Movie Review Thread

[Mitch Henessey]

Secret Window (2004) 8/10- Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp) is a reclusive writer. After catching his wife, Amy (Maria Bello) with another man, Mort suffers a severe nervous breakdown. Mort secludes himself inside a cabin in the woods, and he refuses to sign the divorce papers during his retreat. Mort receives some intense pressure from Amy, and her new boyfriend, Ted (Timothy Hutton), but Mort isn’t ready to move on with his life.

Meanwhile, a mysterious stranger accuses Mort of plagiarism. John Shooter (John Turturro) is a dairy farmer from Mississippi, and he demands proof to refute his claims. Mort dismisses Shooter as a head-case, but Shooter continues to stalk the troubled writer. Fearing the worst, Mort hires his best friend/private investigator, Ken Karsch (Charles S. Dutton) for help. But two sudden murders drastically complicate Mort’s troubles with Shooter. Eventually, Shooter threatens Mort into changing the ending to “Sowing Season.” Will Mort fix the story? Or will Mort find the proof to clear his name before it’s too late?

The supporting cast is pretty solid, but Johnny Depp and John Turturro steal the show here. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen this film, and I never get tired of Depp’s performance. Depp’s quirkiness is spot on, and he really nailed the oddball side of the Mort Rainey character. Plus, Depp showcases a dark side during the revealing of John Shooter’s true identity. Depp was able to provide some laughs along the way, but you can also feel sympathy for Mort Rainey, because he’s lonely and heartbroken. Mort Rainey is a complex man, and Depp really nailed this character.

John Turturro is just fantastic. Turturro isn’t a big muscular guy, but he still provided an intimidating presence as John Shooter. Turturro’s sharp Southern accent and his cold and calculating demeanor transformed Shooter into a believable threat. Turturro is in top form here, and you will see one of his memorable performances in this film.

As a director, David Koepp’s style is pretty solid. Koepp provides a few spooky nighttime scenes, but as a writer, he did provide an enjoyable story for this film. Adapting a Stephen King story is a tricky task. We’ve seen some good films over the years (Pet Sematary, Misery, Carrie), but you can’t forget about the bad films (Bag Of Bones, Thinner, The Dark Half). It’s not easy. King’s novels are filled with rich characters and complex storylines, but Koepp provided one of the better adapted screenplays for a King novella. Secret Window, Secret Garden (the name of the novella this film is based on) is a good read, that features some wonderful storytelling from King. The movie gives us more violence, and Koepp changes the ending. But Koepp deserves credit for some excellent dialogue, and Koepp’s screenplay outshines his work behind the camera here.

Secret Window is a fantastic psychological thriller. The story is filled with enough twists and turns, that will keep you guessing until the very end. The curveballs will hook you into the story, and the shocking conclusion delivers a great surprise. It’s not as good as The Mist’s ending, but the final minutes of Secret Window provide some good jaw-dropping moments.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

The Five-Year Engagement (2012) 6/10- After one year of dating, Tom (Jason Segel) and Violet (Emily Blunt) decide to get married. Living in San Francisco, Tom is a highly skilled sous chef. Violet is a psychology graduate, and she receives an acceptance letter for a psychology program….but the program is at the University Of Michigan. Being the faithful and understanding boyfriend, Tom gives his two week notice, turns down a job offer as a head chef at a new restaurant, and he agrees to move to Michigan with Violet. But the happy couple endures some serious setbacks during a lengthy five-year engagement.

The Five Year Engagement’s run time caused a good amount of complaints. The complaints are somewhat exaggerated, because The Five Year Engagement clocks in at two hours and four minutes. The run time didn’t bother me at all, and boredom wasn’t a problem. In fact, The Five Year Engagement’s lengthy run time actually helped the story. This story isn’t complex at all. It’s quite formulaic, but still, the screenplay features a good amount of depth. The lengthy run time gives the story more breathing room, and with more time, the ups and downs in Tom and Violet’s relationship are clearly illustrated, as the story progresses.

Jason Segel and Emily Blunt are the true stars of this cast. Chris Pratt is hilarious, but Blunt and Segel shared some very believable chemistry. The supporting cast delivers a good amount of laughs, and acting is the major highlight for this film.

No real complaints about the directing. Nicholas Stoller’s style is pretty basic, but his directing doesn’t hurt this film at all.

The Five-Year Engagement can’t rise above your standard mainstream romantic comedy. This film could’ve been something special, but the ending is SO predictable. The happy ending is kind of corny, and of course, Tom and Violet deliver their “this is why I love you” speeches.

Still, The Five-Year Engagement is enjoyable. This film provides consistent laughs, Blunt and Segel share some excellent chemistry, and the entire supporting cast is fantastic. It’s a shame, because The Five-Year Engagement could’ve been so much better, but as far as romantic comedies go, this film isn‘t good enough to stand out amongst the pack.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Good Bye Lenin! (2003)

Back in 2004 I stumbled upon a German film called The Edukators which starred Daniel Bruhl, and since then I've kept an eye out for him appearing in other films. One of my friends had seen this film a couple of years ago and had spoken highly of it, so a month or so ago when I saw it as part of a 3 for £5 deal in a charity shop I took a chance on it.

The gist of the story is that Alex's (Bruhl) mother is a staunch supporter of the DDR in East Berlin and is incredibly active with the socialist ideology. As Alex grows up, he begins to yearn for the ideals of the West and one day he joins a rally that soon turns violent as the stasi (police-force) break up the demonstrators. As he is being put into the back of a police van, his mother catches sight of him and subsequently faints. Despite his pleas for the stasi to help her, she is not treated quickly and ends up in a coma where she is not given the best odds. While Alex visits her every day, he also begins to start a relationship with the nurse looking after his mother (Whom he also met at the fateful rally) until one day his mother wakes up.

During her 8 month coma, Berlin has been unified due to the tearing down of the Wall and the process of Westernisation has begun. Her doctor warns Alex that she must not suffer any excitement due to fears that it could lead to another heart attack. Alex is warned against taking her home, but due to medical staff beginning to move West, Alex decides that an environment where he can control what happens will be the best solution and so takes her home.

The film's emotional anchor is the relationship between Alex and his mother and the extreme lengths he goes to so that the vision she had of the world is upheld. This leads to some extremely testing moments that Alex overcomes due to his friendships and infectious spirit to preserve the 'old world order' to his mother.

The ending contains a heck of an emotional gutpunch, but is still a very satisfying conclusion to the story and Bruhl is excellent from start to finish. If you're a fan of modern German cinema then it is well worth a watch.

7.5/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Jeff, Who Lives At Home (2012) 8/10- Jobless and broke, Jeff (Jason Segel) is a thirty year old man, who lives in his mother’s basement. Jeff kills time by smoking pot all day, and he develops a strange obsession for M. Night Shyamalan's Signs. Signs motivates Jeff to find his destiny, and through a series of random events, Jeff searches for the answers to his father’s death.

Jeff’s mother, Sharon (Susan Sarandon) sends Jeff on a simple errand to buy wood glue at Home Depot, but Jeff is sidetracked by a new mission: he must learn the significance of the name “Kevin.” While searching for the importance of Kevin, Jeff accidentally runs into his brother, Pat (Ed Helms). In a foolish attempt to show off, Pat crashes his new Porsche into a tree. While Pat writes a check for the owner of the tree, Jeff spots Pat’s wife, Linda (Judy Greer) with another man. Suspecting an affair, Pat decides to follow Linda and Steve (Steve Zissis), and with Jeff’s help, Pat tries to expose Linda as a cheating wife.

Yes, Jeff is a loser. He’s a quirky and soft-spoken man, who lives with his mother, but you can feel sympathy for this character. Deep down inside, Jeff is a nice guy with a big heart. As expected, Segel delivers plenty of laughs, but he also provided a very believable serious side for the Jeff character, and you will see one of Segel’s better performances in this film.

Pat is a dick. He doesn’t respect Jeff at all, and his marriage is falling apart. Helms is an asshole for the majority of this film, but after an intense argument with his wife, you’ll see a softer and more caring version of Pat. Pat’s unexpected bonding experience with Jeff provides some great funny moments, and Helms delivers a very enjoyable performance here.

Linda is the neglected and heartbroken wife, and Judy Greer really nailed this character. And Susan Sarandon was the perfect choice for the widowed mother, who wants to escape from her mundane lifestyle. Jeff, Who Lives At Home features some really good acting, and I honestly can’t think of one bad performance from this cast.

