Home

Advertisement

Customize
Feb. 5th, 2010 @ 12:08 am Netflix Blog: "Eraser" 1996
"Eraser" (1996)
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vanessa Williams, James Caan
Directed by Chuck Russell

"Eraser" is one of a handful of middling, straight-forward action pictures that the former king of box office mayhem stumbled through the decade with. Schwarzenegger plays John Kruger, an "eraser" for the US Marshalls who helps put witnesses into protective custody. Vanessa Williams is Lee Cullen, an employee of a defense contractor who discovers that her company may be selling advanced weapons on the black market. Kruger is tasked with protecting her, and must contend not only with enemies from the company, but from within the government that want to make sure Lee never testifies.

The problem with "Eraser" is that despite it's somewhat inspired premise, no use is ever made of it. Schwarzenegger's John Kruger is just a watered-down version of the super soldiers he was playing all through the 1980s, and we never really get to see him 'erase' anyone aside from the opening sequence, and a brief scene involving altering computer records. Everything here is by-the-numbers, mid-90s action picture. The plot beats are predictable, and while the action is well-staged, Chuck Russell directs with no real style.

Vanessa Williams' character is completely useless, too. She's supposed to be a witness, and her life is in danger because of what she knows. The problem here is that she doesn't actually know anything - all the information is on a computer disc she keeps in her purse. Her character could die at any point in the picture and have no real significance to the plot. So one could assume that she's just there to look pretty, but this is problematic too since aside form a sharp business number in her first scenes, Williams spends the entire movie in loose-fitting jeans and plaid shirts (plaid shirts!!).

So "Eraser" gets by really on the strength of its action sequences, which are, admittedly, well-done. It's just too bad the writers and director couldn't figure out a way to make the whole thing more unique or interesting, given what they have to work with. The visual effects hold up fairly well, since they're used sparingly. The CGI alligators (or crocs, I can never tell) are easily the worst in the film, and even those don't look overly terrible. In fact, they look better than a lot of the junk you'll see in some movies today.

In the end, "Eraser" is a fairly enjoyable diversion. But it's also definitely a missed opportunity.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 30th, 2009 @ 02:03 am "The Girlfriend Experience"
"The Girlfriend Experience" (2009)
Starring: Sasha Grey, Chris Santos
Written By: David Levien and Brian Koppelman
Directed By: Steven Soderbergh

Steven Soderbergh is an interesting director. While many directors are comfortable in the Hollywood system, and staying within the familiar boundaries it employs, Soderberg seems to use his big, commercial hits to bankroll smaller, personal art films. "The Girlfriend Experience" is one of those films, coming not too long after "Ocean's Thirteen" and the biopic, "Che".

The film centers on "Chelsea", a high-end escort in Manhattan in the latter part of 2008, before the presidential election. Chelsea isn't any old hooker. Instead, she focuses on giving her clients more than just sex; she listens to them talk, goes out to dinner and movies with them. She pretends to be their significant other for the day, and she's paid well for her efforts. When she's not at work, "Chelsea" is actually Christine, and lives with her boyfriend, Chris, a personal trainer.

The shadow of economic crisis looms large over "The Girlfriend Experience". When it's not being outright discussed by the characters, it's often not far from the film's lens. Many of Chelsea's clients complain that they're not making what they used to, and the stresses they're under become a weight upon Chelsea's shoulders as they pay her to help relieve. Chelsea and Chris both feel the strain themselves: some of Chelsea's clients don't book their next appointments right away as they usually do, and Chris finds himself in the same situation at the gym, trying to sell larger personal training packages to members.

"The Girlfriend Experience" is an intriguing film experiment. There's no plot to speak of, though there is a non-linear progression that one might loosely call a 'story'. Chelsea is played by bonafide porn actress Sasha Grey, and she shows some potential. There are times when she gives off a very natural presence, a few lines here or there she sounds comfortable enough to deliver. But most of the time, Grey seems a little in over her head, and a couple of times, just too restrained and wooden.

The problems are really that the film has very little for the viewer to grasp onto. The color palette is cold, the performances, though somewhat natural, lack energy, there is very little music. Many scenes are voices over a montage of images. Viewers will spend much of the film looking at Chelsea's face as she looks at buildings or foliage out a car window. Shot composition is oppressive, with characters often crammed into small spaces to represent them being imprisoned by circumstances. Thankfully, "The Girlfriend Experience" is quite short, running a mere 77 minutes, but it feels much longer since it has such a slow pace.

While "The Girlfriend Experience" is an intriguing experiment, it's hard to call it a successful one. Though there are some good images and overall thematic relevance, the whole thing just feels limp.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 30th, 2009 @ 01:35 am Netflix Blog: "Thunderbolt" (1995)
"Thunderbolt" (aka "Pik lek feng")
Starring: Jackie Chan, Anita Yuen, Thorsten Nickel
Written By: Hing-Ka Chan and Gordon Chan
Directed By: Gordon Chan

Jackie Chan plays mild-mannered mechanic Chan Foh To in this mid-90s actioner. Foh's family-owned garage assists the police in determining whether impounded vehicles have been modified illegally. One night during a bust, Foh chases after an escaping street racer named Couger (Nickel), which ends in Cougar being apprehended by the Hong Kong police. Cougar is more powerful than Foh or the police realize, however, and his escape is soon staged in a bloody massacre. Now free, Cougar kidnaps Foh's two younger sisters with a challenge: beat Cougar in a race to save their lives.

The plot here is simple, merely an excuse to stage several elaborate action sequences that are just incredible to behold. The film's fight sequences are expertly crafted and thrilling to watch. Jackie Chan once again proves himself a master at various acrobatic stunts as well as martial arts. A fight early on in the family garage between Foh and several of Cougar's thugs is breathless and inventive.

Also impressive are the racing sequences. There's plenty of vehicular carnage in the climactic race, but the real standout is the night-time chase between Foh and Cougar. While 'The Fast and the Furious' may have its slick production values and computer-generated wizardry, this chase in 'Thunderbolt' is more satisfying for lacking special effects and being done practically. Sure, there are various editing tricks employed to heighten the action and fool the viewer, but they're more natural and impressive because they still involve real cars.

