Movie Review - The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story

The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story (2009)

Directed by Gregory V. Sherman and Jeff Sherman

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

It's entirely possible I'm looking at the documentary The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story through rose-colored glasses simply because it takes an in-depth look at the inner workings of the Walt Disney company of which I am a rather devout fan.  However, I don't think that's really the case seeing as how the flick details the incredibly interesting story behind Richard and Robert Sherman, the two brothers who together wrote the songs for some of the most well-known musicals of all time -- Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Winnie the Pooh, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Charlotte's Web to name just a few.  Unlike their rather cheery and whimsical tunes may have caused you to surmise, the brothers didn't exactly have an adoring camaraderie with one another, and this film, directed by their sons in an attempt to make more pleasant their fathers' current relationship, explores that oftentimes contentious atmosphere.

Born two-and-a-half years apart, Bob (the eldest) and Dick Sherman were the sons of a Jewish immigrant named Al Sherman who was quite famous in his own right, crafting a lot of optimistic American pop music in the 1930s.  Al recognized right away that his sons weren't exactly two peas in a pod and would do everything he could while he was alive (which was until the early 1970s) to keep his boys working together helping them to maintain a somewhat civil relationship.  It was Al who convinced the duo to try and work as a songwriting team and, although they found a bit of success, they still were having a difficult time making ends meet for their families in the 1950s.  It wasn't until they created a song that was sung by Mickey Mouse Club member Annette Funnicello that their talent became known by Walt Disney.

Upon hearing several songs performed by Ms. Funnicello and written by the Sherman Brothers, Mr. Disney hired the duo as studio writers and, from then on, history was made as Bob and Dick went on to create such memorable tunes as "Chim Chim Cher-ee," "Winnie the Pooh," and "I Wanna Be Like You," among many others.  In interviews, both Bob and Dick get incredibly emotional talking about Walt -- whose favorite song of theirs was "Feed the Birds" from Mary Poppins which he would ask them to play for him every Friday in his office before he would leave for home -- a man whom the two brothers respected greatly.

However, through interviews with folks like Julie Andrews, Dick van Dyke, Turner Classic Movies' Robert Osborne, Ben Stiller, John Williams, Hayley Mills, Leonard Maltin, Roy E. Disney, John Lasseter, Jon Landis, Alan Menken (who finds the title song from Winnie the Pooh utterly inspiring in its musicality), and Angela Lansbury, we grow to recognize that despite the pleasant outward appearance of Bob and Dick Sherman in video released by the Disney press, the two were really quite like oil and vinegar at times.  As Roy Disney states, Bob is a little more "Feed the Birds," while Dick is a little more "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."  Much more serious (likely because of his time spent overseas fighting in WWII where he witnessed many atrocities which are touched upon very lightly in this doc), Bob found himself frustrated by the fact that he and his brother simply couldn't get along.  As someone in the documentary says, it was almost like a Greek tragedy -- their success came from working together, but they really couldn't bear the fact that they had to work together to achieve that success.

Still, it's not as if the brothers outright refuse to talk to one another -- they've still managed to come together to work on music for some flicks within the past decade -- and it's obvious that they care for one another, but their contentious relationship is certainly an odd one considering the joy that comes from listening to their music.  At times, the documentary seems a little too "surface" without enough in-depth digging that would come from someone other than the Shermans' sons at the helm -- for example, there's a nice segment on Mary Poppins and how author P. L. Travers found the Shermans' work for the film disappointing causing Bob Sherman to call her a witch which I would've loved to have seen explored more -- but, for the most part, the film is quite successful.  Much like Waking Sleeping Beauty (a highly recommended Disney documentary that landed on my Best of List last year), The Boys is a backstage look at an important part of Disney history.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - Nativity!

Nativity! (2009)

Starring Martin Freeman, Marc Wootton, Jason Watkins, Pam Ferris, and Ashley Jensen

Directed by Debbie Isitt

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

As you'll see in the upcoming weeks as Christmas-related movie reviews pop up on the site a little more frequently, there is a slight bit of leeway given to holiday flicks.  For about 75% of them, they're going to be treacly and overly sentimental and that simply comes with the territory of the general feeling of happiness that accompanies this time of year.  So, in that regard, something that may not be a well-made or overly complex film may get a little more leeway from my normal Grinch-ian ways.

That's the case with the semi-improvised British comedy Nativity! in which primary school teacher Paul Maddens (Martin Freeman) is forced by his Catholic school's principal (Pam Ferris) to put on the school's annual nativity play for the holidays.  Paul despises Christmas because a few years ago his girlfriend Jennifer (Ashley Jensen) left him around the holiday to go to Hollywood in an attempt to become a big-time producer.  It also certainly doesn't help matters that his former best friend Gordon Shakespeare (Jason Watkins) heads up the rival school's popular (and much more successful) local nativity production.

One afternoon, when searching for a Christmas tree for the production with his aide Mr. Poppy (Marc Wootton), Paul runs into Gordon and, in a jealous moment, Paul fabricates a huge lie that Jennifer -- the ever-successful US producer -- is traveling to their small England town to film his school's nativity production to release as a motion picture.  Mr. Poppy (a childish oaf of a man who was forced upon Paul simply because he is the nephew of the school's principal) overhears this and quickly spreads the word, forcing Paul to be faced with a major problem on his hands as the nativity play finds itself growing more and more out of control.

Nativity! is a cute film and one that's perfectly suited to family viewing (although I do think it skews a bit more adult in that some of the humor is derived from religious issues...and not in a disrespectful way mind you...kind of like Sister Act in that regard).  The story is pleasant enough and interactions between the serious Martin Freeman and the irresponsible though lovable Marc Wootton are certainly laughter-inducing...as are the sometimes priceless reactions and line readings from the young grade-schoolers who make up Paul's classroom.  

