Category Archives: Reviews

“Brave” courageously goes where Disney and Pixar haven’t really gone before

Disney has obviously built its kingdom on recreating ancient folk tales that center around the animated adventures of various mythical princesses. Pixar, however, usually sticks to more contemporary computer animated tales about creatures in the toy box, in the closet or under the sea. With Brave, the two combine their talents for a visually magnificent CGI fairy tale filled with somewhat subversive adult humor and a moral that’s more empowering than the typical Disney damsel in distress.

Merida (Kelly Macdonald) follows a will o' the wisp to her new fate in "Brave"

Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) is a defiant young princess who would rather explore her Scottish Highland surroundings with her trusty bow and arrow than be the prim and proper lady Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) wants her to be. Her father, King Fergus (Billy Connolly), finds Merida’s defiance endearing, and her trouble-making triplet siblings appreciate that she sneaks them fresh-baked sweets under the dinner table. But when her parents invite three suitors to compete for Merida’s companionship, the young princess flees into the woods, only to have will o’ the wisps (small blue fairy flames known for leading people to new fates, not the masked character once portrayed by Jeff Hardy) direct her to a mysterious cottage occupied by a strange old woman (Julie Walters) who carves things (mostly bears) out of wood.

The triplets have a sweet tooth, which means trouble when there's a pastry with a spell on it lying around

Preying on Merida’s apparent adolescent frustrations towards the queen, the old woman offers Merida a pastry that will “change” the queen after she consumes it. But the change that takes place isn’t quite what Merida had in mind and she soon finds herself hiding in the woods with the bear that used to be her mom. To make things worse, Fergus is highly regarded for his conquests over ferocious bears and has an innate desire to add more to his taxidermy collection. And don’t forget about the triplets and their collective sweet tooth.

All Merida asked for was to change her fate, and she soon realizes she should have been a little more specific about that before making a deal with a witch in the woods. But as this red-haired beauty and her beast of a mother try to figure out how to undo this spell, they not only have to comically evade the bear-hungry king, they also learn a lot about themselves and each other. But the queen is becoming more and more like a bear and less and less like her human self as time goes on, so they must hurry before the curse becomes permanent.

While the girls are away, the three potential suitors have created chaos back at home, and the king seems to be reveling in it. But at the urging of her mother (who’s transformation has given her a fresh perspective and a change of heart), Merida brings order back to the castle by breaking tradition and introducing the novel idea that people should have free will when it comes to marriage rather than going along with arranged romances. But before we see a happily ever after, there just has to be a big bear battle. And it’s a good one as the very same bear responsible for the king’s peg leg shows up and Merida’s mommy bear takes on the challenge.

Mama bear saves Merida from the mean bear in "Brave"

Brave showcases the courage of women (and men) who stand up for what they believe in, while also teaching lessons about how to do that without harming those around them. It’s when that balance is struck that the fairy tale ending can truly happen. But the real star of this movie is Pixar, whose work here is unlike anything that’s been seen in the studio’s previous movies. From Merida’s realistic red hair to the rain cascading down the castle’s stone walls to astonishing aerial views of Scottish landscapes, the animation in Brave blends surrealistic caricatures with eerily realistic elements for visual magic unlike anything Disney has done before. And it’s these visual and thematic progressions that make this otherwise traditional Disney tale an eye-opening new adventure.

Brave. Directed by Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman and Steve Purcell. Starring Kelly Macdonald, Emme Thompson and Billy McConnolly. Rated PG. www.disney.com/brave.

Adam Sandler’s hot for teacher in “That’s My Boy”

Leave a reply

Oh yeah? Well my dad's friends with Vanilla Ice. Oh, never mind (photo by Tracy Bennett)

He’s got it bad, got it bad, got it bad. He’s hot for teacher. That should be the theme song for Donny Berger, Adam Sandler‘s latest lovable loser, who father’s a child with his hot junior high school teacher (Eva Amurri) in That’s My Boy. But even though the soundtrack has at least three Van Halen songs (including “Cradle Will Rock,” which is equally appropriate), “Hot For Teacher” isn’t one of them. But with all the other jackassery that follows Donny’s endearingly dimwitted adventures, most people probably won’t even notice.

