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G-Force

G-Force

Starring Zach Galifianakis, Bill Nighy, and Will Arnett
Rated PG for some mild action and rude humor
Appropriate for all ages

    When a brilliant scientist with a knack for working with rodents (Galifianakis) finds a way to work with and train a group of highly skilled guinea pigs and a mole to do top-level spy work, they go undercover in order to infiltrate the lair of a power-crazy billionaire (Nighy).  When they come too close without getting the goods, the Feds pull the plug on the program, sending said guinea pigs to a pet store to become victims to childhood torture. 

    I am going to preface this entire review by saying that this film is obviously not for me, but it seemed that the audience, chalked full of young children, really enjoyed it.  The kids couldn’t get enough of the talking animals and their antics.  They were standing up, dancing, excited, and in need of less sugar and stronger ADD drugs (in my humble opinion).  But nevertheless – they seemed to really be engaged and enjoying their time in the theater immensely.

    So what was wrong with the film?  First off, the script was pretty darn dumb and poorly executed.  First off, the jokes seemed very stale.  For example, Penelope Cruz’s pig Juarez makes a complaining comment about not being able to get anything off the rack due to her body shape, but then makes threats to the human girl for putting a dress on her.  These sorts of jokes just weren’t well thought out.  They weren’t very funny to begin with and then the inconsistencies set in.  The only dialogue that worked for me was that of Tracy Morgan’s creature Blaster.  He was just as funny as he is on 30 Rock, but in this case, no one around him could keep up. 

    The biggest disappointment, performance wise, was Galifianakis who is normally a really funny comedian.  All of the human interactions with the rodents looked awkward and poorly directed, but his talents especially were underutilized and he came across dry and boring.  Not a good turn considering the waves he made in The Hangover. 

    And while the animals all looked good on screen and the 3D (for those theaters that offer it) is of course eye-popping, I just couldn’t get excited about what I saw.  

    Still, if what you need is a 90-minute baby sitter, or something that will put a smile on your kid’s face, you could do worse than G-Force, but don’t expect to be blown away yourself.  C


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New on DVD

New on DVD

Watchmen: Director’s Cut
Rated R for strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In time for the world-famous Comic-Con convention in San Diego comes this new three-hour cut of the cult comic classic turned big-budget blockbuster.  When one of a group of renegade super heroes named The Comedian is brutally murdered, one of his teammates, Rorschach investigates who could have killed him and what he discovers is bigger than he or anyone could ever imagine.  The movie itself is very good, but very dark, with, what I thought, were some questionable artistic choices in music and even story.  But I really liked this new cut and and what I liked even more was the special blu-ray feature of immersive maximum movie mode where director Zach Snyder shows you his take on the movie while you are watching it, with all kinds of great looks at the special effects and features that went into the making of the film.  This is truly one of the most impressive special features I have come across yet and it seems like Zack and Warner Brothers are really setting the bar high here.  A-

Coraline
Rated PG for thematic elements, scary images, some language, and suggestive humor
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
For young Coraline, the world just seems flat.  She has just moved to a boring, bland town.  Her parents are always working on their computers and have no time to spend with her and no money to buy her things.  One night when she enters what she discovers to be the “Other World” she finds a nice mom and dad, with lots of great food, and time, and things.  The new world is full of color and life.  But it comes with a cost.  This stop-motion animated film from Henry Selick, the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas, and based on the book by Neil Gaiman is masterfully crafted and just plain weird.  The film was in 3D in select theaters and is available in a 3D version here.  While the 3D is cool, it’s not nearly as beautiful as the 2D and I highly recommend watching the film without the included glasses.  The colors are much more brisk and you’ll end up with less of a headache from the red-blue tints.  Also, check out the making-of special feature as it is almost as impressive just watching them make the film.  A-

The Great Buck Howard
Rated PG for some language including suggestive remarks, and a drug reference
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Colin Hanks is a law school drop out that goes on the road to work as an assistant to an aging magician/mentalist (John Malkovich), whose claim to fame was that he appeared on the Johnny Carson show dozens of times.  While the film seems a little too indie, especially with a cast including these two plus Tom Hanks and Emily Blunt, it is fun to see Malkovich in such an incredible role.  The film is worth a rental just for his amazing performance as the lonely, end-of-his-life entertainer.  I hope that enough folks see this film come awards time this year so that he might get his due from it.  B

