Movie Rewind: Stardust (2007)

Director: Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake)

Cast: Charlie Cox, Claire Danes (Romeo + Juliet, Shopgirl), Michelle Pfeiffer (Batman Returns, Dangerous Liaisons), Robert De Niro (Meet the Parents, Raging Bull), Mark Strong (Body of Lies, Sunshine), Ian McKellen (Lord of the Rings, X-Men), Sienna Miller (Factory Girl)

The Deal: Desperate to win the heart of Victoria (Miller), Tristan (Cox) ventures into the realm of Stormhold to retrieve a fallen star. Expecting to find a piece of space rock, he is surprised to find Yvaine (Danes). He quickly discovers that he is not the only one seeking the star. Stormhold's King's four sons, led by Septimus (Strong), seek the star to claim the throne, and the evil witch Lamia (Pfeiffer) seeks the star to achieve eternal beauty. With the help of the pirate captain, Shakespeare (De Niro), the two race to safety and uncover some surprising secrets about themselves.

Thoughts: If ever there was a recipe for a successful adult fairy tale, only two films come to mind. Many are familiar with The Princess Bride, but Stardust is just as good, if not better. Stardust boasts fantasy, humor, action, adventure, romance, and an all around fun and entertaining story. It saddens me that I didn't hear of the film until its release on DVD, as I would have loved to see it in theaters. Little kids may not follow, but teenagers and older will find it a wonderful film no matter what mood they are in.

The performances in the film are quite good. Cox is a perfect fit for the lead, as he really grows with the character through the film, from innocent and one-minded to mature and brave. Danes has not been in much I recognize since Romeo + Juliet, but I was happy to see her here. Her character is somewhat innocent, and she has a fun-loving and glowing personality, which works well when your character is a star. Pfeiffer and Strong both do well as the villains. Strong's Septimus is power hungry and action happy, and Pfeiffer's Lamia is wicked and pure evil. De Niro steals the scenes he's in, providing the most ridiculous and funny moments. McKellen is only the narrator, but I will note that he is very fitting for the film and has a great voice for narration.

I like how the film handles Tristan. All he's known is his small town and the one girl he likes in it, but it's not until he adventures out that he really finds himself. The world is such a big place full of many opportunities, and he really comes to realize this. Despite all of the close calls and bad decisions, he realizes he doesn't belong with Victoria, and his best chance for a happy life lies outside the walls of his small childhood town. It all feels right for the character, and he handles these realizations perfectly.

Verdict: A fairly tale for both genders and all ages. It's full of fantasy, action, adventure, romance, and humor, making for an entertaining film from start to finish. ☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try These: The Princess Bride (1987), Enchanted (2007), Big Fish (2003)

Summer Movie Picks: July

Must See: Public Enemies (July 1)

The Deal: Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean, Sweeney Todd) plays the infamous American gangster, John Dillinger. The Feds, led by Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale, The Dark Knight), set out to capture Dillinger and his cohorts, including Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham, Snatch) and Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum, Step Up).

Why: Dillinger was America's first Public Enemy Number One, which should make for a great film. Depp and Bale rarely disappoint in their roles, and the supporting cast is quite strong as well. From the trailer, the film looks to be very exciting and chock full of suspense. The early reviews are mostly positive (somehow it is already ranked #193 on IMDb's top 250). This doesn't necessarily fit the normal summer blockbuster mold, but that's what I'm liking about it. Blockbuster's tend to lack great scripts and focus on big action, whereas this so far looks to have plenty of both.

Sleepers

Bruno (July 10): Sacha Baron Cohen's last effort, Borat, was a shocking success. Cohen does a phenominal job falling into his characters, and this film, like Borat, will focus on real life reactions to his insane antics. I thought Borat was overhyped, but it was fairly funny, and Bruno looks to be just as good if not better. The film has been hyped for many months now, and it's a certain lock to perform well in the box office.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 15): Whether this gets good or bad reviews, it will make a killing in the box office (I've already ordered my midnight showing tickets). Harry Potter is as much of a sure thing as Hollywood can get. The sixth book installment is easily one of the darkest of the series, and director David Yates seems intent on keeping that mood in the film. Though the IMAX release is delayed two weeks, it boasts around 12 minutes of "exclusive" footage. Potter fanatics will most certainly be catching both cuts of the film.

Funny People (July 31): Though many comedies have boasted the Apatow name, this is the first since Knocked Up to be directed by him. It's full of plenty of familiar faces (Sandler, Rogen, Hill, Bana, Mann) from his and other popular comedies. This film looks a have a more serious edge to it, as it focuses on a terminal illness, but the laughs will still be there. It could prove to the most endearing of his films.

Review: Moon (2009)

Director: Duncan Jones

Cast: Sam Rockwell (Frost/Nixon, The Green Mile), Kevin Spacey (The Usual Suspects, K-PAX), Dominique McElligott, Kaya Scodelario, Robin Chalk

The Deal: Sam Bell (Rockwell) is two weeks away from completing his three-year contract with Lunar Industries, in which he mines Helium-3, Earth's main energy source. His only company on the moon is Gerty (Spacey), a robot that assists Sam and maintains the facility, and the communications satellite is broken, preventing any live contact with Earth. Plagued by strange visions and deteriorating health, Sam discovers Lunar's actual plans for replacing him.

Thoughts: Being Duncan Jones' first major motion picture, this is quite impressive. Science fiction seems to a be a tricky genre to balance strong story with imaginative and beautiful visuals, but Jones provides possibly the best film in the genre of the last 10 years. The story is very compelling and in some ways is a throwback to classic sci-fi films, such as 2001: A Space Odyssey. Despite a budget of only $5 million, the visuals are quite impressive and beautiful. The visuals are both retro and modern, beautifully complimenting the mood of the film. It's a very hard science fiction with a focus on what it means to be human.

Given that Sam Rockwell makes up 80% of the film, this would not be able to succeed without a stellar performance. He handles the two roles effortlessly, and displays the emotions very well. It's the type of performance that could finally cement him as a go-to actor in Hollywood. Kevin Spacey voices the robot quite well, and is surprisingly aided by the emoticons the robot uses. I'm not going to argue he should be held to the same lofty standard as HAL from 2001, but he's probably the best and most engaging computer since.

Probably the only consistent compliant I've read in reviews is that the film's twist comes too early. These critics are mistaken. The reveal is the biggest catalyst for the most powerful part of the film. It drives the character development and forces to viewer to reflect on what means humans human. This is a central idea of science fiction, and the film does a far more in-depth, thorough, and successful job than most films of the genre.

Verdict: One of the best science fiction films in recent memory. It explores human nature and is supported by a phenomenal performance by Rockwell. It's entertaining, suspenseful, and thought-provoking. ☆☆☆☆

Review: Knowing (2009)

Director: Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City)

Cast: Nicholas Cage (National Treasure, Lord of War), Rose Byrne (Troy, Sunshine), Chandler Canterbury, Lara Robinson, Nadia Townsend (Fireflies), D.G. Maloney, Ben Mendelsohn (Australia, The New World)

The Deal: In 1959, a young girl named Lucinda (Robinson) deposited a series of numbers into her class's time capsule. 50 years later, John's (Cage) son Caleb (Canterbury) receives these numbers, which John realizes predicted every major disaster to date, including the death toll and location. Realizing three events have yet to happen, he searches for clues, which lead him to Diana (Byrne), Lucinda's daughter. They both realize that their children have some connection with a group of strange people who seem to know what is coming. With the planet days away from destruction, John must do whatever he can to save his son and new friends.

