Rated PG-13 for violence, scary images and some sexual material.
Starring Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis, Emmy Rossum,
Thomas Mann, Emma Thompson, Margo Martindale, Eileen Atkins, Zoey Deutch, Rachel Brosnahan.
Directed by Richard LaGravenese.
Written by Richard LaGravenese, based on the novel by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.
GRADE: ** & 1/2 (two and a half out of four stars)
GOSPEL-DOCTRINE-O-METER: *** (three Moronis out of four)
Yeah, it's a story about witches and witchcraft, but there were very few LDS women who blinked at an entire series of books and movies based on the world of vampires and werewolves (perhaps because it's okay when it comes from an LDS author?). The good news is, good and evil exist in the witchcraft world of Beautiful Creatures, just like in Harry Potter and Twilight. One gospel message that can be gleaned form the
story is choosing good over evil - even when your very nature would dictate otherwise.God also exists in the story and is mentioned as being the creator of all things (including witches). There's also an element of sacrificing one's life to save another. Some may be put off by the movie's sexual innuendo.
REVIEW:
Oh, what Stephenie Meyer hath wrought. Ever since the runaway success of the Twilight books and mostly disappointing films (depending on which gender you ask), it seems everyone is getting into the supernatural
romance game. Such trends leave us with the likes of vampires who sparkle and zombies who walk around all lovesick (Warm Bodies). The latest is Beautiful Creatures, a movie (based on the novel by the same name) about a young witch in love with a human boy.
Alden Ahrenrich stars as Ethan, a high school student about to begin his junior year in a small South Carolina town. On the first day of school, he meets Lena (Alice Englert), the beautiful, mysterious niece of the reclusive Macon Ravenwood (Jeremy Irons), a wealthy landowner. Lena also resembles a girl who has been haunting Ethan's dreams.
As Ethan and Lena form a friendship, they eventually become romantically involved. That leads to family introductions. Since Ethan's mother was killed in a car crash a few years earlier, a caretaker named Amma
(Violet Davis) looks after the boy and his father (who is mentioned, but never seen in the film). As for Lena's clan, they are more-than-a-little eccentric, and include Macon, a folksy aunt and a few cousins. One of those cousins is Ridley (Emmy Rossum), a sexy vixen who seems bent on tempting all kinds of bad behavior among humans and her own kind.
Ethan soon discovers that Lena has certain uncontrollable powers and that she is a “caster,” which is apparently a
less satanic term for “witch.” Lena is nearing the age of 16, when her destiny will lead her to become either a good witch or a bad one. Macon tries hard to keep Lena from being taken by evil forces by shielding her from the ghost of her evil mother Sarafine, who occasionally possesses the body of the town's religious prude Mrs. Lincoln (Emma Thompson). Sarafine works in concert with Ridley to prompt Lena's more evil tendencies. Complicating things even more is the romance between Lena and Ethan, since witch-human relationships almost always end in disaster. Their relationship is made more complex due to a Civil War era curse involving their ancestors – a curse that could turn the teenage witch evil and unleash a reign of evil caster dominance on the world.
Beautiful Creatures is a movie “cursed” for good — and evil — due to a script that is often witty, engaging and poignant. The bad side of that screenplay is a story burdened by a substantial amount of exposition, as the characters are required to explain centuries of history and witch culture in order to keep audiences up to speed. That means a lot of well-written dialogue is wasted on back-story, making the movie a little tedious to the point of being occasionally boring.
One of the bright spots for Beautiful Creatures is a fine cast anchored by veterans Irons and Thompson. Newcomers Ehrenreich and Englert (who is the daughter of renowned director Jane Campion) also show legitimate big-screen promise and provide some welcome romantic chemistry (you hear THAT, Kristen Stewart and Robert
Pattinson?).
Beautiful Creatures is rated PG-13 for some non-gory violence and some sexual innuendo, but nothing worse than most teens see on a regular basis. As for the “witchy-satanic” element, it would seem that the authors of the original novel are working from the premise that good and evil exist – even in the world of witchcraft, and that God created witches, too. This may be a problem for witch story purists, but breaking apart the lore and culture of mythical creatures for the sake of romance is a trend that may be here to stay. You may not see a single witch riding on a broom in Beautiful Creatures, but you will see plenty of forbidden teen love.
So much for convention.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Dan's Review: Safe Haven
Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving threatening behavior, and for violence and sexuality.
Starring Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, Cobie Smulders, David Lyons, Cullen Moss, Mike Pniewski, Ric Reitz, Mimi Kirkland, Noah Lomax, Juan Carlos Piedrahita.
