Evolution Leaps Forward: The True Genius behind the X-Men films

The old dog is still learning new tricks.

Crapshoot 2015: For the Kiddies

Them lacking a concept of good doesn’t excuse you being blatantly bad.

Star Trek Into Darkness review

JJ Abrams’ daring take on the “Star Trek” franchise won over millions back in 2009. The alternate reality established by his half sequel half reboot injected much needed life into a franchise that was slowly but surely growing significantly stagnant.

With the possibilities numerous, Abrams chooses to tackle classic “Star Trek” themes and iconography with his own spin in a film that satisfies but doesn't quite live up to everything that it could have been.

Captain James Kirk (Chris Pine) and the crew of the Enterprise return as a part of a response team to take out a rogue Starfleet agent that has launched a one man campaign against Starfleet, the most recent attack of which resulting in the death of Kirk’s close friend and mentor, Christopher Pike (reprised by Bruce Greenwood).

Embarking on a mission to stop the renegade agent John Harrison completely under the radar from Starfleet, Kirk and his crew will be tested in ways that will rock the very foundation of the way that Starfleet operates.

From the very moment that the film starts, its frenetic pace is established and only continues to build momentum the second the opening titles leave the screen. “Star Trek Into Darkness” is fast, flashy, and does not slow down for anyone. Such a tactic would sound like it would make for a fairly shallow or cluttered movie but the result is quite the opposite. “Into Darkness” is quick but ultimately witty, emotional, and more substantive than what we typically get during the summer blockbuster season.

Character chemistry is in full effect. With the groundwork of “Star Trek” laid out, the cast is fully established and completely unchained. The tight chemistry of the cast adds certain unpredictability to each interaction and despite the moderate size of the ensemble; every character manages to serve a definitive purpose without feeling underutilized.

Pine continues to carve out his own interpretation of a younger and brasher Kirk, tempered only by his love for his crew. Despite starting out rather bratty, he undeniably comes into his own in all of the right areas.

 While Pine’s performance remains solid, Zachary Quinto’s Spock truly steals the show with a performance that I question even the great Leonard Nimoy’s ability to pull off. Spock’s nature of being constantly caught between acting logically and allowing himself to be human is portrayed with a delicate level of subtlety that puts the rest of the cast’s highly impressive performances to shame.

To say nothing of Benedict Cumberbatch’s incredible performance as the film’s antagonist would be an absolute crime. Despite my reluctance to accept a certain twist taken with his character, I cannot deny his ability to sell it better than the scrip itself.

“Into Darkness’” post 9-11 feel brought upon by Abrams’ interpretation leads the charge, allowing the film to approach classical “Star Trek” concepts with a more contemporary eye. The militarization of Starfleet into a defensive and offensive navy from an organization of armed but peace welcoming explorers, the merits of emotion driven thinking, and action within perceived no win scenarios are all given a fresh and unique perspective with a level of poignancy the likes of which could have never have existed at any other time in our history.

The themes compliment Abrams’ incredible eye for action well, striking a fine balance between thought provoking and entertaining. “Into Darkness’” direction has provided for several of the most breathtaking action sequences that I have seen all year. If this is what he can do with “Star Trek,” the “Star Wars” franchise is in good hands.

From a general standpoint “Star Trek Into Darkness” is a fully well balanced package, a fun summer blockbuster, and undoubtedly one of the best films of 2013 so far, however what holds me back from loving it as much as I desperately want to is its unfortunate tendency to play it safe at the worst possible moments.

The alternate reality established by “Star Trek” was created to explore new territory and tell stories free from the constraints of continuity while leaving the stories of the past to be explored or developed upon in the prime reality at a later date. Although many of the story inspirations for “Star Trek Into Darkness” come from one famous source of “Star Trek” lore, it takes numerous chances and twists well established formulas in such a way to give it its own stamp. So it baffles me why, after tinkering with so many fascinating ideas, the film ultimately decides to play itself out so straight that I’m left questioning what was actually accomplished.

The tightly balanced and ambitious first two thirds of the film are resolved by a third act that, although still satisfying as pure entertainment, ultimately cops out on almost every single idea that gave the film its own sense of identity.

The exploration of shifting political tensions and enemy alignments brought about by the destruction of Vulcan at the end of the previous film, discussing the merits and the cons of cultivating an organization of peaceful exploration into a combat read navy, and a certain shift in the command structure of the Enterprise provided boundless materials that could have given “Star Trek Into Darkness” a true legacy within the franchise but are sadly discarded in the name of playing it safe and conforming to status quo.

Despite failing to live up to all of its potential however, “Star Trek Into Darkness” is far from a bad film. It’s action packed, heartfelt, and even smart at the end of the day. It is an overall package that every film should strive toward. I only hope that its success grants the franchise the courage it needs to follow through on its more bold concepts in the future. 

8 Out of 10

Best of 2012: Number 1

1. The Avengers:

After months of work oriented distractions and technical errors resulting in the complete rewrite of this entry twice, it finally sees the light of day to no surprise to anyone that knows my preferences whatsoever.

“The Avengers” may feel like a total Hollywood copout of an answer to best film of 2012 but I didn’t choose this film simply for what it is but for the way that it changed the game. On its own, “The Avengers” is the highly satisfying fruits of the labor of a film project that may go down in history as one of the most ambitious concepts ever conceived of for the silver screen.

Tying together four properties under a framework allowing for more to be integrated later was a daunting task in and of itself but crafting a fun, witty, and even meaningful film with more spectacle than a Michael Bay film while still having a brain in the areas that matter is nothing short of a miracle.

“The Avengers” is the new paragon that anything with Hollywood support should strive to achieve and as far as I’m concerned, nothing less will do. 

Best of 2012: 4-2

4. Chronicle:

In discussing “The Dark Knight Rises,” I touched on the fact that although the average caliber superhero film has gone up today, there are still few people willing to truly take risks with the genre. Although I praise Marvel Studios for finally being able to distill the perfect formula for superhero movies, the fact of the matter is that getting something nontraditional and of quality is still a rarity.

For all the praise I heap on something like “Captain America: The First Avenger,” all they did was take a World War II adventure story starring a superhero and give it to the man that previously directed a World War II  adventure story starring a superhero. It’s great to finally see Hollywood thinking logically but this essentially like praising a mathematician for figuring out 2 + 2 = 4.

