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Movie Reviews

Oz the Great and Powerful
Karen Posada
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By

2013/03/07 at 12:00am

Reviews

Oz the Great and Powerful

03.7.2013 | By |

Oz the Great and Powerful

At the end of the summer 1939 audiences experienced ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ a film that became an instant classic that has been watched for generations and came from L. Frank Baum’s books. Seventy-four years later comes the prequel ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’, which tells the story of how the wizard came to be. I think most people would agree with me that the biggest fear of touching a classic is of ruining or shaming it, well fear no more! In our interview director Sam Raimi assured me that you can’t ruin a classic and I’m happy to say he carefully crafted a film that can be proud to be a prequel of such a renown movie and can maybe even become a classic itself starting with this generation, because it used all the great elements of its predecessor and extenuated some more. 

 

This prequel follows young Oscar better known as the magician (later on Wizard) Oz (James Franco) at the beginning of his struggling career as a trickster, by chance he’s taken to the magical Land of Oz where he meets three witches: Theodora (Mila Kunis), her sister Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams). Here with the help of an assistant monkey, Finley (Zach Braff) and an adorable China Girl (Joey King) Oz gets a chance to transform himself and become a better man by helping the people in this land.

 

The film does an enchanting contrast beginning with black and white in a more real setting and changing to bright colors once we reach the Land of Oz, something it took from its predecessor and it is truly magical. The 3D effects are sure to captivate the audience, adults will fall in love with Oz all over again and children will want to visit this Land more than once. One of the smartest moves is that the movie uses ingredients from the previous film such as the hot air balloon, traveling companions, the yellow brick road and many more, which set a familiarity. The script incorporated well what we know of the Land of Oz as well as new additions; it has a lot of substance and likability. Admittedly the movie really reaches its PG audience at some point and here it might get a bit childish, but hey it is a PG movie after all. The film has its flaws in that some parts feel rushed, while others prolong more than necessary and there are some smalls gaps, but that’s easy to overlook thanks to everything else it offers, including nods to the original.

 

Franco’s character is so layered and he easily goes from being a trickster, to being a decent human with ease; in my opinion he filled in the shoes well. Williams is so sweet you might get a toothache just from looking at her, that’s her character’s intent, which means she did a good job. Weisz has a great mysterious atmosphere although her performance is a little too over the top at times, but nonetheless she’s a good representation of a typical Disney character. Kunis beauty really stands out here with her innocence but that dies off once she begins to throw tantrums, which are exaggerated a bit, but her high pitch voice (á la Meg Griffin) goes along with her character development. My favorite character is Finley the flying monkey, he’s delightfully hilarious and has so much heart that he sets a tone in every scene and steals each and everyone of them. The China Girl is so pretty and cute, we are all going to want to buy one!

 

Honestly I didn’t think they were going to be able to pull it off and they completely surprised me and left me speechless because they did it! Thanks to an amazing cast, director and team this movie went beyond my expectations. There are some parts that might be scary to younger kids, so keep them close to you. As a side note if you’ve never seen ‘The Wizard of Oz’, this movie is capable of standing alone; although you might miss what some of the nods represent you can enjoy the story with ease. Even the introduction to the film in the circus setting is beautiful in 3D and the film in its entirety with its colorful gorgeous atmosphere is bewitching. Exploring the Land of Oz and walking down the yellow brick road to Emerald City once more is bound to take you back to your childhood and you’ll be happy to share this story of love and friendship with your children.

Heleno
Karen Posada
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By

2013/03/05 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Heleno

03.5.2013 | By |

 

There have been countless movies made about star athletes that have revolutionized certain sports and most of them have such a phenomenal life story that they deserve to have their life captured on film. Unfortunately, ‘Heleno’ which captures some of the life of one of Brazil’s top soccer players, Heleno de Freitas, doesn’t fall under this category, as it’s tragic yet unextraordinary story. The interesting part of the tale comes into seeing how fame, money, stupidity and pressure can lead someone down a disastrous path. This is not a story about the sport itself, but about the biography of one of the best soccer players to have ever existed, if that sparks your curiosity this is one to watch on DVD.

 

In the form of flashbacks we get to see Heleno (Rodrigo Santoro) at the height of his career and his life in the 1940’s, where he often finds himself in a love triangle with Silvia (Aline Moraes) and Diamantina (Angie Cepeda). The film switches back and forth from his present to his past showing us how this troubled man dealt with everything fame and fortune brought him, along with his poor decisions in life.