While the action sequences are thrilling, the problem with 'Thunderbolt' is in its character development. Firstly, female characters are underwhelming. A love-struck journalist played by Anita Yuen is obnoxious in her incompetence and immaturity. Foh's sisters are presented as over-eager tweens, and though its obvious that they're a close-knit family, it's hard to care about either of these annoyances as characters. Beyond that, none of the characters are given any real development. Even Foh himself is relatively unchanged at the end of the feature; he's merely angrier and can drive better. Even the villain, Cougar, isn't much of a character behind being an Evil Person who says lots of angry things at people.

The plot doesn't make a terrific amount of sense. Cougar is supposed to be some kind of internationally wanted criminal, but he manages to bust out of prison and then spend lots of time walking around in public in Hong Kong and then enter a professional race in Japan (with sponsors painted on his car and everything). The police characters introduced at the beginning disappear halfway through the film and are never seen again, even after vowing to help Foh.

Still, it's hard to deny that 'Thunderbolt' is an impressive bit of filmmaking. Chan is in top form, and all the fights and chases are well shot and choreographed. It's a lot of fun watching all this mayhem go down, even if the plot and characterization are weak.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 25th, 2009 @ 11:49 pm (no subject)
Thanksgiving always makes me think about football in Klock Park.
About this Entry
1 comment
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 23rd, 2009 @ 12:31 pm Netflix Blog: "Assassins" (1995)
Tags: ,
"Assassins" (1995)
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, Julianne Moore
Written by: Larry and Andy Wachowski
Directed by: Richard Donner

Robert Rath (Stallone) is the best hit man in the world, but his time is coming to an end. Weary of the job, and the iffy morality it carries, Robert agrees to take one contract from his employer. When he goes to assassinate a political witness that's been hidden in secret for ten years, another assassin shows up to steal the contract from him. Infuriated and intrigued, Robert manages to track down Miguel Bain (Banderas), a young assassin only too eager to step up and take Rath's place as "number one".

Realizing he's being set up to fall, Rath agrees to another contract with a large payout, hoping to use the money to disappear. When the mark turns out to be a young woman in possession of a top-secret floppy disk (yep, that's right), Rath's morals get in the way and he and "Elektra" (Moore) are on the run from Bain.

"Assassins" is a middle of the road effort from pretty much everyone involved. Banderas overplays Bain's youthful energy as an almost careless insanity. Instead of coming off as an intelligent, cold-hearted but eager killer, he instead comes off as just a surprisingly talented whack-job. Stallone on the other hand, puts little energy into his role, which would suit the world-weary nature of his character if only it came off as tired instead of bored. Moore is probably the only one who seems to have hit the mark on her character. The only problems with Elektra actually stem from the script itself, rather than Moore's easy, natural performance.

Richard Donner directs with a steady hand, but doesn't quite manage to overcome the mediocre script. Responsible for classics like "Superman" and "Lethal Weapon," it's too bad that "Assassins" was actually the start of a downward trend in the man's career. Written by Larry and Andy Wachowski, who would hit it big four years later with "The Matrix", here they're showing a glimmer of potential with some snappy dialogue here and there and a few inventive ideas.

This is balanced, of course, with a couple of truly idiotic problems that drag the whole enterprise down. Believability becomes a problem at several points in the movie, where either something so ludicrous happens or someone does something so incredibly stupid that you're whipped right out of your suspension of disbelief. In one scene, an explosion throws Bain out a third story window, and he simply gets up and runs away afterward. In another, Elektra ignore's Rath's orders in order to have fun, and nearly walks right into Bain in the street.

But overall, "Assassins" has a feeling that no one was really trying too hard to make anything out of the movie. It's a solid, if forgettable entry from a talented cast and crew who have and would do much better.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 21st, 2009 @ 04:40 pm Netflix Blog: "Assault on Precinct 13" (1976)
"Assault on Precinct 13" (1976)
Starring: Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer
Written and Directed by: John Carpenter

I'm going to up and admit it right now: John Carpenter makes shitty movies. While I can't deny his contribution to the slasher genre with "Halloween", most of the tripe this man puts out ill-deserves even the cult following he's accrued over the decades. Like "Vampires", "Escape from New York" (or it's godawful sequel, "Escape from LA"), "Assault on Precinct 13" is simplistic, low-budget and dumb.

The plot, if one can call it that, takes forever to get rolling, despite how simple the premise of the entire film is - Newly-minted Lieutenant Ethan Bishop is transferred temporarily to a closed-down police station in the middle of the ghetto to oversee it on its final night in operation before a new facility opens in another area. Meanwhile, a death row inmate named Wilson is loaded onto a bus with two other prisoners for transport. Even more meanwhile, a man and his daughter drive aimlessly around trying to find a street they're looking for. Eventually, after lengthy and pointless scenes, the man's daughter is gunned down by a local gang member. Inexplicably, the father takes a handgun from an ice cream vendor, hunts down the gangmember that killed his daughter and kills him.

I can't tell you how inexplicably stupid this scene is. The two cars drive into the middle of an empty lot, face each other, and then three of the four gangmembers in the car (who were all armed) get out and run off. The fourth, the one that killed the girl, fires off a couple shots, and then stands there while the bereaved father pumps six rounds into his gut. Then, the other three gangmembers return, and chase the man to the local police station. Wilson's prison bus stopped there because one of the other inmates got sick. So now Bishop, the crazy father, a couple of secretaries and some prisoners are holed up in this empty police station when the gang converges on it and opens fire.

Over the next, I don't know, hour or so, are scene after poorly-directed scene of people getting shot trying to climb through windows. This is presented to us in the place of any kind of real or interesting action sequences. The characters are thinly sketched, the only two showing any kind of life at all are Bishop and Wilson, and only then because the actors are able to pump some energy into their performances. The other actors in the piece are all terrible, especially Laurie Zimmer who is so wooden and monotone I thought she might fall asleep in the middle of delivering some of her painful flirtatious dialogue with Wilson. The gangmembers are all nameless, a horde that comes out of the dark only to be slaughtered in waves. Pointless.

