sci-fi classic. The movie starts out profanely funny with rapid fire vulgarity. However, the movie takes a turn that felt rushed. It finishes on a romantic note that pretty much kills the fun I was having in the first two thirds. Never the less, performances are good and the comedy is strong. My Grade: C-



Pineapple Express
Seth Rogen and James Franco star in this mary jane laced buddy comedy. The film has great over the top action scenes and hilarious bits. Franco is good at playing the high-as-a-kite pot dealer. Seth can deliver the most insane dialogue with ease. Even though the movie has this unbelievable story, it makes everything happening on screen more ridiculously funny. It reminded me of watching Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. That movie was so ridiculous, so in your face WTF That it sold me. You get the same thing here with punched up action. My Grade: B


Valkyrie
Bryan Singer directs this film based on the true story about one of the many assassination attempts on Adolf Hitler. A fascinating thriller that remains effective even though we all know the attempts were not successful. The cast is full of stellar actors such as Kenneth Branagh, Tom Cruise, and Eddie Izzard. It interesting, the Nazi military considered Hitler to be the menace that the rest of the world did. If only they had succeeded. What then? How different would history have turned out? The direction is also fantastic. The way Singer moves the camera is simple and effective. Overall a great story and well done film. My Grade: B

UP

Pixar is one of my favorite animation houses, right behind its parent company Disney. It might sound like I am a bit biased but believe me that I critique every film on its merit. A lot of other animation companies have some great films in their libraries i.e Dreamworks Shrek and Kung Fu Panda or Blue Sky Studios' Horton Hears a Who and Ice Age.


That said, UP is a phenomenal achievement in filmmaking. This is Pixars first 3-D film and unlike this year’s big Dreamworks hit, Monsters vs Aliens, Up doesn’t exploit the 3D effects. What Pixar did was enhance the scope of the movie. It was like looking out your window as opposed to things jumping out of the screen. It allowed depth to take over, so when you are viewing the jungles of Venezuela, you are immersed in them.

Beyond the technical achievements, it’s the story that really delivers. Carl is a widowed old man who has disconnected himself from society. The world has grown around him and his only constant is the home he built with his late wife, Ellie. This part of the film is heavy for some people. We get to see how Carl and Ellie lived their lives up until her quiet end. I was in tears and the theater was silent during this part. Many animated films have shown death and loss of life in different ways but none so deeply emotional as this one (except maybe Bambi’s mother or Simbaa asking Mufasa to wake up after the stampede). Once we see who Carl is, he sets out for a wild adventure that includes Russell, the young wilderness explorer whose enthusiasm grows on Carl’s grumpy nature.


The story is involving with colorful characters. There is a lot of laugh out loud moments for me. The introduction of the dogs is hilarious. The humor is executed with perfect timing and balance nicely to heartfelt scenes. Ed Asner’s voice work is tangible and sincere. Newcomer, Jordan Nagai voices Russell and does it very well. He gets some of the best lines in the movie. Director Pete Docter (Monsters Inc.) and Co-director Bob Peterson do a great job of keeping the story moving and still allowing the audience to take in its grandeur. Pixar movies prove to be the best in the industry and they have maintained that reputation with UP. Next year, Toy Story 3! Can’t wait. My Grade: A

Rich-it Rental Bites

So I’ve decided to shorten my rental reviews to allow more detailed gibberish about movies currently in theaters. I watch too many rentals to flesh them out completely. So here is the new category. Short n Sweet. Enjoy

Rich

Terminator Salvation

“Are you ready for Salvation!?”
Our Arclight Cinema usher shouts to pump up the crowd. Cheers follow and the movie rolls.

The Terminator introduced us to this universe in 1984. In 1992, T2 pushed the limits of action and VFX. It also fleshed out the grim future that lies ahead for humanity. In 2003, Arnold and company returned for T3: Rise of the Machines. The film moved the story along somewhat but it was mostly about the action. (i.e. the Crane sequence, amazing!) So what does T4, I mean Salvation, bring to the mix? I’m sorry to say, not much.

The story of John Connor (Christian Bale) has been elaborated so much over the years, most recently with the TV series, The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I think it’s that reason that he isn’t really the main character of this movie. Although they are trying to give more info on his journey as the Leader of the Resistance, it falls short. The real draw here is Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington). This character’s story adds nice undercurrent to this dull plot. Sam is going on to some pretty big things this coming year and he deserves it. He is a great actor and I can’t wait to see more from him. Other notable performances are from Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) and Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood). Sorry Christian Bale you bored me. His performance was just so forced and just not good overall.