Admittedly, the story here is weak and the attempts to make any semblance of a love story between Paul and his ex Jennifer fail.  The film works when it focuses on the kids and even then director Debbie Isitt tends to linger a bit too long on scenes, trying to milk them for all of the comedy she can get which oftentimes doesn't work.  However, Nativity! is a film that wears its good-natured heart on its sleeve and provides at least a semblance (however funnily bastardized it is) of "the reason for the season" making it worth a placement in your Netflix Instant Queue this holiday.

The RyMickey Rating:  B-

Movie Review - Incendiary

Incendiary (2009)

Starring Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor, and Matthew MacFadyen

Directed by Sharon Maguire

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

When a group of suicide bombers set off an explosion at a British football (AKA soccer) match, over a thousand people are killed, including a mother's son and husband.  The mother (who remains oddly nameless throughout the film), played by Michelle Williams, happens to be having sex with another man (Ewan McGregor) at the time of the explosion so, of course, that simply compounds her guilt even more.  

Ugh...the plot Incendiary reeks of a really serious Lifetime movie and despite a pleasant turn from Michelle Williams, there really isn't much to even discuss here.  The film was little seen and barely released in US theaters in 2009 and it'll remain little seen for all eternity.  I'm all for exploring the aftershocks of 9/11 in film -- United 93 was absolutely riveting and emotionally draining (although I do feel it was an important film to be made in order to depict our country's recent history).  Incendiary, however, attempts to go for the emotional gut punch, but never even comes close to achieving it.

The RyMickey Rating:  D

Movie Review - Everybody's Fine

Everybody's Fine (2009)

Starring Robert DeNiro, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale, and Melissa Leo 

Directed by Kirk Jones

Everybody's Fine was a big failure at the box office last holiday season, but after watching I can't understand why.  Sure, it's overly dramatic, but it's a lovely little film featuring some nice performances from all of the lead actors, particularly Robert DeNiro who has certainly slummed his way through movies in the last decade or so.

It's been a few months since Frank Goode's (DeNiro) wife has passed away and he is eagerly looking forward to a get-together with all of his grown adult children.  However, when they all bail on him, Frank decides to travel around the country and visit each one, hoping to reconnect with them and become a greater part of their lives.  

That's the story in a nutshell.  It's simple and it's kind of sweet and it surprisingly works.  Director and screenwriter Kirk Jones has crafted a really lovely film in both appearance and substance.  While he admittedly gets a tad heavy-handed towards the end, it never felt too sugary or overly sentimental.

The reason for that, in part, is the pleasant and understated performance from Mr. DeNiro.  In recent years, DeNiro has veered way over-the-top whether that be in the godawful Fockers movies, Analyze That, or pretty much anything else in his recent oeuvre.  Here, DeNiro throws aside the caricature of his former actorly self that he's been playing for the last decade and instead is simply an aging, hard-working father who misses his wife and wants to form a better relationship with his kids.  It was actually a surprising departure for DeNiro and a track I'd like to see him continue on in years to come. 

DeNiro is joined by the lovely Kate Beckinsale as his eldest daughter and Sam Rockwell as his eldest son and both of them make the most of the roles.  Beckinsale, in particular, surprised me.  Not that I've even seen the Underworld series of films, but that's what I associate her most with.  I keep forgetting that she gave a bravura performance in 2008's Nothing But the Truth (rent it...trust me), and while her performance in this flick didn't blow me away, it certainly made me remember that the lady can actually act.  [And, although the less said the better, even Drew Barrymore didn't annoy me in this as much as she usually can, although she is playing the same exact character she plays in every other movie...seriously, how is she still popular?]

I honestly watched this because it was the holiday season and I remember there being a tree on the poster...don't be fooled into thinking this is a holiday movie, however.  It's not in the slightest.  Nevertheless, despite that misleading advertising, Everybody's Fine is a flick that surpassed my middling expectations and actually won me over quite a bit with its charm.

The RyMickey Rating: B

Movie Review - Dead Snow

Dead Snow (2009)

Directed by Tommy Wirkola

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

While Scream was certainly a successful film (if not a completely successful franchise), it started this idea of horror films feeling the need to be self-referential in order to be comedic.  Apparently, this new concept doesn't just apply to American films as the German flick Dead Snow falls into this new trap as well.  In its attempt to be funny, it fails miserably and it doesn't generate nearly enough thrills with its ludicrous premise to counteract the supposed "comedy."

This is probably the most ridiculous zombie movie I've ever seen.  Seven friends are vacationing in the snow-covered mountains in Germany.  They soon discover (thanks to one of those ever-present creepy old men who provide exposition and backstory in some horror flicks) that the area was once home to some Nazi soldiers who were forced to leave the town they were inhabiting when the residents had had enough of their politics.  The Nazis moved to the mountains and somehow turned into zombies -- zombies that are completely cognizant of their pasts and who maintain their soldier-like demeanor even as the undead.  Seriously, if one wasn't told that these guys were zombies, you'd never know...you'd just think they had frostbite and drank some Four Loko which aided in their fast-paced stumbling.

Despite the gushing blood and Monty Python-esque amputations, the film is just ridiculous.  And the ending (which I'm going to spoil a bit in the next few lines) just didn't sit well with me at all.  Do I really want to watch some heinous Nazi zombies winning the day and killing off all these people?  There's something innately wrong about these zombies killing people.  It honestly made me really uncomfortable in the end -- not because of the horror, but because it just seemed wrong for the story to play out the way it did.

