The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Genre: Superhero

Directed by: Marc Webb

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Denis Leary

Running time: 136 minutes

This reboot of the Spider-Man franchise, with new actors and actresses and a different director, tells again the story of Peter Parker from the beginning. We begin from the start, when Parker is left with his aunt and uncle before his folks disappear. Then, he gains all that power, and his uncle Ben is killed. That’s when he decides to become a superhero and seeks to bring justice in his world.

Visually speaking, this 2012 flick is truly amazing. The special effects, the Spider-Man costume, the visuals and everything just comes together to make this a pleasant experience. I personally prefer Andrew Garfield’s take on the character to Tobey Maguire’s, though Maguire was not bad either. A true gem in here for me is Emma Stone. I truly like her. There is something special about her, a little je-ne-sais-quoi that I like. Here again, she does a great job on screen. Denis Leary is up to his usual self here, and we can recognize some of his personal antics in this role. He was good for what he had to do.

I like how this movie touched upon different genres throughout. It was an action/superhero movie, but there was also a bit of physical comedy as Peter Parker learns to deal with his newfound strengths. That was certainly good for a few chuckles. The dosage was just right on that. There was also some comedy in the dialogue sometimes, and, again, the dosage was right. It dealt with emotional stuff, but didn’t get too sappy in the process. The visuals of The Lizard’s transformation were really nicely done. The resolution of this first installment may have been a little too easy, but they had to end somewhere and it was already a long film. The setup was a little long, but they had to build the action on something solid.

Overall, The Amazing Spider-Man is a very good superhero film that will certainly please the fans of the genre.

Rating: ««««

24 (2001-2014)

Genre: TV / Thriller

Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub

Number of seasons: 9

It took me a long time, but I have finally made it through all of the many episodes of 24 and 24: Live Another Day. Eight seasons of 24 episodes and one season of 12 episodes; it is indeed a lot, but what a thrilling ride the whole thing is.

Every season of 24 is one day in the life of Jack Bauer, a special agent specialized in matters of terrorism. In the beginning, Bauer works for the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU), but his status will change through the years. Though his situation varies and he often finds himself in trouble, with his people sometimes working against him, he always comes back to the rescue when needed. Every time, he has 24 hours to resolve the case and each episode is an hour shot in real time.

Jack Bauer is simply an amazing character, and Kiefer Sutherland portrays him with panache and realism. This TV land special agent feels real and you cannot help rooting for him to win. He will always be there for the good cause, even to the point of sacrificing himself if need be. His methods are not always approved of by the powers that be, and he often goes against the grain, but he gets results. His track record as far as relationships goes is not perfect, but, when he needs to get down to stopping criminals, he gets the job done.

The supporting cast changes through the years, and Sutherland is the only constant presence through all the episodes. There have been some cool cameos all the way through, Dennis Hopper and James Cromwell being two that comes to mind.

I highly recommend this show. There were some patterns through the years, in the story development department, but the action is so well played-out that we do not care. The pace is fast and we are made to care for what happens to the characters. Some seasons were better than others, but, overall, all of them are really solid. I also appreciated that the terrorists were not all of the same race. There are good and bad people of all colors, and I feel that 24 at least made an effort to show that.

Rating: «««««

Yours, Mine and Ours (1968)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Melville Shavelson

Starring: Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda

Running time: 111 minutes

Frank, a recently detached widower Navy Officer, meets Helen, a widow herself. Between the two of them, they have 18 kids. Is that too much baggage for two people to start a life together? Maybe not.

This film was the subject of a 2005 remake, starring Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo, which I have recently reviewed on here.

With Lucille Ball, we get a certain dose of “I Love Lucy” slapstick comedy here and it feels a little over-the-top. It felt odd to see her in this kind of role, and she seemed a little out of place to me. I simply didn’t feel the chemistry between Ball and Fonda.