"Assault on Precinct 13" is a waste of 91 minutes. At least the remake could boast a cast with real actors, some semblance of a plot, and some slickly-produced action sequences.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 21st, 2009 @ 12:32 am Netflix Blog: "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra" (2009)
"GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra" (2009)
Starring: Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid
Written By: Stuart Beattie, David Elliott and Paul Lovett
Directed By: Stephen Sommers

Based on the iconic action figures from Hasbro and the 1980s cartoon series, "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra" comes to live-action in 2009 in the sort of ridiculous, over-the-top manner that pretty much everyone expected it would. While some were hoping for a slightly more serious take (which the premise certainly has some potential for), like "Transformers" before it, "GI Joe" is simply a CGI-laden, balls-to-the-wall summer action film from the director of "The Mummy."

The plot, as it is, concerns a new weapon called "nanomites", microscopic machines capable of eating metal. A NATO military force led by Duke and Ripcord is charged with transporting a case of warheads from a manufacturing facility to a military base. While en route, they are attacked by the forces of Cobra, led by the Baroness, who, it is revealed, is actually Duke's ex-fiancee. Duke and Ripcord are rescued by the Joes, led by Heavy Duty, Snake Eyes and Scarlet. Taken back to Joe HQ to deliver the warheads to General Hawk, they are then inducted into the Joes team when Baroness and Cobra attack again, this time successful in stealing the warheads.

"GI Joe" is essentially a series of action sequences revolving around the theft and recovery of these warheads. They're the MacGuffin that drives the entire story of the movie, such as it is. The film is so light on plot, in fact, that a solid chunk of it is devoted to flashback sequences involving Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow as children, as well as the history between Duke, Baroness and, yes, Cobra Commander. Even the majority of these flashbacks are also action sequences. If you've ever wanted to see two little kids beat the shit out of each other with ninja moves, that's apparently how Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow grew up. Oh, and then one of them murders their Master and runs off to become evil.

Don't expect this movie to adhere at all to things like rules for good screenwriting, the laws of physics or even simple logic at times. There are parts of this movie that are so outrageously stupid, it's hard not to bust out laughing. I nearly spilled my beer on several occasions.

So if "GI Joe" is all action, then that begs the question: So how's the action? For the most part, it's actually kinda cool. Unlike "Transformers", "GI Joe" suffers from a lot of videogame-y special effects. This is problematic at certain times, and pulled me out of all the mayhem that was going on through much of the film. It's too bad, too, because there a number of sequences that are actually quite well-done and thrilling until all of a sudden, some low-rent CG pops up to throw you right out of the action. The assault on Joe headquarters and the Paris chase are particularly fun, but feature a couple of shots that look just downright awful but are surrounded by lots of cool stuff blowing up quite spectacularly.

And without a single line of dialogue, Snake Eyes steals every scene he's in. Played by Ray Park ("The Phantom Menace," "X-Men"), Snake Eyes just exudes badass, whether it's tearing through Cobra commandos or hanging onto a Hummer speeding through Paris traffic. The rest of the acting is, at best, workable. The villains Destro and Cobra Commander chew scenery like you wouldn't believe; Dennis Quad's General Hawk almost appears drunk at times, Channing Tatum is apparently a brick, and Marlon Wayans only gets one scene of any real meat to show us he can do anything more than spout one-liners (which, if you've seen "Requiem for a Dream", you know he can).

The finale climax of "GI Joe" is an extended battle in Cobra's underwater lair at the polar ice caps featuring attack subs, ninja fights, underwater laser cannons, and all kinds of explosive nonsense. "GI Joe" reaches it's tipping point of ridiculousness in this lengthy sequence, and then keeps on going. It's not quite as cool as the Paris chase, which is too bad, since it ultimately ends up feeling like "Joe" blew its wad too early, and most of the film's worst effects occur here.

The presentation on the blu-ray disc is first-rate, though not quite top-notch. Colors are well-saturated, blacks are inky and deep. Detail isn't quite as sharp as it could be, which puts "GI Joe" just under the benchmarks set by this summer's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "Star Trek", both of which look astonishing on BD (and all three are from Paramount). The audio, on the other hand, is fantastic. If you've got a subwoofer, this is great material to demo to your friends. Right from the opening logos, the bass kicks in and never seems to let up. Gunfire, explosions, punches... everything has great depth and heft to it, and the surround channels are quite active when the movie kicks into high gear (which is often).

But "GI Joe" is good, dumb fun, much like Michael Bay's "Transformers". It's an action film that proudly wears its ridiculous idiocy as a badge of honor, and can't be taken too seriously. With a couple of beers and some unhealthy snacks, "GI Joe" is a fine way to waste a lazy Friday night.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 20th, 2009 @ 11:57 pm Netflix Blog: "Bad Santa" (2003)
"Bad Santa" (2003)
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac, John Ritter
Written By: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
Directed By: Terry Zwigoff

There are several problems that prevent "Bad Santa" from being truly genius. The first is the one-note nature of the script. The premise is a fine one: Willie is a broken down drunk of a thief, who once a year teams up with a midget named Marcus to pose as a mall Santa Claus for the purposes of infiltrating and then plundering the large sums of cash built up during the holiday shopping season. Willie doesn't give a shit about anyone, not even himself, and his self-destructive behavior is beginning to threaten his abilities as a master safe-cracker, which is frustrating to Marcus.

One year, Willie and Marcus descend upon a mall in Phoenix, Arizona, where Willie encounters a child, whom he simply refers to as Kid. The Kid, for whatever reason, fixates on Willie as Santa, and follows him after work. When Willie is accosted by a drunken closet homosexual after a night at a bar, the Kid intervenes and Willie feels obligated to drive him home. When Willie finds out that the Kid essentially lives alone in a large house in a nice neighborhood with a Mercedes parked in the garage, the con is on.

Matters are complicated when the mall manager (Ritter) and security chief (Mac) catch wind of Willie and Marcus's plans.

