The Sapphires Review

Signed, sealed, delivered---Chris O'Dowd and Deborah Mailman as a manager of a band and a member of said band in The Sapphires
                                               You ever watch a movie that just makes you feel good about life? If you haven't....go check out The Sapphires as soon as possible. This is not just an incredibly feel good film but a great one as well. Never have I seen a film filled with such genuine emotion and heart. This is a film that I honestly can't see anyone not enjoying. It is also the best film I have seen in 2013 by a long shot.

                                               The film stars the delightful Chris O'Dowd as Dave Lovelace...a drunk talent scout who discovers four women who happen to be incredibly talented musician. Gail (Deborah Mailman) is the bossy one. Julie (Jessica Mauboy) is the lead singer. Kay (Sheri Sebbens) is the dancer and Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell) is the sweet one. Soon enough....the four are entertaining the troops in Vietnam with Dave as their manager.

                                                 The most prominent aspect of the film is the music. If you take great films like The Commitments and this year's Not Fade Away...the music is just good enough even for those films. However, this film has some of the best music I have ever heard. That is due to the wonderful female leads who obviously are great at projecting their voices. Speaking of which....the casting is sublime. The female leads are all spectacular in their own right and O'Dowd gives a hilarious performance during both the time he was what some would call a drunk bastard and when he becomes a really sweet guy. We see something in Dave that is rarely seen in films anymore....we see a guy we can root for despite his flaws. Also---the film provides a shockingly original story line. This is not your typical underdogs start a band story. Rather---this is a touching and magical story of people that the audience can't help but root for no matter what.

                                                   Honest, funny, touching, emotional and surprisingly soulful....The Sapphires has it all and then some. If it is playing near you...you must see it. If it is not or if you don't go see it...you are missing out on a magical time at the cinema.
(5 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for sexuality, a scene of war violence, some language, thematic elements and smoking)

Starbuck Review

I am your father---Antoine Bertrand and Patrick Huard fight a case involving sperm donation in Starbuck
                       Finally---a funny comedy about sperm. Through the years---there has not been one funny film involving the process of sperm donation. From the 1992 comedy Frozen Assets to the more recent The Babymakers...there has never been a funny movie about sperm...until now. The new French-Canadian comedy Starbuck once again proves that foreign films have the ability to do it better much of the time. It is a delightful film that features sperm jokes galore and somehow manages to make them deadly funny and even a bit touching.

                         The film follows David (Patrick Huard)....a lifelong loser whose lover (Julie LeBreton) gives him the news that she is pregnant. As if this isn't enough to give David a shock...he learns that his excessive sperm donation under the name Starbuck made it so that he father 533 children. All the while...124 of these children are filing a class action lawsuit in order to make Starbuck reveal his true identity. This is when David enlists the help of his lawyer (Antoine Bertrand) to help him fight the case.

                          By far the best thing about the film is that David is not a bad guy. Sure...he's a loser and may not be a great guy. However, the audience realizes what he did was not his fault and that he is someone to root for. The film's sense of humor is delightfully offbeat. These are not your typical sperm jokes. Rather---these are clever sperm jokes involving the use of it rather than just how gross it is. Also---Huard is great here. He has perfect comic timing and gives a heart to the role of David. Bertrand is also quite excellent and has some excellent delivery in his lines.

                           The film is a bit too long, however. At an hour and 45 minutes....the film does start to drag out a little. However, right when it starts to feel as if it should be over....it gives the audience something new to indulge in. As well....the film provides a touching and accurate message to the audience about the beauty of life.

                            Starbuck may not be a perfect film but it is a delightful one. If you're willing to put up with a film that is about 15 minutes too long and has a couple of misfired jokes then you will find yourself having a great time.
(4 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for sexual content, language and some drug material)

On The Road Review

Book brothers---Sam Riley and Garrett Hedlund as a young writer and his good friend in On The Road
                      Based on the highly acclaimed novel by Jack Kerouac...On The Road is both the worst film of the year thus far and is the one I enjoyed the least. It is a boring, pretentious, unbearable film that I honestly can't see anyone enjoying. With a humdrum narrative, incredibly bad acting by actors both terrible and great and incredibly horrible direction from the generally reliable Walter Salles....this is not just a bad film...this is an insultingly bad one.

