Movie Review - "The Sitter" (2011) 1/2 star

     Why Jonah Hill? Why? I sang your praises so much in Moneyball and felt you were by far deserving of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for that performance. It was brilliant and I want to see more of it. But then you go off and do something like The Sitter and it's such a waste of talent. Leave this dreck for the likes of Adam Sandler and others of his kind. I'm not going to do a full review of this movie, I just don't have the desire. Jonah Hill stars as a slacker who ends up having to babysit three kids and the foursome end up running around the streets evading drug dealers just so Hill can get to his girlfriend for a booty call. Yes, that's the plot summary. It's as mindless as it sounds. It could have been somewhat interesting, a cult film the likes of Adventures in Babysitting, but no, that's not the case. It's way too raunchy for kids to see even though that's who it should be targeted to. It's just a mess pure and simple and I could have gone with it had it been funny. I like raunchy when it's funny. But it's not, instead it's very boring. I'm not even sure why I'm giving this even a half star. I guess I just like to save my No Star reviews for a special kind of film. This is close. At least it's quick and finished in under an hour and a half. So for that, it gets a half star. Skip this people.

Movie Review - "Straw Dogs" (2011) **1/2

     Rod Lurie's Straw Dogs is a remake of a 1971 Sam Peckinpah film that has a bit of a cult following due to it being considered very violent for the time. Even though the violence was too harsh for many, the film is widely considered to be one of Peckinpah's finest movies along with The Wild Bunch, another film known for it's violence. I have not seen the original, which stars Dustin Hoffman and Susan George, but I have heard a lot about it over the years and that is what interested me in checking out this remake. After seeing this remake, I don't feel inclined at all to go back and watch the original. Maybe if I catch it on one day I'll give it a look, but I don't think I will actively seek it. The story just simply isn't that compelling me to in the end.

     James Marsden and Kate Bosworth play David and Amy Sumner, a happily married screenwriter and actress from L.A. who have returned to Amy's childhood home in the deep south in order to fix up the home of her father, who has passed away, to sell. The couple drives a fancy car and have a bit of a Hollywood snootiness to them that immediately has the locals (rednecks) watching them closely. When they stop by a local diner for a meal, Amy runs into her ex-boyfriend Charlie (Alexander Skarsgard) who tries to make a pass on her but she declines. Complicating matters, Charlie and a group of his friends are the ones repairing the family home to sell. Tension between the couple and Charlie's group slowly start to build when they upset David by leaving the job early, inviting themselves into the house for beer and food, and playing music loudly while David is trying to work. When Amy is attacked by two of them men, all hell breaks loose leading to a violent confrontation that will have the couple fighting not only for their house but for their lives.

     Straw Dogs isn't a terrible movie by any means, I just wouldn't make it a viewing priority. This is a fine movie to catch on cable on a Friday or Saturday night when nothing else is on, just don't expect it to leave any last impressions. It's a movie that will be easily forgotten in a few months. The finale is pretty violent but it's nothing you haven't seen before, although there is a scene with a bear trap that will make you cringe for a bit. The acting is passable, if nothing else, with one exception. James Woods has a supporting role as one of the locals and he gives a chilling performance. Woods has played some bad characters in the past, but this one may take the cake. Marsden, Bosworth and Skarsgard are okay, but I felt each role could have been cast a little better. I can see how someone more like Dustin Hoffman would be more believeable in the main role, so maybe I should give that original a shot. There's nothing much more to say about this. Nothing earth-shattering but you may find a decent distraction with this picture if you are looking for a thriller. You can do worse.

Movie Review - "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012) *****

     I've mentioned several times on the blog that I was not the biggest fan of comic book movies. I never got much from the original Superman films. The Spiderman films did nothing for me. And stuff like the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Green Lantern, etc. just simply didn't appeal to me. The one exception was Batman. I highly enjoyed Tim Burton's 1989 Batman and it's follow-up, Batman Returns. The rest of the films in the series were pretty dreadful, but those first two were favorites of mine at the time. When I heard that the Batman series was being rebooted in 2005, I was intrigued. Unfortunately, after my first viewing of Batman Begins, the first film in Christopher Nolan's trilogy, I was a bit disappointed. Subsequent viewings of that movie have improved my position on it, but I still find it somewhat lacking. However, a few years later when The Dark Knight was released, I had finally found the perfect comic film. I gave The Dark Knight five stars and to this day, it is one of my favorite films. Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker was deserving of the Oscar it received, and I still find it a crime that the film didn't receive a Best Picture nomination in what was a weak year for films. So, heading into this year, my anticipation for The Dark Knight Rises was very high. Only Prometheus matched my level of excitement, and that met my expectations. The Dark Knight Rises not only met my expectations...it somehow managed to exceed them.