The first problem with "Bad Santa", as I mentioned, is that all the jokes are essentially the same. There are a ton of scenes of Willie simply not giving a shit about anything or anyone around him, which leads to lots of scared, screaming or frightened children. While I can't deny that this is funny, it gets a little old about half way through the movie. And at a mere 98 minutes, that's problematic for a comedy.

The second problem is that "Bad Santa" is essentially plot-less. Very little development is given to anything aside from Willie's growing feelings of obligation toward the Kid. Even a romance he forms with a bartender (Lauren Graham, of "Gilmore Girls" fame) is mostly left off-screen, and seems mostly fully-formed within a couple of scenes. In fact, the movie is mostly just scenes of Willie being a douchebag while biding his time until Christmas Eve. And when the 'plot' of your movie is characters waiting for something to happen, well, I felt like I was waiting for something to happen.

But does any of this really matter? Not hugely. "Bad Santa" IS pretty funny, after all. The dialogue, while not up to highly quotable classics like "Ghostbusters" or new favorites like "Office Space" or even "Anchorman", serves adequately. Make not mistake: Willie is an asshole, and Thornton revels in the opportunity to spout dialogue that would get him tossed out of any job or into any jail when spoken to a child in the real world. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments in "Bad Santa", most of them supplied by Willie, but many by his midget partner, Marcus. These two characters have excellent chemistry together, and that counts for a lot when doing comedy.

So "Bad Santa" is funny, but can't really be counted amongst the highest pantheons of comedy, raunchy or otherwise. It's characters simply aren't developed enough, and neither are its jokes. The lines are funny mostly because they're often outrageously offensive, rather than being cleverly crafted. Like "Family Guy", "Bad Santa" is a comedy of empty calories - it's funny, but ultimately, not very filling.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 17th, 2009 @ 09:50 pm Netflix Blog: "Harakiri" (1962)
Tags: ,
"HaraKiri" (aka "Seppuku") (1962)
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Rentaro Makuni
Written By: Shinobo Hashimoto
Directed By: Masaki Kobayashi

In feudal Japan of the 1600s, masterless Samurai are known as 'Ronin'. Many of them are poor, wandering the countryside aimlessly. Some decide to commit ritual suicide, or harakiri. After a ronin threatens to commit harakiri in the court yard of a busy township, the local warlord, in order to save face publicly, offers him money to move on. Thus, other Ronin begin to approach warlords, threatening to do the same. Some are given money, some are given jobs.

One such Ronin, Hanshiro Tsugumo, arrives at the House of Iyi, asking to commit harakiri on their grounds. The leader of the house tells him a story of the last Ronin who made the same request. That Ronin was forced to commit harakiri, despite his pleas for a respite. Thusly warned, Hanshiro says he still intends to commit harakiri, and his request is granted.

What follows is a tense drama, which unfolds through a complex narrative that, for your own sake, I won't spoil. The dramatic twists are both shocking and intense. We learn more about Hanshiro and his reasons, motivations and true intentions through a series of flashbacks. His battle of wills with the head of the House of Iyi is loaded with tense moments as the two continue to butt against each other, both immovable in their resolve to get what they want.

"Harakiri" features an excellent script that's only bolstered by intense performances from the cast, excellent direction and beautiful cinematography. The editing and shot composition only serve to heighten the tension that drips out of every scene. The climax becomes such a release for both Hanrisho and for us as an audience, it's hard to imagine how else this film could have gone. "Harakiri" is black and white, and while part of me wishes I could see the lush costume and set design in color, it's also perfectly balanced for black and white. At no point was I thinking that "Harakiri" would look BETTER in color, even when the blood starts to flow during the film's violent climax.

I wish I had taken Dr. Noletti's Japanese cinema course in college, maybe I'd be more knowledgeable about where this film fits into the canon of Japanese films. Maybe I'd be able to discern more cultural significance from the proceedings here. But I found "Harakiri" to be highly enjoyable, extremely well made, a first-rate drama.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 15th, 2009 @ 01:03 pm Netflix Blog: "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" (2008)
Tags: ,
"Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" (2008)
Starring: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Ari Graynor
Written By: Lorene Scafaria
Directed By: Peter Sollett

Music has a powerful hold over our lives. When getting to know people for the first time, we often ask what kind of music they enjoy, using the answer as a gauge for how compatible we may be. "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" uses this idea as the basis for a teen romantic comedy that falls just short of being anything truly special.

Nick (Cera) is a shy, nerdy teen who was recently dumped by his girlfriend, Tris. Attempting to woo her back, he makes mix CDs for her that she mocks and tosses in the trash. Norah (Dennings) has never met Nick, has no clue what he looks like, and despises Tris. However, they share a friend in common, Caroline. Norah loves Nick's mix CDs, and rescues them from the trash after Tris ditches them. Norah and Caroline go to a bar in Manhattan one night where Nick's band, The Jerkoffs, happens to be playing. Tris shows up with her new boy toy, Gary, and taunts Norah for being single. In a moment of desperation, she pretends that Nick is her boyfriend, not knowing that Nick is Tris' ex.

Over the course of the night, Nick and Norah will participate in various strange adventures as they search for missing Caroline and ultimately, a secret show by their favorite band, Where's Fluffy? They'll each have to contend with their lingering issues with exes before being able to move on with each other, but it's their musical connection that grows stronger and eventually brings them into sync.

While the humor and situations of "Nick and Norah" work out well, the problems with the film are several - Firstly, the script telegraphs everything that will come, making the entire exercise overly predictable. The very scene that introduces Norah tells us flat out that she's infatuated with Nick, despite only having listened to his mix CDs. Later, we're given clues that beat us over the head with the obvious destinies of these characters. Contributing to this is the obvious miss-match in casting for Tris, who in no way seems like a girl who would date Cera's character. While she plays the part fine, it's just simply not believable in any way, making it even more obvious that Nick and Norah are meant for each other instead.