A lot more emphasis was put in the original on getting these two characters together. In the remake, they were high school sweethearts, but, in the original, they are strangers. I think that bogged down the story in the beginning, and it is a definite improvement the remake made in my opinion. Once the ball started rolling, story-wise, it improved a bit, but there was too much emphasis put on physical comedy and on illustrating the size of the family.

I must say I was amazed by the level of comedy displayed considering the era the film was made in. Some of the humor must have been seen as risqué at that point in time. Overall, this is a very average film. Some cuteness involved, but nothing memorable.

Rating: ««

The Woman in the Fifth (2011)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Pawel Pawlikowski

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Kristin Scott Thomas

Running time: 85 minutes

This joint French-British-Polish drama tells the story of Tom Ricks, a divorced American novelist who moves to Paris to be closer to his young daughter, who lives with her mother. An inner battle starts within him between the need for family and the desire to create.

What started as a nice character study type of movie ended up being a complete mess. The Woman in the Fifth showed a lot of promise as it started out, but, by the end it, I could not help but wonder what was the point of the whole thing. It all ended up making no sense whatsoever to me.

Ethan Hawke and Kristin Scott Thomas are both pretty good here. There is one particular “love scene” between their characters that I found really effective storytelling-wise. Unfortunately, the story was not told effectively overall.

Rating: ««

Lord of the Flies (1963)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Peter Brook

Starring: James Aubrey, Tom Chapin, Hugh Edwards

Running time: 92 minutes

I remember being showed the 1990 adaptation of this movie based on William Golding’s book of the same name while in a high school class, and I want to see that one again, but I decided to check out the 1963 black-and-white original before I get to the remake.

Lord of the Flies is the story of a group of British schoolboys being evacuated during the war. Their plane is shot down and they crash onto a deserted island. Left to fend for themselves in what should have been an idyllic situation in a beautiful paradise, the situation turned ugly when they start waging their own wars for power and control.

The power of this film is that most of the young actors hired to carry the story do not look like they are acting. The realism of the whole thing is uncanny. With kids, acting can come off as fake or flat at times, but, in the original Lord of the Flies, it does not feel that way at all. The filmmakers also did a fine job slowly building the tension up towards the climax. The end felt kind of weird, but the road there was pleasant.

Lord of the Flies offers a very pessimistic view on things, one that might seem depressing to some, but what we have seen in the news around the world does not make it all seem that far-fetched. Even pure little children can be corrupted once there are no rules to guide us.

Rating: ««««

The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Genre: Horror / Comedy

Directed by: Drew Goddard

Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison

Running time: 95 minutes

A group of four college kids are taking a road trip to go spend some time in a friend’s cabin, in the woods. What they do not know is that they are part of this big ritual sacrifice meant to keep some underworld creatures from rising.

The delivery in this film is about as ridiculous as the premise it is based upon. This 2012 movie is filled with pointless drivel that attempts to be scary and funny at the same time, but only achieves being unentertaining and ultimately dull. A lot of the action happens in the dark, and we can’t see much. By the name we figure it out, we do not care anymore.

There are a few bigger names in the cast, such as Richard Jenkins and Sigourney Weaver (in a small cameo), and I cannot help but wonder why they even bothered signing up for this. By the end of this movie, that had a lot of sizzle (special effects, blood and such), but not much steak under it. I just felt like I lost 95 minutes that I will never get back.

Rating: «

Yours, Mine and Ours (2005)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Raja Gosnell

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Rene Russo, Rip Torn

Running time: 95 minutes

Frank, a Coast Guard admiral, and Helen, a handbag designer, were high school sweethearts, but life pulled them both in opposite directions. Now both widowed, their paths cross again, but, now they have extra baggage: Frank has eight kids and Helen has 10! They decide to get married, but the two groups of kids don’t mix so well, so they all decide to strike a plan to pull the two adults apart.

This 2005 comedy is actually a remake of a 1968 film that starred Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda. I haven’t seen the original; I guess I will have to do something about that.

Every cast member involved here is pretty efficient with the material they are given. Quaid and Russo have good chemistry and work well off each other. The kids, especially the older ones, are pretty good too. The young ones are cute, so the lack of acting skills does not really matter.

