Topic: Never Ending Movie Marathon (short reviews)

[samuelrichardscott]

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Overview:
Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate us? Matt Damon stars in the thriller The Adjustment Bureau as a man who glimpses the future Fate has planned for him and realizes he wants something else. To get it, he must pursue the only woman he’s ever loved across, under and through the streets of modern-day New York.
On the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, ambitious politician David Norris (Damon) meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt)—a woman like none he’s ever known. But just as he realizes he’s falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart.
David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself—the men of The Adjustment Bureau—who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path…or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.
The Adjustment Bureau is written for the screen and directed by George Nolfi (writer of Ocean’s Twelve, co-writer of The Bourne Ultimatum). It is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick (Total Recall, Minority Report and Blade Runner).

My Thoughts:
Pros:
- The chemistry between Emily Blunt and Matt Damon transition well to the screen.
- Very much story driven and didn't rely on special effects as much as I thought it would.
- Well paced and never a boring moment because of it.
Cons:
- I wasn't too keen on the supporting cast. I normally like Anthony Mackie and John Slattery but thing there were better choices out there.
- It could've been a little more thought provoking. It was simplified a little too much.
Overall:
I've heard this described as Inception 'light'. I can agree with that. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

'Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris (2006)

Overview:
Documentary chronicling the mysterious life of the late jazz vocalist Jackie Paris, who is regarded by many as one of jazz's greatest unsung heroes. After an impressive debut, Paris went on to face a series of ups and downs in his career, private tragedies and eventual obscurity. The film also tackles the deeper question of what it means to be an artist, and what can cause a talent such as Paris's to be overlooked and underrated for a lifetime.

My Thoughts:
I'm not a music fan by any means but was recommended this documentary by a friend with a penchant for jazz music. It's an interesting piece about jazz musician Jackie Paris, a man who sang with all the greats and released many records, but was ultimately overlooked and even forgotten. Director Raymond De Felitta does a good job at delving as deep as he can into Paris' career and the choices he made in his personal life without showing Jackie Paris to be a certain type of character and leaving that to the viewer. The interviews with family members and footage of performances make this worthwhile viewing for anyone - but I would highly recommend it to those with a love of jazz. I'm just a regular joe though, but I still recommend it. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Weirdsville (2007)

Overview:
Comedy from director Allan Moyle. The small Northern town of Weedsville is crammed with freaky oddballs, strange occurrences, and not a lot of ambition. Dexter (Scott Speedman) and Royce (Wes Bentley) are your typical disaffected slackers. Chances are they would have continued to drift through life in a dope-filled haze if Matilda (Taryn Manning), Royce's girlfriend, hadn't OD'd on their 'borrowed' stash. Knowing that calling the cops will only land them in jail, Dexter and Royce decide the only thing to do is bury her in the basement of the Drive-In theatre that's closed for the winter. Their plan would have worked too, if they didn't happen to stumble upon a Satanic cult in the midst of performing a ritual sacrifice. That's the bad news. The good news is that somehow Matilda wakes from her coma and in the distraction she and the boys manage to escape. But the Satanists think they brought Matilda back from the dead, and now they want her back.

My Thoughts:
Weirdsville is a low budget Canadian movie with big ambitions. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite pull them off. The script is good, but apart from Raoul Bhaneja as gangster Omar, the cast struggle to pull it off. Scott Speedman, Wes Bentley and Taryn Manning are all okay, but they are capable of better performances and sometimes Speedman and Bentley's characters didn't really sit quite right for me. The film attempts a certain style and for the most part it manages to pull it off, but when all is said and done, Weirdsville is your standard drugs/need money to pay gangster/meet mental folk along the way sort of movie. Rent it. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

The Spy Next Door (2010)

Overview:
Family action comedy starring Jackie Chan. CIA superspy Bob Ho (Chan) is retiring from the business and plans to settle down with his girlfriend, Gillian (Amber Valetta) and her three children. His final espionage assignment - a last-ditch attempt to take down his long-time nemesis, Russian terrorist Poldark (Magnus Scheving) - is seriously hampered when one of Gillian's children mistakenly downloads a top-secret file on Bob's computer. Bob must now juggle his new role as stepfather to three wayward children with dodging the bullets of Russian mobsters. Billy Ray Cyrus and George Lopez co-star.