“Chronicle” provides a fascinating deconstruction and character study of superhero tropes as we know and understand them today but even serves as an intriguing science fiction story and a brilliant evolution of the found footage concept which has been getting progressively more tired out.

The twists and turns of the origin story that unfolds onscreen makes for an interesting study of the tropes and dynamic between superheroes and super villains, showing how easy it can be for the same circumstances to lead to 2 completely different outcomes and truly showcasing how dangerous power in the wrong hands can be no matter how good a person is on the surface. The film even makes its own nods to the nature of the conventions that it pays homage to, such as costumes and a climax that is the single most compelling argument for a live action “Akira” movie.

As if the central concept and performances of the newly super powered teens wasn’t strong enough to hold the film together, the framing of the film and the very justification for its found footage style steal the show in ways that I could have never imagined. Right when I thought pretentious bullshit like “Paranormal Activity” had run this trend into the ground, my mind gets blown in ways that I haven’t experienced since I first saw the concept done in “Cloverfield”

3. Silver Linings Playbook:

My process for constructing these lists typically involves tracking where a potential film’s viewing belongs on a list at any given moment of its running time. Some come in high, others low, more shift as the film continues to play out and the rest tend to rise or fall as I think about them. “Silver Linings Playbook” is the only film that leaped across the entire list to take its place below the only 2 films that top it, from second one.

Bradley Cooper stars as Pat Solitano, who upon release from a court mandated sentence at a mental health institute, sets out to win back the wife who left him an come to terms with his own status as bipolar with the help of the separate yet equally insane Tiffany, played by the lovely Jennifer Lawrence. In true David O. Russell fashion “Silver Linings Playbook” is a deceptively simple plot told with characters of highly unpredictable complexity that makes for a romantic comedy that is the calculated opposite of the garbage that the genre is loaded with across any given year.

The wild chemistry between Cooper and Lawrence alone could have held the movie afloat as an entertaining time passer. They’re funny, impulsive, sympathetic, quirky, and likeable leads with an uncommon attraction to one another that proves to be highly compelling to play out. The rich supporting cast however is what truly steals the show. I never would have thought that Robert De Niro would genuinely surprise me but his relationship with his recovering son garnered and chemistry with Jacki Weaver contributed to a heart that goes unmatched in any other film this year.You know you have a special piece of work on your hands when you successfully make Chris Tucker, a lovably endearing character.

To simply say that this is a good film, would be a major injustice; “Silver Linings Playbook” is the feel good film of the year not simply because of its emotional payoff and endearing characters but because it manages to please and satisfy in every respectable facet of storytelling without talking down to a lesser audience. It isn’t simply great; it is everything that every film of its type should strive for.

2. Argo:

“Silver Linings Playbook” took me by storm by crawling its way up my list during every second of its running time. Were it not for the more personal connection that I feel for my number one pick, “Argo” would have easily and undoubtedly swept film of the year, without a second thought.

It’s truly remarkable how straightforward “Argo” is despite the sheer brilliance of its premise. Following a former exfiltration expert’s mission to get 6 Americans out of Iran under the guise of making a movie provides for many an opportunity for the film to mercilessly poke fun at the business of Hollywood.

Ben Affleck doesn’t miss a beat, affectionately displaying the conventions, contradictions, and general quirks of working in the film industry. However, in choosing to focus on the mission of saving innocent lives from becoming victims of an international crisis, the jabs at showbiz become welcome lighthearted jabs to loosen the high tension of an incredibly sensitive operation that can easily end in death for everybody involved.

Even in the high stakes of the Iranian exfiltration, the pervasive sense of emotion is what really locks you into what’s going on. These 6 Americans and their Iranian allies are not simple character archetypes and plot devices; they are living people with real lives waiting for them, facing consequences for their actions, and rarely ever acting in the manner of their apparent stereotypes.

“Argo” was jaw dropping from start to finish. Ben Affleck has really proven himself a man to be taken seriously, directing a film so tense yet with so much human emotion, you almost forget how simple the actual plot is. Between tight direction leading to one of the most tense climaxes that I have seen in my life, a snappy screenplay that knows just how to balance heavy drama with a bit of dark humor, and an all around excellent cast, “Argo” isn’t quite my favorite film of the year but it came pretty damn close to toppling the juggernaut that did.

Best of 2012: 7-5

7. Life of Pi:

As somebody that has been trained to be able to find stories worth telling in the most mundane areas of life, “Life of Pi” was a charming and unexpected pleasure that transcends the few storytelling hiccups that it has, making for a life journey that is not only enthralling to see play out but visually spectacular.

The nature of protagonist Pi’s struggle at sea with a tiger rendered by and unfolded through incredible visuals at this point has become the one definitive point of attraction that everybody who has and hasn’t seen the film is aware of at this point. And to the film’s credit, the visual direction is absolutely stunning, however I find myself rather surprised that this has been the sole element attracting its audience.

Pi’s recollection of his journey to understand faith to a fascinated writer contains such an incredible level of real life charm that I found myself intensely envious of Rafe Spall for being allowed to partake in the life story such a fascinating man that has, for all intents and purposes, lived a fairly normal life.

Ang Lee tells Pi’s story masterfully through the charisma of Irrfan Khan with a terrific performance from Suraj Sharma. The first half alone is had me charmed over so much that when the visual direction kicks in, I was almost taken by complete surprise.

The incredible visuals of the protagonist’s plight at sea with a live tiger served as icing on the cake and were a true sight to behold. However the progression of the film into this territory, despite the breathtaking visuals, the storytelling becomes significantly more fantastical. As his life story becomes more of a fable than a biography, details begin to become less consistent and although most of these issues could be argued to be intentional, there are more than a few instances in which it weakens the storytelling, culminating in a revelation that could have been a terrific note to leave on, that is unfortunately spoiled by over explanation.

Despite the unevenness of the storytelling as a whole, “Life of Pi” easily takes the award for biggest surprise of the year and on top of Lee’s previous directorial work, “Taking Woodstock,” have redeemed himself permanently for the existence of “Hulk.”  