                        The film follows young writer Sal Paradise (Sam Riley) whose life is changed when a carefree man named Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund) shows up in his life. Along with Dean's 16 year old wife Marylou (Kristen Stewart)...the three hit the road in search of inspiration and good times. It's too bad the audience doesn't get to share in even a single one of those good times.
                          
                         I have never been a fan of actors such as Hedlund, Stewart and Elisabeth Moss who show up in the film. However, why good actors such as Riley, Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams and Steve Buscemi are doing in here is beyond me. The script follows the book way too significantly. While the book's purpose was to follow no real plot...the movie's purpose should have been contrary to that. Also...the film goes on and on and on and on for two hours to the point where I was tempted to walk out. The film also has a feel that is all too grim for its own good. It is an incredibly depressing film to watch.

                          The film doesn't even try. While some may see themselves in Sal or Dean...no one and I mean no one will enjoy this film. This is due to the fact that the film is too much like an inside joke. By this I mean that only the cast and crew of the film have any idea what the film is even trying to talking about. There is  absolutely no reason to see it. Within 15 minutes of the film....I was about to walk out. Why didn't I? It's simple---I wanted to tell everyone how horrible this film is and I felt it would have been unfair to do so if I walked out. So here it goes---do not see On The Road. Do not give these people your money. These people didn't even try to make a satisfying film and ended up making a film worse than anything I have seen in the last three and a half months this year.
(0 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for strong sexual content, drug use and language)

Admission Review

College life---Tina Fey as a college admissions officer and Paul Rudd as her potential love interesting in Admission
                     Admission is an incredibly charming film. Admission is also proof that just because a film is very charming doesn't mean it can't also be very dull. As two of my favorite comic actors---Tina Fey and Paul Rudd deliver the goods. That's why it's too bad that the script by Karen Croner (based upon the novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz) doesn't deliver on its behalf. While you do maintain a rooting interest for the characters of both Fey and Rudd...the script is so bland and typical. In other words---it feels like any other romantic comedy you are likely to have seen or ever see again.

                     In the film, Fey plays Portia---a college admissions officer who looks at her job at much less cynical than it is portrayed. Her boss (Wallace Shawn) is about to retire so Portia goes up against co-worker Corinne (Gloria Reuben) for the top spot. All the while---a teacher at a new, alternative education school named John Pressman (Rudd) tells Portia that a gifted student with an unconventional way of learning named Jeremiah (Nat Wolff) may be her son.

                    While Fey and Rudd are both very good in their roles and do their best...Wolff all but steals the film. You may remember Wolff as being on the Nickelodeon show "The Naked Brothers Band." Who knew he was going to grow up to be such a good young actor? From last year's hippie commune comedy Peace, Love and Misunderstanding in which Wolff played the video camera obsessed son and now with this film---the guy has proven that he's just a good actor. He makes the character of Jeremiah both sweet and vulnerable and also makes him somebody you really want to root for. As well---Lily Tomlin shows up as Portia's mother, Susannah and was surprisingly very funny in her own right.

                    All these performances are the reason why I was so disappointed to see how conventional the film was. The audience knows everything that's going to happen and exactly when it's going to happen. There are no real surprises in the film except that this cast could make such a poor film even if they themselves are excellent. Don't get me wrong---I would be fine with no surprises in the film if there was something else there to keep it afloat such as cleverly written or even funny lines. However, none of those are present either. The film also feature much too many scenes in which a character says or does something that feels out of the blue and out of place. I am disappointed to report that the script is not only nothing to write home about but nothing to recommend to someone two feet away from you, either.

                   Directed by Paul Weitz who has done some of my favorite films (About A Boy, In Good Company and American Pie)---he proves yet again that he just doesn't have what it takes anymore. His last few films include the mediocre films Little Fockers and Being Flynn and now Admission. Being Flynn was the best out of these three and I only gave 3 out of 5 stars to it (a mild recommendation on a good day.) Weitz obviously knows how to make a good---and even great film so I hope that someday soon he will get back on his feet.
(2 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for language and some sexual material)

Spring Breakers Review

A spring in their step---Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine and Vanessa Hudgens in Spring Breakers
                                Want to see something REALLY entertaining? If you answered yes to this question---then you have to go out and see Spring Breakers ASAP. Sure...this newest effort from the crazy director Harmony Korine is basically a pointless, extended music video but who cares when it's so damn enjoyable? It is a bright, colorful, ridicilous, sex-filled time at the movies. It is also hard to let go of. We have all heard the controversy of Disney stars Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens as well as "Pretty Little Liars" star Ashley Benson being bad girls. Well...here's your chance to see what the controversy is about and I implore you to do so.

