(TV REVIEW) The Walking Dead (2013)

The Walking Dead returns with heart pounding action…unless you’re a zombie. Then you have no heart.

February is known for being that time of year when you snuggle up close those that are the most important to you and paint the town red. By “those that are the most important to you” I am obviously talking about the remaining members of your Zombie Apocalypse group. And by “paint the town red” I mean the excessive amount of head shots that you and your group are unleashing on the hordes of undead that are in constant pursuit of you and your group. The problem with the Zombie Apocalypse is not really so much with the zombies, but more about the people that have changed to fit in to this new world paradigm that they find themselves in. People stake out their places in the world and will fight to the death to hold on to that. Sometimes that is a great and noble thing, but in this world it is usually followed by a maniacal mad man that is looking to reign down death and destruction on anyone in his path. Welcome to a day in the life of Rick Grimes (AKA “Officer Friendly”).

Storyline: The dead walk the earth. There is no real answer to why they do, they just do. Bites are a death sentence and the only way to ensure that your friends and family do not come back as “walkers” is with a well-placed shot to the head. This is the world that we live in now. But not everyone has been turned. Rick Grimes (Lincoln) and his group have been on the run and looking for a place to call “home” for the last year. They have finally found that home in the form of a prison that the group had to clear of zombies to make safe. But a rival group in the town of Woodbury is not happy with Rick and his people being in their backyard. So an all-out war is being waged between the two factions and many, if not all, of those in the fight may lose their lives in an attempt to hold on to what they feel like is theirs. It’s a dangerous new world, and zombies are the least of your worries.

Thoughts? Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years you have not only heard of this show, but you have probably heard of how it is breaking records left and right on viewer numbers. And rightfully so! This show rarely disappoints and almost always delivers fast paced episodes. With season 3’s midseason premier, The Walking Dead returned with the highest ratings of the shows run and I can only assume that those numbers will continue to go up. If you haven’t watched the show in the past, check it out on Netflix. Well worth it.


SPOILER: This poster makes me think that poor little Carl is about to take one to the dome. You know, he lost an eye in the comics...but the show has deviated so far from most of those story lines that it might not happen. Dale lost a leg in the comics, not Hershel. Michonne is the one that the Gov physically abused (raped)  and held captive, not Maggie. Their stay on the farm was brief, not lasting months. Shane dies in the first comic, not so much further into the story. 

The show has a way of making good on the events that took place in the comics but often changing the timelines or the character that the event happened to. So, as the poster suggests that there will be "an eye for an eye", maybe Rick is the one that is going to have his peeper popped? Beats him having his arm cut off (like he did in the comics). 

                                                             

(Movie Review) Identity Thief (2013)

Identity Thief steals a few laughs, but not as many as I hoped it would.

Hollywood has a wonderful way of dropping the ball with almost every rising star that they help create. Not only do they overuse actors to the point of it turning the audience away (Gerard Butler and Sam Worthington are good examples) but they take someone that has experienced a recent upshot in popularity and pair them with a seasoned actor for feature films. I know that this is to help lend some “star power” to the newer actor, and expose the seasoned actor to the new fan base of the newer actor, but it usually turns out to be a bad combination. Look at Hollywood Homicide (Josh Hartnett and Harrison Ford in 2003) or Due Date (Zach Galifianakis and Robert Downey Jr. in 2010) or anyone else on the laundry list of movies that I could provide that have done this and had bad to mediocre results. That being said, Identity Thief is well above being labeled a mediocre comedy, but it is nowhere near as funny as the previews would lead you to believe.

Storyline: Sandy Patterson (Bateman) is a great guy. Pays his bills, works hard, and loves his family. All of that hard work seems to be paying off when he is given a new position with a much higher pay and with a boss that he can actually get along with. But just when things are looking up for him he finds that his identity has been stolen and the thief (McCarthy) has ruined his credit and left him destitute. Sandy, in order to keep his new job with a financial firm, must find a way to bring this thief in and have her admit to what she has done before he loses everything that he has worked so hard for.

As of right now, this movie barely has a 5 out of 10 rating on IMDB.com and is given a 24% fresh rating on Rottentomatoes.com (by critics) it doesn't look as if I am alone in my criticisms of the film. While there were a few really great laugh-out-loud moments, the movie just doesn't live up to the expectations that I had for it. McCarthy is one of the most talked about comedy actors in the business right now. After her hilarious performances on Bridesmaids, This is 40 and her new series Mike and Molly, it’s no wonder why Hollywood is throwing projects at her. But no matter how hard she tried, this role just didn't work for me. Although I am looking forward to seeing her later this year with Sandra Bullock in The Heat.  And Bateman works better (in my opinion) in dry comedy…not slapstick and gimmicky comedy. 

Worth the admission? Maybe if you catch it on a matinee. Not at full price. It will be worth renting once it is out of the theaters, but that is about all I would recommend. I will give credit to McCarthy for a rarely seen vulnerable side that she shows in a few scenes in this movie. Glad to see she isn't just a one note actor.