With surprise taken out of the equation, in order to make the film memorable, other aspects of the production need to step up. Fortunately, there are plenty of good jokes and performances from the cast to keep the whole thing afloat. Cera and Dennings have good chemistry together, though Cera himself is problematic in that he's simply playing the same character he's done in every other movie he's done. While he's good at it, and certainly capable of portraying the humor, emotion and naivete required, he brings nothing new to the table. By contrast, Jay Baruchel appears as Tal, Norah's ex, playing pretty much the exact opposite of the squeaky nerd he's portrayed in other movie's like "Tropic Thunder" and "Knocked Up", to good effect. If Cera had brought this kind of expansion to his role, problems like the casting of Tris would have been lessened.

Still, "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" has a lot of charm, and works as an entertaining romantic comedy despite this problems. Cera and Dennings work really well together, having the best scenes and dialogue in the film. The other characters all get plenty of humorous moments spread throughout. The whole affair is solidly directed, if without much flair. But it comes close to being something more than a standard romantic comedy, it simply can't overcome mistakes in the script and casting that would've put it over the top.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 6th, 2009 @ 05:03 pm Netflix Blog: "Fanboys" (2008)
Tags: ,
"Fanboys" (2008)
Starring: Sam Huntingon, Dan Fogler, Kristen Bell
Written By: Ernest Cline and Adam Goldberg
Directed By: Kyle Newman

"Guys... What if the movie sucks?"

A question every 'Star Wars' fan may have asked him or herself in 1999, just before the opening of 'The Phantom Menace'.  What, indeed?  Because that's probably what someone should've asked about this movie, too.  "Fanboys" is the story of a group of friends who undertake a road trip to break into the Skywalker Ranch and steal the rough cut of 'Phantom Menace' before it opens in theatres... and before one of their number dies of cancer.  Chased cross-country by rabid Trekkies and running afoul of prostitutes, pimps, more Trekkies and George Lucas' personal security guards, these friends will risk it all to be the first to see the new 'Star Wars' flick before time runs out.

Unfortunately, for all it's comedy potential, "Fanboys" isn't all that funny.  The jokes are all pretty obvious, and it's not directed with any kind of real energy or zeal.  "Fanboys" gets by solely on some inspired cameo appearances and some charm from it's nerdy cast.  Of course, having Kristen Bell in anything tends to kick it up a notch or two, but it's really not enough to make up for the fact that this is essentially just a fan film writ large.  Now, even a broken clock is right twice a day.  "Fanboys" has a couple of fun bits, like cameos from William Shatner, Seth Rogen and Kevin Smith.  But ultimately, it's just sort of a lot of weak, obvious 'Star Wars' jokes that feel like they were written by a couple of teenage nerds who think they're hilarious... but no one else does.

The cast does fine with the slim material they're given.  But everything else comes off as weak and cheap.  Too many lines are stolen flat from the 'Star Wars' films in place of real jokes, set design and lighting are as plain as it comes, and there's no real directorial style to speak of.  The cancer subplot is largely ignored for most of the film, sapping it of any real effectiveness.  It's too bad, because "Fanboys" has a lot of potential, and the film took a long, hard road to it's release.  It was championed by a section of the fandom, and eventually got released after languishing on the shelf for something like two years.  Which leads us back to that important question, "...What if the movie sucks?"
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 1st, 2009 @ 02:43 pm Netflix Blog: "Green Lantern: First Flight" (2009)
"Green Lantern: First Flight" (2009)
Starring: Christopher Meloni, Victor Garber, Tricia Helfer
Written by: Alan Burnett
Directed by: Lauren Montgomery

Test pilot Hal Jordan ("Law and Order: SVU" star Christopher Meloni) gets the surprise of his life when he encounters a dying alien named Abin Sur who gives him a green ring that grants him fantastic powers. He's taken from his home and job on Earth to the world of Oa, where he is introduced to the Green Lantern Corps and the Guardians. He's put under the tutelage of Sinestro (Victor Garber), a senior Green Lantern investigating the murder of Abin Sur.

It seems Sur was undercover attempting to find the Yellow Element, stolen from the Guardians by the warlord Kanjar Ro (Kurtwood Smith). Ro was trying to make a weapon out of it, and must be stopped before he destroys the Green Lantern Corps and declares himself ruler of the universe.

In the comic book world, there are plenty of characters with outrageous, outlandish premises. "Green Lantern" is one of the worst - a character named GREEN. LANTERN. has a power ring that can create things out of energy from his imagination, and he uses it to fight evil aliens. If that's not one of the dumbest, lamest ideas in the history of superhero-dom, I'm not sure what is. The amount of energy wasted by these wierdos just boggles. For example, during one action sequence, a starship crashes into a spaceport and is on course to run over a bunch of civilians. Jordan uses his ring to create a giant green spring to slow it down. Why? Who knows. Very little of the universe of the Green Lantern Corps. really makes any sense whatsoever.

Worse, so much time is spent in "First Flight" on action sequences, breakneck pacing and plot developments that very little is given to developing the characters. Not only is it practically impossible to care about all the ludicrous crap the Lanterns are pulling out of their rings, it's hard to care about them as characters since they're just empty green shells going through the motions. Probably the only character given any real or true motivations is Sinestro, whose hatred of the Guardians is the basis for everything going on.

"First Flight" is well animated - the characters are less detailed in general, and therefore more fluid than the ones in "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" and that's a trade-off I'll gladly take. The colors are bold and bright, and the character designs are all fun and wildly varied. Space in this universe is filled with unique and bizarre creatures, like the "Star Wars" cantina taken to the extreme.

"First Flight", then, ends up being only mildly entertaining on some fun dialogue and well-animated action sequences. But it doesn't have much more than that. With thin characters and a dumb premise, it's hard to really become invested in anything that's going on here.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 1st, 2009 @ 01:12 pm Netflix Blog: "JCVD" (2008)
"JCVD" (2008)
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Francois Dameins
Written by: Mabrouk el Mechri and Frederic Benudis
Directed by: Mabrouk el Mechri

Jean-Claude Van Damme gets to show us his chops... and not of the karate variety.  Yes, the Muscles from Brussels gets to stretch a bit in this comic action film.   JCVD stars as a fictionalized version of himself, a down-and-out aging action star who gets by starring in low-budget, direct-to-video action films under uninterested or untalented directors in foreign countries.  With dwindling bank accounts being sucked dry in a nasty child-custody case, and good parts going to "other actors", JCVD heads to the post office to pick up a money transfer from a friend during a court break.

