Movie Review - Dr. Seuss' The Lorax

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (2012)

Featuring the voice talent of Danny Devito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, and Betty White

Directed by Chris Renaud

Welcome to Thneedville, a town that's plastic, fake, and devoid of a single living tree...and its residents like it that way!  In fact, they gleefully sing about swimming in water that causes them to radioactively glow and buying fresh air that has to be pumped through battery-controlled machines.  And right away within The Lorax's opening minutes, I was lost.  I've never read the book and while I can assume it's very similar to the movie, this ironically jolly song was such an utter turn-off that I was kind of disgusted right off the bat.

The anti-commercialism/pro-environmental theme runs rampant through The Lorax as I know it does through Dr. Seuss' book, but it's so nastily and blatantly hitting you over the head here that it simply reeks of obnoxiousness.  All that could have been forgiven (or at least glossed over a little bit) if the story was solid and the animation looked good, but that's unfortunately not the case.

From the team that brought us the incredibly overrated Despicable Me, The Lorax animation-wise is kind of a bust.  The lack of straight lines is very Seussian, but despite being very colorful, there was no depth to any of the scenes and all of the character animation was disappointingly one-note.  The voice acting is lukewarm at best, and I found some of the dialog to be oddly synched up with the mouth movements which is something I don't notice often in animation.

And the story is just weak.  Teenage Ted (Zac Efron) is enamored with his next door neighbor Audrey (Taylor Swift) whose one true wish is to see a real tree.  After speaking with his grandmother (the ubiquitous Betty White), Ted hears of an old man known as The Once-ler (Ed Helms) who lives outside the walls of Thneedville and who just may know where Ted can find a real tree.  Upon arriving at The Once-ler's dank and dreary residence, Ted is treated to essentially a whole movie's worth of flashbacks in which The Once-ler tells of how he single-handedly destroyed all the trees surrounding Thneedville much to the Lorax's chagrin.  The Lorax (Danny Devito) was the guardian of the forest and although he befriended The Once-ler, he could do little to compete with The Once-ler's corporate greed in taking down the trees.

Fun stuff for kids, huh?  Well, the animators fill the screen with Minion-esque humming fish and cute, cuddly bears to try and counteract the heaviness, but to adults, those additions are superfluous fluff that do nothing to enhance the story.  And the songs were so awful that I couldn't believe they made it past the preliminary drawing board stages of the movie.

It's entirely possible Theodore Geisel would have been thoroughly impressed with this eco-friendly tale, but to me it was just horribly executed and a dismal attempt at recreating a Seussian landcape.

The RyMickey Rating:  D

Movie Review - Wreck-It Ralph

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Featuring the voices of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, and Alan Tudyk 

Directed by Rich Moore

I am certainly not a gamer.  As I grew up, I had an old Atari in the house, but it wasn't until my brothers came along and grew up a bit that there was any semblance of "Nintendo" or "Sega" around.  And, the fact is, I never really cared.  I never felt like I was missing out on anything and I certainly don't feel like I'm missing out on anything today.

Because of that, I was a bit hesitant going into Wreck-It Ralph which, in its previews, was certainly priding itself on bringing together a vast array of characters from video games.  To me, that meant nothing and I admittedly doubted the film's ability to connect with me.  Much to my surprise, after a very amusing intro that plays as a Who's Who of '80s and '90s video game characters (but still amused to this non-player), the film shifts into its own storyline that proves to be more heartwarming and humorous than I expected.

Ralph (John C. Reilly) is fed up with being labeled a bad guy.  Day in and day out, he finds himself continually demolishing an apartment complex in his game Fix-It Felix, Jr., but Felix (Jack McBrayer) and the apartment dwellers in the game don't want anything to do with Ralph after the arcade closes forcing him to mope in a junkyard he created himself.  Fed up with a lack of friends and being constantly looked down upon, Ralph decides to game jump into a first-person actioner name Hero's Duty where he meets the gritty and tough Sergeant Calhoun (Jane Lynch) who soon realizes that Ralph, despite being disguised in an army uniform, is not meant to be in her game.  However, Ralph discovers that winning Hero's Duty yields a medal which he feels will show the characters in his game that he is worth something.  Unfortunately, a series of events manages to land Ralph the medal, but also put him into a racing game named Sugar Rush where he meets the precociously obnoxious Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) who finds herself in a similar predicament to Ralph in that no one in her game (including the goofy King Candy [Alan Tudyk]) wants her around either.  Ralph and Vanellope mutually connect because of their problems and together decide to do their best to earn the respect of their peers.

Surprisingly, Wreck-It Ralph is much more emotionally engaging than its "video game" concept would lead you to believe (but maybe my mindset of games being hard-edged and lacking warmth is ill-conceived).  The connection that Ralph and Vanellope form is perfectly pleasant and despite their noticeable differences in age, appearance, and demeanor, the two misfits' newfound friendship creates an emotional core that is hard to deny.  It certainly helps that John C. Reilly absolutely nails the depressed tone with which his titled character is burdened creating a top notch vocal performance that rivals the best we've seen before.  Jane Lynch and Jack McBrayer aren't necessarily doing anything different than what we've come to expect from them, but their tones fit their characters to a tee.

The film's problem spot comes sporadically from Sarah Silverman who, admittedly, has a persona in real life that I cannot stand (or at least can only stand in small, limited amounts like in this video).  Here, her voice is a good fit for the annoying character of Vannelope, but it does grate at moments.  However, I will say that I'm not entirely certain that it's her fault.  The character was written as a bit of an obnoxious brat (albeit, a brat who simply wants to be loved), but when Vannelope stoops to incessant name-calling and foot-stomping pouting, it makes Wreck-It Ralph a little less timeless to me than other Disney movies.

Still, Wreck-It Ralph is certainly one of the best animated films of the year.  In terms of animation, this is Disney at the top of its game, rivaling Pixar in terms of beautiful images and clever design.  [I loved how some of the old school video game characters were animated with a choppy motion...rather ingenious.]  At this point, it's in a close battle with Paranorman for the top spot in that category, but I'm going to refrain complete judgment until my end of 2012 round-up rolls around (and as everyone knows, that likely won't be until mid-2013...so I have plenty of time).