The Duplass Brothers (Jay and Mark) work behind the camera is decent enough, but the story is outstanding. Jay and Mark are the directors for this film, and they also wrote the screenplay. Jeff, Pat, Sharon, and Judy have a good amount of depth, and Pat comes close, but nobody reaches the level of an annoying, unlikable character. Everyone is looking for comfort and a peace of mind, and The Duplass Brothers did a wonderful job of creating some feel-good experiences for each character.

The script provides a good balance of comedy and drama. The Duplass Brothers weren’t too silly on the comedy side of things, and when it comes to the drama, the story never becomes too sappy. Jeff, Who Lives At Home is more than capable of providing good laughs, but the story is loaded with great emotion.

Jeff, Who Lives At Home is filled with emotional stories of self-discovery. It's a hilarious comedy, but this film also features some genuine moving moments.

This might be the best Jason Segel film since Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Yeah, it’s that good. Jeff, Who Lives At Home is fantastic, and if you’re a Segel fan, you have to see this movie.

 

[CH David]

The FP (2012)

Where to start? This movie is essentially gangland territory with battles duked out on Beat Beat Revolution (DDR). JTRO wins the first battle, then the master champ BTRO dies in battle against L Dubba E. I don't fucking know how, but he does. JTRO goes into hiding after vowing to never battle again. Fast forward a year and the FP is just messed up. L Dubba E runs it, and only sells alcohol to who he wants. So the bums can't get drunk and do their duty of feeding the ducks. This is the basic premise, to save the ducks!!!

There is some racial language. Hence the use of spoiler tags. View at your own discretion.

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]00cRhvXCGdE[/YOUTUBE]

The film is basically how JTRO tries to redeem himself and bring the FP back to it's former glory? Or just bring it back from the pile of shit L Dubba E brought it down to, as well as winning the heart of Stacey, his one time flame. I don't want to spoil the whole thing.

The cast is from a small town in Northern Cali, perhaps some of our California posters know where Frazier Park is. They try really hard throughout the movie to actually make it seem believable. Just watch it for the pure hilarity that it is. It's either the greatest or worst thing you will ever watch depending on how you choose to view it. Watch with subtitles though, it will make the dialogue easier to follow.

It's probably a 2-10 or worse, but I thought it was hilarious throughout and I'll give it an 6-10 for that simple reason.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Hit & Run (2012) 5/10- Yul Perrkins (Dax Shepard) is trying to start a new life. Living in a witness protection program, Yul uses Charlie Bronson as an alias, and he shares a quiet and peaceful life with his girlfriend, Annie Bean (Kristen Bell). Annie receives an interview for a better job in Los Angeles, but Yul is taking a life-or-death risk, if he leaves the witness protection program. Fearing an inevitable break-up, Yul decides to drive Annie to the job interview. Yul wants to escape his past as a getaway driver for a notorious group of bank robbers, but Annie’s jealous ex-boyfriend, Gil (Michael Rosenbaum) changes everything. Determined to sabotage their relationship, Gil gives away Yul’s location via Facebook.

Alex Dimitri (Bradley Cooper) is a bitter man from Yul’s former gang, and once he receives Gil’s Facebook message, Alex decides to hunt down Yul. Yul’s testimony put Alex in jail, so of course, he’s still looking for revenge. Alex brings Neve Tatum (Joy Bryant), Yul’s ex-girlfriend/former planner for the bank robberies, and with the help of Allen (Ryan Hansen), the gang captures Yul and Annie as hostages. Yul is the only one, who knows the location for a large amount of buried cash. Randy Anderson (Tom Arnold) is the US Marshal assigned to protect Yul, and he will have to stop Alex's gang before they reach the money.

As far as acting goes, Tom Arnold is my only real complaint. Randy is a bumbling and hyper klutz, but Arnold WASN’T funny. His character is beyond annoying, and I’m surprised Arnold didn’t work another shameless pitch for True Lies 2 into the story.

Dax Shepard and Bradley Cooper provide the majority of laughs here, and Kristen Bell delivers a solid performance. David Koechner’s appearance is limited to a cameo, but his brief role as the random stranger is hilarious.

Dax Shepard wrote the screenplay for Hit & Run, and he‘s also a co-director for this film. David Palmer is the other director, and both men form a solid team here. The action sequences provide some good thrills, the car chases are filled with adrenaline, and this film delivers surprising amounts of excitement.

The jokes are hit-and-miss, and the humor side of this film is stale at times, but I still enjoyed Hit & Run. It’s a fun action comedy. This film has some problems, but Hit & Run provides a few laughs and some sporadic thrills. Dax Shepard’s career hit a rough spot after Let’s Go To Prison. It was an AWFUL comedy, and a potential career killer. Shepard hasn’t dug himself out of that deep hole yet, but Hit & Run is a step in the right direction.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Lawless (2012) 6/10- During prohibition, The Bondurant Brothers run a successful bootleg operation. The moonshine business is booming, and The Bondurant Brothers use their bar/restaurant as a front. Forrest (Tom Hardy) is the brains of the operation and Howard (Jason Clarke) is the muscle. But the youngest brother, Jack (Shia LaBeouf) wants a more hands-on role in the business. He wants to prove himself as a man, so with the help of his friend Cricket (Dane DeHaan), Jack decides to sell a batch of moonshine. But Jack and Cricket run into some real trouble, when they cross paths with Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman).

At the same time, The Bondurant Brothers receive some intense pressure from a ruthless Special Detective named Charley Rakes (Guy Pearce). Maggie (Jessica Chastain) is a newly hired waitress, but she becomes a liability. Forrest refuses to back down, but the decision to defy Charley Rakes will have serious repercussions.

Lawless features a handful of fantastic performances, but Tom Hardy is the true star of this cast. Forrest is a hard-ass, and Hardy provides the presence of a strong and tough leader. Hardy brings a believable intimidation factor to this character, but Forrest is vulnerable at times (mainly during his scenes with Chastain). Hardy takes control of the Forrest character, and his confident performance is just excellent. LaBeouf was able to show some believable anger and raw emotions, but I still give the edge to Hardy.

John Hillcoat’s directing is marvelous. His style is intense, but Hillcoat also captures the beauty of an old-fashioned countryside. This style is somewhat reminiscent of Hillcoat’s work for The Proposition (probably his best film as a director), without the Western setting of course.

I want give Lawless a higher score, but I can’t. Hillcoat’s directing is just wonderful, and all of the performances are spot on, but Lawless feels so ordinary most of the time. The story is VERY predictable, and this entire film just goes through the motions. Plus, the final showdown between The Bondurant Brothers and Charley Rakes is too far-fetched and over the top.

Lawless is a bloody and violent crime drama. It’s a brutal film, and Lawless is emotional at times, but in the grand scheme of things, Lawless isn’t good enough to stand out amongst other crime dramas. It’s disappointing, because Hillcoat is the right director and the cast is just perfect. It could’ve been something special, but Lawless isn’t epic or memorable, unfortunately.

 

[Loveless]

Jeff, Who Lives At Home (2012) 8/10

Watched it last night, not what I expected at all. A genuinely beautiful little film about destiny and people waking up from their dull existence.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Total Recall (2012) 7/10- The 21st Century is coming to a close, and Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell) is looking for an escape. Quaid lives with his lovely wife, Lori (Kate Beckinsale), but Quaid is an ordinary factory worker, who wants more out of life. Plus, Quaid is haunted by a series of bizarre nightmares. One night, Quaid decides to take a trip to Rekall, a company that provides fake memories and fantasies. But a seemingly simple and harmless attempt to escape reality takes a drastic turn for the worst. Rekall’s mandatory diagnosis exposes Quaid as a spy, and Quaid is the main target for a SWAT team’s raid. Quaid takes out the entire SWAT team by himself, and he quickly returns home. Bewildered and frightened, Quaid looks for comfort from his wife, but Lori tries to kill him. Lori reveals herself as an undercover agent. She tries to kill Quaid again, but after numerous attempts, Quaid finally escapes.

Quaid’s real name is Carl Hauser, and Hauser was an important person in the resistance movement against Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston). Apparently, Hauser is the key to stopping Cohaagen’s most recent diabolical plan, but Hauser can’t remember a crucial code. Hauser receives help from a mysterious woman named Melina (Jessica Biel), and together, Hauser and Melina try to stop Cohaagen’s planned invasion. But they will have to fight off Lori (Cohaagen’s #1 crony), and fierce attacks from Cohaagen’s robotic army.

