REVIEW: That's My Boy

MOVIE
That's My Boy

CAST
Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg

RATING
R

RELEASE
June 15, 2012

DIRECTOR
Sean Anders

STUDIO(S)
Columbia Pictures,
Happy Masison Productions

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 56 minutes





STARS
***









REVIEW:

Adam Sandler is the white version of Tyler Perry. What that means is that his films are made generally for a specific audience, and if you're not in that audience demographic, then chances are you're bound to hate what's put Somehow people enjoyed films like 'Just Go With It' and 'Zookeeper' which made Mr. Sandler a whole lot of cash. Seven months after the atrocity of 'Jack & Jill' came out in theaters, Sandler has a new movie coming out that is really different from the films he's been making for the past six years. Instead of an insulting, far-fetched, and downright terrible film for the 12+ crowd, 'That's My Boy' is a vulgar, insane, and somehow really funny movie that happens to be rated R for all of the right reasons. This film isn't perfect by any means, but for some reason a lot of the jokes in this movie hit really hard, and sometimes they're hilarious. Other times the jokes can fall flat and just be looked at as incredibly stupid. This film somehow managed to be an outrageously fun comedy despite the trailers making the movie look like utter crap. People aren't lying when they say that this movie is Adam Sandler's return to form, because 'That's My Boy,' as dumb as it can be, really is.

As a young boy, Donny Berger was, not only the coolest one in his little circle of friends, but also a little prick with no respect for anyone. Donny also happens to have a crush on his teacher, Mrs. McGarricle. Things get a little crazy when Mrs. McGarricle has the hots for Donny as well, so they start having constant flings outside of the school's eyes. This only goes on for a little while before they're caught and Mrs. McGarricle, who Donny ended up knocking up, is sentenced to 30 years in prison for the inappropriate acts. Donny gets really famous off of this whole teacher/student relationship, leading to TV movie rights, posing on numerous magazines, and basically being the talk of the town while basking in the $100,000 check given to him because of the scandal. Coming to present day, Donny has now spent all of his money and owes $43,000 to the IRS, who will arrest him if he doesn't get them the money within a few days. Things seem to be going straight down to hell for Donny until he sees that his son, who hasn't spoken to him in many years, happens to be very rich. It's now up to Donny to save his ass from jail and become something that he never truly was: a loving father.

Adam Sandler is notorious for making up ridiculous voices for some of his characters. Examples of voices can include his middle-eastern accent in 'You Don't Mess With The Zohan' and his whiny girl like voice in 'Jack & Jill.' In this film, Sandler has a whiny/drunken noise that he calls a voice that from the trailers seemed like it would be an annoying distraction to the comedy. After a few minutes with Sandler's character, the audience just gives in to the voice and somehow goes along with it, which is all the more surprising. This character grows on the audience as the film progresses despite all of the masturbation, sex, and alcohol jokes that spew out of his filthy mouth. This is probably Sandler's best comedic role in a very long time, despite that not saying a lot.

It's very weird to see Andy Samberg play the straight man rather than the all-out crazy guy like in many of his SNL skits. In films like 'Hot Rod' and 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,' Samberg portrays that crazy character who loves to have fun and get wacky all of the time. In here, he's just the guy who doesn't want to be a part of his father's insane life, but eventually gives in to it. It would have been nice to see him be a looser character than he was in this movie, but Samberg nevertheless was a nice presence. The rest of the cast, including Leighton Meester and Will Forte, were all good for what they were given. However the most enjoyable character in the entire movie, shockingly, is Vanilla Ice, who plays himself.

I doubt anyone ever expected their favorite part of any movie to be Vanilla Ice, but somehow he works perfectly here. Belly laughs are generated in just about every scene that he's in, whether he's just standing around or partying with Sandler and Samberg. If more movies are able to bring forgotten 80s and 90s stars out from the shadows to make fun of themselves, then some comedies that would be utter crap might be more enjoyable to watch. The entire cast is good for what they're given, but it is Sandler and Ice that steal the show.

Is this movie a fantastic comedy by any means? Absolutely not! Is 'That's My Boy' Adam Sandler's long awaited comeback? Not exactly. While the movie is very funny throughout, Sandler needs to make two or three more good movies in order for a "comeback" to be confirmed. This is one of those movies where the R rating is well deserved and highly necessary throughout. There is absolutely no way that this movie would have been as enjoyable as it would have been if it was rated PG-13. This isn't supposed to be for the 12 year old fans of Sandler at all, but if they sneak in to this or see it with their parents they will probably have a fun time. Despite some mediocre writing and a couple of other flaws, 'That's My Boy' is still a very fun time at the movies, or just a fun night at the movies with some buddies. Check it out if it's still playing anywhere near you.





PREVIEWS YOU MAY SEE:


For A Good Time, Call... (Red Band)


Anchorman: The Legend Continues


People Like Us


Ted


Premium Rush


The Watch


Resident Evil: Retribution

REVIEW: Moonrise Kingdom

MOVIE
Moonrise Kingdom

CAST
Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward

RATING
PG-13

RELEASE
May 25, 2012 (NY/LA)
Expands Throughout Summer

DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson

STUDIO(S)
Focus Features,
Indian Paintbrush

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 34 minutes





STARS
****











REVIEW:

As a fish swimming in the great sea of high school, it can be said that romance is sparked everywhere one looks.  Throughout this entire year as a freshman in high school, I have seen so much hugging, hand holding, and french-kissing that it was a little too much to bear with.  Is it because I want a girlfriend oh so badly to fit in?  Is it because I think this whole romance situation is utter crap and can wait for college?  Honestly that answer can't be revealed yet, but when it does I hope it is as sweet and genuine as the relationship between Sam and Suzy, the two characters who are the prime focus of the new Wes Anderson movie 'Moonrise Kingdom.'  The two kids are outcasts in their own ways, so on one miraculous day they encounter each other, and through that start up a plan to leave their terrible lives and run away together.  At the same time, Sam's kind boy scout leader and his fellow obnoxious troop members, Suzy's crazy parents and younger brothers, and a bunch of other characters are all looking for these two kids before something terrible could happen.