Echelon Conspiracy
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense violence and action, some sexuality and brief language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
A young engineer obtains a cell phone that sends him messages granting him good fortune wherever he goes, but soon he finds himself the center of a deadly international plot.  Ed Burns, Martin Sheen, Ving Rhames, and Shane West all phone their performances in for this horrendous Bourne wannabe.  It’s badly directed, badly written, and you could tell the actors were just taking their paychecks.  F


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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Michael Gambon, and Jim Broadbent
Directed by David Yates (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)
Rated PG for scary images, some violence, language, and mild sensuality
Appropriate for ages 10+

    With Harry’s Uncle Sirius dead, Professor Dumbledore has now taken it upon himself to take care of Harry.  Little do they know that Professor Snape has also taken an oath to protect the malicious student Malfoy, and he has been tasked by the death-eaters to do something very awful this year at Hogwarts. 

    Through chance, Harry discovers an old text full of helpful notes and spells that once belonged to someone who called himself “The Half-Blood Prince.”  While Harry is not sure who the mysterious prince is, the special text brings his wizardry up a notch, and helps him not only in school, but in his battle against evil as well.

    I am fully understanding of the need to make the screenplay different from the source material and until now, I have never thought it a big deal in this series.  I have always felt that the major points were covered and the themes were carried out well.  With this new movie, though, I’m just not so sure.  I can appreciate that it can be a real problem taking such a large volume of material and putting it into a two and a half hour movie, and I wouldn’t want the task myself, but I think this coverage is the least faithful yet in the series.

    The major points were all touched on, so for that I guess you could say they did their job.  The Malfoy, Snape, Dumbledore, and Harry story lines were completed in good fashion.  But when I read the book, I felt that the most important thing it did was to tell the story of young Voldemort, or Tom Riddle, through Dumbledore’s memories.  This very important character development is vital to the overall story and will now never get the chance to take place on screen.  Sure there were a few little scenes with young Tom, but they were merely there to progress a different plot line.  I guess that I found this character development so deeply interesting and important, that I think it would have been worth a little more time sitting in the theater. 

    The acting here was also inconsistent.  Radcliffe and Gambon were solid in the dramatic leads, and I was very happy to see Tom Felton finally get a chance to show his stuff as Draco, but Harry’s friends Ron and Hermione (played by Rupert Grint and Emma Watson) made many bad choices as they tried to steal screen time.  In addition, many of the students seemed like they were trying to show off in the small amount of time they were allotted and ended up coming across like amateurs.

    I realize that this review probably makes it sound like I thought this was a bad movie and that is far from the truth.  I just had very high hopes that didn’t get lived up to.  I am excited that the next and final movie will be in two parts, which means that the story might actually get the time and attention it deserves.  B


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New on DVD

New on DVD

Leverage: The First Season
Unrated
Available on DVD
This new TNT action series starring Oscar winner Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People) tells the story of a former insurance investigator who leads a group of thieves on a series of Robin Hood adventures after they achieve the score of their lives.  Designed for an audience that is fed up with corporate America (for which TNT is part of), the lies they feed, and the money they steal, this movie could be a real crowd-pleaser.  I just wish the writing was stronger and that the stories were a bit more plausible.  The dialogue is fast and witty, almost like a sleight of hand keeping the audience from realizing that the substance of the show is so shallow.  C+

Karl Malden (1912-2009)
We’ve heard so much about Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett lately that we have all but missed the passing of one of the true legends of Hollywood: Karl Malden.  With this being a week where there’s not much out on DVD, I’d like to take this opportunity to recommend taking a look back at this truly amazing star.  While he acted in movies for almost fifty years, he was best known for his Oscar-winning turn as Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) costarring Marlon Brando.  A few years later he teamed up with Brando again in On the Waterfront (1954) as Father Barry, the priest that tries to convince Brando’s character to do the right thing and testify against the mob.  This role also had him nominated for a second Oscar (and with that kind of performance he should have had a second win).  The last film I’d like to recommend is the brilliant Patton (1970), where Malden took on the part of General Omar Bradley during World War II.  Overall, Malden lead a brilliant career and I think that in between listening to Jacko CDs and watching Charlie Angel’s reruns – check out this legendary actor and some of his magnificent films.