 

José Henrique Fonseca gives us a film that is all shot in black and white and this is a rare thing to experience nowadays, it’s refreshing and beautiful. It gives us a small glimpse of how Rio must have been in this era, with its blissful beaches. As the title suggest the film mainly rotates around Heleno and Santoro does a fantastic job portraying this arrogant, hotheaded soccer player. Santoro with out a doubt shows skills here; he is almost unrecognizable in some of the scenes. He easily portrays the highs and the lows, giving the public a reason to watch this film, making me a fan of his and wanting to see grander roles for him. This is a film worth seeing him in, unlike ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’, where he plays JLo’s love interest.

 

Moraes is stunning and she gives us some balance, although she has very few chances to show us her acting skills, but she breaks through a bit at the end. Cepeda, the Colombian actress has more weight than Moraes and she uses her sensuality to show how exhausting and frustrating it’s to love this man. Unfortunately, we don’t get much more about these ladies lives, as that’s not a focus of the story.

 

Heleno was one of the first athletes to get paid an obscene amount of money; the movie doesn’t show in any way what his talent must have been like, it only focuses on what this talent gave him. Apparently Heleno wasn’t someone likeable, he was arrogant, wasn’t’ a team player, had a temper, and basically believed himself to be a god. All of this makes us feel little sympathy for him, so we are taken into a tragic, depressing journey that many might not want to take.  

 

Aesthetically the movie is pleasing, beginning with the black and white format, continuing with the location and gorgeous looking cast. The issue is the story itself, it doesn’t capture the pressure that drove this man mad, it leaves unanswered questions about his childhood as well as some gaps within the story; it doesn’t make us feel compassion for Heleno and leaves us depressed, but I appreciate that it shows that in real life not everything has a happy ending; but it fails to show us why this man became a myth and a legend.

 

Wreck-It Ralph
Jack Rico
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By

2013/03/05 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Wreck-It Ralph

03.5.2013 | By |

Wreck-It Ralph is by far the best film about a video game ever done. This comment doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the best animated movie of the year – “Frankenweenie,” “Rise of the Guardians,” “Paranorman” and “Brave” might have something to say against that, but it should be amongst the favorites at the Oscars in 2013. Nevertheless, it is visually nostalgic, sensorially exuberant, vivaciously mirthful and emotionally moving.

The plot is simple and has been done before, but it is always about the execution. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has been overshadowed by Fix-It Felix, Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the good-guy star of their game who always gets to save the day. Tired of playing the role of a bad guy, Ralph takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a journey across the arcade through multiple generations of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero. On his quest, Ralph meets tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty, and feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) from the candy-coated cart-racing game Sugar Rush, who may just be his first real friend. But everything changes when a deadly enemy is unleashed, threatening the entire arcade and Vanellope herself. Ralph finally gets his chance to save the day—but can he do it in time?

For anyone who has ever played video games circa 1980’s and 90’s, novice film director Rich Moore, a cartoon veteran, does a magnificent job in getting his animators to reproduce the exact Nintendo and arcade images of yesteryear. It almost felt like it was 1988 in the movie and outside of the theater. He managed to capture vast inside references and minutiae like kids placing their quarters against the front border of the arcade to gesture that they were next to play, etc. It is that attention to detail that makes a difference in the emotional cinematic experience of the spectator.

The 3D is surprisingly subtle, I’d actually say too subtle for a film of this nature. Instead of seeing pixels fly out of the screen, I had to lift my glasses to make sure I wasn’t watching 2D. When the result is this uneventful, the extra investment is completely unnecessary.

This is a movie hard not to enjoy. Adults will appreciate it because it’ll remind them of their youth when they would run home from school to play ‘Q*bert,’ along with all the inside references and retro cliche’s, and kids today will have fun with it because it possesses all the color, fast paced imagery and gags they come to expect from today’s animated assemblage.

Latinos, the highest movie going demographic in the United States, love animated movies more than any one else. They’re sure to make this movie a #1 hit at the box office!