Thoughts: I've finally come to terms with what a Nic Cage film entails. Usually they are far from masterpieces, but when taken lightly, they often prove to be quite entertaining. You can pick apart the Nation Treasure films all day, or you can ignore the faults and have fun. I'm happy to say that Knowing follows this path. I thought is was incredibly interesting and suspenseful for the majority of the film. Though the ending was fairly predictable and cheesy, it was suitable enough and contained some pretty cool visuals.

Disregard the one performance that earned Cage an Oscar, and you'll notice he's not particularly great. Despite this, he proves to be quite good in the film. There is a fair amount of depth to his character, and I actually did find traces of believable emotions. Byrne's role was far more generic. Film's like these always have the pretty girl for the "hero" to save, and she doesn't do much to stand out from the crowd, but she's capable here. I enjoyed Canterbury's performance. Child actors you don't hear about everyday tend to have very forgettable performances, but I though he was above average and displayed emotions quite well.

I find it interesting that aside from Roger Ebert, critic's were quite harsh on the film. Ebert stands by his beliefs that it was a fairly good film, and I tend to agree. Some events played out a little quickly and too conveniently, but the overall effect was quite good. There were nice visuals, solid performances, and some frighteningly eerie scenes. I can honestly say it's worth theater prices.

My one beef with the film is that the smooth black rocks didn't really have a greater purpose. The film kept hinting towards that direction, but the result was rather lackluster.

Verdict: A surprisingly entertaining and worthwhile film. The story was interesting and suspenseful, and the performances were quite decent. ☆☆☆1/2

Movie Rewind: Run Fatboy Run (2007)

Director: David Schwimmer (Friends)

Cast: Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead), Thandie Newton (W., The Pursuit of Happyness), Hank Azaria (The Simpsons), Dylan Moran (Shaun of the Dead), Matthew Fenton, Harish Patel, India de Beaufort (Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire)

The Deal: Dennis (Pegg) left his pregnant girlfriend, Libby (Newton), on the alter. Five years later, he's lazy and out of shape working as a security guard at a clothing store. As Libby's new boyfriend Whit (Azaria) tries to get closer to Libby's son, Dennis becomes jealous. Determined to prove he's changed and deserves a second shot with Libby, he signs up for the 26-mile marathon that Whit was running.

Thoughts: This film's formula is one we've seen a hundred times before: lazy single father must shape up to steal back the girl of his dreams. The film is far better than some, but it's not quite good enough to stand out in the long run. Dennis really isn't that fat, and he deserved the terrible life he had. But that's not the point of the film. He always runs away from things, never persevering, which is why he was a runaway groom. You know before half way how the film will turn out though, and it's not as funny as you'd think it to be.

I loved Simon Pegg in Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, which is the reason I wanted to watch this. His normal whit and charm just wasn't there though. He wasn't necessarily bad, but he's been much much better in other films (including the more recent small role in Star Trek). Newton fit her role fairly well, and played it decent enough. I never seem to recognize Azaria from film to film. In The Simpsons, Night at the Museum, and this, he always looks and sounds different. He wasn't great in the film, but I enjoyed seeing him in another role that caught me off guard. Moran and Patel were meant to be somewhat of the comedic sidekicks, but their actions and humor never really landed. It was funny the way Moran's character seemed to dislike pants though.

In all reality, the first hour of the film didn't matter very much. It establishes that he's lazy and never finishes things, but just keeps going over and over it. I thought things really picked up once the marathon was beginning. It had some of the funnier and easily more memorable scenes. I liked how they had a little fantasy of Dennis trying to break through the wall that runners tend to hit. Some might find the visual too literal and unnecessary, but I thought it fit with the character well. It ends predictably, but it's still somewhat satisfying.

Verdict: Not one of Pegg's funnier films, it treads very familiar and generic waters. In the end, it proves enjoyable enough, but will most likely be forgotten. ☆☆1/2

Review: Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009)

Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak (Doom, Romeo Must Die)

Cast: Kristin Kreuk (Smallville, EuroTrip), Chris Klein (American Pie, Just Friends), Neal McDonough (Band of Brothers, Desperate Housewives), Robin Shou (Mortal Kombat, Death Race), Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation, Journeyman), Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile, Daredevil), Taboo, Josie Ho

The Deal: Chun-Li's (Kreuk) father was taken by Bison (McDonough) when she was a little school girl. Grown up and wanting revenge, she takes to the streets of Bangkok, where she is found by Gen (Shou), a former criminal turned public protector, who takes her in and trains her. Charlie Nash (Klein) is an Interpol agent tracking Bison, and Detective Sunee (Bloodgood) is assigned to assist him in his task. The two eventually team up with Chun-Li and Gen for a chance to stop Bison's diabolical plan for power.

Thoughts: This film is absolutely terrible, one of the worst I've ever seen and about on par with Jumper. The story is bland, the script is bad, the acting is poor, the narration is terrible, and the action is boring. In all reality, this is exactly what one could expect from a film based on the Street Fighter franchise. The video games were all about random street fights, but for some reason, people think that can translate into films that aren't street fighting tournaments. But just to remind everyone that Street Fighter was in fact a game, they throw a nod to a tournament in at the end, but of course, that would require an unnecessary sequel.

Kreuk is not a lead actress, McDonough is not a lead villain, and Klein is not a lead actor, but they are in this film, and it shows. Kreuk's delivery and narration are bland and uninspired. McDonough is in no way menacing, despite his character's reputation for being such. Klein might have been the worst of the three. His accent made no sense what so ever, and his performance was aa far from believable as humanly possible. Duncan wasn't given much to work with in his role as Balrog, but even just standing around is scary with him. Bloodgood easily was the best in the film. Her performance was fairly believable, and she actually looked like she knew what she was doing. She's far from being a great actress, but she was more than good enough for this film.

The action sequences were horribly choreographed, and it was incredibly obvious when the stunt doubles were used. There was no effort made to make them look somewhat similar to the actual actors. The fight scene with Vega (Taboo) could have been cool, but it lasted all of a minute and was very one sided despite him supposedly being a force to reckon with.

Another thing that bothered me was the film's assumption that it's audience was stupid. It goes out of it's way when piecing things together to show the audience what it did. Unfortunately, when those things were first shown earlier in the film, it went out of it's way to show us then as well. It's shock moments were far from shocking, and were insulting to the viewer.

Verdict: An incredibly bland action film that lacks any entertainment value. When Moon Bloodgood is the best performer in a film, you know your in store for a rough time. ☆

Scrubs Season 9 Info

EW.com's Michael Ausiello got a chance to talk to Bill Lawrence, who shed some light on what is in store for the ninth season. It has been known that most of the main cast was only available for guest roles, and that the show was going to be a completely different spin-off. The new show will focus on Turk and Cox, but won't be set at Sacred Heart. The two doctors will be teaching medical school.

