REVIEW: Wreck-It Ralph 3D

MOVIE
Wreck-It Ralph

CAST
John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman

RATING
PG

RELEASE
November 2, 2012

DIRECTOR
Rich Moore

STUDIO
Disney

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 42 minutes









STARS
****







ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 19, 2012 FOR THE 2012 PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL


REVIEW:

Technically, 'Wreck-It Ralph' isn't the opening film of the 2012 Philadelphia International Film Festival. David O. Russell's new movie 'Silver Linings Playbook' was the chosen film to open this year's festival. However when the opportunity came to see this film not only earlier, but at a closer location as well, the chance had to be taken. Bringing two friends of mine who happen to be big video game buffs added to the excitement for this film. Walking out of the film with them, we talked about comparisons to 'Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,' another video game related movie. Then one of them said to us, "It actually reminded me a lot of 'Toy Story." That idea sparked in my mind really fast the moment that was uttered. 'Wreck-It Ralph' takes the jealousy aspect of 'Toy Story' and adds the video game nostalgia references of 'Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,' with dashes of 'Tron' in there, as well a sprinkle of twists and clichés to go around. As a film fan and a video game lover, 'Wreck-It Ralph' may be the best animated movie of the year. It might not win the Oscar, but it still well deserves to be nominated.

For 30 years, Fix-It Felix Jr. has been a fairly popular game at a small arcade. Felix wins every day and is loved by all. Wreck-It Ralph, however, has the exact opposite lifestyle. He is a lonely guy who just wants to be loved for once, but can't because he's just known as a bad guy all the time. Ralph then gets influenced to go to other video games in the arcade to try to win a medal, which could place him on top with everyone else in the game rather than down in the mud. After a huge mishap in the latest war game Hero's Duty, Ralph gets transported to Sugar Rush, a candy filled racing game. There he befriends a little "glitch" who isn't desired to race in the game, despite her growing urge to do so. These two oddballs become friends, and both try to help each other get what they both want most in the world: love from their peers.

The voice work in this film is nothing short of stellar. John C. Reilly's Ralph reminded me a bit of the lovable green ogre 'Shrek.' Sure he's rough and lonely around the edges with a habit for destroying things, but deep inside he is such a sweet and lovable character that the audience can't help but fall high over heels for him. Jack McBrayer of '30 Rock' fame was also great as Felix. What I liked so much about the character of Felix is that he is genuinely a nice person and doesn't fully bask in the glory of himself, which leads to some very nice moments between him and Ralph in the third act. Sarah Silverman for me stole the show as Vanellope von Schweetz, a character in the game Sugar Rush with some secrets even she doesn't know about.

Silverman's portrayal of this character is just so sweet and lovable, while at the same time sarcastic and hysterically funny. I swear I wanted to give this character a huge hug while watching the movie because of how adorable she was. You know, a great big bear hug that one would get from an uncle or something after not seeing them for a while. Jane Lynch of 'Glee' fame also gets some big laughs in there playing Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun, the lead character in Hero's Duty. There are some great lines thrown out by her, as well as one of the funniest back-stories to a character I've seen in quite some time. Overall all of the film's characters brought something great to the table and helped steer this film in the right direction. Speaking of the look of the characters, the animation was spectacular to look at.

From the green, futuristic world of Hero's Duty to the lush, colorful world or Sugar Rush, the animation in this movie is stunning to watch. Not only does the animation look crisp and fresh, but it also looks like something we haven't seen before, while still keeping that classic Disney look and feel. And the 3D did its job superbly as well. The 3D is meant to be subtle, so it would make sense that some wouldn't care for it that much. To people like me, however, I observed a great sense of depth of field in the several games, and all of them just popped on the screen. Other than a couple of pop out moments, the overall use of 3D is just used for depth of field in the games and on the characters, and to me it looked great. Even if one doesn't like the movie overall, they can at least say that the animation is great to look at. Since I hear people at the screening not care for the 3D a lot, the 3D will probably be a mixed bag.

The film was written by first time writer Jennifer Lee and Phil Johnston, who wrote the 2011 indie 'Cedar Rapids.' It's pretty easy to tell how big of video game and candy nerds these two are, because there are non-stop references from the 'Street Fighter' video games to Wonka's Laffy Taffy. Not only that, but the film overall is well-written. Sure there are childish jokes here and there, plus the film goes on the typical "dramatic end of second act" cliché, but the film is saved from how clever and funny some of the situations are, and a twist that I don't think anyone expected in the end. Hopefully these writers will get more work from Disney, because they really brought their game here.