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - The Pact

The Pact (2012)

Starring Caity Lotz, Casper Van Dien, and Agnes Bruckner

Directed by Nicholas McCarthy

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

The Pact is a nice little ghost story from first time director-writer Nicholas McCarthy that manages to create an appropriate sense of eeriness on what I can only assume was a relatively small budget.  I wasn't blown away by this one as it does meander a little bit especially in the middle, but thanks to a solidly exciting conclusion, The Pact proves to be better than expected for a film that never really made it past the 2012 film festival circuits.

When Annie (Caity Lotz) receives word that her mother has died, she returns to her childhood home to meet up with her sister Nichole (Agnes Bruckner).  Upon arriving, Nichole is nowhere to be found causing Annie to be fed up with the fact that her sister has likely escaped on one of her drug binges again.  However, as Annie spends more time in her old home, she begins to wonder if the creaks and bumps in the night she's hearing aren't simply signs of a house in decay, but perhaps indications that an otherworldly presence is in her midst.

Relative newcomer Caity Lotz is appealing enough to hold our interest and considering she's onscreen for nearly the entirety of the film, that's certainly a positive.  The rest of the cast leaves a bit to be desired, particularly Casper Van Dien who I only know from Starship Troopers -- and, based off his work here where he overacts as a gruff and grizzled cop, there's likely a reason he's been relegated to tv movies for the past fifteen years.  Still, it's not enough of a problem to be a turn-off mostly because the director manages to keep the film suspenseful enough to overlook the acting a little bit.

The Pact isn't going to blow you away, but it's a bit unique enough particularly in the film's final act to warrant a watch if you're interested in a ghost story.

The RyMickey Rating:  C+

Movie Review - Battleship

Battleship (2012)

Starring Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgård, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna, and Liam Neeson 

Directed by Peter Berg

Movies like Battleship make me wonder why I like the cinematic medium as much as I do.  When such dreck can be produced, mass-marketed, and proven successful (at least in the overseas territories), I have to question the taste level of our world as a whole.  There's nothing to like about this movie.  Nothing at all.  It's not like it's the worst thing ever created, but it's simply a waste of two hours that simply shouldn't exist.

It's as if the film was created solely using focus groups trying to determine what the mass populous likes in the broadest sense possible.

1. Tropical Settings -- Hawaii should work, so let's set this thing there.  Plus, it's surrounded by water and since our movie's name is Battleship that means we have to spend time on boats.
2. Military Men in Uniform -- Ladies love that, plus it implies "war" and that appeals to the men.
3. Sports Illustrated Models -- Brooklyn Decker fits the bill, trying her hardest to make you look anywhere other than her breasts. (FYI -- she doesn't succeed at that task.)
4. Aliens -- They've proven successful in terms of entertainment value in the past, so let's have some aliens come to earth...and they won't be friendly...but they won't be real nasty either...
5. War -- As mentioned in Point #2, let's have the military men go to war against the alien beings.  Men can relate to the machismo, while women can swoon over a guy like Taylor Kitsch who can save the day.  [Poor Mr. Kitsch -- after this and John Carter he's not a guy you can bet on for quality, that's for sure.]
6. Top 40 Music -- Can we just throw some urban singer in the movie since our cast is mostly caucasian?  We need to appeal across the boards here.  L.L. Cool J isn't available? Okay, Rihanna fits the bill.  Doesn't matter that she hasn't acted before and doesn't exude any charisma.  She's popular.  That's all that we need to worry about.
7. Sassy Side Characters -- See Point #6
8. Action, Action, Action! -- People like explosions.  People like gunfire.  People apparently like to watch a movie where the action sequences make no sense and are pieced together in the most ridiculous ways creating a sense of incoherence.
9. "Pearl Harbor" Romance -- Remember in Pearl Harbor how people loved that the first hour was filled with nothing but Kate Beckinsale flip-flopping between whether she liked Ben Affleck or Josh Hartnett?  People loved the fact that we held off seeing the action, right?  Let's not copy that exactly, but let's take forty minutes before anything happens.  Ms. Decker and Mr. Kitsch should be more than adequate to hold an audience's interest.
10. Gaming Culture -- We're a culture of gamers and while I know that tends to mean video gaming, why not go retro and create a movie around a game like Battleship?  Isn't that what focus groups were asking for when they said they liked gaming?

The problem with Battleship is simply that it takes too many basic concepts, throws them into the pot, and lets them simmer without allowing any cohesiveness to form.  Director Peter Berg has crafted his worst film yet by a mile.  Not only does he fail at creating decent action sequences, but his quiet character moments are laughable and painful to sit through.  Quite simply, there's no reason Battleship needed to be made and it's certainly a waste of time.

The RyMickey Rating:  D-

Movie Review - Looper

Looper (2012)

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Piper Perabo, Paul Dano, Pierce Gagnon, and Jeff Daniels

Directed by Rian Johnson

Why did I wait so long to see Looper?  Everyone raved about it.  It's directed and written by a guy whose last film I greatly admired specifically for its direction and story.  It stars the guy who was in my favorite scene in one of my favorite movies of 2011.  And yet, I waited.  And the buzz built.  And the movie could never live up to the hype.

But it did...and now I wished I had seen it sooner as it may have gotten me excited and interested about seeing movies again in theaters.  One great movie can do that you -- pique your interest enough to make you realize that not all movies are schlock.  Don't get me wrong.  Looper isn't without its faults (it's first act drags on a bit too long, but it has a second and third act that more than make up for it), but it's an original piece of cinema that is directed with a keen eye and acted with precision from the youngest member of the cast to the oldest.