                                   The film follows four college girls (Gomez, Benson, Hudgens and Harmony's daughter Rachel Korine) as they rob a restaraunt in order to get enough money to party for spring break. When they get busted with drugs---a rapper who goes by the name Alien (James Franco) bails them out. He does this for his own needs such as having orgies and writing poetry about the girls. This leads to a plan to kill Alien's rival Archie (rapper Gucci Mane.)

                                    Franco is absolutely amazing here. He gives a performance that will stay in your mind for days and days to come. He gives the character of Alien a heart but also makes him the sick bastard he is meant to be. By doing so....Franco gives Alien a significantly more human side than is deserved. When you leave the theater---the first thing you will be thinking is "how could Franco have pulled it off?" As well---the four girls are excellent and naughty in the best way possible. They make their characters into the opposite of the typical dumb teenager you see in movies nowadays.

                                       Korine has truly made a semi-masterpiece with Spring Breakers. This is the best film thus far this year even if it really didn't NEED to be made. I guarantee you that once you step out of the theater....you will be happy that you saw it and the film gets even better the more you think about it. So go to the movies tonight and see by far the best thing that the controversial Korine has ever done.
(4 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for strong sexual content, language, nudity, drug use and violence throughout)

Dead Man Down Review

Who's the real traitor?---Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace go on the run from a psychopath in Dead Man Down
                   Where did this film go wrong? Colin Farrell, Noomi Rapace, Terrence Howard and Dominic Cooper can all be terrific actors. Niels Arden Oplev obviously knows what he's doing as a director since he did make the brilliant original The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Yet....to sit through Dead Man Down is an arduous process. It is a sloppy, off-pace, redundant thriller with a few individual cool scenes that most certainly stand out as scenes. Howard, Rapace and Cooper are excellent here but Farrell drags them down with him by having a performance that seems as if it's in an entirely different film.

                    The film stars Farrell as Victor---a thug who meets up with his neighbor, Beatrice (Rapace) in which she tells him that she has video footage of him murdering someone. She then asks Victor to double-cross his boss, Alphonse (Howard) all the while Victor's co-worker and friend, Darcy (Cooper) is onto him.


                    The main problem I had with the film was the premise. This could have potentially been a cool premise but as written and directed---the film just feels like another people double-crossing each other film. As well---at 2 hours---the film feels way too long for its own good. After a while...everything just becomes jumbled together and begins to feel redundant. Also...the way that Oplev paces the film is ridiculous. I don't mind a slow paced film but Dead Man Down feels like a four hour film rather than a two hour one.

                     Although it doesn't fail to an extraordinary degree...Dead Man Down still could have used much improvement. It never manages to really go anywhere and yet it does have a few cool scenes scattered throughout in it. Where it does go wrong is in the pacing, direction, writing and awful performance from Farrell and that is enough to make me not recommend it. "
(2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for violence, language throughout and a scene of sexuality)

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone Review

He's got another trick up his sleeve---Jim Carrey as a new street magician who goes up against another magician (Steve Carrell) in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
                                          Magic has always been a fascinating subject to me. This is mostly due to the fact that magicians have a special skill of tricking people right in front of their faces. The fact that this skill that magicians have is skewered is one of the many reasons I thoroughly enjoyed The Incredible Burt Wonderstone....an extremely funny and surprisingly smart comedy about a pair of long-time magicians who must go up against a new street "magician."

                                            The long-time magicians are Burt (Steve Carrell) and Anton (Steve Buscemi) and the new street "magician" is Steve Gray (Jim Carrey.) All the while....Burt's trying to get his boss (James Gandolfini) to not fire him and meets the man who got him into magic in the first place (Alan Arkin.)

                                              Carrey is as funny as he's ever been here. The last time he was this funny on screen was in  Liar Liar 16 years ago. Carrell is also very funny even if he doesn't give Burt the edge he should have. Buscemi gets some surprising laughs and Arkin gives the character of Rance Holloway significantly more heart than was deserved. The film is very smart in the way that it presents the idea of illusion magic vs Gray's idea of magic which is simply hurting himself as much as possible. As well---the film is very funny in the way it gives the audience the idea that magic is just stuff we just are too dumb to realize is there.