It's tough to find movies for the entire family to see, rather movies that everyone in the family will enjoy. 'Ice Age: Continental Drift' might have been too childish for adults, and 'ParaNorman' might have been too frightening to younger viewers. 'Wreck-It Ralph' has something for everyone, whether it's a childish bathroom joke or the thrills of any video game you've ever played. The film is funny, well-written, heartfelt, and really intelligent. It might have the typical clichés that any kid’s movie has these days, but those criticisms can be dismissed because this movie, overall, rocks! Even the video game and candy brand references alone will make people chuckle quite a bit. Not everyone is going to love this film, but like 'Scott Pilgrim' this film will definitely gain a cult following in the future, which is so deserves. Overall, 'Wreck-It Ralph' is refreshing, fun, and my favorite animated movie of the year thus far.

REVIEW: Paperman 3D

SHORT
Paperman

RATING
G

RELEASE
November 2, 2012

DIRECTOR
John Kahrs

STUDIO
Walt Disney Animation Studios

RUNNING TIME
7 minutes









STARS
****









REVIEW:

Even the simplest of stories can have huge impacts on audiences. That was the case when the latest Disney short 'Paperman' was shown in front of my early screening of 'Wreck-It Ralph.' It basically tells the simple story of how a man is trying to get and win the affections of a woman whom he met at a train station. It would be easy to go further into detail, but that would spoil the true magic of this 7 minute treat. This short is able to tell a sweet and funny story without the use of any flashy colors or dialogue from anybody, just sounds from wind and cars and such. Plus, the idea to combine hand drawn animation and CGI animation was a fantastic idea since the short looks incredible. Overall, 'Paperman' is a nice treat to get when you go to see 'Wreck-It Ralph.' It's not as enchanting as some of Pixar's animated shorts, but this is still well deserving of some wreck-ognition among them. (that was a 'Wreck-It Ralph' pun if nobody got the joke)

REVIEW: Fun Size

MOVIE
Fun Size

CAST
Victoria Justice, Thomas Mann

RATING
PG-13

RELEASE
October 26, 2012

DIRECTOR
Josh Schwartz

STUDIO(S)
Paramount Pictures,
Nickelodeon Movies

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 30 minutes








STARS
***









REVIEW:

To be honest, I didn't care much for the trailer to the new Nickelodeon movie 'Fun Size' when it first came online. It wasn't funny, seemed very clichéd, and had a mechanical chicken humping a car. It comes as no surprise then that the film has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA. It does come as a surprise that Nickelodeon would advertise this movie to the same 6-10 year old kids who watch 'SpongeBob Squarepants' and whatever else is on the popular kid's channel these days constantly. Sure it has Victoria Justice in it, but this film seemed like something MTV would release.

The fact that Nick thought that this is a kid's movie is a really stupid move on their part, because this is not something 3rd graders should be seeing with their parents. Rather, this is a movie that teenagers should be seeing, had the film been advertised to them instead of young children. If teens do go see 'Fun Size' this weekend, then chances are they'll think the same thing I did: a fun comedy that starts off poorly but progressively becomes funnier and more touching than one would expect. 'Fun Size' is a fun time if you catch my drift.

Wren is the type of girl who is attractive, but not exactly hanging with the really popular kids at school. Her best friend April tries to be as sexy as possible so she can be with cooler kids. When Aaron Riley, the most popular guy at school, invites Wren to his Halloween party, it seems as if life's getting great. That is until Wren's mom forces her to take her younger and devious brother Albert trick-or-treating, which interferes with the big party. Things get crazy when Wren and April lose Albert, and several stories with these characters ensue, which all somehow are connected to one another.

Victoria Justice is a good actress overall. Having seen shows like 'Zoey 101' and 'Victorious,' I know she does have a nice charm and charisma on camera, along with having a good funny bone as well. Even when she tries to seduce someone in this film, Justice overall is a very likable character. Jane Levy of 'Suburgatory' fame has some funny moments as the popular driven April. Her best acting traits are in the hit ABC TV show that put her on the map, but she is a fun character to have in a movie like this, despite being annoying at times, and it seemed like she was having fun playing this jerk of a character. Even Chelsea Handler, who usually plays really annoying characters, was actually tolerable in this film. As the audience gets to know her in her own little subplot, they learn about why she does certain things in certain situations, despite the result being based around fart jokes and such. The ladies weren't as over the top as some of the guys were, but they did have their fair share of moments, and overall they were very enjoyable in the film.