By 2074, time travel has been invented, but the concept is controlled by someone who has never been seen and is known only as The Rainmaker -- the head of a crime syndicate.  When The Rainmaker wants to get rid of someone, he sends them back thirty years and has them killed by "a looper."  Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a looper in 2044 and he gets paid well for his job, but like all loopers, The Rainmaker will eventually decide to "close his loop" and eliminate Joe's job, allowing him to live a good life for 30 years before he's forced to "close the loop" by killing his future "older Joe" self.  [This sounds confusing, but it really isn't in the slightest when you see it acted out.]  However, when Old Joe (Bruce Willis) is sent back in time to be killed, he refuses to let it happen which puts Young Joe in a bit of a predicament for if he doesn't kill Old Joe, the future will irreversibly change perhaps to great effect.

That summary involves only Act I and the remainder of the film really should be left to simply let unfold before you.  It's not that it contains surprises, but it's a film that only knowing the science fiction basics really allows the rest of the "human" story to flesh out naturally.  Rian Johnson has two tales layered together here -- one would fit perfectly into a Star Trek or Twilight Zone episode involving time travel while the other pushes all of sci-fi to the side and allows a romance to blossom between Joe and a tough farmhand named Sara (Emily Blunt, oddly unrecognizable at first and talking without a hint of her British accent) who comes with some baggage in tow with her young son Cid (the fantastic Pierce Gagnon).  Neither side of the story is given the short shrift and because of that and Johnson's intricate way of melding the two, one finds oneself rapt the whole time with the proceedings.

Although set in the future and certainly peppered with inventions to which we are not yet privy, Looper almost feels retro (much like the tone set in Johnson's former work The Brothers Bloom).  Gordon-Levitt plays Joe as a 1950s James Dean-type guy and, in fact, he's even called out on his old-fashioned stylings by his boss (Jeff Daniels), the head of The Rainmaker's loopers in 2044.  I will admit that it took me a little bit to warm up to Gordon-Levitt's Joe -- I felt he was "playing a character" more than "embodying one" -- but I later grew to appreciate his approach.  As mentioned above, Emily Blunt is quite good here, un-prettying herself and getting a bit grittier than we usually see her.  I love the fact that she can usually elevate comedic fluff to something better, but in Looper she shows that she's also quite a talented dramatic actress.  And her young son, played by five year-old Pierce Gagnon is wonderful.  His role is an interesting one and he manages to be both child-like and adult with such ease that he helps elevate the film's second half to something quite special.

I wasn't a fan at all of Rian Johnson's first film Brick (but then again I'm kind of snob when it comes to good film noir), but I found The Brothers Bloom a pretty fun piece of work.  With Looper, he proves that he wasn't a one-trick pony.  Hopefully, he can continue this upward momentum and we don't have to wait another four years before his next work comes around.

The RyMickey Rating:  A-

The Two Sides of Psycho

Halloween means my once-a-year viewing of Psycho can commence and, as always, it didn't disappoint.  Quite simply, the best movie of all time is a showcase for Alfred Hitchcock's expertise at creating tension and earning his title as the Master of Suspense.

Psycho is a tale of two movies.  There's a duality that runs throughout and although the points below simply scratch the surface of the two sides, these were some very basic points I picked up on while watching the film this time around.  [Obviously, there are spoilers ahead.]

• Duality strikes from the very beginning with the iconic Saul Bass-created intro with the gray bars pushing their way onto the black screen for a contrast in "color."

• Marion wears white undergarments when we first see her in the opening scene, but after she steals the money, she's in a black slip.  Even something as simple as the purse she carries shows her "two sides."  When she leaves her job with the $40,000, she puts the money in a white purse.  When she packs to leave town, she places the money in a black purse.  Innocence vs. Guilt

• This next one isn't necessarily duality (but then that's such a broad term) except that it shows the two sides of Marion so vividly.  She's just bought her new car and there are voiceovers of Marion's boss and the big oil man who's money she's stolen talking about the fact that Marion is now on the run.  The scene begins with nervous facial expressions from Marion which then slowly switches to an incredibly evil smirk.  This scene always gets me every time I watch it.  Truly one of the best moments in the film.

• I've always found it odd the way she folds the money into the paper when she arrives at the Bates Motel.  I realize this is a stretch when it comes to "duality," but she takes the two piles of money, places one on each side of the paper and then continues folding the paper in two.

• A lot of reflections (whether they be in mirrors or windows) always seem to be shown when people are either lying or scheming as we see the two sides of flawed characters.

• And then at 49 minutes in, the biggest moment of duality in the movie arrives where the film shifts from focusing on Marion to putting more emphasis on Norman (or at least the investigation of Norman).

• At that same moment, we get the duality of life and death.  [Basic, yes I know, but I'm not writing a college essay here, so most of this stuff is borderline obvious.]

• As we learn from the psychologist at the end, Norman himself was only half Norman.  He was also half his mother.  He was two people in one body.

Seriously basic stuff, I'm aware, but I'm not watching this thing to analyze its every frame...I already did that for an essay in college.

Previous discussions on Psycho can be found below:

2011

2010

2009

And a link to my 2010 Hitchcock Fest where I watched all of Hitch's films post 1930s can be found here.

The RyMickey Rating:  A+

Movie Review - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)

Starring Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie, and Dev Patel

Directed by John Madden

Old people say the darndest things!  Sometimes they poke fun at the youth.  Sometimes they discuss their sex life for yucks.  And then there's always the humorous racist ones who've never moved out of the dark ages.  And each of these types of elderly folks has taken up residence at The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in India.  Join them for two hours peppered with moments of laughs, but very little story or substance.  But if Viagra is on your (or your significant other's) bedside table, this may be just the movie for you!

There are some great performances here from very talented British folks.  Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, and Billy Nighy are just a few of the notable long in the tooth stars on display and they all attempt to make director John Madden's film as watchable as possible.  Those three celebrities and several others take on the roles of aging British citizens who, in their old age, decide to travel to India either wanting a change in atmosphere or for monetary reasons or for seeking discounted medical help.  They all settled on staying at The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel run by the young Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) thanks to the establishment's lovely brochure promoting luxury accommodations for the elderly, but upon their arrival they realize Sonny may have misrepresented his rundown complex.  Still, as the group settles in, they realize that India has so much to offer that it my even turn the most racist of people (Maggie Smith in a one-note role) into the most magnanimous by film's end.