     I won't go into a plot summary too much. I believe this is one of those films that it's either going to interest you, or not, and those that are even the slightest bit interested should just go see it. Plain and simple. It's been 8 years since Batman was last seen in Gotham City following him taking the fall for the crimes of District Attorney Harvey Dent. The plot that Batman (Christian Bale) and Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) came up with has worked as crime has been almost non-existent in those 8 years. But trouble in Gotham is about to pick up again in the form of two different villains. A cat burglar named Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) is causing havoc and the even more dangerous Bane (Tom Hardy), a masked terrorist set on destroying Gotham. Bruce Wayne/Batman is living as a recluse but the acts of Bane have caused him to rethink his retirement, much to the chagrin of his loyal butler Alfred (Michael Caine). After a visit to see his old friend Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), and a new array of crime-fighting devices, Batman is soon back in the game with the help of Gordon and a young, ambitious cop named Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is still a big believer in Batman and what he stands for. The group goes after Bane but it isn't long before Batman realizes he has finally met his match, as even he may be no competition for Bane.

     In what has been a strong year for movies so far with films like Prometheus, The Avengers and The Grey all receiving 4+ stars from me, The Dark Knight Rises stands above all and I would find it difficult for a movie to beat it in my year end rankings. It would take a pretty special film along the lines of a Social Network or Moneyball to unseat it. It's possible a gem like those two were will come along, but it's going to be tough. TDKR clocks in at just under 3 hours long, but it could have gone another hour or two and I would have been perfectly fine with it. The first hour is more build-up and if there is a weak point in the movie, it is this first hour, but it's really being nit-picky. I liked it, but some people could find it a touch slow. But when all hell breaks loose in this movie, it doesn't let go. If you like action, this is the movie for you, there's plenty of it. We throw terms around like "edge-of-the-seat excitement" loosely these days, but it applies in this case.

     Comparisons to Dark Knight are inevitable and I have been thinking about this a lot since the movie ended. I would give both 5 stars but I may give the slightest edge to The Dark Knight simply for Heath Ledger's Joker character. There's nothing in this newest installment that is probably Oscar material from an acting standpoint. Everyone gives a fine performance but nothing along the lines of what Heath was able to pull off. That would be the main difference, but the separation is very minimal and additional viewings of TDKR may bump it up over its predecessor. The one acting performance that really shocked me was Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle. I wasn't really expecting much from her in this role, but she is awesome (and darn sexy in that Catwoman suit if I do say so myself!). In a genre that is dominated by male actors, her performance along with Scarlett Johanson's in The Avengers have been scene stealers. Kudos to the ladies. Any review of this movie wouldn't be complete without mentioning director Christopher Nolan and his co-writer/brother Jonathan Nolan. You two are to be commended for this trilogy which turned out one solid movie and 2 unforgettable movies. I can't believe I'm saying this, but this trilogy is worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the original Star Wars trilogy. And people who know my Star Wars love understand what kind of praise that is. If you are on the fence at all about this movie, do not be. It's simply one of the greatest films ever made, I feel confident...and happy...in saying that.

Author' Note:  It's unfortunate that the release of this movie has been overshadowed by the tragic shooting in an Aurora, Colorado theater at a midnight premiere of the film. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the family members of those who lost their lives or were injured in the attack. I cannot begin to understand what people there may be going through right now, but I encourage everyone who reads this review to say a quick prayer for those affected by these tragic events. Thank you.