Thomas Mann is probably most notable for the party movie of the 21st century, 'Project X,' which came out earlier in the year. Having not seen the raunchy phenomenon, I went into this with fresh eyes on this up and coming actor. Surprisingly enough, he's really likable in the film. Sure he plays a bit of a nerdy klutz, but his chemistry with Justice not only sells his performance, but also adds more to the film's heart. His Asian friend in the film, played by Osric Chau, is equally as funny, but mostly because he plays more on the sexual side of the field. He's also dressed up as a historical figure throughout the movie, which alone is a funny visual image.

The standout among the male actors is newcomer Jackson Nicoll as the silent but deadly young brother Albert. At first you'd think that he's going to be an annoying brat throughout the movie, but then he, like the rest of the film, becomes a legitimately funny presence throughout the movie. I honestly can't wait to see what this kid has next on his lineup, and hopefully he doesn't become like other child actors where they have one good role in a movie and nothing else after that. Adult male actors Josh Pence and Johnny Knoxville are also funny in the movie, which is nice to say since they practically play children in the movie. Even some of the characters bring heart into the movie, which was a true surprise to see in this type of film.

The only other experience screenwriter Max Werner has is on several episodes of 'The Colbert Report.' This is his first time writing a film screenplay, and surprisingly enough it's actually a good script. Like I said earlier, the first 15-20 minutes of the movie are horrendous, and were merely created just for the sake of being a part of the trailer. After that mark, the film all of the sudden actually starts to become funnier than one would expect. I was even laughing out loud a couple of times due to certain scenes. Then Werner takes this comedic script and adds a whole new layer of depth and heart to it that I really admire. It's great to see these types of films surprise you with a heart that feels real and genuine rather than forced and unnecessary. Max Werner definitely has something going, because this script, this film for the matter, totally threw me off guard when I started laughing and being touched.

'Fun Size' is more than just the basic teen comedy that people just throw out all over the place these days. Sure there are a good amount of bathroom and sex jokes here and there, but what makes the film work is how clever it can get with its comedic elements, along with how deep it can get in the third act. First time director Josh Schwartz’s only experience prior to making 'Fun Size' was in television shows. Those shows include 'The O.C.,' 'Gossip Girl,' and 'Chuck.' What's ironic about those shows is that this movie A.) doesn't go over the top on the teen drama and B.) doesn't go over the top on R rated material. This is a film that could have easily been rated R if there was more language and more unnecessary raunchy humor. Instead the director/writer team have crafted a sweet, well-acted, clichéd, but fun movie that will take 20 minutes to get to the goods. Why Nickelodeon is marketing this to little kids is beyond me, since this is a PG-13 movie, but hopefully teens will find this movie and actually check it out. If one is looking for a teen comedy that's toned down on raunchy and sexual material and fills genuine heart into those gaps, then 'Fun Size' is the movie to check out this Halloween.

FESTIVAL REVIEW: The Sessions

MOVIE
The Sessions

CAST
John Hawkes, Helen Hunt

RATING
R

RELEASE
October 19, 2012 (NY/LA)

DIRECTOR
Ben Lewin

STUDIO
Fox Searchlight Pictures

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 35 minutes







STARS
***1/2










REVIEW:

Everybody someday, somehow, will either have sex or have already had sex. It's an intimate and exhilarating experience to some, while it could be frightening and awkward for others. Imagine being paralyzed from the neck down and you want to lose your virginity before you die. That actually has happened before in the form of Mark O'Brian, a poet who got polio at age 6 and needs an iron lung to survive. At age 38 in the year 1988, Mark wanted to lose his virginity because he knew his time was coming to an end pretty soon. He hires a sex surrogate, a therapist who physically helps people achieve their sexual goals, to help him lose his v-card and experience women in the physical sense.

The real Mark O'Brian died in 1999 at age 49, and the entire story of this film is based on a true story. The director of the film Ben Lewin, a polio survivor himself, was inspired by the story to make a movie based on his time with the sex surrogate. That has become 'The Sessions,' the film that took Sundance by storm this past January and has since been getting a lot of Oscar buzz. Luckily, the Oscar buzz is well-deserved. This funny, poignant, and powerful dramady is sure to be one of the most memorable movies of 2012.

