God Bless America Review

God Bless America Review

Director:  Bobcat Goldthwait  

Cast Headliners: Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr

Original Release Date: April 6, 2012

Seen: Uh December 2012?

            God Bless America is an ironic film. It is ironic in the fact that it is against violence, against hedonistic debauchery that pervades modern American media, against mindlessness. But, it is an incredibly violent film. God Bless America has much, as they say, kahunas. It is not afraid to take risks. It is fresh, it is wonderful, and it is dang smart.

            Frank Murdoch (played by Joel Murray) is an average middle aged salesman who works in a typical office in the stereotypical town that is Syracuse, New York. He has had it with life, he is fed up with the blaring annoyingness that someone who isn’t a member of mainstream culture has to deal with.  He is in the mainstream, but he decides to become some sort of Orwellian liberator to the lies and filth that modern culture promotes.  This is set off by learning he’s dying from a doctor distracted by his phone. He also is made at a certain reality show girl who complains about getting a car for her birthday. He decides to murder those who, perhaps truthfully, are the corrupt of society.
            On his way to kill the girl from the show (and yes he does shoot her this film is edgy and holds nothing back), he makes the acquaintance of the spunky young girl Roxy (played impressively by Tara Lynee Barr who was only 16 at the time of filming).  He begrudgingly takes he along, and the two journeys across America shooting the so-called wicked and joking and delivering intense rants.  The film can be quite funny at times, both in its sheer ridiculousness and also in the witty banter and relation between Frank and Roxy.  There is also a sweet side as the two get to know each other, and Frank becomes a father figure to her and even makes a true friend for the first time despite the gruesome circumstances.
            Yes, there is much bloody murder. The violence is perhaps a bit gratuitous, but God Bless America is a movie with a mission.  It is backed up by some very smart political and cultural lessons.  You’ll come wanting blood; you’ll leave remembering the cautionary lessons to be a better person (it’s there, even if hidden by the gunshots). Yes, the movie is shocking. But it is a decent and smart criticism of modern America. Actually, that’s the ironic thing. The smartest thing of this movie is that it’s supposed to appear overly violent. The audience is just buying into that system. Clever job God Bless America.  8.45 out of 10

            

Enemy at the Gates Review

Enemy at the Gates Review

Director:  Jean-Jacques Annaud  

Cast Headliners: Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes, Ed Harris, Rachel Weisz 

Original Release Date: March 16, 2001

Seen: January 2013

Many, many films have been made about World War 2. Considering it is the largest conflict in recent human history, that is understandable.  Quality ranges, but many remember films showing American heroes such as in Saving Private Ryan and The Dirty Dozen and Patton. However, there is a front which is less often explored. That is the bloody campaign of the Russians fighting against the Nazis to defend and re-take their homeland.  The setting of Enemy at the Gates is the 1942 Battle of Stalingrad.  Jude Law plays Vasily Zaitsev, a simple man who is charges into the front of battle with his comrades. The large scale action scenes such as the opening assault are epic and awe-inspiring in their size and explosiveness. The interesting thing is that the entire scene happened in real life while filming. 100’s of extras were used, and a prop town was demolished then re-built. Not much CGI is used in the film, which gives credit to director Jean-Jacques Annaud’s attention to detail. It really feels like 1942 Russia, from the setting to the clothing to the props. This entire story is true , which helps lend to the immersion.

In this scarred battleground Vasily makes the acquaintance of a commissar Danilov (Joseph Fiennes) who becomes a good friend and fellow sniper Tania (Rachel Weisz) who becomes a lover.  The trio’s friendship gives the film a bit of heartwarming in the grim war setting, and the romance subplot is luckily not distracting. Also a mention is worth of Bob Hoskins as the grizzled and mean Nikita Khrushchev, who would later be a famous premier of the USSR but for now is a mere general as of the film.

That is because this movie has some of the best sniping ever. Vasily is a crackshot, and takes out officer after officer in the many great battle scenes.  A challenger from the Nazi side soon appears in the form of Major Erwin Konig, played by the chilling Ed Harris Harris is so evil in this movie, he seems demonic. . The rest of the film after Konig’s introduction becomes a sub war of “spy vs spy” between him and Vasily, sniping at each other in many heart pumping scenes.  Each snipe-off gets better and better up until the final fight.