Director Len Wiseman’s high-octane style provides plenty of thrills. The action sequences are swift and hard-hitting, and Wiseman delivers endless amounts of excitement behind the camera. The flashy CGI provides some great eye candy, and Wiseman’s guidance as director really pulls everything together. I usually enjoy Wiseman’s work. He is the same guy, who directed the first two Underworld films, and Die Hard 4 (Live Free Or Die Hard). Wiseman has a good taste for stylish and explosive action, and Total Recall is probably his best film as director.

Collin Farrell can’t fill Arnold’s shoes, but he’s a competent leading man throughout this film. The supporting cast is strong. Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, and Bryan Cranston deliver very solid performances, and I really enjoyed the acting in this one.

Total Recall (1990) was a unique sci-fi/action film, that featured eccentric humor and characters, but the 2012 remake is a big money summer blockbuster. It’s a popcorn flick for the most part, the plot twists are identical, and the lack of strange humor didn’t bother me too much. Also, you won’t see Mars in the remake, and this story puts more focus on government, politics, and the corrupt leader (Cohaagen).

As far as the acting goes, I don’t have any major complaints. Kate Beckinsale takes on the role of Lori, but unlike Sharon Stone, Beckinsale plays the role of Quaid’s fake wife, and she’s Cohaagen’s top crony. So when Lori finally turns on Quaid, Beckinsale takes on Michael Ironside’s Richter character in the original. Beckinsale really nailed the backstabbing, cold-hearted bitch side of the Lori character, and Beckinsale’s Lori is more fearless and physical than Ironside‘s Richter. Lori doesn’t have a right-hand man (the Helm‘s character from the original), and other henchmen for back-up. Instead, Lori has the support of Cohaagen’s robotic army. Oh, and for what it’s worth, Beckinsale is more attractive than Stone.

Rachel Ticotin’s Melina is more rugged, but Jessica Biel brings a lot of emotion to the 2012 Melina. Ronny Cox’s Cohaagen is more of a weasel. Cox’s Cohaagen fit’s the profile of a slimy politician, but Cranston’s Cohaagen is a stronger character. He’s bold, more devious, and when the situation calls for it, Cranston’s Cohaagen can fight.

Bill Nighy portrays Matthias, the leader of the resistance movement against Cohaagen. But you can’t draw comparisons between George/Kuato (the resistance leader in the original) and Matthias. Matthias is a normal human being, but Kuato possessed supernatural powers, and he’s a deformed mutant attached to George’s body.

They reintroduced the space prostitute with three tits from the 1990 original. Unfortunately, there’s no Thumbelina here, but Total Recall 2012 is still an entertaining film. Of course, it’s different. The changes are noticeable, but compared to other lame remakes, Total Recall 2012 is a refreshing surprise.

All in all, Total Recall 2012 is an enjoyable popcorn flick. Total Recall is thrilling, and this film is loaded with impressive visuals. It was trashed by the majority of critics, and the lukewarm reception from moviegoers didn’t help anything. Still, Total Recall isn‘t horrible, so don‘t let the “it‘s not as good as the original” stuff scare you away from this one.

 

[BK Styles]

Looper (2012)

Went to see this today. Had high expectations, but mainly went to see this due to my new found love for Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

The Plot

The year is 2044. Time travel hasn't been invented yet, but thirty years in the future it not only exists, but has been outlawed, and is used by companies to carry out assassinations. Joe (JGL) is a Looper, an assassin who shoots his target the second they're sent back, without ever seeing their face. That is, however, until an unmasked target is sent back, and Joe sees an older yet familiar face. Himself; a man who's lost everything, and Joe now must face the task of stopping his future self from targeting a child who, in the future, has a big role to play in his life.

The plot is an intricately woven thread that doesn't let up at any point. It's intelligent, but it doesn't try to be too intelligent for it's own good. It presents itself in fantastic detail, but doesn't go too far to the point of losing interest. And it finds a balance of being hard hitting and violent, with moments of subtlety to balance everything in a fine mix. It's brutal, but not to the point of being overpowering and off-putting.

Rating: 9/10


Performance

JGL is, in a word, fucking awesome in this film. The conflict he suffers whilst dealing with his future self; a man who effectively knows his every move is portrayed to aplomb here.

But the best part of his performance is his interplay with Willis. Bruce Willis brings his A game here; you can't help but feel sorry for his character, especially when you discover how his life has played out. His quest in the film; to change his life so his past self doesn't have to experience the pain he did, is heart wrenching.

And that wrenching is brought about not only by Willis' performance, but by how believable both Willis and Levitt are in their roles. To play the same person from two different time periods is a ridiculous task, but both not only pull it off; they hit it out of the park. I wouldn't have jumped to these men for these roles, but damn do they do it well.

Emily Blunt's role as a mother of a child seems to be nothing more than filler, but once the film opens up, her role becomes an important emotional figure in proceedings, and she becomes part of a key event that could literally change the future. Blunt has a lot of work to do, but she gets it spot on.

The rest of the cast really get this right, too. At times they can be a bit forgettable, but with JGL, Willis and Blunt heading the show, there's no issue here. Jeff Daniels as Abe, the Mafia boss Joe works for, is an entertaining authority figure for Joe, and Noah Segan, as one of Abe's foot soldiers, brings a bit of comic relief, and is easy to despise.

This film is well acted. Most action films have good acting, but they rely more on flashy set pieces and visual moments. Here, the characters who are meant to stand out do, and the background characters do not intrude. And the main three nail their roles spectacularly.

Rating: 9/10


The Script

Rian Johnson doesn't miss a beat here. The script is engaging, it has sprinkles of humor. (not overbearing humor either, it's subtle and it works here) The scenes are crisp, the action is compact, and importantly, the film doesn't feel bogged down, either by too much action to get a cognitive story or too much talking and sitting to be an action film. The key here is balance, and he gets it spot on. The dialogue between the Joe's is fantastically done, and helps both actors nail their characters.

The only thing I could say negative is that it may be a bit predictable in places, but the ending smashes predictability in the face with a sledgehammer. I cannot praise Johnson enough here. Utterly brilliant.

Rating: 10/10


Visual

The first thing here is Gordon-Levitt. He looks different here, to make he and Willis look plausibly like the same person. What amazes me here is that ALL of it was make-up. No CGI. All of it is physically real, old-school make-up, and it looks amazing.

The CGI used here is very pretty; flying motorcycles, futurized cities, stuff like that, all looks damn good, and doesn't stand out at any point as being out of place.

A moment in the film shows what happens when someone from the future enters the present, and watches the effect as his present self is tortured. And he watches as his limbs slowly fade away. A finger here, then another, then another, then his nose, and so-on. A very difficult scene to watch, but a fantastically devised one that really hits home the dangers of time travel.

One thing that stood out for me was the effects of being shot in this film. Joe and other Loopers use shotgun-type weapons, and the effects for them look brutal. literally, as if they tear a chunk out of the person being shot. Things like that help to give films a little detail, and they really help the feel of the film.

Rating: 10/10


Overall

A key word here that I've used a few times is balance. This film could be overly vulgar, overly violent, and overly talky if any of it's elements go either way. But they don't, and Johnson deserves a lot of credit there. Something to think about here; this is Rian Johnson's third film. THIRD. And in my opinion, his third ever film is one of the best films of 2012, if not THE best film. I've stated my previous love for the Avengers, and this film is right up there. I may prefer Avengers, but this film is such a stunning masterpiece that it continues to blow my mind thinking about it.

A friend of mine said recently that there aren't many original ideas in films these days. Some have original moments, but they have noticeable similarities with different films. Not here. Here, this film feels incredibly unique, and while, if given time, I probably could find a film to compare it to, at the moment it isn't happening. It hits the right buttons on so many levels that it's hard to not overstate just how amazing this film is.

FINAL RATING: 38/40

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Celeste & Jesse Forever (2012)

Working through a divorce, Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) remain best friends, and they spend an unusual amount of time together. Celeste is a successful and bossy trend analyzer, and Jesse is an unemployed and unmotivated slacker. After an awkward one night stand, Celeste and Jesse’s relationship hits a rough spot. And things become more complicated, when Jesse runs into a woman from his past. Veronica (Rebecca Dayan) only had one date with him, but her unexpected pregnancy forces Jesse to make a difficult decision.

Rashida Jones helped with the screenplay, and Will McCormak is the other co-writer. A lot of the humor feels forced, and most of the time, I couldn’t get into the comedy side of this one. For example, there’s a running gag, where Celeste and Jesse simulate *********ion on tiny objects (lip balm, baby corn, etc.). I couldn’t laugh, and this particular gag was incredibly lame. But the main characters have a good amount of depth, and the story features some genuine emotional moments. Plus, McCormak and Jones didn’t suffocate the screenplay with a bunch of tired romantic comedy clichés.