What Van Damme doesn't know, however, is that this particular post office is in the process of being held up when he enters.  Broke, frustrated and tired, Van Damme is drawn into what should have been a simple post office robbery.  "JCVD" follows the simple robbery/hostage situation formula, but the simple twist of having Van Damme playing himself, adding his recognizable celebrity to the entire situation, is what makes the film seem fresh and inviting.  Van Damme is mistaken for one of the robbers by a policeman, and soon the outside world believes that Jean-Claude Van Damme is holding up a post office in a suburb of Brussels.  Screaming, chanting crowds form, and Van Damme fever takes over the news.  Even the robbers themselves seem taken with the fact that Van Damme is one of their hostages, and he even becomes more than that as they try to play up the idea that it's Van Damme holding up the post office instead of them.

There's not a lot of action in "JCVD".  It's definitely not the type of film that Van Damme's fan base has come to expect from him.  Instead, there's more of a focus on tension, and on Van Damme stripping away everything about his status as an international action star.  In fact, Van Damme as a man himself is stripped down to his emotional core.  A scene about 2/3 of the way through the film, in a moment where Van Damme breaks the fourth wall, shows us the absolute unguarded center of Jean-Claude Van Damme.  Is it a performance?  Is it Van Damme finally showing us exactly who he really is?  Who knows... maybe only Van Damme.  But it's a scene that's absolutely astonishing in it's nakedness, in showing the flawed, scared human beneath Jean-Claude Van Damme.  It's a scene that holds the entire movie together, and elevates it beyond a robbery/hostage film with a bit of dramedy thrown in for good measure. 

There are a couple other filmic devices used throughout the film that remind us that we are in fact watching a movie, but also serve to draw us deeper in.  At barely over 90 minutes, the script is fairly slight, with most of the screen time devoted to Van Damme himself, though the police commissioner and the robbers get the bulk of the rest.  Still, "JCVD" is a revealing, entertaining film, and a revelation for Van Damme.  It proves to us, to audiences everywhere that this man is more than just splits and roundhouse kicks - that he is actually capable of giving real, emotional performances.

The presentation on the Blu-ray disc is rock-solid, if a little hard to judge.  The film is highly stylized in terms of its look, with lots of high, blown out contrasts and glowing halos around highlights balanced with deep blacks.  Colors are desaturated almost to looking monochrome.  This all makes it hard to determine the quality of the transfer, since nothing in the film looks particularly natural.  But the detail that's visible looks fantastic - the picture is sharp and there's lots of detail and a sheen of grain over it all.  Dialogue is clear and decipherable, with both French and English versions available.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Oct. 27th, 2009 @ 07:27 pm Netflix Blog: "Defiance" (2008)
Tags: ,
"Defiance"
Starring: Daniel Craig, Liev Shreiber
Written by: Clayton Frohman and Edward Zwick
Directed by: Edward Zwick

"Defiance" is the dramatized true story of four Jewish brothers in Soviet-occupied Poland fighting back against invading Nazis in World War II.  As Jews are rounded up, brothers Tuvia (Daniel Craig), Zus (Liev Shreiber), Asael (Jamie Bell) and Aron Bielski (George MacKay) head off into the woods to escape.  There, they encounter increasing numbers of other survivors, and band together to protect and feed each other.  As the group grows, the Bielski brothers, especially Tuvia and Zus begin to take on a leadership role.  But as their ideas on how to proceed and protect the group begin to differ, and as a grueling winter approaches and more and more Jews seek their protection, the already strained relationship between the brothers begins to break down.

The performances from the cast are all fine, but nothing we've never seen before from these actors.  Daniel Craig brings the same quiet intensity to Tuvia Bielski that he used to great effect as James Bond.  Liev Shreiber is his usual sardonic hot-head, and Jamie Bell as the young man either eager to grow up or forced to do so.  So nothing they do here is bad... but none of it is terribly original, either.  James Bond with a Russian accent.  In the woods.

The film is slower paced than some would expect.  Much of the screen time is devoted to characters wandering about in the woods, discussing what they should do, lamenting the people and things that are lost to them now.  The internal power struggles of the group are explored at length, and yet, with a heavy hand.  "Defiance" lacks subtlety, with dialogue that is on the nose and by-the-numbers direction.  The cool color schemes and harsh contrast are all well-worn tropes of films trying to depict the suffering endured during this time period.  The action sequences are well-shot, but again, don't stand out as anything truly spectacular; explosions throw people about, bullets scream past and chew up the scenery and the characters shout a lot at each other.

The presentation on the Blu-ray disc is more of the same - detail and black levels are solid, but rarely truly impress.  Certainly, better than standard definition DVD, but not quite demo material.  The audio track is the same with an unintrusive and unremarkable score and workmanlike sound design.  The dialogue is always intelligible, which is good during the action sequences, and despite the characters' often thick accents.  The low end is solid, but rarely used since the action sequences are often short and spaced rather far apart in the film.  Still, when things go boom, they do so with a satisfactory rumble from the subwoofer.

Is "Defiance" a bad film?  No.  Is it a particularly good one?  Meh.  It's solid, enjoyable entertainment.  At times it seems to aspire to something higher, but the script and the direction can't rise to the challenge to be anything more than a middle of the road war drama.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Oct. 23rd, 2009 @ 04:20 pm Netflix Blog: "The Wrestler" (2009)
Tags: ,
"The Wrestler"
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood
Written By: Rob Siegel
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky

Mickey Rourke makes his comeback after years in obscurity for Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler," a film that will draw obvious comparisons to Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky Balboa."  This is not to say that these films are carbon copies of each other - far from it, in fact.  However, the basic premise is the same:  Rourke stars as an over-the-hill has-been wrestler known as Randy the Ram.  The Ram, a superstar in the 80s, now lives out his days eking a living on small weekend matches and signing appearances and working part time at a local supermarket.  As the 20th anniversary of his greatest match approaches, he finds himself aching for the good ol' days, and hopefully a shot at a comeback to the big time.