I reviewed this movie because I feel like it is the Saving Private Ryan of the Russian Theater of World War 2.  It was moderately successful, but I think it deserves to be watched.  It is exciting, accurate, and frankly the best sniper centric war film I have ever seen.  There may be only minimal deep craft or whatever in Enemy at the Gates, but it wonderfully delivers on its mission of showing a Russian sniper sniping things in World War 2.  A well-earned 8.65 out of 10.

Argo Review

Argo Review

Director: Ben Affleck

Cast Headliners: Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, John Goodman

Original Release Date: October 12, 2012

Seen: April 2013

This movie was the so called best of 2012 by the critics and the Oscar academy. I think I agree.  This right here, this Argo, is how you make a quality political history movie. Argo paints itself to be an epic from the start with a comic book like segment talking of the history of the Persian Empire, which led to Iran. This is where the 1979 Hostage Crisis occurred, which unfolds in the wonderfully intense beginning of the film showing the fall of the US Embassy in Tehran.  It’s a sign of quality when a film makes a segment without the main protagonist tense and exciting to watch.  There are people who escaped this uprising luckily, and they were Robert Anders (Tate Donovan), Cora Amburn-Lijek (Clea DuVall), Mark Lijek (Christopher Denham), Joseph Stafford (Scoot McNairy), Kathleen Stafford (Kerry Bishé), and Lee Schatz (Rory Cochrane).  All of them do a fine job portraying victims hiding in an oppressive state, and as scene in the end credits or comparing photographs, they look just like the real people.

To remedy this, Tony Mendez (played by actor Ben Affleck who is also directing this film) must pitch a plan to save the hostages. Affleck does a great job as Tony, delivering eloquent dialogue and charm. The direction also showcases Affleck’s stark realistic style.  Tony’s plan, after seeing Battle of the Planet of the Apes, is to make a fake film called “Argo” using Iran as a location ala Star Wars using Africa. The film has a slight humorous side, when Tony enlists the help of eccentric makeup artist and costumer John Chambers (played by John Goodman in classic form) and director Lester Siegel (the wonderful Alan Arkin).  This gives the movie an intriguing mish-mash of Hollywood stereotypes and Middle Eastern action. 

Hollywood may have been laughs, but Tony’s quest to help the hostages in Tehran is very bleak. Any moment he could be killed, as could those he’s trying to save.  The editing and music is spot on in helping to illustrate their escape.  Watching Argo is very much like being there with the characters, never knowing what is going to come next.  It is a very exciting and entertaining time.

            The cast is expansive and likeable, the directing and production fantastic, and the plot greatly written. This is movie that is not to be missed, and really inspires honor for the real people who made it out of Iran in 1979.  There are not many flaws; perhaps just that it is not perfect.  Sometimes, I felt it dragged on.  Also the hostages were not given very much characterization. Compared to Tony and John Chambers and Siegel and Tony’s CIA support, the hostages felt in some ways like nobodies.  Regardless, Argo gives them respect . Argo is a fantastic movie which will truly leave you on the edge of your seat. It would definitely be in my top 5 from last year even if not number 1. 8.75 out of 10

GI Joe:Retaliation Review

GI Joe:Retaliation Review

Director: Jon M. Chu

Cast Headliners: Channing Tatum, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Byung-Hun Lee

Original Release Date: March 29, 2013

GI: Joe: Retaliation is the sequel to the first live action Joe film, 2007’s The Rise of Cobra. That film introduced us to a wide variety of colorful characters on both sides of good and evil, and this time most but not all return. The fact that Marlon Wayan’s goofy Ripcord is gone points to the film having a different tone. It is definitely a lot more grim and well… im not going to say realistic since there’s ninja fights jumping between mountains and exploding robo-bugs, but this movie has a sort of maturity that the first didn’t have.  It has a very unique and interesting vibe to it compared to most franchise action films.

Without spoiling a major twist that must be scene, that maturity is in the film’s premise. The opening of the film has a couple of cool minor missions, but after a certain disastrous accident the main crew of Roadblock (Johnson), Lady Jaye, and Flint find themselves on the run. America is not what it used to be, and their quest is an intense one of stealth and sabotage.  Across the world, a different kind of stealth is being used by the awesome ninja Storm-Eyes returning from number 1 and his new friends Jinx and Blind Master to track down his old nemesis Storm Shadow (Lee). The two plotlines don’t intersect till later, and his ninja-centric plot feels almost like another movie. I think these scenes were the best of the movie, with the ninja fight at the ninja monastery being the highlight of the action scenes in the film. I haven’t seen spectacle like that in a while.  Eventually the two teams unite, which leads to a fantastic finale at the scenic Ft.Sumter.