Directed by Lasse Hallström.
Written by Gage Lansky and Dana Stevens, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.
GRADE: *&1/2 (one and a half stars out of four)
GOSPEL-DOCTRINE-O-METER: *** Moronis (3 out of four) This film actually has a lot of gospel value in it, with a story of redemption and a life after death in the ending. Too bad such positive messages are found in such a predictable, sappy movie. There may be some LDS faithful who will cast judgements on fellow Mormon Julianne Hough, who has a pre-marital sexual encounter with her male lead in the movie. I'm not going to judge her, and trust that her standards are between her and God, and leave it at that. Even so,I wouldn't go around propping Hough up as a great Mormon role model during young women activities. There really is only one true role model, and he's not an actor/entertainer.
REVIEW:
When a formula works, I suppose you stick with it. That may be a good philosophy in running a successful business (or franchise), but the outcome is often a mobile consumer base and a reputation for having a stale, low quality product (sort of like McDonald's). That's Nicholas Sparks' problem, as I see it. He keeps on using a tried and true formula that produces countless stories barely recognizable from one to the next. A bigger problem is - almost all of Spark's novels are adapted into films, and to be honest, I have real trouble distinguishing any of them from one another. The latest Sparks film adaptation is “Safe Haven”.
For those who are uninitiated with the Sparks “formula,” here it is: 1) An out-of-towner moves to a Carolina beach town, 2) The out-of-towner falls in love with a local, 3) one of the couple has a dark secret, and 4) Someone close to the couple dies from a serious illness (usually cancer).
Utah native Julianne Hough stars as Katie (which may not be her real name), a young Boston woman on the run from a terrible ordeal. During her escape from what appears to be a violent and perhaps criminal act, she boards a bus headed south. The bus eventually passes through Southport, N.C., a small town on the Atlantic coast, where she decides to stay and hide out.
Katie gets a job at a local restaurant, rents a secluded house in the woods and eventually makes friends with another reclusive neighbor woman named Jo (Cobie Smulders). She also meets Alex (Josh Duhamel), a local hunky shop owner, who happens to be a widower and father of two cute kids named Josh (Noah Lomax) and Lexi (Mimi Kirkland). Alex's wife died from cancer, by the way. Despite her reclusive ways and dark past, Katie and Alex fall in love.
In the meantime, Boston Police detective Tierney (David Lyons) is searching for Katie, and sends wanted posters all along the eastern seaboard, suggesting that our young heroine is wanted for first-degree murder (flashbacks suggest Katie was involved in some sort of domestic abuse killing). There may also be more to Tierney's obsession with Katie than his dedication to the law.
Just when Katie's fortunes seem to be turning around, her past catches up with her, threatening her life and her relationship with Alex and his kids. There's also a little “spiritual” interaction in the movie by way of a (sort of) surprise ending. The quasi-religious ending may evoke tears from more sensitive types, but you kind of see it coming, too.
In case you weren't paying attention, every single part of the Nicholas Sparks formula was covered in that short synopsis (beach town, townie/out-of-towner romance, dead relative). If I were a drinking man, I'm quite sure I could easily construct a serviceable Nicholas Sparks drinking game using “Safe Haven.”
And there you have it. “Safe Haven” covers all the Nicholas Sparks bases, making it yet another carbon copy of the same basic story. Perhaps Sparks really does use the same story template, and simply changes the names and beach town names every time he writes a “new” one. I can't argue with his success, since people keep on buying his books and seeing his movies. Then again, I can't argue with McDonald's success, either. I just don't choose to eat there very often, and when I do, I don't ever remember feeling very good about it.
While “Safe Haven” suffers from Sparks' unoriginality, it is perhaps not as bad a film as others made from the same recipe. There is a little more danger involved than in other Sparks stories, but that doesn't rescue the film from being downright predictable and boring.
Being a fan of Hough, I've always rooted for her to make Utah proud, but I'm afraid to admit that she was seriously miscast in role that requires a little more seasoning and depth. Hough is a little over her skis as an actress, and certainly too young to be playing a woman with so much dark history. With time and a little more experience, I'm sure Hough will eventually succeed (as she usually does), and be able to channel some of her own struggles into a believable on-screen character. Her time may come, but Safe Haven will not be the vehicle that drives her acting career.
“Safe Haven” is rated PG-13 for some non-gory violence, scenes of abuse, and a barely non-nude sex scene.
Starring Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, Cobie Smulders, David Lyons, Cullen Moss, Mike Pniewski, Ric Reitz, Mimi Kirkland, Noah Lomax, Juan Carlos Piedrahita.