6. Les Miserables:

In 2012, after an age where the musical has become something of a joke, one film came to stand apart from all of the others, pushing the envelope in terms of the current weak quality of musicals; a movie that has shaken me to my very core to this day. That film was called “Rock of Ages,” a wretched production of scum and horrors of one of the most embarrassing eras of Rock history, distilled into a 2 hour theater experience of evil so terrifying, it brought me within a hair’s width of quitting my ambitions of being a proper critic of fiction at the sheer idea that my job would force me to willingly expose myself to such inhumane tortures and perversions of genres that I love on a regular basis. The embarrassment of the musical genre of film, despite 1 or 2 worthwhile productions over the course of the last decade or so notwithstanding, had culminated in this film and has left me cold to something that I once felt a very powerful love and appreciation for. “Les Miserables” is the anti-“Rock of Ages.”

Tom Hooper directs a silver screen translation of a stage production with care and intricacy the likes of which I have not seen since Kenneth Branagh’s “Hamlet.” The film makes full use of its camera to create a world that immerses its audience in the setting and story that it has to tell, a trick that sounds very simple in theory but is rarely ever attempted or executed properly. It draws you in almost immediately and never releases its grip on your attention despite a few tight shots and close-ups.

The sense of immersions steals the show and enhances the storytelling through a masterfully crafted and performed soundtrack. Every song tells a full story within the film so incredibly well but are so beautifully crafted and emotionally performed that they can stand alone in their own right. I haven’t been this in love with a musical soundtrack since “Chicago.”

And most importantly, the human element is alive and strong from start to finish. I was more spellbound in any given minute of “Les Miserables” than almost any other film to come out this year. Jean Valjean’s journey to redeem himself as a human being in his own eyes, Javert’s dedication to his extreme views of right and wrong, Marius and Cossette’s desire to fight through revolution to be with one another; all of these ideas and more are powerfully presented with little to no traditionally spoken dialogue and while many of the actors are asked to sing beyond their range, the emotion behind the vocal performances and the incredible acting carries them a long way.

Pacing issues aside, “Les Miserables” was an emotionally moving and brilliantly crafted journey that has not only restored my faith in a genre but reinvigorated my love of it. It has earned my recognition sheerly for its uniqueness as a production but as powerful therapy for my “Rock of Ages” PTSD, it has earned a permanent spot in my heart.

5. Cloud Atlas:

The Wachowski siblings have fallen pretty far from grace since the heyday of “The Matrix.” After taking the worlds of film and science fiction by storm, their continuously fading star, culminating in the abysmal “Speed Racer” seemed to be a sad sign that their first film, as impressive as it was, was ultimately one epic fluke. While I still don’t doubt that they have a tendency to be a tad bit pretentious, I find myself pleasantly surprised to admit that “Cloud Atlas” proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that they are far from talentless.

The ambitious undertaking of weaving the six tales of “Cloud Atlas” together into a single 3 hour long coherent film worth the necessary amount of time and investment it must demand of its audience was one that should have ended in complete and utter disaster. By all means, this should have been the largest cluster fuck of our generation. What was born out of this ambition instead is a series of interweaved vignettes that contribute to larger messages about celebrating life, karma and redemption, and destiny vs. free will that create one of the purest art films of recent history.

Every second of “Cloud Atlas” feels like a necessary piece of its puzzle; every shot, every line of dialogue, the usage of music, the usage of makeup, the roles of the cast members, and the nature of the settings are all integral in forming one of the multitude of interpretations that the film intends for its audience to take away from it.

This film thoroughly blew my mind upon my initial viewing of it and has left me hungry to rewatch in search of interpretations that I missed. “Cloud Atlas” is a well rounded masterpiece that is both intellectually complex and heavily emotionally resonant the likes of which the world of film has never seen before.

Best of 2012: Honorable Mentions

2012 has come and gone, leaving several hits and more than a few meh’s. Superheroes have thrived, animation has stabilized though not necessarily improved, Oscar season ranges from genuine quality to pretentious parody, and summer fills up mostly on wannabe style with no substance. In other words, a typical year for film; few surprises, few off beat trends, and not much remarkable or worth discussing in length despite being better than the abysmal 2010.

Like every year however, works of sheer brilliance will always shine through the haze. Unlike other years however, I’d like to take a moment to highlight a few items of interest that did not make my top 10 but nonetheless bear mentioning if not outright viewing.

Dredd:

An incredible action film with an amazing level of deceptive simplicity. Dredd’s production values, solid pacing, and fantastic action choreography alone are plenty entertaining but what caught me off guard about Dredd was just how much the film had to say despite the simple set up that essentially amounts to a rookie cop’s training day with a veteran superior.

It’s messages on the negatives of thinking and operating in extremes, the necessities of thinking outside of the box, and exploring what happens when the justice system is given too much power, are what really won me over. “Dredd” is viscerally satisfying, well paced and performed, and surprisingly cerebral, missing out on making my top 10 sheerly due to being pushed out by better films.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:

The only surprise greater than watching this nightmare of a production actually making it to the big screen is it’s succeeding in not sucking. Rising like a phoenix from the ashes of MGM’s financial stability, “The Hobbit” takes us back to Middle Earth in glorious fashion.

Although I’m still not sold on the concept of splitting the simplicity of the story of “The Hobbit” into a trilogy of epic length films, even with the padding offered by material from Tolkien’s “Unfinished Tales,” and the unevenness of the first third of the film had me wary for quite some time, once the film takes off, it kicks into gear spectacularly.

Zero Dark Thirty:

Still proving she can handle sensitive subject matters with a high level of class, Katherine Bigelow’s interpretation of the decade long search for Osama Bin Laden was as tense, tightly paced, and thrilling as anticipated. CIA agent Maya’s increasing obsession and personal stake in bringing down Al-Qaeda by all means necessary is fascinating and leads to one of the most tense climax that I’ve seen all year.

Were it not for its somewhat emotional coldness and stunted development of side characters, it would have easily made my list. As it is, it’s easily an incredible piece of filmmaking that doesn’t warrant its overblown political controversy.

Prometheus:

 Despite earning a notably polarizing reaction from its audiences, I personally found Ridley Scott’s epic prequel to his own landmark on science fiction to be a tense and beautifully shot emotional thrill ride from start to finish, despite a clearly rushed climax.

As it exists, the film was simply pushed out of the list by better candidates, but had it actually kept even half of its fully produced deleted scenes, it would have had an easy shot at the upper half.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower:

For years I have waited for a film about the modern day teenager that isn’t some vapid commercial regurgitation of pop culture references and obnoxious humor lacking in any actual wit. If John Hughes could see what people were doing with his legacy today, he would be turning in his grave.

On that note, I almost put “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” on this list for finally scratching that itch alone. It’s funny, charming, endearing, and almost had me convinced that John Huges produced it from beyond the grave.

