2013 Fall Movie Preview (November)

THOR: THE DARK WORLD (November 8)
Plot: Marvel's "Thor: The Dark World" continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Marvel's "Thor" and "Marvel's The Avengers," Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos...but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Quick thoughts: Iron Man 3 proved that there can be life after The Avengers, although that movie had the benefit of having the awesome Robert Downey Jr. Still, I think a lot of people are going to be very interested to see the latest adventures in Asgard, especially if it means more Loki. This should serve as a nice alternative to the mostly sophisticated fare that will around in the fall.


THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (November 15)
Plot: Based on Jordan Belfort's best-selling memoir "The Wolf of Wall Street," which chronicles Belfort's dramatic rise and fall on Wall Street, along with his hard-partying lifestyle and tumultuous personal life, which included drug and alcohol addiction.

Quick thoughts: How does a cross between Goodfellas and Wall Street sound? By itself that would be a winning combo. When you combine that with the fact that this is being directed by Martin Scorsese and has an all-star cast featuring the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, and Jonah Hill, you've got a film that has crazy high expectations. Maybe this is the one that finally earns Leo his Oscar.


DELIVERY MAN (November 22)
Plot: From DreamWorks Pictures comes "Delivery Man," the story of affable underachiever David Wozniak, whose mundane life is turned upside down when he finds out that he fathered 533 children through sperm donations he made twenty years earlier. In debt to the mob, rejected by his pregnant girlfriend, things couldn't look worse for David when he is hit with a lawsuit from 142 of the 533 twenty-somethings who want to know the identity of the donor. As David struggles to decide whether or not he should reveal his true identity, he embarks on a journey that leads him to discover not only his true self but the father he could become as well.

Quick thoughts: The most recent trailer suggests that this will be more of a dramedy than a zany comedy, despite its premise. I'm ok with that as long as the story is good. The fact that the studio pushed this back from its original October release date suggests they have some confidence that this will be a real winner with families during the Thanksgiving holiday.


OLDBOY (November 27)
Plot: "Oldboy" is a provocative, visceral thriller that follows the story of an advertising executive (Josh Brolin) who is abruptly kidnapped and held hostage for 20 years in solitary confinement. When he is inexplicably released, he embarks on an obsessive mission to discover who orchestrated his bizarre and torturous punishment only to find he is still trapped in a web of conspiracy and torment.

Quick thoughts: If you are not familiar, this is an adaptation of a cult Japanese film that was released about a decade ago. I have not seen the original, but I will admit that the film's high concept certainly has me intrigued. Spike Lee is often hit or miss with me, but I am hoping that because he's working with proven material here, he'll be able to deliver something that will be equally satisfying.


OTHER POSSIBLE FILMS OF INTEREST
Dallas Buyers Club (November 1)
Last Vegas (November 1)
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (November 22)
Nebraska (November 22)

Balls to the Wall

After aiming at families with Hugo, Martin Scorcese returns to more adult fare with his latest, The Wolf of Wall Street, starring Leonardo Dicaprio, Matthew McConaughey, and Jonah Hill. This looks to be in the vein of Goodfellas, as it focuses on the excesses of people in power but you all know that it will inevitably all come crashing down on them. You can check out the first trailer for the film below.

Bounty fare

I'm a latecomer when it comes to the appreciation of the work by Quentin Tarantino. While most discovered and embraced his approach to filmmaking with movies like Resevoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, it took me until 2009's Inglorious Basterds to see how talented he is. The way he is able to pay homage to film genres while also subverting them with anachronistic soundtracks can be quite entertaining. He also has the capability of writing dialogue that is equal parts hilarious and horrifying, while wholly captivating. In his latest effort, Django Unchained, Tarantino's style is once again quite apparent.

Paying tribute to spaghetti Westerns, Django is the story of a dentist-turned-bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz (played by Christoph Waltz) who locates and frees a slave named Django (Jamie Foxx). Schultz needs Django's help in locating his latest bounty. Successful in their mission, the two form a bond and work together in trying to free Django's wife (Kerry Washington), who's currently the property of a Southern plantation owner by the name of Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio, in a delightfully against-type role for him).

Each of the film's primary cast members brings a great deal of energy to their roles. Waltz is terrific again here (and deserving of his recent Oscar win) as man who's hunting people for more noble reasons than he was in Basterds. It was also enjoyable seeing DiCaprio playing someone so slimy and evil. And I should also point out Samuel L. Jackson, who is perhaps even more diabolical than DiCaprio's Candie, playing a slave who sees through Schultz and Django's act of deception. There are also a handful of cameos, some more recognizable than others, from a host of actors who add just a little bit more to each of their scenes.

I must admit, however, that for as entertaining as everyone is here, I felt something lacking in a lot of the scenes of dialogue. When watching Basterds, there were several scenes of dialogue that left me as a viewer white-knuckled in fear sensing something terrible was going to occur. In this film, none of the scenes ever reached that same level of anxiety in me. This time, Tarantino seemed much more impatient at getting to the payoff instead of properly building to it.