Despite only have seen one other Wes Anderson film, ('Fantastic Mr. Fox') I was eagerly waiting to see this movie, due to its superb cast and the fact that it opened up the Cannes Film Festival this year.  Just to my luck, 'Moonrise Kingdom' is exactly what I wanted it to be: sharply written, hilarious, and incredibly touching.  What I wasn’t expecting from this film was for it to be so down to earth and so deep for a quirky Wes Anderson movie.  In fact, this film in some ways is this year’s ‘Super 8’ when it comes to the coming of age relationship between the two kid leads of the film.  ‘Moonrise’ could be a huge Oscar contender when Awards season comes in December.  I honestly hope so, because this may possibly be my favorite movie to have come out so far this year.

It's pretty rare when the kid actors in a film are even better than top notch actors like Bruce Willis and Bill Murray in a film. Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward play Sam and Suzy, the two kids who are in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together, despite only being 12 year olds.  Their chemistry and story in some ways makes the film a coming of age story.  It's kind of like how last year's 'Super 8' was a coming of age story because of the relationship forming between the two lead kids Joe and Alice, as well as the entire group of kids spending their summer by making a low budget monster movie for a local festival.  The kids in this movie are as good as many of the kid actors that are out there in this day and age.  However these two stars have this sort of charm to them that puts them above any other child star working at the moment.  It won't be Bruce Willis that people are talking about when the credits begin to roll: it will be these up and comers.  That doesn't mean that the adult talent isn't great in here.

Bruce Willis probably has the biggest adult role in the film as the police officer assigned to look for the kids.  He also has something going on with Bill Murray's wife, played by the great Frances McDormand, but the audience will find out about them as the film goes on.  Willis is comedically great as well as somewhat deep at times, which makes him a great presence in the movie.  Edward Norton has some great moments as the scout troop member looking for Sam.  Ed Norton not only killed in his scenes, but was also accompanied by an entire scout troop who all hate Sam because he's different.  That helped out quite a bit in several scenes.

Bill Murray and Frances McDormand have fantastic comedic elements in their characters playing the strict parents of Suzy.  These crazy parents, along with their equally great three sons, make for some laugh out loud scenes throughout the film.  As for the two smallest parts in the film acquired by Jason Schwartzman and Tilda Swinton, these actors have some great moments of comedy, as well as some great acting presented here.  The entire cast is absolutely fantastic, and their characters, despite most not being kind people, are still likable to a certain degree.

Wes Anderson really knows how to create some great dialogue for his characters.  Not only is the script, which he co-wrote with Roman Coppola, well written, but it also features some of the funniest and most touching bits to be put on the silver screen all year.  The cast works perfectly with this world and embraces the Wes Anderson quirkiness that is featured in every single one of his movies.  The story is unique, original, and a whiff of fresh air to be embraced in a summer of superheroes and sequels.  Overall, I loved 'Moonrise Kingdom.'  There was nothing I could find wrong in it at all.

It's weird when one can't find a single flaw in a film, but that's the truth for me.  The movie is fast, fresh, sweet, and hilarious.  It's not for everyone, of course.  However if one is a fan of Anderson's style of filmmaking or just enjoys quirky movies in general, then there's no doubt in my right mind that they will hate this movie.  If someone is looking for a different type of summer movie to check out in order to take a break from all of the remakes and superhero spectacles that are in theaters, then they might want to hop into Wes Anderson’s magical little boat and take a trip to 'Moonrise Kingdom.'



PREVIEWS YOU MAY SEE:

Hyde Park on Hudson


Les Misérables


The Perks of Being a Wallflower


To Rome With Love


Seeking a Friend 
for the End of the World

REVIEW: Ted

MOVIE
Ted

CAST
Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis

RATING
R

RELEASE
June 29, 2012

DIRECTOR
Seth MacFarlane

STUDIO
Universal Pictures

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 46 minutes





STARS
***








REVIEW:

'Family Guy' is one of the most controversial television shows ever put on television. It’s crass and offensive humor has sparked much argument over how vulgar it can be while getting away with a TV-14 rating. Even after being cancelled twice, the show is still very popular amongst the 14+ range, and still sparks up ratings like there’s no tomorrow. Now the creator of 'Family Guy,' Seth MacFarlane, has decided to make a movie with all of the humor of the controversial show stuffed into the body of a 2 foot tall Teddy Bear. This new film is called 'Ted' and it stars Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, and MacFarlane as the pot smoking, foul mouthed title character. I personally got early reactions from some friends of mine saying that it was the funniest movie of the year. Of course that only made me even more excited to see this film, so after constant begging to the folks, I got the chance to see what these guys were talking about. While the movie was hilarious many times throughout, I felt that the third act was very uninspired and clichéd, plus the villains of the film were both weird and unnecessary.  'Ted' is a hilarious comedy by all means, but it isn't the funniest comedy of the year by any means.

As a kid, John is longing for someone to be his very best friend. After a wish where John wants his teddy bear, known in child form as "Teddy," to come to life, the wish comes true. Teddy instantly becomes a worldwide sensation in the media and everyone seems to love him. Unlike most celebrities though, Teddy never forgets John throughout the years. Like all fame though, Teddy's goes down the drain almost instantaneously, and 27 years later still lives with John, but he drops f-bombs all the time and smokes bongs on a daily basis. Now John's girlfriend Lori wants Teddy, now referred to as Ted, to move out of their house and grow up like everyone else, as well as John. John has to decide if he wants to be a man-child with Ted or grow up with Lori.