Directed by Lasse Hallström.
Written by Gage Lansky and Dana Stevens, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.
GRADE: *&1/2 (one and a half stars out of four)
GOSPEL-DOCTRINE-O-METER: *** Moronis (3 out of four) This film actually has a lot of gospel value in it, with a story of redemption and a life after death in the ending. Too bad such positive messages are found in such a predictable, sappy movie. There may be some LDS faithful who will cast judgements on fellow Mormon Julianne Hough, who has a pre-marital sexual encounter with her male lead in the movie. I'm not going to judge her, and trust that her standards are between her and God, and leave it at that. Even so,I wouldn't go around propping Hough up as a great Mormon role model during young women activities. There really is only one true role model, and he's not an actor/entertainer.
REVIEW:
When a formula works, I suppose you stick with it. That may be a good philosophy in running a successful business (or franchise), but the outcome is often a mobile consumer base and a reputation for having a stale, low quality product (sort of like McDonald's). That's Nicholas Sparks' problem, as I see it. He keeps on using a tried and true formula that produces countless stories barely recognizable from one to the next. A bigger problem is - almost all of Spark's novels are adapted into films, and to be honest, I have real trouble distinguishing any of them from one another. The latest Sparks film adaptation is “Safe Haven”.
For those who are uninitiated with the Sparks “formula,” here it is: 1) An out-of-towner moves to a Carolina beach town, 2) The out-of-towner falls in love with a local, 3) one of the couple has a dark secret, and 4) Someone close to the couple dies from a serious illness (usually cancer).
Utah native Julianne Hough stars as Katie (which may not be her real name), a young Boston woman on the run from a terrible ordeal. During her escape from what appears to be a violent and perhaps criminal act, she boards a bus headed south. The bus eventually passes through Southport, N.C., a small town on the Atlantic coast, where she decides to stay and hide out.
Katie gets a job at a local restaurant, rents a secluded house in the woods and eventually makes friends with another reclusive neighbor woman named Jo (Cobie Smulders). She also meets Alex (Josh Duhamel), a local hunky shop owner, who happens to be a widower and father of two cute kids named Josh (Noah Lomax) and Lexi (Mimi Kirkland). Alex's wife died from cancer, by the way. Despite her reclusive ways and dark past, Katie and Alex fall in love.
In the meantime, Boston Police detective Tierney (David Lyons) is searching for Katie, and sends wanted posters all along the eastern seaboard, suggesting that our young heroine is wanted for first-degree murder (flashbacks suggest Katie was involved in some sort of domestic abuse killing). There may also be more to Tierney's obsession with Katie than his dedication to the law.
Just when Katie's fortunes seem to be turning around, her past catches up with her, threatening her life and her relationship with Alex and his kids. There's also a little “spiritual” interaction in the movie by way of a (sort of) surprise ending. The quasi-religious ending may evoke tears from more sensitive types, but you kind of see it coming, too.
In case you weren't paying attention, every single part of the Nicholas Sparks formula was covered in that short synopsis (beach town, townie/out-of-towner romance, dead relative). If I were a drinking man, I'm quite sure I could easily construct a serviceable Nicholas Sparks drinking game using “Safe Haven.”
And there you have it. “Safe Haven” covers all the Nicholas Sparks bases, making it yet another carbon copy of the same basic story. Perhaps Sparks really does use the same story template, and simply changes the names and beach town names every time he writes a “new” one. I can't argue with his success, since people keep on buying his books and seeing his movies. Then again, I can't argue with McDonald's success, either. I just don't choose to eat there very often, and when I do, I don't ever remember feeling very good about it.
While “Safe Haven” suffers from Sparks' unoriginality, it is perhaps not as bad a film as others made from the same recipe. There is a little more danger involved than in other Sparks stories, but that doesn't rescue the film from being downright predictable and boring.
Being a fan of Hough, I've always rooted for her to make Utah proud, but I'm afraid to admit that she was seriously miscast in role that requires a little more seasoning and depth. Hough is a little over her skis as an actress, and certainly too young to be playing a woman with so much dark history. With time and a little more experience, I'm sure Hough will eventually succeed (as she usually does), and be able to channel some of her own struggles into a believable on-screen character. Her time may come, but Safe Haven will not be the vehicle that drives her acting career.
“Safe Haven” is rated PG-13 for some non-gory violence, scenes of abuse, and a barely non-nude sex scene.
Dan's Review: A Good Day To Die Hard
Rated R for violence and language.
Starring Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, Sebastian Koch, Radivoje Bukvić, Cole Hauser, Yuliya Snigir, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
Directed by John Moore.