The RyMickey Rating:  D-

Movie Review - A Town Called Panic

A Town Called Panic (2009)

Directed by Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar

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

Every now and then I'll put on Robot Chicken on the Cartoon Network.  The animated show which utilizes crass stop motion animation and action figures is only fifteen minutes long, but I rarely find myself watching all of it.  After about seven or eight minutes, I'm done.  I've laughed once or twice, but the humor isn't consistent enough.  That's the way I felt when watching the French animated flick A Town Called Panic.  

While it uses the same style of animation as Robot Chicken, fortunately Panic is much more colorfully vibrant.  And surprisingly, the story (which revolves around Cowboy and Indian accidentally buying a bunch of bricks and causing havoc in their small town) manages to sustain itself over the short 60-minute run time.

The problem is in the humor.  There were just too many times where the flick just veered to the absurd and neglected the laughs.  Obviously, the film thought that the "absurd" was "funny," but it often just created long lulls of boredom for me.

While I'm certainly being critical above, I didn't hate A Town Called Panic, but it's not something I ever feel the need to revisit in the slightest.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - Passing Strange (2009)

Passing Strange (2009)

Starring Stew, Daniel Breaker, Rebecca Naomi Jones, and Eisa Davis

A Spike Lee Joint
***Currently streaming on Netflix*** 

So I was reading an article about concert films awhile ago and it mentioned this Spike Lee joint about this artist known as Stew.  I'd never heard of the guy before, but the premise of the film sounded moderately interesting, so I added it to my Netflix instant queue and figured if it ever became available, I may watch it.  The other day it popped up there so I figured why not give it a shot.  It was well worth watching and a surprisingly enjoyable experience.


Passing Strange was a musical/concert on Broadway in 2008 that tells the life story of a musician named Stew through acting and song.  What makes this different that your typical Broadway song and dance, however, is that Stew himself is actually onstage along with his four-piece band, acting as the singing narrator while a troupe of six actors and actresses depict the story of his life that shaped him into the artist he is today.  Although it's never specifically mentioned that we're watching Stew's life story, it's plain to see that the youth onstage who leaves Los Angeles as a teenager and travels to Amsterdam and East Berlin to hone his craft is Stew.  It's an emotional journey that causes the youth to question what is important to him in life, what it means to be a rebellious black kid from a middle-class family (which it does in a very comedic fashion), and ponder what exactly is "art."

Yes, that sounds self-important and reeks of a been-there-done-that tone, but songwriters Stew and Heidi Rodewald (formerly of the band The Negro Problem) have crafted some incredibly catchy pop-rock tunes that I'm still humming three hours later. These tunes, along with a brilliant performance from Stew himself, make this something really worth watching.

Spike Lee filmed the last three performances of this stage show in July of 2009 and there's an electricity present that can only be found watching something unfold live.  Obviously, with this being filmed on a stage in a Broadway theater, there are certain restraints to which Lee had to adhere.  With some clever camera placements, Lee allows us to get closer to the actors than we ever would in the audience of the show.  Yes, there are some gimmicky things that Lee does that had me rolling my eyes, but there were also some shots that were beautifully staged.

I don't know who Stew is, but his pop-rock sensibilities were absolutely aurally appealing.  Sometimes the lyrics may be a tad corny or the musings on art may be a bit pretentious (which is ultimately one of the points Stew is attempting to make), but I was absolutely into this thing for two-and-a-half hours despite the fact that I was simply watching people walk around on a stage.

Seriously, give this one a chance...

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - The Stepfather (2009)

The Stepfather (2009)

Starring Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley, and Amber Heard

Directed by Nelson McCormick 

I have to wonder if this movie were simply made-for-tv and then distributed in multiplexes nationwide to satisfy some pre-existing contract.  It stars Dylan Walsh who's best known for Nip/Tuck; Sela Ward whom I've had a crush on since she was on tv's Once and Again (yes, I know she's much too old for me [although nowadays that may not be so true], but I really think she's hot); Penn Badgley who is apparently on Gossip Girl which I've never even seen a second of; and Amber Heard who I only know because she showed her boobs a lot in a movie no one saw (and no one should see) called The Informers.  All of these no-names come together for a remake of a film from the 1980s which starred Lost's John Locke himself Terry O'Quinn as the titular character.

All those tv stars, plus the fact that there's no absolutely cursing, no nudity, and very little blood makes me feel like this would fit right in on television.  And really, it would've made an ok lowered-expectation tv flick, but as an actual film, it's pretty darn awful.

The actors all actually are fairly decent and it's kind of nice to see at least half of this film revolve around the adults instead of the teenagers, but the plot about a seemingly perfect man (Walsh) who comes into a divorced woman's (Ward) life only to find out he may not be who he seems has been done tens of times before and done better.  There's no suspense because we the viewers know that this guy is awful (we're shown him walking away from his previous murder victims in the opening scene) and because we can pinpoint immediately which side characters are gonna bite the dust by the time the movie ends.  The murder scenes are just horribly plotted -- in one scene, the two sons are playing a video game loudly in their bedroom with the door open, but fail to hear breaking glass and a murder taking place a floor below them -- it was all just laughable.

My seemingly "go-to" flicks now are horror films after the great one-two punch of Drag Me to Hell and Orphan last year.  So, I find myself gravitating toward these silly things on Netflix's Instant Watch.  Unfortunately, most of them just aren't any good.  And this is no exception.

The RyMickey Rating: D 

Movie Review - It's Complicated (2009)

It's Complicated (2009)

Starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, and John Krasinski

Directed by Nancy Meyers

I'm going to quote my Adventureland review here for a moment (and let me tell you, that's something that I never thought I'd ever do):

Any movie where all the characters pretty much sit around and smoke pot all day never really does a thing for me. Life's so bad, let's smoke pot. Life's so boring, let's smoke pot. Let's smoke pot and giggle a lot.

