I was pretty skeptical heading into The Amazing Spider-Man. I just didn't understand the need for another origin story. I get that Sony has to keep making these movies in order to retain the rights for the property, but come on guys, give us something new. Anyway, despite my hesitation I tried my best to put away any preconceived notions I had about the movie and give it a shot. So, was it worth it?
Eh, I guess. Andrew Garfield is genuinely good as our new Peter Parker, showing a little more sarcasm than Maguire's take and Emma Stone is freaking adorable as Gwen Stacy. Not to mention the two star's easy chemistry that marks the best thing about the movie. Everything else? *shrugs* Honestly, it's been a week since I've seen the movie and it's hard to find anything else that really resonated with me. The rest of the cast do strong work, with Sally Field and Martin Sheen making ideal Aunt May and Uncle Ben, and Rhys Ifans doing the best he could with almost zero decent material to work with. Actually, that brings me to the movies biggest fault. The villain. As a character, Dr. Connors just didn't make any sense. One second he's sad because he only has one arm, then the next he's a rage thirsty lizard who wants to make the entire city rage thirsty lizards. There's actually a throw away line in the movie that tried to explain the sudden shift in character, but it's half ass at best.
Also, it's been fairly widely reported that there were major story changes made at the last minute that caused major re-editing and it definitely shows in the final product. Characters are introduced and then completely forgotten, and certain scenes begin and end abruptly, adding to an overall unfocused feeling that the movie already carries. Oh yea, and the untold story that had been advertised has been completely removed only to be teased at for a potential sequel. Lame.
I find it hard to have any feeling toward the movie, either good or bad. I really did like the cast, and I found the final 20 minutes to be genuinely rousing, though not enough to help the movie resonate. I'll watch the sequel, but it will be with equal hesitation.
Well, I'm seeing The Dark Knight Rises tomorrow night. I plan to give it a couple of days to sink in before getting back on here to share, so until then, suck it.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Magic Mike
On the surface, Magic Mike delivers everything you'd expect a movie about male stripping to deliver. First and foremost, there is a lot of male stripping, numerous dance numbers, plenty of butt shots and a surprisingly small amount of peen.
Being a Steven Soderbergh movie though, one shouldn't be all that surprised that Magic Mike goes beyond the stripping and gives us an insightful character study about a guy who just happens to strip for a living.
First, I have to get my one little nitpick out of the way. Obviously, the movie is called Magic Mike so of course this is his journey and it's a good one at that. But I really wanted to spend more time with his co-workers. With actors like Matthew McConaughey, Joe Mangaiello of True Blood fame, Matt Bomer and even wrestler Kevin Nash, we're given a chance to really get a feel for their group dynamic. Each actor really brings something interesting to their character, even if they only have a scene or two to do it, and as a result I really wish I could spend more time with them. McConaughey especially shines as the owner and announcer of the strip club. Not only is he hilarious as the creepy ring-leader, but he is also able to keep the characters true intentions at bay just enough to keep you guessing at what is really going on in this guy's head. It really is a great performance in a year full of great McConaughey performances.
Speaking of a good year, Channing Tatum is riding high after this, 21 Jump Street and his other Soderbergh collaboration in Haywire. Oh yea, The Vow came out too but I have yet to see it, but it made a shit load of money as well. I've touched on this before, but I really didn't used to care for Tatum, but something has snapped in him for whatever reason, because he has gotten really comfortable in front of the camera. Yes, he can dance like nobody's business, but his Mike is completely charming and ambitious. He is a smart and nice guy who realizes what he does is ridiculous, but it totally OK with it because the money is good. Oh, and girls. What he really wants though, is to start his own business making custom furniture. So for him, stripping is a good time, but also a means to an end.
After spending a lot of good times with these guys, things start to get a little hairy after Mike takes Adam under his wing. Played by Alex Pettyfer, Adam is an aimless 19 year old who gets caught up in the stripping world after getting fired from Mike's day job on a construction site.
In one of the few unsurprising plot beats, Adam gets into sex and drugs and completely forgets the people who got him there in the first place. Pettyfer is OK in the role. He does what is expected of him and nothing more, which is to mainly act as a plot device for Mike's arc. It's not a big issue by any means, but it stands out as a little cliche in a movie otherwise filled with strong character work.