(Movie Review) Warm Bodies (2013)

Warm Bodies might be the most imaginative and appealing Zombie movie ever made 

  

Imagination is something that is desperately missing in this world. People are fine, for the most part, with the status quo. People do what those before them did, who did what those before them did and so on. That is why people in the fashion world claim that clothing runs through cycles and that everything that is out of style tomorrow will be back in style one day (which is why I kept my Superman underoos from my childhood). 

This repetitive cycle is most apparent, to me, in movies. You can take a few classic movies and basically see how most modern films are derived from them.  Not so with Warm Bodies. While George Romero will be created with popularizing Zombie films in the late 60s, movies like Warm Bodies take the backdrop of a Zombie Apocalypse and turn it on its ear by making it a love story/comedy.  Making something new from an old Hollywood trope produces a very fresh and interesting movie.

Storyline: R (Hoult) is a product of the Zombie Apocalypse. He has little brain function and lacks most basic motor skills. The only source of food that is appealing to a Zombie is human flesh. They can’t help it. People are just a bunch of walking Happy Meals to them. When R’s pack attacks a group of survivors, R falls in love with Julie (Palmer) at first sight. When R thinks that Julie might be at risk of dying from the attack of the other Zombies he risks his non-life to save and protect her. As his emotions for her grows stronger he begins to heal himself from his Zombie plague. But a secret that R holds, and the determination of Julie’s father to wipe the Zombies from the face of the Earth, might be enough to keep R and Julie from every being together.

Worth the Admission? Very much so! I knew that I would love this movie from the first preview that I saw of it. The story is REALLY out there, but the message is such a great one. That no matter how bad the world gets and how bad it looks for humanity, love is what we should rely on to pull us back from the brink. You can’t ask for something with a better message than that.

Nicholas Hoult (R ) and Teresa Palmer (Julie) are fantastic together. And while this is not my favorite Rob Corddry role (M) he delivers some of the best one-liners in the movie. It’s just a really fun movie with a great message. Check it out. 

(Movie Review) Bullet to the Head (2013)

A Bullet to the Head would have been less painful that sitting through this movie.

There are some older action stars that can still “go”. My favorite has to be Bruce Willis, but I have always liked Sylvester Stallone too. It’s hard not to look at movies like Rocky, Rambo, and The Expendables and consider Stallone to be one of the baddest of bad asses, and even in this film he maintains his reputation of being the toughest guy in the room, but this movie is just something that doesn't measure up to his past work.

Storyline:  After watching their respective partners die, a New Orleans hitman and a Washington D.C. detective form an alliance in order to bring down their common enemy. – IMDB.com

Worth the admission? Not really. I’m all for a good dumbed down action flick, especially when the actors involved are at the top of their game, but this movie just disappointed me in a lot of ways. The good parts about it was that the action was GREAT. Lots or gun play, lots of head shots and an ax fight…you can’t get much better than that. And again, Stallone was the best thing about this movie. For 60+ years old he is in phenomenal shape and can still be a believable action star. But everyone else in the movie is kind of horrible. With the exception of Jason Momoa (as hired killed Keegan) and Sylvester Stallone (as James “Jimmy” Bonomo) the acting in this movie was really really bad. Even for an action film.

There was one shining moment in this movie. I did some background/extra work on this film and was actually visible in 3 different scenes. Granted, I was only in the background, and you would have to know where to look for me (except in the final scene I am clearly on the right hand side for about 30 seconds) but the fact that I was in the final cut made me very happy. So, because of that, I must recommend that you DO check the movie out at some point.  :)

(Movie Review) A Haunted House (2013)

A Haunted House is less of a parody and more of a let down.

I’m not a huge fan of the work that the Wayans family has produced. I usually find it to be the lowest form of low brow comedy. It is like an echo of a comedy. Almost what it should be but just a little less of what it could be. Most parody/spoof films do not try to be interesting or original, they only want to take a movie or franchise that has been popular and spin cheesy one liners and gross out comedy from it. Knowing that BEFORE you watch movies like this is always helpful. Sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised. I thought that Scary Movie 2 was actually really funny and was the only example of ANY of that franchise that I will watch if it is on tv. The odd thing about A Haunted House is that it actually has some really funny spots in it (enough for me to laugh out loud in the theater) but it is so uneven that you find yourself laughing one second and bored the next. The lack of consistency killed this movie for me.

Storyline: Malcolm (Wayans) is feeling very positive about moving into his dream home with Kisha (Atkins). But things quickly begin to take a turn for the paranormal and a variety of people come to aid in the investigation of the recent disturbances. A Priest, Psychic, and even a team of Ghost Hunters all lend their support. But when Kisha is possessed by the poltergeist that is haunting this home, and it is discovered that she has a much deeper connection to the spirit than anyone ever knew, the group may not be strong enough to save her…even with the help of Cousin Ray-Ray.

So, there are some good and bad things about this movie. First off, Marlon Wayans and Essence Atkins are actually really really funny as Malcolm and Kisha. They work well together and are not only believable as a couple but they play off of each other great as a comedy team. That is a hard thing to pull off in some movies, especially movies like this that rely on chemistry more than story. So I would like to give them both credit for that. Also, this is probably my second favorite Marlon Wayans comedy performance (Senseless is #1) and almost makes me forget the horrible horrible excuse for a comedy that was White Chicks (2004).