This is the kind of change the show needed, as the eighth season's final was absolutely spectacular, tying up every loose end. It was perfect, and this decision will not tarnish what was done, as this won't be close to the Scrubs we know and love. The med-students will spend some time at Sacred Heart though, since it is a teaching hospital.

One of the saddest bits of news is that due to another show, Neil Flynn, who plays Janitor, won't be able to return at all. It's a sad thought, but a good one. I love Scrubs and all of the characters, but it is over, and the new show needs to avoid trying to be Scrubs. It needs its own self. It needs to bring us new characters to love, new settings, new direction. A throwback every now and again is fine, but without its own identity, it will fail. 60% of the cast will be new, though Lawrence said one in particular will be very familiar. Here's to hoping for a solid show.

Review: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)

Director: Shawn Levy (Cheaper by the Dozen, The Pink Panther)

Cast: Ben Stiller (Meet the Parents, Dodgeball), Amy Adams (Enchanted, Doubt), Owen Wilson (Marley & Me, You Me and Dupree), Hank Azaria (The Simpsons, Along Came Polly), Robin Williams (RV, Mrs. Doubtfire), Steve Coogan (Night at the Museum), Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live, Superbad), Ricky Gervais (The Office (UK))

The Deal: While Larry Daley (Stiller) is running his successful new business, the Museum of Natural History is closing for upgrades and renovations. The museum pieces, with a few exceptions, are all being moved into federal storage at the Smithsonian Institute. With the pieces coming to life only to realize they are in danger, they call upon Larry to help them. He must infiltrate the Smithsonian, and with the help of Amelia Earhart (Adams), stop Kahmunrah's (Azaria) plan to take over the world.

Thoughts: If you've seen the first Night at the Museum film, then you'll find much of this film to be more of the same. There's a new museum, and hence new characters and scenery, but the plot is still very similar. Thankfully, it still proves mildly entertaining, and the best moments of the film do come from the new characters in the Smithsonian. It's no where near as funny as it wants to be, and some of the new characters are very very annoying (I'm pointing at you Jonas brothers).

Ben Stiller is a consistent actor, but he rarely shines in his roles. Though his character is supposed to different because of his new success, he's still just exactly the same as he was before. Amy Adams is the biggest reason to see the film. She's wonderful and charming, and full of "can do spirit." She steals every scene she's in, and was so much fun to watch. Azaria did okay in his role, but his character's lisp became very annoying quite quickly, and he was far from being a menacing enemy. Wilson and Coogan have much smaller roles this time around, but there's nothing new to their performances.

One of the fun things to do in the film is to try and spot the hoards of familiar faces with roles in the film. Jonah Hill has a brief but very funny two minutes, but you'll also find Craig Robinson, Mindy Kaling, and Ed Helms all from The Office (US). There's also Jay Baruchel and Eugene Levy to spot. They all have fairly quick appearances, and I'm sure I missed a slew of others, but it really was fun spotting them throughout the film.

As I mentioned before, much of the film was a rehash of the previous film, but there was some new stuff that was enjoyable. A lot of it can be seen in trailers, but the scene in the National Air and Space Museum was very fun, funny, and thrilling. It was one of the highest points of the film, and easily stands out. The slew of characters, airplanes, and rockets are are geared up to do their thing.

Verdict: Amy Adams easily steals the show and is a lot of fun, but most of the film is far too familiar to the previous film. It proves to be moderately entertaining, but it's nothing too special. ☆☆☆

Movie Sequels Galore!

Indiana Jones V: In a BBC interview with Shia LaBeouf, who played Mutt in the last Indy film and stars in the upcoming Transformers film, he says that Spielberg cracked the story and the film looks to be moving forward.

Though many viewers found Kingdom of the Crystal Skull disappointing, I thought that it was fairly good, minus a few questionable parts. It felt like the Indy I loved, and the film was no worse than Temple of Doom.

Bourne 4: Frank Marshall, producer of the next Bourne film, says in an interview with IGN that he is moving it forward and hopes to shoot next year. He also mentions he wants a very solid script before moving forward.

I enjoyed the first two Bourne films, and the third was absolutely amazing. Even if the fourth isn't as good, it should still prove to be an entertaining and action-happy thrill ride.

Jurassic Park IV: In the same interview with IGN, Marshall also discussed how he felt the poor performance of Land of the Lost could effect the next Jurassic Park. He says that Land of the Lost was a comedy, and they just need to come up with a good story.

The third JP film was far from good, but it brought back the dinosaurs. When it comes down to it, everyone loves dinosaurs, and no franchise does better than Jurassic Park. It's sure to do well enough in the box office, and I'd love to see more t-rexes and velociraptors on the big screen.

Mission Impossible IV: Variety reports that Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams will co-produce the next film installment, which is shooting for a 2011 release. The film could be delayed though, as Abrams is also slated to work on the next Star Trek film.

The first M:I film was great, the second was terrible, and the third was surprisingly decent, possibly elevated by the incredibly talented Philip Seymour Hoffman. The fact that Abrams is attached to the film should prove enough to ensure the next film will be entertaining.

Movie Rewind: Teeth (2007)

Director: Mitchell Lichtenstein

Cast: Jess Weixler (The Big Bad Swim), John Hensley (Nip/Tuck), Hale Appleman, Ashley Springer, Lenny von Dohlen, Nicole Swahn

The Deal: Dawn (Weixler) is an active member in a chastity club, and faithfully wears her promise ring. She falls for a new guy in Town, Tobey (Appleman), but when he tries to rape her, she discovers she is a living example of the vagina dentata myth. Casting away her promise ring, she slowly uses her adaptation to seek revenge. Her step-brother, Brad (Hensley), has been in love with her his whole life, but after he crosses her path, he risks a terrible result.

Thoughts: Some would describe this as a horror film, which it's not, but the premise is terrifyingly cringeworthy for the male gender. Vagina dentata (a set of teeth down there) is essentially a man's worst nightmare, though in the film, she has some control over it. It you haven't upset her or done something bad, and she's all for the fun, you'll probably be safe. The problem with the film is that it never really understands the best way to depict itself. It never really knows what direction to take Dawn's adaptation, so the result is clunky and random. The end result is a bad movie that is hilarious if you look at it from a bad-movie perspective.

The performances in the film were pretty awful. Weixler does a decent job in the lead. She is believably innocent and emotional, but her character's decisions are erratic and don't always add up. Hensley does probably the best job in the film as the troubled step-brother. He's truly messed up, and you get the feeling from the get go that he's harbored feelings for Dawn. Appleman and Springer were especially terrible in their roles. For having their "members" bitten off, they were no where near in enough pain. Their emotions were flat, and the viewer feels absolutely no remorse for them.

A question that will inevitably spawn from the film is whether or not this is a fair punishment for violators. Rape is a very touchy subject, but one thing is for certain, it is a terrible terrible crime deserving an equally terrible punishment. How do you feel about the punishment for rape being "you use it you lose it"? It's the stance Dawn ends up taking, and one that I'm all for. It's such a terrifying thought, one you may not agree with, but seriously, it would make a great deterrent.

I'd also like to briefly mention the nuclear plant's towers. At the beginning of the film, they are spewing thick black smoke (it's CGI and it looks terrible), and by the end there are merely white/grey wisps. I'm sure this was supposed to symbolize something, but that something is completely unknown.