John Hawkes gives such an incredible performance as Mark O'Brian. Throughout the entire movie, Hawkes is constrained to a gurney, a bed, or an iron lung, which at first is a sad sight to see. As the audience gets to know Mark, they see him as a charming, funny, and innocent person rather than a paralyzed man confined to a bed. Hawkes' performance definitely deserves all the attention he's been getting, and hopefully he is nominated for this incredible role. Helen Hunt gives equally as bold of a performance as Cheryl, the sex surrogate who helps Mark on his journey into "manhood."

She bares all both physically and emotionally, while at the same time gives an incredible performance that deserves as much attention as Hawkes is getting. William H. Macy was really good in the movie, but he wasn't used a lot despite his big name. He had some funny moments in the film, always with Hawkes, whom which he had great chemistry with. Unfortunately Macy was underused in the film and the audience didn't really get to know him a lot outside of the church, aside from one scene. Every actor and actress is good in the film, but its Hawkes and Hunt who really stand out among the others, and rightfully deserve so.

Ben Lewin, despite having worked in film before, has made his breakout film in the form of 'The Sessions.' It's easy to tell how much passion he put into the making of this movie, and it clearly worked for him as he won the Audience Award (Dramatic) for the film and instantly got it picked up by Fox Searchlight. Like 'The Intouchables' and 'Moonrise Kingdom' before it, 'The Sessions' is a poignant, provocative, raunchy, and often funny movie that will touch the hearts of any who see it. This really was a bold project to take on for everyone involved due to its subject matter and the fact that this could have been a failure from the get go. Luckily the film stays fresh and consistent throughout, despite having some slow moments and an ending that didn't exactly make me feel satisfied. Still though, the performances and the script are just enough to give 'The Sessions' a high recommendation. This may be the best "talk" that teens can have with their parents, and the parents won't even have to do the talking!

REVIEW: Frankenweenie 3D

MOVIE
Frankenweenie

CAST
Charlie Tahan, Winona Ryder

RATING
PG

RELEASE
October 5, 2012

DIRECTOR
Tim Burton

STUDIO
Disney

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 27 minutes






STARS
****









REVIEW:

Tim Burton, according to some, has been losing his touch for a little while now. 'Alice in Wonderland' was hated upon, despite not being that bad of a film compared to other terrible book to film adaptations that have come out over the years. 'Dark Shadows' was just a movie that didn't know what it wanted to be, and because of that failed on many levels. Now comes Burton's personal project, entitled 'Frankenweenie.' This film was adapted from Burton's original 1984 short film in which a young boy brings his dead dog back to life. The film of course expands on what exactly happens to all of the characters in the film, but the basic plot is still the same.

Burton also decided to make this movie with stop-motion animation, which many will know is hard to make a movie with because it takes a long time to do so. Even people were just plain skeptic in what exactly Burton could pull off with this project. Luckily though, he pulls of a lot of things and succeeds at making such an interesting vision on the classic tale of 'Frankenstein.' 'Frankenweenie' is as beautiful as any animated movie that's come out this year, but it has so much heart, charm, and wit to make it a heartbreaking but great animated movie.

Tim Burton has a certain look whenever he makes films, animated or live action. His stop motion characters/worlds specifically have this distinct look where one could just tell that it's a Burton film. 'Frankenweenie' definitely retains that look and feel that we've been seeing for nearly three decades, but adds something new and refreshing that's kind of hard to describe. Every frame of animation, especially in black and white, (a creative decision on Burton's part) looks crisp and incredible. The 3D also helps it pop out and gives a sense of depth, unlike what was given in 'ParaNorman.' The film doesn't need to be seen in the extra dimension, but it does look really cool if you go that route.

The voice cast does a really good job at either sounding creepy or heartfelt. Charlie Tahan, who some may known from the 2010 drama 'Charlie St. Cloud,' does a great job at giving such a heartfelt vocal performance as Victor. I would have liked to have seen more of an emotional punch when Sparky (the dog) dies in the film given by Tahan, but the vocal work was great and a lot less annoying than 'St. Cloud.' It seems like Winona Ryder only gives subtle and interesting performances in Burton movies, because in practically everything else, she plays kind of a bitch. I liked how she didn't exploit her voice and didn't make it such a flashy performance. The over the top voice performances, including the likes of Martin Landau and Martin Short, were all great, but it was a nice touch to see Ryder in a role where the audience doesn’t hate her. Overall, the film possesses really strong vocal work from all, with no weak spots to be found at all.