With this being a Tarantino film and all, the payoff to those interactions is, of course, bloodshed. You could probably fill 100 bathtubs with the amount of blood that spills in this film. And it's not just the blood that is in excess. The last third of the film is pure action that grows tiresome, especially after intergral characters are killed off prior to the film's ultimate climax. Any enjoyment from these scenes does not stem from watching Django exact revenge, but rather from appreciating Tarantino's effort to write fanfiction about a dark time in our country's history.

Django Unchained is a Tarantino film through and through. In this case, that means having to take the good with the bad. For all the juicy characters and bloody action that he offers, you also have to deal with his inability to curb his impulses and recognizing that there can be too much of a good thing. Those who are fans of his will no doubt enjoy this latest entry, even if they see it as not being on par with some of his other efforts. For those who are unfamiliar with his style, this is probably not the best entry point. His depiction of violence can be a jolt to the system and it is not as successfully offset with engaging dialogue as it is in his past films. Django is a bloody good show, it's just too bad it could have been so much more than that. Grade: B

And Django was his name-o

Here's the latest trailer for Quentin Tarantino's new film, Django Unchained set to come out this Christmas.

2012 Fall Movie Preview (December)

DJANGO UNCHAINED (December 25)
Plot: Set in the South two years before the Civil War, "Django Unchained" stars Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles - dead or alive.

Quick thoughts: I can't say I'm the biggest fan of Quentin Tarratino's work (I'll admit I still haven't see Pulp Fiction) but I absolutely loved Inglorious Basterds, so I'm excited to see what he does for a follow up. Having a pair of Oscar winners as the leads and Leonardo DiCaprio in the mix hamming it up seems like a recipe for success to me. This isn't the most conventional Christmas movie, but it seems like it'll certainly be a nice gift for all moviegoers.


THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (December 14)
Plot: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever... Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities... A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Quick thoughts: While three of the four movies on this month's list were no-brainers, I struggled with the final one. I ultimately chose The Hobbit because it will no doubt be the 'biggest' of all the movies I considered. While I admired the filmmaking of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the story did not capture my interest like so many other people. While I doubt I would be rushing out to see this on my own, I have friends who are huge fans of anything Tolkien, so I'll no doubt be checking this one out as well later this year.


JACK REACHER (December 21)
Plot: Six shots. Five dead. One heartland city thrown into a state of terror. But within hours the cops have it solved: a slam-dunk case. Except for one thing. The accused man says: You got the wrong guy. Then he says: Get Reacher for me. Sure enough, ex-military investigator Jack Reacher is coming. He knows this shooter, a trained military sniper who never should have missed a shot. Reacher is certain something is not right, and soon the slam-dunk case explodes. Now Reacher is teamed with a beautiful young defense lawyer, moving closer to the unseen enemy who is pulling the strings. Reacher knows that no two opponents are created equal. This one has come to the heartland from his own kind of hell. And Reacher knows that the only way to take him down is to match his ruthlessness and cunning, and then beat him shot for shot.

Quick thoughts: After last year's fourth Mission: Impossible film, I learned never to question Tom Cruise's ability when it comes to action films again. So even though he doesn't exactly match the description of Jack Reacher as author Lee Child has established him in his series of novels, I have all the confidence in the world that Cruise will be able to pull the role off and deliver another terrific thriller.


THIS IS 40 (December 21)
Plot: Writer/director/producer Judd Apatow ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Funny People") brings audiences "This Is 40," an original comedy that expands upon the story of Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) from the blockbuster hit "Knocked Up" as we see first-hand how they are dealing with their current state of life.

Quick thoughts: It's been three years since Judd Apatow directed a film and even longer since he directed a good one. I'm anxious to see him return to greatness and based on the trailers, he's got a shot with this one. 40 was a lucky number for him when he did Virgin with Steve Carell, and Rudd and Mann were the best part of Knocked Up, so let's hope that all adds up to a winner here.


OTHER POSSIBLE FILMS OF INTEREST
Les Miserables (December 14)
Monsters Inc. 3D (December 19)
Zero Dark Thirty (December 19)
The Guilt Trip (December 25)

Unchained melody

Check out the first trailer for Quentin Tarantino's latest, Django Unchained, which is set to hit theaters this Christmas.

RBR: Contenders and pretenders

There had been a handful of films that came out at the end of last year, now on DVD, that I had, for various reasons, been putting off renting. Now that some of the early 2012 films are starting to be available to rent, I wanted to take care of them asap. I had a movie weekend and decided to lump all of the reviews together in this one post.

