Movie Picks: September

Must See: 9 (September 9)

The Deal: When 9 first comes to life, he discovers a post-apocalyptic world where all humans are gone and fearsome machines now roam the earth hunting for those like 9. By chance, 9 discovers a small band of others like him, all with their own numbers ranging from 1 to 8. Believing there is no hope of survival in hiding, 9 convinces the others to fight back against the machines and discover why they are hunted in the first place. As they will learn, the very future of civilization may depend on them.

Why: The film is based on a short film from 2006 by director Shane Acker (watch it here), and it was pretty cool and interesting. After watching the trailer come out, I was really hooked on the film. Tim Burton is producing, and the film has a little bit of his feel to it, but it also boasts what looks to be some pretty good action sequences. Then of course there's the issue that we still don't know why the nine "others" were made and what grand purpose they will serve. In my opinion, September looks to be a weak month for films, with this easily standing out for it's great animation, intriguing/mysterious story, and a pretty solid voice cast that includes, Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, and Martin Landau, just to name a few.

Sleepers

Gamer (September 4): It's the first month after summer, and a weak one at that, so Gamer could prove entertaining for those still riding the summer-blockbuster high. I'm suspect at how good of a film this will be, but what is for certain is plenty of action and mayhem. It stars Gerald Butler, and for anyone who's seem 300, you know he knows how to kick ass. Also in it is Michael C. Hall, who is absolutely amazing on Showtime's Dexter. As audiences proved this summer (I'm looking at you Transformers and G.I. Joe), quality doesn't always out-way non-stop action and special effects.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (September 18): I remember this book from my childhood and was always fond of it. I'm not sure how well it will all work out as a full length film, but from the looks of the trailer, it should should be a fun film for kids, and maybe even the whole family. Just imagine how cool it would be if it rained different foods every day! The animation looks pretty good, and the 3D is up to par, maybe a little better, than most of the recent 3D endeavors.

The Informant (September 18): The film is directed by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean's Eleven, Erin Brockovich), but the trailer had a bit of the Coen brother's feel. Matt Damon stars as a man who decides to be an inside informant at his company, and from the looks of the trailer, he isn't exactly the best at secrecy. It looks like it could be a pretty good drama/dark-comedy, and my interest in the film has grown in the last few weeks as I've learned more about its plot.

Review: Fighting (2009)

Director: Dito Montiel

Cast: Channing Tatum (Step Up, G.I. Joe), Terrence Howard (Iron Man, Hustle & Flow), Zulay Henao, Brian J. White (Mr. 3000, 12 Rounds), Michael Rivera (Oz), Flaco Navaja, Luis Guzman (Waiting..., Carlito's Way)

The Deal: Shawn MacArthur (Tatum) came to New York with nothing but a dark past, getting by selling phony merchandise on the street. After getting in a small tussle, he's recruited by Harvey Boarden (Howard) who wants to help him make some money streetfighting. Though the two prove to be a successful tandem, there's always a trace of tension between the two. When a ghost from Shawn's past is set to be the next opponent, tension peaks as Shawn seems to be outmatched, but he won't back down.

Thoughts: For a film titled "Fighting", it really could have used more of it. There were only a few real fights, and though they were cool and well choreographed, everything in between was unnecessary filler. There didn't need to be a romantic plot line, or a ghost-from-the-past story arc, there just needed to be lots of streetfighting. In all honestly, the film would have benefitted from purely nonsensical fighting, but instead, it tried to be something more, and therefore failed to reach its highest potential.

Channing Tatum has always seemed like the kind of actor they throw in a film to be a blunt but good looking object for women. Surprisingly, though fairly blunt, he's actually a very good fit for the role here. He seems like the kind of person that really would be down on his luck and in need of streetfighting to pay the bills. Terrence Howard on the other hand, was unimpressive. I know he has solid talent as an actor, but his docile performance here seemed off for a character that gets buy on shady dealings and gambling on street fights.

As I said before, the film would have benefitted from purely being comprised of fights, and for good reason. The fights really were entertaining, believably choreographed, and never one-sided. There was lots of back and forth between fighters, and though everyone knows the main character always ends up winning, that fact didn't take anything away from the fights themselves. The range of fighters were nicely varied. There was the large guy who gets by on strength alone, the skilled martial artist who's overly confident, and the all-around fighter who's quick but packs a good punch. Each fight had a different style, and they were fairly impressive.