The writers of the film clearly knew what they were doing with this film. They didn't go over the top with frightening moments, (other than one jump scare) it made the death of Sparky the dog subtle enough for kids to understand and not be afraid, and managed to keep a sweet story appropriate for kids over the age of 7. Tim Burton has crafted a sweet, funny, intriguing, and pleasant Halloween movie perfect for the little horror fans to be. It's darker and more intense than 'Hotel Transylvania,' so this might not be the best film for little ones. If a kid is at the right age, though, this is a great introduction into the world of Tim Burton, as well as a scarier introduction into horror than 'Transylvania' is. This film also has the capability to make those who have or had a pet in their lives cry, so tissues to animal lovers are highly recommended. 'Frankenweenie' is Tim Burton's best and most fascinating film since 2004's 'Big Fish.'



PREVIEWS YOU MAY SEE:

Dino Time

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Despicable Me 2

The Smurfs 2

Oz: The Great and the Powerful

The Croods

Wreck-It Ralph

REVIEW: Hotel Transylvania 3D

MOVIE
Hotel Transylvania

CAST
Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg

RATING
PG

RELEASE
September 28, 2012

DIRECTOR
Genndy Tartakovsky

STUDIO(S)
Columbia Pictures,
Sony Pictures Animation

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 31 minutes






STARS
***1/2








REVIEW:

It's strange that Adam Sandler can be a driving turnoff to films, even if they're animated. Personally, I wasn't looking forward to 'Hotel Transylvania' all that much because it just seemed like it was another "Adam Sandler & Friends" movie, only this time about monsters staying at a hotel. However there was some hope to be had, as the first time director of this film, Genndy Tartakovsky, has created three of Cartoon Network's best television shows: 'The Powerpuff Girls,' 'Dexter's Laboratory,' and 'Samurai Jack.' While it did have the kids jokes flying non-stop, this movie surprised the hell out of me. It was consistently funny, extremely heartfelt, and has some of the best animation in a film all year. ‘Hotel Transylvania’ is the perfect modern Halloween movie for families everywhere, plus it’s a great introduction to famous horror monsters in a non-frightening way to little children.

Dracula swore after his wife died that he would take care of his young daughter named Mavis. It is now her 118th birthday and Mavis wants to see the world and live in paradise. Things don’t go according to her plan as Dracula convinces her that humans are evil creatures who want to kill vampires. Luckily Dracula and the residents of Hotel Transylvania are planning a big birthday celebration for her monumental day. However Dracula in his selfishness accidentally lets a human named Jonathan stumble upon the hotel that’s been human free for over a century. The lives of Dracula, Mavis, and Jonathan won’t ever be the same after this birthday event.

As surprising as this may sound, Adam Sandler really delivered as the voice of Dracula. Not only did he nail the voice nearly perfectly, but he also added a Sandler charm that we haven’t seen before in his PG rated movies. It could be because he isn’t dressed as a woman possessing the voice of possibly the most annoying woman on the face of the earth, like in ‘Jack & Jill.’ Either way, Sandler needs to be in more animated roles so he can stretch his voices out and make them more interesting and less annoying. Seriously, someone needs to fire his agent, because Sandler is in a lot of crap these days, in case you haven’t noticed. Lucky for the filmmakers behind this movie, because all of the celebrity voices shine in their own way.

Andy Samberg decided to leave the hit show ‘Saturday Night Live’ in order to pursue a movie career. After the slapstick comedy ‘That’s My Boy’ and the indie drama ‘Celeste and Jesse Forever’ flopped at the box office, this was his last chance to be in a big money maker at the box office. Luckily Samberg is kind of a cartoon already, so his voice fit greatly in the film as well. He’s not as crazy and fun of a character as his character in ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,’ but he’s still a fun character.  Selena Gomez also shines as the voice of Mavis, where she brings a sort of charm and spunkiness to her character, and I really liked seeing that. Even the voices of the monsters, which ranged from Kevin James as Frankenstein, to Cee-Lo Green as The Mummy, all having a shining moment in the movie. Yes, even one of those involves a fart gag, but it’s a PG kid’s movie so it can be forgiven by everything else.

Since the director of the film had prior experience with cartoons, it comes as no surprise to say that the animation in 'Hotel Transylvania' is nothing short of stellar. Even in 3D, the animation is a true feast to the eyes, and it looked so damn beautiful. It just had such a distinct look to it, where you could tell it was both Sony Animation and a design from the director of the movie, which, if you stay during the credits, are treated to great hand drawn animation by Tartakovsky himself. Even if you don't enjoy the film, you can't deny that the animation and the 3D were really taken care of. As a director, Tartakovsky really knows how to handle certain situations and direct things in such a matter where, while mostly played to make kids laugh, many of the visual jokes work well. I would love to see this guy do more animated films, because he surely does have a knack for good animated projects.