Written by Skip Woods, based on characters created by Roderick Thorp
GRADE: *** (three out of four stars)
GOSPEL-DOCTRINE-O-METER: * (one out of four Moronis)
Since the point of most Die Hard movies is to ramp up the body count in new and interesting ways, there isn't much redeeming gospel value here. I suppose the reconnecting/bonding between an estranged father and son has a nice feel to it, but blowing away dozens of bad guy Russians isn't exactly your typical father and son outing.
REVIEW:
Yippie Ki-Yay, again. It's hard to believe it's been almost 25 years since the release of the first Die Hard movie, but the ageless Bruce Willis keeps on signing up for more sequels. John McClane is back in "A Good Day To Die Hard," just in time for Valentine's Day (nothing says “romance” like a few car chases, explosions and gun battles, right?).
The story begins with Detective McClane leaving New York City for Russia to find his estranged son John “Jack” Jr. (Jai Courtney), who is in jail for murder. Upon arrival, John goes to a Moscow courthouse where Jack is appearing alongside Komarov (Sebastian Koch), a Russian political activist. At that same moment, an explosion knocks out the wall of the courthouse. The source of the explosion comes from hired hands working for Chagarin, a ruthless Russian politician who wants to capture Komorov.
Komorov is apparently hiding some sort of incriminating file concerning some shady dealings in Chernobyl right before the infamous 1986 meltdown. Before Chagarin's thugs can pick the jailbirds out of the courthouse rubble, Jack and Komorov escape on their own. During their getaway, they encounter the senior McClane, and a huge chase takes place in the busy streets of Moscow involving the McClanes and the aforementioned thugs who ride in a large, armored truck. That's when it's revealed that Jack is really a CIA agent on assignment to get Komorov out of the country for the sake of national security.
The McClanes and Komorov run into several obstacles during the ensuing hours, including Komorov's daughter (Yuliya Snigir), who has apparently betrayed her dad and is working for Chagarin. A few more encounters with bad guys take place until all the significant characters end up at Cherynobl, where a huge battle involving a military helicopter and several cases of plutonium takes place.
"A Good Day To Die Hard" has everything you'd to expect from a Die Hard sequel, including a plot lacking any discernible intelligence, a substantial amount of action, implausible stunts, special effects, and macho quotes. There are familiar Die Hard visual and audio queues, right down to a villain falling backward in slow motion to his death during the climactic finale.
Speaking of familiar things, it's worth mentioning the cameo appearance of one character from the previous movie in the series (2007's "Live Free Or Die Hard"): Mary Elizabeth Winstead as John's daughter Lucy. There is rumor that Willis has agreed to appear in one more Die Hard film. Maybe the producers of the franchise can arrange for a little Die Hard reunion, including Bonnie Bedelia as McClane's ex-wife Holly and Reginald VelJohnson as McClane's old Los Angeles police buddy Al Powell in the finale of the series.
As for Bruce Willis, he may have lost all his hair and gained more than a few wrinkles since 1988, but he's still “got it” in terms of carrying the load in an action film, even if we're all pretty sure he isn't doing any of his own stunts at the ripe old age of 57.
"A Good Day To Die Hard" is more than a little silly, but audiences don't flock into theaters to see a Die Hard movie as some sort of reliable substitute for Shakespeare. Die Hard movies don't require a lot of abstract reflection – just audiences with an affinity for blowing stuff up and lots of gun play. In that sense, "A Good Day To Die Hard" truly delivers, especially for fans of the franchise. Even so, "A Good Day To Die Hard" is probably one of the weakest in the franchise, because we've seen all that action film stuff before.
"A Good Day To Die Hard" was given a well-deserved R rating, mostly due to a few scenes of very gory action and plenty of coarse language. Read more: The Davis Clipper - Movie review ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’ truly delivers on action
Starring Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, Sebastian Koch, Radivoje Bukvić, Cole Hauser, Yuliya Snigir, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
Directed by John Moore.
Written by Skip Woods, based on characters created by Roderick Thorp
GRADE: *** (three out of four stars)
GOSPEL-DOCTRINE-O-METER: * (one out of four Moronis)
Since the point of most Die Hard movies is to ramp up the body count in new and interesting ways, there isn't much redeeming gospel value here. I suppose the reconnecting/bonding between an estranged father and son has a nice feel to it, but blowing away dozens of bad guy Russians isn't exactly your typical father and son outing.