Verdict: Though the fights were impressive and well choreographed, there were far too few of them. The story instead focused on romantic interests and unnecessary back stories, forgetting what the film really should have been all about. ☆☆

Review: Fast & Furious (2009)

Director: Justin Lin (Annapolis, The Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift)

Cast: Vin Diesel (The Fast and the Furious, xXx), Paul Walker (The Fast and the Furious, Eight Below), Jordana Brewster (The Fast and the Furious, As the World Turns), Michelle Rodriguez (The Fast and the Furious, Lost), John Ortiz (Carlito's Way, The Job), Laz Alonso (Miracle at St. Anna, Stomp the Yard), Gal Gadot, Shea Whigham (Pride and Glory), Liza Lapira (21, Dexter)

The Deal: When Letty (Rodriguez) is murdered, Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and Brian O'Connor (Walker) cross paths and reignite their feud from years before, but as the two realize their enemy is the same, they must work together and trust each other once again. With the murderer working on a crew for a man called Brada, the two must race through the streets to prove they can really drive in hopes of Brada taking them on for a job, bringing them closer to revenge.

Thoughts: I'm going to be quite frank, the first film of the franchise was only decent, and the last two were quite terrible, so I really saw no way this could be very good. Surprisingly, with most of the original characters back, and a story that is actually interesting and not just crazy car races, Fast & Furious is just as good, maybe even better than its best predecessor. This isn't an amazing film by any means, but it's entertaining from the beginning on and the familiar characters allow the audience to actually care about their success and well being.

For a film comprised of actors and actresses that for the most part never turn in a great performance, this is one of the few types of films they all work well for. Diesel is like a blunt object, but it's perfect for in-and-out-of-jail Dom Toretto. Walker is a pretty boy and that's what he plays here. Rodriguez's character is described as a "20% angle, 80% devil, down to Earth, ain't afraid to get a little engine grease under her fingernails" kind of girl. Could there really be a better choice than her? Brewster is easily the best of the bunch, and she plays innocent-but-not-really sister of Dom. She's a good fit with the role and the rest of the cast.

Easily the most exciting (though also most unrealistic) scene occurs in the opening sequence. As most of the trailers tended to include bits from this, it's the highway scene where a few heavy duty pickup trucks try to hijack a few trailers of gas while traveling 65 mph. It's cool to watch, and though it's no surprise that the gas tanker will eventually end up exploding, it's by far the most pleasing scene of the film. It's very reminiscent of the type of heists they pulled in the first film, which may be a large contributing factor to why it's so enjoyable.

Verdict: Though far from a great film, it's as good as the first film of the franchise, maybe even better. The acting isn't anything special, but that's to be expected, and it proves entertaining most of the time. ☆☆☆1/2

Liked It? Try These: The Fast and the Furious (2001), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), The Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift (2006)

Movie Rewind: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Director: Milos Forman (Amadeus, The People vs. Larry Flint)

Cast: Jack Nicholson (The Departed, The Shining), Louise Fletcher (Cruel Intentions), Brad Dourif (Deadwood, Dune), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future, Taxi), Josip Elic, William Duell, Danny DeVito (Erin Brockovich, Matilda), Alonzo Brown, Will Sampson, Scatman Crothers (The Shining, Chico and the Man)

The Deal: R.P. McMurphy (Nicholson) pretends to be insane to avoid doing work in prison, but instead, they send him to a mental institution, which is a prison of its own. There, he clashes with Nurse Ratchet (Fletcher) despite his unique actions actually helping some of the patients progress. In his time there, he sparks bits of rebellion in the fellow patients, questioning many rules that don't seem to make sense, and all the while working to prove that they can break out and live their lives on the outside.

Thoughts: For a film held in such high regard by so many (for example, it's IMDb's #9 film of all time), I was hoping for a bit more from this. Please don't mistake me though, this is a very good film, but I wasn't blown away by it. It's fun and entertaining, and it's interesting seeing how McMurphy's presence challenges not only the rules, but also his fellow patients to progress mentally. He tries to add a fun element to their lives, and though it gets out of hand at times, it proved to be beneficial despite whatever Nurse Ratchet may have thought. It was great seeing the large progress some of the patients made by the time the film ended.

For me, I feel the reason I wasn't blown away was Nicholson. It's not that he did a bad job (he didn't), but I've never really cared for him as an actor. I'm not a huge fan of what he brings to the screen, and though he's quite good here as he does seem unhinged, his presence alone prevents me from loving the film and leaves me simply liking it. Louise Fletcher is a great choice for Nurse Ratchet. Early on, her character seemed rational and fair, but as she was challenged by McMurphy, it slowly became apparent she liked having power and doing things her way without any changes. She's the stern "villain" that the film not only needs, but thrives with.

One of the most interesting things with the film was watching McMurphy's surprisingly odd decisions. After hopping the fence and escaping, he doesn't run, but rather takes his fellow mental patients on a fishing trip. Later when he has a chance to escape out the window, he throws a party, gets drunk, and never escapes. For a character who talked so much of being able to escape whenever he wants, he never did when the opportunity presented itself. He seemed to be drawn to the hospital and people within it, despite his outwards actions that would hint otherwise.