The film's problem is that it's entirely too simplistic.  We are well aware of where all these folks' stories are going to end up from the very beginning (with the exception of Wilkinson's character who, although he goes through a rather touching story arc, felt oddly out of place with the rest of the film's overall tone).  There's no depth here and that would be fine if the film didn't attempt to strive for deep meaning.  Whimsicality is perfectly acceptable...they just should've gone for that here rather than trying for something more.

Then again, I don't really think The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was made for me.  Were I forty years older and heading into my seventies, I might have gone gaga over it, but I have not reached the milestone of needing to wear Depends so I'm not the film's demographic.  Yes, I realize that there's flippancy in that last statement, but I really mean no disrespect to the film's audience.  There are people who will love this movie and it's great that the filmmakers behind this decided to (successfully...at least from a box office standpoint) appeal to an under-represented audience.  But perhaps because I wouldn't be allowed to check in to the Marigold Hotel, this one just didn't prove successful for me.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - Sinister

Sinister (2012)

Starring Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, James Ransone, Michael Hall D'Addario, Clare Foley, and Vincent D'Onofrio

Directed by Scott Derrickson

It's not often that I come out of a movie and wonder why in the world it needed to be made.  I'm aware that even the really bad ones have an audience.  Sinister isn't even bad...in fact, it's fairly effective in that it made me uncomfortable quite often which is typically a goal of horror movies.  However, there's an overarching air of unease here that negates the "fun" one often associates with the adrenaline rush of scary movies.  Still, I have to give the film credit because although I may never want to see it again, it successfully told an incredibly disquieting tale.

One would think based off my description above that Sinister falls into the realm of "torture porn," but that's not necessarily the case.  Instead, it's a regular horror flick mixed with a bit of the ever-so-popular "found footage" genre, the latter of which is the cause for most of my distress over the film.  The story revolves around Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke), a popular true crime author who moves his wife and two kids into a new home in order to research his new book revolving around the unsolved murders of a family of four who were hung from a tree in their back yard a few months prior.  What Ellison fails to tell his wife, son, and daughter is that he's moved them into the very house where the murders took place.  Upon unpacking, Ellison goes up to the attic and finds a box of old Super 8 movies and a projector.  Curious to see if the films involve the home's previous owners, Ellison begins to watch the movies, but discovers that each reel shows the murder of a family in heinous ways. Ranging in dates from the 1960s all the way up to the 2011 hanging murders that occurred in what is now his backyard, Ellison begins to work on discovering the connection between all these crimes.

My qualms with the film are difficult to explain, but I'll attempt to here.  When you watch most horror movies, there's ideally a nervous tension that sets in despite the fact that most of what you watch isn't really in the realm of possibility.  In Sinister, the videos of the murders depicted simply felt too much like actual snuff films.  I sat there watching the movie thinking that someone could duplicate what was seen and that's what made me tense -- not necessarily the actions of the movie itself.  I realize fully that this is irrational and in many eyes this would deem the flick a success.  Filmmaker Scott Derrickson created something so believable that it made me nervous...and kudos to him for that.  He's just made something that I never wish to see again and that, quite frankly, I'm not sure needed to be filmed in the first place.

[I fully realize the above paragraph makes very little sense, but I've yet to pinpoint an adequate explanation for my issues with the film.]

Despite this completely irrational issue (hey, at least I recognize when I'm being a fool), Sinister proves to be a solidly crafted horror movie with a decent performance from Ethan Hawke as writer Ellison Oswalt who slowly finds himself being completely caught up in the horrors he's witnessing from the horrific home videos.  Sinister is successful in most aspects, but it made me uncomfortable and the fact that it wasn't enjoyable to watch is what knocks this down a few notches despite its recognizable quality of mastering several techniques of the horror genre.

The RyMickey Rating:  B-

Movie Review - Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie (2012)

Featuring the voice talents of Charlie Tahan, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Atticus Shaffer, and Winona Ryder 

Directed by Tim Burton

I had seen the original live action Frankenweenie short film years ago and remember thinking that it didn't have enough story to pad its thirty minute running time.  So, admittedly, I went into the new animated version a little reluctantly doubting that Tim Burton could make it work with even more time. Somehow, though, this black-and-white stop-motion animated flick fares a bit better than its predecessor likely thanks to an amusing climax full of homages to classic horror films like Godzilla, The Mummy, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon that ends the film on a positive note.

Borrowing heavily from Frankenstein for inspiration, Frankenweenie tells the tale of young Victor Frankenstein and his lovable pet dog Sparky.  Together, they're a great pair and the shy loner Victor finds great comfort in his pet.  Unfortunately, one afternoon a horrible tragedy befalls Sparky as he has an untimely meeting with the front bumper of a car.  Depressed, Victor wallows through his everyday life until one day during science class, his new teacher Mr. Rzykruski (Martin Landau) displays that despite the fact that living things die, their muscles and nerves can still react to electric stimulus.  With the school science fair on the horizon, Victor sets out to reanimate his beloved Sparky.

Unlike this year's previous stop-motion entries -- Paranorman and The Pirates! Band of Misfits -- Frankenweenie's animation is charmingly more herky-jerky in nature.  Whereas the aforementioned films had a fluidity that had me wondering if I was watching a computer-animated version of stop motion, Tim Burton's film was lovingly "old school" and it worked to great effect considering this is Burton's homage to classic horror films.  Both styles prove that stop-motion animation is still a wonderful format...it's simply unfortunate that the general public doesn't seem to feel that way as none of the three films proved to be overly successful at the box office.

With some nice vocal turns from Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, and Martin Landau and a beautiful black-and-white landscape to feast upon, I'd love to say that Frankenweenie is completely successful.  Unfortunately, this animated film falls into the same trap as the short that preceded it -- there's just not enough story here.  Granted, the animated film does adequately fluff out the basic story and while it is more successful in that department than the short, it still doesn't quite achieve success.  For a film with a eighty-minute runtime, I shouldn't find myself staring frequently at a watch.

