Yes, it is finally confirmed, George Lucas has apperently not finished rubbing his fingers all over his movies in post production grime. Love it or hate it, it is going to happen. This will be the first of the six movies to to undergo a post-stereoscopizing of its original form and will either prove that 3d remastering is really worthwhile, or if (like the majority of sane humans assume) 2D movies should be left to the dimensions they were created for. Despite my worries, I will begrudgingly be there on February 10th, 2012 to view Jar Jar Binks in all his three dimensional glory… and let’s face it… you will too.

Following months of trailers, promotions, Iron Man 2 one sheetand kids  running around playing with the merchandising efforts, the actual product, that being Iron Man 2, the comic book movie sequel finally premieres. We now cut through the media buzz and find that Tony Stark ran into battle requiring a fresh battery.

 In the sequel to the 2008 blockbuster, we follow Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr., 6 months after revealing to the world that he is the technological superhero. The US government wants to secure Stark’s technology and weaponize it further. Industrial business rival Justin Hammer, of Hammer Industries, played by Sam Rockwell (Moon, Choke), also wants the Iron Man weapon. Meanwhile in Russia, a former Soviet scientist, who partnered with Tony’s father on developing the arc reactor, dies, leaving his son Ivan, played by Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler, Sin City), on a vengeful quest to thwart Iron Man’s throne of solidarity and security. Closer to home, Tony appoints his sidekick, Pepper Potts, portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow, as CEO of Stark Industries all while not acknowledging any of their sexual tension and hitting on the new personal aide, Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson (Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Ghost World), and finally working with agent Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D., Samuel L. Jackson, on developing the “Avengers Initiative.” Most of all, our main character has found that his arc reactor-powered heart is actually poisoning his blood and he needs to reinvent his energetic wheel immediately. In his Drunken Tony Stark / Iron Man hitting on Peppermoments of vile weakness, Tony’s pal, Air Force Lt. Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes, where Don Cheadle (Brooklyn’s Finest, Ocean’s Eleven) take the character over from Terrence Howard, clutches the auxiliary Iron Man suit and morphs it into the mighty War Machine.

Needless to say, this highly anticipated sequel is jam-packed with stardust and story subplots– not firepower and jet engines.

The typical comic book sequel spends less time with character development but more time with battlefield evolution and planning for the future. In X2 the mutants had to escape the Xavier Institute and fight their way through their journey and save their professor. In Spider-Man 2, the wall-crawler had to learn how to juggle more factors in a fight than a foe with eight appendages and a doctorate in nuclear Would have loved to have seen more from this guy.physics. In The Dark Knight, Batman ends up in clash after never-ending clash with a clown that has no regard for life or order. However it seems that Iron Man 2 will be the exception to the generic rule by stockpiling on Tony Stark’s inner struggles of maturation rather than sticking it out in the field.

Although all the technical elements are virtually inline via clear editing in all arenas, sharp images, and wild rides for the 15% of the movie that has action, this sequel hardly delivers. Whereas action films typically leave the audience asking for more, here the audience asks just for some.

For those looking to get a light start on this year’s summer blockbusters or for the hardcore comic book geeks who need a fresh dose, this film is for you. However if one is looking for an action-filled ride of epic technological battles with plenty of cuts and bruises as well as twists and turns, look further: for many, even the bonus footage at the end of the credits can be seen coming, crashing down from the heavens.

A hero can change the shape of his heart but must remember that he is needed on the battlefield.

 Kick-Ass one sheet

Kick-Ass is based on the graphic novel of the same name, written by Mark Millar and illustrated by John Romita Jr. For anyone within the comic book universe, these principle credits alone spawn a fresh and solid beginning for the cinematic work.

In the film, we follow Dave Lizewski, played by Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy, The Illusionist), narrating how he lives an archetypical life akin to that which he reads about in his comics: the NYC middle-class geek in the back of the classroom who, save for his two buddies, goes unnoticed, has a crush on a girl in class, and clenches to a general dissent against his psychosocial environment. Therefore our ardent nerd snaps and takes to vigilantism.

Dave vows to stand up and be counted as a hero: not to avenge a death, nor for being a mutant or alien creature; but rather, because he is simply a kid with a good heart and a lot of balls.