Verdict: A terrifyingly cheesy and hilarious premise, but the film never knows what direction to go. It's not for everyone, but will be worth a rental for some. ☆☆1/2

Review: Bride Wars (2009)

Director: Gary Winick (13 Going on 30, Charlotte's Web)

Cast: Kate Hudson (How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Almost Famous), Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada, The Princess Diaries), Candice Bergen (Boston Legal, Sex and the City), Bryan Greenberg (One Tree Hill), Chris Pratt (Everwood, The O.C.), Steve Howey (Reba), Kristen Johnston (3rd Rock from the Sun)

The Deal: Liv (Hudson) and Emma (Hathaway) have been best friends since childhood and have always dreamed of their perfect wedding in the Plaza Hotel. They both become engaged at the same time, and due to a mix up, their weddings are scheduled for the same day. Neither one is willing to change their date, so they set out on an alternating set of escalating attacks in hopes of forcing the other to back out. With their weddings looming on the edge of disaster, their friendship seems long forgotten.

Thoughts: This is not my genre of films, but I know the decent ones when I see them. This isn't one of them. Aside from a couple of briefly funny moments from Hudson's character, everything else was shown in the trailer. You'd think the trailer would have been a brief glimpse into a bigger picture, but those were really the whole scenes. The film is completely irrational (yes, I understand women plus weddings equals irrational) and so absolutely ridiculous. Anyone who would go to these lengths against their life long best friend is a terrible person. Like the guys in the film (who literally just stand there not knowing what to do) suggested, a double wedding would have made all of this go away.

As you can probably already guess, the performances weren't memorable. Any actresses could have been plugged into these roles and the result would have been the same. They both are crazy, but it's not some special kind of crazy that will wow the viewers. It's the kind of crazy that is so over-the-top that high school girls would find too much. The men in the film are left to mostly stand around and assure their respective fiances, and they nail the parts, which isn't really hard to do as I'm sure they've had plenty of real life experience.

I had hoped that since the film was dubbed a "war" that there could have been more cat fights. It's full of psychological warfare, and they only finally duke it out in the last 10 minutes, only for it to last 30 seconds before they finally realize how ridiculous they've been. Right when you think they've grown up and matured, you get a "happy" ending that shows how irrational they still are. If you don't want a spoiler, don't read on. After calling off her wedding and separating from her fiance, Emma strikes it off with Liv's brother, which isn't surprising in the least. Then we flash forward one whopping year, and Emma has gone off and gotten married. Seriously? One whole year? And to top it off, Liv and Emma are both pregnant and due on the same date. Do I smell a terrible sequel?

Verdict: A butt-load of crazy and irrational, but most of the good moments were in the trailer. This would be best viewed on late night cable, so don't waste your money. ☆1/2

Review: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)

Director: Patrick Tatopoulos

Cast: Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon, Blood Diamond), Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean, Valkyrie), Rhona Mitra (Boston legal, The Practice), Steven Mackintosh (Underworld: Evolution), Kevin Grevioux (Underworld)

The Deal: Traces the origin of the centuries-old feud between vampires and lycans. Lucian (Sheen) was found as a baby and raised by the vampire Victor (Nighy) despite being a lycan. Matured and unhappy with the slave treatment of lycans, Lucian rises up to overthrow the vampires. Upon learning that Lucian had a relationship with his daughter Sonja (Mitra), Victor sets out on a vendetta to kill Lucian, but Lucian has amassed a massive army of lycans to fight the vampires.

Thoughts: In some ways, this is better than the previous Underworld films, and in others, it falls short. It's great to see why the vampires and lycans have been at war for so long, and the blood and gore is amped up from the first two films. It's also nice having familiar characters (and their actors) weaved into the story. Despite the events of the film occurring before those of the last two, many of the story elements feel too familiar and worn out after being addressed already. In the end, it is entertaining, and surprisingly better than I expected despite the loss of Kate Beckinsale.

The acting is passable, and about what you'd expect from the Underworld franchise. The enjoyment comes more from the visuals and action than from the story or acting. Sheen does a decent job as Lucian, but after seeing him in Frost/Nixon, I wish he could have brought more to the table here. Nighy continues his solid portrayal of Victor, and his performance is fairly believable. Rhona Mitra has the unfortunate task of replacing Kate Beckinsale in the female lead department. They play different characters, and Mitra does admirably, but her character just doesn't have the same appeal.

I liked that the blood and guts were amped up in the film, as there was a large emphasis on the war and its action. There was a chillingly awesome scene involving giant wooden spears and hallway full of lycans that remains my favorite moment in the film. They didn't spare any visuals for that scene. My biggest problem is that the blood looked terribly fake. It is a visually dark film, which works fine, but in order to make the blood more visible, they dialed up the red coloring. It's nothing like the style Frank Miller tends to use in his films, but instead a funny looking vibrant red.

Verdict: A surprisingly decent prequel in the Underworld franchise. It's action-packed, entertaining, and doesn't hold back on the blood. ☆☆☆

Movie Rewind: Pi (1998)

Director: Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream)

Cast: Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis (The Wrestler, The Fountain), Ben Shenkman, Pamela Hart, Stephen Pearlman (Die Hard: With a Vengeance)

The Deal: Max Cohen (Gullette) is a genius mathematician and computer whiz who's searching for the key to understanding all existence. He's built a computer that can predict the stock market, and one day right before his computer fries, it spits out 216 numbers. A Wall Street firm and a Hasidic sect separately pursue Max's work for their own personal gain, but Max believes only he is meant to understand these numbers. Being a secretive person, he does not take too well to the new found attention, and he must also cope with terrible headaches that have plagued him since he stared into the sun when he was 6.

Thoughts: Darren Aronofsky has directed some wonderful films, and Pi is the film that put his name on the map. The story follows that math is the language of nature, and that anywhere one looks, they will find patterns. The interesting thing about the film is that this idea applies to both science and religion. The Hasidic sect believes that numbers in the Torah are the key to God's true name, and the Wall Street cronies believe they can use the numbers scientifically to get rich. Mathematicians may not find the film as complex as they would hope, but the ideas are still very enjoyable.

The only real performer in the film is Gullette, and he did a fantastic job. The viewer truly feels that he is obsessed with numbers, and his extreme headaches were frighteningly believable. He's very paranoid around other people, as he fails to trust all but Sol Roberson (Margolis), an older friend who is also obsessed over the numbers. This film would have failed with a poor performance from Gullette, but his work is more than enough to carry the film.

The thing that bugs me the most about the film is that the viewer never really gets an answer to the numbers. The film holds a fair amount of tension throughout, and the reveal that the numbers could be the key to the Torah and stock market provide the pieces for a thrilling ending that the viewer never gets. I would have liked to see it play out this way, but the ending the viewer does get is still slightly shocking and probably the better choice based on who Max really is. It's the more realistic choice for the character given his obsession, paranoia, and illness. Many viewers would find it somewhat of an insane decision that they would never handle in the same way, but Max is after all, far from normal.

