MORE OF ME

Thursday, December 27, 2012

(Movie Review) Jack Reacher (2012)

Cruise is immortal. This has been confirmed. I mean, really, go back and look at him in Legend. Or go look at the first Mission Impossible movie. If possible he looks younger NOW than he did in that movie. He might also be in better shape now. Regardless, he is a a freak of nature. 50 years old and STILL a believable action hero. That has never been more apparent than it was to me in this movie.

Storyline: A man is accused of a crime that he claims he didn't commit. While being interrogated he gives them only one name...Jack Reacher. Reacher (Cruise) seeks this man out to try to help figure out if he did or did not commit the crimes that are being accused of. Reacher goes on a mission to gather the facts and find out who committed the crime.

Worth the Admission? I think that it is. Cruise might not be 6'5 and 250lbs, but this movie looks like it was made specifically for Cruise to dominate. He might not be a believable "bad a**" (in the way that the book writes it) but the way that the movie writes him (as a tough guy that is underestimated) is perfect. He pulls off some fight scenes that many people HALF his age couldn't pull off.

I also want to add that Tom Cruise, for 50+ years old, is in amazing shape. Most of the older action guys have let themselves go. But Cruise is is awesome in the movie and shows that he still has what it takes to make a great action movie.

and Rosamund Pike is smoking hot!



(Movie Review) This Is 40 (2012)

Some people are born to do certain things. Steven Tyler was born to scream at the top of his lungs during songs, Ron Jeremy was born to do adult movies. Paul Rudd was born to make people laugh. I have rarely seen a movie that I did not absolutely love him in. He gets comedy in a way that I don't think many actors do these days. Such a talent and someone that should (but will not) be given more credit in Hollywood.

Storyline: Pete (Rudd) and Debbie (Mann) are hitting a rut in their lives. They are both turning 40 this week (Debbie claims that she is only 38) and Debbie thinks that it is time to make some changes in their marriage. Eating better. Working out. Spending more quality time together. But when the changes don't come as easily as Debbie hoped they would, the couple continues to go through problems which culminates in a life altering change.

Worth the admission? Absolutely! It's a bit long, but more of a great thing makes this is a positive in my opinion. This movie is extremely funny. It's filled with plenty of bad language, but the jokes associated with the bad language are side splitting. Some people will argue the point that cussing is pointless in a "smart comedy" but I honestly think that it serves a particular purpose in this movie. It adds to the state of frustration that both Pete and Debbie are experiencing. I would recommend this movie to anyone that is in the mood for a good laugh.

As a side note, the kids in the movie are actually the children of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann. They actually have great comedic timing and I think that they will follow in the foot steps of their talented parents.

My only critique of this movie is that Leslie Mann, yet again, provides a CGI topless shot. It is so stupid to do. If the scene calls for a topless shot, then the actress should pull her big girl panties up and do the shot....not CGI I the shot. If the scene DOESN'T require it, then don't go through the trouble of trying to trick the audience. Just a small gripe, but still... 


Friday, December 21, 2012

(Movie Review) The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey (2012)


The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is just as grand and fun as I always hoped it would be

I’m not much of a reader. Not of novels and such at least. I love stories that are concise and a little smaller than the average book. This is the reason that I have always been so drawn to comics and short stories. When I was younger I read The Hobbit for the first time. For someone like me it was a huge undertaking, as the book tends to be somewhat slow and overly descriptive. Never the less…I was enthralled.  The world in which Tolkien sets this adventure is full of magic and wonder. Because of this book I fell in love with the Fantasy genre. Since the announcement that The Lord of the Rings (2001) was being made I have patiently waited for this film to come out. I am so happy to say that it was well worth the wait.

Storyline: Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) is a young and reluctant Hobbit that is perfectly happy with continuing to live his quiet life in his hillside home within The Shire. That is until one day he is reintroduced to someone from his past. The Wandering Wizard, Gandalf (McKellen) pays a visit to Bilbo and soon, unknown to Bilbo, signs him up for an adventure to help a group of Dwarves to reclaim their homeland and their gold from within The Lonely Mountain that is guarded by the dragon Smaug. The journey is littered with Orcs, Goblins, and a mysterious riddle loving creature named Gollum that will change the life of Bilbo Baggins forever.

Worth the Admission? Does a Hobbit eat 7 meals a day? Of course it’s worth it. There are going to be some people that complain about the film. There always are. People are going to complain about the length of it, or that the “first hour drags”, but those are complaints that are common when dealing with films that are as epic as this one.  As for the film “dragging”, this film, like the book, is meant to display the beauty of the scenery and to take the audience on visual journey. There is no reason to forgo the visuals in an attempt to get the runtime down. It’s all part of the experience.

I also think that too much negative emphasis has been placed on the style in which the film was shot. A standard film shoots at 24 frames per second, and this film shoots at 48 frames per second. What most do not like about it is that it takes away a bit of that “movie look” and replaces it with visuals that are too realistic. When was being realistic or believable deemed to be a bad thing? The clarity that this film has in unparalleled and makes the film feel like you are along on the journey. It is absolutely stunning. And when given the opportunity, you should see it in IMAX 3D (as I did). It is worth the extra money. 


Friday, November 30, 2012

(Movie Review) Rise of the Guardians (2012)


Rise of the Guardians is an extremely well-produced movie, but I don’t know if it was worth the effort.

This is usually the time of year when Holiday movies roll out and people are bashed over the head with thoughts of good cheer and sugar plums dancing about. The problem with that is I can’t remember a GREAT Christmas movie coming out at this time of year since Elf (2003). Sure, there have been plenty of efforts, but usually they are box office disasters. Fred Claus (2007), Christmas with the Kranks (2004) and Arthur Christmas (2011) are examples of Holiday movies failing to meet expectations. So the people of at Dreamworks had an idea. If Santa Claus isn’t getting people in the theater seats, why not add every other mystical Holiday character too. What they ended up with is a very attractive movie that doesn't really fit in and fails to hit the Holiday sweet spot.