Top 10 films of 2011 part 4 and announcements

1. Captain America: The First Avenger

The weak, scrawny and sickly Steve Rogers, desperate to do his part in defending his country during World War II by fighting in the military but is refused time and time again due to his stature. He finally gets lucky after being recruited for the Super Soldier program, a government funded experiment designed to create the ultimate soldiers. After proving his newfound capabilities in the field, Steve becomes Captain America and leads a team of commandos through enemy territory in a battle against Nazi science and weapon division, HYDRA.

Mere words cannot describe my love for this film but I feel the need to preface this choice with the claim of how exclusive this film worked for me on a personal level. I loved this movie. I loved everything about it.

I love it’s approach of idealism. The world that “Captain America” presents is black and white. It’s story is simple on the surface, that of an idealistic patriot and general nice guy fighting the closest thing that humans have ever gotten to evil, the Nazis. Rather the complexity of Cap’s character stems not from a test of his morals which are unyielding throughout the film but from his journey to find a way to fulfill what he believes his destiny is. His character and hard work are shown by his will to fight for his opportunity to fight an evil that feels very real and very human as opposed to being a card carrying cartoon villain.

Director Joe Johnston’s (The Rocketeer, October Sky) eye for the mid-20^th century period creates a film that harkens back to the days of old adventure serials and Hollywood filmmaking similar to them (See and compare with Star Wars and Indiana Jones). Steve Rogers and his cast of characters, from The Howling Commandos to his superiors and even his villains are brought to life in a world not quite meant to feel like our own but with a similar feel. Yet when it links back to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a scene that packs a bit of emotional punch, the transition is seamless and organic.

Furthermore, it’s taken an approach to superhero filmmaking that I can only hope becomes the standard of the genre; not making the superhero an actual superhero. In a vain similar to Christopher Nolan’s Batman, whom focused only on taking out organized crime and “Thor” showing the trials of a humbled god that just happens to fall into the role of a temporary defender, Captain America is a soldier at war before he becomes anything remotely resembling a superhero. “Captain America: The First Avenger” is an Adventure movie set in World War II and focus less on turning its titular hero into a cookie cutter watchdog of the people (I’m looking at you Green Lantern) and more on translating his origin and purpose within the comic books into his film profession.

And on top of it all, every performance is simply pitch perfect. Chris Evans nails the wide-eyed idealism of Steve Rogers while still coming off as a mature adult. He’s idealistic but not naïve in regards to the way that the world works and when push comes to shove, he does an excellent job when he’s put into action. I can only hope that he sticks with this role over another crappy “Fantastic Four” movie. The camaraderie between The Howling Commandos feels genuine, the budding relationship between Steve and Agent Peggy Carter, played by Hayley Atwell, is actually touching, and Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark steals the show every time he’s onscreen, making what could have been throwaway continuity porn into a role that enhances the films of its sister series. And on an off note, kudos to the writers for reinterpreting him as a character rather than use the douche bag Howard of the comics.

It may seem odd but I genuinely found “Captain America: The First Avenger” to be one of the few perfect films that I’ve seen in a while. There are plenty of things that I would have added to it, such as fleshing out the Howling Commandos’ characters, and showcasing a few more action set pieces, but there isn’t a single thing standing that I would want to change. The films taking the positions on this list have been swapped and rotated countlessly over the course of the last month but the only constant I had going in was that this film was going to be at number 1.

Overall, I would say that 2011 has been a rather solid year for movies. It didn’t exactly blow me away the way that 2008 and 2009 did but it was without a doubt more than enough to make up for the abysmal 2010.

I’d like to think that with this year came a rise in quality of blockbuster films. A few movies here and there notwithstanding (Green Lantern, Sucker Punch, and Transformers 3 are just a few that come to mind), there appeared to a general trend in using the budget of a film to enhance its quality rather than using the money as a crutch.

Unfortunately, there seemed to be a bit of a lack of quality animation this year. Excluding a few gems like “Rango” and “The Adventures of Tintin” the selection was surprisingly limp. “Kung Fu Panda” suffered a case of sequelitis and with “Cars 2”, Pixar’s perfect record has been stripped.

It’s a shame that this year has been so poorly received financially compared to the previous year considering the significant bump in quality but I digress. 2012 is looking to have some great hits on its hands so here’s to hoping for the best.

Furthermore, I myself hope to carry the New Year’s spirit and apply it to my work on this blog. I fully acknowledge the missteps I’ve made within the last year and am aiming to move on and improve in terms of consistency. I make a promise to you the reader right now; This year, due to an increasingly busy work schedule, I may not quite be as active as I want but I will finish what I start. And with that said readers, have a Happy New Year, and I’ll see you on Wednesday for the start of Crapshoot 2012.

Top 10 films of 2011 part 3

4. X-Men: First Class

Now we’ve hit the top dogs; the cream of the crop of what the year had to offer. If anybody’s been following my posting before, than number 4 should be of no surprise to anyone. How one makes the fifth entry in a pretty hit and miss franchise the best of the series is beyond me but somehow, “X-Men: First Class” has defied the impossible and somehow broken the X-Men franchise’s recent downward spiral.

Telling the story of Mutant existence first becoming public knowledge, “X-Men: First Class” follows the story of a younger Professor X and Magneto, working with the CIA to train Mutants to combat rising mutant terrorist Sebastian Shaw and his Hellfire Club while slowing building the foundations of what will eventually become an institution.

Where can I even begin to describe this one? I could gush over it for hours simply for making the X-Men relevant again but sheerly on a level of filmmaking the film is astonishing. By setting the film as a 60s period piece, director Matthew Vaughn was able to adopt the aesthetics of spy and espionage thrillers of the time, allowing the film to look more exaggerated than its predecessors without looking cheesy. This results in the first X-Men film that actually looks like an X-Men film. And yet despite the successful transition of comic book aesthetics, the film manages to retain all of the substance of a real film.

The political intrigue in regards to the mutant situation and how it relates to our own history is fascinating. It kind of reminds me of the things that I would have liked to see in a good “Watchmen” movie. It also addresses the issue of recruiting teenagers to fight battles to protect countries and how significant their status in society is in regards to their abilities, and the effect that this has on them as young adults that still have significantly more maturing to do. Despite being the origin period of these questions within the universe, it brings them in and studies them even better than the good X-Men movies ever did.

