Get Hard: Another March release soaked in mediocrity

Today, after yet another hiatus, I'll look at this new-ish comedy vehicle.

Get Hard:
Will Ferrell plays James King, a wealthy but oafish hedge fund manager who is framed for embezzling money from his company and is sentenced to 10 years in prison (and not just any prison, San Quentin), with a 30 day period before he is sent there. Terrified, King seeks out his car washer Darnell, who he assumes knows about prison life because he is black. Darnell, who is really a family man with no street experience, takes the opportunity to make some money off his dickhead boss and pretends to "train" him, using prison movie cliches, which results in them inevitably bonding.
    I never had high hopes for this movie, but after hearing from several peers that is was worthwhile, I figured I'd check it out. I have never been so underwhelmed by a Will Ferrell film, so I was highly disappointed. Ferrell is able to deliver his trademark awkwardness that makes him so entertaining, but ultimately it comes off as more tired in this film than ever, and there is nothing memorable about this character compared to his others: no outlandish and highly quotable lines, no catchphrase, nothing. I've never been a huge Kevin Hart fan, I don't know why, his comedy style doesn't really appeal to me. However, I will admit his first few stand-up specials got some laughs out of me, but here, I don't know what the hell he's doing. He just repeats tired old gags about cultural stereotypes that just don't pack the same punch they used to. The only scene where these two are funny is a scene where Kevin Hart replicates what "The Yard" will be like in prison, and he slips in between different characters that Ferrell will encounter in prison. Speaking of the duo, these two just don't have the chemistry they should. Their relationship is the emotional backbone of this movie, and their personalities and comedic styles just don't seem to mesh. The rest of the cast includes Alison Brie, Craig T. Nelson, Paul Ben-Victor (a great character actor from The Wire), Dan Bakkedal, T.I., Edwina Findley, and cameos by Jimmy Fallon and John Mayer. This supporting cast do have their moments, but ultimately were probably just there collecting paychecks.
    There's not much to say in the way of music except that its' composed by Christophe Beck, who has done some good work in the past, so it's sad to see him also simply collecting some cash. Again, the jokes are by-the-book and overused, and the entire concept did have potential, but ultimately it is yet another case of a possbily excellent comedy being watered donw by studio execs who are too afraid to take risks. Get Hard is hardly worth a rental, and is just a mediocre waste of efforts. 2/5 stars.

                     (Image: Wikipedia)
 

Kingsman- The Secret Service: It can't be summed up in a single sentence...

Today, after a long hiatus, I return to doing reviews of current movies.

Kingsman- The Secret Service:
Gary "Eggsy" Urwin, an aimless delinquent with problems at home but a genius-level IQ, is recruited by Harry Hart, codename "Gallahad", to be part of ane elite team of secret agents working independently from the British government: the Kingsmen. Undergoing extensive training and pairing with similarly recruited young people, Eggsy must help the team to take down a deranged ecoterrorist and billionaire entrepreneur named Richmond Valentine.
    This is like most of Matthew Vaughn's filmography, in that it is a film that is just meant to be a fun, stylized, no-holds-barred joyride. This is my first cinematic experience since January, and the first film I've seen that was actually originally released in 2015, and I must say, this is one of the best "first movies of the year" I've seen in ages, and the most fun I've had watching a movie in quite some time. It's just so thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining that I don't see how anyone could dislike it completely. It completely rejects the notion of darker blockbusters and recent spy films which take a more serious route (i.e. Casino Royale, The Bourne Trilogy, Mission: Impossible, Skyfall, etc.), and decides to pay homage to the more ridiculous and theatrical plots of older spy thrillers.
    Taron Egerton plays Eggsy, and he is very relatable and charming and funny, and he is one of the best likable asshole characters since Tony Stark. Colin Firth abandons the dramatic intensity of his earlier roles to opt for a more funny, cool, and bad-ass role as Hart/Gallahad. It was so jarring to see the calm and reserved Firth suddenly fighting twenty plus guys with an almost cartoonish fluency. Samuel L. Jackson also takes a nice departure from playing the hardcore hero to play a comical villain: Valentine. His effeminate and immature mannerisms, funny lisp, and distaste for violence make him unique among spy movie villains, as does his reason for wiping out humanity: his love for the environment. This is also interesting, because the audience can actually understand his motives and that he has good intentions at heart, but not agree with his extremist methods. Mark Strong plays trainer and agent Merlin, who is essentially the Kingsmen's Q, with the main difference being his willingness to participate in the action. Michael Caine, Sophie Cookson, Sofia Boutella, Mark Hamill (Star Wars, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: Arkham), Jack Davenport, Hannah Alstrom, Samantha Womack, and Geoff Bell comprise the supporting cast, and they all perform their roles very well for an action blockbuster. Bell essentially plays the stereotypical evil stepfather to Eggsy, though the film handled this movie cliche caricature remarkably well,
    I haven't read the comic this film is based on, but now I want to. I've heard that the film doesn't do certain things as well, but improves other aspects, but on its' own, I feel the movie is highly enjoyable and is leagues above Kick-Ass. Speaking of kick-ass, the action sequences (particularly the violent but still awesome and enthralling church sequence set to the guitar solo from "Free Bird") are heavily stylized and kinetic, and are extremely well-shot. In a world full of shaky-cam fight sequences and over-CGI'd garbage, it wa refreshing to see these complicated and over-the-top action scenes handled with just the right balance of crisp and clear cinematography and digital effects.
    Kingsmen: The Secret Service is an exhilirating, energetic, and lively action-comedy that pulls no punches. It is one of the few movies in recent memory where I actually felt thrilled by the climax and was invested in the characters. It has an underdog hero and a cool mentor character, as well as some extremely violent and awesome combat scenes, and is just a really entertaining film. 4/5 stars.