Storyline: North/Santa (Baldwin) notices a dark shadow looming over his globe of the world and immediately realizes that it is that of his old nemesis Pitch Black/The Boogieman (Law). He calls on the rest of the Guardians to help him investigate. This team consists of Tooth/The Tooth Fairy (Fisher), Bunny/The Easter Bunny (Jackman) and the always silent Sandy/The Sandman. The Man In The Moon informs them that the threat is too great and that a new addition to the Guardians must be called. Jack Frost (Pine) is summonsed to meet with the group and to be brought in to help fight the evil threat that is on a warpath to ruin the Holidays for every child. But Jack is at odds with himself and isn’t sure of his place in the group. If he is to succeed, and the group is to defeat Pitch, Jack Frost must become the Guardian that the world needs him to be.

As you can tell from the above description, the movie is a bit convoluted. Not only is it a movie about every major mythical childhood figure, but stuffing all of that into a single story would be a daunting task for anyone. Sure, the movie is cute, and the visuals are stunning, but with this movie being top heavy on characters it doesn't ever really seem to get it right. Within a very short period of time you have dreams, Christmas, Easter, and the belief in Fairies all threatened. Because of that, they sting a lot less that you would think that they should. It’s just a classic example of Hollywood overcompensating when it doesn't need to.

Worth the admission? Only for the kids. They will like it. But the movie falls short of being a Christmas movie. I don’t think that it will perform like the studio wants. I think that it will underwhelm and will be released in time for Easter. Also, I have to admit that the voice acting for Jack Frost and Bunny might be the worst I have seen in an animated film. The voices just don’t match and it is often very distracting. 


(Movie Review) Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

I have a small and, often times, unaccommodating local movie theater that often will not get the majority of the films that I would actually like to see. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World was on that list. It has a phenomenal cast and looked really interesting but I never had a chance to check it out. So on a boring chilly night we decided to rent it. In my humblest of humble opinions...it was well worth the wait. 

Storyline: As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Accompanying him is a neighbor who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan. - from IMDB.com

Thoughts? A really fun and interesting movie. I sure wouldn't call it a "dark comedy", but considering that it's a movie about the end of the world...what else could you call it? There is a surprisingly fun and somehow believable chemistry between Steve Carell and Keira Knightley. I, going in to it, would have only that a relationship between the two of them could be viewed as "friendly", but in the end you do begin to think of them as two people that actually care about each other. 

At the front of the movie they explain that the attempts to thwart the apocalypse have been failures, so you go into the movie knowing that the end of the world is upon us. I think that it adds a very fun albeit heartbreakingly sad element to the film.  

Check it out!


(Movie Review) ONCE (2006)

I love a good musical. It can be live or on TV and I will sit down and usually watch it. Especially when it is well written, well acted, and the music is actually something that I would listen even if it were not part of the movie. Across The Universe is a great example of this. Heck, Once More With Feeling (from Buffy The Vampire Slayer) is STILL on my iPod to this day. So to find something that not only works musically but also visually is a rare treat...and this movie works on all levels. 

Storyline: A (unnamed) Guy is a Dublin guitarist/singer-songwriter who makes a living by fixing vacuum cleaners in his Dad's Hoover repair shop by day, and singing and playing for money on the Dublin streets by night. A (unnamed) Girl is a Czech who plays piano when she gets a chance, and does odd jobs by day and takes care of her mom and her daughter by night. Guy meets Girl, and they get to know each other as the Girl helps the Guy to put together a demo disc that he can take to London in hope of landing a music contract. During the same several day period, the Guy and the Girl work through their past loves, and reveal their budding love for one another, through their songs. - Written by IMDB.com

This movie turned out to be an absolutely fantastic film. The music was great! I loved that 
there are no names mentioned from the stars and that the man and woman in the movie 
aren't even "real" actors...they are musicians. So the music never feels overproduced or like 
they are singing along with a CD it just sounds like we are watching the meeting of two very 
talented musicians that are also trying to navigate through their personal lives. Just a great 
little movie. 

Thoughts? It's a movie that you can't go wrong with. The only draw backs are the accents 
are a liiiiiiittle hard to understand from time to time AND there is a bit of a "downer" that is 
associated with the film that I really wasn't expecting but I actually prefered it to the idea 
than everything would completely work out for everyone involved. 

All in all, a great movie and a great soundtrack!  



Tuesday, November 20, 2012

(Movie Review) Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2


Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 is proof that bad acting, bad effects, and lying to your audience will make your franchise a success…as long as the cast is pretty enough.

It has never been a secret that I am not a fan of the Twilight film franchise. Most fans will protest that statement with “you should read the books” or “you just don’t get it”. They are correct. I haven’t read the books and I don’t get it. Because last night I was robbed. Not only of my ticket price but also of the experience of actually getting on board with this last installment. More specifically, I was sold a bill of goods that this movie yanked out from under me. For that, I plan to crush them.

Storyline: Newly turned Vampire Bella (Stewart) and Edward (Pattinson) are elated at the birth of their newborn daughter Renesmee. But when Renesmee proves to be special and her age increases at an alarmingly rapid rate the family begins to worry. Word soon makes its way back to the Volturi and they, worried that this child could expose Vampires or that she may challenge their power one day, decides to confront the Cullen Clan and take her by force.

So. This is where it is going to be hard to describe why I hated this movie so much and why it, surprisingly, is my least favorite of the franchise. Keep in mind that I have to do this without spoiling the movie for you. This movie sells you a lie. I went in to the film knowing not to expect much. Luckily for me this franchise knows exactly how to deliver that. Horrible CGI is used throughout the film. From the action scenes to the CGI baby. It is shockingly noticeable. But I overlooked it because there was a significant event that takes place at the end of this movie that, for a brief and shining moment, made me like the movie. I, for about 10 minutes, thought that FINALLY the “kid gloves” had come off and we were going to get to experience something worthy of the BILLIONS of dollars that people have spent on Twilight. But by the end of the film it is proven to be a lie. Nothing but window dressing to make you feel something for the characters and then wipes the slate clean so everyone wins. It was the ultimate writers cop out and felt like a slap in the face to me. Because of that, because in a world with Werewolves and Vampires the only way to make the audience experience loss in any way is to LIE to them, this movie will forever be considered the worst of the franchise to me and is BANNED from my home. This is not a joke. I hate it that much.

Worth the admission? No. That’s all I can say. 

SPOILERS:  Below is some of my "beef" with the movie. 

So you read this review and probably think that I am an overly cynical person, but I wanted to tell you where I was coming from.