It is a predictable and cute little movie, but it is done well enough not to insult anybody’s intelligence. You know how it will end, but, if you’re in the mood to not think too much, you tag along for the ride while it lasts.

 Rating: «««

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Wes Anderson

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric

Running time: 100 minutes

In this latest film of his, Wes Anderson gave us a work of art that is more off-beat than his previous movies, and that is saying a lot. Here is where he has hit his peak, artistically, and I cannot wait to see where he goes from here on out.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is the story of a hotel concierge who takes a lobby boy under his wing as his protégé. Through multiple narrators, a prologue, five different parts and an epilogue, we are taken back in time to the period between the two world wars, in the glory days of The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Wes Anderson has really mastered the use of colors in this particular film. In a very deliberate way, he arranges his sets using different tones, shades and colors, giving diverse effects to suit his needs from one scene to the next. Three different aspect ratios were also used in the shots, depending on the timeline.  

It took me a while to get into this film, but once I finally got it, I was hooked. Ralph Fiennes’ work is commendable, as he was really good here. The rest of the cast also carried their weight. It was a nice touch to see, yet again, many of the Wes Anderson regulars come back in minor roles.

The Grand Budapest Hotel would probably turn off many casual moviegoers, because of its very different style and off-beat quality, but it is a very stylish and artistic movie that covers many deep emotional issues with a very light tone. The visual style used is very unique and makes for an interesting movie experience. I highly recommend this one, for the people ready and willing to invest some time and effort in a good film.

Rating: ««««

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Genre: Romantic Comedy / Drama

Directed by: Wes Anderson

Starring: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton

Running time: 94 minutes

My favorite Wes Anderson film, Moonrise Kingdom is a true off-beat masterpiece who could have easily failed but who stands proudly and strong on the shoulders of two young newcomers in cinema.

Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of a troubled young 12-year old orphan who runs away from his summer Khaki Scout camp to be with a girl his age he met a year before and had become pen pal with ever since. The two kids, who both feel estranged within their respective families and who just cannot seem to fit in anywhere else, will do all that they can to stay together and never be separated again.

The roles of Sam Shakusky and Suzy Bishop, the two main characters, are played by Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward, two newcomers in the film industry. With kids as actors, it can go either way; it can be really bad and come off really amateurish or it can be surprisingly good. With Moonrise Kingdom, we get the latter. The two young ones offer some solid, believable performances. They work it as old pros as they take us on an emotional, yet unconventional, ride through the lives of their characters and the world around them. Kudos to director Wes Anderson for finding them and for getting the best out of them.

Around the two main actors is an ensemble cast filled with talented experienced actors, and, in some cases, a few regulars of the Wes Anderson universe. A special mention to Bruce Willis, who shows some great vulnerability in his character, something he hasn’t really shown too often in the past.

True to his style, the director doesn’t tell his story in regular fashion here. Some issues, who could have come off as overly dramatic, are related to us in such a tone that it makes us smile instead of cry. That was a nice touch. The use of colors in the scenery and the decors and the use of music are also prevalent, true to Wes Anderson style.

Overall, Moonrise Kingdom is a great film that may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but it came off to me as a great off-beat tale about fitting in and finding your own little niche in this big world of ours.

Rating: «««««

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Wes Anderson

Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman

Running time: 87 minutes

In my quest to see and review everything in the Wes Anderson catalogue, I came upon his stop-motion animated comedy from 2009, Fantastic Mr. Fox. A list of talented actors, including a few Wes Anderson regulars, has given their voice to the characters. Among the voices, we can hear George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray and Willem Dafoe.

This film, which is based on the Roald Dahl children’s novel of the same name, tells the story of a fox who steals food over and over again from mean and rich farmers. Fed up, the farmers strike a plan to kill their robber and undertake to dig their way into the fox’s homes. Like all foxes, the animals will have to be cunning to survive the onslaught.