The bad in this movie is every actor that was not Wayans or Atkins. Nick Swardson is awkwardly unfunny with almost every joke/bit falling flat, Cedric the Entertainer has a few laughs but not enough to include him in the movie at all, and David Koechner (who I usually love) completely underwhelms. It could have been so much better than it was. 

Worth the admission? For me? No. I was bored between joke setups. But if you are a fan of the Scary Movie franchise? Sure. You guys would love it. I just wish that Wayans would do more “real” comedy.  

(DVD Review) DREDD (2012)

Dredd is so tough that the DVD might destroy your player. Seriously.

Judge Dredd, for those that are not familiar with the character, originated in a 1970’s British comic series titled 2000 AD. The series was about an American law enforcement officer named Joseph Dredd that, along with other “Judges”, patrol the streets of Mega-City One (an overcrowded and violent view of a dystopian future) serving as not only police, but as judge, jury and sometimes executioner for those that break the law.

This character is what is considered an Anti-Hero. Yet when they first attempted a movie based off of this they created a bit of a “buddy cop” drama/comedy starring Sylvester Stalone and Rob Schneider called Judge Dredd (1995). It performed well at the Box Office but was panned by critics everywhere (and most viewers). Long have I waited for a more serious and darker toned version to be released and I was more than satisfied when I finally got to watch Dredd on DVD this weekend.

Storyline: Hundreds of millions of people make up the inhabitants of Mega-City One. Because of overpopulation, Judges hand out sentencing on site when criminals are caught. Of the Judges, no one does the job better than Dredd (Urban). He is teamed up with a new partner, Anderson (Thirlby), and is on a standard training exercise to investigate a new drug that has hit the streets called SLO-MO. When their searches take them to a 200 story slum that is operated by the SLO-MO creator named Ma-Ma (Headey) they are sealed inside and Ma-Ma’s thugs pursue them. The Judges must find a way to regain order and survive 200 stories of assaults and chaos.

Worth the rent? Is Judge Dredd the LAW? I loved it. Don’t get me wrong, this is a “hard R” rating. There is an absurd amount of violence and bloodshed, but anyone that knows anything about the character or the comics is going to be expecting that. Carl Urban, who I never would have pictured as Judge Joseph Dredd, masterfully controls the screen with a low toned presence that I absolutely loved. Never showing much emotion, doing the job, and being completely ruthless in his efforts to bring in those that chose to break the law that he has sworn to uphold. You couldn’t ask for someone to pull off a better performance for this type of film.

Also worth mentioning is Olivia Thirlby (Judge Anderson) and Lena Headey (Ma-Ma). Both are fantastic in their roles. Headey, who I have never seen in a villainous role, plays the character of Ma-Ma with equal parts insanity and conviction. All in all, this movie is worth renting this weekend…as long as you aren’t too squeamish. 

(Movie Review) Les Miserables (2013)

One thing that I am always very open about with people is that I am a geek. Always have been, always will be. But something that I am not so open about is that I love a good musical. Not sure why that is something that I keep a little bit hidden, but I always have. Maybe it’s because it is hard to look masculine while singing along to the soundtrack from Wicked…I just can’t pull it off. Still, there is something inherently beautiful and grand about musicals that I am just mesmerized by. But the process of transforming a well-known musical, such as Les Misérables, into a movie would be a daunting task for any director. Lucky for us Director Tom Hooper’s superpower just happens to be making fantastic movies. That and the ability to fly, but only one is applicable to this review.

Storyline: Jean Valjean (Jackman) has been hiding his identity from his pursuer, Javert (Crowe) for decades. Yet when Fantine (Hathaway), a former worker in Valjean’s factory, is on her death bed, Valjean vows to care for her daughter Cosette (Seyfried) as if she were his own. This is a decision that will change his life, and the lives of many others, in ways that he could have never imagined.

One of the things that I would think would be the most difficult, when bringing stage to screen, would be to figure out a way to insert dialog in to help move the story along. Musicals often include unsung dialog in their performances to help move the story from one number to the next. Films that come from musicals often do the same but normally extend the dialog so the viewer doesn’t get too restless with number after number. This movie refuses to do that. There may be a full paragraph of spoken words that are not to music. The story is not only progressed by the musical aspect but is enriched by it. Using the music to add depth to some already extremely deep performances. Where most stage to film transitions buckle, this movie excels.

Worth the admission? Will Thenardier rob you blind? Of course! This movie was extremely well done. I give a HUGE pat on the back to not only Jackman and Hathaway, both of which have gut wrenchingly beautiful numbers/scenes, but to the entire cast. Everyone was amazing! I have heard some complaints about Russell Crowe in this movie, but what I think that people fail to see is that these actors sang each scene. There was no studio. No lip synced performances. What you see is what you get. Real people that are singing their hearts out to convey the pain, the love, the hate and the dreams of their characters. I can’t remember a film that has been as brave.