Verdict: Though maybe overrated by many, the film is still very good and proves exceptionally interesting and fun. My feelings about Nicholson aside, this is a film everyone should see. ☆☆☆☆

Review: State of Play (2009)

Director: Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland)

Cast: Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind), Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Armageddon), Rachel McAdams (Wedding Crashers, The Notebook), Helen Mirren (The Queen, Gosford Park), Robin Wright Penn (Beowulf, Unbreakable), Michael Berresse (Kiss Me Kate), Jason Bateman (Arrested Development, Hancock), Jeff Daniels (Pleasantville, Dumb & Dumber)

The Deal: U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Affleck) is the future of his political party, but when his lead researcher dies, it's discovered she was Collins' mistress, and there may be more to the death than it seems. Cal McAffrey (Crowe), a veteran investigative reporter and close friend to Collins teams up with fresh young reporter Della Fry (McAdams) to investigate the possibility of murder, but what they find runs even deeper than they ever could have imagined.

Thoughts: This film flew under the radar for awhile, but then out of nowhere I started hearing positive things, and for good reason. It's not a masterpiece, but it's engaging and entertaining. Sure, the ending isn't anything we couldn't have guessed, but the path traveled to get there was fairly original and almost always interesting. It seemed like every 15 minutes a new piece of the puzzle was discovered, sometimes really changing the dynamic of the character's relationships. Overall, I was happily surprised with the quality of the film.

Usually Affleck is a reason for me to avoid a film (who else remembers the Daredevil days?), but I feel he's recommitted himself to playing better roles. He does a solid job as a Congressman, and I have no quarrels with him here. Crowe has never blown me away with his acting, but he's always above average and delivers quality to all of his performances. His chemistry works well with McAdams, and the two form an interesting investigative duo. It's the typical grizzled veteran mentoring the fresh meat but ultimately becoming friends story line we commonly see, but it's updated for present times (old school reporter with fresh new blogger) and it works well here and doesn't feel old or boring.

Seeing as much of the film revolved around the newspaper office and its goings, I really enjoyed the credits. It followed the final story as it goes from computer to delivery trucks, and you get to see all the steps that go into making the newspaper. The headlines and paper even give a bit of information as to how some things play out. It was a cool way to roll the credits, as it was both semi-informative but also extremely interesting just to see the process in action.

Verdict: It's a good film film that remains interesting even when the plot may seem a tad predictable. The performances are all solid and it's definitely worth renting when it comes out. ☆☆☆☆

Review: The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009)

Director: Neal Brennan (Chappelle's Show)

Cast: Jeremy Piven (Entourage, Smokin' Aces), Ving Rhames (Mission Impossible, Dawn of the Dead), David Koechner (Anchorman, Waiting...), Kathryn Hahn (Anchorman, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), James Brolin (Catch Me If You Can, Hotel), Ed Helms (The Hangover, The Office), Jordana Spiro (My Boys, One World), Tony Hale (Arrested Development, Chuck), Ken Jeong (Role Models, The Hangover), Rob Riggle (The Daily Show, The Hangover), Craig Robinson (The Office, Zack and Miri Make a Porno)

The Deal: In a desperate attempt to save his failing used car dealership, Ben Selleck (Brolin) hires a team of "mercenary" car salesman to ramp up sales during the 4th of July weekend. Led by the fast-talking and ego-fueled Don "The Goods" Ready (Piven), the group has three days to sell over 200 cars. Don quickly falls for the boss's daughter Ivy (Spiro), but she's engaged to Paxton Harding (Helms), a member of a man boy-band and son of the man planning to buy the lot when it finally goes under. With the stakes raised to new heights, Don must learn to trust in more than his crafty car selling techniques as well as get over a haunting event from his past if he wants to succeed at the daunting task set before him.

Thoughts: I expected this film to have the same quality of a used car lot, so I was surprised to find it mildly entertaining and at the very least, funny at times. That's not to say it's a good film, because it's not, but if you're expecting garbage, the film may prove pleasantly surprising. One of the biggest knocks to the film is that there are no characters the viewer will actually care about, and despite a barrage of jokes, many fail to hit their mark. There's a tirade of old jokes that overshadow the more original and funny ones.