                                           (Image: Wikipedia)

Quickie- The Interview: Possibly the most over-hyped movie of the past year

Today, I look at the new James Franco/Seth Rogen vehicle about North Korea.

The Interview:
I know this review is delayed, but I just felt there were more important matters to deal with. There's nothing I can say here that hasn't been said before, so I'll just condense my points. I'm not even going to comment on the PR stunt that was this film's release, or the unnecessary hype around the film. Seth Rogen and James Franco make a good comedic duo, but there's nothing here they haven't done before. Randall Park was pretty excellent as Kim Jong-un, and Diana Bang and Lizzy Caplan had good supporting roles. The cameos by people such as Eminem, Bill Maher, Seth Meyers, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Rob Loew are entertaining enough, and the ending credits sequence is nice and colorful. The final act is over-the-top and crazy and fun, and the film follows in This Is The End's footsteps by foreshadowing plot points to come. I won't give them away here, but it does make the film rewarding on a second viewing. Although the film has enough laughs to constitute a second viewing, I can't recommend much more than that, as the jokes ware thin on multiple viewings, and I'm not sure I could even recommend a Blu-ray purchase. The Interview is a fun and enjoyable little comedy, although it doesn't quite have the political punch it should have, being more of a buddy comedy that just happens to include Kim Jong-un, rather than the dark political satire I would have preferred. The hype was undeserved, and the film is ultimately not much more than a two-trick pony. 3.5/5 stars.

                            (Image: Wikipedia)

R.I.P. Ben Woolf

Ben Woolf, an actor known for his small but memorable roles in American Horror Story and Insidious, was injured Thursday, February 19, 2015 when he was struck in the head by a rear-view mirror by a car while jaywalking. He died Monday, February 23. He was diagnosed with pituitary dwarfism as a child, which caused his bones to shrink. He used acting as a side job, mostly taking smaller roles in documentaries and horror projects, as his primary occupation was as a preschool teacher. He donated his organs to three women, saving their lives, as he was a registered donor. Ryan Murphy, creator of American Horror Story among other series, has offered to pay for the funeral expenses to assist his family, and all of his AHS co-stars and fellow crew members have spoken very highly of him, sighting his kindness, innocence, and the inspiration he provided. Never has a relatively unknown actor's death left such an impact.

                                                                   Ben Woolf
                                                              1980-2015 (age: 34)
                                                         (Image: IMDb)

R.I.P. Leonard Nimoy

Today, the world lost Leonard Nimoy, perhaps best remembered for his portrayal of Mr. Spock on Star Trek: The Original Series and in many subsequent films. He had also appeared in Fringe, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 remake), Get Smart, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Mission: Impossible (the original series), and the video game Civilization IV. His role as Spock is one of the most iconic roles of the 20th Century, and he has inspired many imitators, parodies, homages, etc. He will be surely missed by Trekkies and sci-fi fans. But he will also be missed because of his kindness and for inspiring a generation and generations to come to think rationally about the universe and explore it.

                                                                 Leonard Nimoy
                                                              1931-2015 (age: 83)
                                                            (Image: Wikipedia)

My Oscar Predictions 2015: Or at least, this is what I hope wins...

The Academy has lurched its' ugly head once again, and I figured I'd give my predictions (or, more accurate, hopes) on what will win this year.