After Miss McGarricle is sent to prison for having sex with her student, a media frenzy makes Donny a pseudo-celebrity before he’s even out of high school. The 30-something Donny, however, finds himself guzzling beer, owing thousands of dollars in taxes and estranged from his son Han Solo Berger (Andy Samberg), who has changed his name to Todd Peterson and created an entirely new life for himself. But when Donny is propositioned with an offer that will eliminate his tax debts if he can arrange a reunion between his son at the women’s prison where McGarricle has been serving her sentence, he’s unable to refuse.

What better place for father/son bonding than an all-night strip club/omelette bar? (photo by Tracy Bennett)

Though money is his initial motivation, once Donny arrives unannounced (and uninvited) in a run-down Fiero with a Rush logo on the hood just days before Todd’s wedding, he and Todd gradually develop an odd bond that forces Donny to reconsider exploiting his son’s anonymity on a reality show. And although his son and bride-to-be Christina (Leighton Meester) are appalled at Donny’s immature and slovenly behavior, he has a charm that wins over the rest of their family and friends.

Before you know it, Donny’s showing Todd how to have a real bachelor party as he and his friends go to an all-night strip club/omelette bar (yep) where the featured dancer is that overweight black hooker from Borat (Luenell). Then they go ice skating with Vanilla Ice and Todd Bridges. Then Donny finds out Christina’s been engaging in acts that make his whole student/teacher thing look downright wholesome. This all, of course, ruins the wedding, which turns out to be a good thing for Todd.

White trash family reunion (photo by Tracy Bennett)

There’s a whole bunch of Sandler and Samberg’s Saturday Night Live buddies in this movie (Colin Quinn, Will Forte, Ana Gasteyer, Rachel Dratch), as well as plenty of inane comedy, toilet humor and the kind of sophomoric laughs you’d expect from a movie about a teenager living out every boy’s fantasy starring Adam Sandler. The moral of the story (if there is one) is that age ain’t nothing but a number when it comes to true love. And when Todd and Donny pay a visit to the present-day Miss McGarricle (Susan Sarandon, who flashes a vintage Hulk Hogan shirt from under her orange jumpsuit), the connection she and Donny have is still apparent with the fingering gestures they give each other against the prison’s glass partition.

That’s My Boy is retarded and inappropriate on just about every level. I happen to think that makes it pretty hilarious.

That’s My Boy. Directed by Sean Anders. Starring Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg and Leighton Meester. Rated R. www.thatsmyboy-movie.com.

“Rock of Ages” is an ’80s rock musical for almost all ages

Leave a reply

Sherrie (Julianne Hough) and Drew (Diego Boneta) serenade each other at Tower Records in "Rock of Ages". (photo by David James)

Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, Rock of Ages initially looks like an ’80s hair metal version of Glee. In many ways, that’s exactly what it is. Yet somehow Rock of Ages is a lot of fun to watch, especially if you’re a fan of (or grew up in) the ’80s.

The premise is basically the same as Poison‘s “Fallen Angel”; a pretty Midwest girl takes a bus to Los Angeles in hopes of finding fame alongside the likes of her favorite bands such as Aerosmith, Poison and Lita Ford. Played by Julianne Hough, who has parlayed her Dancing with the Stars and country music talents into starring roles in cheesy musicals like Footloose and Rock of Ages, this small-town girl soon meets her male counterpart (Diego Boneta), an aspiring singer currently sweeping floors at the famed Sunset Strip dive The Bourbon Room. Both struggling to make it, the couple is equally excited to find out that rock messiah Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) will soon be at The Bourbon Room as part of his band Arsenal’s final show.

Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) confronts his sleazy manager (Paul Giamatti) in "Rock of Ages". (photo by David James)

But Jaxx is equal parts Jesus and Satan, and his aura creates desire and destruction wherever he goes. Like a cross between Axl Rose, David Lee Roth and Jim Morrison, Jaxx has developed a reputation for being the most unreliable man in rock ‘n’ roll. He’s rarely seen without a liquor bottle in hand and without at least three groupies at his side (or piled on top of him), he travels with an eccentric baboon named Hey Man, and Kevin Nash is one of the hired muscles that makes sure no one gets too close. Catherine Zeta-Jones plays the conservative wife of the mayor determined to shut down The Bourbon Room and take Jaxx with it, but it turns out her fight is personal as she has some history with Jaxx herself. And when Jaxx finally arrives at the club for his performance, it is both a blessing and a curse for Sherrie (Hough) and Drew (Boneta) as Drew’s band gets to open for Arsenal, but not before Drew sees Sherrie coming out of Jaxx’s dressing room and gets the wrong idea.

Club owner Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin) and manager Lonny Barnett (Russell Brand) have a lot to sing about in "Rock of Ages". (photo by David James)

The second act is nothing but tragedy as Sherrie meets the owner of a gentlemen’s club (Mary J. Blige) and becomes a star stripper while Drew signs a deal with Jaxx’s sleazy manager (Paul Giamatti) and ends up in a ridiculous boy band. The Bourbon Room is on the brink of closing due to unpaid taxes and a lurid Rolling Stone cover story reveals the inner workings of Jaxx’s world (including some dishonesty on the part of his slimy manager).

But all is soon well for everyone as Jaxx performs his first solo show at The Bourbon Room (but not before Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand profess their love for each other), Sherrie and Drew work things out and actual ’80s rockers like Sebastian Bach, Extreme‘s Nuno Bettencourt, REO Speedwagon‘s Kevin Cronin and, uh, Deborah Gibson (?) make cameos. And the whole thing is set to the tunes of Skid Row, Twisted Sister, Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard and Journey, with mash-up medleys to help further the story.

Is it cheesy as hell and dimensionally simplistic? Of course. It’s a musical based on hair metal. It ain’t lookin’ for nothin’ but a good time. How can I resist?

Rock of Ages. Directed by Adam Shankman. Starring Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand. Rated PG-13. rockofagesmovie.warnerbros.com.

“Prometheus” creates an entirely new look at a familiar film

Leave a reply

Something is watching over these egg things. But who or what is it? (photo by Kerry Brown)

For a film that’s supposedly not a prequel to 1979’s Alien, Prometheus sure does bear a lot of similarities to that movie. And considering the standard that Ridley Scott set for sci-fi horror with that film, any correlation is a lot to live up to. Which is exactly why film-goers’ guts are ready to burst with excitement over this latest installment in the franchise. Or not installment. Or whatever. But even after a few days of gestation, I’m not quite sure whether or not Prometheus quite stands up to the film that may or may not have given it life more than 30 years ago.

What I can say is that Scott is clearly following a similar formula here. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s actually quite clever. But you tell me if any of this sounds familiar. After archeologists in the near future conclude that some sort of Promethean being on a distant planet could very well have engineered humanity, a ragtag group of scientists, crewmen, corporate scum and an android fly to this distant place (on a ship called Prometheus) in hopes of meeting their makers (or making a quick buck). It’s all funded by Weyland Industries, the company that has been (or will be, since the events in the previous films have yet to happen) willing to sacrifice the lives of humans in exchange for exploiting what they find on other planets.

Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) and Janek (Idris Elba) look out at the unknown in "Prometheus". (photo by Kerry Brown)

Charlize Theron plays the icy cold Weyland employee overseeing the expedition, and her suspicious nature makes for some uneasiness amongst the rest of the crew. Her seemingly evil empowerment is offset by the optimistic archaeologist (Noomi Rapace) who chooses to believe that she is answering a call from a godlike being. Michael Fassbender plays David, the android, and he accurately captures the creepy nature of a being that is almost human, but not quite (and who has likely been programmed with some sort of ulterior motives, if the other movies have taught us anything). Powerful female characters and androids have become standard in the Alien films and Prometheus is obviously no exception to that rule. These are also the characters that typically weather the most abuse, only to come out stronger (and still alive) after all is said and done (with the heroine reluctantly relying on what’s left of the android in order to escape).