Mark Wahlberg is coming off of his January stinker 'Contraband' and is doing some good work in this film. He has some shining moments with Mila Kunis in some scenes, but it's the scenes where he's either partying with or smoking a bong on a couch with Ted where Wahlberg shows how funny he can be. In fact, there are some moments with Wahlberg that will have the audience laughing to the max. Mila Kunis was also really good as John's girlfriend. Even though she wants to kick Ted out so she and John can start their adult lives together, Mila's character Lori seemed to be a cool person to be around and her desires don't get too selfish. As for Ted himself, he is unquestionably the most enjoyable character in the entire film.

MacFarlane might use a voice that is nearly identical to a Boston version of Peter Griffin, but Ted is his own person and he is one of the most shocking, yet hysterically great, characters to come in this decade. Ted does nothing but constantly spew sewage in the form of f-bombs, makes racist jokes, talks about doing chickSome of the stuff that Ted says is actually really shocking and a little far-fetched. However that is how the character's supposed to be, and for that the audience just has to go along with it and bear with everything this cuddly little bear has to say. This guy will either have you laughing throughout, or have your jaw dropped to the ground in shock. It all depends on whether you're willing to go with the flow or be offended all the way through. Unfortunately this movie does have some supporting players, but the villains of the film are what really brings my final consensus down.

I guess one could say that Joel McHale's character is a bad guy since his goal in the film is trying to get into Mila Kunis' pants. For some reason, I didn't mind him as much as I minded other characters. Sure this guy was a certified asshole, but that's what he's supposed to be and for that I enjoyed him in it. The villains who I did have a problem with were Giovanni Ribisi as Donny and Aedin Mincks as Donny's kid. Their story in the movie, along with the entire third act, wasn't really needed at all. Their story, which I won't give away, I thought that it was the most pointless side story I've seen all year. Not just that, but I found the characters to be really annoying as well. I'm not sure if I should call Ribisi a stalker or a predator in this film, because he just became this really weird fellow in the third act. As for the kid, well he was just the set up for a bunch of fat jokes, some of which were funny. If the film had a simple plot about John's relationship with Lori, then this film would've had a higher rating. Unfortunately when things started to fall apart, they sadly crumbled quite a bit.

Other than the sloppy villains and a disappointing third act, 'Ted' is a hilarious directorial debut from Seth MacFarlane with shocking jokes and foul language to go around. The acting is good from Wahlberg and Kunis, but it's MacFarlane who steals the show in terms of writing, directing, and starring in the film as the teddy bear. What's unfortunate about parents these days is that they will probably take their kids to see this movie because there's a teddy bear on the poster. What they don't get is that this is a Hard-R movie and certainly not for anyone under 15. This movie is filled with language, racist humor, and some vulgar humor unlike anything that's been shown in a movie all year. The stuff in this even pushes the boundaries for 'Family Guy' standards, which was a bold move by MacFarlane. Nevertheless, the vulgar and racist humor, while sometimes shocking, was pretty funny when it hit at the right moments in time.

If someone is looking for a fun movie to see with a bunch of friends, then this will probably be that movie to go to. Even if someone isn't a fan of MacFarlane's TV shows, chances are they might laugh a few times anyway. I wish I could say that 'Ted' is the funniest movie of the year, but sadly I cannot. The character, however, may go down as the most entertaining character of 2012 instead, which is still an accomplishment for a first time director. 'Ted' is crude, offensive, vulgar, and a little sloppy in the third act. However, it is overall a consistently funny film that will have even a person with the driest sense of humor howling in their seat a couple of times. And to answer the question that many people who have seen the film's red band trailer, the answer is yes: the "Thunder Buddies" song is in the film, and yes: it is as funny in the film as it is in the trailer.

REVIEW: Beasts of the Southern Wild

MOVIE
Beasts of the Southern Wild

CAST
Quvenzhané Wallis,
Dwight Henry

RATING
PG-13

RELEASE
June 27, 2012 (NY/LA)

DIRECTOR
Benh Zeitlin

STUDIO
Fox Searchlight Pictures

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 32 minutes




STARS
****








REVIEW:

We can all admit that all humans over the age of 10 see life differently than a younger child does.  As kids, we have imaginary friends, believe we see things others don't, and tend to explore our territory quite a lot.  This brings me back to the Nickelodeon show 'Rugrats,' in which everything is shown from the eyes of 5 individual babies.  It's really incredible to see a child's vision of the location of a parent, where heaven is, etc.  However while 'Rugrats' gave a light portrayal in how young kids see life as a whole, 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' offers a more adult like way on a kid's perspective on life.  In fact, the young girl who the audience follows for the 92 minute duration, named Hushpuppy, goes through some serious hell throughout this movie.  And through all of that hell, an unbelievably fantastic film forms from that.  'Beasts' is an emotional, light at times, but visceral and beautiful movie that will end up being one of the strong Oscar contenders of the year.

Hushpuppy is a curious little 7 year old girl who lives with her father, Wink, in a place called "the Bathtub."  The "Bathtub" is a bayou type place where the government cut off the water with a huge wall so the risk of flooding would be decreased for those living outside the Bathtub.  Hushpuppy goes to school, learns, and plays like a kid.  Wink spends his days drunk, hunting, and trying to be a good father to his little girl, which at times is very hard to see.  Circumstances lead to other things happening, and Hushpuppy has to learn how to take care of herself so she can live a good life in the future when her daddy passes away.  She also wants to know exactly where her mother his, because her interpretation of her mom is a bright light in the distance in which she calls out to.