I have hated these movie. Truly hated them. Even this movie was a lame duck for the majority of the film. Nothing really happened. It was just a bunch of waiting to see when the Volturi would show up. All we did was see Renesmee grow up a bit (and that CGI was trash. A CGI baby and the way they CGIed the kids face while she was growing up?) and watch the Cullens meet people. That was pretty much it. Then came the one thing that actually changed my opinion. The battle. Seeing Carlisle beheaded made it all very "real" and for the first time in the franchise I thought "oh hell. These folks CAN actually die". And die they did. You have a few fan favorites that are dropping like flies. Carlisle and Jasper specifically. Then the tides shift and the Volturi start getting wasted. Marcus and Alec were awesome to see. The look of fear on Jane's face after Alec is taken out and how she gets taken out was awesome. Then Aro, dear Aro, lost his head and got fire put to him. But wait...not really. 

That is where I honestly could have thrown my damn drink at the screen. I came into this movie as a "hater" but by the end of it I was really starting to enjoy myself. Then I find out none of it happened? No one died. No one fought. Technically, if im not mistaken, there was only one death in this movie and that was Irina (Maggie Grace). The reason that it ticks me off so bad is because my whole problem with this movie franchise is that everyone is always safe. No one dies. You might think they are going to but no one ever does. The bad guys, sure, but no one else. And as a person that never read the books I thought that this movie had finally stepped up to the plate and was going to raise the stakes a bit. 

To me, it comes off as cheap. Having your audience go through all of the emotional stuff with the loss of characters and the satisfaction of watching the remaining characters defeat the bad guys and then, just so you wont make any of the fans mad, you wipe the slate clean and say "just kidding. Nobody died. Yaaaaaay!". The ultimate case of getting your cake and eating it too.


My second big complaint is the fact that the movie borderline supports/glorifies a pedopheliac relationship. Jacob and Renesmee is not something that they should have really gone into much detail on. And I will give them credit for avoiding it for the most part. But his being overly protective of her and then the joke of "so can I date your daughter" was in really poor taste and really creepy.





So, that it my gripe. 


(Movie Review) SKYFALL (2012)


I was never really that big of a James Bond fan as a kid. I, as you all probably know by now, was much more interested in Superheroes and things of that nature. Some blowhard, alcoholic, womanizing and fictional superspy was never going to steal that attention away from DC comics. When I was a teen I remember looking into the origin of Bond and finding that Bond’s creator, Ian Fleming, actually took the attributes and skills of this protagonist from a hand full of soldiers that he knew during his time with the Naval Intelligence Division during WWII. For some reason knowing that these skills came from real people suddenly changed the character for me and I really began to appreciate the franchise. This was right around the time that GoldenEye came out (1995) and Pierce Brosnan played the title character. Since then I have watched most of the films from the franchise. The good and the really bad. As far as SKYFALL, I think that it deserves a place near the top of the list.

Storyline: After a mission goes bad Bond (Craig) disappears from the world of espionage with what appears to be no plans of coming back. But when MI6 is attacked, and a former operative named Raoul Silva (Bardem) is found to be responsible, Bond resurfaces to help take him down. Silva is determined to take down MI6 and “M” (Dench) for ruining his life…and only James Bond stands in his way.

Sam Mendes really knows how to make a movie look good. There are a few scenes in this movie that are not only breathtaking but rival any past films in the franchise. Iconic shots with brilliant background colors and vibrant scenery make this my favorite bond movie (visually). The negatives of the movie are few and far between. At 143 minutes the movie is a bit long, but I really can’t think of a scene that should have been cut to shave time off. It may not be the greatest Bond film, but it is a very solid one.

Worth the admission? Sure is. A lot of things that I have wanted to see in the past few bond movies, like “Q” and the return of a past favorite character that I won’t spoil, were really good payoffs in this movie. I have really liked Craig in the title role for the past few movies. It is such a different world than watching someone like Pierce Brosnan, who always seemed more like a playboy than a spy, on the big screen. Another great thing is that the villain in this movie isn’t overly maniacal, but is actually someone that you feel is just dangerous enough to carry out his plans. Bardem is fantastic in the role. Equal parts insane and carefree. All in all, this turned out to be a great Bond film. 


Friday, November 9, 2012

(Movie Review) Wreck-It Ralph (2012)


I remember when I got my first console gaming system. It was a Coleco Vision and it allowed me to play “state of the art” games like Donkey Kong, Mouse Trap, and I believe that there was an E.T. game in there too. Then we moved on to Atari, Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, etc. My Saturday mornings were always filled with equal parts video games and cartoons. So when I first heard of Wreck-It Ralph being in the works I was really excited to see it. Sometimes a movie just hits you right and the idea of it just “works”, and apparently the idea hit everyone right…because it now sits as Walt Disney’s Animation Studios largest debuting movie ever.

Storyline: Wreck-It Ralph (Reilly) is tired of being the “bad guy”. He is an underappreciated character in an arcade game called Fix-It Felix, Jr. While the rest of the people in his game love Felix (McBrayer) they treat Ralph like a villain and it soon begins to hurt Ralph’s feelings. On the 30th anniversary of their video game Ralph returns to find that the characters in his game are having a celebration and did not invite him. When he casually invites himself in, and then wrecks the party, the people make a point to tell him that he will never be a winner like Felix. So Ralph goes on a mission to prove them wrong. He leaves his video game and begins to game hop in the hopes of winning a gold medal to bring back to the people in his game and to prove that he can be a hero too.

I absolutely loved this movie. I giggled during the whole thing. It’s bright, really well made, funny, and the voice acting is perfect. For the first time in my life I can say that I loved something that Sarah Silverman (voice of Vanellope von Schweetz) has been in. Her character was beyond cute and really helped make the movie what it was.

One other thing that I loved was the inclusion of so many characters from past popular video games. Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros., Pac Man, Sonic the Hedgehog, Frogger, Mortal Kombat, and Q*bert all are represented at some point in this movie. I just thought that it was a really nice touch and that it gave the movie a Who Framed Roger Rabbit quality that I really was not expecting.

Worth the admission? Without a doubt! This movie hits the spot, especially after the last few weeks of sitting through disappointing films at the theater. It’s a very touching and well-made movie. Kudos to Disney’s Animation Studio. They have consistently put out film after film of the most imaginative animated movies in history. This movie, in my humble opinion, is the best one yet. Make sure to go see it!
 

