2014 Movie Preview: #13 - Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Release date: January 17

Plot summary: Based on the Jack Ryan character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, the film is a contemporary action thriller set in the present day. The original story, written by David Koepp, follows a young Jack as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

My take: As usual, a film makes my yearly preview list two years in a row due to a date change. Some times those reschedulings are a red flag that there are problems with the film, but I have a feeling that this reboot of the Jack Ryan franchise simply moved out of its original December release date because it did not want to get lost in the crowded marketplace (several films released in the past couple of weeks have struggled due to stiff competition). Chris Pine is a solid lead and I am hoping he can re-invigorate this franchise in the same way he did for the Star Trek films.

2014 Movie Preview: #17 - Horrible Bosses 2

Release date: November 26

Plot summary: Fed up with answering to higher-ups, Nick, Dale and Kurt decide to become their own bosses by launching their own business in "Horrible Bosses 2." But a slick investor soon pulls the rug out from under them. Outplayed and desperate, and with no legal recourse, the three would-be entrepreneurs hatch a misguided plan to kidnap the investor's adult son and ransom him to regain control of their company.

My take: The first Horrible Bosses had a lot of potential but did not quite live up to my expectations. With a lot of sequels, the law of diminishing returns sets in. I truly hope that isn't the case here because the cast is so strong. Based on the limited amount of knowledge we have on the plot, it seems like this can potentially build off of the first one and deliver an even stronger film this time around.

Back into the Shadows

After news earlier this week about George Clooney's The Monuments Men getting pushed back to 2014, we get news today that another film has abandoned its December release date. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit will now also move to early 2014. Here's the full story from EW.com.

EW has confirmed that Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit has dropped off the Christmas release schedule and will now open Jan. 17, 2014

The Paramount Pictures’ action movie is based on characters from late author Tom Clancy and stars Chris Pine (Star Trek) as a young CIA analysis who uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack. Kenneth Branagh (Valkyrie), Kevin Costner (Man of Steel), and Kiera Knightly (Anna Karenina) will also star alongside Pine in the upcoming action thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Could a Christmas Day release date announcement for Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street be just around the corner? The speculation remains high that Jack Ryan’s move could be a strategic effort by Paramount to announce a Dec. 25 release date for Martin Scorsese’s highly anticipated The Wolf of Wall Street, starring Leonardo DiCaprio (The Great Gatsby) and Matthew McConaughey (Mud).

Moving Wolf Of Wall Street into Jack Ryan’s old release date of Christmas Day would effectively keep the film in the running for the Oscars but as of yet, Paramount has not commented on whether they will release the Scorsese film before the end of the year not.

If you aint Ryan, you aint trying

The release of the first trailer for the new film Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit takes on a more somber tone with the news this week of the passing of author Tom Clancy, who was the creator of the Jack Ryan character. While this film is based on an original story, it seems to still be very much rooted in the themes of geopolitics that Clancy was known for in his books. You can check out the trailer for yourself below.

A space time continuum

One of my most enjoyable movie watching experiences was with the 2009 reboot of the Star Trek franchise. Director J.J. Abrams had the unenviable task of trying to reboot an iconic franchise for a whole new generation. While it is always daunting to try and take on a role played so famously by someone else, it was the cast that made that movie work. They not only had great chemistry with each other, but they all seemed to find a way to balance paying homage with infusing something new into their characters.

Four years later, the Enterprise crew is back for a new set of adventures in Star Trek Into Darkness. Once again, Abrams directs this likeable cast of explorers as they battle an enigmatic villain named John Harrison. Played with scowling menace by Benedict Cumberbatch, Harrison wreaks havoc on Starfleet with attacks on several of their buildings. Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and his crew are tasked with taking out the threat but they learn there's more to this character than just being your average terrorist. Of course, I can't say too much more about him without spoiling key pieces to the film's story

Without going into too great of detail to the movie's plot points, I can say that I don't feel the story holds up well under scrutiny. Whenever you're dealing with big budget action picture, there are likely going to be some plotholes. Those don't bother me as much as the familiarity factor. Too much of the overall story, as well as individual set pieces feel cribbed from other films. Take for instance the scene where the Enterprise crew has midway through the film captured Harrison and placed him in a "secure" cell so that they can interrogate him. This setup has been done way too much recently in films including Skyfall, The Avengers, and The Dark Knight. Anyone with half a brain can see exactly what will happen next.