In addition to taking on average thugs and the organized crime of New York City, Dave encounters a fellow father-daughter vigilante duo, portrayed by Nicholas Cage and the show-stealing Chloe Moretz (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, (500) Days of Summer), who have the training and sophistication that our hero lacks. The teenaged avenger soon finds that although his initial ascent to superherodom may not have commenced through a traditional route, his destination certainly falls in line with typical comic book tales. All in all, the Aaron Johnson in his Kick-Ass getup. film takes the audience on an action-packed, bruising, bashing, comic book adventure with plenty realism and substance to back it up and make it a truly original addition to the genre.

One of the movie’s greatest strong points is found in its graphic editing. Scenes and moments gel into the collective narrative via gunpowder and glitz, aiding the audience’s immersion into a comic book dimension. The cinematography exhibits scene-by-scene precision in generating the correct sentiments and messages in the moving image: ranging from highly vibrant and saturated day scenes to lowly lit dramatic sequences. The sound design and editing is sharp and top notch. Overall, it is director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake, Stardust) at the helm of this film, executing yet another mind-bending tale and throwing a myriad of multi-media elements onto the screen that grants Kick-Ass its feisty flare.

On a special note, one may notice several familiar faces in Heroes Kick-Ass, Hit Girl, and Big Daddythe film; those typically found in British crime movies. Seeing as though British director Matthew Vaughn could not find a studio to produce the film, and therefore had to do so independently, he brought along his friends from across the pond including Jason Flemyng and Dexter Fletcher (both in Stardust, Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels) who add that familiar ingredient, reminiscent of Vaughn and Guy Ritchie films.

Kick-Ass is a fun ride. It remains to be a much-needed film within the comic book movie genre and, like all comic book films, reserves some space for a continuation in its tale.

A movie that lives up to its title.

 

Alice Eve and Jay Baruchel as Molly (10) and Kirk (5)The premise of “League” revolves around the concept of the one-to-ten number rating scale: the same scale used by everyone ranging from the average joe to the unearthly shallow so as to rate people according to their physical attributes and possibly some sense of his or her economic viability as well. For this movie, the tagline says it all, “Can a 10 go for a 5?” More importantly, it should be inquired, “Can such a plot be lacking any more depth?”

 From the start we find Kirk, played by Jay Baruchel (Knocked Up, Tropic Thunder), working airport security in Pittsburgh along with a few of his pals. Suffice it to state, there is a speck of social relevance here seeing that all of Kirk’s buddies work in different departments in the airport, from security to trip planning and even a bag thrower, but they are never at their stations nor on the job. They are free to hang out by the metal detectors all day.

Nevertheless, Kirk returns a lost cellphone to a rather attractive and well-off event planner, England’s Alice Eve (Crossing Over, Big Nothing), who is easily a solid ten! After their chance meeting, the Ten shows interest in the Five, and continues on for the following 95 minutes of the film to go out on various dates around the Pittsburgh area to find that, no matter what your rating may be, we are all equally shallow people.

One SheetThe duration of the film consists of random instances and occurrences including and limited to: dates with the Ten as well as Kirk discussing his disbelief with his friends. The story never delves deeper into any obvious commentary on the matter. Story depth is lost to a lack of functional subplots. Although two subplots are attempted, calling them half-baked would be a complement – someone forgot to preheat the oven.

In regards to the comedic value of “League,” there are a few laughs present albeit they are cheaply won. Situational comedy, comedic irony, socially relevant commentary, nor even klutzy slapstick exist here. The typical laugh only comes along with abrupt cursing or awkward human-body-oriented moments. At any rate, do not expect to be rolling in the aisles with this one, dear reader.

Sadly, the technical aspects of the film do not save it one bit. Cinematography is simple just like the lighting and sound designs. Granted, a comedy such as this would not typically be groundbreaking in said elements however it would have been highly appreciated to have smooth editing all the while.

It seems as though Dreamworks decided not to invest in a comedic tale; but rather, the great physical beauty of actress Alice Eve. The lesson to be learned here is that in film, as well as relationships, beauty will not simply act as a saving grace for all.