REVIEW:
Yippie Ki-Yay, again. It's hard to believe it's been almost 25 years since the release of the first Die Hard movie, but the ageless Bruce Willis keeps on signing up for more sequels. John McClane is back in "A Good Day To Die Hard," just in time for Valentine's Day (nothing says “romance” like a few car chases, explosions and gun battles, right?).
The story begins with Detective McClane leaving New York City for Russia to find his estranged son John “Jack” Jr. (Jai Courtney), who is in jail for murder. Upon arrival, John goes to a Moscow courthouse where Jack is appearing alongside Komarov (Sebastian Koch), a Russian political activist. At that same moment, an explosion knocks out the wall of the courthouse. The source of the explosion comes from hired hands working for Chagarin, a ruthless Russian politician who wants to capture Komorov.
Komorov is apparently hiding some sort of incriminating file concerning some shady dealings in Chernobyl right before the infamous 1986 meltdown. Before Chagarin's thugs can pick the jailbirds out of the courthouse rubble, Jack and Komorov escape on their own. During their getaway, they encounter the senior McClane, and a huge chase takes place in the busy streets of Moscow involving the McClanes and the aforementioned thugs who ride in a large, armored truck. That's when it's revealed that Jack is really a CIA agent on assignment to get Komorov out of the country for the sake of national security.
The McClanes and Komorov run into several obstacles during the ensuing hours, including Komorov's daughter (Yuliya Snigir), who has apparently betrayed her dad and is working for Chagarin. A few more encounters with bad guys take place until all the significant characters end up at Cherynobl, where a huge battle involving a military helicopter and several cases of plutonium takes place.
"A Good Day To Die Hard" has everything you'd to expect from a Die Hard sequel, including a plot lacking any discernible intelligence, a substantial amount of action, implausible stunts, special effects, and macho quotes. There are familiar Die Hard visual and audio queues, right down to a villain falling backward in slow motion to his death during the climactic finale.
Speaking of familiar things, it's worth mentioning the cameo appearance of one character from the previous movie in the series (2007's "Live Free Or Die Hard"): Mary Elizabeth Winstead as John's daughter Lucy. There is rumor that Willis has agreed to appear in one more Die Hard film. Maybe the producers of the franchise can arrange for a little Die Hard reunion, including Bonnie Bedelia as McClane's ex-wife Holly and Reginald VelJohnson as McClane's old Los Angeles police buddy Al Powell in the finale of the series.
As for Bruce Willis, he may have lost all his hair and gained more than a few wrinkles since 1988, but he's still “got it” in terms of carrying the load in an action film, even if we're all pretty sure he isn't doing any of his own stunts at the ripe old age of 57.
"A Good Day To Die Hard" is more than a little silly, but audiences don't flock into theaters to see a Die Hard movie as some sort of reliable substitute for Shakespeare. Die Hard movies don't require a lot of abstract reflection – just audiences with an affinity for blowing stuff up and lots of gun play. In that sense, "A Good Day To Die Hard" truly delivers, especially for fans of the franchise. Even so, "A Good Day To Die Hard" is probably one of the weakest in the franchise, because we've seen all that action film stuff before.
"A Good Day To Die Hard" was given a well-deserved R rating, mostly due to a few scenes of very gory action and plenty of coarse language. Read more: The Davis Clipper - Movie review ‘A Good Day To Die Hard’ truly delivers on action
Friday, February 8, 2013
Dan's Review: Side Effects
Rooney Mara in Side Effects | Open Road Films
Rated R for sexuality, nudity, violence and language.
Starring Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Channing Tatum, Vinessa Shaw, Polly Draper.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Written by Scott Z. Burns.
GRADE: ***
GOSPEL-DOCTRINE-O-METER: Zero Moronis (0) Not much to see here in terms of uplifting gospel messages, with the possible exception being a reminder that nothing good comes from sin and bad decisions, especially when you compound lust with greed and murder. There are a few sex scenes (one with graphic nudity) along with a violent stabbing scene and plenty of bad language throughout the film.
REVIEW:
Steven Soderbergh has had a unique and eclectic career directing films over the past two decades. From his roots as an independent filmmaker (Sex, Lies and Videotape) to the quirky comedies (Oceans 11, 12, 13) to the serious dramas (Traffic, Erin Brockovich, Contagion) to the tediously boring (Solaris), Soderbergh has been prolific, yet never the same. His latest movie Side Effects proves he can branch out into other genres as well.
Rooney Mara stars as Emily, married to Martin (Channing Tatum), an insider-trading convict on the verge of being released from a five-year prison sentence. When he gets home, Emily is suddenly overcome with depression and crashes her car into a parking garage wall in an apparent suicide attempt. While in a hospital emergency room, Emily meets Dr. Jonathan Banks (Jude Law), a psychiatrist assigned to check on her mental status. Over the next six months, Emily continues to visit Dr. Banks, who also consults with Dr. Victoria Siebert (Catherine Zeta- Jones), a psychiatrist who treated Emily shortly before her marriage to Martin.