The RyMickey Rating:  B-

Movie Review - The Five-Year Engagement

The Five-Year Engagement (2012)

Starring Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt, Alison Brie, Rhys Ifans, Mindy Kaling, Mimi Kennedy, David Paymer, Jacki Weaver, and Kevin Hart

Directed by Nicholas Stoller

I don't understand why comedies in this new century can't seem to find the money to pay for an editor.  I think Judd Apatow single-handedly harmed the genre in the last eight years or so with his inability to make the necessary trims to create a properly paced laugher.  It should come as no surprise that Mr. Apatow produced The Five-Year Engagement, yet another one of his films to clock in unnecessarily at over two hours.  It's a bummer, too, because the film is pretty goshdarn charming.  Yes, it's an R-rated flick and has its moments of raunch, but there's some serious heart here and the comedy stems naturally from those realistic and sometimes touching moments (which, I'll admit, is the one thing Apatow does really well).  And yet the producers and co-writer/director Nicholas Stoller make me have to knock this down a few notches because it just doesn't know how to move things along.

Co-writer and Muppet lover Jason Segel is Tom who meets the lovely Violet (Emily Blunt) at a New Years' Eve costume party.  After dating a year, Tom pops the question to Violet who immediately accepts and the two begin the process of planning their wedding.  A few unforeseen circumstances present a few roadblocks, the biggest of which is Violet's acceptance into the University of Michigan's graduate program for psychology.  Tom, who has a great job as a chef in their current home city San Francisco, agrees to move with Violet for the two years it will take for her to complete the program.  Two years, however, turns into a bit more and Tom finds himself wallowing in disappointment unable to find ways to better himself and his career in the small 'burbs of Michigan.  While they don't call off the wedding, their planning for the event shifts to the wayside as Violet's schooling takes precedence.

Part of the film's problem, however, is that the time spent in Michigan could have been condensed by at least thirty minutes, if not a little more.  While I enjoyed the many (many) side characters that the writers introduced, they were completely unnecessary and literally did nothing to advance the plot.  At a certain point, the scissors need to come out and the trimming needs to be made, but this is the whole Apatow attitude and mindset and it's why I've really never found myself loving many of the films he's had his hands in (Step Brothers and Bridesmaids being two notable exceptions).

Segel and Blunt (whom I admittedly find incredibly charming and attractive) work very well together which for some reason surprised me.  Perhaps it was wrong of me to think the two actors wouldn't connect at all, but they proved to have nice chemistry.  Alison Brie and Chris Pratt are also given sizable supporting roles as Violet's sister and Tom's friend, respectively, who meet at Tom and Violet's engagement party and end up marrying each other soon after.  Both known best for their work on NBC sitcoms, Brie and Pratt were certainly nice additions to the cast.  And the rest of the supporting cast is also fairly top notch, but unfortunately most of them, as mentioned above, just didn't need to be in the movie.

I really wanted to give this movie a better rating.  There were moments while watching it where I thought this was quite possibly the best movie I had seen so far in 2012 (it's been a really weak year thus far).  And then the second hour hits and the film bogs itself down with extra characters and a more dramatic tone and it loses me.  Granted, it didn't lose me completely -- there's still much about this film to enjoy -- but it makes me wonder whether I should head out to Hollywood for an editing job.  There must be positions open since films like this don't seem to utilize that role to its fullest potential.

The RyMickey Rating:  B

Movie Review - Gigi

Gigi (1958)

Starring Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan, Hermione Gingold, and Isabel Jeans

Directed by Vincente Minnelli

Nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Picture, Gigi succeeded in taking them all at 1959's Oscars...and I have to think it must've been a weak year.  It's not that Gigi is bad...it's just that it's not that good.  Everything is just average and that makes this simply an average affair.

The story of the title character (played by Leslie Caron) being groomed by her grandmother (Hermione Gingold) and great-aunt (Isabel Jeans) to learn the ways of Parisian society in order to best please a man (so, sort of being taught to be a prostitute...or courtesan...which is a "nicer" term, I guess), Gigi peppers its tale with some pleasant songs by Alan Lerner and Frederick Loewe, the songwriting team behind My Fair Lady.  While several songs were familiar (including the classic "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" sung by the film's narrator Maurice Chevalier), none really stood out in the midst of the story.

The performances all around were fine, but once again, I couldn't help but fail to be impressed.  "Fine" is perfectly okay, but in the end, there wasn't any "wow" there.  Being a Best Picture-winning film, I'm happy I watched this on Turner Classic Movies the other day, but it's certainly not a flick I need to watch again.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - Headhunters

Headhunters [Hodejegeme] (2012)

Starring Aksel Hennie, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Synnøve Macody Lund, Eivind Sander, and Julie Ølgaard

Directed by Morten Tyldum

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

The joy of the unexpected surprise.  Headhunters is a Norwegian thriller that is far-fetched beyond belief...but it's a helluva lot of fun and the unadulterated amusement makes all the absurdity seem almost plausible.  Roger Brown (Aksel Hennie) is a headhunter who seeks out qualified candidates for upper management positions at various companies.  But that's only his day job.  In his spare time, he steals priceless works of art in order to maintain the extravagant lifestyle he leads along with his incredibly attractive wife Diana (Synnøve Macody Lund).  One day, however, Roger messes with the wrong guy and finds himself in an ever-escalating set of predicaments that have him doing things he could never have imagined.

While it's true that the film's summary perhaps sounds basic with a "been there-done that" feel, Headhunters feels 100% original and I think a huge part of that has to do with the excellent lead performance from Aksel Hennie.  Hennie, by no means, has the "movie star" looks -- and the first lines of the film told in voiceover by Roger himself actually poke fun at his humdrum visage -- but he's incredibly engaging onscreen.  Roger's not an angel.  He is, in fact, kind of a pompous, arrogant jerk, but thanks to Hennie's portrayal we give a damn about this guy...a very tricky task that is admirably achieved.  As Roger's life slowly begins to unravel, we want him to succeed and that's a testament just as much to Hennie as it is to the ingenious writers who have crafted quite a fun piece of entertainment.