So what’s the real reason to see this movie? The action, effects and sound are outstanding! There are so many great action scenes. If anything, these are the film’s saving grace. The sound was booming and the bass shook the theater. They really spent the money on these effects. Also, a great cameo from the governator via CGI that looks amazing! Danny Elfman scores the movie and although I am huge fan of his, the music here is lackluster. There is nothing new thematically and nothing memorable. If you’re looking for a mindless effects driven movie, that’s not as awful as Wolverine but not as Fantastic as Star Trek, Go see it. Its popcorn time! My Grade: C+

Angels & Demons

In 2006, We were introduced to the film version of the Da Vinci Code. At the time, lovers of the bestselling book it was based upon were eagerly awaiting the release. Well as often happens, the movie was not nearly as good as the book. I did not
read the book so I could see the movie for what it was. A few days before seeing the movie, I watched a documentary about the book and its secrets on the History channel. I was fascinated by the story and it was a good prelude to the actual movie. Imagine my surprise when the film bored me to tears! Ron Howard's direction was excruciating at times. The pace was very slow and the mystery not so amazing after a while.

I am happy to say that Angels & Demons is a much better film but not a great one. Tom Hanks returns as Prof. Robert Langdon, this time to assist the Vatican in a plot against them by an old enemy, the Illuminati. The movie does a good job of filling us in to understand how this volatile relationship came about. The pacing works well but of course as with the previous movie, we begin to get bogged down with what the audience already knows. A good example of this is a monologue scene with a certain character that feels heavy handed.

The acting was pretty good even though Tom Hanks loves to ham it up a bit. Ayelet Zurer plays Vittoria, the scientist assisting Dr. Langdon. Vittoria belongs to another section of the movie I take issue with. The opening scene is overwhelming in terms of scientific information. A lot of moments are very over the top. The film leaves the realm of reality in a story about murder and conspiracy. Also the score comes in at the worst times. You shouldn't have the drums thumping while you are still in a dialogue scene. The audience is trying to stay with story yet you are musically pushing us into the next scene.

Overall it's an effective thriller more so than the Da Vinci Code. I was entertained but not eager to watch it again. Its occasional moments of awe and sweeping views of Rome are worth seeing on the big screen. My Grade: C

Star Trek

There are many who will say, “Well I’m not a fan of Star Trek, so this movie isn’t for me”. I’m happy to say this movie is definitely for you. I will add that any fan can and will appreciate what has been done to this dying series.

I’m going to dissect my review a little more than usual just so I can get across why I loved this film so much.

The Cast
Zachary Quinto will own Spock’s character for years to come. He has embodied the quiet strength and subtle humor that Leonard Nimoy created. Chris Pine is a fantastic Kirk with his handsome, cocky and clever nature. This is a Kirk/Spock film depicting the growth of their loyal friendship. The rest of the cast is really great. Zoe Saldana plays Uhura with tenderness and intelligence. Karl Urban makes McCoy “Bones” his own.
Anton Yelchin as Chekov, John Cho as Zulu and Simon Pegg as Scotty round out this brilliant casting.

The Director
J.J. Abrams is mostly known for his TV work. He created Alias, LOST, and Fringe. He accepted the challenge of resurrecting Star Trek for a new audience and has succeeded. At 2 hrs and 7 minutes, the movie feels like a half hour. It goes by fast and full of energy. You can’t wait to see what happens next. At the end of the movie, after the applause, people were yelling out to roll it again. You want to see more and thankfully sequels are coming.

The Story and Effects
The story kicks off with something poignant. The audience can and will connect to what’s happening here. We are witness to the birth of our two heroes, Kirk and Spock.
We are dealt with longing, loss, humanity, and compassion. However, this movie isn’t a downer. It has comedy, romance, and heart throughout. All of this resonates beyond the overwhelming spectacle that is the effects. Wow the effects are downright amazing! We’ve never seen space so vibrant and alive as we do here. I have to make the following side note: Wolverine was made for $140mil and it looked Cheesy and cheap. Star Trek was made for $150 million and it looks super expensive. You can see that money used to create something spectacular.