I'm sure Jeremy Piven seemed like the perfect fit for a cocky car salesmen since he plays a cocky agent on Entourage, but the problem is that his character is not funny, the viewer will care the least about him despite him being the central character of interest, and he fails to calm my urges to hit him in the face with a shovel. Some may think he's a perfect casting (he probably is), but it makes me just hate the film more. Two of the funniest characters were unfortunately small roles. Craig Robinson was pretty hilarious as DeeJay Request, the DJ who doesn't take orders from anyone. Any time someone yelled a song request, he'd get pissed and play something completely different. Rob Riggle was also pretty funny. He plays a 10-year-old trapped in an adult man's body, and I'm sure he had a blast in the role. Watching Kathryn Hahn's character hit on him was both very creepy and really funny.

Films like this really just rely on their load of familiar faces to get by. They put a slew of comedy veterans in it and hope their popularity will bring people to see it. It works, but I really wish they'd attach a decent script to the film. These films only become memorable if it's actually good, and this is one that will surely be forgotten. There's a cameo by Will Ferrell that's really funny, but again, it's just them plugging in another celebrity. It's a formula that's getting very old and tiring, but thankfully, this film at least has a few original jokes.

Verdict: It's funnier than expected, proving to be mildly entertaining, but the film falls quite short. Piven is annoying, and there's not a single character worth giving a darn about. Worth a rental, but hold off on the theaters. ☆☆

Review: G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra (2009)

Director: Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, Van Helsing)

Cast: Channing Tatum (Coach Carter, Step Up), Marlon Wayans (Scary Movie, White Chicks), Rachel Nichols (Alias, P2), Dennis Quaid (The Rookie, Vantage Point), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (10 Things I Hate About You, (500) Days of Summer), Sienna Miller (Factory Girl, Stardust), Christopher Eccleston (Heroes, Doctor Who), Ray Park (Star Wars Episode I, X-Men), Byung-hun Lee (Hero), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Lost, Oz), Said Taghmaoui (Lost, Vantage Point)

The Deal: Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity (GI Joe) is composed of the world's best operatives and soldiers, led by General Hawk (Quaid). When weapons expert and arms dealer James McCullen's (Eccleston) nanotechnology-based weaponry capable of destroying entire cities is stolen, G.I. Joe is tasked with tracking down the terrorist organization responsible, Cobra. New recruits Duke (Tatum) and Ripcord (Wayans) team up with veterans Scarlett (Nichols), Snake Eyes (Park), and Heavy Duty (Akinnuoye-Agbaje) to battle Baroness (Miller), Storm Shadow (Lee), and Cobra super-soldiers in order to re-obtain the weapons and save the world.

Thoughts: Whether or not you like the film will greatly depend on your familiarity with the G.I. Joe universe. The film is fairly corny, but there's lots of cool tech and action sequences, and if you know nothing of G.I. Joe, you'll probably find the film quite entertaining. But, if like me, you grew up with G.I. Joe, the creative liberties taken will probably deeply aggravate you and overshadow many chances to really enjoy the film. In a way though, the film is exactly what people are looking for in a summer flick. It knows it's not a serious film, and many will find it an enjoyable popcorn-munching summer film.

I have to slightly forgive the actors for any poor performances they may have given, as I found the script to be pretty awful at times. I found myself laughing out loud at how corny some of the lines were, and no fault can be thrown on the actors for that. For the most part, the characters were cast fairly well. The actors and actresses fit their roles, and they did a decent enough job. No one was great, but no one was any worse than another to have me single them out.

If you are familiar with G.I. Joe, some things will make you happy. Scarlett is toting a crossbow, Snake Eyes says nothing, Destro does get his shinny head, and the underwater Cobra fortress just screams vintage G.I. Joe. Where the real frustrations begin is with the absolute butchery of relationships and it ends with what I deem an unforgivable character modification. Duke and Baroness have a romantic history for some reason, and she evens becomes a good guy by the end of the film, though that probably won't last. Instead of Scarlett being torn between Duke and Snake Eyes, she only seems to show any interest towards Ripcord. And as for the unforgivable modification, Cobra Commander has neither his trademark hood or helmet. Instead he sports a ridiculous clear face mask. What should have been a truly menacing villain became a laughing stock of pathetic.

One thing I noticed during the climactic final battle was that the submarine scene seemed to be ripped straight from Independence Day. Upon mentioning this to my brother, he couldn't stop laughing at how true that was. The scene I'm referring to is when Duke and Baroness are trying to escape the crumbling underwater fortress, and there's a maze of tunnels and lots of enemies chasing them, and they have to get to the end before the door closes on them. This is strikingly similar to the escape Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum made from the alien mother-ship. They dropped a bomb and had a short period of time to navigate out through a "maze" filled with enemy ships, and of course, the exit door was fast closing. I really would have liked to see a little more originality from G.I. Joe.