Allow me to just start out by saying that the performances by the two lead actors are nothing short of brilliant.  Quvenzhané Wallis delivers a performance unlike anything any child actor has ever done in the history of cinema.  Hushpuppy is one of those great examples of showing how a child acts and thinks at such a young age, and to have to be the one to carry the entire movie for such a young girl is simply outstanding.  It's just amazing to see how powerful a young girl, who by the way is acting for the very first time, can be.   This is a girl who should have a fantastic future if she continues to act in film.  In fact, her performance in this movie is so great and so gripping that it's actually deserving of many acting awards come awards season in December.  Same goes to Dwight Henry, who is also acting for the first time in this movie.

Dwight Henry's character Wink is the type of person who you don't exactly know if you should like him or hate him for physically abusing Hushpuppy within the first 20 minutes of the movie.  After those 20 minutes, Wink becomes a character who is actually trying to be very supportive and loving of Hushpuppy despite showing it by screaming every single bit of dialogue that's given to him.  Luckily the screaming is played for laughs, and most of the time it does put a smile on your face.  If this guy doesn't at least get strongly considered for a Supporting Actor nomination this year, then there may not be any justice this year in terms of quality acting.  Overall the entire cast, which, other than Wallis and Henry, consisted of a bunch of small characters, performed very well.  However it's really the two leads that shine throughout this movie.

It's great to see first time directors get some recognition this year, or at least small directors who get big breaks.  A prime example of a first time director this year is Drew Goddard, who both wrote and directed the horror film 'The Cabin in the Woods.'  However the small director who got a huge break that many are still talking about now is Joss Whedon, who successfully brought Earth's Mightiest Heroes into one fantastic movie that was 'Marvel's The Avengers.'  The thing that both of those directors have in common is that they have brought something smart and original to the table.  That's exactly what this film's director/writer, Benh Zeitlin does with this film.  He has such a way of portraying Louisiana in a gross, dark place, yet adds some beautiful light to what's going on.  This guy, like Mike Cahill from last year, (director of 'Another Earth') has a potentially solid future in directing if he chooses to make more movies in the years to come.  If he does decide to make something in the future, know that I will look forward to see that film when it premieres in America.

Overall, 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' is a deep, emotional, yet beautiful and pure film that is well deserving of awards and an audience.  The performances are all fantastic, especially the award worthy performances from Quvenzhané Wallis and Dwight Henry. Benh Zeitlin proves to have some true and natural talent, hopefully leading to a very successful career in the future.  The story may be a little predictable, but it's all saved by the pot of emotions that are poured on you at the same time, with the best thing that they all mix well together.  If you're not looking for a dramatic indie to check out, then you might want to look for a more quirky movie like 'Moonrise Kingdom,' which also happens to focus around kid actors.  However if you are looking for a dramatic story about a young child, then this is what you may want to check out.  'Beasts of the Southern Wild' is a prime example of how a bunch of newcomers can create something that is pure magic throughout.






ME WITH 'BEASTS' STAR DWIGHT HENRY 
AFTER THE PHILADELPHIA SCREENING!

REVIEW: Brave 3D

MOVIE
Brave

CAST
Kelly Macdonald,
Emma Thompson

RATING
PG

RELEASE
June 22, 2012

DIRECTOR(S)
Mark Andrews,
Brenda Chapman

STUDIO(S)
Disney·Pixar

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 33 minutes




STARS
***3/4









REVIEW:

Pixar is notorious for have setting the bar for all animated films out there.  The last film of theirs that people really fell high over heels for was 'Toy Story 3,' and that has since become something of a phenomenon in society.  'Cars 2' people felt was to childish and made more for money rather than passion.  The marketing for their latest film 'Brave' made it seem that Pixar might be starting to lose their magical touch on the human heart and soul.  Well to the doubters out there who didn't think 'Brave' was going to be good, they should be ashamed of themselves unless they go in expecting another tour-de-force film like 'Up' or 'Finding Nemo.'  'Brave' is a hilarious, beautiful, and visceral movie that any audience can enjoy if their minds are in the right place.  Sure it isn't the masterpiece that Pixar usually pops out, but it is still great fun and it should probably make those who disliked 'Cars 2' a lot happier.

The advantage of 'Brave' is that it features Pixar's first female protagonist in the form of Merida.  Merida is the princess to a Scottish kingdom ruled by her mellow dad and her uptight mother.  Her mother wants her daughter to set an example for the kingdom, as well as be the rightful heir to the throne.  This involves finding a husband for the young girl, for who doesn't want to get married.  It just so happens that Merida is a skilled archer and wants to choose her own destiny in life rather than her mom deciding what she will and won't do.  Things get really insane when Merida starts playing around with witches and trying to change her fate, when things go in a way that pulls everyone for a loop.

The voices for the characters are very good and very Scottish.  Kelly Macdonald of 'Boardwalk Empire' fame gives her voice to the heroine Merida.  Not only is Macdonald's voice fantastic for Merida, but she puts so much of a teenage angst into the character that you can somewhat relate to Merida's problems with her mother.  Speaking of mothers, Emma Thompson is also great, playing the queen of the land and Merida's uptight parental figure who fails to show much love to her daughter throughout the first half hour of the movie.  Billy Connolly lends a comedic voice to the king of the land/Merida's father, who has a grudge against all bears after one took his leg.  All of the voice actors in this film are great overall, but the characters who steal the show are the three young brothers of Merida.  These little guys love to eat any type of sugary treat and will stop at nothing to get these treats in the most comedic and mischievous ways you could think of for a movie set hundreds of years ago in Europe.  All of the characters are great for what they're supposed to do.  Some are supposed to be funny, some are supposed to be there for action, and the rest are there for the heart of the film.