Director Lee Toland Krieger’s style is pretty simplistic, but his work behind the camera doesn’t drag this film down, so I don’t have any real complaints.

Celeste & Jesse Forever features a very solid cast, but Rashida Jones easily delivers the best performance here. Celeste can have a good sense of humor, but she’s a pushy and successful woman, with a snobbish superiority complex. When it comes to education and job status, Celeste judges other people, who are beneath her in these areas. But once Celeste realizes her crucial mistakes with Jesse, you’ll see a more vulnerable and emotional side of this character. Jones really put her heart and soul into Celeste, and her performance is just excellent.

The comedy side of this film feels dull at times, and most of the raunchy humor really didn’t do anything for me. Still, Celeste & Jesse Forever is better than your formulaic Hollywood romantic comedy, with a predictable ending. Celeste & Jesse Forever doesn’t set the bar for romantic comedies. But the story features some good depth and emotion, and for the most part, they avoided the typical and routine cheesy moments (i.e. the big “I LOVE YOU!” speeches, followed by the “we’re going to get back together” stuff). In the end, Celeste & Jesse Forever is a sincere film about heartbreak, and moving on after a tough separation. It’s a satisfying and refreshing romantic comedy, and Jones is impressive. Rashida Jones proved herself as a leading actress here, and I’m looking forward to more starring roles in the future.

Rating: 8/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

The Possession (2012)

​

Clyde Brenek (Jeffery Dean Morgan) is a divorced father, and he’s trying to mend a broken relationship with his daughters. Emily (Natasha Calis) is closer to Clyde, but Hannah (Madison Davenport) is a spoiled brat. Stephanie (Kyra Sedgwick) is the mother, and Clyde tries to maintain a civil relationship with her, but Stephanie’s new boyfriend, Brett (Grant Show) becomes a problem.

One day, Clyde takes Hannah and Emily (or "Em") to a yard sale, and a rustic box engraved with Hebrew inscriptions catches Emily’s attention. Clyde buys the box for Emily, but Emily slowly develops an erratic personality. Emily’s odd behavior raises serious questions, and a series of bizarre incidents (including a random moth infestation, and an unknown intruder stealing food from the refrigerator) sparks a panic within the family. Emily’s obsession with the box drives her to madness, and Clyde tries to find answers. After a thorough investigation, Clyde learns the devastating truth: Emily is possessed by an evil demon named Abizu. An exorcism is Emily’s only hope, or Abizu will take full possession of her body and soul.

Director Ole Bornedal’s calculated and subtle style creates an eerie and chilling atmosphere for The Possession. The grand finale is intense and suspenseful, and Bornedal provides a few good jump scares along the way.

Jeffery Dean Morgan is solid in the leading role, Natasha Calis is genuinely creepy as Emily, Madison Davenport is an entertaining problem child, and Kyra Sedgwick delivers a noteworthy performance. The entire cast is efficient, and I honestly can‘t think of any bad or mediocre performances.

I almost went with a higher score, but The Possession is loaded with predictable horror clichés, and I can’t ignore the unintentionally funny moments. Still, The Possession provides some good scares, and the gross-out scenes are unreal (the hand crawling up the back of Emily’s throat, and the “teeth scene&#8221. The Possession isn’t memorable, but it’s better than most modern-day exorcism horror flicks.

Rating: 6/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

The Dark Knight trilogy features some of the best acting you’ll see in any superhero franchise. Liam Neeson as Ra’s al Ghul, Cillian Murphy as Dr. Crane/Scarecrow, and Heath Ledger’s Joker. Plus, you can’t forget about the regulars. Christian Bale is reliable as usual, delivering another fine performance. And as expected, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman all bring their A game.

The consistency of top notch acting continues in The Dark Knight Rises, as Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, and Tom Hardy join the cast. Cotillard and Gordon-Levitt deliver a pair of very solid performances, but Hathaway and Hardy are the strongest newcomers in The Dark Knight Rises. Hathaway’s Catwoman/Selina Kyle is smooth, sexy, and dangerous. Tom Hardy brings the essential intimidating physical presence for Bane. Hardy’s Bane is intelligent and well-spoken, and his amazing performance is memorable.

He received praise as a director before Batman, but Christopher Nolan’s work for The Caped Crusader provided a tremendous boost for his legacy. As expected, Nolan’s work behind the camera is steady and precise, and the action sequences are crafty and intense.

The acting is something to admire in Nolan’s Batman films, but one reoccurring trend really annoys me….

Spoiler

Sorry, but the bait-and-switch swerve for the main antagonists drives me nuts. In Batman Begins, Dr. Crane/Scarecrow is supposed to be the main villain, but Ra’s al Gaul is revealed as the true mastermind towards the end. Batman battled The Joker throughout The Dark Knight, but his final face-off (no pun intended) is against Two-Face/Harvey Dent. And in The Dark Knight Rises, Bane is built up as the unstoppable adversary, but Miranda Tate/Talia is the real leader and mastermind behind the League Of Shadows. So in the end, Bane just looks like another hired goon.

I know I sound too nitpicky, but the “SURPRISE! I’m not the real villain!” stuff really irritates me.

This was a tricky rating, but I didn’t go with a perfect score here. I was expecting a more complete finale, but the ending for The Dark Knight Rises is so ambiguous. The ending could easily open the door for another set of sequels, and for me, The Dark Knight Rises was just the third film in Nolan’s Batman series.

The Avengers deserves to be remembered as the best superhero film in 2012, but still, The Dark Knight Rises is another satisfying entry in Nolan’s Batman trilogy. The Dark Knight Rises features entertaining action sequences, a strong cast, and a fair amount of suspense. The lengthy runtime (2hr. 45min.) feels a bit tedious, but I enjoyed the sporadic “edge of your seat” thrills.

Rating: 7/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Bikini Girls On Ice (2009)

Jenna (Cindel Chartrand), Sam (Danielle Doetsch), and other college girls take a trip to a bikini car wash fundraiser. Using a school bus for transportation, the girls are accompanied by Blake (Tarek Gader), the man, who came up with the idea for a bikini car wash, and his friend Tommy (Ivan Peric) is the driver. Most of the girls are looking for a fun time at the car wash, but Lena (Christina Sciortino) has other plans.

Eventually, the bus breaks down at an abandoned gas station, and Tommy searches for tools to repair the bus. Blake panics, and he decides to start the car wash immediately. The eerie silence throughout the gas station causes some concerns, but Jenna and Sam ignore an ominous warning from Hank (Sandy Grieg), a creepy and reclusive local. As nightfall approaches, the girls slowly disappear one by one. Confused and frightened, Jenna, Sam, and other survivors try to escape the vicious wrath of Moe (William Jarand), a blood thirsty killer, with a strange obsession for ice.

Jenna shows some intelligence, but other female characters fit the profile of an annoying, airheaded bimbo. Lena is supposed to be the nasty bitch, who uses her good looks to gain the upper hand in life, but Sciortino is a terrible actress.

And Moe is such a boring antagonist. He’s a deranged and ******ed backwoods hillbilly, and this character doesn’t have any spoken dialogue, just a lot of heavy breathing and growling. Moe isn’t scary or intimidating, and Jarand’s performance provides too many unintentional laughs.

Bikini Girls On Ice tries to the follow the blueprint for 80’s slashers. Stupid characters, a sadistic killer, hot women in revealing clothing, nudity, sex, and the victims are stuck in an isolated deathtrap. I can appreciate the attempt to provide an old school style slasher film, but Bikini Girls On Ice has too many problems. Poor execution, shitty directing, bad acting, and weak dialogue kill any chances for a solid or decent movie. Bikini Girls On Ice isn’t laughably bad, it’s just bad. This poor attempt to pay homage to mindless 80’s slashers is beyond pitiful, and lowering your expectation levels won’t help anything, because Bikini Girls On Ice is an atrocious film.

Oh, and as far as nudity and sex goes, don’t expect anything extreme from Bikini Girls on Ice. It’s just one disappointing scene of sex and nudity, that’s all.

If you’re looking for an enjoyable modern-day slasher with attractive women and brutal kills, the Friday The 13th remake would be a good choice. Better production values, better acting, better directing, and Jason is still a bad-ass.

Rating: 0/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Premium Rush (2012)

Living in New York City, Wilee (Joesph Gordon-Levitt) is a reckless bicycle messenger, who enjoys the thrills and excitement from his job. Wilee is trying to win back Vanessa (Dania Ramirez), his ex-girlfriend and co-worker, but Wilee runs into some trouble, when he crosses paths with an NYPD officer. Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon) is a dirty cop, who can’t control his urges for gambling, and Monday owes money to the wrong people. Wilee holds the envelope, that will solve all of his problems, and avoiding Monday becomes a life-or-death struggle.