Verdict: Though frustrating for those who grew up with G.I. Joe, the film will prove entertaining for those not familiar. It's not a serious film, but it's the action-happy popcorn-munching type of summer film many like to see. ☆☆1/2

Review: District 9 (2009)

Director: Neill Blomkamp

Cast: Sharlto Copley, David James, Vanessa Haywood

The Deal: A group of aliens (referred to as Prawns) become refugees in South Africa living in slums, called District 9, which is controlled by MNU, the world's second largest arms manufacturer. Over the years, MNU's sole interest has shifted into unlocking the alien's technology, specifically their weapons, to gain an edge in the industry, and they now hire out mercenaries to help control the alien population. When MNU agent Wikus Van De Merwe (Copley) becomes infected with an alien virus that starts mutating his DNA to that of the alien's, MNU realizes he's the key to unlocking the alien weaponry. Not wanting to be a lab rat, Wikus escapes into District 9 where he joins up with a couple of unlikely alien allies, but MNU has no intention of letting him get away.

Thoughts: Wow. Really, I don't know of a better way to start this. Blomkamp has done a fantastic job in his debut, especially given the small budget he had to work with. The docu-drama style is incredibly effective and the story is quite original. Many critics are in love with the film for its endless amount of possible metaphors towards the real life situation in Africa, but until I hear Blomkamp confirm these, I'll just ignore them as fancy critic comments that most viewers have no care about. What does matter is whether or not the film is both good and entertaining. It's a very serious film for the first half, and it's only when the situation boils over at about the half-way mark when the action starts to build and the viewers finally see some alien technology at work. This works very well, as it informs the viewer of the entire situation from it's start until the present.

If you go to the IMDb page for the film and start looking up the actors, you'll notice one thing almost all of them have in common-- no previous acting credentials. I think that is a very big point to make given the performances in the film. Sharlto Copley is excellent in the lead as Wikus. He does a great job of portraying a character the audience can fall behind and understand, and his emotions are in check and quite natural. David James plays the lead mercenary, one of the few other characters in the film that actually gets some focus. He's the very hard-nosed and violence-loving mercenary (really, would you want anything less) that viewers will hate for his lack of emotion and compassion, but James plays the part perfectly. Aside from these two, the rest of the non-Prawn characters have very small roles, but in their moments, the actors and actresses are all fairly believable and register no complaints from me.

As I mentioned before, the first half of the film is very serious and informative. It's quite interesting, and if the entire film was that way, I'd still think it was a good film. What pushed it over the edge for me was the last half where the sci-fi action finally comes to life. I love sci-fi, so this may be far more pleasing for me than others, but from the general sound throughout the theater, most of the audience tended to agree with me. The alien technology is very cool, and a lot of thought and variety is displayed in their weaponry. There's your basic alien machine guns and what-not, but there's also an awesome lightning gun that contributes to a vast majority of the blood and gore since it causes its victim to explode. For all of you Half-Life fans out there, there is a gravity gun, and it is as cool and satisfying as one could ever hope for. As you would know, anything can become a projectile, whether it be inanimate or a living creature (wink, wink). Despite the small budget for the film, you'd never know it watching that last hour play out on screen.

Verdict: The docu-drama style excellently portrays the seriousness of the film while the sci-fi elements deliver all the action one could hope for. Blomkamp could not have hoped for a better directorial debut, and this has become my favorite movie of the summer. Go see it now. ☆☆☆☆1/2

Review: The Express (2008)

Director: Gary Fleder (Runaway Jury)

Cast: Rob Brown (Finding Forrester, Coach Carter), Dennis Quaid (The Rookie, Any Given Sunday), Darrin Dewitt Henson (Soul Food), Omar Benson Miller (8 Mile, American Pie Presents Band Camp), Charles S. Dutton (Gothika, Roc)

The Deal: Ernie Davis (Brown) had to overcome many obstacles on his road to Syracuse University's football team. Under the guidance of Coach Schwartzwalder (Quaid) and the encouragement of legendary All-American running back Jim Brown (Henson), Ernie fights racial prejudice on and off the field to surpass Brown's school achievements and become the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy, which honors college football's best player. Though things seem to be going quite well, and his dream of playing alongside Brown in Cleveland is about to be realized, life throws one last obstacle for him to overcome.

Thoughts: Though the facts are always altered to varying degrees, it's hard to ever dislike films based on true stories. The tale of Ernie Davis really is a heartwarming story, and the film works very hard to push the viewer's emotional buttons. It's another good film that depicts one of the many true sports heroes in history, but it's not perfect. While Davis is shattering the football records, he's doing this on the cusp of the Civil Rights Movement, which is a very serious and violent time in the country. The film brings up this movement, but then only shows things that happened on the football field. It takes away from the seriousness of the time, providing a friendlier PG version. It's not a bad thing, but I feel it would have been better to really lay it on the audience.