A strong key in this film is that it, not only tells a great story of a likable girl and her uptight mother, but also gives a deep message about the importance of family and how far things could go if someone would want to change their fate.  Pixar is notorious for presenting strong messages in their films, and 'Brave' is no exception to this trend.  This film is funny, moving, and darker than any other Pixar film to date.  It's not as deep as the opening 10 minutes of 'Up' or the final 15 minutes of 'Toy Story 3,' but it may not be the best film to take younger kids to.  The animation, especially in 3D, is absolutely stellar to look at.  The voice cast could not have been better for this type of movie.  The story, while predictable, still keeps the audience in its grasp for the 93 minutes this film runs.

'Madagascar 3' is out there for the younger kids, as well as those looking for some humorous laughs.  'Brave' should be seen by older kids who want to follow a brave but single minded girl on one crazy adventure.  If one is looking for the next masterpiece from Pixar, then chances are they will be very disappointed in this movie.  However if one is either A.) over the age of 8, or B.) not expecting anything spectacular from this studio, then the odds of enjoying 'Brave' are more than likely.  Overall, 'Brave' is a worthy addition to the Pixar family, despite being different than most other movies to come out from the studio.  

PREVIEWS YOU MAY SEE:


Wreck It Ralph


Finding Nemo 3D


Monsters University

REVIEW: La Luna 3D

SHORT
La Luna

RELEASE
June 22, 2012

DIRECTOR
Enrico Casarosa

STUDIO(S)
Disney·Pixar

RUNNING TIME
6 minutes 53 seconds






STARS
****








REVIEW:

Pixar always outdoes themselves every time they make a short film.  From unique works of art like 'Day & Night' to humorous ones like 'Geri's Game,' the guys behind these wonderful shorts always have something magical up their sleeves.  Their new short 'La Luna' is no exception to this long standing fact.  'La Luna' tells the story of a boy, his father, his grandfather, and the moon.  Saying anything else will ruin how unique this is from all other Pixar shorts.  This short has more subtle humor rather than laugh out loud jokes.  It also tells such a beautiful story using only visuals rather than cheeky dialogue.  The way things turn out at the end of the short are not only sugar to the eyes, but just so unbelievable and so clever at the same time.  When you go to see 'Brave,' you're going to see this without a doubt.  Even if you don't enjoy the main film, you will still look back and think of this wonderful short film.  'La Luna' is an exhilarating and beautiful short film that, with the help of some great 3D, takes you in to a world unlike anything Pixar has ever created.

REVIEW: Rock of Ages

MOVIE
Rock of Ages

CAST
Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta

RATING
PG-13

RELEASE
June 15, 2012

DIRECTOR
Adam Shankman

STUDIO
New Line Cinema (WB)

RUNNING TIME
2 hours 3 minutes





STARS
***1/2










REVIEW:


If you haven't seen the 2007 musical remake 'Hairspray,' then I would highly recommend it. The director of that film, Adam Shankman, really knows how to put an audience into a different time period and have your toes tapping to some great songs. If you have seen 'Hairspray,' then you might want to know that Shankman is back with another musical, which takes place 25 years after 'Hairspray' and is not a PG family friendly film at all. Instead, 'Rock of Ages' portrays the slogan of the 1980s "sex, drugs, and rock and roll" very accurately. The key to liking a musical like this is the music itself. If someone doesn't appreciate 80's music at all, then they will not appreciate this film whatsoever. However if one likes 80's music, then they will have an absolutely great time watching this film. Thanks to the fantastic music/dance sequences, great storytelling, and terrific cast, 'Rock of Ages' proves to be one of the summer's more entertaining popcorn flicks and one of the most fun movie-going experiences to be had all year.

 The year is 1987, and Sherrie is a small town girl from Kansas who wants to make it in Hollywood and become a singer. Coming to the big city, Sherrie is able to meet Drew, who is also an aspiring singer and a busboy at the famous Bourbon Room. Sherrie gets a job at the Bourbon thanks to Drew, and they start forming a connection through the power of rock and roll, along with soft core 80's love songs. Meanwhile, the mayor's wife, Patricia Whitmore, wants to shut down the Bourbon and redesign the entire Sunset Strip, as well as get rid of Rock & Roll, more specifically the iconic rock star Stacee Jaxx, once and for all.

I'm just going to say this off the bat: if you're not a fan of 80's music, chances are you will not like this movie at all. If you're not a fan of movie musicals or just musicals in general, chances are you won't like this movie much. This is the type of musical where, once the music starts playing, you can't help but dance in your seat or tap your feet on the ground. Heck, I was even jamming from the likes of 'Wanted Dead or Alive' and 'Paradise City.' However the music at a certain point fells like a bit too much. The blame there could be the film's long two hour run time, because it felt like a song was being piled on every 5 minutes or so and you'd just want to get more of the story and more involvement with the characters themselves. Still though, this is the type of soundtrack that one can download onto an iPod and jam to long after the credits begin rolling at the end of the film. It's a good thing that the actors could sing just as well as they could act, because in a musical the cast is quite vital to how it overall turns out. Luckily, the casting in this film could not have been better.

Julianne Hough was the female star in one of last year's biggest surprises, the 'Footloose' remake. In this film she plays Sherrie, the small town girl "living in a lonely world." Hough's performance of the small town girl with big dreams was absolutely great. I still believe that she might be able to become one of Hollywood's smartest actresses because of her great streak at the moment. To be honest, I didn't even know she was a singer before seeing this film. Her voice fit very well with the 80's music that she belts out to, so much so that it reminded me a lot of Cyndi Lauper when she sang. I didn't even know that her co-star Diego Boneta, who plays Drew in the film, was a singer either. Come to think of it, I had no idea who Boneta was before seeing this movie at all. That makes it all the more refreshing to see unknown stars actually act very well along with the fact that they have incredibly good vocal chords. The trick with the bigger actors in the movie, like Tom Cruise for example, is to see if they can sing well and act the part. Lucky for everyone who sings and acts in the movie, they all succeed beautifully.