Jack the Giant Slayer
Karen Posada
0

By

2013/02/28 at 12:00am

Reviews

Jack the Giant Slayer

02.28.2013 | By |

Jack the Giant Slayer

Hollywood has decided to recreate a number different tales from centuries ago, now is the turn of ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’, a mix of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ and ‘Jack the Giant Killer’; which means a little bit of innocence, adventure and violence. The film will do best with its intended audience of 13 and up; the first half is slow paced and a little dull, but finally the action picks up on the second half and that’s the kicker that makes the film fun. Watching the movie in IMAX 3D is a real treat, because it truly enhances the experience, although you have to wait for the effects to really begin after we get past the “meeting” the characters part of the movie.

 

The classic story begins with a poor farm boy named Jack (Nicholas Hoult) who is trying to get some money by selling his horse; the boy gets easily tricked into taking magic beans as payment. Back at home he laments his innocence, but when the beanstalk grows he finds himself in an adventure where he’ll fight giants that live in the sky, meet princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson), her most noble men among them Elmont (Ewan McGregor) and together they’ll try to save the world.

 

We get two similar stories between Jack and Isabelle that have their keen differences but unite into one thanks to their love for adventure. The story doesn’t become interesting until we reach the world of giants, which are fantastically gruesome, idiotic, and somewhat cavemen like and we want to know how these humans fight for their survival there. There’s conniving between the humans and giants and this part although predictable helps the story.

 

Hoult and Tomlinson play their parts fine enough, but there’s nothing that really stands out here; Hoult was much better in ‘Warm Bodies’. Stanley Tucci as the villain is instantly dislikable, but lacks mystery. McGregor is usually on point with his roles, but here his script calls for corny jokes although despite that he’s one of the most interesting characters. Of course the giants steal a lot of the focus, specially their two-headed leader Fallon (Bill Nighy). The CGI of these creatures and their world is for the most part well done and are the biggest part of the tale driving the movie forward.

 

The story saves itself because just when it starts dragging the action really picks up and here is where your money goes. The movie mainly suffers from a very weak script that is full of corny jokes, lines and predictability; all of which would deem it to fail were it not for the great CIG effects and battle in the second half of the film. There’s an unexpected interesting twist at the end, where the story tries to connect fantasy to reality and it’s a nice closing touch.

 

Here’s another classic fairytale 21st century style which though it complements the original stories, by no means is it a cinematographic wonder, but it is still a good enough film to enjoy with the family. Director Bryan Singer uses his knowledge in superhero action films and incorporates a pinch of it here, but a little more could have gone a long way. It might put younger children and adults to sleep at some point, but will eventually wake everybody up on the second half till the end.

Safe Haven
Karen Posada
0

By

2013/02/13 at 12:00am

Reviews

Safe Haven

02.13.2013 | By |

Safe Haven

Every year just around Valentine’s day a book by Nicholas Sparks that has been made into a movie comes out, this year it’s ‘Safe Haven’. This is the second movie this week that is set in the South of the U.S.; the landscapes are quite beautiful, making any of us want to move to this enchanted place. Yes the main two actors are major eye candy, but there’s not much more to them than that. The problem with this sort of movies is that they all stick to the same formula leaving very little to the imagination and even less that would surprise an audience. For anyone who is going to watch this movie you know what to expect and if you like your corniness, mediocre acting and predictable ending this one for you.

 

Katie (Julianne Hough) runs away from her mysterious and what seems like tragic life and randomly ends up in Southport, North Carolina where she starts a new life. Here she meets Alex (Josh Duhamel) a widower with two children that is quickly smitten by Katie without knowing what he’s getting into.

 

This movie is filled with awkward and uninteresting conversations due to a poorly written script and unskillful acting. There are plenty of moments that don’t seem to fit with the rest of the film and at the end just with a little analyzing you realize how little they paid attention to detail. It is extremely overdramatic to make a point on who the bad guy is, while also using a lot of unnecessary drama to move the story along. All the romantic moments are completely predictable making them loose their charm.

 

Hough seems to not know how to react to a lot of things in the film, making her a bad actress. I don’t blame her completely since the script itself seems bipolar making her antisocial one second and completely nice the next without a real reason. Duhamel’s character seems so lonely that he inexplicably goes after this girl without much vision in a way a teenage boy would.

 

The movie ignores reality and sense in some occasions making it all the more surreal and unbelievable. Tierney (David Lyons) is almost superhero like surpassing obstacles a normal person wouldn’t, while always looking tense and crazy. There is one unexpected twist, which did surprise me, but besides that there’s not much mystery in the movie.