But it’s not just the characters that are familiar here. Once they land and begin exploring this mysterious planet, they discover a series of cavernous structures where someone (or something) has created a livable habitat beneath the surface of an otherwise uninhabitable terrain. These caverns, as well as the things found inside them, are clearly from the same eerily imaginative settings of H.R. Giger, the artist whose work heavily inspired the Alien movies. And the farther they go into the ribcage-like tunnels, the more biomechanical discoveries they make until they eventually end up in a dark room with large egg-shaped things meticulously lined up all over the ground.

I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not an alien hive. At least not like the ones we’ve seen before. But these canisters are shaped like eggs for a reason, and it has nothing to do with omelettes. Things continue to be simultaneously familiar and shockingly new as the story really starts to hatch, with phallic creatures that like to shove themselves down people’s throats, corpses found with their chests opened from the inside and unknown life forms that are conceived in the womb’s of other species. And while Weyland was just an ambiguously Orwellian notion in the previous films, the old man himself makes an appearance here (thanks to holographic technology, initially) to reveal his own personal agenda. The fact that he’s played by Guy Pearce in old-man prosthetics not unlike those worn by Theron in Monster implies that we might see Pearce as a younger Weyland in subsequent films (at least I hope that’s why Pearce was cast here instead of an actual old man).

David (Michael Fassbender) studies this omnipotent view in "Prometheus". (photo courtesy Twentieth Century Fox)

Whatever was inhabiting this underworld (and may still be lurking there) definitely has some omnipotent technology, which offers some splendorous visuals that help explain what’s actually going on here. But as the aliens did in the previous films, it seems that something with no regard for anything other than a primal need to kill has violently wiped out these not-so-heavenly creatures. You do eventually get to see the humanoid beings that supposedly set all this in motion. You also get to see some things that are definitely directly connected to scenes from Alien. And after one character successfully removes an in utero creature in a gruesomely intense scene, that familiar feeling that the only way to survive is to blow everything up and hope for the best really starts to set in.

While it all sounds like what you’ve seen before, Scott’s ability to tell this parallel story without it being the exact same thing is quite impressive. And the way Prometheus ends definitely puts an entirely new perspective on the events that will presumably lead into the beginning of Alien, while also leaving things open to a Prometheus sequel. But for as many questions as it seems to answer, it presents at least as many new ones, which is truly what brings things full circle. And in true Scott fashion, you don’t truly see “it” until the very end.

Proemtheus. Directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron and Guy Pearce. Rated R. www.projectprometheus.com.

An unlikely bond becomes rather touching in “The Intouchables”

Leave a reply

If you’re a wealthy, wheelchair-bound Caucasian quadriplegic, you’re probably a little less motivated to play by the rules than most people. So when it comes time to hire a new caretaker and you have an endless line of highly qualified people with as much personality as your sensationless lower extremities, the able-bodied black guy with a bad attitude is likely to seem the most appealing.

"Here, Philippe. This will make you feel all better." (photo by Thierry Valletoux)

Based on a true story, The Intouchables is a French dramatic comedy about two very different men who have come to similar places in their lives where they feel they have little to live for. Their unlikely meeting and even less likely subsequent friendship turn out to be just what each man needs, and their interactions make for some touchingly comical moments. Driss (Omar Sy) is a troubled young man with a criminal record who would likely never be found in a Parisian mansion unless he was robbing the place. When he arrives at the expansive (and expensive) home of Philippe (the Dustin Hoffman-esque François Cluzet) after being kicked out of his aunt’s small ghetto apartment, the last thing he wants or expects is to actually get the job. After storming ahead of the other applicants and requesting that Philippe sign his forms showing that Driss tried, but failed, to get the job so he can continue collecting unemployment benefits, he makes a surprising impression on the aristocrat.