As Dr. Banks treats Emily, he tries a series of antidepressant drugs, most of which have unpleasant side effects on the patient. Dr. Seibert recommends a new drug, one that has been gaining popularity though national advertisements.
(SPOILER ALERT)
After trying the new drug, Emily begins to have bouts of sleepwalking. One night when Martin returns home, she stabs and kills him while in an unconscious state.
During her murder trial, Dr. Banks' methods and treatment are called into question, along with the new drug he prescribed for her. Emily's case gains national attention, and even though Dr. Banks helps win a “not guilty by reason of insanity” verdict, his reputation is ruined as Emily enters a mental hospital.
But something does not add up for Dr. Banks and he begins to dig a little deeper into the drug, Dr. Siebert, and Emily's mental condition. As his investigation grows, Dr. Banks loses his career and family. He also discovers that he may have been the victim of an elaborate, sinister plot.
Side Effects is a clever film, and not at all what I expected. Like other “cause” films directed by Soderbergh (Traffic, Contagion, Erin Brockovich), I thought the movie was going to be a condemnation of the rampant use of antidepressants. It turned out to be a more of a film-noir murder mystery, with several plot twists and turns, keeping the audience guessing.
While I enjoyed Side Effects, the movie did tend to slow down a lot in the middle, especially after the murder trial and during Emily's stay in the mental hospital. Even so, Soderbergh's style and talent for creating tension come through rather well as the film progresses toward a surprise ending. Rooney Mara does a fine job in a complex role, while Jude Law turns in another solid performance.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Dan's Review: Stand Up Guys
Rated R for language, sexual content, violence and brief drug use.
Starring Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin, Julianna Marguilies, Mark Margolis, Lucy Punch, Addison Timlin, Vanessa Ferlito, Katheryne Winnick.
Written by Noah Haidle.
Directed by Fisher Stevens.
GRADE: ** (two out of 4 stars)
GOSPEL-DOCTRINE-O-METER: One Moroni (*). Set in a world of mob guys engaged in "Secret Combinations" there really isn't a lot of gospel quality in this film, with the possible exception of true friendship in the face of adversity (a.k.a. "honor among thieves").
It's tough to see some of your favorite actors get a little long in the tooth. The normal procedure for an acclaimed, yet aging actor is to transition from starring roles into supporting “characters.” For some of the more accomplished film veterans, this transition is easy. For others, they often ride into the sunset kicking and screaming. I'm getting the impression that Al Pacino fits into the category of those less inclined to take the “character” roles, as witnessed by his appearance in Stand Up Guys, the story of aging mobsters out for one last night on the town.
Pacino plays Val (short for Valentine), an ex-con just released from a 30-year stint in prison. His best buddy Doc (Christopher Walken) picks him up and reintroduces Val into the ways of freedom by taking him for drinks and dinner. Val soon learns that Doc has been commissioned by their old mob boss (Mark Margolis) to execute him, since Val inadvertently shot and killed the boss' only son just prior to entering prison. Rather than resist, Val enlists Doc to hook up with their old buddy Hirsch (Alan Arkin), who has been living out his golden years in a rest home. The trio take a stolen hot rod and head out for a night on the town that includes visiting a few prostitutes, taking vengeance out on a few small-time hoodlums who kidnapped and raped a woman they found in the trunk of the stolen car, several trips to Doc's favorite diner, and little shopping for new suits.
In the end, Doc must decide whether to kill his pal or come up with a better solution.
Stand Up Guys has the benefit of fine performances from three very talented actors. The trouble is, all three of them are not leading men, better suited for the aforementioned “character” roles. The result is a film that moves along slowly, as three old guys rehash the “old days” (which compromises most of the dialogue). There are a certainly few funny moments and a little drama, but Stand Up Guys is a movie that will add years to your life.
And there's the rub. Finding an audience for Stand Up Guys will be a difficult task, as the senior crowd is not usually drawn to movies about old mobsters, while the younger crowd seems enamored by movies about vampires, superheroes and party scenes.
Stand Up Guys is rated R for a substantial amount of salty language and some violence.
Starring Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin, Julianna Marguilies, Mark Margolis, Lucy Punch, Addison Timlin, Vanessa Ferlito, Katheryne Winnick.
Written by Noah Haidle.
Directed by Fisher Stevens.