I really hope Soderbergh doesn't retire as has been reported, because here he proves what he can do with even the most ridiculous plots for a movie and turn it into a funny and smart human story filled with strong performances. Or in other words, he is one of the few filmmakers left who is constantly delivering the unexpected.
Alright dudes, I'm seeing The Amazing Spider-Man this week. I don't have very high expectations, but who knows? Then there is some other stupid movie coming out about a guy bat or something. Between those two I should also have another marathon so hopefully I'll get on here and share with you fools. Until then, suck it.
Being a Steven Soderbergh movie though, one shouldn't be all that surprised that Magic Mike goes beyond the stripping and gives us an insightful character study about a guy who just happens to strip for a living.
First, I have to get my one little nitpick out of the way. Obviously, the movie is called Magic Mike so of course this is his journey and it's a good one at that. But I really wanted to spend more time with his co-workers. With actors like Matthew McConaughey, Joe Mangaiello of True Blood fame, Matt Bomer and even wrestler Kevin Nash, we're given a chance to really get a feel for their group dynamic. Each actor really brings something interesting to their character, even if they only have a scene or two to do it, and as a result I really wish I could spend more time with them. McConaughey especially shines as the owner and announcer of the strip club. Not only is he hilarious as the creepy ring-leader, but he is also able to keep the characters true intentions at bay just enough to keep you guessing at what is really going on in this guy's head. It really is a great performance in a year full of great McConaughey performances.
Speaking of a good year, Channing Tatum is riding high after this, 21 Jump Street and his other Soderbergh collaboration in Haywire. Oh yea, The Vow came out too but I have yet to see it, but it made a shit load of money as well. I've touched on this before, but I really didn't used to care for Tatum, but something has snapped in him for whatever reason, because he has gotten really comfortable in front of the camera. Yes, he can dance like nobody's business, but his Mike is completely charming and ambitious. He is a smart and nice guy who realizes what he does is ridiculous, but it totally OK with it because the money is good. Oh, and girls. What he really wants though, is to start his own business making custom furniture. So for him, stripping is a good time, but also a means to an end.
After spending a lot of good times with these guys, things start to get a little hairy after Mike takes Adam under his wing. Played by Alex Pettyfer, Adam is an aimless 19 year old who gets caught up in the stripping world after getting fired from Mike's day job on a construction site.
In one of the few unsurprising plot beats, Adam gets into sex and drugs and completely forgets the people who got him there in the first place. Pettyfer is OK in the role. He does what is expected of him and nothing more, which is to mainly act as a plot device for Mike's arc. It's not a big issue by any means, but it stands out as a little cliche in a movie otherwise filled with strong character work.
I really hope Soderbergh doesn't retire as has been reported, because here he proves what he can do with even the most ridiculous plots for a movie and turn it into a funny and smart human story filled with strong performances. Or in other words, he is one of the few filmmakers left who is constantly delivering the unexpected.
Alright dudes, I'm seeing The Amazing Spider-Man this week. I don't have very high expectations, but who knows? Then there is some other stupid movie coming out about a guy bat or something. Between those two I should also have another marathon so hopefully I'll get on here and share with you fools. Until then, suck it.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Moonrise Kingdom
Full disclosure, I haven't really loved Wes Anderson's last two live action films. The Life Aquatic was good, and actually grew in esteem a little after a second viewing, but The Darjeeling Limited really didn't do much for me. I had fun while I was watching it, but it almost immediately left my brain after it ended, which is extremely disappointing because I absolutely adore Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums and really really like Bottle Rocket. Either way, it seemed Anderson's style was wearing thin on me.
And then he made Fantastic Mr. Fox, a movie so utterly charming and wonderful that I began to immediately anticipate his next feature. Two years later, when a synopsis and cast list came out for Moonrise Kingdom I hoped that his return to form was not just due to his jump to animation, but hopefully a second creative wind.
And man oh man, if Anderson didn't just go ahead and make what might be his best film yet with Moonrise Kingdom.
It all takes place in early 1960's New England where Sam, a orphaned Khaki scout, flees base camp to meet Suzy, a troubled tween he met a year before, and plan to start a life together, all at the tender age of 12. Upon their disappearance, the small town desperately scrambles to find them.