To not talk about Tom Cruise as the fictional rock god Stacee Jaxx would be a real crime to the film itself, because Cruise really steals the show in every scene he's in. It was very fun to see Cruise playing himself if he was a rock diva/god from the 80's who was down on his career and was looking for something to make him want to perform again. Not only was Cruise great acting wise in the film, but his singing was surprisingly great. His rendition of Bon Jovi's 'Wanted Dead or Alive' has been played on my iPod at least once every day after I got the soundtrack from a friend of mine. Cruise might not get any recognition for his portrayal of Jaxx, but he is stellar throughout his time in this movie. Same goes for Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand, who play Dennis Dupree (the owner of the Bourbon) and Lonnie Barnett (the manager of the Bourbon/best friend of Dennis) respectively.

These guys are the true comedic reliefs of the film, as well as participate in some great song mash-ups. I knew Brand could sing thanks to his insanely funny songs from 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' and 'Get Him to the Greek,' but Baldwin I had no idea he could sing. He and Brand work perfectly together both musically and comedically, providing some great jokes as well as some great 80's nostalgia that works perfectly with these two guys, who both look like hardcore rockers. Even Paul Giamatti gets some good voice work going along with his villainous work as Paul Gill, the record producer behind Stacee Jaxx's band Arsenal who is looking for a fresh new act to replace Stacee. Giamatti is always great playing a villain, and this film is no exception to that. He is a conniving, sleazy character who, like all villains in films, gets exactly what's coming to them. However what Giamatti has coming to him is too awesome to give away, so let's just leave it at that. Bryan Cranston wasn't advertised at all in the ads for this movie, but sure enough he is in it. He doesn't sing at all in the movie, but Cranston is good for the part he was given. Let me put it this way: it leaned more towards his role in 'Malcolm in the Middle' than in 'Breaking Bad.' Overall all of the guys were great in this film, both vocally and acting wise. However the ladies of the film have far more superior voices then the men do.

Catherine Zeta-Jones is no stranger to musicals whatsoever. She won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Velma in 2002's 'Chicago,' which also won the Oscar for Best Picture that same year. In this movie, Zeta-Jones plays the mayor's wife/main antagonist of the film, Patricia Whitmore. Patricia is a very wacky character in all of the right ways. She sings one hilarious rendition of 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot,' as well as an amazing mash-up with Russell Brand of the songs 'We Built This City' and 'We're Not Gonna Take It.' Not only is she a fantastic singer, but her portrayal as a villain is just plain fun to watch. Sure she isn't as great as other notable musical villains, but her crazy persona in the film makes up for that. Malin Akerman of 'Watchman' fame plays a writer for 'Rolling Stone Magazine' named Constance Sack who is mesmerized by the ways of Jaxx.

Akerman provides some great acting during her small presence in the movie, as well as one fantastic duet with Tom Cruise. You'd think that everyone in this film is good in their parts, right? Well, there is one actress who was really unnecessary in this movie, and her name is Mary J. Blige. Blige basically shows up in the second half of the film, doing some impressive vocal work, and hires Hough's character as a stripper where they sing 'Any Way You Want It.' After that, she is just in the movie to be a part of various musical numbers. There was nothing else for her character other than singing. Blige's singing might be stellar, but she isn't given anything really to act with or have any other character arc aside from owning a strip club. Overall, if you like the music that this film features and the strong performances by the cast, then odds are you will have "nothing but a good time" when watching this movie.

'Rock of Ages' has a story that goes in all directions, music that's wild and zippy, and a cast that knows how to rock it and work it when it comes to singing and acting. If you're not a fan of musicals or 80's music at all, then you probably won't dig this movie very much. There are references to 80's satire that at some points are actually clever and funny. The others are just regular old homages that are good but nothing really special. The cast rocks for the most part, with the most acting effort coming from Tom Cruise. The music will have you singing and dancing in your chairs if you're into that type of thing. If not, then you can giggle at the fact that someone would actually sing and dance to these jukebox songs. However to that person who does geek out to this type of thing, do not feel ashamed to take a mind trip into the 1980s, because that's exactly what 'Rock of Ages' is meant to do. The Broadway show is probably better, but for the most part this movie adaptation makes me want to rock out and belt out 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' in front of random strangers. If one is looking for a solid and fun theater experience this Father's Day weekend, or just wants to rock out to some great 80's covers done by some of today's best stars, then take a time trip to 1987 and experience the pure fun of 'Rock of Ages.'



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REVIEW: Snow White & The Huntsman

MOVIE
Snow White & The Huntsman

CAST
Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron

RATING
PG-13

RELEASE
June 1, 2012

DIRECTOR
Rupert Sanders

STUDIO
Universal Pictures

RUNNING TIME
2 hours 7 minutes






STARS
**








REVIEW:

It's only June of 2012 and we've already gotten two films based on the classic tale of 'Snow White.'  The first one, which came out in late March, was called 'Mirror Mirror.'  That film was made generally for families and those who wanted to laugh at something.  That film surprised many critics and audiences alike and faired moderately well at the box office.  I didn't get the chance to see that on the big screen, so a DVD watch is likely in my future.  However I did manage to find some time to check out the other 'Snow White' movie.  The other 'Snow White' movie is a more action and adult oriented version with bigger cast members and a first time director.  In fact, this film, entitled 'Snow White & The Huntsman,' looked far more superior to 'Mirror Mirror.'  While not having seen 'Mirror Mirror,' I'm guessing that it's a tad better than this film.  What could've been a fast, action-packed, and fun film end up being slow, over the top, and bizarre at times.  'Snow White & The Huntsman' is a disappointing summer film that odds are will make a ton of money opening weekend.