This was the first time a free, sneak-preview screening urged a desire for a refund.

The cast saw the final cut.

Jake Sully taking on Na’vi Training with NeytiriLegend has it that Cameron wrote the story for Avatar in the mid-1990’s and planned to produce it immediately following Titanic. Due to technological restraints (ie no technology existed at the time that would be able to get the job done), the director decided to throw the script in a desk drawer until time and technology would have progressed sufficiently – or so the cast and crew regurgitate in all of the promotional interviews. One decade, $230 million, and a boatload of audio / visual inventions and advancements later, we have our movie in subject.

Avatar is remarkably stunning in appearance and the 3-D element does aid the movie-going experience by submerging the audience in the wondrous alien world known as “Pandora.” The concepts of the environments and creatures are well thought out. The motion-capture technology is masterful in its ability to trap lightning in a bottle; that is to say, to seize and reproduce every minute detail of expression coming from the actors’ performances. The audio is sharp, the editing is tight, the acting is right up to par, and the pacing is reasonably proficient: the 162-minute runtime is nothing to be afraid of here, dear reader.

Movie PrintThe one aspect of James Cameron’s new sci-fi epic that, when nicked, can unravel his handiwork is the lack of originality in the story base. The most amateur of movie audiences can find the parallels between Avatar and Dances With Wolves (1990) or even FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) without breaking a sweat. I contend that the story, although seemingly reiterated, prevails to be valid today and arguably has a need to be repeated. However this project, from such a renowned director and having spent more than a decade in the womb, should have made it a priority to expand  on the story, if possible. Therefore, it goes to show, that all the glam and glitz in Hollywood still remains unable to fill the void of an echoed storyline.

Overall the film is filled with great moments of action, tragedy, scientific sophistication, culture clash, exploration of humanity, and even a chuckle or two along the way. It contains a mass pulp of imagination sure enough to dazzle any viewer and throws in modern rhetoric to allude to historical events within the past century. Avatar is largely a step forward for technology and is sure to be enjoyed by many.

Strap on your 3-D glasses and head for your nearest IMAX theatre if you have the cheddar and the resources. If such is either impossible or unsatisfactory, feel free to watch the “dumbed-down” 2-D version on the older, 2k HD projectors at your local Cineplex.

This film requires 3-D glasses and at least two buckets of popcorn.

There’s something else in the bedroom.

For anyone who is not “in the know,” Paranormal Activity is the hottest new independent horror film since The Blair Witch Project (1999). It is being compared to Blair Witch on the basis of its remarkably low budget and its guerilla style of shooting. After going through the rounds in a few film festivals, such as Screamfest, it began a grassroots campaign via its website where anyone could “demand it” to be exhibited in their city. If a city would get enough people petitioning for screenings, distribution would pay to put up the film. In less than a month, Paranormal Activity has accumulated more than one million demand requests and has grown from an art house exhibition in select cities to what is looking like a coast-to-coast distribution. As of October 16, the new horror has accumulated an estimated $20 million+. Not bad for a film with an estimated budget of $11,000.

One SheetParanormal Activity takes us into the lives of Katie and Micah, played by two new faces. They are a young couple that are “engaged to be engaged” and have been enjoying the pleasantries of home ownership in the autumn of 2006. In their recent history though, they have been hearing bumps in the night. For this, Micah buys a camera and decides to document himself and his girlfriend while they sleep at night in hopes of understanding what causes their nocturnal disturbances. And what they discover goes far beyond creaking floorboards.

What is best of this film is its simplicity. Being scared to death does not always need a high-end budget for gore, soundtrack, makeup, CGI, and so on. It is the unembellished happenings that make this one worthwhile. Israeli director Oren Peli spends his time developing the story and building suspense, something forgotten at times by many other productions. He builds the audience up, while maintaining a good pace overall, to the extent of which a mere pinprick sends everyone harrowing. Overall this film is “it” for the season. Bring a few friends for the first viewing and enjoy the long, post-cinema conversations you’ll be having, filled with trepidation. For the second viewing, bring the folks you may not like as much and watch them squirm. Paranormal Activity is the cheap but well-executed horror film of the year. Sleep well, dear reader.