Kudos also must be extended to director Morten Tyldum who has a keen eye for lensing both action sequences and the more subtle moments necessary to make a film like this succeed.  In addition to getting a great performance from his lead actor, Tyldum also gets nice turns from the whole supporting cast especially Ms. Lund as Roger's wife who manages to achieve quite a bit of depth in her character, much more than I ever could have expected in what is her first and, as of yet, only film role.  [And she's stunningly gorgeous...but that's not really relevant in a movie review.]

Headhunters is a film that Alfred Hitchcock would be making were he making movies today (and Ms. Lund would've been his trademark Hitchcock Blonde).  There's a North by Northwest vibe crossed with Sleuth crossed with Deathtrap going on here and it's just a whole lot of fun.  Admittedly, it's far-fetched and ridiculous, but sometimes going so far over the top proves to be successful.  A Hollywood remake is apparently in the works...I can't imagine it being nearly as good.  Do yourself a favor...get over your aversion to subtitles and watch this one with your streaming Netflix subscription.

The RyMickey Rating:  A-

Movie Review - The Woman in the Fifth

The Woman in the Fifth (2012)

Starring Ethan Hawke, Kristin Scott Thomas, Joanna Kulig and Samir Guesmi 

Directed by Pawel Pawlikowski

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

Let me be honest and upfront here with this one...I'm not quite sure what I watched with The Woman in the Fifth.  The story begins rather straightforward -- or so it seems -- when struggling American writer/college professor Tom Ricks (Ethan Hawke) moves to Paris to be closer to his daughter whom his ex-wife has taken away from him (perhaps not without justification).  After a rough first encounter with his ex and an even rougher ride on a Parisian bus, Tom finds himself with his luggage stolen and hardly a penny to his name.  In a more industrial (read: grittier) part of town, Tom wanders into a bar/coffee shop/hotel run by Sezer (Samir Guesmi) and convinces him to allow him to reside there for a bit.  While essentially stalking his ex-wife and his daughter, Tom wanders the streets of Paris and meets an American bookshop owner who convinces him to come to a literary party he's throwing.  Tom obliges and while at the party he meets Margit (Kristin Scott Thomas) and is instantly drawn to her.  They begin a torrid affair...and that's when things start to unravel for Tom.  Not only may Margit not be who she says she is, but Tom himself may not be the man he always thought he was.

There's something utterly intriguing about The Woman in the Fifth that had I watched it on another evening I might have found pretentious.  But, for some reason, I found myself fully involved in the goings-on of the plot.  That said, I'm still not fully sure of what actually happened in the movie.  What starts as a rather normal, formulaic film ends up being a bit more of a mindf*ck than I was expecting.

Ethan Hawke anchors the film with a strong performance as the beleaguered dad Tom who only wants to spend time with his daughter...so why won't his ex-wife let him?  We in the audience don't know the answer to that and Tom doesn't seem to know either, but Hawke does a nice job of creating a bit of a sense of mystery, while at the same time crafting a full, well-rounded character.  Kristin Scott Thomas has a pivotal role, but it's a much smaller one than I'd been led to believe it would be.  Margit is a mystery and remains one even after the film is over and because of that, Scott Thomas is never quite able to create a persona with which we can identify (which I realize is likely the point, but it leaves us feeling rather cold about her character as a whole).  There's also a nice performance from Joanna Kulig (whom I recently saw in this film) as Sezer's employee and lover who begins to fall for Tom to perhaps disastrous consequences.

The Woman in the Fifth is an odd film and one that I can't recommend to all, but what it does is leave the viewer with a sense of mystery that lingers quite a bit after watching it.  And sometimes a movie that doesn't answer all the questions it poses is as thought-provoking as one that spells everything out for you.

The RyMickey Rating:  B

Movie Review - The Pirates! Band of Misfits

The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012)

Featuring the voice talents of Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, Imelda Staunton, David Tennant, Jeremy Piven, Anton Yelchin, Brendon Gleeson, and Salma Hayek

Directed by Peter Lord and Jeff Newitt

The Pirates! Band of Misfits feels distinctly Aardman, the same animation studio that brought us Flushed Away, Chicken Run, and the Wallace and Gromit shorts and film.  There's no mistaking the company's wry British sense of humo(u)r and the Claymation-style stop motion animation.  However, while the animation proves to be fantastic (I honestly thought it was computer-animated until I did a bit of research), the story about a band of misfit pirates (hence the title) doesn't quite have enough oomph to satisfy.

All Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) wants is to be named Pirate of the Year.  For years, he's never been able to get the coveted award and he's clamored to be anything other than a laughing stock amongst his fellow pirates (some voiced by Jeremy Piven and Salma Hayek).  However, Pirate Captain's biggest problem is that he's simply not very good at his chosen profession.  He always seem to fail when it comes to one of the key factors in gauging a pirate's success -- stealing booty.  Determined to find his place at the top of the Pirate of the Year ballot, Pirate Captain sets off on a mission to steal as much booty as he can find and ends up raiding the ship of Charles Darwin (David Tennant).  Darwin has nothing worth stealing, but discovers that Pirate Captain's parrot is actually the last remaining dodo on the planet.  Seeing dollar signs before his eyes and with the prospect of earning much admiration from Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton), Darwin convinces the Pirate Captain to travel to London with him to present the dodo at a huge science convention.  The Pirate Captain, lured by the prospect of a "giant prize" at the affair, obliges despite the fact that the Queen absolutely despises pirates and does all that she can to see they are executed.

All of that plot is certainly amusing and it had me convinced that I was in for a nice and unexpected treat.  However, that all takes place in the film's first thirty minutes and the remaining fifty minutes simply wanders about rather aimlessly, losing the momentum of the strong first act.  As I mentioned above, the animation is rather stunning.  I've always been a fan of Aardman's unique stop-motion style and it doesn't disappoint here.  In fact, the fluidity of movement in Pirates is the best I've seen from them, but it still maintains the uniqueness that is stop-motion animation.  Couple the beautiful animation with some nice voice acting particularly from an unrecognizable Hugh Grant as Pirate Captain and Martin Freeman as his trusty partner Pirate with a Scarf and you have all the makings of a nice film.