I want to make note of the new characters. Roadblock is both a badass and hilarious, and one of my favorite Rock roles in a while. The Rock is doing what he does best, at his best here. There are some very funny scenes between him and Duke (Channing Tatum, who actually isn’t really the main focus of this film which can be debated whether that’s a good or bad thing), and also when he’s a leader. The America based team eventually enlists GI Joe Coulton himself, played by Bruce Willis who is pretty much being John McClane and being hilarious wisecrackin as always.   On the villain spectrum, Cobra Commander has lost Joseph Gordin Levitt as the actor but new actor Robert Baker retains some of his charisma and seems right out of the Saturday morning cartoon. Ray Stevenson’s Firefly and Byung-Hun Lee’s Storm Shadow are both great minion stereotypes, and the star of the villain side is acclaimed actor Jonathan Pryce playing Zartan is who disguised as the President. Some of the greatest humor comes from Pryce actually.

The film has great fights, quality, special effects, and some good laughs. It’s held back perhaps by little exposition showing the rest of the massive GI Joe organization. Are we really supposed to believe that Dennis Quaid’s General Hawk character from number one would let this all happen without intervening? The script may not be Oscar quality either, and some of the performances such as the character Flint and even Tatum’s Duke being a bit subpar. But, this is a fun colorful action movie worth seeing. It had a heart and a craft one is not used to in blockbusters.  Overall, it makes you want to should “Gooo Joe!”,   8 out of 10

Kevin’s Note: (I would also like to dedicate this review and post to Roger Ebert, who passed away a few days ago. He was a great film critic, and inspiration for this blog. Thank you Ebert for your reviews, and we’ll always remember you) 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Review

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Review

Director: Stephen Chbosky

Cast Headliners: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller

Original Release Date: September 21, 2012

Seen: March 2013 

Don’t be turned off by the title of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The name may be off-putting, but if one takes the chance to peer inside they will find a movie with surprising depth and entertainment.   High school can be either the best or worst years in someone’s life.  For myself, it was definitely somewhere in the middle.  Charlie (Lerman) has a pretty miserable start.  After staying home in 8^th grade, he rejoins public schooling for high school. He is bullied at first, and feels utterly alone in the jungle that is the American education system. Luckily, he soon becomes friends with Sam (Watson) and her step-brother Patrick.  What follows in their film are various mis-adventures, as well as Charlie fighting his personal demons.

The film can be incredibly dark. Things are learned about the backstories of the primary characters which are truly horrific and shocking to hear. One of these is the reason for Charlie’s missing a year from school.  Personally, it was a bit startling to see these themes brought up in a movie involving teenagers.  I think, while perhaps shocking to witness, these are very real issues that need to be addressed and fixed in modern youths.  I must say that I found it a bit of a stretch to think high schoolers would hang out at college frats as much as these teens do, but perhaps I didn’t get around much in my youth.

Logan Lerman does a great job as Charlie, certainly breaking the image he had in the adventurous Percy Jackson movie. He gives the character a somber delicateness not often seen in cinema. He is a fascinating character, and the plot clearly shapes his motivations.   His two friends are also mold-breakes. Emma Watson is in her first major post-Harry Potter role as Sam, and she is nothing like Hermoine. Sam is outgoing and spunky and popular with people. She is literally the opposite of a certain geekish wizard girl. Watson has great chemistry with Lerman, both in a mentor way and later romantic and back again. The film has a twisting dense plot. Thirdly, Ezra Miller may perhaps be the shining star. As the gay Patrick, he has some great and memorable scenes. Certainly different from the psychotic Kevin from We Need to Talk about Kevin. He gives the film some hilarious humor, and truly shows his range as an actor. Each of the actors playing the characters is playing outside their type, and I believe that helps give the movie an atmosphere of fresh edginess.

Things can get extremely dark, but there is a lot of heart in this film. It is in many ways showing a nostalgic affection for the high school years. It points out the dark aspects of humanity, but it also shows its light.  Sometimes the jokes can be silly, but this is a quality serious dramatic movie deep down that just happens to involve people in high school. Also of note is the soundtrack, which has some classic tunes from David Bowie and others.  Charlie may get confused, and so does the movie too in certain middle section when he switches romantic interests with the “unique” Mary Elizabeth instead of Sam. But by the end everything comes back around and is wrapped up nicely. I laughed and I cried. I feel Logan Lerman deserves recognition for what he did in this movie, because the way he does it made me care about everything that happens to Charlie.  This film may be too much of a clash of teens and drama for some, but it is a solid film. 8 out of 10