Now, It's Complicated certainly isn't all about smoking pot, but there's an extended twenty-minute scene where Streep, Martin, and Baldwin's characters smoke some weed and act all kooky.  Let me just say that the "smoking pot to humorous effect" is a tired movie staple that isn't funny and always comes off incredibly forced to me.  If I never see this "scene" in any film again it'll be too soon.

That being said, the pot isn't really what It's Complicated focuses on in the slightest.  Instead, we get Jane (Streep) and Jake (Baldwin) as a divorced couple with three grown kids.  Jake has remarried a much younger woman, while Jane hasn't slept with anyone since their divorce (which leads to talks with her girlfriends about her vagina closing up which was as incredibly unappealing as it sounds).  At their son's college graduation in NYC, Jane and Jake sleep together.  And that's when things get complicated (aah...there's the title connection).  For, you see, Jane is actually enjoying being with Jake despite the fact that she has now turned into the mistress.  Jake's changed a bit...and they've both grown and matured.  But Jane remembers the past and perhaps sees a nice future with Adam (Martin), the nice divorced architect guy who's working on renovating her house.  What's Jane to do?

Honestly, the only problem with this movie lies in the story.  It doesn't feel like there's anything new being presented here and, in the end, it's really just not all that funny.  There were a couple times when I laughed out loud, but it felt like Jane's internal struggle went on for far too long.  Writer-director Nancy Meyers just can't seem to wrap things up quick enough and feels the need to drag things out.  I will say, though, that with the exception of the pot smoking scene, Jane, Jake, and Adam all felt like very real people.  They weren't caricatures or presented in over-the-top manners, so I will give credit to Meyers there.

But credit also must go to Meryl Streep, Steve Martin (who makes the most of his character who is essentially a boring old lump with zero personality), and Alec Baldwin.  Baldwin is really the one who comes off the best.  His Jake begins as a older ladies' man, but soon morphs into a guy who you genuinely are rooting for to win back his former wife.  He plays Jake with just a little bit of his trademark "30 Rock" Jack Donaghy mannerisms, but knows when to back off of them and play the nice guy.

And I've said it before, but Meryl Streep is...well, she's MERYL STREEP for a reason.  She's so goshdarn good in everything.  I try and try to dislike the woman, but when she's onscreen, she's really great.  Even in these throwaway roles (and this is certainly a throwaway "I need to make money" kind of role), she puts such soul into her characters that you can't help but admire what she does.

The RyMickey Rating:  C

Movie Review - Five Minutes of Heaven (2009)

Five Minutes of Heaven (2009)

Starring Liam Neeson and James Nesbit

Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel

Everyone knows of the Protestant-Catholic tensions in Ireland during the latter half of the twentieth century.  While Five Minutes of Heaven is not even remotely close to a history lesson on that turbulent issue, it provides a human perspective that was both refreshing and heartbreaking.

As a young boy, (Catholic) Joe witnesses the teenage (Protestant) "gang" member Alistair brutally murder his older brother. 

Cut to twenty-five years later and a local news show wants to do a piece bringing the adult Joe (James Nesbit) and Alistair (Liam Neeson) together to do a one-on-one interview where they could express their thoughts to one another (in front of millions).  While both agree to the meeting, it's soon evident that the two men are each dealing with demons of their own.  Alistair, who went to prison for his crimes, has turned into somewhat of a motivational speaker, trying to spread the word of peace to all.  While he has moved on, Alistair can't help but regret his wrongdoings.  Joe, meanwhile, is stuck in the past.  Haunted by memories of a mother who blamed him for his older brother's death and a family that fell into shambles shortly after the murder, Joe perhaps has crueler intentions for this meeting -- a little retribution may be in store.

Overall, this little film was very impressive.  Both Neeson and Nesbitt are wonderful.  It's essentially a two-man show over its brisk eighty-five minute running time and they both held my attention the whole way through (kudos to the director).  There really wasn't a false note to me in either of their characters -- the revenge, the grief, and the pain all resonated genuinely.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - The House of the Devil (2009)

The House of the Devil (2009)

Starring Jocelin Donahue, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, and Greta Gerwig

Directed by Ti West 

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

Sam (Jocelin Donahue) is a sophomore at college, longing to move out of her dorm and leave her sexually promiscuous roommate behind.  Having found a nice apartment, Sam is need of money and finds a babysitting job posted on the campus bulletin board.  When she arrives at the employer's house in some secluded eerie woods, the rather jittery Mr. Ulman (a delightfully creepy Tom Noonan) tells her that there isn't a child in the household.  In fact, Sam will be watching over Mr. Ulman's mother-in-law while he and his wife go out for the evening.  Sam reluctantly agrees to this bait-and-switch.  Little does she know that she's in for one helluva night.

There is an unnerving feel to this film.  There's something that happens about twenty minutes in that tells the viewer that Sam's in trouble, but Sam is oblivious to this until the end of the film.  Instead, we watch Sam as she explores the Ulman's ornate house, finding ourselves completely on edge because we know something that Sam doesn't.  I mean, sure, this "we know something you don't know" is a simple concept that is used in horror films all the time, but director Ti West is quite the genius at building up the suspense.  Honestly, I was kind of jittery while watching.

Unfortunately, once the film reaches it's climax, it can't quite deliver.  Yes, the end was interestingly shot, but it all happened much too quickly and seemed to be both edited and written rather poorly.  There's a lot of build-up (so much that I can see how some would be completely and utterly turned off by the film), but the end falls a little short.