Halloween is the time of year where kids dress up as their favorite characters, and most of them are modern icons. 'Hotel Transylvania' is the type of film that you'd want your kids to watch so, not only will they learn more about classic movie monsters, but will also make them want to be Dracula or Frankenstein. The film also happens to be sweet, funny, and a visual treat. While the script goes for the usual kid film clichés often, that is saved from the delivery of certain jokes and the spectacular voice work by everyone, especially Adam Sandler.  Gosh, never thought I'd say that about Sandler in my life. If the family is looking for a fun Halloween movie to take the kids to, and think that 'Frankenweenie' looks too creepy for the young ones, then you might want to book a room into the enjoyable 'Hotel Transylvania.'



PREVIEWS YOU MAY SEE:

Here Comes The Boom

Rise of the Guardians

IMAX: To The Arctic

Wreck-It Ralph

The Smurfs 2

Life of Pi

REVIEW: Here Comes The Boom

MOVIE
Here Comes The Boom

CAST
Kevin James, Salma Hayek

RATING
PG

RELEASE
October 12, 2012

DIRECTOR
Frank Coraci

STUDIO
Columbia Pictures

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 45 minutes






STARS
***










REVIEW:

It's not every day that Adam Sandler's production company Happy Madison churns out something good. Even though the trailers for the latest Kevin James comedy 'Here Comes The Boom' don't mention it, Adam Sandler and his Happy Madison crew are involved with this project. As crazy as this may sound though, this isn't an atrocious slapstick comedy like all of Sandler's films of the past several year. Hell, it's possible that Sandler just put his name on this to support his friends and did nothing else, since he is only the Executive Producer.  Kevin James, who also co-wrote the film, clearly knew that this wasn't a straight forward comedy and had a lot more heart than what to expect from a Kevin James film. The film is funny, don't get me wrong, but the heart and the fighting scenes in this movie are much stronger than what will make the audience laugh. 'Here Comes The Boom' was a true surprise, being funny, touching, and something people will and should cheer for.

42 year old Scott Voss used to be one of the most celebrated used to be one of the most celebrated teachers in the country, which included winning "Teacher of the year" at one point in time. It's been a decade since he's had that fame and fortune, and now he's busy not inspiring his students, getting other teachers to do work assigned to him, and so on. When the school's art program is about to be cut and one of his dear colleagues is about to lose his job, Scott takes a stand and says that they should raise the $48,000 budget themselves. Everyone thinks that Scott has gone nuts when he takes extra jobs at the school which only pay approx. $150 a session. However Scott then comes up with the craziest and most miraculous idea that has the potential to embarrass the school and lose their reputation even more: Scott will train and fight in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) tournaments and get into the finals where he has the chance to get a $50,000 prize, but only if he wins, which by judging his current state is nearly impossible.

A performance that I didn't expect a lot out of but somewhat enjoyed in this film was actually Kevin James. Normally with one of his films, he's just there to be an awkward fat man who falls over and gets hurt a lot. In this film, he plays a slacking teacher whose only entertainment in life is hitting on a co-worker, played by Salma Hayek. It was interesting seeing James in such a different role than all of his previous movies, and he was somehow really likable most of the time. He also did all of his stunts in this movie, which required him to lose some weight. I give props to James for devoting himself to this role and this film because not a lot of comedians to things like this nowadays. This must have been a personal project or something because the film isn't played for belly laughs or tons of sentimental heart.

Henry Winkler undeniably steals the show as Marty, the music teacher who may be losing his job. It is clear from the beginning of the film that Winkler is the closest thing to a friend that James has in the film, and the performance shows how loyal he is to him. As a music teacher, Marty has tons of experience with all of the musical classics, so it's pretty funny when his musical "expertise" is required for one particular scene. Even the final speech that Winkler makes to James in the climax of the film is surprisingly well-acted. Props are sent to the Fonz for giving an interesting performance in this type of movie. Salma Hayek plays the love interest/fellow teacher of James, and she is good for what she's given. Not much more is needed to be said there. Everyone else in the film, including pop sensation Charice (yes, she does sing in the film) and retired mixed martial artist Bas Rutten, are all good in the movie, and that's really all that can be said about that.