Dennis Quaid has been pretty hit or miss for me in the past, but I thought he did a pretty good job here. He plays a hard-ass and very serious coach, which is something he can do well. Rob Brown is solid as Ernie Banks, but I though he lacked emotion when it was most called for, especially when he was trying to make his points to the coach.

One of the things I liked is that they included the recruiting in the film. Having Jim Brown help bring Davis to Syracuse, and then later having Davis help Syracuse land Floyd Little really shows the devotion and school loyalty. It's great publicity for the school and its past football stars. It was nice seeing them reflect on everything the program and Schwartzwalder did for them, and also having Davis reflect on what playing football is really about.

Verdict: Though not perfect, the story of Ernie Davis transitions well to screen. True life stories tend to pull at emotions, and you can't help but feel overjoyed as Davis accomplishes his dreams and shatters barriers at the same time. ☆☆☆1/2

Liked It? Try These: Friday Night Lights (2004), Remember the Titans (2000), Coach Carter (2005), The Rookie (2002), Miracle (2004), Glory Road (2006), Invincible (2006), Rudy (1993), Brian's Song (1971)

Review: Let the Right One In (2008)

Director: Thomas Alfredson

Cast: Kare Hedebrandt, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Henrik Dahl, Karin Bergquist, Ika Nord

The Deal: Oskar (Hedebrandt) is an introverted 12-year-old boy who is regularly bullied at school and only dreams of fighting back. One day a girl, Eli (Leandersson), moves in next door, and they slowly become friends. Coinciding with Eli's arrival, a strange number of disappearances and murders are cropping up, and as the two spend more time together, Oskar realizes Eli is unlike any other girl, she's a vampire. Though Eli would never harm Oskar, and she's helped give him the confidence to fight back at the bullies, he must decide how much can love truly forgive.

Thoughts: The film is based on a novel, and for all of the Twilight followers out there (good and bad), the book was published before Twilight, so this is not some cheap imitation. What this is is a wonderful story about a friendship that really pushes its boundaries. It adheres to the rules set for vampires that we know, and the story is quite original and endearing. Though at times the "horror" aspect could be considered campy, it's not really a horror film, and it always returns to its strong roots. Essentially, it's a vampire/romance film that's quite good and likable, despite any hard feelings towards the subject matter that may have cropped up since Twilight stole all of the spotlight.

Child actors carrying a film this serious is rare. Even more amazing is that Hedebrandt and Leandersson had no acting credentials on their resumes prior to this. They both had excellent presence on screen, good chemistry with each other, and handled the more mature aspects of the story with great ease. Leandersson stood out the most, and I feel like this is a film that will really launch her career. Her role was difficult, and somewhat creepy, and she handled it so much better than most experienced young actresses would have. It really was impressive how well she did.

It was fascinating watching the relationship between Oskar and Eli grow. Though the two were quite innocent together, they both dealt with far more mature subject matter. It puts a lot of stress and some confusion on their friendship, and I think if Oskar were not so young, this friendship may have fallen apart. The ending in particular was quite pleasing. I won't spoil the quick but very cool scene in the pool, but even though it was predictable, it remained satisfying. The film then closes nicely with the two riding a train, communicating through morse code since Eli must stay in a box to avoid the sun, and ending testament to the strength of their friendship.

Verdict: An original and very good film that goes beyond vampires and romance and delves into the complications of friendship and young love. It's far more serious, way darker, and much more enjoyable than it's popular Twilight counterpart. ☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try This: Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Review: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2009)

Director: Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious, xXx)

Cast: Brendan Fraser (Bedazzled, Inkheart), Jet Li (The Forbidden Kingdom, Hero), Maria Bello (A History of Violence, Coyote Ugly), John Hannah (The Mummy), Luke Ford (McLeod's Daughters), Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Tomorrow Never Dies), Isabella Leong

The Deal: 2000 years ago, the evil Emperor Han (Li) was cursed by the witch Zi Yuan (Yeoh), who transformed him and his army into mummies. When Alex O'Connell (Ford) discovers the resting place of the army, his famous father Rick O'Connell (Fraser) and mother (Bello) run into him only to quickly find that they are in the middle of a battle to resurrect the Emperor. Despite their best efforts, the Emperor is raised, and now they must prevent him from reaching Shangri-La, but the only way to kill him is to stab him in the heart with the cursed dagger he tried to kill Zi with centuries ago.

Thoughts: Though the previous two Mummy films were no cinematic achievements, I found them entertaining and fairly enjoyable. Unfortunately, the same can not be said with the third installment. I found my attention drifting in and out for the first part of the film, and it only got worse. I thought it was bad when a group of yeti were summoned for assistance, but it hit a new low when a yeti kicked a soldier over an archway, and his yeti friend made the field-goal sign with his hands. It was absolutely ridiculous, and I found the film almost impossible to watch from then on. Sure there were decent action sequences, and Shangri-La looked quite cool, but I was never able to forgive the film for its early failures.