Director David Koepp’s hectic and fast-paced style provides some good thrills, and Premium Rush delivers plenty of excitement. Although, Koepp’s style of storytelling is repetitive. Wilee’s “sixth sense” is a prime example of redundancy. While delivering packages, Wilee uses his sixth sense to plan out possible routes and avoid dangerous mistakes. Wilee’s sixth sense is a cool trick….. when you see it for the first time, but eventually, this trick reaches the point of overkill, and Wilee’s sixth sense loses its wow factor, as the story progresses.

Wilee is a wisecracking smart-ass, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt really nailed this character, but Michael Shannon delivers the best performance here. Monday is a psychopathic asshole, who will do anything to get his hands on Wilee’s envelope. Michael Shannon’s angry and unhinged performance is amazing, and Shannon outshines Gordon-Levitt here.

Premium Rush is filled with adrenaline, and the face-off between Monday and Wilee provides an engaging rivalry. It’s the corrupt cop versus a hard working average man, who’s trying to do the right thing. It sounds simple and clichéd, but the high quality performances from Shannon and Gordon provide an extra boost for this plain concept.

Rating: 7/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

The Expendables 2 (2012)

After the sudden death of a teammate, Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) and the rest of The Expendables embark on a mission to track down and kill Vilain (Jean-Claude Van Damme), an international criminal and arms dealer. Driven by revenge, The Expendables plan to take down Vilain and his army, and stop Vilain‘s attempted transactions for large amounts of plutonium. Maggie Chan (Yu Nan) joins the team, and Barney receives help from Trench (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Mr. Church (Bruce Willis).

Con-Air is still my favorite Simon West film, but West’s explosive and action-packed style is a perfect fit for The Expendables 2. As director, Simon West provides a thrilling opening action sequence, and the brutal grand finale is just great. Hopefully, Simon West will return for The Expendables 3, because he proved himself as the perfect choice to direct any future installments.

As usual, the old-timers provide some good nostalgia. Chuck Norris’ role is limited, but his brief appearances are enjoyable. Arnold and Willis receive more screen time this around, which is a good thing. Watching Arnold, Stallone, Norris, and Willis fight side-by-side during the final battle should provide an unforgettable moment for any die-hard action fan.

Sylvester Stallone brings the strong presence of a leader for the starring role. The supporting cast is solid as usual, and Dolph Lundgren provides some great comic relief. I hardly know anything about Yu Nan, but she’s believable, as the lone female member of the group, who is more than capable of holding her own.

Also, I really enjoyed Jean-Claude Van Damme as the main antagonist. He plays the typical foreign bad guy, but Van Damme is entertaining, and he can still deliver the goods. Plus, it’s refreshing to see Van Damme return to a high profiled role, especially after all of those shitty Universal Soldier films and other forgettable straight-to-video releases.

The Expendables 2 is a dream come true for action junkies. It’s a hard-hitting and brutal popcorn flick, that features the most popular action icons of all-time. The Expendables 2 fully embraces its status as a mindless action blockbuster, and I loved every minute of this film. Brutal violence, cheesy one-liners from Arnold, and a physical final showdown between Van Damme and Stallone. What else could you ask for? The Expendables 2 packs a powerful punch, and The Expendables continues to gain momentum as one of the more popular modern-day film series.

Rating: 7/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

God Bless America (2012)

Frank Murdoch (Joel Murray) wants to make a change. Divorced, jobless, and suffering from a potentially fatal brain tumor, Frank decides to go on a nationwide killing spree. And with the help of his teenage accomplice Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr), Frank plans to cleanse the filth in America’s society.

Director Bobcat Goldthwait delivers endless amounts of bloody brutality, and Goldthwait’s provides the essential lighthearted approach for the comical violence in this film.

Joel Murray is a solid leading man, and Tara Lynne Barr provides an enjoyable performance. The relationship between Roxy and Frank provides some laughs, but their Bonnie & Clyde partnership feels inappropriate at times. Roxy is obviously attracted to Frank. But storyline wise, she’s a young teenage girl, so Roxy and Frank‘s bonding experience causes some genuine awkward moments.

All in all, God Bless America features a nice set of comedic performances, and the entire cast provides some good laughs.

I don’t have any complaints about Goldthwait’s directing, but his screenplay sends out too many mixed messages. Frank is obviously disgusted by the current state of America’s society. Reality shows are just a poor excuse to poke fun at inept contestants, no-name reality show personalities become celebrities, religious protestors, who persecute homosexuals are raging assholes, and mean talk show hosts receive praise as antiheros.

You’ll see some parodies for popular American shows throughout this film. American Superstarz is an obvious parody of American Idol. And Steven Clark, a horrible singer/contestant, who continues to receive a spot on the show, because people enjoy mocking his awfulness, is an American version of William Hung. Also, the Michael Fuller character clearly spoofs Bill O’ Reilly and The O’Reilly factor, and the similarities are very obvious.

Plus, you can’t forget about the pesky and inconsiderate American citizens, who take up more than one parking space, and noisy jackasses, who feel the need to talk out-loud during a movie at the theater.

Frank and Roxy are tired of cruelty and the outbreak of min-numbing stupidity in America, so they decide to kill all of the “bad people.” The Frank character (and occasionally Roxy) provide a lot of valid points throughout this film, but still, you can’t just wake up and decide to kill random “mean people.”

If I follow God Bless America’s rationale, then after some random driver cuts me off, it’s okay for me to pull over, grab a shotgun from my trunk, and blow their fucking head off. If someone cuts in line at the grocery store, then it’s okay for me to pull out a knife, and slit their throat. It’s okay if I decide to blow-up the Fox News studio. And in an attempt to stamp out stupidity, I should exterminate the Kardashians.

If you literally take God Bless America’s message to heart, then the solution for America’s social problems are simple: just kill the troublemakers. Mass murder won’t solve anything, it’ll just create more outrage and controversy.

It’s a tough call, but I decided to go with a reluctant positive rating here. The social commentary is suffocated by an asinine message (kill the bad people!), but the laughs are consistent, and love it or hate it, you have to give God Bless America credit for being an ambitious dark comedy. The clichéd and predictable shoot-out ending is kind of corny, but God Bless America earned a spot on my list of unforgettable 2012 films, for good and bad reasons.

Rating: 6/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)

After the conclusion of Resident Evil Afterlife, Alice (Milla Jovoich) barely survives a raid from the Umbrella Corporation. Led by Alice’s former friend and ally, Jill Valentine (Sieanna Guillory) and Umbrella soldiers exterminate any living survivors aboard Arcadia, a freighter/prison for survivors of the T-Virus outbreak. Jill and the Umbrella soldiers eventually capture Alice after a shootout, and Alice is taken to an underground Umbrella Base.

At the same underground Umbrella base, a cloned version of Alice is married to Todd (Oded Fehr), and with her deaf daughter, Becky (Aryana Engineer), Alice lives a normal life in an alternate reality. But a sudden zombie attack disrupts her calm and quiet suburban lifestyle.

Eventually, the real Alice awakens in an Umbrella holding cell. Here, Alice is tortured and questioned by a brainwashed Jill…until Ada Wong (Li Bingbing) rescues her. Ada Wong is Albert Wesker’s (Shawn Roberts) trusted associate, so naturally, Alice is hesitant to accept her help. Confused and angry, Alice demands answers, so Ada explains the dire situation: the computer program known as the Red Queen is controlling the Umbrella Corporation, and the Red Queen corrupted Jill’s mind. Alice is torn between an alternate reality and real life. Alice develops feelings for her cloned daughter, but Alice will have to trust Ada, fight familiar faces from her past, and escape Umbrella’s underground base alive.

Director Paul W. S. Anderson provides some of the best 3D effects you’ll ever see. The 3D for Resident Evil: Retribution is mesmerizing, but Anderson’s usage of 3D never reaches the point of overkill. It’s a nice bonus attraction, and Anderson is one of the few directors, who knows how to use 3D properly.

The 3D is wonderful, but the praises for Anderson’s directing stop here. Throughout Retribution, I constantly asked myself two questions: “How is it possible? How can one movie feature so many extravagant and breathtaking set pieces, and still be so fucking boring?” Anderson tries to deliver stylish and slick action sequences, but the action side of this film lacks excitement and thrills. Anderson tries to produce crafty action, but the final result is an endless barrage of lifeless battles and chases. Seriously, it’s mind-boggling. Retribution features some great eye candy, the backdrops are just perfect, but the action is incredibly dull, and the repeated usage of slow motion didn’t help anything.