 

This is more like a TV movie that would play on Lifetime, I understand during this time of the year many people want to go see romantic movies, but I wouldn’t recommend you spend your money on this one. Just like Lasse Hallstrom‘s last romantic attempt ‘Dear John’, this is a love story that you easily forget once you walk out the theater.  

Beautiful Creatures
Karen Posada
0

By

2013/02/13 at 12:00am

Reviews

Beautiful Creatures

02.13.2013 | By |

Beautiful Creatures

We all know that no matter what, books are always better than movies because they have the advantage to be as detailed as possible and to develop relationships without rushing; putting that aside I think director Richard LaGravenese did a good job with ‘Beautiful Creatures’ staying very close to the source material. I will get the ‘Twilight’ comparison out of the way and agree that this is a lot like that saga except that in this film we get much better acting and effects. This is without a doubt going to become the next teen addiction, the four books written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl have been on the New York Times bestselling list for a while. The film definitely makes every moment more dramatic and the last thirty minutes are very chaotic, but the nice part is that it is all unexpected and that trick isn’t bad. For anyone interested just remember this is very much directed towards a teen audience like ‘Twilight’ was, so keep your expectations leveled and remember it is based on four books so we will probably get four or five movies.

 

In the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina where nothing ever happens, 17-year-old Ethan Wate (Alden Enrenreich) born and raised there awaits his high school graduation to escape the monotony and travel the world. But when Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert) the niece of the town’s shut in Macon Ravenwood (Jeremy Irons) comes into town everything changes, especially for Ethan. Lena has supernatural powers and being an outsider makes her an outcast, but Ethan is attracted to her and tries to break her shell to get to know her. The two must turn against the whole town and their leader Mrs. Lincoln (Emma Thompson) and some of Lena’s relatives like Ridley Duchannes (Emmy Rossum) with the help of Ethan’s best friend Link (Thomas Mann) and Amma (Viola Davis) they will do anything to be together.    

 

The script surprisingly mixes in a lot of comedy and charm, which helps give the film a more lighthearted and likeable quality. Enrenreich is fantastic and steals almost every scene he’s in, he has talent and shows it both in the comedic and more dramatic scenes, with that he will easily become the next heartthrob. Rossum is my next favorite; she’s perfect for this role and shows her potential. Irons and Thompson are also great, and give the film a good balance with the adult lead they provide. Davis is the heart of the film and you immediately are sympathetic towards her, her being one of the few humans. Mann really plays the role of a secondary character that is barely noticeable. I leave Englert for last because she really is the only thing that doesn’t shine here and feels out of place, she doesn’t seem to have any acting skills and has no appeal to bring the public to like her.    

 

The changes made so that the script could fit better in the big screen don’t bother me; I think it gives it a tighter and neater feel, although beware those that loved the book the ending is a bit different here. The time frame seems a little off at the beginning where it all seems to happen in the span of two days or so, it’s not quite clear. Referring back to rushing relationships this one feels rushed towards the middle and it takes away some of the magic of the story. This pace starts making things somewhat confusing and that is when the overdramatic part of the script comes in.

 

The southern setting is beautiful and the accents, the landscapes and sceneries really complement the film and its beauty. There are times when it’s hard to understand what the characters are saying and even what’s happening with all the supernatural stuff and people. The thing that gets the movie going and will have you buying your ticket for the sequel is the charm, beauty, elegance, sophistication and power it has to draw you in despite its flaws. If you were disappointed to not have a ‘Twilight’ movie coming out once a year, this one will be an easy replacement with a higher production value than the previous craze.

Karen Posada
1

By

2013/02/13 at 12:00am

Reviews

Escape From Planet Earth (Movie Review)

02.13.2013 | By |

Escape From Planet Earth

‘Escape From Planet Earth’ is a great experience for both parents and children alike, because it delivers a strong message of team work and family unity all wrapped in an adorable, funny and cool package. We love our animated films and this one does not disappoint, a great extra is that there are three Latinos playing big roles here; more proof that this year is great for Latinos in Hollywood. The 3D is a definite plus, that really enhances the experience of Planet Babb and its inhabitants. The movie is a truly fun intergalactic trip that has just the right cast and ingredients to provide a short and sweet outing to the movies with the family.