Movie Review - "Ted" (2012) ***1/2

     I believe there are three types of people in this world, as it relates to the tv show "Family Guy". There are those who have either not seen it or who have seen it and simply don't get it. There are those who get it, but are offended by it and reject it for those reasons. And there are those who get it and think it's simply one of the funniest shows to ever be on television. You can count me in this last group, I get "Family Guy". I realize it's not for everyone, and there is no way I would let my kids watch it if I had any, but underneath the foulness and raunchy humor I get what it is trying to say. There's definitely a "message" in there about how we take things way too seriously these days. I bring this up because "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane is the first-time feature director, and writer, of the new movie Ted. There is a lot of "Family Guy" DNA in Ted, in fact some of the voice actors on the show have roles in this film. Ted is an...interesting...film to say the least and I think it can best be described as an episode of "Family Guy" on steroids. It takes the raunch of the show and turns it up a LOT. This movie will not be for everyone and if you find yourself in either of the first two categories that I mentioned earlier, than this movie will probably not be for you. However, if you are someone who can handle the sometimes uncomfortable subject matter and humor, you will be pleased.

     Ted stars Mark Wahlberg as John Bennett. As a child, John had no friends, not even the kids who got bullied wanted to hang out with him. For Christmas one year, John receives a teddy bear that he names Teddy, of course, and it is the greatest gift he has ever been given. He wishes on a shooting star that Ted will come to life, and sure enough he does, which freaks John's parents out. Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) is a miracle and soon his story is spreading around the world, including an appearance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. John and Ted are inseparable and make a pact to always be friends, no matter what. Fast forward to his adult years and John is a thirtysomething bachelor who works at a rental car company. Years spent partying and drinking has made him a likable fellow, just not very motivated to accomplish much. Ted is still a part of John's life....and has taken on the same characteristics as his buddy. The first time we see Ted in adult years, he is sitting on a couch taking puffs on a bong pipe. For John and Ted, life is sitting around drinking beers, smoking dope, and watching the 80's cult hit Flash Gordon. This is fine for them, but John's girlfriend of four years, Lori (Mila Kunis), is ready for John to become more of a man and propose to her. She likes Ted, but she feels it is time for the duo to split up so John can finally start acting his age. Ted does end up getting his own place, but John finds it difficult to not hang out with his best friend and he keeps testing Lori to the point where John is forced to choose...his girlfriend or his best friend.

     For the first hour of the film, I laughed as much as I have in a theater in a long time. Ted is very raunchy and there are times when you aren't necessarily proud of the fact that you are laughing, but it is very funny nonetheless. Unfortunatley, the movie goes on for another 45 minutes that is not nearly as strong. For some reason, this becomes an action picture in the end with a car chase and all that jazz. Why? It makes no sense here and really takes away from the comedy that is working so well. I think if the movie would have just stayed the course and played it more straight, this could have been one of the funnier movies ever made. But that last bit just leaves a bad taste in my mouth that I can't ignore. The acting here is all fine, nothing to write home about. Wahlberg can be likable on screen at times and he plays this role very well. Kunis seems to be along for the ride and isn't given much to do other than the frustrated girlfriend, any number of actresses could pull of a similar performance. But she is a "Family Guy" alum, so for that reason I am okay with her here. Giovanni Ribisi has a small role in the film as a father who wants to buy Ted for his son. All I'm going to say about his part is that it is SUPER CREEPY and I will never look at Ribisi the same way again. Don't get me wrong, it made me laugh, but it is strange! Overall, I think MacFarlane did a very good job here, he just messed up the ending a bit and it took away from the finished product. Hopefully he will learn from that because I'd like see more feature work from him. I love his sense of humor. Ted is very funny and if what I have said above seems to appeal to you, by all means give it a shot. This won't be for everyone though. And it's especially not for kids. Parents, please do not let your kids watch this. You don't want to be explaining certain things to them. Trust me.