The writers not only borrow material from other franchises, but from their own as well. Several of the film's key plot points were done in previous Trek films. If you recall in the 2009 reboot one of the twists was that the timeline had been altered thanks to Spock going through a wormhole. This was how the film could justify having both Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy both play Spock. I guess the writers felt this gave them justification for revisiting storylines from the original series and films and giving them slight changes. It's too cute of a concept and just comes off as being lazy rather than clever. The fact that it took this group four years to make a film that at times feels like a remake of Wrath of Khan is rather disappointing.

The issues of disappointment, however, really only come after you have left the theater. In the moment, Star Trek Into Darkness holds up as a thoroughly entertaining film. Once again, the interplay between the cast is what works the best. The actors have great comedic timing with each other during the film's lighter moments. And yet when things get more serious, you largely buy into the emotions (or in Spock's case lack of emotion) that they try to convey.

From a technical standpoint, the movie is also a winner. I know some get irritated with Abrams' use of lens flare, but it's only noticeable if you want it to be noticeable. The rest of the visual effects are impressive and give the film an added sense of drama. You appreciate the detail that goes into each location whether it is the intricacies of the construction inside the Enterprise or the unique, strange planets that the crew travels to. Watching it, I wasn't only impressed with what I was seeing, but also excited about the prospect of Abrams being able to bring that same creative vision to the Star Wars franchise in a few years.

Like the vast area that the Enterprise travels through, Star Trek Into Darkness is an empty thrill. It's a well made film that really does not offer viewers anything new. The excitement that the 2009 reboot offered has begun to wane. All of the parts are there to allow this to remain a successful franchise, but future films need to be smarter with the stories they tell. This sequel offers few surprises and telegraphs the few that it does have with unnecessarily heavy amount of scenes of exposition. With J.J. moving over to Jedi country, hopefully some new voices can come in and do something great with the solid foundation is in place. As for this film, while very entertaining as summer popcorn fare, its story boldly goes where too many men have gone before. Grade: B

Trek-ing crew

I was remiss in not posting this last week when it hit the web, so if you haven't seen it yet, here's the latest trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness

2013 Movie Preview (#18 - 13)

#18. Man of Steel (June 14)

Plot: Henry Cavill plays Superman in director Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel." The film also stars Amy Adams as Daily Planet journalist Lois Lane, and Laurence Fishburne as her editor-in-chief, Perry White. Starring as Clark Kent's adoptive parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, are Diane Lane and Kevin Costner. Squaring off against the superhero are two other surviving Kryptonians, the villainous General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, and Faora, Zod's evil partner, played by Antje Traue. Also from Superman's native Krypton are Lara Lor-Van, Superman's mother, played by Ayelet Zurer, and Superman's father, Jor-El, portrayed by Russell Crowe. Rounding out the cast are Harry Lennix as U.S. military man General Swanwick, as well as Christopher Meloni as Colonel Hardy.

Personal Opinion: This will be one of the biggest wild cards of 2013. On one hand, I'm still skeptical that a great Superman movie can be made. The 2006 film was underwhelming at best and in general, the character is just not as dynamic or complex as so many other comic book heroes. What this film does have going for it is the Christopher Nolan factor. Though not directing this movie, his assistance can only help. The first two trailers have not given me a clear sense of what to expect though. For the sake of the DC universe, this needs to be good. For movie fans, let's hope it's great.


#17. Now You See Me (June 7)

Plot: "Now You See Me" pits an elite FBI squad in a game of cat and mouse against "The Four Horsemen," a super-team of the world's greatest illusionists. "The Four Horsemen" pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances, showering the stolen profits on their audiences while staying one step ahead of the law.

Personal Opinion: The use of magic or illusions in film, like The Prestige is always a draw for me. This one not only has that, but a stellar cast as well that inlcude Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Jesse Eisenberg, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo, and Morgan Freeman. I initially had this higher on my list until I saw the first trailer. While the plot is solid, it felt like the trailer made the film seem like it would be just a dumb action flick. The key to films about magic is that they need to be smart and keep the audience guessing. If this manages to be intelligent, then this will be a real winner.