 

Friday, November 2, 2012

(Movie Review) Silent Hill 2 (2012)


Silent Hill: Revelation tops my list as the worst movie of 2012

It’s getting a little colder outside and one of the best things for me to combat the chilly weather is Hot Chocolate. I love a good cup when it starts getting cold out. There is something so simple and comforting about it. So one day, a few years back, I was in New York for work on one of the coldest days of the year and decided that a nice cup of coco would hit the spot just right. I placed my order, waited, and was finally given this overly complicated monstrosity of a drink. It didn’t even have a top on it because it was so full. It had whipped cream, sprinkles, some kind of glaze and was topped with a cherry. After digging through the mess for a while, trying to just get a sip of coco, I finally threw it away because it just wasn’t worth the hassle. I can’t think of a better comparison for this movie. It took something that was simple and unique with Silent Hill (2006) and destroyed it with a contrived story, bad acting and poor effects...and a cherry on top.

Storyline: What do you do when you can’t trust the world around you? That is a question that is plaguing Heather Mason (Clemens). Her vivid dreams of a place called Silent Hill and the horrific monsters that she sees when alone make her question everything about her life. When her father (Bean) is taken in the night, and a strange message is left that tells her to go back to Silent Hill, she embarks on a journey to save him. But when she arrives at the town she is quickly confronted with the truth of who she really is and how she is connected with the town of Silent Hill.

What is going on with “scary movies” this year? Between this and Paranormal Activity 4 I actually had pretty high hopes for a few good Halloween scares. They just keep getting it wrong this year, and this movie is the worst offender.

Worth the admission? I wouldn’t even recommend renting this from RedBox when it comes out. This movie is HORRIBLE. They couldn’t have gotten this movie more wrong. The first movie was actually really good (considering what I was expecting) and the story could have continued on from that very easily, but this movie takes a hard left turn and crashes into the trees. Don’t even get me started on the acting. Redwoods are less wooden than the acting in this movie. I, honestly, made jokes during the whole thing because I was so bored. And no, me talking in the theater didn’t offend the other three people that came out to watch this horrible movie on its opening night. Please skip it. I hear that Sinister is a solid scary movie, so I would recommend you get your Halloween frights from it.
 
 

(Movie Review) Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)


The only thing scary about Paranormal Activity 4 is the horrible story and lukewarm box office reception

The horror genre is full of classics. Think about how many of your favorite 80’s movies are now classic horror films/franchises. The 90’s turned out a good horror franchise or two (Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, etc.) that still maintained the spirit of the more classic horror franchises. They weren’t just gore and graphic sex. They were suspenseful. Unfortunately the 2000’s decided to take the horror genre and spin it into a gore fest that is lovingly called “Torture Porn”. Movies like Hostel, The Human Centipede, the Halloween remakes and, of course, the SAW franchise took all of the fun out of horror. Theaters were reduced large audiences of people watching the movies with their hands over their faces peaking between their fingers at the carnage on the screen. Movies like that defined how an entire generation perceived horror...and people like me felt sorry for those that missed out of classic suspenseful horror movies.

In October of 2009 I saw a glimpse of hope for this genre in the form of a little independent (and very cheaply made) suspenseful horror movie called Paranormal Activity. It finally seemed that film makers were steering away from the gory films and would start making movies that actually scared people instead of just making movies that grossed people out. The film was a HUGE success and garnered a sequel, which I think not only stands eye level with the original, but actually strengthens the story of the original. Then the obvious happened. They got greedy and tried to tie in a prequel as a third installment. Not a great idea. It made the franchise look weak and like it was grasping at straws for a story. As if that were not bad enough, they pushed forward with a complete train wreck of a fourth installment that not only diluted the entire series, but has the worst story and the worst “twists” of the entire franchise. Sometimes you should just quit while you are ahead.

Storyline: It’s been five years since Katie and Hunter have disappeared into the night after the events that took place on October 8th and 9th of 2006. But when a mysterious woman and a small child move in next door to the Nelson family, things began to happen. The woman claims to be ill and in need of someone to take care of her son while she is in the hospital and the Nelson’s agree to allow the young boy to stay with them. Fatal events that can’t be explained soon begin taking place.

Worth the admission? I’m going to say no, but that isn’t going to stop you from seeing it. It’s Halloween and you want a good scare, but trust me, you will not get it from this movie. It’s REALLY not up to snuff with the first two films and is obviously reaching for stories…even stories that aren’t worth reaching for. A boring and pointless addition to the franchise.

(Movie Review) Taken 2 (2012)


Taken 2 defeats the box office but kills the audience with boredom in the process

There was something special about Taken (2008). Maybe it was that it crept up on everyone. Kind of how Liam Neeson would creep up on his victims and take them down with a swift punch to the throat or a broken neck. It wasn’t something that people were expecting to do as well as it did. What made it a winner was positive word of mouth from everyone that happened to go in to see it.  It was a lower budget film with lots of action and the introduction of Liam Neeson as a legitimate action star. So what do you think that the logical thing to do next would be? If you guessed RUIN IT with a mediocre sequel you would be absolutely correct.

Storyline: Life is going much better for Bryan Mills (Neeson) these days. He is finally a functioning part of his daughters life, he and his ex-wife are more than friendly to each other, and he is enjoying retirement (with the exception of the occasional contract job). His family life is good. However, the family life of Murad Krasniqi (Serbedzija) is not so great. He was the father, uncle, brother and friend to many of those that were killed when Mills rescued his daughter Kim (Grace) from those that once abducted her….and Krasniqi is out for revenge. While on a family trip to Istanbul, Byran and his ex-wife Lenore (Janssen) are abducted and it is up to Kim to help free them. The entire family is at risk and it will take all of their efforts to get them safely out of Istanbul.

As you can see from the above film description the work load is somewhat shared in this movie. When the first movie came out, and it was about a father that would move Heaven and Earth to get his daughter back, it was very focused on one man and his mission. A tone was set. But this move bounces back and forth from Neeson and Grace pursuing the bad guys. So the way that one character approaches the situation, like an ex-government operative that isn’t scared of anything, is often interrupted by the actions of how a different character approaches the situation, like a scared teenage girl that has never been forced into a situation like this. It makes for a very uneven movie. The flow of it never seems to really live up to the first film.
Worth the admission? I am going to have to say no. I hate to do it. I loved the first movie and love Liam Neeson, but this movie just doesn’t come close to the original. The fights are REALLY choppy and the action is pretty tame. The two big “kills” in the movie are huge letdowns. It just came across as lazy and, I hate to say it, boring. Wait until it hits DVD or Netflix to watch it.