Thoughts on the James Bond marathon

     In July, the Encore channel is having a James Bond movie marathon all-month long. The first 19 Bond films are being played repeatedly on Encore and you can watch them at any time with Encore OnDemand. I have seen a lot of films in my time, but this may surprise you; I have only seen 2 Bond films all the way through. Back in the 80's, I saw Octopussy because it played what seemed like EVERY day on HBO or Cinemax. I'll be completely honest, I only saw that film because I was young and thought it was about something completely different.....but that's beside the point. I remember liking it and watching it many times. I didn't see my second Bond film until Casino Royale, one of the most recent entries into the series. I thought that one was just okay, although the opening sequence was fantastic. But that's it, just those two. I have caught bits and pieces of other films here and there, but never saw them from start to finish. I don't really have a good answer to why I haven't caught more of the Bond films. There are definitely aspects of them that would seem to appeal to my movie tastes, especially when it comes to the espionage stuff. I think one of the reasons is that I hate coming into a film or tv series in the middle. It's just one of those mental block things that doesn't make sense to a lot of people, but it's just a quirk I have. If I think I might be interested in something that has already been going on for a while, I like to go back and start at the beginning and catch up. In the age of dvd and such, it's easy to do that but I have just been reluctant to for some reason. Until now.

     This Encore marathon seems like the perfect time to catch up on Bond. Throughout the month, I plan on watching the Bond films in order. I don't plan on doing full reviews for each movie, but from time to time I will pop in and give my thoughts on the series. So far I have only seen the first film, Dr. No, and I was less than impressed. I found it quite a bit boring and thought it dragged a lot. But I understand that is the first one and maybe they were trying to find their way through the series. I started From Russia with Love yesterday and watched the first half before something came up and got me sidetracked. But so far, I am enjoying this one much better. I will probably watch all of the Connery films first and then give an update, seems like a logical way to break it up. In the meantime, I'd be interested in hearing what some of your favorite Bond films are and which ones I should look out for. I encourage any feedback.

Movie Review - "Snow White and the Huntsman" (2012) ****

     I did not want to see this movie. I didn't bother reading any reviews, I just wasn't interested in the story. I was perfectly fine with Disney's original version, which is still one of my favorite hand-animation films. However, at the request of two friends, I joined them for a showing of the movie and I'm glad I took them up on that offer. This is a gem of a movie and it's for this reason that I continue to enjoy cinema as my favorite art form. You just never know when you're going to find that next surprise. It's one thing to go into a movie with high expectations and be satisfied, like I was recently with Prometheus. But when you go into a movie with zero expectations and come out raving about what you have just seen, those are the movies I love talking about the most. And it's that continuous search for the next one that lands me in the theater on a regular basis.

    Snow White and the Huntsman follows the story we know fairly closely but definitely veers off into it's own direction at times, most of them with great success. Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame stars as the title princess who is imprisoned by the evil queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) following the betrayal and murder of Snow White's father. When the magic mirror on the wall reveals to Ravenna that Snow White is the fairest in the land, Ravenna sends her brother Finn (Sam Spruell) to fetch the princess. Snow White utilizes this opportunity to escape and heads for the Dark Forest. Ravenna dispatches a hunter (Chris Hemsworth) to capture Snow White, but once he finds her he feels for her and decides to help her escape the queen's army. Snow White and the huntsman form a bond and he becomes her protector and trainer in an attempt to remove Ravenna from the throne, placing Snow White as the true ruler in order to bring peace to the kingdom. They are joined in their quest by William (Sam Claflin), childhood friend of Snow White who feels guilty for leaving her behind when the evil queen took over and he escaped. On their adventures we encounter a kingdom full of interesting creatures, including a troll who proves to be a dangerous foe, and of course a few dwarfs join in along the way.

     This is a much darker telling of the story than anything you have probably experienced in the past, and I enjoyed that aspect of it. I was surprised by how quickly the story hooked me in and it never really let up. There's only some slight pacing issues in the middle third of the film. I feel having about 10-15 minutes cut from the running time would have been an improvement but it's really nitpicking. The visual effects in this movie were the biggest surprise to me. I was reminded of lot of films like Pans Labyrinth, Lord of the Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia while watching this. It's hard to believe, but this on that same level for sure. Even stranger is that this was made by a first-time feature director, Rupert Sanders. You sir, I will be watching for more of. Bravo. The acting is fine with the only standout performance coming from Charlize Theron as the evil queen. She gives her best performance since her Oscar winning role as Aileen Wuornos in Monster, and is having a great 2012 with this film as well as Prometheus. Kristen Stewart has never been my favorite actress, but she is fine here as Snow White. Hemsworth plays a role similar to his turns as Thor with equal success. Claflin is a bit flat as William, but I've seen worse. But for all the acting choices, this is a directors film and Sanders is the star here as he has put together a visual masterpiece that caught me completely off guard. I can't wait to see more. Highly recommended.