The film has its flaws by all means. It's predictable, generic, and brings nothing really new to the table. Thanks to the performances, surprisingly well-written script, and heart that's present in here though, 'Here Comes The Boom' turned out to be a satisfying fall treat, and the perfect starring vehicle for one Kevin James. The wrestling sequences in the film (the serious ones) are nothing short of spectacular, and James is a character who people will stand up and cheer for in the end, even though everyone in the theater will know what will be the overall outcome in the end. It has its moments of blood and intensity for younger viewers, but this is, without a doubt, a family movie that will make money. This time however, the money is well deserved. I raise my glass to Executive Producer Adam Sandler for giving full control of this film to his friends rather than butting in himself.  That really made a difference, and I'm still shocked by that.

REWIND REVIEW: The Grey

MOVIE
The Grey

CAST
Liam Nesson, Frank Grillo

RATING
R

RELEASE
January 27, 2012

DIRECTOR
Joe Carnahan

STUDIO
Open Road Films

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 57 minutes








STARS
****










REVIEW:

Have Oscar contenders ever been released in January before? I'm dead serious about this one. 'The Grey' got critical acclaim and did well at the box office when it was first released back in late January. There was even some Oscar talk about Liam Nesson's performance in the film, which was being praised by anyone who saw the film. Since then, not much has been discussed about this movie by anyone other than a few friends of mine. Wanting to see it myself, I finally got it at Redbox and put it in my laptop to watch. Two hours later, my jaw was dropped. My mind had been blown. This movie is something that shouldn't be missed, whether seeing it on the big screen or not.

After a horrific plane crash in the middle of nowhere occurs, eight men come out of the wreckage cold and desperate for survival. One of the men is a skilled shooter with a mysterious past. Ranking himself as the leader of the survivors, the man uses his skills to help the remaining men find shelter and get to safety from potential danger in this part of the world. It turns out that there is indeed danger in this frozen barren in the form of carnivorous wolves, and they are hungry. Picking off the men one by one, the men have to fend for themselves and stay alive for as long as they can before they suffer a gruesome and terrifying death.

Liam Nesson gives one hell of a fantastic performance. His character goes through some terrible and gruesome stuff, so much so that at one point he starts to defy his religious beliefs. There are some moments in this movie where his character brought tears to my eyes, which rarely ever happens in movies in general. Nesson deserves at least an Oscar nomination for this film, but unfortunately that might not happen due to how early in the year this came out. The rest of the cast were all good, but none delivered like how Nesson delivers in this film. This man deserves much more than being the modern aging badass.

The screenplay was co-written by the film's director, Joe Carnahan, along with the author of the short story for which the movie is based on, Ian MacKenzie Jeffers. Carnahan's previous films include the underrated 'The A-Team' and 'Smokin' Aces.' Having only seen 'The A-Team' prior to seeing this, I was a little skeptical on how serious this film would actually take itself. Surprisingly enough, this film is really dramatic and really deep at times. In fact it was so deep that it nearly brought me to tears within the final 20 minutes of the film. Carnahan and Jeffers wrote an absolutely brilliantly written script and created such a dark and realistic atmosphere in this movie and deserve all of the love they've been given since January.

'The Grey' isn't like any other movie to come out this year. This is more of an incredible perspective on the life of a man who is starting to reconsider his beliefs in religion when his plane crashes and he is one of seven survivors who have to save themselves by fighting off a pack of vicious wolves. Liam Nesson gives on of the best, if not THE best performance of the year. The story and script are so deep and emotional that it nearly brought me to tears. Sure the wolves look kind of fake and some of the characters can get a little bit annoying for a brief period of time, but those are really tiny problems that don't affect the quality of the movie whatsoever. This tremendous experience is without a doubt one of the year's most exhilarating movies, and one of the year's best in general.

REVIEW: Looper

MOVIE
Looper

CAST
Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

RATING
R

RELEASE
September 28, 2012

DIRECTOR
Rian Johnson

STUDIO(S)
TriStar Pictures, (Sony)
FilmDistrict

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 58 minutes







STARS
****











REVIEW:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt might be having the best year of his career so far. First he's in 'The Dark Knight Rises,' and then he went for a cheesier but fun role in 'Premium Rush.' Now he's in a new sci-fi movie called 'Looper,' co-starring British babe Emily Blunt and action star Bruce Willis. In a world where sci-fi movies don't have much originality anymore, 'Looper' stands completely on its own as an original movie. Sure many have seen a bunch of movies about time traveling, but this one takes us out of the machine and asks the audience "If one could meet their future self, would they try to change their future?" 'Looper' is smart, gritty, original, and flat out brilliant.