My Thoughts:
Jackie Chan is my all time favourite movie star. In fact, he is one of the reasons I love movies. From Police Story and Project A to The Medallion and The Tuxedo, I've enjoyed pretty much everything he has put out so far. Of course his Hollywood movies haven't been as fun as his Hong Kong movies, but that doesn't mean they aren't entertaining. The Spy Next Door is one of his very few family films and sees him battling his nemesis whilst looking after his girlfriend's three children. The laughs are predictable, the story even moreso, but it still has that Jackie Chan flair in the action choreography. If you don't mind Jackie's Hollywood movies, this is good fun for what it is. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Jennifer's Body (2010)

Overview:
Comedy horror penned by Diablo Cody, writer of the 2007 hit film 'Juno'. Megan Fox stars as cheerleader captain and undisputed high school hottie Jennifer Check, who goes from being 'high school evil' (gorgeous, popular and, like, so whatever) to really evil as she morphs into a vampire killer with an insatiable appetite for male flesh. Amanda Seyfried and Adam Brody co-star.

My Thoughts:
Pros:
- Some people generally hate her writing style, but I really like Diablo Cody's dialogue and the way it's brought to screen.
- The soundtrack for this is full of really good tunes that suits the setting and style of the film perfectly.
- I think the whole (and I hate this word) 'frenemies' relationship between Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried was used really well.
Cons:
- The acting. Although Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried are both stunning, their acting here is below average.
- The humour didn't always fit in well and felt a bit too random.
- I'd have liked to see some better special effects for limited gore scenes.
Overall:
Unfairly dismissed on release, I think this is a watchable horror with potential which sometimes becomes a bit too cocky for its own good. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

The Firm (2009)

Overview:
Set in the 1980s, Dom is a teenager who finds himself drawn into the charismatic world of football 'casuals,influenced by the firm's top boy, Bex. Accepted by the gang for his fast mouth and sense of humor, Dom soon becomes one the boys. But as Bex and his gang clash with rival firms across the country and the violence spirals out of control, Dom realizes he wants out - until he learns it's not that easy to simply walk away.

My Thoughts:
In 1989, Alan Clarke directed The Firm which is possibly the best football hooligan movie ever made, joined only by I.D. This isn't Nick Love's first go at the genre after the enjoyable Football Factory so I was looking forward to it I have to admit. Unfortunately, the cast pales in comparison to the likes of Gary Oldman in the first but Love has decided to tell the story through the eyes of a younger character which does help avoid other comparisons. Fight scenes are somewhat lacking but the main character of Dom is very likeable and as we see his feelings towards Bex change throughout the film it makes it feel fresh even though you have the original going through your head. Rent it. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

Overview:
The up-and-down-and-up-again story of musician Dewey Cox, whose songs would change a nation. On his rock 'n roll spiral, Cox sleeps with 411 women, marries three times, has 36 kids, stars in his own 70s TV show, collects friends ranging from Elvis to the Beatles to a chimp, and gets addicted to - and then kicks - every drug known to man; but despite it all, Cox grows into a national icon and eventually earns the love of a good woman - longtime backup singer Darlene.

My Thoughts:
I'd heard generally good things about Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story but I still went into it unsure exactly of what I should expect. These early thoughts quickly diminished though as soon as the first scene ended with John C. Reilly singing at a local event and a row with the local church father. It pretty much carried on in tone as a piss-take biography of a musician who has highs and lows with some downright hilarious moments. As a nice little touch, the music is actually quite good and the story had some endearing more serious moments. Recommended. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

MegaFault (2009)

Overview:
In West Virginia, Charley "Boomer" Baxter sets off a series of massive mining detonations. Seconds later, a gigantic earthquake rocks the North Atlantic. Within hours, as government seismologist Dr. Amy Lane studies the ghostly landscape, a gigantic aftershock hits. Barely escaping with their lives, Amy and Boomer watch from a rescue helicopter as an enormous crack rushes towards the western horizon. Amy soon realizes that this earthquake has exposed a deep seismic fault that runs across the centre of the North American continent. Now, Amy and Boomer, together with the top government agencies, must race to develop a plan to stop the crack that could potentially tear the world in half.