The Silver Linings Playbook Review

The Silver Linings Playbook Review

Director: David O Russell 

Cast Headliners: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro

Original Release Date: November 16th, 2012

Seen: January 2013 

 Some of the best kinds of films are the ones about unique characters. Characters that might be incredibly heroic or that may be incredibly wicked. The most interesting however are those who are odd and out of whack. In the Silver Linings Playbook, Bradley Cooper plays a character named Pat who has had a hard few months. He caught his wife cheating, and brutally attacked her suitor. This further destabilized what can be inferred was an existing mental instability. So, after going to a mental health institute, Pat returns to his parents’ home in the same area of Philadelphia where his ex-wife lives.  Every main character in this film received Oscar nominations, and they deserved those nods.  Robert De Niro is great as Pat Sr a sports betting obsessed man with some hilarious lines, Jacki Weaver is great as the ever caring mother of Pat Dolores, and even the minor characters of Danny played by Chris Tucker and Dr.Patel Pat’s consultant have quality lines and traits. The tense yet equally humorous relationship between Pat and his parents is some great dramatic writing. Cooper is at his finest in Pat, who is neurotic and angry almost constantly.   It is one of the highlights of his entire career.

I have not mentioned Jennifer Lawrence yet, because she deserves her own section. She received an Oscar for Best Actress, and she definitely earned it. Pat soon runs into Tiffany, and most of the film is about their relationship. Through a complicated web of things, Tiffany and Pat become connected. And Lawrence gives the film its best scenes. She is charismatic and charming and brings so much emotion into the role of the erratic Tiffany.  Her moments and comebacks give Silver Linings its best quotes.  She is the movie, and she is amazing.

The movie is a fantastic blend of comedy, drama moments, and romance.  It is a unique film which is a blend of these three genres. There are no major complaints with this film, aside from maybe the plot loses slight focus towards the end bringing in higher stakes for Pat’s life.  It is a fantastic film with great characters played by great people with a particular great Jennifer Lawrence. Go see this movie, anyone will like it.  8.5 out of 10

A Good Day to Die Hard Review

A Good Day to Die Hard

Director: John Moore

Cast Headliners: Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney

Original Release Date: February 14th, 2013

            Die Hard is a franchise which has adapted to the time period it’s in. The 80’s are thought of as a time of manly action films. One of the reasons for this is that the first Die Hard set the paradigm for testosterone-fueled shoot em up adventures. 2 were more of the same, and 3 and 4 were experiments to match the 90’s and 00’s respectively. A Good Day to Die Hard, or “Die Hard 5”  is technically apart of the modern era, but it feels like it’s stuck in the past for a few reasons.

            John Mcclane never really has time to rest does he?  McClane (played by the real life version of the character Bruce Willis) is going about his normal life when he hears that his Jack (Courtney) has gotten into a plot in Russia and is in danger. McClane, always the hero, travels there. Jack’s storyline is very interesting, as he is working to free a prisoner named Yuri Komarov.  That is the start of the film, and I don’t want to spoil the details because one of the movies strengths are the twists and turn which happen.
            Another of the great aspects of this and all Die Hard movies are the action scenes. They have been more ridiculous in scale with each installment, and the ones here inspired claps from the audience I was in. The car scene involving re-uniting father and son McClane is wonderful thrilling. Tons of damage is done to Moscow, and the pacing is great.  Another highlight is the finale, which has some extremely awesome explosions.

            The main problem with this film is , while when it does happen it’s great, there is not enough action. The run time is less than two hours, making the whole thing end just as it starts to get interesting. There is some great father/son humor, and their chemistry together is something I would want to see in future Die Hards. But their time together is so short it’s a bit hard to appreciate what they have going for them. McClane Jr is a badass character every bit as crazy as his father, and Courtney is a perfect addition the series. It’s a shame that it takes a while for the two to start to get along.

            The film just kind of happens; it lacks a depth the old ones have. Yuri, who I won’t say where his allegiance lies, is a decent character but has the dialogue of a Russian stereotype,. Every antagonist commander and henchmen feels like a stereotype, but not in a good way. They are like Saturday morning cartoon villains in comparison to Hans Gruber for example. The way the plot is given is a bit disjointed as well. These two factors are reminiscent of b-films from the 80’s.  There is some decent fun to be had, but Die Hard has finally become like a knock off of the genre it helped define. Willis is looking a bit old to be saving the world too I might add. 7.6 out of 10.