If you know the story of 'Snow White,' then you should probably know that this adaptation is only loosely based off of the original material.  Instead of Snow White being an innocent young girl, she is a more mature and smart woman with some combat skills of her own.  The Huntsman does more than attempt to kill Snow White and save her instead.  He actually tags along with her and tries to defeat the evil Queen.  The Evil Queen in this version rather than just act menacing is a sorceress who in order to stay young has to suck the youth out of young girls, and suck the life out of people to stay alive.  Instead of the seven dwarfs being the pivotal comedic element of the story, they have a few more tricks up their sleeves, and one of them is a wise blind man.  It's all obviously going to go down hard with Snow White and The Evil Queen, but we are just in it for the action-packed elements and maybe get a good story and decent acting on the side.

Kristen Stewart was quite possibly the best part of the entire movie for me.  This role for her was quite an improvement over biting her lip and screaming "Edward!" or "Jacob!" for no reason whatsoever.  Despite this being her best performance that I've seen, she does go a bit over the top by shouting a few of her lines for no apparent reason at all.  Plus we see something we have rarely seen from Stewart before: her smile.  As joking as that was, Stewart actually shines in this movie the most, which really isn't saying a lot compared to her co-stars.

Charlize Theron is a wonderful actress.  Not only did she win an Academy Award for her insane role in 'Monster,' but she also entertained audiences in 2008's 'Hancock.'  It's understandable that she wants to be in more mainstream movies, but this film wasn't the right choice for her.  In the majority of the movie, Theron is screaming out her lines as if she's being tortured by the screenwriter to spill them out.  In some scenes it was just painful to see her yelp these awful lines like "Bring her to me!" and "I'm sorry brother!"  I can't see how people are calling her great, unless they were referring to her more subtle scenes as a villain, then I would only say she's good in those.  Theron was decent in this film overall, but she left a lot for me to desire.

Chris Hemsworth plays the other name in the film's title, The Huntsman.  In the original story, The Huntsman is only there to hunt Snow White down, and then let her escape due to her beauty.  In this film, the filmmakers had to, not only add a back story to his character, but also have him tag along with Snow White and become of the two love interests.  Hemsworth from the trailers looked like he was going to steal some of the thunder from the leading ladies; however instead he felt more like a really unnecessary character who was just there because either A.) his name is in the title; and B.) the screenwriters wanted to put in a really bland love story for fun.  This character could have been a hard core bad ass with some clever jokes and an interesting story of his own.  Instead he is a bland, misplaced character with not much of a purpose in the movie other than to replace Prince Charming.  There are more characters to talk about, like the "Prince" William, The Queen's brother, and the Seven Dwarfs.  Unfortunately they are not even worthy of being talked about much, which is why this huge section about the cast comes to a close here.

The visual effects are what really drove the movie on the "summer blockbuster" route.  If the movie was only intending to look really cool, then it did its job right.  This movie is quite stunning to look at throughout.  From the Enchanted Forest to the destruction of dark armies, the cinematography and visual effects of the film look absolutely stunning.  In fact, this goes without saying that the cinematography and the visuals could possibly be nomination worthy if this year lacks in the special effects department, which by the looks of it won't at all.  As for the cinematography, there will be far more wide scoped films to come out and snag nominations come awards season, but the film makes you feel like you are in this insane and magical world because of its large epic scope throughout.  The film overall looks really amazing, but that doesn't stop it from being a mediocre mess.

If this film had a better script, director, and even cast, then 'Snow White & The Huntsman' wouldn't have been such a disappointing summer film.  The trailers made this movie seem like one fun and bad ass fantasy trip with great performances by all.  Instead what was given was a poorly acted, often slow, yet visually stunning movie that seems to be a part of the generic Hollywood formula these days.  It seems the movie industry lacks a lot of creativity, therefore can only copy ideas and see if anyone notices.  Can't movies just be original ideas that stimulate the mind rather than rehashing old stories and make them look really nice and glossy?  Let's hope that filmmakers have something up their sleeves very soon, because the creativity of films is slowly depleting and will soon be gone.  Everything in 'Huntsman' could have been so much better, but sadly what is given is 127 minutes of over the top acting and a bad story/script.  People seem to really dig this movie, yet I don't see why.  If one does have interest in seeing this movie, just watch it on a big HD TV when it comes to Blu-Ray.  Unless Hollywood can find some better way of making the 'Snow White' story fresh and new again, the "fairest one of all" has taken her last bite from an apple for a while.  

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REVIEW: Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted 3D

MOVIE
Madagascar 3:
Europe's Most Wanted

CAST
Ben Stiller, Chris Rock

RATING
PG

RELEASE
June 8, 2012

DIRECTOR(S)
Eric Darnell,
Tom McGrath, Conrad Vernon

STUDIO(S)
DreamWorks Animation,
Paramount Pictures

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 33 minutes






STARS
***3/4









REVIEW:

Was it really necessary to make a third 'Madagascar' movie?  Who was asking for one final adventure with Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman?  Probably little kids and the bank, so DreamWorks decided to make 'Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted.'  This film has the four beloved animals still trying to get back home to their beloved Central Park Zoo in New York.  Circumstances lead them into a circus from Europe traveling to America, so of course the animals tag along for the ride disguised as circus animals.  DreamWorks has surprisingly been on a roll when it comes to their movies, almost coming up to the same level as Pixar films.  'Kung Fu Panda 2' and 'How to Train Your Dragon' are probably good examples for Pixar comparisons.  While this may look like pure slapstick and nothing else, slapstick usually doesn't get selected to screen in the most prestigious film festival circuit of the year, the Cannes Film Festival.  That's right: 'Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted' was selected to screen at Cannes.  After seeing the film, I can say that there is much more to this movie than just slapstick and silly jokes about "circus afros."  'Madagascar 3' portrays Europe in such a beautiful and often comedic way that the audience can't help but have a smile on their face.  This is one of those rare instances where the third film in a franchise turns out to be the best film in the entire series.