My Thoughts:
For fans of low budget disaster movies (and creature features), there are two words that put both fear and love in your mind: Syfy. Original. Single-handedly keeping the two genres flooded, these Syfy originals vary in quality but usually feature has-been stars (in this case Eric La Selle and Brittany Murphy), basic scripting and low-end CGI effects. For me, I generally love the cheesiness, and these movies often fall into the so bad it's good category. MegaFault isn't quite laughably bad enough to get that status, and ends up being barely watchable rubbish. There are some good ideas here that stop it being a complete waste of time, and I did enjoy several scenes like the removal of the petrol trailer on the wagon, but the majority of efforts just don't meet the mark. Although good to see the late Brittany Murphy in one of her final roles, it was sad to see where her (at one time promising) career had landed. Skip it. 2/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Over Her Dead Body (2008)

Overview:
Heavenly rom-com with Eva Longoria Parker's recently departed ghost desperately trying to scupper her ex-husband's attempts to move on with psychic Ashley (Lake Bell). Everything was going so well on Kate (Eva Longoria Parker) and Henry's (Paul Rudd) wedding day, that is until a carved-ice angel crushed poor Kate and sent her into the next world. Distraught Henry accepts his sister's advice and decides to get some help from local psychic Ashley, even though he's openly sceptical. As the meetings develop, Henry can't help himself falling in love with Ashley, which doesn't go down too well with Kate's newly aware ghost. With the relationship continuing to grow, Kate's desperate attempts to disrupt proceedings sees her using every tool at her disposal to sabotage their future.

My Thoughts:
I grabbed this one cheap because it had Paul Rudd starring in it and over the last couple of years I've become a bit of a fan. Unfortunately, although my expectations were not very high, this still fell a little short. The humour is in short supply and a lot of the supposed comedic moments fall flat. Eva Longoria Parker was dreadful, Jason Biggs and Lake Bell passable with Paul Rudd being reasonable. In fact, you could tell Rudd improved the film by improvising as some of the one-liners have his particular style as seen in The 40 Year Old Virgin or I Love You Man. The actual story of a woman who is killed on her wedding day and wants to stop her man from moving on is actually not a bad idea, but they went with too much of a formulaic structure for my liking. Skip it. 2/5

[samuelrichardscott]

I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

Overview:
I Love You Phillip Morris is the improbable but true story of a spectacularly charismatic conman’s journey from small-town businessman to flamboyant white-collar criminal, who repeatedly finds himself in trouble with the law and on the lam, brilliantly escaping from the Texas prison system on four separate occasions--all in the name of love.
Told with an uncanny sense of humour and a lot of heart, I Love You Phillip Morris is an oddball tale of what can happen when the legal system, a daredevil spirit and undying love collide.

My Thoughts:
This movie went largely unnoticed at the box office and I think the main reason is that people just didn't know what to expect. After watching it I have some varied opinions. Ewen McGregor and Jim Carrey are both very good in the lead roles as gay lovers who meet in prison - roles that are against the grain for the pair of them, but done well. The humour is quite manic and the scenes in the prison are a lot better than those in the 'real' world. Dialogue is okay and the pacing is just about right, but there was something that just didn't quite sit right for me: the tone of the movie. It goes from bizarre to dramady and then skips to cartoony and back to being a bit farcical. It's fun, but never finds it footing tonewise. Rent it. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Hanna (2011)

Overview:
Award-winning director Joe Wright creates a boldly original suspense thriller with Hanna, starring Academy Award®-nominee Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones, Atonement) in the title role. Raised by her father (Eric Bana of Star Trek), an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Finland, Hanna’s upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative with secrets of her own (Academy Award®-winner Cate Blanchett). As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces startling revelations about her existence and unexpected questions about her humanity.

My Thoughts:
Pros:
- The casting (apart from Cate Blanchett). Saoirse Ronan is fantastic and an absolute future star and Eric Bana did great as her father.
- Director Joe Wright did really well moving from his usual period dramas. There is a cracking scene where Eric Bana fights three men where it is all in one shot with the camera doing a 360. Exceptionally well done.
- The score by The Chemical Brothers.
- The offbeat humour when Hanna interacts with people when she doesn't know about the real world. Best line is when asked how her mother died, and she simply says "three bullets".
Cons:
- I usually really like Cate Blanchett, but she didn't click with this movie and her Texan accent is horrible.
- Some overly daft moments, like when Hanna grabs the bottom of the moving Hummer.
Overall:
Recommended. 4/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Street Law (1974)

Overview:
Carlo Antonelli, an engineer from Genoa, gets mugged and decides to take justice into his own hands. At first the muggers seem to get the upper hand, but then he's helped by Tommy, a young robber who takes his side.