Verdict: A film that lives up to its tag line, "faith in chaos". The film is both interesting and enjoyable, and Sean Gullette gives an excellent performance. ☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try These: A Beautiful Mind (2001), Primer (2004), The Number 23 (2007)

Review: Defiance (2009)

Director: Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai)

Cast: Daniel Craig (Casino Royale, Munich), Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Jaime Bell (Billy Elliot, Jumper), Mark Feuerstein (Good Morning Miami), George MacKay

The Deal: After the Nazi invasion of Poland, the four Bielski brothers escape to the woods. Many other Jews join them in the woods, and the oldest brothers, Tuvia (Craig) and Zus (Schreiber), disagree on the actions they should take. Tuvia believes in sheltering all who come, while Zus believes they should fight alongside the Russians against the Germans. They ultimately go their separate ways, with Tuvia staying behind to lead the developing forrest community. As time goes on, Tuvia's command of the forrest is questioned, sickness spreads, and the Germans press ever closer. As their leader and protector, Tuvia must do whatever it takes to save his fellow Jews.

Thoughts: The film is based on a true story, and does an interesting and entertaining job of recounting the events. It devotes much effort to portraying the struggles the brothers must cope with. As Tuvia struggles to maintain peace and morale within his community, he also must deal with inevitable fighting that will find its way into the forrest. Zus believes he should be fighting out of revenge for his family, but he also believes he should stick by his brothers in times of need, even if they don't see eye to eye.

The performances in the film were solid, with the best coming from Craig and Schreiber. Craig did an excellent job, and I found it easy to connect with the struggles and hardships his character was faced with in taking control. Similarly, I understood Schreiber's character's beliefs. His character at times did not like being the second oldest, and hence, he was so willing to meet events head on to prove his worth. Jamie Bell was fairly good as the the third oldest brother. His character started out in the middle, too old to be looked after closely, but too young to be given lots of responsibility. As the film progresses, we see him grow up and mature; a credit to Bell's work.

Like I mentioned before, a lot of time is devoted to portraying the inner struggles of the brothers. Though I really liked how successful it was in doing so, it also slowed the film down. Trailers implied a more action rich film, so it was misleading with what to expect. It was still quite a good film, but the action could have been dialed up a little more to keep a more exciting pace. None the less, there was tension held throughout the film, and it successfully developed characters the viewer could actually care for and connect with.

Verdict: A good film based on a true story. The characters were well developed, and the film does an excellent job exploring inner struggles amidst a war. ☆☆☆1/2

Review: The Hangover (2009)

Director: Todd Phillips (Old School, Starsky & Hutch)

Cast: Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers, Failure to Launch), Ed Helms (The Office, Meet Dave), Zach Galifianakis (Tru Calling, Dog Bites Man), Justin Bartha (National Treasure, Failure to Launch), Heather Graham (Austin Powers, Boogie Nights), Ken Jeong (Role Models), Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development, Hellboy)

The Deal: Doug (Bartha) is getting married, so his two best friends, Phil and Stu (Cooper and Helms), and new brother-in-law, Alan (Galifianakis), are taking him to Vegas for a bachelor party. After partying way too hard, they wake up to find that Doug is missing and they can't remember the events of the previous night. The further they dig to find Dougbefore his wedding in two days, the more and more they discover from their insane and ridiculous night on the town.

Thoughts: This was the funniest film I've seen in a good long while. It's been touted as the best comedy since Old School, and Todd Phillips delivers a mighty effort. The story screams for comedic gold, and it is delivered in the wildest and most ridiculous fashion. The characters are all funny, and the consequences of their wild night consist of a what's what of greatest drunk stories ever. The laughs start from the get go and don't stop until half way through the credits. The only question that remains is whether this will survive the test of time like Old School has or slowly fade into an above average comedy.

The characters in the film were destined to bring the laughs, and the casting choices couldn't have been better. Ed Helms' character is similar to his on The Office (dress, personality, love of singing), and Cooper's character is a blend of fun partier and jerk you want to punch, which really sets up a lot of laughs. Galifianakis absolutely stole the show. His character had the potential to be the funniest, and he took it to completely new levels, delivering laughs with every second on screen. Bartha's role is small, as he's lost half the film, and Tambor is funny in his small bit as the bride's dad (I miss Arrested Development, so I love seeing him in anything).

The only thing that wasn't as funny as they thought it would be was Mr. Chow (Jeong). It was hilarious when he beats the crap out of the guys with a crow bar, but the rest of his scenes remain the least funny of the film. Thankfully, his role is relevant in the story and sets up some of the funniest scenes, so I'm not going to hold anything against him.

Make sure you stay for the first half of the credits, as we finally learn what all actually happened the night before. We learn some bits and pieces throughout the film, but the credits have some of the raunchiest moments from their night, and deliver a ton of laughs.

Verdict: One of the funniest films of the last few years. See this in theaters ASAP.☆☆☆☆

Note: If the film withstands the test of time like Old School has (ie, still funny after the 100th viewing or so), then the rating should be bumped up a little bit.

Review: He's Just Not That Into You (2009)

Director: Ken Kwapis (The Office, Malcolm in the Middle)

Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love, Walk the Line), Bradley Cooper (Alias, Wedding Crashers), Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind, Labyrinth), Scarlett Johansson (The Prestige, Match Point), Justin Long (Accepted, Dodgeball), Kevin Connolly (Entourage, Unhappily Ever After), Jennifer Aniston (Friends, Marley & Me), Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Armageddon), Drew Barrymore (Charlie's Angels, 50 First Dates), Kris Kristofferson (Blade)

The Deal: A group of women and men try to interpret the signals the sexes exchange. Gigi (Goodwin) imagines every man could be Mr. Right, but meets a bartender, Alex (Long), who explains what the signals actually mean. Janine (Connelly) and Ben (Cooper) seem happily married, but Ben meets Anna (Johansson) who wants Ben for herself. Neil (Affleck) and Beth (Aniston) have dated for seven years, but he doesn't believe in marriage while she does. Connor (Connolly) loves Anna, but she doesn't harbor the same feelings. Mary (Barrymore) sells advertising while searching for men online. They all are trying to find love, but who will they end up with and what will they discover about themselves.

Thoughts: The film attempts to tackle the complex world of relationships, and it both succeeds and fails in the process, which I will cover later. The biggest problem with the story is its slow gossipy pace. Men will feel like nothing is happening most of the time while women will be fixated on the "gripping" story. It sports a massive cast of who's who in Hollywood, which is nice as there is eye candy for almost anyone's taste.

Instead of breaking down all of the performances, which would take forever, I'll focus one the three characters I thought were the best in the film. First up is Gigi, played admirably by Ginnifer Goodwin. I can't count how many times I've met girls just like her in real life, and her character plays out accordingly in the film. Next up are Neil and Beth, played quite well by Ben Affleck and Jennifer Aniston. Their relationship is stressed because Ben doesn't believe in marriage, but he does believe in commitment. Aniston channels some of her real life struggles as her character desperately wants marriage and can't understand the difference Neil sees. They split up only to realize that they truly did love each other, and both become willing to compromise in order to be with each other.