Which is why it's all the more unfortunate that the story didn't have a little more to offer.  The Pirates! Band of Misfits isn't a bad film and it's not even something I'd consider a disappointment.  It's disheartening, however, that there appeared to be so much potential here that wasn't quite fully realized.

The RyMickey Rating:  C+

Movie Review - Intruders

Intruders (2012)

Starring Clive Owen, Carice von Houten, Ella Purnell, Pilar López de Ayala, and Izán Corchero

Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

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

What we imagine can oftentimes be much more frightening than anything realistic and that's the case in Intruders, a horror flick that had a limited release earlier this year.  The movie tells two parallel stories -- one set in Spain and the other in Britain -- about two kids imagining a creature named Hallowface, a faceless entity who prowls the night for faces to remove from people to take as his own.  As the two children are forced to confront this creature from their nightmares, their families find themselves being drawn into the horror much to their dismay.

I will admit that I watched this on my computer and the whole thing looked awfully dark and almost incomprehensible at times.  I fully understand that the director -- like most helmers of horror flicks -- was going for a shadowy tone, but it was much too under-lighted to even see what was going on.  [Then again, as I pointed out, perhaps not viewing this on a larger screen hurt.]  Still, beyond the visuals, there's simply not a lot going on here.  While the story is fine and the acting is certainly better than expected, I couldn't help but think there wasn't really enough here to warrant a feature-length film. Unfortunately, both parallel stories are essentially telling the same tale without enough to differentiate them beyond the subtitles in the Spanish half.  Yes, the movie ends with an interesting enough twist to make me feel that I didn't waste my time, but it's not enough to warrant a glowing review.

The RyMickey Rating:  C-

Movie Review - ATM

ATM (2012)

Starring Brian Geraghty, Josh Peck, and Alice Eve

Directed by David Brooks

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

In the same vein as 2010's Buried, ATM conjures up a claustrophobic feel by taking three folks and trapping them in an ATM vestibule with an insane killer watching them on the outside.  The three co-workers on their way home from an office Christmas party go through the expected emotional and plot-driven rigmarole -- fear, escape attempts, blame, anger, defeat, renewed fervor to break out -- only to conclude with an ending that can only be deemed a bit of a let-down.

Surprisingly, considering the limited nature of the film, director David Brooks does a pretty solid job of keeping the florescent lighting and boxy nature of the ATM booth visually appealing and he manages to conjure up some decent performances from his trio of three young actors.  Brian Geraghty is certainly best known for his work in The Hurt Locker (he landed on my Top Five Best Supporting Actor list that year) and I'm surprised he hasn't gained a little more traction from his role in that Academy Award-winning film.  Granted, he's not reinventing the wheel with his performance here, but he's definitely able to hold your attention throughout the film.  Josh Peck (a former Nickelodeon child star) is fine as a smarmy, egotistical, yet lovable SOB who has the misfortune of getting his friends into the predicament they're in.  Alice Eve rounds out the trio, but her role is too bland and one-note to allow for anything beyond acting jittery and nervous.  Still, the trio does a decent job running the gamut of emotions needed in a scenario like this.

Looking beyond the ludicrous premise, ATM is better than it probably deserves to be.  However, the silly concept coupled with an ending that feels incomplete can't help but knock this down a couple notches.

The RyMickey Rating:  C-

Movie Review - Piranha DD

Piranha DD (2012)

Starring Daniele Panabaker, Matt Bush, Katrina Bowden, David Koechner, Christopher Lloyd, and David Hasselhoff 

Directed by John Gulager

"Josh cut off his penis because [a piranha] came out of my vagina."

I start with that line because that sums up Piranha DD (or Piranha 3DD as it was titled in the very few theaters it actually played in), the sequel to the so-bad-it's-enjoyable Piranha 3D.  This movie is awful and it's dialog like the line above that add to the sheer absurdity.  Unfortunately, while the film does fall into the same so-awful-it's watchable category as the first film, this sequel doesn't do a thing different and ultimately makes it a pointless retread without any merits for actually existing.

What little plot there is begins shortly after the events in the first film in which piranhas invaded Lake Victoria, Arizona.  It won't come as the biggest surprise to hear that the man-eating fish have resurfaced, but with a newfound sense of intelligence that allows them to get into man-made water systems to conveniently possibly invade places like The Big Wet waterpark, half-owned by wacky entrepreneur Chet (David Koechner).  Chet co-owns the park with his stepdaughter Maddy (Daniele Panabaker) who returns home from college to discover that Chet has turned The Big Wet into an adult funzone where nudity is encouraged and projected onto giant screens via the underwater Cooch Cam.  [I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.]  Of course, this is simply an attempt to throw as many naked bodies onto the screen as possible and it succeeds in that venture.

But where Piranha DD doesn't succeed is in being original.  Granted, I recognized the flaws in the first film, but in this sequel, we get absolutely nothing new and it simply cheapens whatever brand the filmmakers were attempting to create.  At times, it's almost a literal scene-by-scene repeat with the film even stooping so low as to having a piranha latch on once again to a guy's penis (as referenced in that glorious quote above) only to have said appendage be chopped off.  While that may have been grossly funny the first time around, here it just reeks of laziness on behalf of the writers.

"Lazy" is just a good all around word to describe this thing.  It's not that it's a whole lot worse than the first film, but Piranha DD doesn't even attempt to do anything new and resting on its already shaky laurels wasn't the way to go with this one.  I can't lie and say I didn't have a good time watching this -- talking back to screen with other people can certainly make this more enjoyable than it has any right to be -- but if you wanna see a crappy movie, you're better off just renting the first one and watching that again.