Friday, October 5, 2012

(Movie Review) Looper (2012)


LOOPER will still be a great movie in 30 years. My future self told me so.

 

Time travel. It’s probably the one thing in all of geekdom that most people would agree would be the COOLEST discovery ever made. I mean, sure, you might accidently go back in time and run over a puppy causing a little boy to turn into a Hitler-like dictator one day…but those are the chances that you have to take. Right? I LOVE time travel movies and TV. Quantum Leap, Bill & Ted, Back to the Future and Terminator are all staples in the cherished movies section of every Sci-Fi geek’s brain. After watching Looper I feel that you can easily add this movie to that rather impressive list.

Storyline: In 2072 time travel will be possible. It is quickly outlawed and criminal organizations begin to use the technology to send people back to the year 2042 to be erased. The people that dispose of the mobs “trash” are called Loopers. They are Hitmen that are paid very handsomely for crimes that can never be proven. Each Looper, at the end of their contract, will also be sent back in time to be killed by their younger self. When this happens the younger Looper gets a huge payday and can live the next 30 years of their life in comfort…until the day they are sent back to be killed. It’s called closing the loop. The one thing that a Looper can never do is let their target get away, and that is exactly what Joe (Gordon-Levitt) does when his future self is sent back. Now with Old Joe (Willis) on the run, Young Joe must find him and close the loop, before the mob that they work for tracks them both down.

Worth the admission? So worth it! This movie is great. A little funny, a good bit of action, but mostly just to see two actors at their very best. Joseph Gordon-Levitt spends 118 minutes teaching a Master’s Course on how to act. This guy embodies the persona of a young Bruce Willis perfectly. It is an amazing thing to watch. Also, performing at the top of his game is Bruce Willis. Willis is an actor that never ages to me. I always love him in everything that he does. But this may be my favorite performance of his….EVER. His character is forced into doing some horrific things and Willis, for maybe the first time in his career, absolutely floors me. For an action star, he really does some fine work in this film.

On a personal note, I LOVE that Old Joe tells Young Joe “let’s don’t start talking about time travel because we will be here all day” and that is pretty much how the movie handles the subject. The time travel part is just a plot device to deliver the scenario. If you take time to dissect it you will miss out on all of the fun.

(TV REVIEW) The Event (2010-11)

I love a good idea and a cool concept, but the execution of that concept is often more important than the concept itself (most of the time). So you have a show like The Event. It starts out great. Has great reviews, great ratings, and then just falls off. Why? Because it just tries to do to much stuff to fast.

Storyline: When a man goes looking for his missing girlfriend, he stumbles upon a government conspiracy that is bigger than the president himself. -IMDB.com

I had to use the oversimplified description of the show because this show is way to convoluted to spill out in a simple paragraph. This show could have been great. It deals with Aliens, government conspiracies, gun fights, and gobs of other things that make for good TV...but this movie just couldn't get it right. Too many "twists" that didn't make sense and too many dead end stories that were never explained.

It's an interesting show that implodes on it's lack of continuity. It's watchable, but don't expect anything huge out of it.

(TV REVIEW) REVOLUTION (2012)


TV starts to heat up this fall with some great new shows and some returning favorites

Unfortunately I was out of town last weekend and didn’t get to review a movie, even though I really wanted to see Dredd 3D, so I figured that I would take the opportunity to talk about a new show that has the highest premier in the past three years (as well as my short list of shows to watch this fall). The show is called Revolution and was created by the very talented Eric Kripke.

Storyline: The world, as we know it, is dependent on electricity. Everything from airplanes to toys needs electricity to work. So what would happen if one day it all stopped working? As if by magic, one day the electricity all over the world just quits working and no one can seem to explain why. Some people seem to know more than they are letting on, but most people are left wondering what has happened. Over the next fifteen years the world is reduced to countless farms and small communities that have persevered and, in some cases, learned to thrive without the use of modern technology.

 In the wake of this new world, Sebastian Monroe (Lyons) has appointed himself President/ruler and uses his militia to impose fear on the small towns. When President Monroe sends a search party to retrieve a man named Ben Matheson (Guinee) a conflict erupts and Matheson is killed. The only choice now for the teenaged children of Matheson is for them to seek out their uncle Miles (Burke) and begin to search for answers to their many questions. But when this series of events begins to shed more light on the long unanswered questions of “what happened to the electricity” all of those involved find themselves in terrible danger.

Tune in? I say yes. I love Sci-Fi and love post-apocalyptic shows/movies, so I am going to stick with this show for a while. Sure, there are some negatives. It is a little too “squeaky clean” for a world that has been without modern conveniences for 15 years. People seem to always be in clean clothes with perfect hair, but the IDEA of the series is what I like so much. What would we do if the lights just went out? The series feels like equal parts LOST and The Hunger Games. Make sure to check it out.

Other series that are coming very soon are The Big Bang Theory (9/27 - CBS), Fringe-Final Season (9/28 –FOX), 666 Park Avenue (9/30 –ABC), Animation Domination (9/30 –FOX), Supernatural (10/3 –CW), Arrow (10/10 –CW) and The Walking Dead (10/14 -AMC). Be sure to check them out!

(Movie Review) Resident Evil : Retribution (2012)


Resident Evil: Retribution is less fun than watching a sack full of puppies drown….slowly

 

One of the coolest video games that I can remember playing when I was younger was Resident Evil. It was released in 1997 and, honestly, was the greatest thing that I had ever played at that point in my life. It was extremely well designed, had lots of puzzles and tricks, was one of the first games that I can remember where you had to conserve your ammunition, and was easily the scariest thing in the world to play with the lights off. Either that or “Bloody Mary”. So with all of those wonderful things going for it you would think that it could continue to produce interesting movies. Unfortunately this installment reminded me more of the night that I was playing the game barefoot and stepped on a piece of broken glass.

Storyline: Alice (Jovovich) wakes up inside of an Umbrella facility and must find a way to break free from her captors. While trying to escape she finds many of her past friends, some that were thought to be dead, have returned to confront her. While on the run she begins to see how badly the T-Virus has continue to destroy the world and just how far the power of Umbrella can reach.