 The primary focus of the entire film however boils down to the relationship between its three main characters; Charles Xavier, aka Professor X, Raven, aka Mystique, and of course Erik Lehnsherr, aka Magneto. The chemistry between James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as Xavier and Lehnsherr respectively is astonishing, selling their bond of friendship faster than Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan did across three movies. This Chemistry only serves to heighten the character drama in regards to their ideologies pulling the two in completely opposite directions. Jennifer Lawrence’s performance as a young and insecure Mystique compliments their presence perfectly, as she desperately seeks the approval of the both of them until she realizes that eventually, she will have to choose.

In a year full of surprises, never once did I believe that a rushed X-Men movie would end up in my top 5, yet here I am, praising Matthew Vaughn, director of my last year’s number 9 film “Kick-Ass”, yet again for providing me with my fourth favorite film of the year.

3. Hanna

Raised from birth by her father to become a skilled assassin to take on a specific mission that will allow them to live normally, 16 year old Hanna has lived her entire life in the harsh environment of the Finland wilderness. When she finally accepts the mission that her father has had planned out for her since she was young, her journey will force her to cope with her first exposure to civilization and question the things that she truly desires out of life as she makes her way to her kill and across Europe to live with her father again, this time, with no mission looming over her future.

As the above synopsis would lead you to believe, “Hanna” is more of a coming of age film than an action thriller. The majority of the film is a study of Hanna’s character as she interacts with the world around her, being exposed to civilization and human contact for the first time and as such, allowing her human nature get the best of her. Along the way to her final destination in Germany, she befriends a family that she begins to travel with. She acknowledges that logically, she should have kept moving on her own and avoided human contact as much as possible but her natural curiosity and desire to be loved and acknowledged leads her to make decisions that her training has taught her better than to accept. These elements explored within an unusual set of circumstances are amongst the highlights of the film.

That’s not to say that the film is devoid of action; it has a fair share of it and it’s all pretty damn well coordinated but the star of the show is Hanna herself and she is the glue that holds together your interest in everything that occurs within the film.

The drama is carried almost primarily by Saoirse Ronan as the titular character. She manages to be socially awkward while still retaining the feel of a trained and dangerous assassin. Of course this also helps in sympathizing with her very being. Although she has been denied all of the comforts and staples of childhood, she has been raised not know any better so every disturbing murder and escape from authority that she carries out is only done because she genuinely believes that what she is doing is right. Her compelling performance is bolstered by Eric Bana’s portrayal as her father, a man with an obvious agenda that realizes he needs to use his daughter to achieve his goals but is saddened to do so as well.

The best way to really describe “Hanna” is fascinating. It’s not the type of film that you jump up and down for in excitement but rather one you appreciate quietly while analyzing the different parts of what makes it function. I knew I liked it when I was done but it grew on me the more I thought about it, ultimately earning its number 3 slot on the list despite an odd twist regarding Hanna’s origins and a slightly abrupt ending.

2. Midnight in Paris

Quite frankly my number 2 film has left me speechless. Probably even more so than my number 1 film of the year. Everything about this film is just beautiful. The acting, the score, the camera work, the pacing, the writing, all of the above are top notch and go into what makes “Midnight in Paris” such a great film.

Career writer Gil Pender visits Paris while working on his first major novel. While taking in the beauty of the city he is invited off of the streets by a passing by cab to a club that is seamlessly takes him to 1920s Paris. While there, he meets and finds inspiration amongst his idols of the time period, such as Ernest Hemmingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Salvador Dalí, all while learning just how much the story he is writing pertains to himself.

The best word I can use to describe this movie is charming. The musical score is one of the most endearing that I’ve heard this year while still serving a purpose within the actual storytelling of the film. Paris’ scenery is gorgeous and yet always distinct between time periods if you pay attention to the little details.

Gil’s obsession with Nostalgia comes off as a poignant contrast to our own nostalgia obsessed culture, making the point across that no matter how far back we go, things will never be as great as we remember them. Furthermore the film perfectly nails the mental trials that writers go through while trying to work on a project, from writing about real life influences right down to subconscious influences. It almost feels like Woody Allen was writing a film about his entire career.

Any film that makes Owen Wilson relevant to me again has to be damn good. Besides him however, the numerous historical cameos steal the show. I went into this one expecting pure Oscar-bait but wow I couldn’t have been more wrong. The only thing keeping it from number 1 is…

Top 10 films of 2011 part 2

7. Limitless

This is where we enter the territory of the surprises; films that I didn’t expect but so much from and got far more than I ever would have imagined. Number 7 is such a film; when I heard it’s premise was based around the urban myth that the human brain only uses about 10% of its full capabilities, I was immediately resistant to anything that it had to offer, a resistance that only increased once I learned that the lie that the entire film is based on, isn’t even accurately represented. It had to have been pretty damn good to transcend all of those problems.

Struggling writer Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is, for lack of a better word, a loser. He’s mooching off of his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish), to finish a book that’s been long overdue yet he hasn’t even started on. His brilliant but misguided, he eventually stumbles upon a drug referred to as NZT, which alters the human neurochemistry to take advantage of 100% of the brain as opposed to the 20% humans normally have access to. This heightened intelligence puts him on the fast track to finishing his book but furthermore, seeking more prestigious career opportunities, all while dealing with others that want in on his success secret.

Limitless is a film that is far from perfect. While things start off a little bit slowly once the focus is put on Eddie’s life, things hit full swing in the second act only to be dragged back down by one of the weakest, telegraphed, Hollywood endings to a film that I had seen in god knows how long. And yet for all its flaws, when it’s at its height, it is absolutely stellar.

The story covers Eddie’s rise to and subsequent fall from greatness that results from his growing reliance on NZT, in addition to examining the obviously dangerous side effects that result from his dosages of it, as well as studying his addiction to the power that he is being provided through it. The editing is the star of the show, making every dosage of NZT that Eddie takes an almost nauseatingly memorable trick compared to the dull grey and bland world that he finds himself in whenever he isn’t on the drug.

Performances will probably be the biggest shocker of the entire film. Bradley Cooper manages to prove himself a serious actor, believably selling a protagonist with a lot of potential that fails to understand exactly how to actualize that potential for his own good, as well as helping to pull off a drug addiction story that actually feels realistic and without melodrama. Robert De Niro as his business partner also gives a surprisingly effective performance, demonstrating an acceptance of his place in the supporting cast and not stealing the spotlight from Bradley Cooper despite easily being capable of doing so.