#16. Jack Ryan (December 25)

Plot: Based on the Jack Ryan character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, the film is a contemporary action thriller set in the present day. The original story, written by David Koepp, follows a young Jack as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

Personal Opinion: It's been a long time since we've seen the Jack Ryan character on the big screen. Portrayed by both Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford in the past, the Jack Ryan films have been, if nothing else, solid political thrillers. For this reboot, they have a lot of good pieces in place. Chris Pine, after resurrecting the Captain Kirk character, is an actor on the rise. Kenneth Branagh, who is directing this, proved with Thor that he's capable of helming a big budget picture. The one thing that I would have liked was for them to use another story from Tom Clancy, but as long as the plot is solid, this should be nice gift come next Christmas.


#15. The Internship (June 7)

Plot: Vaughn and Wilson portray two old school salesmen who, finding themselves suddenly unemployed and passed-by in the digital world, try to reinvent themselves by becoming interns at a major tech company.

Personal Opinion: Those waiting for a Wedding Crashers reunion finally have their wish. Not only are Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson back together, but their buddy Will Ferrell will also have a small role in this film as well. Their re-teaming coupled with a story that sounds like it has the potential for a lot of comedy has me excited. My only reservation comes from the fact that Shawn Levy is directing this and he has had a mixed bag of success when it comes to directing comedies. Hopefully the strong cast will be able to rise above any shortcomings he brings to the table.


#14. The Wolverine (July 26)

Plot: Based on the celebrated comic book arc, "The Wolverine" finds Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed.

Personal Opinion: Like Superman, Wolverine is a popular comic book character whose story is one that I don't find particularly compelling. Wolverine works well within the context of the X-Men, but alone, as we saw in the Origins film three years ago is a different story. Marvel's track record is typically strong, so I'm definitely willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. If they are able to make this as fun as The Avengers then I'll be glad to eat my words and embrace even more films from this franchise.


#13. Captain Phillips (October 11)

Plot: Based on the true-life story of Captain Richard Phillips, who was taken hostage by armed Somali pirates, attempted to escape and was eventually rescued by the U.S. Navy. The film will retell the events that garnered headlines worldwide in April. After his ship was hijacked on the high seas, Phillips surrendered himself to the pirates in order to protect his crew. The married father of two made one unsuccessful escape attempt before an elite squad of Navy SEAL snipers shot and killed three of the four pirates - an action authorized by President Obama. A fourth pirate surrendered and is in custody.

Personal Opinion: Already on this list, I've identified a few films that have the potential to score big during the awards season, but this one seems to have the perfect combination to rack up a number of big prizes. The film focuses on a recent headline-grabbing story, features an multiple Oscar winner in the lead and is being directed by Paul Greengrass who has shown the ability to make films that have mass appeal and are very well received. Though I know the basic details of this story, I'm very anxious to see the whole thing be told on the big screen.

Star gazing

Your first look at the new Star Trek sequel has finally arrived. It's not much, but still manages to get me hotly anticipating its arrival next summer. If this isn't enough to whet your appetite, you can see a 9 minute preview of the film in IMAX starting next week with The Hobbit

RBR: This Means War

This is another sad example of when bad movies happen to good actors. I love Reese Witherspoon and Chris Pine and Tom Hardy are both rising stars, yet being in this film did not of them any service. The ridiculous set up involves Pine and Hardy playing CIA agents who are also friends and also just happen to be dating the same girl (Witherspoon). They decide to use all of their available spy tactics in order to be the one that ultimately wins the girl. Their efforts are stalkerish and mean, yet are meant to be played for laughs. Meanwhile, Witherspoon's character doesn't come off well either as she's never upfront to either guy about seeing someone's else. We also have to trudge through several unfunny scenes involving her receiving advice from Chelsea Handler, who's stiff delivery grates on you quickly. About the only funny line in the film comes from Chris Pine who confuses Handler for an old man (How is that there's only a one year age difference between Handler and Witherspoon?) The implausibility of the story may have been tolerated more had it not been coupled with the poor direction of McG. Action scenes are edited at a dizzying pace and every shot in the film apparently required a bright light to be shone in the background. I'm not there will be many people tempted into seeing this because of its cast, but do yourself a favor and skip it. Rating: **