While most of Philippe’s family and friends question his decision to hire Driss as his live-in caretaker, it turns out to be just what Philippe needs to once again experience life following the accident and other tragedies that led to his current physical and emotional state. The seemingly less cultured Driss learns to appreciate the finer things in life such as art, classical music and Philippe’s Maserati while Philippe is introduced to Earth, Wind & Fire, alternative ways of relieving his psychosomatic pains and a take-charge attitude that comes from an upbringing that is completely foreign (literally and metaphorically) to someone who has never known the type of helplessness Driss has become accustomed to.

"Whee!" (photo by Thierry Valletoux)

As their friendship continues to develop, each man learns more about the other, and their drastically different perspectives actually complement each other in interesting ways. And just as both men feel very different senses of helplessness in their lives, we also learn that it was drastic and risky behavior not unlike Driss’ that got Phillipe into his current state of literal helplessness (are we also to assume he took similar risks in order to attain the luxuries his wealth affords him?).

Having helped Philippe take charge of his own life and surroundings, Driss younger brother shows up and needs similar help in getting out of some trouble on the streets. Philippe encourages Driss to straighten out this situation as he has done for Philippe, but both men soon find they simply aren’t as happy without the companionship of the other. And once Driss re-enters Philippe’s life, he forces Philippe to take yet another big risk that, as the real-life story has proven, turns out to be the best thing that could happen to either one of them.

The Intouchables. Written and directed by Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache. Starring François Cluzet and Omar Sy. Not rated. www.weinsteinco.com/sites/the-intouchables.

It’s once upon a darker time in “Snow White and the Huntsman”

Leave a reply

Snow White's connection with nature is so strong even this never-before-seen creature come to visit (photo courtesy Rhythm & Hues/Universal Pictures)

Snow White is a popular girl this year, but the two movies based on her classic Brothers Grimm tale are about as opposite as Snow White and her evil stepmother. While Mirror Mirror put a comical spin on this timeless tale just a couple of months ago, Snow White and the Huntsman is a decidedly darker take more akin to the earlier folk tales on which the Grimm version was based. And whether you’re accustomed to the animated Disney version of Snow White that has permeated pop culture or the distantly dark fantasies that portray Snow White herself as a monstrous vampire-like creature, this latest version of the story is unlike any previous versions, though it borrows heavily from each of them.

In Snow White and the Huntsman, Snow White (Twilight‘s Kristen Stewart) is raised in captivity after the evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron, playing a cold-blooded witch not unlike the character you’ll see her portray in Prometheus next Friday) deceives the king into marrying her only to murder him and usurp his throne. Though birds and other animals don’t sing to Snow White or tie ribbons in her hair, she does have a magical connection with nature that allows, for example, birds to help her escape (she’s later able to summon a mystical multi-horned horse-like creature, which solidifies her status as the good witch to Revenna’s bad witch).

Mirror mirror, off the wall... (photo courtesy The Mill/Universal Pictures)

After Snow White escapes, an enraged Revenna promises a widowed huntsman (Thor‘s Chris Hemsworth, who would have been better off if he had just brought his hammer) she’ll bring his wite back to life if he’ll hunt down Snow White and bring her back to the queen. But Snow White’s magic seems to affect even this drunken lout and he soon finds himself helping her escape from the queen. Meanwhile, the queen’s mirror, which had previously reassured her she was the fairest one of all, goes all Dorian Gray on her by informing her that someone fairer has recently come of age. Unable to continue hiding her true age, she sends her vaguely incestuous albino brother (Sam Spruell) to find Snow White and the huntsman who is now helping her.

The huntsman and the princess encounter various people (and other creatures) along the way and it seems the everyone aside from Snow White herself realizes that she is the key to overthrowing the queen’s dark reign and restoring life and happiness to the kingdom. They eventually come across eight dwarves (is it any coincidence that the one who gets the Star Trek redshirt treatment happens to be the one with red hair?) who are, for some reason, played by regular-sized people like Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins and Eddie Marsan. Though there is no “Heigh-Ho,” it is off to work they soon go as Snow White comes to the conclusion that she must overthrow the queen and take back the kingdom that is rightfully hers. But the queen certainly isn’t going to make that easy, even in her ever-weakening state.