Overall, “Limitless” transcends the flaws of its premise to become one of the most endearing sci-fi films that I’ve seen all year. I admit that the story of a loser writer that doesn’t know how to actualize his potential hits kind of close to home but that doesn’t make the film any less admirable on its own merits. Had its ending been less of a cop out, I might have been tempted to put this as a front runner for number 1 but as it stands, it’s still a great film. 

6. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I really need to learn to stop doubting any project that David Fincher has his name attached to. Every time I see a trailer for one of his movies, I say in the back of my mind that it doesn’t look to be noteworthy only to watch it and have it land smack dab in the middle of my list. As of the writing of this entry, the final list that you are reading has gone through several revisions before reaching the films that you see before you but the last list before this final iteration was written before I had seen the current number 6 film, which meant that “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” snatched this slot away from a previous film, leaving me with a fully written entry that I had written for nothing. Only a David Fincher movie has the power to make me do that.

With his reputation recently tarnished in a libel case, journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is brought in and paid handsomely by a retired CEO for his keen eye for detail in order to solve the decades old mystery of his granddaughter’s apparent murder. Assisted by the brilliant but reclusive researcher, Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), the two stumble upon a conspiracy that reveals just how much dirty laundry the family has been keeping under wraps.

The mystery told is incredibly tight and well crafted. There are some outcomes that can be logically drawn but the twists and turns are never telegraphed directly to the audience. In addition to the tight direction of the film, I have to further give it credit for its realistic portrayal of the effects and consequences of sexual violence, a topic that it could have easily shot itself in the foot with.

The actors manage to keep up with material that they’re handed perfectly, with Rooney Mara portraying a believably asocial hacker with a distrust of men and a disturbing past. What really wowed me however was the film’s elevation of Daniel Craig in my eyes. Don’t get me wrong, “Casino Royale” is one of my favorite films and I’d say that Daniel Craig is easily the best Bond since Sean Connery but I have yet to see him anything beyond the Bond franchise that I really enjoyed until now. That’s not to say that his performance was necessarily legendary but it’s nice to that he has a good deal of range.

From what I’ve researched this version of the film seems to be slightly more faithful to the original book than the 2009 Sweedish version of the film, which does unfortunately bring me to my biggest problem with the film. I’ve had several friends who have both liked and disliked the novel state that one of the biggest problems with it is the jarring shift of perspective between Salander and Blomkvist. If this is true, I dread the thought of even touching the thing because as brilliantly made as the film is, the first half of it is really, really, slow. Fincher’s direction is as tight as ever but I can’t help but feel that the flaws of this film are derived from screenplay, as despite being well paced and shot, following two completely unrelated stories stealing screen time from one another can get dull really quickly.

Despite the slow start it gets off to however, the film is atmospheric, tense, and incredibly well scored musically and I can’t wait to revisit once it hits the home market again.

5. Attack the Block

Easily the weirdest movie that I’ve seen all year, the number 5 film was originally reserved for another film of its kind, that of the adventure subgenre of kids getting pulled into zany adventures that are way over their head. When I saw “Super 8” earlier this year, I was taken aback by how extraordinarily JJ Abrams managed to perfectly capture the feel of classic Spielberg family films. Then I saw “Attack the Block” which put the still well done, “Super 8” to shame.

On a seemingly ordinary night, a gang of teenagers are attacked by an alien creature that they manage to kill. The night goes from ordinary to a nightmare as more creatures of the animalistic species begin a secret invasion of the inner-city of South London, which the kids spend the entire night running from and trying to survive.

“Attack the Block” is easily the biggest surprise of the year for me. It may be one of my favorite sci-fi films of all time. It’s funny, fun and a fresh take on a set of tropes that have been long tired out. The rather sizeable cast of characters all have different moments to shine as they trek all over the city trying to survive and fight the invaders. The real tension settles in with the revelation that everybody can die, once the shocking and gruesome death of certain main characters occur.

If it sounds like I’m being vague, there’s a good reason for it. “Attack the Block” was a UK film that had a rather limited release and poor marketing. It also marks the directorial debut of director Joe Cornish. The film is probably one of, if not the most unique that I’ve seen this year and I highly advise that you see it for yourself as the highlight of the film is really watching the reactions of the gang in ways that any spoilers would significantly detract from. It’s easily my pick for most underappreciated film of 2011.

Top 10 films of 2011 part 1

Another year is upon us and as per tradition, I've a new crop of films to draw attention to, along with my thoughts on the year as a whole and a few extra announcements afterward. This year will be a bit different than last however. As I wrote this list, I began to notice certain trends in regards to the films that appeared on it. And so, to better conform to the tight schedule that I've been on lately, I've decided to split this list into three pieces ending with the announcements. With that out of the way, Lets start with the films that were good in every conceivable way but lacked just a certain kick that I seek out of the higher tier films. Without further adieu, I present my top 10 of 2011, starting with



10. Thor

If I haven’t made it abundantly clear by my previous posts, I have an undying love for the superhero genre. My bookshelf is loaded to bursting with comic books and graphic novels of heroes of all types but within the pantheon of heroes, there have always been several characters whose appeal has always just baffled me. The Norse God of Thunder on Earth is such a character I failed utterly to grasp until I watch what may have been the most unique superhero movie I’ve ever seen, earlier this year.


The adventure of Thor, afformentioned Norse god, to earn back his godly status has unexpectedly worked its way into one of my favorite superhero movies of all time. Kenneth Branagh directs Thor’s fall from and rise to power in what is easily the most nontraditional superhero movie ever made and the shakeup to the genre that I’d been waiting for, at the time of its release, since “The Dark Knight.”


The keyword here is nontraditional. Branagh brings his Shakespearean sensibilities to a superhero that’s significantly different from typical costumed crime fighters. Thor’s tie to otherworldly cosmology is an element that has been brought into the relatively down to Earth setting of the Marvel Cinematic Universe spectacularly well, thanks to the low key setting of a small New Mexico town on the mortal plain of Earth, serving as a perfect contrast to the bombastic and larger than life feel of the realm of the gods, Asgard. The two worlds are brought to screen and blended together seamlessly, yet not distractingly, putting the focus of the film purely on the character drama, which is what makes the film so unique within its genre.


