Mark Wahlberg, Chris O'Donnell, Beau Bridges, Ludacris, Mila Kunis . . . based on the video game
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
The Day The Earth Stood Still Trailer
Keanu & Jennifer Connelly headline this remake of the 1951 Classic
The Verdict - Hancock
So I had high expectations for Will Smith's super hero movie, Hancock.
If you have seen the trailers, you know that this film is about the redemption of a down and out super hero, known to the world at large as "John Hancock" and portrayed by Smith. The under-used Jason Bateman is image consultant Ray Embrey, and Charlize Therone is his wife, Mary. Was a fan of Bateman back in his teenage days, and more recently on the brilliant but cancelled show Arrested Development (watch it if you have not).
Hancock starts with the promise of being a great movie. The comedy is on point (I will be telling people I am gonna "shove your head up his ass" and laughing to myself about it for at least the next few weeks), the effects are obvious but not off-putting, and the acting is good . . .
But then, the plot kicks in . . . and I fell asleep. I never fall asleep in the movies. As a matter of fact, 3 other people were with me - all of whom NEVER fall asleep at the theater - and they well all snoring at some point in this movie. It goes from boredom to kind of bad at about the middle point. This was hailed as a "different spin" on the super hero movie . . . sure, if that spin is "BAD". After the great summer flicks Iron Man and Incredible Hulk, this is just not good. I Am Legend was better . . . Wanted was better . . . M. Knight's Unbreakable was better . . .
I am disappointed with the writing, the pacing, the action, and the Damn Eagle (do not want to "spoil" this crap so I won't explain the eagle, but its dumb). The plot twist is huge and changes the ENTIRE point of the movie, taking it from an interesting character study to a big mess of stupidness. See this at the $5 pre-matinee . .or do not see it at all. Bad Boy, Will. Do better next time.
C- for Hancock.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
WANTED - The Verdict
After saving the world and picking up all kind of Brown kids from around the world to wear as ornaments (see Niecie Nash from the BET Awards), Angelia Jolie is back with Morgan Freeman, James McAvoy (Atonement, Last King of Scotland), and Common in the comic-to-film adaptation of WANTED. The source material for this flick was a great comic mini-series, written by award-winning Scottish writer Mark Millar (The Ultimates, Ultimate Spiderman, Marvel's Civil War).
Right off the top, the film is NOT really true to the comic. After the initial "origin" it skews pretty far from the story that Millar originally presented in print. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but I had to get over it as I was watching the movie.
I am an anti-spoiler type of guy, so I will not discuss the plot too much other than to say it has some decent twists to it and definitely is not boring. Some of the characters are not totally fleshed-out, but any more time spent on background would have taken away from the action, - which is really what this is about. Many critics are comparing WANTED to The Matrix, but I think it stands on its own and really shares little resemblence to that film.
Jolie looks GREAT, James McAvoy carries off the lead role very well (and if you saw Last King of Scotland, you know this guy is a good actor), and Freeman is his usual self. Common does not get to do much, but he has the "mean mug" pretty much down so he does his job. The stunts are big and spectacular, the special effects blend into the action seamlessly, and the humor had the audience laughing out loud at points.
WANTED is not the second coming of the action film - nor is it better than Iron Man or Incredible Hulk - but its worth the admission for the stunts, humor, and overall kinetic pace that it keeps. Jolie has one HELL of a personal trainer because you would never think she had a kid before this filmed. Not perfect, not totally flawed, this gets a B-.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
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