Movie Review - "Prometheus" (2012) ****

     When I first heard rumors that Ridley Scott was going to be making a prequel to the movie Alien, that immediately went to the top of my list of movies I was interested in. Then over the course of the last year, I've heard all the talk that yes, it is a prequel to Alien, with an equal number of sources saying no, that in fact it was not. The debate has gone back and forth. I didn't care anymore, I was invested and I just wanted to see it. Of all the 2012 summer releases, Prometheus is the one I have been looking forward to the most with Dark Knight Rises being right there at the top also. I still have to wait a little while for Rises but Prometheus has now come and gone. It was worth the wait. I'm happy with the outcome but to answer the original question; Is it a prequel to Alien? The answer is of course yes AND no....we'll get into it in a bit, first a quick summary of the story.

     A team of explorers led by Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discover a clue to the origins of mankind while exploring a cave. A drawing on the cave wall matches others that have been found in ancient civilizations all over the globe. They believe it points them towards a celestial body in the universe that might provide the answer to how we came to be. The duo joins the crew of the spaceship Prometheus on an expedition which is being led by Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) and financed posthumously by Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce), who appears in a video recording to explain the mission which is taking place after his passing. Also on board are an android named David (Michael Fassbender), the ships captain Janek (Idris Elba), and other scientists. Upon arrival at the desolate planet, several members of the crew, led by Shaw, head out to explore a series of underground dwellings and passages. It appears nothing is alive. Of course, appearances are deceiving and before long the crew is battling for their lives in attempt to not only save themselves, but all of mankind.

     First off, this is one of the more visually stunning films I have ever seen. I saw this in 3-D and it joins Avatar and Hugo as the best use of the gimmick that I have seen. I don't think you need to see it in 3-D by any means, but if that's something you can consider, you won't be disappointed. The depth is really well done in many parts. This is just all around a visually stunning movie, nothing bad there. The pacing of the movie definitely has an Alien feel to it. This is a slow build, not much actually happens for the first hour of the movie, but Ridley Scott utilizes this time effectively to slowly build the suspense, just like he did in Alien.  There's a lot of surprisingly deep themes in this movie, and that was a nice surprise for me. Contact with Jodie Foster is one of my favorite films, and it goes a lot into the debate about how we were created. Did God put us here, or can everything be explained scientifically? I loved how that movie approached both sides equally and fairly, and I had some of the same feelings with Prometheus. I definitely have my viewpoint on this, but I love to see debates about things like this, debates that don't involve people yelling at each other. It's refreshing to see. All that being said, there's enough here to satisfy the horror fans too. This is not a horror film by any means, but when you're compared to the Alien franchise, you're expected to have some of that and this movie does. Trust me, all hell breaks loose in the second half of the movie, and there is some nice gore, it's just not what I would classify as horror.

     So, let's talk about that question we mentioned earlier; Is this a prequel to Alien? I stand by my yes AND no statement. Anyone who says this has nothing to do with Alien is just wrong, and I have heard that argument. I'm sorry, it's just not a true statement. There are definitive homages to Alien here. In fact, even though it's not necessary to see it beforehand, I would recommend watching Alien shortly before or after seeing Prometheus, and I think then you will agree with me. That being said, it's not a direct prequel...though I think it could be eventually. I feel Prometheus has more story to tell and I definitely feel at least one sequel should be made. It works as a stand alone movie, but I think there's a lot more here and I hope they approach it. I want more of this world. The acting ranges from satisfactory to pretty good. No Oscar performances here but everyone does a decent job. Michael Fassbender is the standout, in my opinion, as the android David. As you know, if you have seen the previous Alien films, it's not always clear where the android stands in the story. And Fassbender does a great job here straddling that line, we're not 100% sure if we should trust David or not. That's the way it should be. I've never been a huge Ridley Scott fan, when you look at the whole body of work, but Alien was a masterpiece in my book and he now makes Prometheus which I feel highly about and want to see again. He knows this world, and it is a world that appeals to me a lot. I want to see more and I hope he continues down this path. I give Prometheus a high recommendation and I think it's rating could go up even more upon repeated viewings.