But where Stallone's affable Rocky Balboa was a successful, if lonely, aging restaurant owner, The Ram is instead a depressed, broken man always on the verge of living on the streets.  Therein is the prime difference between the two: "The Wrestler" is a film about people who are essentially broken - their relationships, their careers, their lives.  Rourke brings a real sadness to the role as a man who is almost utterly devastated, and unsure of how to proceed with his life.  What do you do when the time comes that you can no longer do the one thing you've always been good at?  That's the question the movie poses through its plot, and Rourke brings us along with him, with an understated performance that easily draws in the viewer.  Like Rocky, it's hard not to root for him, whether he's in the ring, or out of it, trying to build new relationships or re-establish old ones.

Marisa Tomei co-stars as Cassidy, an aging stripper trying to keep her professional life and her home life separate as she realizes that her professional life is coming to a close.  We see her struggling to convince customers at the strip club to pay her for private dances, and eventually even to pay attention while she dances at the pole.  Tomei does an excellent job, which is no surprise, as she's always been a talented actress.  Perhaps there's some irony in that she's actually in quite good shape, and is still an attractive woman.  But she gives a very natural performance, bringing out a woman who is still talented and sexy, but doesn't seem quite able to prove it to punk kids who can't see past her crow's feet.

The other major player in the Ram's life is his daughter, Stephanie, played by Evan Rachel Wood.  The Ram approaches Stephanie to try and reconnect after years without being a part of her life.  Wood's role is minor in the sense that she only appears in a few scenes, but she's still a major part of the Ram's journey.  She brings a lot of emotion to her few minutes on screen, but that's also one of the problems of the film - because she appears so briefly, it straddles the line between being excellent and being forced.  This is no fault of Wood's, but it feels like it's a plot line that wasn't quite given all the development it needed.

"The Wrestler" is a low-budget, independent film, but it simply doesn't need to be any more than that.  There's a strong script, excellent performances from the cast, and Aronofsky directs with a sure hand.  Like "Rocky" wasn't really a boxing film so much as a film about a boxer, "The Wrestler" is a film about a wrestler.  There are some matches, which are graphic and difficult to watch, but the real focus here is on the Ram and Cassidy, and the way their lives mirror each others'. 

The Blu-Ray disc features an excellent visual presentation.  There's a heavy sheet of grain over the entire picture, but it's befitting both the budget limitations of the picture and the intended tone.  With all that grain and the muted color palette, it's not a pristine high definition show - but on the other hand, it's exactly how it should look.  The detail comes through when it counts, whenever there's a closeup of Rourke's ugly mug, his age is readily apparent.  All the sleezy bars and darkened locales come through fine as well, with excellent black levels, and flesh tones appear very natural for most of the film.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Oct. 23rd, 2009 @ 01:00 am (no subject)
"Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" is the greatest movie I have ever played.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Oct. 21st, 2009 @ 10:45 am (no subject)
finished 'the brief, wondrous life of oscar wao'

what an amazing novel.  hard to read at times... certain parallels with my own life dredged up memories i wasn't enitrely keen on revisiting.  but too good of a book to give up on, regardless of my own personal difficulties.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Oct. 20th, 2009 @ 11:52 am Netflix Blog: 'Superman/Batman: Public Enemies' (2009)
Tags: ,
'Superman/Batman: Public Enemies' (2009)
Starring: Clancy Brown, Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly
Written by: Stan Berkowitz
Directed by: Sam Liu

When the American economy heads toward collapse, and the country to the brink of chaos, Lex Luthor (Clancy Brown) ascends to the Presidency.  When an enormous kryptonite asteroid is discovered headed toward Earth, Luthor engineers a plan to frame Superman (Tim Daly) for murder and take credit for saving the world himself.  Batman (Kevin Conroy) joins forces with Superman to reveal the truth to the world, and save everyone from Luthor's maniacal plans and death from above.

Brown, Conroy and Daly return to the roles they inhabited for years in the now-classic 'Batman' and 'Superman' animated series of the 1990s.  To fans, these actors ARE the voices of these characters.  Quite simply, as excellent as Christopher Nolan's revival of the live-action films, there has never been a better Batman than Kevin Conroy.  The fact that he's been voicing the character almost non-stop since 1992 is extremely telling.  Their work here is stellar, some of the best performances they've given as these characters - it's just too bad they don't have the best script or the best animation to support their work.

'Public Enemies' is decently written, a solid adaptation of the six-issue arc of the 'Superman/Batman' comic book series by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness.  The story is streamlined, as expected, with extraneous material excised.  Locations are changed, and certain things are toned down or left out.  Unfortunately, it's been so streamlined that 'Public Enemies' ends up being the shortest of the DC Animated films released thus far.  As such, it feels like the slightest.  The plot is thinner than the comic - it's essentially an hour of fights wherein various villains and heroes attempt to collect the bounty on Superman while the World's Finest duo attempts to gather Luthor's information on the oncoming asteroid.

The other area where 'Public Enemies' comes up short is in its animation.  Frankly, this isn't particularly impressive animation.  The work here doesn't stand up to previous DC Animated movies, or even the TV shows that preceded them.  The movements are stiff, the models often look flat and the 3d CG models often look cheap and move poorly.  And for a movie with so much action in it, to watch these cheap-looking fights is a downright disappointment, more so after recently watching the stellar final seasons of 'Justice League'.  

Ultimately, 'Public Enemies' is a decent entry into the DC Animated movie series, but nothing particularly special.  A stellar voice cast is wasted on cheap animation and a short script.  A shame.  But, it is a pleasure to hear these actors in these roles again, and hopefully they'll continue to bring us new adventures in the future.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Oct. 20th, 2009 @ 12:44 am Netflix Blog: 'Enter the Dragon' (1973)
Tags: ,
Enter the Dragon
Starring: Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Kien Shih
Written by: Michael Allin
Directed by: Robert Clouse

Bruce Lee stars in this 1973 martial arts flick that has become legendary in the Western world.  Lee stars as, well, Lee, a martial artist recruited to spy on a mysterious crime lord holding a tournament on his private island near Hong Kong.  They suspect he deals in opium, and even slavery, but can't prove it.  The martial arts tournament is the perfect way to get someone on the inside, and to contact an operative already in place there. Lee accepts, discovering that the man responsible for his sister's death will also be on the island. 