                                                Olivia Wilde shows up as Burt's new assistant Jane and is very funny. The film also makes the best use of Steve Miller Band's song "Abracadabra" you will ever see. Also....the film features a very funny role from Jay Mohr as a magician so dumb he's unaware of how dumb he is.

                                                  While it does peter out a bit towards the end and becomes a bit too sappy...The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is highly recommended. Funny, smart and featuring a terrific performance by Jim Carrey---it is worth throwing down ten dollars if you feel like laughing out loud this weekend.
(4 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for sexual content, dangerous stunts, a drug related incident and language)

The Call Review

Here's my emergency so call me definitely---Halle Berry is a 911 operator who must stop a psychopath in The Call

                                                    The Call might be the most implausible film so far this year. Yes--it may even give Texas Chainsaw a run for its money in the implausability category. The Call might also have the most plot holes and conveniences of any film I have ever seen. That being said---it's also an entertaining, suspenseful thriller featuring some solid performances and nice direction. Halle Berry is not as good as she was in Monster's Ball but much to my surprise---this film is no Catwoman either.

 

                                                     In the film---Berry plays Jordan Turner---a 911 operator who gets a call from a teenage girl whose house is being broken into. Six months later---Jordan is still not over the fact that she didn't help the teenager more than she did. When a seeming similar man kidnaps teenager Casey (Abigail Breslin) from a local mall---Jordan takes matters into her own hands to stop this man once and for all. Helping her out is her cop boyfriend (Morris Chestnut) among others.

 

                                                     Breslin is terrific here. She is believable as a frightened teenager who just wants to be free. Berry is good here as well. Although her character is a bit contrived---she manages to make it work. As well---Michael Eklund  as the kidnapper is effectively creepy---making the audience scared for Casey's life.

 

                                                      The film is suspenseful even if the whole thing revolves around an unbelievable situation. Although the audience can see through the ridicilous plot holes and dumb reasons as to why this is all happening---the film still manages to get its job done and leave you on the edge of your seat.

 

                                                       Sure---it gets a little tiresome towards the end and the film could have done without its all too gruesome and unbelievable finale. However---The Call will most likely entertain the masses and give audiences what they were looking for from a movie featuring Berry as a 911 operator.

(3 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for violence, disturbing content and some language)

Oz: The Great And Powerful Review

We're off to make the prequel---James Franco as a con artist turned wizard and Michelle Williams as a good witch in Oz: The Great And Powerful
                                                                           Oz: The Great And Powerful is not a great film by any means. It is, however, a true movie experience. Sure...it's not as magical an experience as the 1939 source material that inspired it but then again what is? This retelling of the great wizard who came to run Oz looks beautiful in 3D (in fact---it should not be seen in any other format) and is incredibly exciting---especially in the IMAX format. In other words---Oz: The Great And Powerful must be seen in a movie theater even if it's not the fantastic film some may have hoped.

                                                                             The film follows Oz (James Franco)---a con artist magician who is chased out of the carnival he works at. He wakes up in a mysterious, beautiful land and meets a witch named Theodora (Mila Kunis) whose sister, Evanora (Rachel Weisz) is the most wicked witch of them all. In order to stop Evanora---Oz seeks help from good witch Glinda (Michelle Williams.)

                                                                                The film starts out in glorious black and white as we get to see Oz as he is at the carnival. We then get a transition from black and white to visually stunning color. The 3D works wonders. The film not only makes effective use of the third dimension but also makes the film look even more stunning. Franco is perfect as the con artist---bringing the right mix of smugness and likability. Kunis, Weisz and Williams are all perfect in their roles although Williams has by far the best performance of the three. The film is exciting as the audience never knows what's going to happen next even as you may think you do. Also---the film is surprisingly funny. There are many moments in which I laughed out loud and was surprised that I was doing so. Lastly---the film's smart in the way it tells the story.

