Sunday, March 25, 2012

21 Jump Street (*** out of ****)

This early in the year and I'm sure we're looking at one of the best comedies 2012 will offer. I personally love getting ti now. 21 Jump Street is hilarious...that's really it. A typical comedy should make you laugh and leave you entertained. This film does that gloriously. When rating the film compared to other comedies a nice strong 3/4 stars seems just right.

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are opposite style police offers who join a unit that infiltrates high schools with young looking officers. In their first assignment they must find a dealer that is distributing a powerful new drug. Dave Franco, Brie Larson and Ice Cube round up a truly funny supporting cast.

What I really want to talk about with this film is that it never takes itself seriously. Yes, most comedies do that. However 21 Jump Street clearly knows where action movies and comedies get wound up in creating drama that you know will be resolved eventually. Here is a film that makes jokes on these plot structures. Whether it be a joke referring to remakes being stupid (this is based on TV show if you didn't know), the logistics/expectations of explosions or that Channing Tatum looks far too old to be a high schooler the film aims for big laughs and succeeds If you're looking for just good old and uproarious fun well then look no further.

*** out of ****

The Hunger Games (*** out of ****)

A truly entertaining blockbuster normally contains elements of action, romance, strong characters, suspense, deep lore and perhaps above all else a sense of personal adventure. The Hunger Games works so well because it can properly utilizes each individually. People rewatch films, reread books and play through old video games because in some ways it's like visiting old friends. It's like sitting down with people you haven't spoke to in a while and even if the world and your life changes, they'll always be the same people that will never leave our hearts. The characters and story in this film are special in the way they engage the mind and take us on a roller coster of emotions. The Hunger Games is worth diving in head first with out any regrets.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) lives in District 12, an outlying settlement in service of an advanced capital city. To control the districts after a failed revolt, the capitol created "The Hunger Games". It is a brutal competition where 24 tributes (two form each district) are collected to fight to the death until one emerges victorious (however haunting that victory is). All of which is televised throughout the country However instead of strong and grounded adults, the competition calls for the tributes to be through the ages of 12-18. Katniss volunteers for "The Games" to save her sister and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) is selected as well. Off to the capitol they reluctantly go.

The districts are ruled in dystopian society. The capital is a ... interesting place. The districts are bland and mostly colorless but in the capitol everything is as flamboyant as possible. Class differences in films often deal with the manner in how everyone is dressed, The Hunger Games has taken that theory to a wondrous extreme. The capitol brings with it interesting and diverse personalities. Effrie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) is  Kabuki like guide who shows Peeta and Katniss where to go and what to do. She believe treating these commoners to lavish areas is worth the price of being a tribute. Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) acts as a mentor since he has actually won in the past. He drinks heavily, some it must be due to the guilt that he lived when so many others died. The rest of the reason to drink must come from guiding these young souls only to likely lead them to a horrible death. The tributes must collect sponsors (who will provide gifts in "The Games"), Cinna (Lenny Kravitz) acts a stylist to make Katniss and Peeta stand out in everyway possible. Standing out also means being interviewed by the king of flamboyant Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci). The competition is run by Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley) with a beard that The Devil might even where. All of these people operate under an iron gaze from President Snow (Donald Sutherland). The reason for listing most of these characters (There's Gale played Liam Hemsowrth too but he's all too vacant in this first installment)  is the story would seem empty without them. They collectively work to make a strong story all the better. 

"The Games" of course are brutal, violent, and probably to many viewers bought to watch. This all under a PG-13 rating. Let's be honest the film could work better with less restrictions. A bit more violence could have really driven home the message of the terror this competition is, but the point is still decently made and doesn't really need an R rating. Gary Ross the director knows what he's doing with creating a story, but it feels the action is lost on him a tad. A rather shaky camera makes it hard to follow certain scenes, not enough to the point of being absolute confusion, but distracting none the less. There is some romance between Katniss and Peeta, storyline wise it has great potential but it feels a tad lost on the film. (Spoilers Coming) If there is a romance fine, the film does well there. However there is themes in the story to make seem as these "star crossed lovers" actually play some of their own games with each other. This romance will attract sponsors, so why not play the angle? The question is where one ends and the other begins. In the film however the romance strand is much longer and dwarfs that of sponsor. Maybe that theory is just personal and shouldn't be reflected on the film.

The Hunger Games can bring audiences of all ages. The target market of the books was for young adults but the dystopian, sci-fi and philosophy will attract many who heard rumors of another love triangle and will now line up for the film instead of running way. Jennifer Lawrence really is the perfect actress right now. She can command a strong willed character in a blockbuster or indie film (Winter's Bone). You can even see her range in films such as Like Crazy and The Beaver. She easily commands the screen and is the film's biggest asset. The Hunger Games will have you shy away but wanting more at the same time.