There is a surreal moment that I experience when I realize that a movie is going to be horrible. It’s that moment where you start to look around at the rest of the audience and see if their facial expressions have that same look of disappointment that you can feel on your own. Luckily, after about fifteen minutes of having that feeling, I noticed that everyone was sharing my pain with me. Not since the disastrously unwatchable film Ultraviolet (also a Milla Jovovich film) was released have I had to fight the overwhelming urge to throw my drink at the screen and storm out. This movie is the equivalent of the yellow Starburst that no one seems to ever want, it’s the full tray of butter cookies sitting beside an empty tray that once held chocolate chip, it’s the fruitcake that no one ate at Christmas….this movie is unenjoyable!

Worth the admission? NEVER! I would rather be infected with the T-Virus than to recommend this movie to someone. Vomiting leaves less of a bad aftertaste than this movie did. The first two movies in this franchise were really fun, the third was getting a little far fetched (even for the subject matter), the fourth was bad and this one was unwatchable. At this rate of decomposition the idea for the sixth movie (which they have already said WILL be made) will be to have someone stand in the lobby of the theater, take your money, and punch you in the face…at least that won’t take two hours out of your day.
 
*Spoilers*
Do you know what I hate MOST about movies like this, the fact that they change the original story so much. Zombies are introduced to us in the first movie as slow and uncoordinated. In this movie they are faster, they can SWIM (which should be impossible) and they they can ride motorcycles. Yep. No joke. They ride motorcycles. That should be enough to make you never want to see this movie.
We are also, rather unfortunately, given the information that there are piles and pile and piles of clones of each person from the past movies. They bring Wesker back to HELP the good guys too. How the hell does that make sense?
 
 

Thursday, September 13, 2012

(Movie Review) The Possession (2012)


Aren’t scary movies the best? I mean, really? Other than a comic book movie (that is well done) or a really good comedy I can’t think of any genre of movies that I enjoy more. Now I want to clarify that I am not talking about those over-the-top gory films. Outside of the old Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th franchises, gore movies have never been very appealing to me. I prefer the “bump” scary movies. Those films that just turn out to be slasher/gore films are the types of movies that I will often just sit back and laugh at, because there is nothing remotely relatable to them and anything that most of us have ever experienced. The appealing thing about suspenseful scary movies is that they are entirely relatable. Everyone has had those moments where they were alone in a dimly light room and swear they see something out of the corner of their eye. It’s such a rich and emotional area to make a movie from and I often find that I am drawn to movies like that. While this movie is far from perfect, it does turn out to be a really suspenseful supernatural film.

Storyline: In the wake of an ongoing divorce, Clyde (Morgan) is finding it hard to connect with his daughters Em (Calis) and Hannah (Davenport). The only time that he really gets to spend with them is when they come home with him on weekends. During one of the weekend visits Clyde takes the girls to a local garage sale where Em is drawn to an old box. After she talks her dad into purchasing it for her she happily places it in her room at his house. But there seems to be much more to this box when Clyde notices a change in Em. She becomes distant and, in a few cases, violent. Clyde is convinced that there is a connection to her new problems and this box, and he will go to any lengths to stop it from harming her. Clyde must find a way to convince those around him of what is going on and find a way to stop it once and for all.

Worth the admission? I say yes on this one. The only thing that I didn’t like about the movie was that the first 15-20 minutes of it was slow and at times seemed poorly edited.  After it gets through the first quarter of the movie it really picks up. Jeffery Dean Morgan, having worked in the paranormal world before (on Supernatural) turns in a solid performance, but it is Natasha Calis that really steals the show. She is fantastic as Em! Maybe I am being a little lenient on this film because it has been a while since I have watched a good scary/suspense movie, but I think that you should make plans to check it out.

(Movie Review) Casa de mi Padre (2012)

I love it when things don't exactly fit. You know? Say there is a bunch of ducks walking in a line and right in the middle of them is a chicken. And NONE of them realize that there is one small percentage of the group that doesn't actually belong. That is about the best way I can think of describing Casa de mi Padre. A movie that is about drama surrounding a family from Mexico and Will Ferrell plays the lead role...and he is a giant gingerish honky (who happens to speak pretty flawless Spanish). Awesomeness.

Storyline: Armando Alvarez (Will Ferrell) has lived and worked on his father's ranch in Mexico his entire life. As the ranch encounters financial difficulties, Armando's younger brother Raul (Diego Luna), shows up with his new fiancé, Sonia (Genesis Rodriguez). It seems that Raul's success as an international businessman means the ranch's troubles are over as he pledges to settle all debts his father has incurred. But when Armando falls for Sonia, and Raul's business dealings turn out to be less than legit, all hell breaks loose as they find themselves in a war with Mexico's most feared drug lord, the mighty Onza (Gael Garcia Bernal).From IMDB.com

The great thing about this movie is that it completely takes a dive all for the sake of making a few people laugh that "get it". I mean, look at the score on imdb.com. it clocks in a measly 5.5 rating, and only a 44% fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com...but the critics that actually liked it are some of the more reputable critics out there. Is it a GREAT movie, hell no, but it takes those quirky things that people love about "b-movies" and glorifies them. Props that are obviously fake, using the same rolling background screen in every car driving scene, having the cuts be sharp and out of place, and below is a description of a scene that, to me, is in a league of its own.

There is a shot of two characters riding horses through a field, but to make it look as cheesy as possible, they never shoot the horses (there are no horses) but only shoot the actors from the chest up bouncing up and down to give the illusion of riding a horse. There is also a painted backdrop and to give the illusion that they are passing trees and such, the stagehands are moving small bushes past the actors in the background. Possibly one of the funniest things I have seen in a while. It's like a mashup of Grindhouse and Spaghetti Westerns.

If you have the time, you should check it out. Seriously. You will be glad you did, unless you end up hating it...then forget that I said anything.

