Movie Review - Trespass

Trespass (2011)

Starring Nicolas Cage, Nicole Kidman, Liana Liberato, Ben Mendelsohn, Cam Gigandet, and Jordana Spiro

Directed by Joel Schumacher

***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***

If anything, Trespass shows that just because you're an Oscar winner -- as Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman are -- doesn't mean that you necessarily deserved that honor.  Nicolas Cage as of late is known for his movie disasters -- Season of the Witch, Drive Angry (I watch a lot of crap, but even I know better than to watch stuff like that) -- and Nicole Kidman was dubbed the worst earner in Hollywood a few years ago, so despite the pedigree that an Oscar may bring, it by no means translates to success.  And this Joel Schumacher directed flick is certainly not a success.

In fact, with the exception of a nice turn from Liana Liberato (who starred in the fantastic Trust earlier this year which you really all should stream ASAP), Trespass has nothing going for it.  It's a cheesy hostage flick in which a quartet of bad guys invade a rich guy's home in an attempt to get a lot of money out of him.  There is absolutely nothing original about this one and the hammy acting (including a horrendous turn from Jordana Spiro as a coked-up stripper) doesn't help matters.

Considering the "prestige" of the two big stars, Trespass barely got a theatrical release back in October...there's certainly a reason for that.

The RyMickey Rating:  D

Movie Review - The Roommate

The Roommate (2011)

Starring Leighton Meester, Minka Kelly, Cam Gigandet, Aly Michalka, Frances Fisher, and Billy Zane

Directed by Christian E. Christiansen

Fatal Attraction meets Single White Female in The Roommate, a teenage spin on obsession.  The acting here from Leighton Meester and Minka Kelly -- two ladies whom I'm not familiar with in the slightest -- as, respectively, the crazy one and the one who feels the brunt of the lunatic's insanity is pretty much as bland as could be.  Add to that the complete lack of suspense and the failure to up the "cheese factor" (AKA "so bad they're good moments") until the film's ridiculous finale and this is on the lower rung of teen horror flicks (which we all know, for the most part, occupy quite a low rung most of the time anyway).  

To be completely honest, I think I wrote this movie already in seventh grade.  It was a masterpiece about an obsession between two high school gals -- one crazy and one sane -- I called FRIeND (yes, the 'e' was lowercase for some reason) crafted back in those days when I thought I was actually good at creative writing.  I think it may be time to look back on the heaps of corny horror "novels" I wrote and see if I can make it in Hollywood.  It's not like it can be a whole lot worse than this dreck they're producing nowadays.

The RyMickey Rating:  D-