Best Picture: Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Whiplash, The Imitation Game, or The Grand Budapest Hotel (I would be happy with any of these winning)
Best Director: Richard Linklater, Boyhood (though I personally think it would be a bit of an overstatement to say "Best"), or Alejandro González Iñárritu
Best Actor: Steve Carrell, Foxcatcher, or Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game (Jake Gyllenhaal should have gotten the nomination for Nightcrawler)
Best Actress: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress: Emma Stone, Birdman
Best Original Screenplay: Alejandro González Iñárritu and friends, Birdman, or Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler
Best Adapted Screenplay: Damien Chazelle, Whiplash, or Graham Moore, The Imitation Game, or Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice
Best Animated Feature Film: How to Train Your Dragon 2 (though The LEGO Movie should have been nominated)
Best Foreign Language Film: Leviathan
Best Documentary Feature: Virunga, or Finding Vivian Maier
Best Original Score: Hans Zimmer, Interstellar, or Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Original Song: "Glory" by John Legend and Common, Selma
Best Sound Editing: Interstellar, or Birdman
Best Sound Mixing: Whiplash, or Birdman, or Interstellar
Best Production Design: Interstellar, or The Grand Budapest Hotel, or The Imitation Game
Best Cinematography: Birdman
Best Film Editing: Whiplash, or The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Costume Design: The Grand Budapest Hotel, or Inherent Vice
Best Visual Effects: Interstellar, or Guardians of the Galaxy, or Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

American Sniper: Based on a true story... for the most part. (Also: Top Movies of 2014 List Update)

Today, I look at what is, in my opinion, one of the more overrated Oscar nominees this year.

American Sniper:
Chris Kyle is known as the most deadly sniper in American history, with 160 confirmed kills. The film chronicles his several tours in Iraq, trying to find a deadly enemy sniper named Mustafa, as well as just stay alive. The film also shows us his crumbling personal life and how it is negatively affected by the war.
    This has to be one of the more divisive films of the past year. I was intrigued when I first saw the trailers, thinking it could be a comeback project for Clint Eastwood, who has been on the decline in terms of quality over the past few years. After Invictus, his films started to become needlessly slow and boring. J. Edgar and Jersey Boys are snoozers with little emotional appeal or anything special or memorable about them. American Sniper is only slightly better. After hearing all the controversy about the film, I deduced there were two distinct schools of thought about it: it is horrific wartime propaganda that idolizes a ruthless killer and general asshole, or: a breathtaking and harsh look at the horrors of war that presents a very human main character. I had to make my own decision, and although I feel both these opinions are extremes, I think I fall more into the first school of thought.
    Now, I will not retread all the historical inconsistencies and inaccuracies here, but I will link a video below which covers all that stuff. To get the good stuff out of the way, Bradley Cooper's performance is impressive, and shows that he can do more than comedy and action films. His breakdown at the bar after finishing a tour of duty feels real and is gut-wrenching, and his general reactions to things after the war range from unsettling to just uncomfortable. One problem is that towards the end, the filmmakers decided to randomly "cure" Kyle's PTSD. They never say that, but he just randomly is able to be a better person. I also felt the ending could have been executed better, but I won't spoil it. The only problem is that I think people going into the film need to realize you need to treat Chris Kyle in the film as a fictional character; he is not an accurate representation of the man. The rest of the cast, including Sienna MIller and Luke Grimes, as well as cameos from Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones, The Wire) and Brando Eaton (Jonah Mitchell from Dexter), are fine, but feel like they take a backseat.
   The war scenes are very intense and realistic, which I appreciated. They never felt too confusing nor too exploitive, and they are filmed very smoothly and efficiently, although I didn't appreciate the "bad guys vs. good guys" level of complexity in them, nor the constant use of racial insults, like referring to citizens as "savages".
   The cinematography isn't anything special, and a lot of the scenes are somewhat predictable (one PTSD moment at a barbecue was extremely cliche) and the music is very bland. There are many plot lines (one involving a fictitious terrorist called "The Butcher", and another involving Kyle's brother) that are set up and just go nowhere. I guess life is like that, too, but the entire film is building up to moments that just never happen.
   American Sniper is an entertaining and sometimes gripping film that takes a realistic look at the Iraq War. Though it is a little sanitized as far as the characters go, I still found it better than Eastwood's last few films. I still recommend not taking the film as gospel and looking into the real story a little more; you may be shocked by what you find. Overall, it is an above average movie that I feel doesn't really deserve the hype or the nominations, except maybe for Cooper's performance. I'm going to give this film two ratings, one for accuracy and one for its' quality as a film.
Quality as a film: 3/5 stars.
Accuracy: 1/5 stars.

A video summing up my problems (Spoilers): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej_SRJNz9ls


               (Image: Wikipedia)



End of the Year List Update:
I usually do some "Top (Blank) Of The Year" lists around this time of year, but this time I am doing it a little differently. I decided since I still haven't seen many of the films I wish to see this year, I will take a page out of YourMovieSucks' book, and refrain from doing a list until I have seen said films. Just to show how many I have yet to see, here are a few I still have not seen:
The Imitation Game
Selma
Oculus
Snowpiercer
Leviathan
Magic in the Moonlight
Under the Skin
Top Five
St. Vincent
The Guest
Cold July
Chef
The Raid 2
Jadarowsky's Dune
This Is Where I Leave You
A Most Violent Year
Kill The Messenger
And that's not even the whole list. So it might be a while before you see any such list, although you may see a "Worst of the Year" list sooner.