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Bruno

Bruno

Starring Sacha Baron Cohen
Directed by Larry Charles (Borat)
Rated R for pervasive strong and crude sexual content, graphic nudity, and language
Appropriate for ages 18+

    Flamboyant Austrian fashion talk show host Bruno decides that he wants to become an A-list celebrity in America, but every attempt he makes turns out badly for him.

    If this plot seems kind of simple, that’s because it’s inconsequential.  Really, just like in his film Borat, Cohen mixes reality with scripted comedy to show a look at America that most Americans will be very uncomfortable with.  He learned a valuable lesson with Borat though – a story can really sell the stunts.  And so this loosely sewn together set of gags and punks shown in a 90-minute tale is much more entertaining than like they would have been on their own as they were in his HBO program Da Ali G Show. 

    I really thought he was pushing the boundary of decency with Borat, and he was, but Bruno is surprisingly offensive.  Whether it’s the one of dozens of homosexual jokes, the African baby he adopts, the Ron Paul seduction, or the many, many full nude scenes, this movie crosses the line to the point where you wonder if the MPAA even watched it. 

    That being said, it is funny.  Really funny.  I found it hard not to laugh at the many antics and sketches.  I felt bad for some of the folks, such as Ron Paul and the poor preacher he picks on.  I wanted lightening to strike others, such as the parents of the babies he interviews for a casting session.  But regardless – I laughed at all of it.  If he’s good at one thing here, it’s pointing a finger how silly our obsession with A-list celebrity culture really is. 

    Unlike Borat though, the story is not quite as strong and the character is not as likable.  Cohen and company probably took it up a notch because they knew this and they had to get folks in the theaters somehow.  After all, while Borat was just as silly, the narrative was strong enough to earn an Oscar-nomination for screenplay, and this story doesn’t have a chance.  B-


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New on DVD

New on DVD

Eastbound and Down: The Complete First Season
Unrated but appropriate for 17+
Available on DVD
In this new HBO comedy, Danny McBride is Kenny Powers, a former professional baseball player that lived a little too hard and who has now lost his pitch.  Since he has also lost all his friends and his money, he has gone home to live with his brother, where he takes a swing at substitute teaching.  With zero humility and an uncontrollable urge to do and say the wrong thing to everyone he meets, Kenny finds himself in one ridiculous mess after another.  Will Ferrell produces and costars in this six-episode season that is a must-see for comedy fans.  A

The Unborn
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and terror, disturbing images, thematic material, and language including some sexual references
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When a scary little boy starts haunting a beautiful girl that likes to walk around in her underwear, she enlists the help of a rabbi and a priest to help her exercise him.  I know this sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but it’s not.  Believe it or not, the movie is written and directed by David Goyer, the writer of Dark Knight.  Just shows that not everyone’s movies are perfect.  At least the girl gives you something lovely to look at for 90 minutes.  C-

Two Lovers
Rated R for language, some sexuality and brief drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Before Joaquin Phoenix fell off the deep end he made this kind of depressing, but lovely love story with Gwyneth Paltrow.  As a lonely man living in New York City, he develops a relationship with two women – one that he can have and one he can’t.  Of course he really only wants the one he can’t.  The performances are very good, but be prepared for a moody experience.  And while the characters have a deep sadness to them, I didn’t empathize, but merely felt sorry for them.  I also was happy I wasn’t in their shoes.  B

The Mafia: The Cold Blooded History of the Mob
Unrated but contains very violent content
Available on DVD
If you are like me and you have learned all of your mafia knowledge from Coppola and Scorsese films, then you will really welcome this History Channel series of documentaries of the mafia in America.  Covering everything from prohibition years to the Gambinos, this is a 10 hour, very comprehensive look at the history behind the legends behind some of our favorite stories and movies.   B+

The Universe: The Complete Season Two
Unrated
Available on Blu-ray
This highly technical History Channel program makes its Blu-ray debut and while I didn’t understand much of it, I still found it interesting, and moreover – stunning to look at.  If you are looking for something like Planet Earth – this isn’t it.  This is hard core science and lots of it.  But who knows – if you let your kids veg out in front of this you might just end up with an Einstein on your hands.  B-