Maybe it is the stop-motion style of animation, that has never been my thing, but I had a real hard time getting into this film. In the end, I never really got there. Still, I must mention the soundtrack, which, again, in true Wes Anderson style, is remarkable. The wit of the dialogue is also something I noticed.

Fantastic Mr. Fox has appealed to many people over the last few years; I guess I was not the right public for it.

Rating: ««

Executive Decision (1996)

Genre: Action

Directed by: Stuart Baird

Starring: Kurt Russell, Steven Seagal, Halle Berry

Running time: 134 minutes

A group of men are summoned by the Pentagon to stop a plane that has been hijacked by terrorists. Using a stealth aircraft to capture the nerve gas on the hijacked plane, their original plan fail, but a few of the men manage to get on board, so they try to stop the terrorists from the inside before the Pentagon, unaware of their status, blows up the aircraft so as to prevent a major terrorist attack.

Executive Decision is not a movie that relies too heavily on great acting. It is a fast-paced high-level of action thrilling ride. Some of the plot twists do defy logic, but the story is compelling and the action is well delivered, so the viewer has no trouble suspending disbelief.

Kurt Russell is his usual self here, pretty solid for that genre. He makes you root for his character. Same thing can be said for Halle Berry, who didn’t have that much to work with but managed to be good. As for Steven Seagal, let’s just say it was good thing we did not see much of him. His presence was limited, and it only made the film better.

This1996 action film offers some good fast-paced thrills and a compelling story, well worth a watch for the fans of the genre. It is one of the good ones. It does not pretend to be anything more than what it is meant to be: A good action flick.

Rating: ««««

Children of the Corn (1984)

Genre: Horror

Directed by: Fritz Kiersch

Starring: Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton,  

Running time: 92 minutes

In this film, based on a short story written by Stephen King, the children of a fictional Nebraska town ritually kill all the adults under the power of a malevolent supernatural entity, so as to insure a successful corn harvest. A young doctor and his wife are driving through the area as they are heading to the physician’s new job. They will have to battle these possessed children if they ever want to hope to make it out of there alive.

I haven’t read the Stephen King story, or the screenplay he had written for the movie.  A different screenplay, written by George Goldsmith, and which put more focus on the violent aspect of the story, was preferred.

The end result though is a very cheesy and corny movie, filled with bad acting. Linda Hamilton, who was really efficient in The Terminator, is really awful here. Peter Horton is not much better. As for the children, they all come off as very fake and hammy.

Such a story could have been told so much more effectively, with a better backstory for the children and for that supernatural superpower, but the filmmakers seemed to want to rush right to the cheap thrills and violence. Problem is: None of those things were delivered in a thrilling way. It all just fell really flat. A real shame, because what could have been a great horror film ended up being a total waste of time.

Rating: «

The Whistleblower (2010)

The Whistleblower (2010)

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: Larysa Kondracki

Starring: Rachel Weisz, David Strathairn, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Monica Belluci

Running time: 108 minutes

Kathryn Bolkovac is a cop in Nebraska who is trying to relocate after her divorce so as to be close to her daughter, who will be living with her father. Unable to do so, she accepts a lucrative job with the UN International Police, in post-war Bosnia-Herzegovina, for a UK company. What she thinks will be short-term easy money grab turns out to be a lot more than that. After successfully fighting to help Muslim women who are victims of domestic abuse, she gets a new job title and realizes that people around her are aiding and protecting a group of human traffickers. She will have to give it all she has got to make it stop. But, can she?

The Whistleblower is based on a true story, which makes it even more shocking. It is quite disgusting to think that human beings would put each other through such hell in real life and not just in the movies.

Rachel Weisz did some real good acting work here, and so did most of the cast involved. It all felt very real and very dire for all the people in trouble. The ending is not very satisfactory, but that is a risk when you are dealing with a true story that you respect as a filmmaker. Nonetheless, The Whistleblower is a movie to see, a real compelling story that will unfortunately make you doubt the goodness of the human race.

Rating: ««««