Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo play brothers who live as con men. Brody (in a sensitive and sweet performance) wants more, but only after they pull off one final job with Rachael Weisz as the mark. The costumes and locations give the film a elegant edge, but the story isn’t especially unique. A light, stylish escapade.
Before Sam Raimi did the “Spiderman” series, he created cool films like “Evil Dead” and its sequel. This is supposed to be a return to that fun. A woman is cursed by a gypsy and has 3 days to avoid the devil. While I was hoping for a roller coaster ride of scares, silliness and laughs, what I got was a mild kiddie ride. There were some cool effects (mostly gross) and tense moments, but the buildup never paid off.
Four guys head to Vegas for a pre-nuptials weekend. They wake up the next morning in total confusion (a baby in the closet, a tiger in the bathroom, a missing tooth) and spend the rest of the movie trying to piece together their lost night. The characters and actors playing them are funny. The situations are sometimes hilarious, sometimes just wacky. Overall, it’s one of those modern comedies with lots of outrageous stuff…most of this one provokes laffs. NOTE: In the trailer, they called Ed Helms to the car, “Paging Dr. Douchebag.” In the film, they paged “Dr. Faggot.” An interesting and insensitive adjustment.
The plot as predictable as you’d expect: cold, hard boss (Sandra Bullock) and earnest assistant (Ryan Reynolds) enter into a forced, false relationship that evolves into the real thing. What makes a movie like this worthwhile is the characters (leading and wacky supporting). This one has Betty White as the sweet old supporting grandma, but Reynolds is really the fulcrum. His comic abilities are unmatched, his sweetness is undeniable and his charms make this film watchable.
This new, improved version is actually the prequel that shows how the original crew came together. Everything about it works: the story is compelling, the dialogue is often witty, the performances pitch perfect, the effects convincing and the action solid.
I’m not a big Trek fan, but enjoyed it thoroughly.
This 4th installment stars Christian Bale as John Connor, the eventual leader of the war against the machines. He has a mission to save his eventual father’s life in a world where the machines are already wreaking large-scale havoc. The plot weaves a good story with performances that are appropriately intense. The action is solid and sharp, machine effects are awesome and the look feels bleak and beautiful.
The first digital 3D from Pixar is worth the extra bucks for 3D (not gimmicky…just clean and pretty). Ed Asner provides the voice of a lonely old man who escapes from the world in his house, lifted aloft by balloons. His adventures include an eager young scout, a goofy bird and talking dogs. It’s wacky, inventive and lots of fun, but what sets it apart is the tender charm…that’s right…an animated film with heart.
Jack Black and Micheal Cera head the cast of capable comic actors in this anachronistic comedy set at the beginning of recorded time. They travel from ignorant jungle dwellers to state-of-the-day Biblical civilizations…the sort of situations Mel Brooks did numerous times. There are some genuinely funny moments. Black does his usual bluster, but Cera’s placid panic makes his every line a deadpan hoot. Don’t expect more than silliness and you may be amused.