The four main cast members of the series (Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pickett-Smith) are surprisingly better than ever in this movie.  Ben Stiller, instead of sounding like his usual self most of the time, adds that special something to his role of Alex.  In this film, he deals with personal issues about whether he actually wants to go back to New York or not, which was something nice to see in a film where its main trademark is the song "I Like To Move It."  It may seem from the trailers that Marty, Chris Rock's character, is only there to see the cultural phenomenon that is the "Afro Circus" song, which coincidentally was written by Rock himself.  While Rock is here to be one of the key factors to the slapstick comedy, he actually is quite tolerable and not as annoying as you'd expect. Rock is a very funny comedian, but hearing his voice out of a zebra in a circus is all the funnier.  Then comes the other two characters, Gloria and Melman, played by David Schwimmer and Jada Pickett-Smith.  These characters deserve more screen time than they are given, because these two lovebirds are great animals to watch.  Their chemistry in the films has provided some of the series' best jokes.  There could have been more scenes showing how they are now married and are trying to become a family.  But alas, that's a story that could be great for a spin-off film.  The four leads are great as always, however the supporting animals outshine them in almost every way imaginable.

Sacha Baron Cohen, Andy Richter, and Cedric the Entertainer are back as King Julien, Mort, and Maurice respectively.  The lemurs have always been my favorite characters of the series, so it was great to see them with some personal stories of their own.  Actually it was more of King Julien's story than Mort and Maurice, who are just there to successively back up the mishaps of their glorious leader.  Julien ends up in a love story with a bear on a tricycle in the circus.  Not only is this just funny to think about, but it is also the single funniest thing in the entire movie.  There is a scene involving a "revamping" of the bear's tricycle that is absolutely priceless.  It's not just the lemurs who should be getting all of the credit, because the notorious penguins and the crazy but small rolled monkeys also are quite great.  The penguins and the monkeys team up at the very beginning of the film; and the scenario they're in is quite entertaining to watch.  Plus what they do with the circus is also proof that penguins and monkeys are smarter than the average human being.  The original animals are all great, but with every animated movie there has to be new characters.  This film has quite a few enjoyable ones, and one really crazy one.

Frances McDormand plays Captain Chantel DuBois, who is the chief animal inspector and the film's main antagonist.  This character has some funny moments and all, but overall this character is incredibly insane and a bit too over the top.  The fact that she's actually following these animals across Europe just so she can get Alex's head for her wall is a bit too much, and it gets really twisted and weird with her during the third act.  I understand that this is a kid's movie and shouldn't be taken too seriously, but there's a fine line that a character shouldn't go over, whereas McDormand's character in fact did.  She's still entertaining to say the least, but overall a bit of an over-exaggerated character.

Bryan Cranston, Martin Short, and Jessica Chastain play some of the animals in the circus who are a little worried of Alex and the crew.  Cranston dons a Russian accent if I remember correctly, and he gives some great moments in the film.  His back story was even really interesting, despite playing on the fact that this is an animated kids movie and characters can do insanely cool things.  Martin Short probably provided the most laughs out of the four new characters playing a seal named Stefano.  Short is great in animated roles, and I hope that he is in a lot more of them because it seems that his fame has gone to waste recently.  Finally, Jessica Chastain plays a tigress, but that doesn't really matter much due to her being the love interest of Alex.  There wasn't much to expect from Chastain as a love interest, so it was good to see the "love story" not get as irritating as you'd think.  Overall the newcomers to the series have some great lines and some funny moments, but they cannot compare to the original characters of the series.

The 3D in this film is surprisingly really effective for the vast majority of it.  There are a lot of jump-out-of-the-screen moments that are really fun and cool to see.  It reminded me of the first time I saw a 3D movie and everything immersed me into this awesome world.  There is an entire sequence where the circus is performing that looks absolutely jaw dropping in 3D.  I swear my eyes were given free candy and was enjoying the heck out of it!  Sure this movie will be just as good in 2D, but the added 3D element creates an entire new perspective on the film.  Even though I haven't seen the 2D version of this film, I can't imagine seeing this in any other way.  To those outside of the U.S. who are getting this in IMAX 3D, you guys are in for an absolute treat if you pay to see this on the big BIG screens.

It's a darn good thing that DreamWorks hired Noah Baumbach, who directed 2010's 'Greenberg' also starring Ben Stiller, to write this movie because without him this probably would have been just another DreamWorks movie.  'Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted' is fresh, upbeat, and very very funny.  This is the one film this summer that families should not miss going to see.  Sure some of the jokes are incredibly silly, and the film falls to the typical drama cliché at the end of the second act, but if you can forget about all of that, you will have a very fun time at the movies.  The cast work is great, the script is fantastic, and the 3D animation is some of the best 3D that will probably be seen in all of 2012.  'Prometheus' also comes out this weekend for the 17+ crowd, so you may want to check this out if you have the chance.  Adults and kids alike will really enjoy this movie a lot, which really says something because before 2008 only Disney and Pixar were able to do this.  Pixar has some pure competition on their heels when it comes to sequels, because these two studios seem neck and neck right now.  Do yourselves a favor, and pick up a passport, put on 3D glasses, and take a fun, wild trip into the beautiful and eye popping Europe with the 'Madagascar' crew.  Don't forget to don a circus afro when seeing the movie.