Branagh, known for his direction of numerous Shakespeare adaptations (“Hamlet” and “Henry V” being amongst the best) has essentially led him to create a Shakespearean superhero film. “Thor” really isn’t an action movie. It has incredibly well coordinated action sequences but it’s not about moving the hero from set piece to set piece. The movie studies Thor’s character through his interactions on Earth after being banished for his arrogance and insolence and follows his gradual humiliation and acceptance of what appears to be his new fate as a powerless mortal on Earth amongst the humans that are teaching him this newfound humility, all while showing the effects that his rashness has on everyone around him.


The story is rather simple but is executed with solid writing, excellent visuals, and most importantly, great acting. Chris Hemsworth’s Thor strikes a perfect balance between a loud and charismatic personality and understandable human arrogance, giving a performance feels larger than life without ever becoming hammy, while Tom Hiddleston’s Loki provides the film with a villain that is not a card carrying evil doer but a three dimensional empathetic character. All of the other performances combined with the incredible leads elevate the simple yet solid writing into a production that I won’t forget anytime soon.


And all of this is simply my condensed praise of the film. I could go on for pages about all the little things this movie accomplishes that I’ve been waiting to see for years but I digress. I found the film unexpectedly great and the only thing keeping from rising on the list isn’t so much what it didn’t include but rather what it chose not to. Just as the flaws of the film began to settle in my mind, namely its slightly rushed pace and lack of screen time for side characters, I decided to take a look at my DVD copy’s special features. Of the extras included in the DVD and Blu-ray was almost an hour of deleted footage.

For brevity’s sake, I’ll spare you the details, as most of the scenes can be found on Youtube or an actual copy you can go out to rent but suffice it to say, they were almost more effective than the movie itself, on their own. Had they been properly integrated, maybe “Thor” would have taken my film of the year but as it stands, it lacks the power to climb the list any further but has secrured its number ten slot based on uniqueness and its successful melding of magic, fantasy and cosmology into a setting otherwise defined by scientific means. It may not have set the world on fire but I certainly have no regrets paying to see it in theaters and on DVD.



9. The Devil’s Double

Even as I write this entry on the list, I find I myself in a bind just how to describe it. Based on the book and life story of Latif Yahia, “The Devil’s Double” tells the story of Latif’s life during his tenure as the body double of Uday Hussein, one of the sons of Saddam Hussein. Forced into his job against his will, Latif spends his days hanging out with Uday, pretending to be his friend for the sake of his own survival and gradually begins to realize that Uday isn’t simply corrupted by power, he’s downright psychotic. Latif spends years watching Uday kill, kidnap, and rape all the men, women, and even children, that he desires, and doing so like a gleeful child that just doesn’t seem to grasp how wrong he is, all the while contemplating the perfect time to make an escape and, if need be, kill him.


The dynamic between the characters of Latif and Uday almost plays out like a reverse Training Day. Uday is insane and just about the closest thing a human being can get to actually being evil and there is no redeeming him what so ever. He is without a doubt one of the scariest antagonists that I have seen in years. He would gun you down with a lighthearted smile on his face, not because of anything personal, but simply because it would be a fun way to pass the time. Every second he spends on screen makes you cringe in fear and wonder just how the hell anyone can get out of this scenario alive. It’s well paced and remains amazingly tense from start to finish, almost making you forget that, being based on a true story, Latif clearly found a way out.


What elevates this movie however lies squarely on the shoulders of its two lead characters, who are played by the same actor. Through masterful editing, Dominic Cooper plays both Uday Hussein and Latif Yahia. The two are onscreen together a lot, which means this couldn’t have been an easy feat. Somehow however, Cooper turns in two incredible yet highly distinct performances, and does so with such conviction that within minutes, you forget that the two people who are frequently at each other’s throats are the same person.


“The Devil’s Double” is one of the most intense character dramas that I’ve seen in years and it handles itself extremely elegantly. Being a western film made by a New Zealand filmmaker and distributed by an American company, there seemed to be a somewhat high capacity for it to drag politics into the equation and vilify Iraqi culture. Fortunately, the film takes the high road and avoids the topic of Saddam’s controversial rule as much as it possibly can, focusing on the demented nature of his antagonized son. At the same time, I commend it for not border lining on snuff film territory like a certain film of recent history (*cough*SerbiaFilm*cough*). If you can stomach its intensity, and it can get rather intense, I recommend it whole heartedly.




8. Warrior

I made the claim last year, when placing “The Fighter” at number 5 on my best of 2010 list, that I wasn’t very fond of sports in real life. Unremarkably, in the year between these lists, that fact hasn’t changed. Even the increasingly popular MMA is something that just barely attracts my interest. Therefore, when I place “Warrior” in the number 8 slot, you’ll know that there’s more going on than a man in a tournament in which he must beat the living hell out of his opponents.


Tommy, Brendan, and Paddy Conlon (played by Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and Nick Nolte, respectively) are an estranged family that can’t let the past go. Paddy, who has been sober for quite some time tries to in vain to make amends with his sons, meanwhile, Tommy refuses to forgive his brother for staying with their violent alcoholic father when they were children rather than stay with their mother and Brendan is simply caught in the middle of things, still working to set boundaries between his father and his family and work toward earning his brother’s forgiveness.


Bet your wondering where the MMA part comes into play. Tommy and Brendan are former professional fighters that have moved on with their lives but are thrust back into the profession to win a 5 million dollar prize that will help them fulfill their own obligations; giving the widow of one of Tommy’s best friends from the Marines an income to fall back on and allowing Brendan to pay off his defaulting mortgage to keep his family’s home.


The sport in this drama is more of a device than an actual focus. At the time of the tournament’s announcement, Tommy and Brendan are both retired from professional fighting and as such, only return reluctantly for reasons pertaining to their own life drama. Watching the drama unfold between this broken family and watching them slowly drift towards the possibility of reconciliation is more compelling than the actual fights themselves, which are already well coordinated and shot, keeping it from looking too close to something that could be watched on tv.


The drama is sold by the incredible performances turned in by all three leads, with special regards to Nick Nolte, whom I barely recognized at first. By straying just a bit from typical conventions, Warrior manages to set itself apart from most Sports dramas and is well worth a watch

Satoshi Kon Month: Perfect Blue

 
 
As February comes to a close, I come to the final work that I’ve chosen to cover by famed anime film director Satoshi Kon. All month I’ve talked about Kon’s ability to use surreal imagery to explore human nature and as he continued his career, he slowly but surely came to perfect his method of storytelling. His directorial debut however, was noteworthy in not only showcasing his potential but what the things that he would soon improve on in hindsight. Don’t misunderstand me, I absolutely adore his first film but it does have more than its fair share of differences from the rest of his work. How so, you ask? Let’s find out and wrap up my tribute to one of Japan’s finest directors by taking a look at the launch pad for his career, “Perfect Blue”.