The RyMickey Rating:  D+

Movie Review - Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror (2012)

Starring Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer, and Nathan Lane

Directed by Tarsem Singh

No one was more surprised than me to discover that Mirror Mirror wasn't nearly as bad as its heinous trailer advertised it to be.  A case of lowered expectations certainly worked in this film's favor, so take this review with that in mind, but for what this movie is -- a slightly re-imagined, humorous take on the Snow White tale aimed at kids and their parents -- Tarsem Singh's visually gorgeous and sumptuous spin is inventive and unique enough to make you feel as if you're not watching the same tired fairytale over again.

Rather than anchor the film around Snow White, Mirror Mirror certainly places its emphasis on the Wicked Queen, played here in an over-the-top scenery chewing performance by Julia Roberts.  Obviously hamming it up and seemingly having a blast, Roberts appears to be relishing this opportunity to play evil.  Clothed in some of the most ambitious, colorful, and flamboyant costumes I've seen in years (courtesy of the late Eiko Ishioka), anytime the Queen wasn't onscreen, you longed for her to return.

And given that this film is, at its core, a story about Snow White, the lack of creating an interesting story for Snow herself is perhaps the film's biggest disappointment.  Lily Collins plays Snow White as innocent, yet with a modern-day spunk that is typically attributed to princesses in films today (think Rapunzel in Tangled) and she's quite good and absolutely engaging in the role.  In fact, she's almost about as perfect as one can get in terms of casting the "ultimate image" of Snow White.  However, despite having a bit more independent take on the character, the screenwriters couldn't give Snow nearly enough of an interesting storyline to compete with her wicked stepmother.

The rest of the cast of characters we've come to expect from Snow White tales are present as well.  Armie Hammer plays a suave yet smarmy Prince with much exuberance and the Seven Dwarves are given a bit of an interesting spin as they turn into thieves stealing from the rich.  There's also a nice sidekick role for Nathan Lane that provides a bit of humor (although he's certainly overshadowed by Roberts in their scenes together).

But the real star of the show (beyond Roberts' performance) is the previously mentioned costumes (which deserve an Oscar nomination...and likely an Oscar win) and rather ingenious production designs.  Director Tarsem Singh is known for his attention to detail when it comes to these areas and Mirror Mirror is no different.  For those reasons alone, Mirror Mirror is worth a watch.  It's not without its flaws and its humor does skew a bit young, but with the nice performance from Julia Roberts and the fantastic visuals, you likely won't be disappointed with a rental of this one.

The RyMickey Rating:  B-

Movie Review - The Deep Blue Sea

The Deep Blue Sea (2012)

Starring Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston, and Simon Russell Beale

Directed by Terence Davies

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

Melodrama Alert!  While The Deep Blue Sea was released this year, with the exception of a bit of nudity and language, it could easily have been a contemporary to British romances of yore like Noel Coward's Brief Encounter.  With a classical music soundtrack filled with melancholic violin cues keyed to tell us exactly how we're supposed to feel, director Terence Davies' film about a woman having an affair in 1950 is lovely to look at, well-crafted, and decently acted, but I found myself removed from the proceedings, not caring a whole lot about the main characters.

Rachel Weisz is Hester, the troubled younger bride of Sir William Collyer (Simon Russell Beale), an older gentleman whom she seems to care for, but doesn't love.  Sometime into their marriage, Hester strays into the arms of the handsome and dashing Freddie (Tom Hiddleston) who sweeps her off her feet.  After ten months of fun, during which time she has left her husband to live with Freddie, Hester finds that her new paramour may not be the dream catch she always hoped to snag.  So, on a typically overcast English afternoon, Hester turns on the gas fireplace in her and Freddie's apartment and attempts to end her life.

Don't worry -- there's no spoiler alert needed with that revelation as that is The Deep Blue Sea's opening scene.  The entire film -- which actually takes place over the course of a single day -- plays out as flashbacks to Hester's loveless past countered with the aftermath of her suicidal actions.  And yes, it's as disheartening and morose as it sounds.  This overarching sense of depression and lack of any joviality makes the whole film feel rather heavy-handed and the story difficult to connect with.  The film is certainly beautiful to look at with its brown hues and foggy London nights and Rachel Weisz certainly has the appropriate amount of British angst for her character, but The Deep Blue Sea is just a tiny bit too depressing to recommend.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - Pitch Perfect

Pitch Perfect (2012)

Starring Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, John Michael Higgins, and Elizabeth Banks

Directed by Jason Moore

I walked into Pitch Perfect hoping that it would do for a capella singing what Bring It On did for high school cheerleading -- a romp that pokes fun, but ultimately respects the extracurricular activity.  Unfortunately, while the collegiate-set musical comedy has some laughs (and is respectful of the music-based singing phenomenon), they're too few and far between and despite a nice performance from Anna Kendrick, there's a disappointing and bland story that never provides anything other than a "been there-done that" vibe.

We've got all the typical cliches we've come to know when it comes to a movie like this.  New girl in school -- in this case Kendrick's freshman Beca -- arrives on the scene and is "different" from others her age (we know this because she wears black nail polish and thinks everyone is too cookie cutter).  She meets the various stereotypes and then ends up joining an a capella group mainly because her father is worried that she's not fitting in.  Group competes in several competitions across the country leading up to "The Big One" in NYC in which Beca's group goes up against another a capella group from her same college which just so happens to feature the guy (Skylar Astin) who has been trying to get her to date him throughout the movie.

There's nothing new and exciting in the story and despite some laugh out loud moments, the story fails this movie in the end.  Granted, I realize I'm not the target audience for this -- some of the songs that I probably should have known were I a sixteen-year old girl whizzed in one ear and then right out the other without any recognition -- but the movie should've done something a little bit different in order to make it stand out from the typical teen flicks.

As mentioned above, Anna Kendrick is pretty darn good...definitely as good as you can get for a film like this and she's certainly a lovely singer.  [And it helps that she's easy on the eyes, but that's neither here nor there.]  In fact, the acting (and the singing), for the most part, is not too shabby.  However, this is only the second movie in which I've seen Rebel Wilson and her comedic schtick is already on my last nerve.  She provided some laughs, but her fifteen minutes of fame have reached their limit at this point unless she can change it up.

The RyMickey Rating:  C