In the very futuristic Planet Babb, superstar astronaut Scorch Supernova (Brendan Fraser) is admired for his heroic tasks; which he accomplishes thanks to his genius brother Gary (Rob Corddry). Scorch’s boss, Lena (Jessica Alba) sends him to the dangerous “Dark Planet” aka Planet Earth, where he faces general James Bing (Ricky Gervais) and he will need the help of his brother Gary, his nephew Kip (Jonathan Morgan Heit) and Kira (Sarah Jessica Parker) in order to come back home.

The look of the movie is just cool, with a futuristic Jetsons like environment and adorably ugly blue aliens, which all pops out in wonderful colorful images. The movie is not as funny as I expected it to be, but it does have a handful of laugh out loud moments aimed both at children and adults. My favorite part of it all is the main message it gives off, which is that we need teamwork in order to accomplish heroic tasks and that with our family’s trust and support we can do anything.

The cast is a great combination of well-known comedy actors even besides the main cast; we have Jane Lynch, Craig Robinson and a great mix of big name Latinos: Jessica Alba is Lena, the beautiful and intelligent chief at BASA, Sofia Vergara plays Gabby the hot and spicy anchor for BNN News, and finally George Lopez a three-eyed slug alien named Thurman; so keep an eye out for them. It is fantastic to see this kind of collaboration in a film that holds such a powerful message. Director Cal Brunker stroke gold providing a great product.

This is an out of this world adventure to enjoy with the family this Valentine’s day; it holds an original storyline that will keep you entertained. The film was so well crafted that it gives everyone in the audience something they are sure to like. Read our interview with some of the film’s cast here!

Skyfall
Jack Rico
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By

2013/02/12 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Skyfall

02.12.2013 | By |

“The… Best… Bond… Ever!” so says one reviewer from England whose zeal is so fervent, it is hard to take him or his review seriously. In my professional and less ardent opinion, “Skyfall” falls short of Daniel Craig’s quintessential Bond film, “Casino Royale,” a 007 motion picture which I think is unrivaled in its action, intensity, stunning cinematography and arresting plotline. That film, is in my mind, the ‘Best Bond Movie’ Craig has done, and, one of the Top 5 action movies I have ever seen. But by no means does my preferred choice signify that “Skyfall” is not worth watching. Au contraire,“Skyfall” is entertaining cinema worthy of multiple views, except it possesses two defects that lessen its acclaim.

 

“Skyfall” starts with Bond going on his latest assignment which goes gravely wrong and several undercover agents around the world are exposed, MI6 is attacked, thus, forcing M to relocate the agency. These events cause her authority and position to be challenged by Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), the new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee.  With MI6 now compromised from both inside and out, M is left with one ally she can trust: Bond.  007 takes to the shadows – aided only by field agent, Eve (Naomie Harris) – following a trail to the mysterious Silva (Javier Bardem), whose lethal and hidden motives have yet to reveal themselves.

 

The issue I have with “Skyfall” is that Sam Mendes – cheered on by Craig – tinkered with the Bond universe in such away that ‘I’ feel violated. The two worst offenders are: aging Bond and the reduced role of the Bond Girl. How could he have done this!? Doesn’t he comprehend that by developing a real aging gene to the 007 character, you are in essence, MAKING HIM HUMAN! Bond does not age. He’s been in his prime for 50 years! Now all of a sudden “he shouldn’t be ashamed to lose a step,” voiced to Bond by Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) in a tense scene. By Mendes opening up this Pandora’s box, this travesty sets in motion Bond’s eventual demise because of his future elder age. The producers would then have to reboot the series in its entirety with 007’s unknown son or new young agent, 008, similar to the way the‘Bourne’ franchise did when they transitioned from Matt Damon to Jeremy Renner. Do you see what has been done?

 

Also, the selection of the Bond Girl is not just a carnal passage for Bond, but a symbol of long-lasting prestige for any woman in film. In “Skyfall,” Bérénice Marlohe is only a brief incident that is dealt with an anticlimactic shower scene and a quick dismissal. Naomi Harris’ character is an agent of the MI6, not a real Bond Girl, in the true sense of the term. These two grave and awful decisions have ramifications down the line for the franchise and I am aghast that many critics have not accentuated the discrepancies. 