I've ragged on Fraser before, so I won't do it all over again here, though my stance remains firm. O'Connell is Fraser's best character though, and he proves decent enough as somewhat of a more action-happy version of Indiana Jones. I wish Jet Li would pick better films. He's done some cool martial arts stuff, but when he drifts into these roles, I can't help but shake my head. They are too corny and waste his one big talent, fighting. Ford fits well as O'Connell's son, but he doesn't give much better of a performance. It's somewhat expected, but I really got the feeling that much of the fault, for every actor, was the very poor script. It was quite bad, and dragged the film down and prevented any chances of decent acting.

I think one of the biggest problems with this film is that with what the story is doing (having clay soldiers reanimated), the CGI was far too weak. In the previous films, the CGI was just good enough to be deemed passible, but here, it was subpar. It's possible that there was a smaller budget for this film, so the CGI took a hit, but when the quality of the experience is hurt by this, there's a problem. Jet Li looked incredibly fake when CGI'd as a mummy, and the soldiers followed suit.

Verdict: The third installment in the Mummy franchise lacks much of the entertainment from the previous two films. It's the same level of acting, but the story gets too ridiculous and the CGI can't support the visuals that were warranted. ☆1/2

Review: Observe and Report (2009)

Director: Jody Hill (The Foot Fist Way)

Cast: Seth Rogan (Knocked Up, Pineapple Express), Ray Liotta (Goodfellas, Blow), Anna Faris (Scary Movie, The House Bunny), Michael Pena (Shooter, The Shield), Dan Bakkedahl, Jesse Plemons (Friday Night Lights), Collette Wolfe, Celia Weston (Alice, Junebug), Aziz Ansari (Human Giant, Funny People)

The Deal: Ronnie Barnhardt (Rogan) is bipolar and head of security at the Forest Ridge Mall, and he takes his job very seriously. When the mall becomes plagued by a flasher, Ronnie becomes determined to catch the pervert and sees it as a chance to show off his cop skills and impress the make-up girl, Brandi (Faris). Unfortunately, he has to go head to head with a local police detective (Liotta), and all the odds seem to be stacked against him.

Thoughts: It seems strange that two films about mall cops (the other being Paul Blart) would come out at the exact same time, especially when neither has much positive buzz. Observe and Report is dirtier and more serious, but somehow even less funny and entertaining than its counterpart. I don't recall laughing for even a second while watching this, and I kept looking at the clock hoping more time had passed. The plot can't keep focused, never knowing if it's about catching the pervert, Ronnie hating the detective, Ronnie trying to join the police academy, or Ronnie trying to find true love. They are all intended to be intertwined, but they end up feeling like their own separate films and draw attention away from each other, making it seem as if there is no point to the film.

Seth Rogan was pretty much being himself throughout the film. He likes to talk dirty and act macho, and he pulls it off well here, but it's not really that great of a performance. As for Anna Faris, well, she was quite awful. She was so over-the-top and her character became annoying all of 10 seconds into her first scene. Liotta doesn't do much in the film other than be a jerk detective who wants to see Ronnie fail. He plays the part well, but it's nothing special. Aziz Ansari doesn't have much screen time, but he's the closest thing this film has to comedy. I never really laughed at him, but I almost came close once.

If the film did one thing right, it was the fight scenes. Ronnie knows how to wield his night stick and flashlight to inflict maximum damage. He takes out a group of street thugs, and does a solid job against a hoard of police officers. They were ridiculous scenes, but still by far the most entertaining moments of the film.

Verdict: Ridiculous performances, a scattered plot, and a complete lack of entertainment plague the film. Paul Blart wasn't very good, and this is far far worse. It's only saving grace is maybe two minutes worth of fight scenes. Don't waste your time, even if you aren't paying a thing. ☆1/2

Movie Rewind: Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Director: Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke)

Cast: Christian Bale (American Psycho, Batman Begins), Jean Simmons (Hamlet, Spartacus), Lauren Bacall (The Mirror Has Two Faces), Billy Crystal (Monster's Inc., When Harry Met Sally), Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabithia, RV), Emily Mortimer (Lars and the Real Girl, Match Point), Blythe Danner (Meet the Parents, Will & Grace)

The Deal: A young woman named Sophie (Mortimer) is cursed by the Witch of the Waste (Bacall), turning her into an old woman (Simmons). Unable to tell anyone of the curse, she sets out in search of the wizard Howl (Bale), whose castle walks throughout the land. There she befriends Calcifer (Crystal), the fire demon who powers the castle, and Markl (Hutcherson), Howl's assistant of sorts. Since Calcifer is also under a curse, the two decide to help each other break free. Able to see through the witch's spell, Howl soon falls in love with Sophie, but he is cursed himself, and only she can help him break the curse.