(Movie Review) Premium Rush (2012)


Premium Rush fails to deliver with movie goers

In my opinion, the worst thing that an on-the-rise actor can do is come off of a critically acclaimed blockbuster and turn out a forgettable movie months later. You see it happen a lot and sometimes it can be the end of a career. Surviving in Hollywood is all about choices. Well, that and being incredibly good looking. With that in mind I have to admit that I think that Premium Rush was a really bad choice for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I have been a fan of his since he was on 3rd Rock From The Sun (1996), and he has been making some incredibly good decisions with his career lately. Inception, 50/50, and The Dark Knight Rises have all helped push him into a more visible part of the Hollywood spectrum, but doing a forgettable movie like Premium Rush is worse than not doing a movie at all. The movie isn’t bad, it’s actually kind of fun, but you could have put anyone in that role and it would have been just as forgettable.

Storyline: Wilee (Levitt) is the best at what he does. He is a courier for a delivery company in Manhattan. He is known to be a bit of a daredevil since he insists on riding with no brakes in a city that is known for cars and traffic. When Wilee is called in for a job he picks up his package and is soon accosted by a man in the parking lot that claims to be the owner of the item being delivered. When Wilee explains that items must be delivered once they are picked up the man becomes aggressive. Wilee soon finds himself being pursued through the streets of the city and must find a way to escape his dangerous pursuer. 

Worth the admission? Not really. I hate to say it, because it is actually a pretty fun little movie, but it is such a forgettable film that I can’t recommend that anyone pay to see it in the theater. Once it comes out on DVD or NETFLIX I think that it would be worth the money to watch it, but not in the theater.
I am going to go ahead and recommend that you all watch LOOPER when it comes out. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis and opening on September, 28th. The movie looks to be equal parts gangster movie, time travel movie, and action movie all rolled into one really interesting package. Be sure to check it out.

Friday, August 24, 2012

(Movie Review) The Expendables 2 (2012)


When I was younger I, like most kids, had toys that I would play pretend with. But playing with only one toy at a time was never as much fun as playing with lots of them at the same time. So I would add He-Man, Spiderman, a few Ninja Turtles, and Superman to the mix and have a blast. It didn’t matter if they were all part of their own toy lines, because mixing them all up together in one fun Battle Royale always made more sense to me. Then, while watching this movie, it finally made me realize why I loved the first film as well as The Expendables 2 so much. It reminds me of taking the very best toys from the toy box and putting them together to fight the bad guys. Watching the greatest action stars of the past 30 years, all on screen together, just makes you feel like a kid again.

Storyline: Mr. Church (Willis) calls in a favor to Barney Ross (Stallone) to collect on what should be an “easy paycheck”, but that mission becomes something much more dangerous when Jean Vilain (Van Damme) and a group of mercenaries kill a member of Ross’ team. Ross commissions his team to help him take down Vilain for the murder of one of their own.

I will go ahead and save you the trouble of making fun of Jean Claude Van Damme’s character name. Jean Vilain. Really? That is the best they could come up with? But in a way, it doesn’t really matter. Sure, if we sit back and poke holes in a very simple script we are destined to enjoy this movie much less. There are probably close to 200 (or more) people killed in this movie and no blood splatters on the wall/floor etc. In some scenes, people have their heads just disappear after being shot. But the fact that you get to see the people you grew up idolizing working together as a team should be enough to overlook that.

Surprisingly enough, Dolph Lundgren and Van Damme actually give some solid performances. Lundgren doing a few comedy bits that actually work is something that I was not expecting. And to see Van Damme as a villain in a movie works on so many more levels than watching him as the good guy…and the guy STILL has an awesome roundhouse kick.

Worth the admission? Without a doubt. Even my lovely wife, who is not a huge action movie fan (unless Nicholas Sparks decided to write one), liked it. Hats off to Terry Crews who, by some miracle, makes Arnold Schwarzenegger look like a tiny tiny man. Seriously. Terry Crews is a massive physical specimen. The whole movie and the actors within it are fun and enjoyable.

(Movie Review) The Campaign (2012)


Small doses. That is usually the setting that Ferrell and Galifianakis do their best work. Ferrell’s work on Saturday Night Live and movies like Old School make him stand out from the crowd, same goes for Galifianakis in movies like The Hangover, but you give them a movie where they are the lead and they tend to become overwhelming. Granted, this is just my personal reaction to them, I’m sure plenty of people love them in lead roles. So I was less than excited when I heard about this movie. I figured that it would be a few stupid jokes about the political make-up of the country and that would be about it. I’m happy to say that I was more than impressed with the comedy that this movie offered up.

Storyline: Congressman Cam Brady (Ferrell) is on the cusp of winning another term in office due to running unopposed. When two CEOs decide that his time as congressman should end they begin to back local Tourism Director Marty Huggins (Galifianakis) to run against Cam. After being publicly embarrassed numerous times by Cam, Marty decides that it is time to take the gloves off and start playing dirty. Huggins has to find a way to beat Congressman Brady at his own game without becoming the monster that he is trying to defeat.

This movie is GOLD to me. Not only has it been a while since I have laughed this hard at either of these actors, but the movie itself could not be any more perfect. Galifianakis walking around with that sweater and fanny pack on, Ferrell channeling his inner politician to give some of the best comedic political speeches since his days of impersonating George W. Bush on Saturday Night Live, and the general writing of the movie is great. I laughed a lot in this movie and I would bet that you will too.

Worth the admission? Does Marty Huggins love a Pug? Absolutely! I think that this comedy is more accurate about politics than most political dramas out there. I fully believe that those running for office tend to square off before hand, while smiling for the cameras, and talk “trash” to each other. Comedies are rarely really funny these days. Think about it. When is the last time that you just laughed your head off in a movie? Usually only gross out comedies make much money at all in the Box Office now. This movie, while FILLED with adult language, contains very little (if any) gross out comedy. Way more tame than movies like The Hangover 2, but a lot funnier for those that like exaggerated political humor. And with the elections coming up soon, who wouldn’t enjoy an exaggerated political comedy?

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

(Movie Review) LOCKOUT (2012)

I'm not going to make a big effort to come up with stuff to say about this movie? Why? Because it is really not worth the time. This movie is not anything to get too excited about or to take time to find. It's about as "meh" as you can get.

Storyline: Set in the near future, a falsely convicted ex-government agent has one chance at obtaining freedom. He must undertake a dangerous mission to rescue the President's daughter from rioting convicts at an outer space maximum-security prison.-IMDB.COM

Thoughts? This movie will forever be known to me as a movie with the WORST action scene in the history of movies. There is a scene where Guy Pearce is being chased on a motorcycle that looks like it was made by a 10 year old. It is trash. Maggie Grace is beyond horrible as an actress. She was tolerable in Taken and on LOST, but she is horrible in this movie.

