Tern back time

I've been doing my best to catch up on my movie reviews and now it turns out I can actually do one BEFORE a movie is widely released in theaters. Earlier this week I caught a sneak preview of The Internship, the first re-teaming of Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson since 2005's Wedding Crashers. It's pretty remarkable to think that it's taken this long to get these two back on screen together considering how successful that film was and the struggles both men have had at recapturing that greatness alone since then.

In this new outing, they play a couple of struggling watch salesmen who find themselves being squeezed out of their own industry. In the sales world, the human being is going the way of the dinosaur it seems. Desperate to stay relevant, Vaughn's Billy comes up with the idea of having him and Wilson's Nick apply for an internship at Google. Despite not being in the typical demographic of who gets selected, these two guys manage to earn a chance of vying for the position. Once on Google's campus, they compete with a group of young, tech-savvy nerds in a series of "mental Hunger Games" for one of the internship slots.

A lot has been and will continue to be made about the proliferation of Google in this movie. Some critics have gone so far as to say the movie is nothing more than a 2 hour commercial for the search engine. I, however, did not take much issue with this. Yes, they likely could have told the same story using a completely fake tech company, but I never felt as if I was constantly being persuaded to use their services. The inclusion of Google seems organic to the story and creates a unique atmosphere that feels different than if this were set on an average college campus or corporate office. In fact, I probably had a tougher time with the Miller Lite product placement, than I did with Google. That seemed way more forced than their use of Google.

What didn't feel forced was the performances and friendship of Vaughn and Wilson. They pick right up where they left off with the fast-talking, laid-back fun they so easily conveyed in Crashers. What's more, there seems to be an energy to their performances that hasn't been seen from either of them in a long time as well. Vaughn, especially has seemed like he's phoned it in on a lot of his recent comedies, so it was nice to see him get excited with a role once again (this may partially have to do with the fact that Vaughn also co-wrote the script). No doubt if you were a fan of their previous work together, you'll be happy to see them back together here.

Though not nearly as wild or raunchy as their previous effort (this film is rated PG-13), this film works because it delivers laughs consistently. There are 2 or 3 big scenes that not only offers an overall humorous presence, but contain several good jokes within the scenes. Without spoiling it, there's a really great scene involving the characters competing in an "athletic competition" that had me rolling with laughter. The film also doesn't rely solely on Vaughn and Wilson to provide all the humor. Supporting actors like Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show) and Josh Gad (The Book of Mormon) steal their scenes. You also have some cameos appearances from some well known people. They pop-in, generate a few laughs, and quickly leave so as not to bog down the story.

Some will argue that a film like this doesn't need its 2 hour runtime, but in this particular case I think it worked. For one, I never felt like the movie dragged. And perhaps more importantly, with the extra time I felt like director Shawn Levy (Real Steel) was able to let the story breathe a little bit more. The group of younger students that Vaughn and Wilson team up with are each given some character development that enables us to have a rooting interest in their success just as much as we want to see Vaughn and Wilson triumph. With that said, the inclusion of a love story between Wilson and a Google employee played by Rose Byrne probably didn't need to be included, even if there's nothing wrong with their scenes.

Nothing about the story in The Internship is particularly new. It takes elements of the fish-out-of-water story, along with college campus hijinx to give us another tale of the underdog's unlikely ability to win. Any feeling of cynicism toward that lack of originality is eliminated because of the lack of cynicism seen in the film. Despite being beaten down by the world at every turn, these two characters remain enthusiastic about life and infuse that into everyone they meet. And unlike a movie like Larry Crowne where the positivity was seen as naiveté toward current real life economic hardships, the optimism here is infectious and makes you believe that the American Dream is still possible for each and every one of us.

The Internship does not have the same sharpness as some of the best comedies of the past decade, but I would have to call this a pleasant surprise. The film's trailer does not properly convey how much fun this film is. Even if you know where the story is heading, the jokes aren't telegraphed and that is what's most important about a movie like this. If you're looking to laugh, I recommend you use Google to search for when The Internship is showing in your city (oh no, maybe the film got to me after all!!). Grade: B

Ship ahoy

I'm happy to see Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson together again in a comedy - I just wish that the trailer for their latest film, The Internship didn't feel like a 2 minute commercial for Google.

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.