RBR: The Amazing Spider-Man

The fact that I waited until home video to watch this movie shows you the lack of urgency I had in seeing a reboot of this franchise. Despite having the story told to us a mere 10 years earlier, we once again sit through the origins of young Peter Parker getting bit by a spider and losing his uncle leading to his transformation into Spider-Man. This time around he's played by Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) who gives us a more rebellious than nerdy take on the character. One deviation from the previous origin story is that this one focuses on Peter's romance with Gwen Stacy. She's played by the always charming Emma Stone. Both she and Garfield give good performances although I don't necessary buy them as high schoolers. The biggest problem for me is that my familiarity with the story left me focusing on smaller details that irked me. For instance, the film takes place in New York, yet you would think that this is some post-apocalyptic version of the city considering how few people we actually see in the city outside of the primary characters. I also noticed the financial cheats the movie takes by having so much of it filmed in the shadows. You don't need a whole lot of CGI detail when everything is pitch black. Apparently all of the money was spent on the cast and it was not money well spent. You get distinguished actors like Sally Field and Martin Sheen to star as Peter's aunt and uncle and then waste them. Sheen unsurprisingly is killed off early on and Field more surprisingly disappears halfway through the film only to make a token appearance near the end. Director Marc Webb attempts to bring some gravitas to the franchise with his indie filmmaking style, but frankly it just wasn't needed. Flaws aside, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films actually felt like a comic book come to life. For all the realism that this adaptation offers, it equally saps the fun out of the story. This is a wholly unnecessary film (except for the people at Sony who needed to make it in order to prevent the rights from going over to Disney/Marvel) that doesn't need to be seem. It's harmless enough as a rental, but not a film that you need to go out of your way to see. Rating: ** 1/2

Our Gang

Fall is shaping up to be as strong as the summer movie slate seems to be. After previewing Argo here earlier this week, here's the first trailer for The Gangster Squad featuring an all-star cast and directed by Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland)

Garfield and friends

Check out the latest trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man starring Andrew Garfield as our friendly neighborhood Spiderman.

2012 Movie Preview (#6 - 1)

6. The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3rd)

Plot: Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced they are moving forward with a film based on a script by James Vanderbilt that focuses on a teenager grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises.

Personal opinion: This is in a similar situation as The Bourne Legacy in that a popular franchise is getting a complete makeover. Both could be disasterous or they could be a breath of fresh air that these films needed. While the decision to reboot this franchise is questionable, I certainly can't argue with their casting decisions. After The Social Network, Andrew Garfield is a star in the making and you know how much I love Emma Stone, so I'm totally for her being chosen as Gwen Stacy, even if it meant her eschewing her red hair for a blonde mane. As long as they don't completely ruin the character with the script, this should keep Spidey crawling along just fine.


5. Dog Fight (August 10th)

Plot: Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis will play rival politicians in a small congressional district in South Carolina.

Personal opinion: All they had to say was Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis together and I was immediately sold. The fact that they are putting them in a plot that sounds rife for comedic gold only sweetens the pot. Given that 2012 is an election year will probably help this film gain even more viewers. The only thing that concerns me is that the film is being directed by Jay Roach, who has a spotty track record. He's had some great films like Austin Powers and Meet the Parents, but he's also had some duds like the sequels to those films. I would have prefered if Ferrell's longtime collaborator, Adam McKay had directed it, but I digress. The comedic strength of these two leads should have no problem carrying the film to prosperity.


4. The Gangster Squad (October 19)

Plot: Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and--if he has his way--every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It's enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop...except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), who come together to try to tear Cohen's world apart. "The Gangster Squad" is a colorful retelling of events surrounding the LAPD's efforts to take back their nascent city from one of the most dangerous mafia bosses of all time.

Personal opinion: As you can see by reading the plot description that this has some acting heavyweights in the cast. I always enjoy the gangster genre and feel its underutilized in Hollywood today. It's interesting to note that this action drama is being directed by Reuben Fleischer, who directed Zombieland This is uncharted waters for him, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Emma Stone is also part of the cast. That instantly improves things in my book. Ultimately as long as this one avoids being as dull as Public Enemies, it should be a winner.


3. The Avengers (May 4th)

Plot: Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in "Iron Man," "The Incredible Hulk," "Iron Man 2," "Thor" and "Captain America: The First Avenger," "Marvel's The Avengers" is the superhero team up of a lifetime. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as SHIELD, finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Personal opinion: Our patience finally gets paid off here. After sitting through several single character comic book films, the band finally comes together as the supergroup our world needs. At this point, we know all the central players, so let's hope this film doesn't dwell too much on establishing them and just gets right to the action. Joss Whedon was a bit of a surprising choice to direct such a monumental film, but I think he's got the geek cred to do this group justice on the big screen.