It sounds pretty straight forward of course, and it pretty much is, but Anderson fills his screenplay with fascinating and hilarious characters brought to life by my personal favorite Anderson ensemble so far ( Though Tenenbaums is a very close second. HACKMAN! ) including Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Francis McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Bob Balaban and of course Jason Schwartzman. All of these guys are amazing and each character gets their own moment of some sort, but for me it's Bruce Willis who almost steals the show from the two young leads ( more on them in a moment ). Willis, of course, is awesome. Besides just being awesome though, he actually happens to be quite a capable actor, something that I feel a lot of people forget. He's always played somber well, as well as having comic timing better than most comedians out there and here he gets to play both those cards. The result is a funny and surprisingly tender character who gets a bit of a wake up call when he begins to look for the two children.
As good as the adults are though, this movie belongs to the kids. From my understanding, both of the leads are completely new to acting ( according to IMDB, at least. So obviously this is fact ), though one would never know it, as they both deliver natural performances. Honestly, the biggest compliment I can give them is that their characters really felt like kids, not just kid actors saying words the audience thinks kids would say. Granted, a lot of credit goes to Anderson for writing these characters so well and directing his actors, but they really came across as kids and react to situations accordingly. There is one scene in particular where their love is "blossoming" so to speak, and they treat the situation in such a matter of fact way that only kids can do.
The other treat of this film is its tone. Anderson's characters have always felt like they are in another world that is at once similar yet different and Moonrise Kingdom is no exception. Like Fantastic Mr. Fox before it, there is an extra whimsical feeling to the movie that really brings it a notch above his previous movies.
Above all though, the movie is honest. It may sounds cliche as hell, but one of Anderson's strengths has always been his honest depiction of how people deal with life, love and all the other shit in between. His characters and universe may be slightly odd, but they are always overwhelmingly human.
And then he made Fantastic Mr. Fox, a movie so utterly charming and wonderful that I began to immediately anticipate his next feature. Two years later, when a synopsis and cast list came out for Moonrise Kingdom I hoped that his return to form was not just due to his jump to animation, but hopefully a second creative wind.
And man oh man, if Anderson didn't just go ahead and make what might be his best film yet with Moonrise Kingdom.
It all takes place in early 1960's New England where Sam, a orphaned Khaki scout, flees base camp to meet Suzy, a troubled tween he met a year before, and plan to start a life together, all at the tender age of 12. Upon their disappearance, the small town desperately scrambles to find them.
It sounds pretty straight forward of course, and it pretty much is, but Anderson fills his screenplay with fascinating and hilarious characters brought to life by my personal favorite Anderson ensemble so far ( Though Tenenbaums is a very close second. HACKMAN! ) including Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Francis McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Bob Balaban and of course Jason Schwartzman. All of these guys are amazing and each character gets their own moment of some sort, but for me it's Bruce Willis who almost steals the show from the two young leads ( more on them in a moment ). Willis, of course, is awesome. Besides just being awesome though, he actually happens to be quite a capable actor, something that I feel a lot of people forget. He's always played somber well, as well as having comic timing better than most comedians out there and here he gets to play both those cards. The result is a funny and surprisingly tender character who gets a bit of a wake up call when he begins to look for the two children.
As good as the adults are though, this movie belongs to the kids. From my understanding, both of the leads are completely new to acting ( according to IMDB, at least. So obviously this is fact ), though one would never know it, as they both deliver natural performances. Honestly, the biggest compliment I can give them is that their characters really felt like kids, not just kid actors saying words the audience thinks kids would say. Granted, a lot of credit goes to Anderson for writing these characters so well and directing his actors, but they really came across as kids and react to situations accordingly. There is one scene in particular where their love is "blossoming" so to speak, and they treat the situation in such a matter of fact way that only kids can do.
The other treat of this film is its tone. Anderson's characters have always felt like they are in another world that is at once similar yet different and Moonrise Kingdom is no exception. Like Fantastic Mr. Fox before it, there is an extra whimsical feeling to the movie that really brings it a notch above his previous movies.
Above all though, the movie is honest. It may sounds cliche as hell, but one of Anderson's strengths has always been his honest depiction of how people deal with life, love and all the other shit in between. His characters and universe may be slightly odd, but they are always overwhelmingly human.
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