 

The aforementioned blemishes ultimately were too distracting for me to suspend disbelief. It kept on haunting me, not allowing me to immerse myself in this new universe. Bond didn’t even ask the bartender for a “martini shaken, not stirred,” because the bartender supposedly knew the drill. The Heineken scene was had in a beach. Against the philosophies of Craig and Mendes, they need to understand that these are the classic elements fans look forward to in every movie. They endure because they work, that is why they become classic moments, every 2-4 years. We want to ascertain what new and creative ways they will approach it and we want to smile heartily at them. In “Skyfall,” they severed off those memorable and cherished cinematic souvenirs we anticipated so much. Hopefully, they will bring it back in all of their full glory one day.

 

Despite my vexing remarks, they do not apply to the grand production, the ambitious entertainment value and the multi-dimensional layers that James Bond is draped in. I will not be mentioning references of ‘best,’ but I will highlight reasons why you should still see “Skyfall”. The opening action sequence is once again one of the reasons you can’t come late to a 007 movie. Car chases, tractors, guns, trains and deadly jumps, devise a most energetic beginning. Adele’s sultry and enchanting opening number is Grammy and Oscar deserving. If you can dismiss the bumps on the road, ergo, my previous critical observations, Craig gives an affecting performance that blends the better parts of his acting in ‘Casino’ and ‘Quantum’. 

 

Then we enter Javier Bardem, the first Hispanic actor to ever play a Bond villain. As he made history by playing the effeminate and demented Raoul Silva (according to Bardem himself, Silva is Portuguese), Bardem holds his own against the pantheon of memorable evil adversaries Bond had to kill. He’s not as good as Anton Chigurh, the role he won the Oscar for “No Country for Old Men”, but he is nonetheless intimidating.

 

As an action movie, “Skyfall” works. It holds a sense of danger and peril not associated to the other films. I’ll give it that. Yet, I felt that 2012 offered better action with “The Raid: Redemption” and “The Dark Knight Rises” (who can forget its opening airplane scene!). 

 

“Skyfall” is not a masterpiece movie. It is better than average and has a lot to applaud, but not enough to revere. So go ahead and buy your ticket, watch it, enjoy it, but know that there are better out there. 

The Man with the Iron Fists
Jack Rico
0

By

2013/02/12 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Man with the Iron Fists

02.12.2013 | By |

 

So you saw the trailer to “The Man with the Iron Fists” and it adrenalized you to see it. I mean, it has all the elements you personally like such as: martial arts movies that are impressively choreographed, violently-bloody-driven action sequences, hokey jokes from the villains and heroes, Russell Crowe who is one of your favorite actors and one who adds credibility to the cast, a hip hop infusion from the respected Wu-Tang’s RZA to make it “cool” and Quentin Tarantinoputting his name and reputation on it. Yes, I thought the exact same thing too until… I saw the movie. 

 

The story is an action-adventure martial arts throwback film, inspired by the kung-fu classics from the 80’s such as “Fury of the Dragon,” “Black Samurai,” “Godfather of Hong Kong,” “Fists of Double K” and “Five Deadly Venoms”. It tells the story of warriors, assassins and a lone outsider hero who all descend on one fabled village in China for a winner-takes-all battle for a fortune in gold. 

 

On paper, it’s hard for any studio to dismiss this movie, but, not everything that is on paper works. Not to bog you down with sports analogies, but look at the powerful offensive minded New York Yankees who were swept in the playoffs by the Detroit Tigers for exactly not hitting, and your Los Angeles Lakers, who by far have the best starting lineup in basketball history, are 0-3 to start the season. So how does one explain these things? Chemistry. When you have great film elements at your disposal, it is the director’s job to have them flow seamlessly amongst each other, and not live individually. This is where you have to blame tyro helmer and screenwriter RZA (real name Robert “Bobby” Fitzgerald Diggs) for not having the experience to recognize the devil in the details. Is it all bad? No, but as a result, the movie is lifeless.

 

 

 

Visually, the movie is top notch. It is the jokes that aren’t funny and the acting as a whole is just abominable. All your left with then is the action to propel the film forward. In this regard, the martial arts sequences are intricate and ambitious. It truly is the movie’s only saving grace. 