2. Skyfall (November 9th)

Plot: In "Skyfall," Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Personal opinion: I went through great deliberation over what to put at #1 and this one came very close to getting that spot. It's no secret that I am a huge Bond geek and the wait for this film has been excruciating given the delays thanks to MGM's financial problems. But the wait is over and I'm eager to see Daniel Craig back in action. Ultimately, I put this at #2 just because it has a few more uncertainties surrounding this one. First of all Quantum of Solace was a bit disappointing so it's not a given that this one will be great. There's also the Sam Mendes factor. While he's an accomplished director, he has never really done an action film before, so we'll see how he handles that side of this movie. These are minor quibbles though as this should be an excellent return for everyone's favorite superspy.


1. The Dark Knight Rises (July 20th)

Plot: Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' "The Dark Knight Rises" is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar winner Christian Bale ("The Fighter") again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar winner Marion Cotillard ("La Vie en Rose"), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Returning to the main cast, Oscar winner Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules") plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar winner Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby") reprises the role of Lucius Fox.

Personal opinion: Do I really need to say anything here? After the HUGE success of The Dark Knight, is there any one in the world not anticipating this film? I am equally anxious for this and the new Bond film, but the fact that everyone is back for this film and then some makes it the surer bet. It's a little sad knowing that this movie will be the last Batman that Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan do, but that only builds the intrigue as we wonder how they will choose to end this. The trailer that was released last week already left me breathless, so now we just have to anxiously count down the days until next summer to see the full thing. So there you have it. The best of the best. I hope it's clear to the rest of you as it is to me that next year's slate looks a hell of a lot better than the offerings we got this year. Whether it's actually true or not remains to be seen. Thankfully we don't have long to wait. Let's bring on 2012! Happy New Year everyone and remember to keep visiting this blog throughout the year to read more updates and reviews for all of these films and more.

RBR: The Help

This is a movie I would normally pass over, but since it is generating some Oscar buzz and I can't resist anything that has Emma Stone in it, I decided to give it a watch. The Help takes a look at the lives of African American maids in the deep south during the 1960s. Emma Stone plays Skeeter, an enlightened young woman who wants to chronicle the plight of these women. The film has some terrific acting from Stone as well Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, both of whom are likely going to receive some recognition this awards season. The cinematography of the film is very impressive as well giving it an authentic feel of like in 1960's Mississippi. The film's weakness, however is the narrative structure. Based on a popular novel by the same name, the story focuses on too many characters and as a result, you're not really sure who's story this really is. Stone, Davis and Spencer each go through character arcs that feel like they are the primary one, yet also feel underdeveloped. Meanwhile, there are several other subplots jammed in to the film that could have easily been excised in order to devote more time to the central story. There's also the issue with this being a very santized version of what real women went through. They do the bare minimum to get the point across of the deplorable treatment these women received. Realism can be a double-edged sword, however. A more accurate depiction is appreciate by some, but this sugar-coated version enables the film to be more mainstream. I liked this film more than I thought, but I would not go as far as to say its deserving of a best picture nomination. If the subject matter interests you or if you're a fan of any of the actors here, I'd say this is worthy of a rental. Rating: ****

RBR: Crazy Stupid Love

I'm not going to beat around the bush...I hated this movie. And the thing of it is, is that I shouldn't have. It had a terrific cast including Steve Carell, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, and Ryan Gosling. It also received effusive praise from Entertainment Weekly, amongst other movie critics. But after watching it, I don't know what happened or why I did not have the same reaction as so many people did to this movie. Much of the praise it's receiving is for its seemingly realistic depiction of adult romance, but that wasn't my take on it. There are at least two major scenes in the film where a surprise/twist is revealed that were utterly preposterous. There is no way the characters in the film would have been that stupid or lacked the necessary communication skills in order to learn of these surprises earlier. I was shocked that the film would try to pass that off as believable to audiences. Beyond that, you have a lot of underwritten characters who's motivations for their actions are unclear and thus undercut the emotion behind them. I also found it insulting how much of Steve Carell's story arc seems cribbed straight from The 40 Year Old Virgin. Say what you will, but I found his quest to improve himself in order to find true love much more realistic and appealing. My only guess is that many reviewers must have been distracted by the unnecessary constant display of Ryan Gosling's abs to effectively evaluate the major flaws of this movie. How else do you explain more people not being disturbed by the creepy subplot involving Carell's 13 year old son lusting over the 17 year old babysitter, who was in turn lusting after Carell. I understand critics' and viewers' desire for better romantic comedies than the pile of dreck turned out by Katherine Heigl every year, but this is not the answer. Those who love this movie are the one ones who are crazy and stupid. Rating: * 1/2

May the farce be with you

This came out a few days ago, but I've just now had an opportunity to post it. It's a short video featuring a lot of funny people (including SNL's Bill Hader, Seth Rogen, Emma Stone) reenacting some famous scenes from the Star Wars trilogy. Their efforts are also meant to be for a good cause as they are trying to raise awareness for the Stand Up 2 Cancer campaign. If it moves you to help with the cause, great. If it simply makes you laugh, that's cool too.