If you love SCI Fi, go see this movie. If you are looking for a good summer action movie with a great story and characters see this movie. If you only have $12 bucks for one movie this weekend, DON’T SPEND IT ON WOLVERINE, see Star Trek, a satisfying movie from start to finish and one that I can’t wait to see again and again. My Grade: A

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

This is going to be a very easy and quick read as far as my reviews go.

Save your money. Skip this movie. It was probably the biggest let down in a long time. Too many characters with nothing to do. No story to speak of. There are times when things get good or somewhat cool and the next scene kills it. The effects are sooo bad, you'd think you were watching a movie on the SCI-fi channel. The whole movie was cheap on story and really cheats the audience that it needs. I'm glad its over and I've seen it. I can not wait for Star Trek next week. Wolverine will soon be a memory. I know some will nit-pick this mini review but let me tell you EVERYONE in the audience just groaned when it ended. Yes it was that bad. I seriously considered an F grade but there were some parts that were cool and fun and Liev Schriber was very good.. but the majority of the movie was a waste. This is the nail in the coffin for the X-men franchise. My Grade:D

Slumdog Millionaire

I know I know.. everyone has seen Slumdog. Well guess what? not me. I wanted to see it when it was still in its indie release. As the momentum grew, it started to push me off the movie rather than entice me. After the Oscar win for Best Picture, I said okay, I'll queue it on Netflix. Everyone I knew was shocked that I hadn't seen the movie and then the backlash began. Many folks who saw the movie during its hype started expressing their lack luster reviews to me. I said, ok, now I have a balance of opinion to judge the movie on its own merit. So what did I think?

Danny Boyle is one of my favorite directors. Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Sunshine are amazing films within their genres. They all contain this energy that only Danny could truly create. Slumdog is no exception.

The cinematography and directing are beautiful. The frantic camera work and thumping score delivers the reality of the slums. The highlight of the entire movie is really the young actors who portray their older counterparts. These are talented children who sadly have been caught in a real life mess due to their global fame. Dev Patel and Frida Pinto are wonderful actors. They have a genuine chemistry that shines through.

Although the film seems to be grounded in reality, there are some moments of melodrama that didn't quite work for me. In fact, one scene ruined some of what I was feeling for the characters. I know it was done deliberately to get the story moving but it felt abrupt. I can see why it won best picture. It was a story of love and overcoming the odds set against an environment most have never seen or experienced. It has an originality that set it apart from the other nominees.
My Grade: B+

Let the Right One In

Vampire mythology in film has evolved over the years with interesting, thought provoking and frightening entries. Movies like Bram Stoker's Dracula, Interview with a Vampire, The Hunger, and the lovable but cheesy Twilight. Every film tries its best to add a new facet to the legend of the undead.

The swedish import, Let the Right One In, is a breath of fresh air. It is violent tale with a touch of warmth and a fascinating irony.

Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) is a shy, frail boy who is constantly tormented by bullies at school. One night he is befriended by his new neighbor, a young girl named Eli (Lena Leandersson). A strong relationship is born between the two youths but Oskar begins to realize that his new girlfriend has a insatiable thirst for blood.

The film takes its time but is superbly directed and very well written with one the best endings I've seen in a very long time. My Grade: A

Monsters Vs Aliens - 3D

Dreamworks animation studios has tried really hard to create memorable, original, and funny movies. They have succeeded a few times within the past 10 years. Movies like Shrek, Shrek 2, and Kung Fu Panda. Sadly, they have made many mediocre to lame movies more so than great ones. Yet, the bad movies are still pretty big hits. I suppose for anyone starved for entertainment or those waiting for the next big Pixar flick, these Dreamworks crap family films tie them over.

It's unfortunate that I am going to have to include Monsters vs Aliens in the list of the lame batch. I went into this movie with high hopes and ready to be entertained. What I got was tired jokes, lazy dialogue, and bland storytelling. I was sitting in a full audience that barely chuckled at some of these jokes. Beyond the humor being attempted here, the voice work from actors like Stephen Colbert and Will Arnett falls flat. Given, they have very little to work with so they can't be blamed.

The surprising thing is this movie is essentially the story of Susan i.e. Ginormica played by Reese Witherspoon. I didn't gather that from the trailers but it was a nice surprise. Her story works but its not given any real respect by the writers. They are trying to setup her journey fast enough to get to the lame jokes.

The animation is extremely well done. The destruction sequences and action scenes are thrilling. To be honest, If it wasn't for the animation and 3D effects, I would have been utterly bored. This premise offers so many opportunities that its sad to see what it became. My grade: C-