Relationships are complicated, and the film makes a valiant attempt to address these issues. It doesn't shy away from heartbreak, divorce, affairs, desperation, and actual love. It takes common real life emotions and plays them out before your eyes quite believably for most of the film. The problem with its approach is two fold. First, everyone gets a happy ending. Through all of the hardships, every character comes away better and happier from it. It doesn't play out this way in real life all of the time, and it would have been nice to see at least one mediocre to sad ending for a character. Second, everyone is filthy stinking rich (boats, expensive artwork, fancy apartments, etc). This is not to say rich people don't experience this, but it would be nice to have events play out with people living average lives. They all have what seems to be their dream job with lots of money and perks, which prevents many viewers from completely connecting with characters. The emotions are there, but not the lifestyles.

Verdict: An admirable attempt to explain the complexities of relationships, but the film moves slowly at times. Women will love it, men will loathe it. ☆☆☆

Movie Rewind: The Prestige (2006)

Director: Chris Nolan (The Dark Knight, Momento)

Cast: Hugh Jackman (The Fountain, X-Men), Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, American Psycho), Michael Caine (The Dark Knight, The Cider House Rules), Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, Match Point), Piper Perabo (Coyote Ugly, Cheaper by the Dozen), David Bowie (Labyrinth)

The Deal: Robert Angier (Jackson) and Alfred Borden (Bale) were assistants to a magician, but after an accident caused the death Angier's wife Julia (Perabo), he blames Borden. The two of them go on to be rivals as the top two magicians in London. Their goals become to sabotage the other, and Angier becomes obsessed with one of Borden's successful tricks, sparking an ever escalating series of revenge, resulting in rather tragic consequences.

Thoughts: This is one of the most entertaining and complex films I've ever seen, requiring many additional viewings to finally catch all of the pieces to the puzzle. This is not to say the ending is ambiguous, but it would be impossible to catch every hint and bit of foreshadowing in order to truly understand the main aspects of the film without multiple viewings. Each character has a slew of tricks up their sleeve for the other, leaving the viewer to guess what could possibly come next. You'll finally think you've figured it out only to have an even greater twist remaining at the end.

The performances in the film were quite excellent. This is my favorite performance of Jackman's, and his best one to date. I've grown to expect a lot from Bale, and his performance here does not disappoint. Both of them create an excellent rivalry, and their performances continually feed off of one another. Johansson isn't necessarily a dynamite actress in the performance category, but she is quite polished and does a wonderful job as the beautiful magician's assistant. Caine is excellent in his role as well as with his narration, and Bowie is satisfying in his role as Tesla.

This is a top five film of mine. The plot is complex, but not so much so as to lose its audience. It maintains a high level of suspense throughout, and is chock full of brilliant twists throughout. I've seen this film a minimum of five times, and each viewing is just as entertaining as the last because there is so much built into the story. I always find something new I hadn't noticed previously, and it just adds to the awe-factor you get when you finally discover something important. 

Verdict: An outstanding story full of twists and turns. The performances are excellent, and the film never fails to entertain and enlighten even after multiple viewings. ☆☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try These: The Illusionist (2006), Momento (2000), Donnie Darko (2001)

Review: Quantum of Solace (2008)

Director: Marc Forster (Finding Neverland, The Kite Runner)

Cast: Daniel Craig (Casino Royale, The Golden Compass), Olga Kurylenko (Max Payne, Hitman), Mathieu Amalric (Munich), Judi Dench (Casino Royale, Shakespeare in Love), Giancarlo Giannini (Casino Royale, Man on Fire), Gemma Arterton (St. Trinian's, Lost in Austen), Jeffrey Wright (Casino Royale, W.), Joaquin Cosio

The Deal: James Bond (Craig) lost his love, and he's seeking vengeance. After an assassination attempt on M (Dench) fails, Bond is dispatched to track down the organization behind the attack, which may also lend clues to why he lost his love. The road of clues leads to Dominic Greene (Amalric), a business man with a scheme to make him and his partners very very rich. After saving the beautiful Camille (Kurylenko), he learns she is also seeking vengeance, and the two team up to track down Greene and settle their pasts.

Thoughts: Quantum of Solace had some very big shoes to fill following the hugely successful and well received Casino Royale. The doubts about Craig as Bond had been silenced, and hopes were as high as ever for the franchise. To many, Quantum of Solace comes off as an action-happy Bond flick that lacks a deep story line, but what those viewers are overlooking is that this is the first Bond movie that directly continues off of the previous film. What we get is a Bond who is so distraught over the loss of his love that he losses his control entirely, leading to reckless kills and questionable decisions. 

Craig does an excellent job of driving home the feeling that Bond is hurting, angry, and deeply wanting revenge. A man on that mission is focused, caring less about those around him, and only caring about the one sole objective, and Craig harnesses that feel very well. At first glance, Mathieu Almaric does not seem like a very imposing villain choice, but as we learn more about his character, I find him to be quite sinister and an excellent choice for the part. Judi Dench brings M to life once again, and she's just as hard-nosed and great as she always has been. Bond films are known for their beautiful women, often at the disregard acting talent. Kurylenko is certainly pretty, and though her performance isn't anything special, she fits the role she's meant to play very well.

Bond copes with the loss the same way a normal human copes with loss; he distances himself from the world until he finds his inner peace. In order to portray this, a simpler plot is needed so that the focus can be less on the bad guy's crazy plan and more on Bond kicking ass until his heart is settled. Casino Royale is a better film, but Quantum of Solace defines why the suave, no attachment, Bond we know is the way he is. It is an integral part of re-establishing a film franchise comprised of well-developed characters and plots. Quantum of Solace is an action packed thrill ride, and I believe the next Bond movie will play off of Quantum's strengths. It is then when it will be truly seen for its worth.

Verdict: Though less complex than it's predecessor, the film is action packed a still very much the James Bond we love. A very entertaining addition to the franchise. ☆☆☆☆

Review: Inkheart (2009)

Director: Iain Softley (The Skeleton Key, K-PAX)

Cast: Brendan Fraser (The Mummy, Bedazzled), Eliza Bennett (Nanny McPhee), Paul Bettany (A Knight's Tale, The Da Vinci Code), Helen Mirren (The Queen, National Treasure: Book of Secrets), Sienna Guillory (Eragon), Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, 13 Going On 30), Jim Broadbent (Iris, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), Rafi Gavron (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, 24), Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind, Blood Diamond)

The Deal: Mo (Fraser) is a silvertongue, someone who can bring characters to life when they read books aloud. He discovered his ability when he accidentally brought Dustfinger (Bettany) and the evil Capricorn (Serkis) out of Inkheart, but his wife, Resa (Guillory), was transported into the book. He's spent his life with his daughter Meggie (Bennett) looking for another copy of the book, hoping to save his wife. Capricorn hopes to take over the world, but he needs a silvertongue to summon The Shadow from Inkheart, and Capricorn knows of no better reader than Mo. With an odd collection of allies, Mo and Meggie must defeat Capricorn and save Resa before it is too late.

Thoughts: The premise of the story is built upon a foundation with lots of potential. The ability of silvertongues opens the door for a vast and magical fantasy epic, but unfortunately, Inkheart fails to seize the moment. The story is mildly interesting and entertaining, but fails to adhere to its own rules set forth early on, and becomes clunky and predictable. It truly is a shame Inkheart falls so far short, as it has the recipe for the type of fantasy adventures I tend to enjoy.