*** out of ****
Two Notes: 1.) The three stars means this is a very good movie but could improve. I was very tempted to give it ***1/2 out of ****. It certainly was good enough in some areas, but I just couldn't in the end. So don't take the stars here too seriously, just know it has a big stamp of approval no matter what.
2.) Yes I've seen Battle Royal, The Truman Show, The Running Man. The Hunger Games has elements of all but there's a lot of talk that this is a rip off. Look just cause the last craze was Twilight and both films have two young males going after the same girl doesn't mean their the same. Let's judge The Hunger Games based on basic story structures and not other films.


Saturday, March 10, 2012

Silent House (*** out of ****)

Horror films need something special to work now a days. Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project worked for so many (personally not me) because it used a technique (hand held camera) to create a sense of realism. Recent films such as Insidious and Don't Be Afraid of The Dark used imagination to draw in audiences to their tales of woe. So why not try a bit of both? In comes english remake Silent House a film that succeeds in a bold attempt at filmmaking.

Silent House takes place in real time for 88 minutes. What's even better is that the film is done in one single shot. So the film in a sense is a startling play. No quick cuts nor any jumping to other perspectives. The camera is a fly on the wall in this grueling tale. Sarah (Elizabeth Olsen) is helping her father and uncle fix up a run down lake house. However when Sarah says she hears somebody walking around up stairs, shit hits the figurative fan. Elizabeth Olsen is a blessing for this film. Only two films I've seen with her in them and both times she tears the walls down. Here she creates the right amount of hysteria without it ever seeming fake. Great stuff there. The ending I'm sure will divide some but don't let that stop you from trying something new. In terms of scares I wouldn't say it is phenomenal but one particular scene I personally heard the loudest gasps/screams in a theater to date. Silent House does something fresh and success tremendously.

*** out of ****

John Carter (**1/2 out of ****)

"A Princess of Mars" was written by Edgar Rice Burroughs nearly 100 years ago. The book inspired sci-fi and fantasy franchises from Star Wars to Avatar to Flash Gordon. In some ways it was the birthplace of elements both genres would later immortalized as classic story telling. It is a interesting tale, but making the film now might have been a mistake. We've seen it before and just because this story was first, doesn't erase our memories.

John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) fought for Virginia in the Civil War and is quite the leading character. It's lucky they got Taylor Kitsch for the role, his eyes seem to speak for his soul. Carter has had a hard life and it gets harder on Mars. Describing how he got there isn't the point but what he does there. Carter's body isn't use to Mars's gravity and allows for him to jump unimaginable distances and pack a powerful punch. Carter gets involved in a war between the city states of  Helium and Zodanga (yes the names only et more confusing) as well as a tribe of twelve foot tall green martians. John Carter involves some fun action scenes, impressive visuals and interesting characters. However it's lack of emotion and too much familiarity brings the film back down. Waiting for the visual effects to be this glorious wasn't  abad thing, too bad people have been taking from the story so as to leave John Carter as a run of the mill blockbuster when it could have been more.

**1/2 out of ****

Act of Valor (*1/2 out of ****)

I feel it's obligatory to start this review with saying that Navy Seals are heroes. That's a genuine idea I have and really the entire general public too. It's however not a nice way to honor them with such a terrible film.
The film stars active duty Navy Seals who are just as uncomfortable in front of the camera as an actor would be in a firefight. These soldiers must stop a ploy by a terrorist organization that plans to work with a drug cartel to smuggle suicide bombers across the border. Maybe I'm being a cynic but that plot just just screams stupidity. It's like they took everything the government fears and threw it together in a crude movie. That silly plot actually eats up about an hour and fifteen minutes of the film. For a movie that is about Navy Seals in combat, they sure did include as many cliche plot points as possible. Act of Valor is not so much a film as it is a very long infomercial. It's just as tedious of a film as that idea sounds.

*1/2 out of ****
Act of Valor Camouflage - H 2012

Wanderlust (**1/2 out of ****)

Paul Rudd's charm is almost a curse. He's so damn likable that any movie he's in increases it's enjoyability tenfold. However even a movie that isn't particularly moving, good, or memorable gains elements of those qualities simply by having Paul Rudd grace the film with his presence. Normally I'd say I'm exaggerating the actor greatly (for example I believe any film with Peter Sarsgaard can't be that bad) but even the general public who views Paul Rudd movies seems to think this way. Paul Rudd makes Wanderlust worth your time but not something to run out and see immediately.

George (Paul Rudd) and Linda (Jennifer Aniston) are typical classy New Yorkers but after some bad financial problems are forced to leave their beloved city. After plans with working for George's brother (Ken Marino) fall through they end up deciding to give a welcoming commune a try. It's like a cult but instead is just friendly and carefree hippies. Wanderlust has some laughs (one giant continuos one involving Paul Rudd and dirty talk) and never gets too serious for it's own good. It's fun for awhile but need does it feel enriching watching the film. Here's your standard Paul Rudd comedy of the year and it's actually not half bad.

PS: Bonus points for a big screen "Stella" reunion

**1/2 out of ****