Snow White bites into a juicy red apple, but it comes from a very different source in "Snow White and the Huntsman" (photo courtesy Universal Pictures)

And so much for the damsel in distress we’ve come to expect from Snow White as she gears up with the rest of the troops, looking more like Joan of Arc than Sleeping Beauty riding into battle clad in armor and wielding weapons. But just because this Snow White’s a bit of a badass doesn’t mean she doesn’t still succumb to a poisonous apple and need a prince charming (of sorts) to awaken her with a kiss.

Though this version of Snow White isn’t as familiar as the version most people are accustomed to, it retains all the fantasy elements in interesting and unique ways that are closer to what those Grimm guys had in mind than what Disney has taught us. And perhaps the most “happily ever after” thing about Snow White and the Huntsman is that the female characters (be they good or evil) are portrayed with convincing strength without weakening any of the male characters in the story.

Snow White and the Huntsman. Directed by Rupert Sanders. Starring Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth and Sam Spruell. Rated PG-13. www.snowwhiteandthehuntsman.com.

American tourists face spooky disaster in “Chernobyl Diaries”

Leave a reply

Chris (Jesse McCartney) is one of the first victims of the "Chernobyl Diaries" horror

Any mention of Chernobyl usually evokes disastrous thoughts. That being said, if a Russian tour guide suggests an excursion to the city where a nuclear reactor leak caused one of the worst radioactive catastrophes in human history only 26 years ago, it’s probably a good idea to decline his offer. But in Chernobyl Diaries, a group of young Americans thinks the idea of exploring the nearby town of Pripyat, which was inexplicably abandoned (well, it should be obvious why) around the same time as the leak, sounds like a lot of fun.

After Russian soldiers deny them access, the tour guide (Dimitri Diatchenko) finds a back way in before letting the Americans rummage through the deserted buildings. As nightfall gradually approaches, they, of course, begin to hear things and start getting all creeped out. Then the van won’t start because something (or someone) has messed up its wires. Then it gets dark and the whole things becomes a combination of The Blair Witch Project and Cujo as a shaky camera offers a realistic glimpse at the creatures hungry for those inside the van.

The night gets all the more intense when the tour guide and Chris (Jesse McCartney) decide it’s a good idea to go see what was trying to get them. Chris’ brother Paul (Jonathan Sadowski) goes to find them, but returns only with a wounded Chris. Well, there go Chris’ romantic plans to propose to his girlfriend (Olivia Taylor Dudley) in Moscow.

Michael (Nathan Phillips), Zoe (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal) and Paul (Jonathan Sadowski) are too busy trying to survive to notice the creepy figure in the background

Once the sun has risen again, the survivors try to figure out how to get out of this mess. They soon find that not only are they not alone, but that Chernobyl and Pripyat are fairly well populated by ravenous dogs, flesh-eating fish and zombie-like creatures resembling humans. But since we never get a good look at most of the creatures, it’s hard to tell just what kind of mutants they are. Whatever they are, they’re relentlessly hungry and do not want these people to escape with their lives. And each time there’s any sign of hope for survival, tragedy strikes again, leaving little time to grieve as the creatures responsible for the tragedy are still on the hunt.

Chernobyl Diaries borrows heavily from Night of the Living Dead and Alien with its foreboding feeling of impending doom that’s almost always just out of sight. But it’s the not seeing that keeps things suspenseful until the few survivors make it all the way to the damaged reactor where it all started. And once they get to that point, there’s a shockingly new discovery awaiting them that provides an even more ominous look at the entire disaster.

Chernobyl Diaries. Directed by Bradley Parker. Starring Devin Kelly, Jonathan Sadowsky, Jesse McCartney and Olivia Taylor Dudley. Rated R. www.chernobyldiaries.com.