That being said, there's much to admire about the film.  As I said, the director Ti West (who was also the writer and editor) shows much promise.  Interestingly enough, he chooses to set the film in the 1980s and, right from the opening credits, you can tell it's an homage to the classic horror flicks of that decade...and not in one of those tongue-in-cheek "Scream"-like tones.  This film genuinely looks and feels like it could've been made in 1983.  There's a grainy quality to the images and the score, costumes, and sets are blasts from the past. 

The film belongs to the talented Jocelin Donahue, though.  As Sam, she is in every single scene and for the middle 40 minutes of the film, it's simply her alone onscreen.  She managed to keep me rapt throughout the entire film, and in less talented hands, this film would have fallen apart.  I look forward to seeing more of her in the future.

The RyMickey Rating:  B

Movie Review - 2012 (2009)

2012 (2009)

Starring John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, and Woody Harrelson

Directed by Roland Emmerich

Most disaster movies are horrendous.  Characters have one specific attribute or mannerism to distinguish them from the hordes of other characters, none of whom you can even remember their names after the movie is over.  Crowd scenes are set up with the sole purpose of creating mass destruction.  Dialog is silly.

All of that is true in 2012, but for some insane reason, I wasn't the least bit bored watching this.  Yes, I laughed out loud at the ridiculous first ninety minutes when loving father John Cusack (as I mentioned above, character names are irrelevant here) and his family utilize a variety of modes of transportation to narrowly escape exploding volcanoes, huge tremors, and giant clouds of smoke.  Yes, the scene where the President of the United States gets mowed down by an aircraft carrier was inane.  Sure, the scientific technobabble blabbed by geologist Chiwetel Ejiofer was mind-numbingly ludicrous. 

But, this movie is what it is.  It's a disaster movie along the same lines as The Poseidon Adventure and Armageddon, and while no one would call those two films cinematic masterpieces, I'm up for their silly fun every now and again.  (Unfortunately, the special effects in those two aforementioned flicks were much better than what was on display here.  In fact -- and this is a huge detriment to this film -- the fx were really awful.)

Certainly helping 2012 is the fact that I actually enjoyed watching several of the actors (despite their idiotic dialog and the impossible situations they finagle out of).  Cusack, Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, and Thandie Newton all did the very best they could with what they were given.  Certainly, there were some actors -- Oliver Platt and Woody Harrelson -- who chewed up the scenery with their over-the-top antics, but overall, the acting was better than it needed to be.

Is 2012 a good movie?  No.  Will I ever watch it again?  Probably not.  Would I recommend this two-hour-and-forty-minute flick to anyone?  Not a chance.

But I still had a moderately enjoyable time watching it.

The RyMickey Rating:  C-

Movie Review - Uncertainty (2009)

Uncertainty (2009)

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lynn Collins

Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel

**Currently streaming on Netflix**

Gimmicky movies don't usually win me over.  Memento?  One of the most overrated films of the last decade.  Just because you twist time around doesn't automatically make your film a success.  (Same could be said for tv...Lost...bring it all together, I beg of you in these final four episodes.)

Uncertainty has a gimmick, too, and while the tactic itself works, there's not nearly enough story to warrant the film's nearly two hour length.

 As the film opens, young couple Kate and Bobby (Lynn Collins and Joseph Gordon-Levitt) stand on the Brooklyn Bridge talking about making a decision.  We don't know what the decision concerns, but we know that they can't seem to come to a conclusion.  Bobby pulls out a coin, flips it, and the audience is taken to two different realities.

On the heads side, Kate and Bobby attend a July 4th barbecue at Kate's parents' house.  It's a simple drama about a Latino family and Kate's struggle to please her mother.

On the tails side, Kate and Bobby find a cell phone in a taxi cab.  Little do they know that the cell belongs to some type of mobster who will stop at nothing to get it back.

The film is fairly evenly split between both tales and the co-directors and co-writers do a very good job of switching back and forth between the two stories.  We're never away from one or the other for more than five minutes, but it never feels too short or too long.  Unfortunately, neither of these stories can maintain any sense of interest over the span of their respective 50 minutes.  The family side is pleasant, but there's not any conflict there to make it really be interesting.   The mobster side is certainly the more exciting of the two, but it left me wanting more -- there was a whole lot of running, but not much else.

Still, Gordon-Levitt was quite good, and he's certainly proving himself to be a respectable actor of my generation.  Lynn Collins doesn't fare as well, but I'm not sure if that's her fault or the silly lines she has to spout at times (although I just read that the cast improvised a lot, so maybe it lies more with her).  I will say that I honestly did believe that the two of these actors were a couple, so that's definitely in their favor.

For an indie flick with (one would assume) a low-budget, the film looks really good.  Kudos to the cinematographer Rain Li for making the flick look incredibly rich.  I was impressed across the board when it came to things like the score, costuming, and that little-recognized under-the-radar stuff.

But, in the end, if the story can't maintain itself, the film doesn't work.  Uncertainty is an interesting experiment, but disappointing in execution.

The RyMickey Rating: C-

Movie Review - Triangle

Triangle (2009)

Starring Melissa George and Liam Hemsworth 

Directed by Christopher Smith

This is one of those movies that no one's heard of and while I really want to describe and discuss it doing so would completely ruin the plot and tone of the film.

In short, Jess (Melissa George) goes a boating trip with five other people that ends badly.  A terrible storm capsizes their yacht, but fortunately, a large cruise ship happens to come their way.  When they board the ship, the group finds the ship deserted, but also full of a few surprises.