In the future, time travel has been invented, but it has been declared illegal by the government. Criminals in secrecy still use time travel, though, to get rid of people whom they want to be assassinated Instead of killing them in the future, the criminals send the person, tied up and their face covered, back 30 years where a hired assassin called a "looper" is there with a gun ready to shoot them down. Loopers live good lives, partying, taking drugs, etc. on a daily basis. However, what happens when Joe, one of the best loopers in the business, has to kill someone who may have the key to changing the future once and for all, for better or worse: himself?

Rian Johnson has been a name that's been floating in the underrated crowd of Hollywood directors. He's directed two episodes of the hit show 'Breaking Bad,' as well as two smaller movies called 'The Brothers Bloom' and 'Brick,' the latter starring Gordon-Levitt when he was still an up and comer. It's very easy to see that Johnson has a true visionary's eye, because it shows that he clearly knew the film he wanted to make. The film is very well directed throughout, with the film feeling and looking stylish, retro, and really cool. It's also really well written, with tons of smart ideas being thrown at the audience throughout, some unexpected twists and turns, and some really sharp and clever dialogue at times. I can only hope that people actually consider nominating the script for some awards. It is without a doubt one of the most original screenplays I've seen come to life all year.

Johnson had stated before that the role of the younger version of the main character Joe was always written with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in mind. However when they got Bruce Willis to do the film, they had to add special prosthetic pieces to his face in order to make Gordon-Levitt look like a young Willis. Sure enough, the makeup department pulled it out of the park with that. JGL looks nearly unrecognizable as the 'Die Hard' star, which adds to the realism of this futuristic world. Plus, the visuals in this film, as subtle as they are, look phenomenal and seem like they wouldn't be a part of a $30 million budget film. The makeup department deserves some serious recognition for the work they did on Gordon-Levitt. As for the cast in the film, in short, they blew it out of the park.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance in 'Looper' may possibly be his best mainstream performance thus far, since '50/50' and '(500) Days of Summer' were all independent/small films. Not only does he perfect every gesture and facial feature of Bruce Willis, but he also just plain and simple gives a damn good performance. There are so many layers to the young version of Joe, and the audience sees the pain and frustration in this character, which affect the choices he makes throughout the film. It's also interesting to see the older version of Joe, played superbly by Bruce Willis, going through other types of emotional pain and having a different motive than his younger self. The actors might be playing the same character, but both versions of Joe are so different from each other, which makes it more interesting for the audience to choose sides during the middle part of the film. Both Willis and Gordon-Levitt give fantastic, complex, and bad-ass performances that people will most definitely be talking about for a while.

Emily Blunt plays Sara, a southern woman with a young child and a past filled with secrets. If somebody had not seen a movie with Emily Blunt in it before, like 'The Adjustment Bureau' for example, they might be incredibly surprised to find out after seeing the film that she is, in fact, an English actress. Not only is her performance great in the film, but Blunt's southern accent is astounding and incredible. There wasn't a single slip of her real accent at all during the film, and that alone was really impressive. Not only that, but Blunt looks gorgeous as always in the film, despite looking like "trailer trash." This is an actress who might not be known much to Americans, but pretty soon she should get more roles in films that let her explore more complex characters and find new acting tricks. Willis and Gordon-Levitt might have impressed, but Blunt deserves just as much praise as them.

There is also the son of Blunt's character, played by newcomer Pierce Gagnon, who gives one hell of a fantastic performance, which could be compared to Haley Joel Osment's astounding performance in 'The Sixth Sense.' It’s kind of funny how that coincidentally stars Bruce Willis as well. Even the supporting cast, which includes Paul Dano and Jeff Daniels, are all great for the smaller parts they're given. It's the main three leads of the movie, though, that give the "out of the park" performances.

At first glance, 'Looper' may look like another time travel movie with an interesting twist. The movie is exactly that, but it is also much more than that on so many levels. Not only is this a well-acted and visually astounding film, but it also is well-written and explores so many creative and original ideas that not many movies have had the guts to show before. This is one of those movies that deserves some serious awards recognition, but chances are that it will be snubbed. It's possible to even say that 'Looper' is this year's 'Drive,' meaning that it gets a lot of critical and audience love, but gets snubbed at the Oscars and even the Golden Globes. If you are a sci-fi, or even just a movie buff, this is a must see movie that is definitely worth seeing on the big screen. 'Looper' is one of the year's most compelling and exhilarating films, plain and simple.




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