My Thoughts:
Enzo G. Castellari and Franco Nero is one of the best director/cast match ups in the history of Italian cinema - and between them they made some cracking little eurocrime movies in the seventies. It has everything the genre demands: villains, an everyday vigilante hero, and some OTT violence with some great little action scenes. The car chase borrows heavily from American cinema but still has the specific eurocrime style, the shootouts are brutal and the bank robbery much better than your standard Hollywood fare. If you're a fan of the vigilante sub-genre, you can't go wrong with Street Law. Recommended. 4/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Cahill: United States Marshall (1973)

Overview:
Lawman J.D. Cahill can stand alone against a bad-guy army. But as a widower father, he's on insecure footing raising two sons. Particularly when he suspects his boys are involved in a bank robbery...and two killings.
Filmed on location in the high desert of Durango, New Mexico, this suspensful saga offers a hearty helping of the stoic charisma that made John Wayne a long-time box-office champion. Summer of '42 discovery Gary Grimes — as Cahill's rebellious older son — joins a cast of tough-guy favorites (Neville Brand, Denver Pyle, Harry Carey Jr., and George Kennedy) and such other Hollywood greats as Marie Windsor and Jackie Coogan in a deft blend of trigger-fast action and heroic sentiment.

My Thoughts:
Pros:
- A great performance here from John Wayne. He owns the screen and his one-liners add some good humour.
- Although the story is generally quite formulaic, I like the way that they involve John Wayne's sons in the bank robbery.
- There's a good supporting cast here. Notably Neville Brand and Harry Carey Jr.
Cons:
- The pacing slowed down a little much just before it perked up again for the ending.
- The soundtrack is a little uninspiring and could've been better.
Overall:
Not Wayne's best, but he makes this film worth a look for western fans. Recommended. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Sharktopus (2010)

Overview:
A half-shark, half-octopus creature created for the military, creates a whole lot of terror in Mexico while a scientist who helped create it tries to capture/kill it.

My Thoughts:
If you go into a movie with a title like Sharktopus that has Roger Corman's name splashed across the front looking for a serious creature feature, then you're an idiot. If you go into it expecting bad acting, poor effects, hammy dialogue and a bizarre creature - then you're in the right, and it's the lunacy that makes this a fun film to watch (just the once!). Eric Roberts is the budget breaking token 'big name' attached and he is easily the best cast member here. The rest of the cast are poor, but there is a little cameo from Roger Corman himself. The special effects are watchable - better than your average Syfy Original but not outside the realms of the low budget. There are some one-liners that really make you laugh but the plot is non-existant and only acts as a way to string together some funny death scenes. Syfy know they're making bad campy fun and I hope they continue to do so. Grab a couple of beers and enjoy it for what it is. Rent it. 2.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Kick-Ass (2010)

Overview:
When Dave Lizewski, an ordinary teenager, sets about trying to become the no-power vigilante Kick-Ass, he soon discovers he’s not alone. But he’s out of his depth – a fearless and highly trained father-daughter crime-fighting duo, Big Daddy and Hit Girl, have declared war on New-York mafioso, Frank D’Amico. As Kick-Ass and his new found friend, Red Mist, get drawn into their no-holds-barred world of bullets and blood, the stage is set for a final showdown – in which the DIY hero will have to live up to his name... or die trying.

My Thoughts:
This is either my third or fourth viewing of Kick-Ass and it was just as enjoyable this time around as it was upon my first viewing. There isn't much wrong with Kick-Ass... in fact the only real problem for me was the casting of Nic Cage as Big Daddy. The story is brilliant, the way the characters interact is a lot of fun, and of course Chloe Moretz as Hitgirl is the real star. Her dialogue and her uber-violent scenes, mixed with a bit of youthful innocence really sets the tone for what is a visual frenzy. Roll on Kick-Ass 2. 4.5/5