This isn't a horror movie at all (no Ghost Ship here)...more of a psychological thriller.  In fact, for Lost fans, it is certainly a tad reminiscent of that whacked-out show (and that's already too much of a plot reveal).  Similar to the J.J. Abrams show, in the end, things may not make complete sense or be altogether "answered," but the ride is pretty fun thanks to both an inventive script by writer-director Christopher Smith and decent performances all around, including a difficult role undertaken by Melissa George (plus Miley Cyrus's current boyfriend Liam Hemsworth...cue screaming prepubescent girls across the country).

While not a perfect film, I enjoyed all 90 minutes and say that it's certainly worth a stream on Netflix.

The RyMickey Rating: B

Movie Review - C Me Dance (2009)

C Me Dance (2009)

Directed by Greg Robbins

I know this sounds weird, but it's as if God has chosen you.  And if that's the truth, this is gonna tick off the Devil.

Aaah...the joys of Christian filmmaking.  They preach to the choir utilizing the most unrealistic characters around spouting the worst dialog imaginable ("I just wanted to dance and hang out, Dad, and now...all this!").

 Listen, I go to church.  I consider myself a religious person, but I am absolutely not someone that espouses those beliefs to others.  I could never go out there and "convert" those to my beliefs, nor would I ever want to.  That's the complete opposite of a movie like C Me Dance, whose sole purpose is to spout the notion that if "You don't believe, your only purpose in life is to be saved."  On a personal level, I despise that notion.  Maybe it makes me a bad Catholic, but so be it.

On a cinematic level, everything about C Me Dance is heinous.  The acting is some of the worst I've seen in ages.  The dialog is, without a doubt, the worst of any film released in theaters in 2009.  The direction?  Please, I could do a better job than the auteur Greg Robbins.

Still, despite how awful it all is, the ridiculousness of the story made it insanely watchable.  Sheri is a high school ballet dancer who learns she has leukemia and is mere months away from dying.  Despite her initial anger, she soon realizes that, being the religious person that she is, she must determine what God has put her on Earth to do.  Come to find out, Sheri soon discovers that if she simply touches a non-believer, they'll get a vision of Jesus getting nailed to a cross and they'll immediately BELIEVE.  Simply priceless!  And she's not just going to stop at converting her friends.  She's going to go to tv execs and touch them, too, forcing them to give her tv time to spread her word about "being born again and filled with the spirit of God."  All that and I haven't even begun to discuss the fact that the Devil comes and tries to sabotage her whole plan!  But no worries, the Devil is "such a loser" that he can't stop her.

The question with these Christian themed movies is who are they preaching to?  This movie won't convert anyone.  Those that aren't "saved" won't watch this movie and do anything but laugh.  So, what's the point?  I'm all for Christian-themed tales, but being so overbearing and preachy hurts your cause in the end.

This movie is awful --there's not a good thing about it -- and the rating below is certainly warranted.  That being said, I enjoyed myself while watching it, and say that if you're in the mood for a good laugh, you should stream it on Netflix.

The RyMickey Rating: F

Movie Review - Up in the Air (2009)

Just watched this flick again and it held up surprisingly well. After I wrote this original review, I began to think Anna Kendrick was overrated by most -- there's simply not a lot there character-wise in order to garner such praise. Well, I still think that's the case, but it's not really a detriment to the flick as the movie still works as a whole thanks in large part to Clooney and Farmiga's performances.

Original Post: 1/20/10

Up in the Air

Starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick
Directed by Jason Reitman

This late in the Oscar season with the Golden Globes already given out and the Screen Actors Guild Awards in three days it's impossible to avoid "the buzz." The raves for certain films just keep coming and Up in the Air is one of those flicks. I'll be honest -- in this film's first ten minutes or so, I was firmly in the camp that this was going to be the overrated critics' darling of the year. However, after the slow start, I was won over by three spectacular performances, a witty script, and one of the most poignantly contemplative films of the decade. [I don't even know if "poignantly contemplative" makes sense...but it sounds important.]

Movie star George Clooney is Ryan Bingham, a man who is hired by major companies across the country in order to fire their employees. He loves his job and takes great pride in his work, but it leaves him without any emotional attachments to anyone. That is until he meets Alex (Vera Farmiga) who, like him, is a bigwig corporate type who also happens to travel cross country. They meet in a hotel bar one evening and, after a night of fooling around, decide to meet each other at their various layovers in cities.

At the same time, Ryan is dealing with being saddled with showing a newbie the ins and outs of his job. Twenty-three year-old Natalie (Twilight's Anna Kendrick) has crafted a new system of firing employees via a computer screen which would save the company hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on travel expenses. Ryan, however, thinks Natalie's idea is too impersonal -- they're performing a task that causes severe life changes in people and digitalizing the job seems wrong to him. Much to his surprise, Ryan begins to bond with the young woman who provides quite a bit of insight into what Ryan is truly missing and longing for in his life.

I wasn't expecting nearly as much humor as there was in this movie. There were many "laugh out loud" moments which were balanced by some truly touching and insightful thoughts on life. While it could've screamed "SELF HELP" (which I imagine it may to some), there were some shockingly astute revelations doled out by screenwriters Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner.

George Clooney is a good actor and I rarely dislike him in things. However, he tends to always just be "George Clooney" to me...I never really get a sense of character from a lot of his roles. Well, the same thing could be said here. Still, he crafts an effortless heartfelt performance that is a joy to watch onscreen. True, I may not ever be able to not see "George Clooney" on the big screen, but, in the end, is it really his fault he's such a big star?