GRADE: ** (two out of 4 stars)
GOSPEL-DOCTRINE-O-METER: One Moroni (*). Set in a world of mob guys engaged in "Secret Combinations" there really isn't a lot of gospel quality in this film, with the possible exception of true friendship in the face of adversity (a.k.a. "honor among thieves").
It's tough to see some of your favorite actors get a little long in the tooth. The normal procedure for an acclaimed, yet aging actor is to transition from starring roles into supporting “characters.” For some of the more accomplished film veterans, this transition is easy. For others, they often ride into the sunset kicking and screaming. I'm getting the impression that Al Pacino fits into the category of those less inclined to take the “character” roles, as witnessed by his appearance in Stand Up Guys, the story of aging mobsters out for one last night on the town.
Pacino plays Val (short for Valentine), an ex-con just released from a 30-year stint in prison. His best buddy Doc (Christopher Walken) picks him up and reintroduces Val into the ways of freedom by taking him for drinks and dinner. Val soon learns that Doc has been commissioned by their old mob boss (Mark Margolis) to execute him, since Val inadvertently shot and killed the boss' only son just prior to entering prison. Rather than resist, Val enlists Doc to hook up with their old buddy Hirsch (Alan Arkin), who has been living out his golden years in a rest home. The trio take a stolen hot rod and head out for a night on the town that includes visiting a few prostitutes, taking vengeance out on a few small-time hoodlums who kidnapped and raped a woman they found in the trunk of the stolen car, several trips to Doc's favorite diner, and little shopping for new suits.
In the end, Doc must decide whether to kill his pal or come up with a better solution.
Stand Up Guys has the benefit of fine performances from three very talented actors. The trouble is, all three of them are not leading men, better suited for the aforementioned “character” roles. The result is a film that moves along slowly, as three old guys rehash the “old days” (which compromises most of the dialogue). There are a certainly few funny moments and a little drama, but Stand Up Guys is a movie that will add years to your life.
And there's the rub. Finding an audience for Stand Up Guys will be a difficult task, as the senior crowd is not usually drawn to movies about old mobsters, while the younger crowd seems enamored by movies about vampires, superheroes and party scenes.
Stand Up Guys is rated R for a substantial amount of salty language and some violence.
Dan's Review: Warm Bodies
Rated PG-13 for zombie violence and some language.
Starring Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Dave Franco, John Malkovich, Analeigh Tipton , Cory Hardrict , Rob Corddry.
Written by Jonathan Levine, based on the novel by Isaac Marion.
Directed by by Jonathan Levine.
GRADE: **1/2 (two and a half stars out of four)
GOSPEL DOCTRINE-O-METER: Two Angel Moronis (**) Despite the obvious problem of a story based in a world devoid of the Second Coming or pending Millenium (let alone a lot of dead people walking around - so much for resurrection), there are a few gospel themes that can be derived from Warm Bodies. One is the squeaky-clean romance, absent of the slightest hint of sexual activity (although the female lead does remove her shirt - seen only from behind). The other is a lesson on tolerance and accepting people seen as hopeless cases. The idea that love can cure a malady as terrible as Zombieism can be seen as an allegory for rescuing souls via missionary work or visiting/home teachers among the less active. Then again, it IS a movie about zombies that eat brains.
REVIEW:
Zombie lore has been an unavoidable staple in film and television lately. There is a significant amount of zombie movies, comic books and TV series out there, so I suppose it was only a matter of time before a zombie romantic comedy would get the green light. Warm Bodies may be the first romance based in the world of the walking dead, and it may not be the last.
Nicholas Hoult plays “R” (since he can't remember his living name), a young zombie who wanders around an airport with other people in his same predicament. His story is set in the world after the “zombie apocalypse” where uninfected humans have barricaded themselves behind a huge wall in a major city, sending out patrols of volunteers to recover supplies for survival. The living are led by General Grigio (John Malkovich), a harsh man whose only mission in life is to kill all the zombies.
During one such mission, Grigio's daughter Julie (Teresa Palmer) runs into a band of zombies which also includes R. As Julie's boyfriend (Dave Franco) becomes R's brain brunch, the young dead man is smitten with her, and she is saved by him from the other zombies. R takes Julie to his airport hideout at the airport as a hostage.
During her captivity, R begins to have feelings usually reserved for living people, including a faint heartbeat. Julie also starts to have feelings for R, especially after he saves her life on more than one occasion.
Julie eventually gets back to the “living people” encampment and tries to convince her father that love can cure the zombies, but not before a band of more violent “skeleton” zombies engage in an attack on the living, who are joined by other zombies who have discovered feelings after being inspired by R.