I don't want to blame or rip on Brendan Fraser, but I don't think he is leading role material. In every film he's had the lead in, I don't find his performance strong enough to carry the story. Whenever I've seen him in supporting roles, his humor and talents shine, and he'd be best suited to stick with smaller roles. Bettany's performance isn't that good as well. He has the potential to be a very good actor, but I haven't seen it often, an it was rarely present here. Helen Mirren's role is small and fails to utilize her talents, and Andy Serkis remains most effective when he's not directly on screen (like the role of Gollum). It's unfair that Jennifer Connelly was promoted the way she was, as she had zero lines and had only a few 3-second flashes on screen.

It was cool to see some of literatures most fantastical creatures (a unicorn, a minotaur, flying monkeys, Toto, the ticking crocodile, etc) brought to life but they were barely used. There was so much potential with them, and none of it was tapped. 

Another problem was with the characters. I failed to find the villains terrifying, and I had no care if the "heroes" succeeded or failed. It is incredibly important that the viewer connects with at least one character, but there weren't any worth connecting with. The closest any character came was Bettany's Dustfinger. I almost felt his pain and longing, but he was so flip-floppy that I gave up trying to care.

Verdict: A slightly entertaining fantasy that fails to utilize the best fantasy elements it's presented with. All of Inkheart's potential is left untouched. ☆☆

Movie Rewind: Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Director: Jared Hess (Nacho Libre)

Cast: John Heder (Blades of Glory, The Benchwarmers), Efren Ramirez (Crank, Employee of the Month), Jon Gries (The Pretender, Lost), Aaron Ruell, Tina Majorino (Veronica Mars, Big Love), Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show)

The Deal: Napoleon Dynamite (Heder) is quite unpopular in high school, having interests that could be found strange by strange people. He lives with his Grandma and 32-year-old brother Kip (Ruell), and his Uncle Rico (Gries) pops in from time to time to watch over them. Napoleon makes a new friend in Pedro (Ramirez), and helps him run for Class President. Along the way, Napoleon meets Deb (Majorino), and he begins to fancy her, but his strange habits make things slightly difficult.

Thoughts: On my first viewing, I thought the film was fairly funny. There are plenty of great one-liners, and Napoleon was just so strange that I found it hysterical. It became a cult classic, and people were quoting it left and right, and it's at this point where I wondered why I thought it was funny. After seeing it a few more times, I realized the humor was long gone, and all that remained was the mediocre story. This is the problem with Napoleon Dynamite, it does not have lasting appeal as all good comedies should.

The characters in the film were all so outrageous that even a bad performance could go unnoticed. Napoleon is socially awkward, and his brother Kip is too, though Kip does cruise internet chat rooms for ladies. Uncle Rico can't shake the thought that had the coach played played him in the championship, his high school football team would have won ("How much you wanna make a bet I can throw a football over them mountains? Yeah, Coach woulda put me in fourth quarter, we would've been state champions. No doubt. No doubt in my mind.") Deb is quite socially awkward herself. The cast all pull off their characters decently, but their performances are far from good.

This really is a film with one memorable scene and a handful of one-liners. The dance sequence towards the end was hilarious and easily the best scene of the film. The exchange between Napoleon and Pedro about girls only liking guys with skills was funny since their list of skills were very unordinary (nunchaku, bow hunting, computer hacking). Kip's internet girlfriend visiting was fairly funny as it plays out exactly how you'd expect it to play out (i.e., the girl is not exactly how she describes herself).

Verdict: Good for a few laughs the first time around, but the humor fades with additional viewings, and the story becomes increasingly dull. Don't fall for all of the hype. ☆☆1/2

Review: Coraline (2009)

Director: Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach)

Cast: Dakota Fanning (Charlotte's Web, War of the Worlds), Teri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives, Tomorrow Never Dies), Keith David (Gargoyles, Halo 2 & 3), John Hodgman (The Daily Show), Ian McShane (Kung Fu Panda, Deadwood), Robert Bailey Jr. (The Happening)

The Deal: While exploring her family's new home, Coraline (Fanning) discovers a secret door that leads to a parallel world with an altered version of her life. This other world is quite similar to the real world, but with one glaring difference, it is seemingly better. Her Other Mother and Father (Hatcher and Hodgman) both shower her with gifts and hope to convince her to stay with them and leave behind here real parents. Thanks to the aid of a stray cat (David), Coraline realizes the unsettling truth about this alternate life, and must do everything she can to stop her Other Mother and save her real parents.

Thoughts: The big thing with films these days is Digital 3D. Though it can be cool, gimmicky moments become tiresome over time, and only distract from the film. Thankfully for Coraline, these gimmicky moments were kept to a minimum, and the 3D was instead used to add a stunning visual element to the film. Some people may like a needle being plunged into the audience, but I'd rather have the effort put towards adding depth to the visuals to give them a nice pop. The story is both eerie and dark, but it's never really scary. It's fun and entertaining, and maintains a decent level of suspense.

The voice work in the film was solid. Dakota Fanning is mature beyond her years as an actress, and she does a good job with the simple voice work. Teri Hatcher is a good choice as Mother/Other Mother, as I find her voice to be somewhat motherly, but very sinister at times. John Hodgman, who is best known for being PC in the Apple commercials, was funny as the father in both realities of the film. Keith David was an excellent choice for the cat. His voice is deep and very eerie, so it's fairly surprising to find him as the good guy mentoring Coraline.

It's a refreshing change of pace to see the stop-motion work at play in the film. The combination of this with the animation makes for a visually stunning film in every scene. The tunnel that connect the two worlds is quite trippy, and even though it's just animation, the idea of having buttons sewn into your eyes is terrifying. This might not be the best for little kids, but it's perfect for kids in between the Disney classics and actual horror films. That's not to say adults won't enjoy it as well. The visuals are very unique and the story is quite solid, so it should prove entertaining for viewers of many ages.

Verdict: A wonderfully dark and eerie story sporting beautiful visuals. It may be a little scary for the tykes, but should prove to be entertaining for the rest of the family. ☆☆☆☆

Review: Angels & Demons (2009)

Director: Ron Howard (The Da Vinci Code, Frost/Nixon)

Cast: Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump, Cast Away), Ewan McGregor (Star Wars, Big Fish), Ayelet Zurer (Vantage Point, Munich), Stellan Skarsgard (Pirates of the Caribbean, Ronin), Pierfrancesco Favino (The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian), Nikolaj Lie Kaas

The Deal: The Pope has died, and before the conclave can begin to elect the successor, the four preferitti (the primary hopefuls) are kidnapped. Mean while, a specimen of antimatter from the Large Hadron Collider has been stolen from CERN. With it believed that the Illuminati are turning the sinister wheels, Robert Langdon (Hanks) is called on to bring his cryptology skills to Vatican City in hopes of aiding the Vatican police in saving the preferitti and capturing the villainous mastermind.

Thoughts: As books, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons are exceptional pieces of work that are complex, mysterious, and entertaining. The Da Vinci Code film was successful, but it was fairly lackluster in its attempt to do the book justice. Personally, Angels & Demons was the best of the two books, and though the film was far from perfect, I find it to be the better film as well. Condensing the book into a film rushes much of the mystery and complexity, causing all too convenient and quick solutions. That's not to say it's not entertaining, but those two things are what carry the book, but in the film they are dampened for a wider audience and faster pacing.