Vera Farmiga is probably my favorite actress working today. After her stellar turns in this year's Orphan, last year's Nothing But the Truth (seriously...rent this one!), and 2006's The Departed, she exudes an intelligence and authenticity that isn't typically present in actresses. Her Alex is sexy and funny, and it's obvious why Clooney's Ryan would fall for her. Young Anna Kendrick actually has the most polarizing role in that she essentially starts the movie as an icy bitch, but manages to win Ryan and the audience over by the film's conclusion. Kendrick was, by far, the best part of The Twilight Saga: New Moon, and hopefully this role opens some doors for her beyond the tween market.

So, as much as I'd not like to jump on the bandwagon, Up in the Air is an impressive film, that, while not the absolute best of season, deserves a chunk of the recognition that's been bestowed upon it.

The RyMickey Rating: B+

Movie Review - Bronson (2009)

Bronson

Starring Tom Hardy

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Interesting. Weird. Unique.

Three words I'd use to describe the British film Bronson. Based on the true story of Britain's most notorious prisoner, Michael Gordon Peterson, director Nicolas Winding Refn has crafted one oddball flick that contains a powerful performance from actor Tom Hardy.

At twentysomething, Michael Peterson robs a post office and is sent to prison for seven years. While there, Peterson displays many violent tendencies (which cause his sentence to be extended) and he spends much of his time in solitary confinement. He moves in and out of various prisons (and mental institutions) and soon crafts an alter ego for himself -- that of famous American tough guy Charles Bronson. It's not that Peterson is Bronson, it's just that he wants to embody the persona that the movie star carries.

In and of itself, Bronson (the film) is essentially a prison tale about a really rough guy. What sets the film apart is director Refn's choices. Bronson (the character) often talks directly to the camera. Refn utilizes some incredibly odd musical cues. But, most uniquely, Refn often has Bronson appearing on an empty stage, clothed in ever-changing attire, covered in a variety of make-up (from a clown to a mime to a woman), standing in front of an audience of elite British folk telling his tale. Explaining the set-up doesn't really do the mise-en-scene justice, but it's evident that Refn is setting Peterson/Bronson up as a "star." At the start of the film, Peterson states that all he ever wanted in life was "to be known for something...to be famous." Putting him front and center on a stage, while an obvious ploy, works immeasurably.

While Refn's directorial choices are certainly admirable, the real star of the show is Tom Hardy. His Bronson is funny and frightening, often within seconds of each other. The character is difficult to look at sometimes because there truly is a sense of "evil" up on the screen, which is all the more scary because this loose cannon is a real person. It's no wonder the real Bronson has spent over 30 of his 34 years in prison in solitary confinement. This is one nasty guy and Tom Hardy is pretty amazing at portraying him.

All that being said, the film falters a bit in the middle when Bronson is released from prison for the first (and only) time. The 69 days he spends outside of his cell felt a tad drawn out, but that's a minor quibble.

The way this flick is shot, it certainly won't appeal to all. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if some couldn't make it past the first ten minutes. However, it worked quite well for me, and, if you're up for it, it's streaming on Netflix as of this posting.

The RyMickey Rating: B

Movie Review - Dare (2009)

Dare
Starring Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford, and Ashley Springer
Directed by Adam Salky

Some solid acting abounds in the indie film Dare, but while the high school characters spoke surprisingly realistically (as opposed to that über-intelligent older-than-their-years manner that is often prevalent in films and tv), their emotional arcs seemed slightly forced and oftentimes sudden which, unfortunately, hinders the movie from being a success.

Alexa (Emmy Rossum) is a drama student at the local high school and she longs to become an actress someday. She's quiet, subdued, and looked upon as a "geek" (for lack of a better word). When she gets advice that she needs to "live a little" in order to be able to express herself better on the stage, she seems to flip on a dime, turning from the good girl to the bad girl in a matter of hours.

The guy who gets the benefit of Alexa's newfound sluttiness is Johnny (Zach Gilford), the school ladies' man. Although popular, Johnny has many acquaintances, but very few friends, and his relationship with Alexa is a welcome addition to his life.

The guy who loses out from Alexa's change is her best friend, Ben (Ashley Springer). Friends since grade school, Ben has a very difficult time with Alexa's sexual independence, and it makes him question his own sexuality. One night, Ben takes Johnny home and surprises himself by coming on to Alexa's beau. Even more surprising is that Johnny seems to be amenable to Ben's advances.

Needless to say, complications ensue with this trio of high school students becoming more and more confused about their sexual identities. In the end, all three of these young actors are pretty decent with Zach Gilford's Johnny being the highlight of the trio. He's given the meatiest role and Gilford really does seem to be the best actor of the bunch. Unfortunately, the characters of Alexa and Ben seem to be underdeveloped, causing their life changes to seem silly and forced at times. Additionally, once you move outside of this young trio, all of the actors (including Saturday Night Live alumnus Ana Gasteyer as Ben's mom) are laughably bad.

An interesting tale (set in local Pennsylvania towns, no less), but two unbelievable main characters ruin any promise on display.

The RyMickey Rating: C-

Movie Review - Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009)

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
Starring Jesse Metcalfe, Amber Tamblyn, and Michael Douglas
Directed by Peter Hyams

Oh, man...Michael Douglas...who was blackmailing you to be a part of this flick? Were this movie made-for-tv, I might've had a different take on it. But as a theatrical release (albeit a small one last year), this is a joke.

A remake of a 1950s movie, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt has a decent premise -- C.J., a young hotshot tv news reporter (Jesse Metcalfe), has a suspicion that a Louisiana district attorney (Michael Douglas) is planting DNA evidence in order to win cases. With the D.A. running for governor, C.J. decides to expose the guy. C.J., in a deluded attempt to earn a Pulitzer Prize (which is seriously mentioned a dozen times), decides to set himself up, stating that he committed a murder -- once he's in jail and the D.A. begins to prosecute him with planted DNA evidence, he'll expose the corrupt guy and wreck his career.