Anderson also wrote the screenplay for this film, and the story is beyond confusing. The constant shifts between the alternate reality and the real world are bad enough, and Anderson constantly blurs the line between Alice’s real life and her cloned life as the suburban housewife.

The introduction of the clones almost gave me headache. With the exception of Jill Valentine, characters from previous films return as clones, but there‘s a catch. Unable to realize the differences between both Alices, Good Rain (Michelle Rodriguez) becomes one of Alice’s (the real Alice) trusted allies in the fight against Umbrella, and Good Carlos (Oded Fehr) is cloned Alice’s husband. But Umbrella also produces evil versions of the clones? That’s right, and under orders from Umbrella, Evil Carlos and Evil Rain carry out a hunt and kill mission for the real Alice. Why the fuck would Umbrella produce two sets of clones? Umbrella controls most of the post-apocalyptic world, so why would they create two sets of clones for two Alices?

During the intro, Anderson provides a short highlight reel and summary for the entire Resident Evil franchise. Well, this could’ve been a nice reminder, but Retribution’s confusing story really defeats the purpose of the flashback intro.

Plus, Anderson blatantly copies the mother-daughter dynamic between Ellen Ripley and Newt from Aliens. I’m not the only, who noticed this, right? It’s the ass-kicking female heroin risking her life to save a strange little girl she just met, and if you watch Retribution, you will sense some strong similarities to the relationship between Ripley and Newt. Yeah, I know, storylines are reused and recycled all the time. Well, if the movie is entertaining, I usually look the other way, but Retribution wasn’t a good movie.

The story is a mess, but the ending is unbelievable….

Spoiler

So the real Alice escapes ANOTHER Umbrella assassination attempt. Alice takes a trip to the White House, the base for the remaining survivors, and the sight of the last stand for non-infected humans. And guess who’s in the Oval Office? Albert Wesker! That’s right, if Alice wants to defeat Umbrella once and for all, she’ll have to join forces with US soldiers, other resistance fighters, and her arch-nemesis. But wait it gets better! Wesker needs all the help he can get, so he injects Alice with the T-Virus? So Alice regains her superpowers from the same man, who took them away in the previous film? Okay then. Oh, and according to Wesker, the fight against Umbrella is far from over. Right, that’s why we’ve been hearing the “it’s far from over” stuff since Resident Extinction (2007) .

Overall, the acting is decent. Jovoich is still sharp as Alice, Li Bingbing was believable, as Alice’s lethal partner, and Michelle Rodriguez provides enjoyable performances, as Good and Evil Rain. But the rest of the cast didn’t bring anything special to the table, and Sieanna Guillory is just awful. She’s fucking terrible, and Guillory’s atrocious performance destroys the quality of this cast.

It’s the same shit all over again. Umbrella is STILL trying to take over the world, Umbrella is trying to kill Alice, and Alice has to battle the evil corporation…..AGAIN. Resident Evil: Retribution is an incoherent and convoluted mess, that features dull and boring action sequences. Yes, the 3D is superb, but top notch 3D effects can’t save this film. The 3D version will pull some “oooh and ahhhh” reactions out of you, but the extra cash isn’t worth it. Save your money to buy a better a movie, or use the cash to pig out at McDonlad’s. A sixth Resident Evil film is coming. The ending just gives it away, but I hope it’ll be the last Resident Evil film, because this franchise needs to die, and Milla Jovoich needs to move on to something else.

Rating: 2/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

House At The End Of The Street (2012)

Divorced and trying to start a new life, Sarah (Elisabeth Shue) and her daughter, Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence) move to a small and quiet town. The snobbish behavior and cynicism from their new neighbors disgusts Elissa and Sarah, so they decide to keep to themselves, but Elissa shows some interest in Ryan Jacobson (Max Thieriot). Struggling to move on after his parent’s tragic death and Carrie Anne’s (Ryan’s younger sister) mysterious disappearance, Ryan lives in his childhood home alone, but as the new and understanding neighbor, Elissa befriends him. Evenutally, Elissa develops feelings for Ryan, but the bizarre discovery of a wild and vicious girl changes everything.

Sorry, but ONE true jump scare isn’t enough, and director Mark Tonderai’s style is very bland. I enjoyed the suspenseful finale, but overall, House At The End Of The Street is horribly boring.

Jennifer Lawerence and Elisabeth Shue deliver a pair of solid perfromances, but the rest of the cast is mediocre at best, and the weak dialogue didn’t help anything.

For the most part, House At The End Of The Street features a very predictable and straightforward story, but there’s a nice twist at the end.

Spoiler

Okay, so we’re in the final moments, and Elissa protects Ryan from a group of angry bullies, who tried to burn down his house. Suspecting something fishy, Elissa searches through the garbage for clues. Elissa immediately panics after discovering a box of contact lenses, but Ryan captures her, and Elissa becomes a hostage. Frightened and tied up in the basement, Elissa finally learns the dark secret: Ryan’s parents weren’t murdered years go. Instead, his younger sister, Carrie Anne, died during an accident on a swing set. Ryan’s abusive parents forced him to look and act like Carrie Anne for the duration of his childhood life, becoming more strict during Carrie Anne’s “birthday parties.” Trying to fill the void of his dead sister, Ryan continued to kidnap Carrie Anne look-a-likes, while holding them hostage in his basement. And if they didn’t fit the exact profile, Ryan would use anything (i.e. the contact lenses) to transform his victims into the perfect Carrie Anne imitation.

You know something, I’ll give House At The End Of The Street credit for this twist. Yes, it was genuinely shocking, and the “Ryan is the real psycho twist” added a much needed spark of intrigue for the lame story. Still, the final twist did have a strong too little, too late feeling. This twist wasn’t enough, because House At The End Of The Street had already bored me to death, and for me, nothing could save this film.

House At The End Of The Street is a boring and generic horror film. The story develops at an unbearable slow pace, and the lone jump scare isn’t something to remember. Jennifer Lawrence and Elisabeth Shue tried to save this one, but they couldn’t overcome a generic story, bland directing, and bad dialogue.

Rating: 1/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012)

Nervous and scared, Charlie (Logan Lerman) prepares to start his first day of high school. As a reclusive outcast, Charlie is relentlessly bullied and picked-on, and Charlie can’t escape flashbacks of his aunt’s tragic death. Charlie receives some encouragement from his English teacher, Mr. Anderson (Paul Rudd), and when two seniors befriend him, Charlie slowly breaks out of his shell. Sam (Emma Watson) and her wild step-brother, Patrick (Ezra Miller) invite Charlie into their circle of friends, but a series of bizarre setbacks and changes sends Charlie into a downward spiral.

Stephen Chbosky is the author for The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, he wrote the adapted screenplay, and he‘s the director for this film. As a director, Stephen Chbosky’s style is pretty basic. Chbosky‘s directing is nothing special, but The Perks Of Being A Wallflower deserves credit for impressive visuals, because the gloomy cinemotragphy is simply mesmerizing.

Logan Lerman is a solid leading man. Charlie is a troubled and lonely outcast searching for acceptance, and Lerman provides a believable performance for this character. Erza Miller is hilarious as Patrick. Patrick is easily the most confident character in this film, but at times, Patrick is vulnerable, and Miller adapted to Patrick’s emotional side. Emma Watson showed signs of talent here. Watching a non-Hermione Granger performance from Watson feels weird, but Watson is convincing as Sam.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is a sincere film about high school life. Wallflower highlights the ups and downs of the teenage years, while providing emotional stories of self-discovery. It’s a heartfelt drama, and the young cast delivers a nice set of strong performances (especially Miller and Lerman). Plus, Wallflower is more than capable of providing some nostalgia, as you reminisce about the good old days in high school.

Rating: 8/10

 

[Ming]

It's about time I post a review in this thread. I watch films often enough, and I enjoy most of them. Well, mainly because if I hear a film's shit from most people, I'll not watch it but still. I like films, and I like criticising them if they're shit. Call me cynical, but to quote the great Karl Pilkington; "a good moan keeps you alive" or something along those lines. And that's right, I just called Karl Pilkington great, sue me. Oh yeah, there'll be spoilers, probably. Now then, time for my first review:

Jarhead​

I won't comment on plots in my reviews, because you can just look that shit up. Ignore that you can just look up actual critic's reviews though because... well, you're here now and you've read this much. So, onwards. Now then.