 Buy a nightlight.

SPOILER! (do NOT read unless you want to blow part of it):

Although they are nice, she never shows them. Better luck in the sequel.

These days technology is everywhere. We are submerged in a society with advertisements as far as the eye can see, on every surface, telling us what to spend our good money on next. Media is unavoidable. From yesterday’s technology of radios and televisions to today’s iPods, cell phones, laptops, and the list goes on. Our creations are growing at an alarming rate and their capabilities are only increasing. So what if we could make technology in our own vision; that is to say, what if we could make a robot self that we could channel our everyday living through so as to boost capabilities and remain safe at home?

In Surrogates, the new sci-fi action flick starring Bruce Willis and directed by Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3, U-571), we are taken to the near future and see just how far man’s lust for technology can go. Surrogates is a playful subject with a moderate twist here or turn there, but sadly loses appeal being that this one will get lobbed into a genre category of films that have already been made. It also brings about preciously concocted themes and manifestations as well.

We start off with a nice feel for the new society where no one is who he or she seems to be; but rather, avatars that they have purchased and send out into the world. This is the new standard of living. From the beginning the metaphors that can be applied to the modern chat room or MMORPG  come screaming unavoidably at the audience – the hot chick you pick up on at the party may actually be a fat slob of a guy sitting in his recliner at home.

The action starts when someone in a back alley fires an unknown weapon at a surrogate and thereby totals the machine…and kills the user at home. To add to that, this first homicide in years is laid upon the son of the scientist, played by James Cromwell (W., Space Cowboys), who invented the surrogate. Are you entangled in mystery yet, dear reader?

We continue the tale both investigating the homicide as well as exploring this interesting, Bruce Willis in his surrogate’s interface.alternate reality. Suffice it to say, doing all of this tastes and smells too much like previous projects: 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, or even as recent as I, Robot which also stars James Cromwell in a different but similar role. Although it has akin themes as said films, it unfortunately does not live up to their pioneering wonderment and can therefore be labeled as a rehash of sorts.

Aside from, dare I say, the story, the rest of the cast and crew do a steady job. Willis and company give elementary but solid performances. Direction and cinematography are nothing groundbreaking but they are smooth and well-managed. The same goes for the score, editing, lighting, and so on with a small note on good sound design.

Surrogates, although a rehash, is a good flick to see for those who look to get out and escape. Its morals are solid and slam home its point-of-view. Although this is not a something-for-everyone film, there is some latitude with its content that would stretch beyond sci-freaks.

 If you are caught texting during this movie, there is no hope for you. 

A Surrogate is Born at the Factory

The Goods is a nice idea for a summer comedy, giving us an ensemble cast, plenty of little surprises, and a fair amount of humor. When all is said and done, the new comedy loses a great deal of momentum, and laughs, when it tries to bring about emotion in backwards plots and subplots.

Fronted by Don Ready, played by Jeremy Piven (Entourage, Smokin’ Aces), the pack of clutch makers also includes a soft and smooth Ving Rhames (Mission: Impossible, Pulp Fiction), straight-man David Koechner (Anchorman, Snakes on a Plane), and the slutty-but-lovely Kathryn Hahn (Step Brothers, Crossing Jordan) gives us a fresh performance playing the saleswoman who can do plenty more than just roll with the boys. With a mildly eclectic lineup, it is safe to say that it is the cast’s comedic blend that makes for the joy of this film.

And where there is joy we also find sorrow, my friends. Although The Goods starts off with a flash and a bang, this clunker runs out of gas far before we reach the end credits. We are given quirky characters that are executed fairly well albeit have a totally stagnate development: the story progresses but the players do not evolve. There are choices made and interactions conducted that leave the viewer asking, “Why does that make any sense?” Notwithstanding the fact that this flick is clearly not shooting for Oscar caliber, a simple effort for organization and clarity remains to be desired.

Beyond story and characters there is not much else to report on, my dear reader. The Goods does not deliver a unique directing style nor any interesting cinematography. The settings, editing, lighting, etc. are all elementary and cause no distractions. Well done?