                                                                                 Sure---the film drags on for about 15 minutes too long and the pacing could have used some work. However, Oz: The Great And Powerful  must be seen to be believed and is also arguably the best film to see in theaters right now.
(4 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG for sequences of action and scary images and brief mild language)

Jack The Giant Slayer Review

The madness of Prince Roderick---Stanley Tucci as an evil prince and Ewen Bremmer as his brainless assistant in Jack The Giant Slayer
                                      Jack The Giant Slayer is the newest in a long line of fairy tale redoes. First---we had both Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman and now we get a classic take on "Jack and the Beanstalk." Just like I did---you probably think that this could be a pretty cool film. While I hate to be the bearer of bad news---you and me were both wrong. The film is a stinking pile of nothing with few redeeming qualities. This is not a film...this is a special effects showcase.

                                     The film stars Nicholas Hoult as Jack. One day, while trying to sell his horse...Jack gets ripped off by a con artist monk when he gives him magical beans. Little does he know the beans are actually magical and he carelessly lets the magic take place. All the while---Prince Roderick (Stanley Tucci) and his brainless assistant, Wicke (Ewen Bremmer) have other intentions. Also---Jack is being helped out by two noblemen (Ewan McGregor and Eddie Marsan.)

                                     The main problem with the film is Hoult. It explains itself why Hoult was so good at playing a zombie in Warm Bodies upon watching this film. He has no personality, no life to him and no charm. I feel as if the film would have been much better had it focused on McGregor and Marsan's characters. Yes, I know this is based on "Jack and the Beanstalk" but the noblemen were such interesting, funny, charming characters that I felt the character of Jack really was quite superfluous. Also---the film is too much special effects and action with little substance. This especially comes out when the giants come into play. They are nothing more than a way for director Bryan Singer to show how far CGI has come over the years. As well---the visuals aren't that great. The visuals are more along the line of Waterworld than anything else. By this I mean they prove that just because a film was expensive to make doesn't mean it automatically looks cool.

                                     Overall...you should have no trouble skipping Jack The Giant Slayer. It is a boring, redundant, ludicrous film that can't seem to get its own two feet off the ground. McGregor and Marsan are really the only two good parts of the film and yet even they seem to be trapped in their own little mess of a film.
(1 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for intense scenes of fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief language)

21 And Over Review

A night to forget---Miles Teller, Justin Chon and Skyler Astin as a couple of party boys in 21 And Over
                     It seems like every year we're getting a couple of these. In the last couple of years we've seen the likes of Project X  and The Hangover 2 among others. While the newest film about a couple of jackasses who party a little too much entitled 21 And Over may not be a great film...it will satisfy anyone looking for a leave your brain at the door, laugh yourself silly kind of film. The young, fairly unknown cast is funny and the film itself may not be original but does have a surprising heart to it.

                     The film stars Miles Teller and Skyler Astin as Miller and Casey. They go to visit their straight A student friend Jeff Chan (Justin Chon) and convince him to go to one bar for his 21st birthday. What none of them realize, however, is that this particular night is going to involve much more than just one bar. All the while---Casey falls for Jeff's friend, Nicole (Sarah Wright.)

                     You may know all of these young actors from something else. You may know Teller from his excellent performance in the Chris Penn role in the Footloose remake. You may remember Astin as the love interest for Anna Kendrick from last year's Pitch Perfect and you may know Chon from the Twilight films as Bella's classmate, Eric. Here---they prove to be funny and charming even if they could have been better. Teller has been excellent in so many other things that I was somewhat disappointed by him even if his character was pretty damn funny. Astin is a solid, somewhat straight man. Chon is the breakout here, however. Even though he spends 80% of the movie completely wasted....he's funny. It's hard to act drunk in a film sober because you're not drunk and it's hard to act drunk on screen because you are drunk. I don't know which one Chon was but he's come a long way from the Twilight saga.

                      As I previously mentioned...the film has a good amount of heart as well. It has a surprisingly good message about friendship and trust even if we have seen that message many times before. The film also has some very nice surprising touches. This is not to say that the film isn't completely raunchy and ridicilous. It is and that's what makes it funny. However, I was also surprised at how much I was touched by the development of these characters even if it comes fairly late in the film.

                     You may feel bad for laughing at it as much as you did in the morning but if you're looking for a funny, raunchy, brainless time at the movies that improves upon Project X then 21 And Over is not a hard movie to seek out this weekend.
(3 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for crude and sexual content, pervasive language, some graphic nudity, drugs and drinking)