Jarhead isn't a bad film, despite my friends insisting it is, it isn't. Now, the question is, just how good it is and the answer is quite good. Not great, but good. And worth watching. My one big criticism of this film, and it's not really a criticism, just an observation. Is that I couldn't help but feel this was a modern-day Full Metal Jacket. Maybe it's because of the short time span between my viewing of the films and that they both stand out for being war films not based so much on combat. But, I'm confident enough to say that others that have seen both films will agree with me to an extent, at least. The two films are similar. Now, saying that, Jarhead isn't as good as Full Metal Jacket. Full Metal Jacket is the second best war film I've seen, while Jarhead isn't involved in my top three. I admire Jarhead's alternate approach to the average war film, it's about the lack of action in war whereas most war films tend to be opposite this. It's a risky move, making a film like this, at least I think. Most people that watch war films would expect some action. Jarhead's amount of action is minimal. For me, this alternate approach came off successfully. Jamie Foxx and Jake Gyllenhaal's performances were good. Jamie Foxx's character's attitude showed as did the impatience and jar-headedness of Jake Gyllenhaal's (people who've watched Jarhead will understand just what I mean by "jar-headedness"... I think), actually most of the cast were good. That squishy-faced ****** had me believing he had problems and Fergus had me believing he was a bit of a shitbag. By shitbag, I mean scaredy-pants. You'll have to pardon my non-existent use of the actor's names as I do not know them, and care not enough to look them up right now. Anyway; Jarhead is a good film that has an interesting take on wartime and just how it affects those that take part. Even if they don't actually do anything of significance. The direction/editing was fine, the acting was solid and the story, while it may irk the average action/war film-viewer, is consistent, unique and a little bit thought-provoking. So here's a rating;

6/10

So there you go, that was thrilling, wasn't it? Actually don't answer that. I know it was. I'll probably type up another soon.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

The Paperboy (2012)

In the 1960’s, Ward Jansen (Matthew McConaughey) and Yardley Acheman (David Oyelowo) travel to Moat County, Florida. Ward is an investigative reporter and Yardley is his trusted colleague. Together, both men try to solve the case of Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack), a death row inmate accused of murdering a prestigious local sheriff.

Ward’s younger brother, Jack (Zac Efron) is a paperboy. Jack tags along for the investigation, and Charlotte Bless (Nicole Kidman) lends a helping hand. After sharing a strange and trusted pen pal relationship, Charlotte developed an obsession for Hillary, but Charlotte’s presence could ruin the investaigtion. Meanwhile, Jack seeks advice from his maid and best friend, Anita (Macy Gray), as he struggles to control feelings of anger for his dad’s new girlfriend, and constant urges for Charlotte.

I have mixed feelings for director Lee Daniels’ work. I enjoyed Precious. It’s an emotional drama, and Daniels’ dark and gritty style provided the perfect touch. But Shadowboxer was an enormous clusterfuck (story wise and directing style). Unfortunately, you won’t see Precious Lee Daniels here. Instead, you’ll see Shadowboxer Lee Daniels. Daniels is unfocused, and his work behind the camera doesn’t help this film at all.

Cusack and Kidman deliver the best performances. Cusack is spot on, as the deranged scumbag, and Kidman really nails the trashy side of Charlotte’s character. But towards the end, Kidman showcases some believable vulnerability. McConaughey is solid as Ward, and Zac Efron is OKAY as Jack. I’ll give Efron credit for a strong effort, but as far as the quality of his performance goes, he couldn’t measure up to his fellow cast members. Plus, Efron’s efforts are overshadowed by a series of random and unnecessary shots of Jack in his underwear, and Efron’s most memorable scene involves Kidman peeing on Jack in an attempt to cure jellyfish wounds.

The Paperboy showed signs of promise at first, but the overload of sub-plots created too much confusion. Is this supposed to be a murder mystery? A love story? A film about racism? The story quickly devolves into a jumbled mess. Here’s a quick rundown of The Paperboy’s messy story:

Spoiler

-Ward and Yardley are trying to solve a murder mystery

-Jack is in love with Charlotte. Although, Charlotte’s a grown woman with serious issues, and Jack is a teenager, so the relationship can’t work for obvious reasons. But Jack continues to pursue the love of his life anyway.

-Ward has been living a secret lifestyle as a homosexual, and Jack tries to comprehend this shocking revelation.

-During a fight, Jack calls Yardley a “******,” and Jack’s racist outburst puts a strain on his relationship with Anita.

-Charlotte wants a sexual relationship with Hillary, but she changes her mind, when Hillary shows his aggressive/psychotic side. Charlotte tries to leave Hillary, but Hillary murders her.

-Jack can’t get over Charlotte, and with Ward’s help, they try to rescue Charlotte. Eventually, the brothers discover Charlotte’s murder. Jack is devastated, and when he tries to protect his brother, Ward is murdered by Hillary.

-Oh, and they never reveal the culprit, who killed the local sheriff.

Trying to understand the true nature of this film almost gave me a headache, and The Paperboy’s erratic story is beyond irritating.

The cast deserves praise, and this film features some genuinely disturbing moments (the brutal aftermath of a rape, murder, etc.), but I can’t give The Paperboy a positive score. The Paperboy was too melodramatic for my taste, and the convoluted screenplay causes too many annoying shifts between the excessive storylines.


Rating: 3/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Fun Size (2012)

On Halloween night, Wren (Victoria Justice) and her friend, April (Jane Levy) are invited to a costume party. The party is hosted by Aaron Riley (Thomas McDonell). Aaron is the most popular guy at school, he’s targeting Wren for his next girlfriend, and April sees an easy opportunity to cement her legacy as a popular high school queen. But before Wren and April join Aaron’s party, Wren must take her younger brother, Albert (Jackson Nicoll) trick-or-treating. Albert is a whacky problem child, and he ditches Wren and April during a trip through a haunted house.

Wren struggles to find Albert before her mother, Joy (Chelsea Handler) returns home. April is more concerned with her social status at school, but she reluctantly joins Wren on her search mission, and with the help of two nerds/outcasts named Roosevelt (Thomas Mann) and Peng (Osric Chau), Wren tries to find Albert and avoid a long-term punishment.

Director Josh Schwartz’s style is simplistic, but his directing doesn’t hurt this film at all, so I don’t have any complaints.

The cast if full of stereotypes. Wren is the typical good girl, who’s conflicted between doing the right thing, and becoming the most popular girl in school. April is the narcissistic airhead. Roosevelt and Peng are the shy nerds, who try to lend a helping hand. And of course, they just had to throw in the VERY predictable confrontation with two high school jocks/bullies, where a shot from a musket destroys a piece of fried chicken, as Roosevelt and Peng stand up for themselves and find their courage.

In the grand scheme of things, Albert is the only unique character. He’s a bizarre and out of control problem child, and Nicoll provides a few good laughs. Plus, you can always count on Chelsea Handler. She’s a perfect fit for Joy, and Handler delivers an entertaining performance, as the widowed mother, who’s stuck in a mid-life crisis phase.

Johnny Knoxville’s character is different, but he’s beyond annoying. Jürgen (Knoxville) is supposed to be the main antagonist. Basically, he’s a douchebag loser, who dresses up as Dog The Bounty Hunter for Halloween, but Knoxville couldn’t pull any laughs out of me.

The opening scene sets the tone for this film. Wren is taking a shower, and Albert sneaks into the bathroom to take a dump. “Oh, it’s going to be one of those comedies.” It’s the first thought that went through my head, and Fun Size’s wackiness doesn’t end here. This style of humor is juvenile, some of the gags are kind of corny (i.e. a burning bag of dogshit mixed with firecrackers), and Fun Size sends too many mixed messages. It’s a PG-13 film, but the story constantly strays into PG territory. They threw in the word “bitch” one time, and there’s a scene, where April forces Peng to grab one of her breasts after a dare. Also, April and Peng wake up together on the same couch after Aaron’s party, implying they had sex the night before. The validation for the PG-13 side of this film felt SO forced. Were they trying to maintain the atmosphere of a PG kiddy film? Or were they trying to create an edgy PG-13 teen comedy?

You can see the tender, feel-good ending coming from a mile away, and the story is formulaic. But despite all my complaints, I didn’t hate this film. Fun Size has its moments, and I laughed a few times. Oh, and don’t expect any spooky or frightening scares. Fun Size isn’t a horror film. Halloween is just a backdrop for the story, that’s it.