The Descendants Director Alexander Payne (Sideways, About Schmidt) always seems to choose products that feature central characters at their very lowest point in life. His latest dramedy is no different as it centers around Matt King (played by George Clooney) struggling with a wife who is near death after a boating accident while also trying to finalize a land deal in Hawaii to could potentially earn his family a lot of money. On top of that he also struggling with being a parent to his two difficult daughters. Like in most of Payne's films, I found the journey we take with the film's central character to be compelling. While not his strongest performance, Clooney does fine work here as he attempts to take on one of his least glamourous roles to date. On the other hand, the two daughters grated on me and I struggled to empathize with the situation they were going through. Furthermore, we're never really given any suitable justification as to why King has such a strained relationship with them. Given how hands-on he is with everything that goes on in the movie, he doesn't strike you as they absentee-father type. I also wish the film had been infused with a bit more humor. It's not that the film is completely downbeat, but in comparison to some of Payne's films, I felt this one lacked the wry sense of humor that is typically infused into his movies. I certainly would not call this my favorite of Payne's films - the terrific Election still holds that distinction for me. This is a good film that kept me engaged throughout. I can easily see why it garnered the number of Oscar nominations that it did. While I wouldn't go so far as to say it's as enjoyable as a Hawaiian vacation, I do feel you'll enjoy watching this one if you give it a rental. Rating: **** 1/2

J. Edgar This was originally thought to be a strong Oscar contender until a series of bad reviews sunk its chances. While I won't go as negative as some with regards to film, it does warrant some of the criticism it received. For me, the biggest problem with this film was its purpose. In detailing the life story of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, Clint Eastwood does not shy away from a lot of Hoover's flaws. His vanity, paranoia, cross-dressing, and possible homosexual lifestyle are all front and center in this depiction. And yet I question why. What is gained by smearing someone who also did a lot of good for this country in establishing the FBI? I felt the film was needlessly exploitative and I took no joy in seeing the salacious side of Hoover's life be such an integral part of this film. I would have much rather seen more of the forensic sciences that Hoover and his crew perfected in order to solve several notorious crimes. Aside from the film's purpose, this simply is not a quality film on par with some of Eastwood's other films. He only managed to get a distant performance from the usually strong DiCaprio. And perhaps most glaring of all is the awful makeup that is on display when the film is set in Hoover's last years. I know aging someone isn't easy, but I'd like to think most major films could do a better job than what was achieved here. This is disappointing all around and probably is not worth your time. Rating: **

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Many people were shocked when this garnered a best picture nomination even though less than half of the nation's critics gave it a favorable review. Watching the film, I could understand why it managed to earn a nom while also seeing the same flaws that most critics did. After losing his father on 9/11, young Oscar Schnell discovers a key in his father's room and sets out on a quest (prior to his death his father loved creating mysteries for him to solve) to learn what the key belongs to. Of course, this quest is more than just finding a lock that fits the key. It's about coping with death, embracing life, and coming together in support of one another. Given that the film centers around the events and aftermath of 9/11, the film is shamelessly manipulative in playing with the audience's emotions. However, I did not necessarily have a problem with that. It exists in order to do just that. My bigger problem comes from the focus being on the boy. While there are allusions made, it's unclear as to whether Oscar is suffering from a learning disability (like Asperger's) or if he's just eccentric. Regardless, the character and the young actor's portrayal of the boy make it difficult for the audience to enjoy going on this journey with him. He doesn't yield the sympathy that the character should. Instead, we sit there wanting to know the answers ourselves, but don't exactly care whether or not the boy gets them. While there are some problems with the child acting, the film does feature several good adult performances including Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock in limited roles and Max Von Sydow doing some great work as a mute who may be the young boy's grandfather. The subject matter is not for everyone, but if you have an interest in it, I think you'll be glad with you did. Just make sure to have the Kleenex box nearby. Rating: *** 1/2

War Horse I struggle with how exactly to review this film. From a technical standpoint, it is near excellent. The camera work, cinematography, the score, and all other facets of the film are just great. They prove once again why Spielberg is in a class by himself. And yet I found myself extemely bored by the entire story. I just could not get myself interested in seeing early 20th century history being told from the perspective of a horse. In fact, in doing so, I actually felt like they trivialized a lot of the major events that they depicted in this film. While a horse may be a majestic animal, it does not make for a compelling character. To make matters worse, with a run time of two and half hours, the film felt endless. The production value is too good for me to give the film a truly terrible grade and yet I can't in good conscience actually recommend it to anyone either. If you truly love horses, I suppose you may get some value out of the film Or if you're looking to get into the film business on the opposite side of the camera, you may find value in looking at quality of the production, but that's about it. Everyone else is better off taking a trip to the glue factory instead. Rating:***

Be Hoover

Leonardo DiCaprio has a terrific filmography, but no Oscar gold to show for any of those performances.  That may change this year with his portrayal of J. Edgar Hoover in this Clint Eastwood biopic.  Here's your first look at the film...