Thoughts: In the world of animation, Hayao Miyazaki is held in extremely high regard, and this film is just another example of why that is so. The animation is extremely detailed, beautifully colorful, and at times so impressive you'll be left thinking it must have been CGI. The film truly is a wonderful work of art. The plot itself is quite good as well. It's full of interesting characters that the viewer can really attach to, and the story is interesting and at times mysterious. It seems that everywhere one looks, the work of a witch or wizard has left their mark.

The voice work in the film quite solid. Bale does a decent job as Howl, though I felt at times the emotion in his voice did not match the expression on the character's face. Simmons is pretty good as Grandma Sophie, and she really made the character feel like the Grandma every child wants to have. Crystal was quite good as Calcifer, and I though he had some of the funnier bits in the film sine he existed as fire and was always worried about being put out. I did not recognize Hutcherson's voice, though he did a good job and fit well with his character. Bacall was another solid performance as the Witch of the Waste. She matched he voice with her character's look and feel quite well at most times.

By far I though the castle was the coolest and most interesting part of the film. I liked how the door had a dial that could be changed in order to exit into different places, and I was really fun just looking at all the odd things it was made up of. Set against the backdrop of mountains and lakes, it was always looming and I could never take my eyes off of it. I also really enjoyed Turnip Head, the scarecrow that hops around. Despite not having any lines, I found him funny and loved every time he'd hop back into the film.

Verdict: Beautifully animated with a story that's fun and engaging, Miyazaki has created yet another wonderful film. There are plenty of different and interesting characters, and you'd be hard pressed to not find one you'll attach to. ☆☆☆☆

Liked It? Try These: Spirited Away (2001), Princess Mononoke (1997), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Castle In the Sky (1986)

Review: 17 Again (2009)

Director: Burr Steers (Igby Goes Down)

Cast: Zac Efron (High School Musical, Hairspray), Leslie Mann (Knocked Up, The 40 Year Old Virgin), Thomas Lennon (Reno 911!, I Love You Man), Sterling Knight, Michelle Trachtenberg (EuroTrip, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Melora Hardin (The Office), Hunter Parrish (Weeds, RV), Matthew Perry (Friends, The Whole Nine Yards)

The Deal: At 17, Mike O'Donnell (Efron) was the star of his basketball team, close to getting a full ride to play ball in college, and dating his soulmate. But on the night of the big game, he finds out his girlfriend is pregnant and drops everything to marry her. Now 20 years later, his marriage is in shambles, his kids think he's a loser, and his job is going nowhere. Desperate to relive the glory years, he is magically turned 17 again and returns to high school with a fake name. It doesn't take long before he realizes the magic is not for basketball, but rather for a chance to save his marriage and reconnect with his kids, who are both in high school.

Thoughts: We've seen this scenario before, and this one is nothing special, just a chance to ride the formula again but with newer and fresher faces. For the most part, the film reminds you not to take it seriously. In the opening scene, Efron is gearing up for the big game, and the cheerleaders are doing their routine. All of a sudden, he's out there having a choreographed dance session. Seriously, we've seen this three times before, but it was called High School Musical then. The scene is completely out of place with the rest of the film, so I'm still boggled as to why it was deemed necessary.

As for the performances, they weren't bad. Leslie Mann has the best presence on screen, and she shows why she's the most experienced actor on the set. The awkward sexual tension between her and Efron in some scenes was creepy yet fairly funny. Matthew Perry is pretty bad. He's never really stepped away from his character on Friends, and it just doesn't translate to film. Efron is solid. I think he's given some ridiculous scenes, but for the most part he does fine with the majority of the camera time. Thomas Lennon was scene stealing in everyone of his moments. He plays an uber geek who got rich in software, and he's now tricked out with everything you can imagine from Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and so on. His geekiness is hysterical, and it's almost too much when he starts speaking elvish at the dinner table while on a date with the Principal, who is well played by Melora Hardin.

I thought for a moment, despite how mediocre the film had been up to that point, that the ending was going to be good. The scene in the courthouse where Efron's character reads the letter from adult Mike is fairly heartwarming, and when Mann's character finds the letter, I thought it was both surprising and clever. I'm not trying to spoil the scene, though some may be able to guess it. None the less, the film gets back on its original pace, culminating in a predictable and rather bad/cheesy moment finish to on.

Verdict: Though the performances were solid, and Lennon was absolutely hysterical, the story was quite generic and at times far too corny. ☆☆