Yes, the plot is certainly ridiculous, but in better hands, the movie might have been a success. In its current incarnation, director Peter Hyams has crafted a horrible film. Full of heinously staged montages (some of which I'll title "falling in love" or "planting the evidence" or "getting arrested") set to the worst musical score I've heard in a 2009 movie, the film never gains its footing. It's never suspenseful and everything was utterly predictable -- everything except for the laughable and out-of-the-blue "twist" ending that made me roll my eyes.

Michael Douglas is really the only thing that saves this thing from complete failure. He's good, but his role is actually fairly minor. Jesse Metcalfe is completely bland and one-note as the hotshot reporter. Amber Tamblyn fares a little better as C.J.'s girlfriend, who also happens to be the innocent and oblivious assistant D.A.

Ugh.

The RyMickey Rating: D-

Movie Review - Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Time to admit I was wrong. Just checked out this flick again on dvd and Tarantino has crafted a witty and thoroughly entertaining film. Scenes that I thought were much too long seemed to flow much better upon a second viewing. Pitt, Waltz, and Laurent were great. Yes, it's gimmicky at times and yes Tarantino goes over the top too often (that "music video" scene introducing the last chapter is ridiculously silly), but (in the complete opposite fashion of the last time I viewed this) the 150 minutes flew by.

So, I grossly misjudged this flick back in August '09. Take a look at my old review and the new rating below.

Original Post: 8/24/90

Starring Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, and Mélanie Laurent
Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Admittedly, I'm not a Tarantino savant. I've only seen Pulp Fiction (which I think is good), Kill Bill Vol 1 (which I think is amazing and near perfect), and Kill Bill Vol 2 (which I think is a pretentious pile of you-know-what). The problem with Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds is that I feel like he's only copying himself. Nothing about this new flick feels original. You want long scenes of dialogue that are essentially about nothing? They're here. You want violent deaths? He's got you covered. You want moderately cool camera shots and odd musical accompaniment? He doesn't let you down in that regard (even though he's copying these camera shots and reusing some music he's used in his other flicks). The thing is that even though I've only seen three other Tarantino movies, I've seen all this stuff before...and it's getting old.

As my fellow movie-goer and I were discussing after the flick last night, the movie wants you to think that this movie is about this group of Jewish-American soldiers headed by Brad Pitt's Aldo Raine known as the Basterds who trek across Europe killing and scalping Nazis. However, the flick really focuses on Christoph Waltz's Nazi "detective" Hans Landa. At the start, Landa is seeking out Jewish refugees, but as the flick continues, Landa starts to track down the Basterds.

Although that's a short summary for a movie that's over two-and-a-half hours long, that's really all you need to know. Tarantino peppers his movie with incredibly long scenes of loquacious dialogue that, admittedly, end with something cool happening, but force the viewer to sit through interminable chitchat. There's probably 45 minutes of good (even great) stuff in this flick, but it's nestled amongst 110 minutes of pretentiousness.

And that's the thing -- there is some really super stuff here. The last reel of the film is amazing. Nonstop entertainment and a fitting end to the flick. Additionally, all the acting is pretty top-notch. I was dreading director Eli Roth as a Basterd (because if Tarantino's acting in Pulp Fiction is any indication of directorial acting chops, Roth was in trouble), but he was oddly funny. Christoph Waltz is also quite good in what I'd consider the lead role of the film. Unfortunately, it's during his scenes where the dialogue never seems to end. The two ladies of the flick -- Diane Kruger's German movie star working undercover for the Allies and Mélanie Laurent's Jewish movie theater owner with a stunning revenge plan against the Nazis -- were also enjoyable to watch.

The film, however, belongs to Brad Pitt. After watching the previews, I was not looking forward to Pitt's performance at all, but Pitt seems to realize that there's no point in taking himself seriously here. He's over-the-top, but not so much so as to remove the viewer from the "realism" of the flick. With the recent Burn After Reading and to a lesser extent Mr. and Mrs. Smith and the Oceans flicks, Pitt definitely has a knack for comedy and he needs to pursue humor much more than the emotional melodrama of Benjamin Button.

As I'm watching the film, Tarantino just begs you to ask the question, is he a good director because he mimics other filmmakers/techniques/ideas and mashes them together into one movie? Or is he simply a copycat (even of himself, at times) who is adept at fooling people into thinking they're watching something original? Maybe that's a little harsh, and, if I'm being honest, I don't really ever want to see a "normal" straightforward Tarantino film. Despite the fact that I may not be effusively praising this flick, I would still much rather watch Tarantino at least do what he does than watch nearly any other action flick that came out this summer. But he's really kind of a joke to me now...he needs to expand his horizons a bit. Lord knows it's not as if he's making a movie a year, so maybe he needs to take some time and try something a little different on his next venture.

So, Inglourious Basterds is a conundrum. There's some really good stuff here, but it's too few and far between. The rating below is not going to fall into the "recommendation" category, but I actually urge folks to go and see it simply because, if you're a movie fan, it's worth viewing simply to be able to have a discussion post-movie. This movie commanded the longest post-movie discussion between me and my pal since My Sister's Keeper (you may think that's a joke, but the post-screening talk on My Sister's Keeper went on for over an hour). And should you watch the flick, I ask you this question...what exactly is Tarantino saying about film in general? The movie is very focused on the notion of cinema and what it can do to/for the masses and I don't necessarily think he's saying something positive (I'm sure he thinks he's cool because he's ironic in that regard...).

The RyMickey Rating upon initial release: C
The NEW RyMickey Rating (as of 2010): B+