Meanwhile, two US Army buddies, Roper and Williams, each find themselves on the way to the tournament for their own reasons.  Roper has vast gambling debts he can't pay, and Williams is a wanted man after defending himself from a couple of racist police officers.  These three men each have their individual paths that take them through the rather minimal story, and considerable screentime is given to each. 

And the plot is rather thin, here.  This is not to say that the film is poorly written, just that the setup is simple.  It is the execution of this simple story that brings out so much entertainment.  There are some true moments of wit, and a lot of time is spent on following the characters around the island and the various distractions from the tournament that it provides.  Lee is singularly focused on his mission, while Roper and Williams find themselves entangled in a culture of excess and luxury. 

'Enter the Dragon' is entirely a product of its time - there's no way around it.  From the music to the costumes and hair styles, this is absolutely the 1970s.  While other films can sometimes feel timeless, 'Enter the Dragon' will always be the 1970s.  This provides a good deal of chuckleworthy moments, 30 years down the road, and a lot of the production can seem quaint because of it, but there's one thing that overcomes any limitations and makes the whole exercise worthwhile - Bruce Lee and his fight sequences.

It's simply no wonder this man is such a legend.  He has an intensity, a ferocity that is unmatched in this film, and likely anywhere else.  The fights in the film are like Lee himself - they happen in short, brutal, quick bursts.  The man literally has two speeds: Nothing and Kill.  Each and every fight in the film is a joy to behold.  They're short, to the point, without a lot of the flair that would become popular in modern films like 'The Matrix' (though, to be fair, those fights were meant to be more of a comic book style).  But the moves and the speed are great fun, whether it's the tournament fights, or the outright battle at the film's climax.  His vocal mannerisms, though perhaps oft-lampooned, just enhance the viciousness of his attacks.

Lee also displays a natural ease in certain scenes that is disarming.  The man knows how to play a joke, and his range allows him to really carry the movie, even if he isn't necessarily given the most lines or even the most screen time of the three main players. 

Robert Clouse directs with a steady hand.  The fights all look great, and careful use of slow-motion lets of really savor some of the harder hits.  The hall of mirrors finale is a suitably tense affair, though I won't lie that I kind of wish I'd seen a bit more of Lee taking on the hordes of Han's army or a couple more opponents that are really up to his level.  Still, there's enough martial arts action here to keep me satisfied.  On the whole, 'Enter the Dragon' has deservedly become a martial arts classic around these parts, and the legend of Bruce Lee is well served and honored in this fine entry.
About this Entry
2 comments
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Oct. 19th, 2009 @ 11:03 pm Netflix Blog: 'Fast and Furious' (2009)
Tags: ,
It's been a long time since I wrote reviews for the college paper. Let's see if I still got the chops:

'Fast and Furious' (2009)
Starring: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster
Written by: Chris Morgan
Directed by: Justin Lin

Several years after they started it all with the 'Point Break' knockoff, 'The Fast and the Furious', Paul Walker and Vin Diesel return for... well... 'Fast and Furious'. In the fourth flick in the hot-rodding franchise, Brian (Walker) is still on shaky ground after letting Dom (Diesel) escape at the end of the first film. Now he's part of an FBI task force attempting to take down a mysterious drug runner named Braga, and is making little progress. Meanwhile, Dom spends his days running heists in the Dominican Republic, trying to stay one step ahead of the law with his trusty gang of thieves, and his girlfriend, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez).

After hearing that the cops may be closer than he thinks, Dom leaves Letty and the gang, thinking that they'd be safer without him. Unfortunately, this proves a mistake - Letty is murdered, and Dom returns to the US looking for vengeance. Conveniently, it turns out that Letty was murdered by the same group of drug runners that Brian is trying to bust.

Begrudgingly, Dom and Brian team up once more, their old resentment flaring up more than a little bit, but both of them have their reasons for wanting to take down Braga.

Let's not make any mistakes, 'Fast and Furious' will win no awards come Oscar season. The script is about as pedestrian as it comes. The only thing that really matters in this franchise is the fun factor. The fun comes from how well the director can stage his action sequences, and Justin Lin does an admirable job injecting some adrenaline into the proceedings. Unfortunately, it's not as top-notch as one would hope. The opening tanker truck heist is great fun, as is a centerpiece illegal Los Angeles street race midway through. Along the way there are fights, foot chases, gunfights and explosions. But where 'Fast and Furious' needs to excel is in its car chase sequences.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of key sequences that just don't hold up. The final chase is far too laden with CGI to really impress, which is unfortunate considering that the buildup to it is fun.

Walker and Diesel don't seem to put much into their performances, particularly Diesel, who seems bored when he should seem badass. He gets in a few choice one-liners, but generally sleepwalks through the whole thing, which is too bad. He seemed to be having a lot of fun in the original film, and when your cast is having fun in their roles, it translates onto the screen - the audience can tell.

Still, 'Fast and Furious' easily comes up as the second best entry in the franchise, after the first. With the original cast back in place, it feels like a true sequel, and offers some two solid hours of fun and vehicular mayhem, if not totally consistent. If you're looking for a few good car chases, you could do a lot worse (even within this franchise).

The video quality on the Blu-Ray disc is decent, though not quite amazing. Colors and black levels are spot-on, and there's very little in the way of noise or imperfections. Really the problem is that detail doesn't seem quite as distinct as it should. Parts of the film look soft, and parts of it look excellent. The desert chase finale looks particularly excellent before it heads underground and starts to look muddled and loaded with CG. Still, the vast majority of this film takes place at night or indoors, and these dark settings generally look solid at worst.

Audio on the Blu-Ray, however, is excellent all the way through. Turn up the subwoofer on this one, and it'll get a workout. Whether it's from the low, thumping soundtrack or the roar of cars and the crunch of metal, there's plenty of action here to pump through those surround systems.
About this Entry
Leave a comment
Permanent Link