Popular pop idol singer Mima Kirigoe has received much praise for her abilities in the entertainment arts, not only being a good singer but showing potential as an actress. Seeking to break out into an acting career, Mima leaves her group for a role on popular direct-to-video drama series “Double Bind”. Although things start optimistically, the camera shy Mima soon begins to crumble under the pressures of performing, which culminates in her hallucinating about her pop idol self demanding her to return to singing. In addition, she has also found an online diary of her life that she hasn’t written but is too detailed to be written by somebody else, begging the question of whether or not somebody is truly posting about her life without her consent or if she is subconsciously writing what she feels.

I have to say for a 13 year old animated film, “Perfect Blue” holds up exceptionally well. Technically speaking, the animation of the film still looks as great now as it did back then by any standards. The crisp and realistic movement animations combine with the dark, unsettling lighting of the movie to not only serves to fully immerse you into Mima’s world but make her descent into madness that much more disturbing as you not only experience it firsthand but feels as if your watching it happen to yourself.

The spectacular sound editing adds to the atmosphere of every moment. The music is tense when Mima is under pressure, the sudden stops in sound bring everything to a standstill for more contemplative moments, and despite a few instances of overacting at in the very begin, the voice work ranges from solid to stellar throughout the film. Mima’s sense of panic feels genuine as does the care that her manager has for her as she suffers from the stress of her shift in career along with the many other performances.

Mima’s ever growing pressure and concern over public image that is pushing her over the edge is demonstrated by the film’s editing to make almost every scene after she starts her acting job seem like an illusion. By doing this, the film regularly subverts the expectations one can come up with at the moment by immediately contradicting it, making the film hard to decipher until its climax, which is so tense and nearly horrifying that you’ll be up right and glued to the screen for the last 20 minutes of the movie. Unfortunately, this can lead to some confusion when first watching the film. In doing this, it somewhat sacrifices the overall quality of the initial viewing for rewatchability but it ultimately resonates powerfully nonetheless.

“Perfect Blue” is a fantastic character study that only gets better with subsequent views. Although Satoshi Kon would improve his filmmaking ability in the years to come, his creation of one of the greatest thrillers ever made, animated or otherwise, was a spectacular kick off to his career. He was an underrated genius as far as I’m concerned and he will be sorely missed.

CrapShoot 2011: Cop Out

 
Before I talk about Kevin Smith’s recent failure to live up to expectations, I would like to apologize for the lack of posts over the course of the last week. When I started CrapShoot, I was truly excited at the prospect of getting to chew out the crap that deserves no mercy. I rarely get to vent about the things that I hate so it has been a genuinely refreshing experience. After suffering a massive hardware failure of something very important to me however, I was cut off from the means by which I intended to review two of the last films in the lineup.


The situation is taken care of now but after dropping a lot of money to fix it and feeling the wear of 5 bad movies in a row, I am left feeling that if I have to stomach one more bad movie piled on with the hassle of the last week, I will be powerfully tempted to jump out of the next elevated window that I see. So for the sake of my own sanity, if nothing else, I feel the need to change pace early and start thinking positively. By no means is this a cancellation; I still intend to watch the remaining garbage that I have picked out, just don’t expect it in the coming weeks. With that said however, I still have one more to tackle before I put this event behind me for the time being.

 

 
 
In all honesty, despite the mixed reception of his career in the critical and public eye (or perhaps in spite of it), I have no true opinion of Kevin Smith. I’ve heard the praise over “Clerks” and “Chasing Amy”, I’ve heard the criticism over “Mallrats” and “Clerks 2” and I’ve heard every comment regarding “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” under the sun, from stupid to underrated but I have not seen enough of the man’s work to give a genuine comment on his career. So keep in mind, the fact that I hold no ill will towards him when I say “Cop Out” sucks.


I may have brought it up before but in case I haven’t, the worst bad movies always end up being the bad comedies. Nothing is worse than being pummeled with joke after joke without having a single laugh. It turns what is intended to be light fun into a dull chore to sit through.


In what is supposedly an homage to the buddy cop film, “Cop Out” stars Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan as loose cannon NYPD officers Jimmy Monroe and Paul Hodges respectively. Hoping to pay for his daughter’s wedding, Jimmy takes on a case in hopes that the payoff will be able to cover the expensive ceremony.


So as anybody that could have watched a trailer could guess, the biggest problem with “Cop Out” is that it just isn’t funny. I can count maybe 4 to 5 times that I may have chuckled throughout the movie but never once was the viewing experience worthwhile. Most of the jokes fall between random and obnoxious or simply flat. Furthermore I don’t exactly know what kind of “homage” this film is supposed to be paying but spouting off random lines from completely unrelated genre fiction to unbelievably disorient a criminal into spilling secrets is not exactly the first image that comes to mind when I think of a buddy cop movie.


The comedy isn’t helped by the fact that acting is all of the place. As a whole, the acting is consistently bland with the odd exception of the Willis and Morgan. Morgan is the typical high energy, over the top, black, annoying comic relief. I found myself mesmerized by Willis however, who spends the entire movie with this tired, dull look on his face as if he knew this was not going to go well for his career. It’s like that feeling you get whenever you have to get out of bed for work on a Monday morning because it’s the start of a long week. It’s often joked that certain people in Hollywood should apologize for the terrible work that they’re in. This movie was by no means bad enough to demand an apology for but judging from the look on his face in the film, you get the feeling that getting one out of him wouldn’t be that difficult.


What may be even worse than the comedy of the movie however, is that I was somehow disappointed after sitting through the whole thing. I saw potential in this thing, I really did. There are a few jokes here and there that elicited a chuckle from me and I was actually surprised to find a moment or two in which Morgan and Willis both had genuine chemistry, leading to scenes that were actually touching. I honestly wouldn’t mind seeing this movie rewritten and reshot with competent writing and direction.


As far as bad movies go, this one may waste the most potential out of everything that I’ve seen on this list so far. If you’re really curious, you won’t beat yourself up for renting it but after all is said and done, you may be left asking why you bothered in the first place.

4/10