Warm Bodies is a unique film, and could be considered a romantic comedy, if not for a substantial amount of zombie gore and scary moments, giving it the feel and tone of a horror movie. The clever script (mostly narrated by Hoult) has a lot of comedic elements, while the romance doesn't get too sappy, if not implausible.
And speaking of romance, if you pay close attention during Warm Bodies, you'll notice more than a few similarities to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (R=Romeo, Julie=Juliet, the forbidden romance between star-crossed lovers...there's even a “balcony” scene).
The problem with Warm Bodies, as I see it - is the rather apparent blasphemy that most zombie movie fans will not take lightly. It's a well-known “fact” that there is no cure for “Zombieism” and the possibility of being able to reverse the effects of the living dead kind of makes the “Apocalypse” seem more like your garden-variety epidemic, easily handled by a few strict guidelines from the CDC. What's more, The idea that a forbidden love story could derive from the world of zombies might appeal to the folks who were willing to overlook the tenets of vampire lore and accept the likes of the Twilight series.
For true Zombie fans, it may be a little too much to swallow.
What's next? A zombie musical? Heaven forbid.
Starring Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Dave Franco, John Malkovich, Analeigh Tipton , Cory Hardrict , Rob Corddry.
Written by Jonathan Levine, based on the novel by Isaac Marion.
Directed by by Jonathan Levine.
GRADE: **1/2 (two and a half stars out of four)
GOSPEL DOCTRINE-O-METER: Two Angel Moronis (**) Despite the obvious problem of a story based in a world devoid of the Second Coming or pending Millenium (let alone a lot of dead people walking around - so much for resurrection), there are a few gospel themes that can be derived from Warm Bodies. One is the squeaky-clean romance, absent of the slightest hint of sexual activity (although the female lead does remove her shirt - seen only from behind). The other is a lesson on tolerance and accepting people seen as hopeless cases. The idea that love can cure a malady as terrible as Zombieism can be seen as an allegory for rescuing souls via missionary work or visiting/home teachers among the less active. Then again, it IS a movie about zombies that eat brains.
REVIEW:
Zombie lore has been an unavoidable staple in film and television lately. There is a significant amount of zombie movies, comic books and TV series out there, so I suppose it was only a matter of time before a zombie romantic comedy would get the green light. Warm Bodies may be the first romance based in the world of the walking dead, and it may not be the last.
Nicholas Hoult plays “R” (since he can't remember his living name), a young zombie who wanders around an airport with other people in his same predicament. His story is set in the world after the “zombie apocalypse” where uninfected humans have barricaded themselves behind a huge wall in a major city, sending out patrols of volunteers to recover supplies for survival. The living are led by General Grigio (John Malkovich), a harsh man whose only mission in life is to kill all the zombies.
During one such mission, Grigio's daughter Julie (Teresa Palmer) runs into a band of zombies which also includes R. As Julie's boyfriend (Dave Franco) becomes R's brain brunch, the young dead man is smitten with her, and she is saved by him from the other zombies. R takes Julie to his airport hideout at the airport as a hostage.
During her captivity, R begins to have feelings usually reserved for living people, including a faint heartbeat. Julie also starts to have feelings for R, especially after he saves her life on more than one occasion.
Julie eventually gets back to the “living people” encampment and tries to convince her father that love can cure the zombies, but not before a band of more violent “skeleton” zombies engage in an attack on the living, who are joined by other zombies who have discovered feelings after being inspired by R.
Warm Bodies is a unique film, and could be considered a romantic comedy, if not for a substantial amount of zombie gore and scary moments, giving it the feel and tone of a horror movie. The clever script (mostly narrated by Hoult) has a lot of comedic elements, while the romance doesn't get too sappy, if not implausible.
And speaking of romance, if you pay close attention during Warm Bodies, you'll notice more than a few similarities to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (R=Romeo, Julie=Juliet, the forbidden romance between star-crossed lovers...there's even a “balcony” scene).
The problem with Warm Bodies, as I see it - is the rather apparent blasphemy that most zombie movie fans will not take lightly. It's a well-known “fact” that there is no cure for “Zombieism” and the possibility of being able to reverse the effects of the living dead kind of makes the “Apocalypse” seem more like your garden-variety epidemic, easily handled by a few strict guidelines from the CDC. What's more, The idea that a forbidden love story could derive from the world of zombies might appeal to the folks who were willing to overlook the tenets of vampire lore and accept the likes of the Twilight series.
For true Zombie fans, it may be a little too much to swallow.
What's next? A zombie musical? Heaven forbid.
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