Rating: 5/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

End Of Watch (2012)

Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Pena) are two police officers working for the Los Angeles Police Department. Patrolling the streets of South Central LA is a risky job, but Brian tries to lighten the mood by filming daily activities for a project. Brian and Mike are trusted partners and best friends, and both men are looking forward to enjoying the new experiences in their lives. Mike and his wife, Gabby (Natalie Martinez) are expecting their first child, and Brian prepares to marry his new girlfriend, Janet (Anna Kendrick). But Brian and Mike run into some trouble, when they cross paths with a deadly Mexican drug cartel.

Director David Ayer’s rough documentary style provides strong feelings of realism for this film. Ayer’s style is natural, intense, and Endo Of Watch features some exciting action sequences.

Jake Gyllenhal and Micahel Pena share some excellent chemistry throughout this film, and both men delivered very good performances. Natalie Martinez is believable as the supportive wife, and Anna Kendrick provides an enjoyable performance. And for what it’s worth, seeing America Ferrera portray a hard ass, no-nonsense cop felt kind of weird (sorry, can’t stop thinking about Ugly Betty). Plus, David Harbour is hilarious as the disgruntled veteran.

End Of Watch is an exciting and brutal action drama. The violence is pretty graphic and bloody, and End Of Watch packs a powerful punch with a suspenseful and pulse-pounding finale. It’s definitely one of the better mainstream cop dramas I’ve seen over the years. A strong cast combined with David Ayer’s directing and writing help End Of Watch standout, and the shocking surprise at the end was a nice touch, because the “tragic deaths” stuff would’ve been too melodramatic and corny.

Rating: 9/10

Sinister (2012)

Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) is a struggling and desperate true-crime novelist. He’s searching for some much needed inspiration, so he moves his family to a small and quiet town. The new house has a disturbing history: the previous tenants were brutally murdered by an unknown suspect. Ellison ignores a warning from the local sheriff, and his wife, Tracey (Juliet Rylance) isn’t aware of the crucial details surrounding the murders.

During a routine trip to the attic, Ellison finds a box with a film projector and various reels of Super 8 footage. Each reel contains footage of brutal and horrifying murders. The murders are carefully planed out, and Ellison is clearly terrified after watching each reel. Ellison has found the big break he was looking for, and with the help of Deputy So-And-So (James Ransone), Ellison digs deeper into the series of suspiciously related murders.

Ellison continues his research, but a series of bizarre incidents disrupt the early drafts for his new book. After a few strange nights of the film projector playing by itself, showing the one murder that happened in the new home, Ellison seeks the help of Professor Jonas (Vincent D’Onofrio). When it comes to demons and the occult, Jonas is an expert, and he explains the history of the reoccurring figure in the Super 8 reels. Bughuul (or Mr. Boogie) is an evil pagan deity, who can possess children, and force them to murder their families. And Bughuul uses films (or photos) as a gateway to the real world.

Ellisson’s son, Trevor (Michael Hall D’Addario) suffers from a severe case of night terrors, and his daughter, Ashley (Clare Foley) has a bad habit of painting on the walls. Ashley and Trevor show signs of odd behavoir after Bughuul’s first appereance, which leads Ellison to one disturbing question: Are his children Buguul’s next victims?

Scott Derrickson is the same man, who directed The Day The Earth Stood Still remake, but I’m a fan of his work on horror films. Derrickson is the only man, who directed a respectable straight-to-video Hellraiser film (Inferno), and his work for The Last Exorcism Of Emily Rose is something to admire. Sinister is loaded with some great tension, and Derrickson provides some good jump scares every now and then.

With the exception of the bloody finale, Derrickson takes a restrained approach to the gory stuff here. The restrained approach creates more terror and shock, because instead of seeing endless piles of blood and guts, Derrickson gives the audience the idea of gruesomeness, and he pulls the plug at the right moment. For example, Ellison watches a murder that involves a lawnmower. The killer quietly pushes the lawnmower across the yard, and then BAM! He or she ploughs the lawnmower across a helpless victim’s face. But Derrickson just shows the initial contact, not the bloody aftermath. This approach leaves you with that “holy shit that must’ve been brutal!” feeling.

Ethan Hawke is a convincing leading man, and the supporting cast is decent enough. I was hoping for more scenes with Vincent D’ Onofrio. You’ll only see him in a few online chat sessions with Hawke, but D’ Onofrio showed some potential, as the knowledgeable professor, who’s willing to lend a helping hand.

I can’t ignore the horror clichés (you have to expect this from mainstream horror flicks), but Sinister kicks into a frightening and chilling high gear, as the story develops. Plus, the final twists deliver some great shocking surprises. Oh, and speaking of shocking surprises, try to ignore the poster for this film, because Sinister’s feature movie poster gives away a major spoiler.

Rating: 8/10

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Silent Hill Revelation 3D (2012)

Plagued by a series of violent nightmares, Sharon (Adelaide Clemens) struggles to escape the memories of Silent Hill, an alternate reality covered in darkness and ashes. In an attempt to protect their identities from the evil forces of Silent Hill, Sharon uses Heather as an alias, and her father, Christopher (Sean Bean) changes his name to Harry.

After her first day of school, Sharon barley survives attacks from Silent Hill creatures. Sharon receives an ominous warning from a private investigator, and when her father no-shows an important meeting at the mall, Sharon begins to panic. Sharon rushes home, and Vincent (Kit Harrington), a classmate from school, who shows an unusual amount of interest in Sharon, insists on playing the role of a bodyguard.

Once Sharon returns home, her father is gone, and a bloody message is written on the wall: “Come to Silent Hill.” Christopher was the victim of a kidnapping, and Sharon quickly takes possession of a mysterious amulet, that was hidden for protection by her father. With Vincent’s help, Sharon must return to Silent Hill with the amulet to save her father, and stop Alessa (Erin Pitt) and Claudia Wolf (Carrie-Anne Moss), two evil forces with different agendas and motivations.

Director Michael J. Bassett brings a dark and eerie style to Silent Hill: Revelation 3D. Bassett creates the essential desolate and haunting atmosphere, the gory violence is pretty gruesome and brutal, and Bassett provides some incredible 3D effects. The 3D pulled a few awe-inspired, but Revelation is very boring. I struggled to stay awake during this film, because you won‘t see any true jump scares here and Bassett fails to deliver any real tension or suspense.

Overall, the acting is mediocre. Sean Bean had the potential to deliver a high quality performance, but his character doesn’t receive enough screen time here. Adelaide Clemens is a decent leading lady. Carrie-Ann Moss is a dull antagonist, Kit Harrington’s inept performance doesn’t help the Vincent character, and Malcolm McDowell’s (Leonard Wolf) over the top and ridiculous cameo is painful to watch.

Apparently, Revelation is based on Silent Hill 3 the video game. Truth be told, I haven’t been much of a gamer over the years, and I’ve only played one Silent Hill game in the past. It was for the PSP (I can’t remember the title), and this game just bored the ever loving shit out of me. After two weeks of trying, I finally gave up, and traded it in for some store credit at Gamestop.

If I had the knowledge of the game, I might have had a better chance at understanding the story. But I never played the game, so when it comes to the story, I was completely lost throughout this film. Who’s supposed to be the primary antagonist? Claudia Wolf? Alessa? Or is it the big creepy guy with the pyramid shaped head?

Also, at the beginning, Sharon receives a warning from Alessa during a dream sequence: “Don’t come to Silent Hill, you can’t defeat me.” This is paraphrased, because I can’t remember Alessa’s exact warning word for word. Anyway, Sharon is warned by her father and Alessa to stay away from Silent Hill no matter what……and then Sharon goes to Silent Hill. This might sound like a nitpicky complaint, but after receiving three life-or-death warnings (the PI also warns Sharon about Silent Hill), Sharon’s determination to go to Silent Hill becomes another obvious and routine stupid character mistake in horror films.

I didn’t think it was possible. But as far as 2012 video game movies go, Silent Hill: Revelation 3D somehow manages to be worse than Resident Evil: Retribution. The blood craving and violence obsessed horror fan inside of me wants to give this film a positive score, but I can’t. Silent Hill: Revelation 3D is loaded with bloody violence, and I couldn’t understand the logic behind the final battle, but the fight between the pyramid head guy and Claudia Wolf was fun to watch. Still, I can’t ignore the shallow characters and rigid dialogue. Plus, I‘m really not familiar with the Silent Hill video game franchise, so for me, the story was hard to follow, and undecipherable most of the time, especially towards the end. Fans of the video game will probably love this, but when it comes to Silent Hill games, I’m an outsider, and I just saw another shitty mainstream film based on a video game.

Rating: 1/10