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Public Enemies

Public Enemies

Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Marion Cotillard
Directed by Michael Mann (Collateral)
Rated R for gangster violence and some language
Appropriate for ages 17+

    During the 1930’s gangster John Dillinger (Depp) and others wreaked havoc across America, robbing dozens of banks and tormenting the government until they were forced to create a police force that could have jurisdiction across state lines.  Public Enemies tells the story of Dillinger, his relationship with coat check girl Billie Frechette (Cotillard), and the federal agent determined to take him down (Bale).

    With the exception of the really lousy Miami Vice, writer/director Michael Mann has always delivered gritty, gutsy dramas filled with intense action yet biting suspense.  That is why I was so excited to see what he could do with a film like this.  And while most of his movies have had good guys in the lead (i.e. Last of the Mohicans, The Insider), he has also drawn connection with the villain in such films as Heat and Collateral.  I say all of this to show that I was already sold on Dillinger as a hero, and watching this film I just couldn’t buy it.  Sure there was the scene where he told the farmer to keep his money – he only wants the bank’s money.  And he gets angry at his colleague for killing a guard.  But he is a cold-hearted killer and I just couldn’t develop a connection with him or any empathy for his plight.

    Likewise, I expected Federal Agent Purvis, played by Bale, to be like Elliot Ness in the Untouchables, and instead we are given a character with very little to offer the audience other than he likes to shoot villains and he doesn’t like to see cops beat women.  For me to develop a tie with a character, I need more than what is offered in this film, and therefore I really couldn’t appreciate what was supposed to be the film’s good guy. 

    I can’t fault the performances though.  At least Depp’s.  Johnny is very good as Dillinger and creates a wonderful villain that could have been really well utilized in the right story.  Cotillard is a great actress, but her accent was so in and out that it was hard to tell if she was American, French, or something non-descript.  Bale tried the hick, and did a decent enough job, but it was a bit distracting as thick as it was. 

    What I was most disappointed with though was how disjointed the film felt.  There were too many pieces that didn’t seem to fit.  The cinematography by Oscar-nominated Dante Spinotti was incredibly inconsistent.  For instance, the action scenes were done with many fast edits that looked like they used different types of cameras, to a degree that made the film feel off-balance.  Also, the amount of closeups used was insanely over-used.  The music, by Oscar-winning composer Elliot Goldenthal, might have sounded great on its own, but didn’t fit the movie that well at all.  And the pacing was amazingly slow.  The movie felt like a three-and-a-half hour epic and it came in at 140 minutes. 

    So while I really wanted to enjoy this film, I just couldn’t.  The whole thing felt a mess to me.  Sure it had some great production and a terrific Depp, but as for entertainment – it was a real letdown.  C

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New on DVD

New on DVD

The Pink Panther 2
Rated PG for some suggestive humor, brief mild language and action
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Steve Martin once again stars as French Inspector Jacques Clouseau, a bumbling detective that is on the search for The Tornado, an international thief that has stolen some of the world’s greatest treasures including the infamous Pink Panther diamond.  What I find most amazing about a film like this is how so many great actors (John Cleese, Jean Reno, Emily Mortimer, Andy Garcia, Alfred Molina, and Jeremy Irons) could star in such a mediocre film.  Or how it could be mediocre with all of them in it.  Maybe it’s because they are all trying to do slapstick, and none of them are very good at it.  Some of the dialogue is a little funny, but the movie depends on its pratfalls to succeed and this just gets in the way (although the horrendous plot doesn’t help the film either).  The disc isn’t a lost cause though.  While the main disc has the movie and special features, which I can’t recommend highly, disc two contains almost three hours of wonderful classic Pink Panther cartoons.  C-

Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season
Unrated but contains adult content
Available on DVD
After Vince’s Cannes Film Festival nightmare, he is now an almost uncastable actor in bad need of a way to bring his career back.  While his manager and best friend Eric and his agent Ari both have their own battles to contend with, they still fight to get Vince into a movie that might bring him back to the top.  With season six coming back July 12th on HBO, I found it to be the perfect time to sit back and review what’s gone on up to now.  After all, due to its amazing pacing, this show just flies by and makes an entire season seem to last no time at all.  And even after five seasons, it’s still very fresh and just as funny.  The set is lean on features, but the commentaries with creator Doug Ellin and the cast is worth a listen.  B+

Do the Right Thing: 20th Anniversary Edition
Rated R
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Spike Lee’s controversial film hit its 20th birthday this year, and while Spike Lee openly admits that New York is not nearly as racist as it used to be back then, he admits on his new documentary that it still has problems.  Right Thing centers around boiling racial tensions on the hottest day of the year in a tough Brooklyn neighborhood.  And while Lee’s assessment that New York is not nearly as racist now, I still get the feeling that Lee still is.  I remember how angry the ending of this film made me, and how Lee justified it.  And listening to him on the new commentary he still justifies it.  The 25th Hour and Inside Man prove that he has it in him to make great movies, and no one doubts his skills and artistic abilities as a director.  I just wish he would have said something in this 20th Anniversary Edition that showed that his own racist thoughts and beliefs have subsided.  On the plus side, I was glad to see a focus on the artistic approach to the film and the interviews with the very talented crew since these are features that are usually lacking on most DVD special editions.  B-

The IT Crowd: The Complete Second Season
Unrated
Available on DVD
The second season of this International Emmy-winning British comedy about an IT director that knows nothing about computers and her two nerdy techs has really hit a nice stride.  The first season was funny, but this new season is wicked hysterical and wildly creative.  With many directions to go, the six episodes are all over the place story-wise, but all are very clever and should cause many a guffaw if you can appreciate dry British wit.  But even if you can’t, there is enough physical comedy to keep you satisfied.  I’ve never recommended this before, but when you put the disc in just leave it alone a bit and you’ll get a nice chuckle at the screen saver.  A-

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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen


Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, and Josh Duhamel
Directed by Michael Bay
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, language, some crude and sexual material, and brief drug material
Appropriate for ages 10+

    Thematically similar to the first film, when the evil Decepticon forces pose a threat to the future of the entire planet, it is up to Optimus Prime and his Autobots to save mankind and Earth from utter destruction.  This time out, Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) is starting his first year in college and just wants to be a normal student.  Unfortunately, the map to the whereabouts of a secret device that can destroy the sun is buried in Sam’s brain, which makes Sam far from normal, and a target for the bad guys.

    I will admit right off the bat that this film has problems.  At two and a half hours, it is far too long of a film for this genre.  Slicing 30-45 minutes off of the battle scenes would have been a good move.  Or maybe had they dumped the subplot of the President’s adviser that tries to get in the way of the Autobots, they could have cut not only an unnecessary story line, but a dozen or so minutes off of the film as well.  There is just no reason a film like this should have an almost Godfather-like length. 

    On top of that, there were several script flaws and plot holes, way too many eye-rolling, cheesy moments, and a couple of annoying twin robots that were very insensitively written.  I didn’t mind the way they talked, but when the one with the gold tooth declares that he ain’t much for readin, well – they are just asking for a little trouble there.  I also didn’t understand why a robot would hump Megan Foxes leg, although many others will empathize with said robot.  What seems funny to me is that all of the problems with the film could have been left on the cutting room floor and the film would have been much better for it. 

    That being said, I was still thoroughly engaged and entertained.  The film had both a dark and ominous feel, yet was quite funny at the same time.  Whoever they hired to punch up the script with jokes did a very good job (comedian Patton Oswald worked on the first film – not sure about this one).  The special effects here were mind-boggling to say the least.  I do wish the filmmakers would have chosen more distinctive colors for the two sides so that the audience could more easily tell the robots apart during the massive fight sequences, but at least the very blue and red Optimus and yellow Bumblebee were clear enough.

    So while I have seen most of the critics bashing this film, I can’t agree.  I think that if you are in the mood for a bigger than life Transformers movie – you are going to get what you pay for – and you’ll have fun.  Sure it could have been a little more critic-friendly, a little more intellectual, maybe even a little less silly, but Michael Bay is first and foremost an entertainer and in my opinion he once again gets the job done.  B-