I will give credit to Guy Pearce  for the physical shape he go in for the role. At some points in the movie I felt that this role was made for Hugh Jackman, because of Guy's size, mannerisms, and overall look. It was a real departure from what I have seen Pearce do in the past.

I would recommend that you skip the movie. It's just no good.

(Movie Review) Wanderlust (2012)

I have a special place in my heart for Paul Rudd movies. Always have. Since I saw him in Clueless he has been one of my go-to actors for uncomfortable comedic actors. He has a way about him that you you can honestly believe that he is the most sincere person in the scene. That is a rare quality that most actors do not have...yet he has an abundance of this quality. It's an amazing thing. Might be why his movies always get a pass with me...because he is that damn good at his job.

Storyline:After George is downsized from his financial firm and Linda's depressing documentary is cancelled, they can no longer afford their overpriced 'micro-loft' in New York. They find themselves with just one option - to pack up their lives and head south to move in with George's brother and his wife. George and Linda stumble upon Elysium, an idyllic community where the only rule is to be yourself.Written by Universal Pictures

Thoughts? This movie actually has some really funny moments. The nudist, Wayne (played by Joe Lo Truglio) hangs some serious "dong" in this movie, so be ready for that. This movie made me like Aniston's character in a few scenes and absolutely HATE her in others...which leaves you with an odd feeling as the movie ends, as you think that certain people deserve better than what they end up with. That is just my opinion.

Rudd does, unfortunately, has one of the most annoying scenes in the movie. It's a scene where he is trying to psych himself into having "relations" with another woman and it turns into about 2 minutes of stupidity. But, for the price of a trip to redbox, the movie is worth $1 to check out.

(Movie Review) Wrath of the Titans (2012)

Do you know what is better than a horrible rip off of a long loved/respected piece of scifi/fantasy history? A sequel to the horrible rip off. Because when it is all said and done, what is the industry about? Making dreams and memories for new generations of movie goers? NO! It's about trying to make mountains of cash off of the name of a movie instead of the quality of the movie. A sin that, I'm told, earns you a special spot in hell.

Storyline: A decade after his heroic defeat of the monstrous Kraken, Perseus-the demigod son of Zeus-is attempting to live a quieter life as a village fisherman and the sole parent to his 10-year old son, Helius. Meanwhile, a struggle for supremacy rages between the gods and the Titans. Dangerously weakened by humanity's lack of devotion, the gods are losing control of the imprisoned Titans and their ferocious leader, Kronos, father of the long-ruling brothers Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. The triumvirate had overthrown their powerful father long ago, leaving him to rot in the gloomy abyss of Tartarus, a dungeon that lies deep within the cavernous underworld. Perseus cannot ignore his true calling when Hades, along with Zeus' godly son, Ares (Edgar Ramírez), switch loyalty and make a deal with Kronos to capture Zeus. The Titans' strength grows stronger as Zeus' remaining godly powers are siphoned...Written by Warner Bros. Pictures 

Thoughts? This movie was trash. From start to finish. So, we have a sequel that basically makes the first movie pointless. Great job. Way to reward your fans. Also, the always-boring-as-hell Sam Worthington, gives us yet another example of why he is quickly disappearing from Hollywood as a "go to" leading man.

(REVIEW) ALIEN 3 (1992)

As the last of the Alien movies trickled in to the house, I finally conclude my watching of the entire Alien Franchise. Sure, they have been out of order, but that is alright. I won't complain.

Storyline: After escaping from the alien planet, the ship carrying Ellen Ripley crashes onto a remote and inhabited ore refinery. While living in the ore refinery until she is rescued by her employers, Ripley discovers the horrifying reason for her crash: An alien stowaway. As the alien matures and begins to kill off the inhabitants, Ripley is unaware that her true enemy is more than just the killer alien.- IMDB.com

Thoughts? This, to me, is the second best film of the Alien movies. Sure. It is as predictable as most of the others in the franchise, but you see a level of badass-ness that is sometimes missing from the other films. Sure, she gets tough in some instances in the other films, but in this one she is hardcore from front to end. Very solid movie and you should watch (or re-watch) it!

Friday, August 3, 2012

(Movie Review) The Watch (2012)


The Watch isn’t exactly “otherworldly funny”, but it manages to abduct a few laughs



If you are wondering, those puns were just as painful for me to write as they were for you to read. Nonetheless, they were too obvious for me to pass up. Much like how the concept for this movie was too obvious for Stiller and Vaughn to pass up. Why? Because neither of these actors have carried a movie on their own shoulders for a while. I’m sure that the thought of getting paid a lot of money to do a fourth of the work is really attractive. Think about it. When is the last time Stiller was funny without an ensemble cast to do all of the work? Zoolander (2001)? Vaughn hasn’t made me laugh since Wedding Crashers. Maybe they just work better in large groups. They are like the Hyenas of the comedy world. They can do nothing on their own but when they are in a large pack they actually appear formidable.

Storyline: After a grisly murder at the local Costco, store manager Evan (Stiller) takes it upon himself to start a neighborhood watch group. After he makes a public plea at a local sporting event, he ends up with 3 participants that agree to join his cause. While on a call one night they encounter something that confirms to them that we are not alone in this universe. The four men must find a way to protect their town, and the world, from an impending alien invasion.

I have to be the one that points out how completely unfunny Ben Stiller has been lately. I can name plenty of movies that were “OK” that he was horrible, unlikeable, and unfunny in. He just seems to phone it in most of the time. I know that some might disagree with me, but I feel like he was just as bad in this film. Not horrible, just not memorable. The only time that I laughed at his scenes was when he shared them with someone else (usually Jonah Hill or Richard Ayoade).

Worth the admission? It’s a pretty crude comedy. But other than the shortcoming mentioned about Stiller, the movie oddly works for me. I will say that it is worth the price of admission, but only because I was expecting it to be a huge disaster and it turned out to be much better than the previews suggested.

While this movie tries to force Ben Stiller on you as the star, Vince Vaughn’s character almost takes control of the film. Not that Vaughn is even that much better than Stiller these days, but his character was  consistently more likeable and funnier in this film than the “star”.