I must admit, dear reader, that when one is given a summer comedy boasting cars, sex, America, and so on – I was looking forward to a banging Rock N’ Roll soundtrack. There was not one present. Whether this facet of the movie was caused from rights management or just a lack of light bulbs above the production teams’ heads, we will never know.

Now here we are at the end of the road and you ask yourself, “So should I see this sucker or not?” My reply: “depends.” If you are looking to zone out and chill for a bit, The Goods may be a nice escape for you – especially for those who are fans of the McKay-Ferrell flavor of humor. However, if you are a cinema connoisseur on the prowl for the next great laugh, skip it.

BOIL IT DOWN: Ain’t no bailouts here, my friend.

This time will come to be known as the Public Enemy Era. During this period we follow bank robber John Dillinger, portrayed by Johnny Depp, as he goes from one heist to the next and prison escape after another while he rises in celebrity as well as tries at love; the charmingly sweet and Academy Award-winning French actress Marion Cortillard (La Vie en Rose, Big Fish) playing Dillinger’s love interest, Billie Frenchette. Dillinger prefers living life on the edge by robbing banks and enjoying “baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars… and [Billie].” His lifestyle becomes difficult however when J. Edgar Hoover, Billy Crudup (Watchmen, Almost Famous), hires lawman Melvin Purvis, Christian Bale, to lead up the Dillinger Division of the newly-forming FBI.

There is never a dull moment in this new movie from director, Michael Mann (Heat, Miami Vice). Public Enemies is a two-and-a-half-hour glimpse at the changing lifestyle for the old world criminal as the American government escalated its efforts to fight crime. The momentum is perfect and the movie is filled with several great little moments of elation, tragedy, and romance.

Johnny Depp / Public EnemiesThe technical aspects of Public Enemies are what truly make the film stand out. There is that signature Michael Mann cinematography (he is often noted for doing most of his own shooting) characterized by using several different stocks to shoot on, low, rich lighting, and, most of all, handheld shots that stand right in the line of fire of all of the action so as to make the audience really feel inundated with the goings-on. The use of music from that time period making up the soundtrack helps with holding up the setting quite efficiently. The number one technical factor that livens up the film undoubtedly is the sound editing. The sounds of the men fleeing through wooded areas, the dialogue, and, above all else, the scenes with gunfire are superb: they are sharp, precise, and well-calculated. The entire audience will be blown back in their seats at the sound of the shotguns’ belly-busting blasts.

Although the story is worthwhile and the collaborated effort works out quite well for the film, it is the opinion of this reviewer, dear reader, in which this film has been made already. After the first hour it became very apparent that we the audience were watching a rehashing of Mann’s Heat (1995) told as if the story took place 60 years prior.

“We’re here for the bank’s money, not your money.”
-Neil McCauley (De Niro), Heat

“We’re here for the bank’s money, not yours.”
-John Dillinger (Depp) Public Enemies

I would also like to take note that when referencing Michael Mann’s IMDB bio page, he has the longest list of directorial “trade marks” that I have ever seen. So for this I pose to you the question, dear reader: At what point does a grocery list of trademarks convert into a mass movie cookie cutter for every film a director approaches? Your judgements would be admired.

To conclude, Public Enemies in and of itself is a fresh take on one of America’s most notorious gangsters and is shot beautifully enough to submerge the audience in the time period completely. The degradation only comes when thinking of the actor’s and director’s prior work for which this movie exhibits nothing we have not already seen. Depp plays another dark character with his own philosophy sided against the law but yet is seductive and wins over the audience from the start (Jack Sparrow). Bale plays another lone lawman that will devote his entire life to getting his man (Bruce Wayne). And director Michael Mann rebranded one of his former projects that we saw not 14 years ago. Public Enemies is worth a look but loses excellence for being found guilty of “Copy Cat Cinema.”

If you haven’t rooted for the black hat yet, it’s time you start.

Spoiler Tidbit: In both films we have two modern megastars (De Niro – Pacino, Depp – Bale) on opposing sides that only share the screen for two scenes: one of which they share dialogue so as to express their conflicting philosophies and the other, the life-or-death climax.