The performances in the film are passable. Tom Hanks is generally a wonderful actor, but I'm not impressed with him as Robert Langdon, in this and in The Da Vinci Code. His performances are decent, but he is capable of much more, and should be doing more with his talents in this role. Ewan McGregor is decent as well, and I think his performance is less surprising. I consider him a solid actor, and though he's done better than this in the past, this isn't a terribly disappointing role for him. The actor who stood out the most to me was Stellan Skarsgard. Playing the head of the Vatican's Swiss Guard, I thought he did a good job creating a somewhat unpredictable character. The audience can never quite be sure if he will be the bad guy or the good guy, and it's nice having that animosity in a film built on mystery.

As I said before, the film was entertaining. The clash between science and religion is lightly treaded upon, but quite interesting. The use of antimatter is almost science fiction, as the LHC is still being tinkered with, having yet to produce real life antimatter. I like that the Illuminati are portrayed as the bad guys for believing in science, but that some of the church members believe that science and religion can coexist. Plus, having the Illuminati present means seeing some all too cool ambigrams (words that read the same if you were to turn or flip them over) for fire, earth, air, water, and the Illuminati themselves.

Verdict: A fast-paced mystery that at times moves too fast for its own good. The performances are decent, and the story is interesting and entertaining. ☆☆☆1/2

Movie Rewind: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

Director: Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited)

Cast: Bill Murray (Ghostbusters, Lost in Translation), Owen Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Wedding Crashers), Cate Blanchett (The Aviator, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Anjelica Huston (Prizzi's Honor), Willem Defoe (Platoon, Spider-Man), Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park, Independence Day), Michael Gambon (Harry Potter)

The Deal: After his lifelong friend and partner is killed by the mysterious Jaguar Shark, Steve Zissou (Murray) and his Team Zissou crew set out to hunt down and kill the shark for revenge. Along for the ride is his estranged wife (Huston), a jounalist (Blanchett), and a pilot (Wilson) who may or may not be his son. Along the way they experience complications including pirates, kidnapping, bankruptcy, and Zissou's arch enemy, Alistair Hennessey (Goldblum).

Thoughts: Wes Anderson usually has a very subtle humor in his films, often going unnoticed by viewers. The Life Aquatic's humor is quirky, but always present and very much in your face. It might not be his best work, but it is very easily the funniest and most entertaining. The story is zany, the crew is unique, and their luck is abysmal. This wouldn't be an Anderson film if it didn't have heartfelt and emotional moments, and amidst all of the crazy antics exist the heartwarming scenes he's known for.

Another thing Anderson is known for is finding the perfect cast for his films. Murray is wonderful in the lead, and it is my favorite role he's ever been in. Wilson brings his quirky humor effortlessly to the film, and as a veteran of Anderson's work, there is no better choice for the role. I love Goldblum's character in the film, providing the classic arch enemy that has everything the main character doesn't. Though Defoe's role was small, he stole most of his scenes. Playing the crazy German Klaus, he was hysterical in every scene. Huston and Blanchett, though having good performances themselves, get somewhat lost in the fray with so many other great performances.

On of the things that really makes the film pop is the soundtrack. It is very quirky, but fits the film's feel perfectly and always sets the right tone. A scene the sticks out is the pirate hijacking. Not only is the idea of pirates sure-fire comedic gold, but it plays out wonderfully when the crew decides to fight back. It's the big action sequence of the film, and mixes adrenaline with comedy. That's the one thing the film consistently does. It finds a way to be a little funny even when it's serious or wrought with action.

Verdict: A very funny and quirky film. The story is quite heartwarming and very entertain from start to finish. My favorite Wes Anderson film. ☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try These: Bottle Rocket (1996), Rushmore (1998), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Review: Up (2009)

Directors: Pete Docter (Monsters Inc.), Bob Peterson

Cast: Edward Asner (Mary Tyler Moore, Lou Grant), Jordan Nagai, Christopher Plummer (The Insider), Bob Peterson (Finding Nemo, The Incredibles), Delroy Lindo (Gone in Sixty Seconds)

The Deal: After his wife's death, Carl Fredricksen (Asner) struggles to cope with the loss of the love of his life. Determined to fulfill their life long dream of traveling to Paradise Falls in South America, Carl ties thousands of balloons to his house and takes off on his adventure. Russell (Nagai), a Wilderness Scout determined to get his Assisting the Elderly badge, happened to be on the porch at take off, and joins Carl. Upon finally reaching Paradise Falls, two two discover a rare bird that Carl's childhood hero, Charles Muntz (Plummer), has spent his entire life searching for. Not so happy about possibly losing the discovery, Muntz does whatever he can to dispose of Carl and Russell, but they make an unlikely friend in Dug, one of Muntz's many dogs.

Thoughts: Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Wall-E, and now Up. It's become quite clear that Pixar is in the business of solely making outstanding films, and Up may arguably be the best, which is a very lofty statement. That subject could be debated for ages, but I just want to impress upon you how good this was. Up has action, adventure, humor, emotion, and an oh so endearing story. The film's weakest moments were still incredibly enjoyable, and the opening montage of Carl's life left very few dry eyes in the theater. It is a film for everyone, but adults will have an additional appreciation for it due to its commentary on life and love.

The voiceover work was superb, as anyone who's ever seen a Pixar film would come to expect. Edward Asner IS Carl Fredricksen, and the development of his character through the film ranges over every emotion perfectly. Jordan Nagai was absolutely hysterical as Russell, and he was a little kid over his head in every way on this adventure, but you love every minute of him. The only thing I was slightly weary about going in was Dug. Worried about the idea of talking dogs, Bob Peterson did a wonderful job at vanquishing those fears. What could have been a very annoying character became the center of a surplus of hilarious moments, especially for anyone who's ever owned a dog and knows their little quirks. Plummer was quite menacing in the villainous role.

The visuals in the film were beautiful, and some of the best Pixar has created. They were colorful and crisp, specifically, I loved the look of the house with all of the balloons. I loved Russell in the film. Like I mentioned before, he was very much a little kid. After walking for hours, he complains about his knees hurting, and when Carl's asks him what the deal is, Russell just responds with "my elbow hurts." Parents will laugh a lot at this, as they most likely know all too well how kids only seem to complain. Despite it being in the trailer, when Russell was dragged across the glass of Muntz's airship, it was still absolutely hysterical. It just kept going and going, and the looks on both character's faces were priceless.

If I had one beef with the film, it was relating to the dogs. I was surprised how well the talking idea played out, as it was funny 95% of the time, but I really didn't care for them flying airplanes. It was an unnecessary moment and provided the most cheesy bit, one that most likely only the little kids will really enjoy. The scene doesn't steal away from the film in any way though, and is irrelevant in the grand picture. Up will be remembered for a very long while, and deservingly so.

Verdict: A wonderful animated picture that will awe the entire audience. It is enjoyable from start to finish, and is the best Pixar film since Finding Nemo, which says a whole lot. ☆☆☆☆1/2