 

Overall, “The Man with the Iron Fists” doesn’t have that much to offer on the inside. It’s just flash, all steak and no sizzle. Do yourself a favor and save your money if you can. I recommend you catch a better selection of contemporary martial arts classics on Bluray/DVD that will surely provide you with a superior and more memorable cinematic experience:

 

– “The Raid: Redemption” (this year’s best action film marked by its harshly gruesome Indonesian martial arts sequences)

 

– “Ong-back” (no wires, stunt doubles, or CGI, just beat downs in every sense of the word)

 

– Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” 1 & 2 (they’re intense, engrossing, filled with rib-cracking laughs and you just can’t seem to get enough from them)

 

– Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (one of the best of all time)

 

– Jackie Chan’s “The Legend of Drunken Master” (this is one of Chan’s career defining works)

 

– “Kung Fu Hustle” (perhaps the most entertaining movie on this mini list because of it’s bizarre, outlandish humor and exciting action kung fu scenes)

 

– “Chocalate” (a rarely talked about gem featuring a female fighter), “Hero” (some say better than ‘Crouching Tiger’)

 

– “Fearless” (one of, if not, Jet Li’s finest work)

 

As of the posting of this movie review, “Ong-bak” and “Fearless” are currently on Netflix streaming, thus allowing you watch these immediately. 

 

Stand Up Guys
Jack Rico
0

By

2013/02/01 at 12:00am

Reviews

Stand Up Guys

02.1.2013 | By |

Stand Up Guys

‘Stand Up Guys’ directed by Fisher Stevens is an old man’s buddy movie. It’s premise is engaging and its acting is as good as it gets. The issue here is that the script of the film delves into over-character development. When that happens, the film can drag and the proceedings can get boring. In its favor though, it’s tough to not be engrossed when Al Pacino and Christopher Walken are the actors. But even they have limits. 

 

The story begins with Valentine, a.k.a Val (Al Pacino), being released from prison after serving twenty-eight years for refusing to give up one of his close criminal associates. His best friend Doc (Christopher Walken) is there to pick him up, and the two soon re-team with another old pal, Hirsch (Alan Arkin). Their bond is as strong as ever, and the three reflect on freedom lost and gained, loyalties ebbed and flowed, and days of glory gone by. But one of the friends is keeping a dangerous secret- he’s been put in an impossible quandary by a former mob boss, and his time to find an acceptable alternative is running out. As the sun rises on the guys’ legendary reunion, their position becomes more and more desperate and they finally confront their past once and for all.

 

For Fisher Stevens, the task of directing this film was as close as to just letting the camera run. When you have a trio of actors who have 14 acting nominations and 3 Oscar wins between them, the job is straightforward. Consequently, the script by Noah Haidle should have been where most of the creative investment took place. It didn’t feel like it. It caves to a limp pace and some formulaic storytelling. What could have been a special project in modern movie history, turned out to be a side note in the calendar year. Marketing also has played a role in it, but that is a whole other conversation.

 

In the acting department, Pacino leaves behind the “woo-ha!” parody of himself from ‘Scent of a Woman’ and gives us one of his most honest performances since Michael Mann’s ‘The Insider’ from 1999. That’s a whopping 14 years without wowing his audience. How could he when he’s appeared in two of the worst movies in history – ‘Gigli’ and ‘Jack & Jill’. Whether he became a mercenary or deluded into thinking these projects were “fun”, there is no denying that in ‘Stand Up Guys’ he departs from the reckless decisions that led him down the path of negligence. Here he reminds critics and audiences alike of his natural talents of who he was and what he can still be at 73. Robert De Niro is proving it with ‘Silver Linings Playbook’. I think Pacino has 1 or 2 Oscar nominations still left in him, let’s see if he chooses wisely in the time ahead. 

 

Walken is the scene-stealer here though, seemingly not saying or doing much at all. Pacino carries the heft of the dialogue while Walken mostly reacts, and he still shines, perhaps even more than Pacino himself. Walken is a strange and unique looking individual with a demeanor that is distinctive and memorable. He lays it all in the film and it is impressive. For Arkin, his screen time was epigrammatic – concise, clever, and amusing. 

 

Overall, ‘Stand Up Guys’ is an actors film for people who like acting. The entertainment value is mediocre and Stevens could have done so much more with the script. I wouldn’t pay money to see this in the theaters, but a view on Bluray wouldn’t hurt just for the acting. Released for Oscar consideration in December of 2012, it is being rolled out now in February on a national release with the objective of perhaps finding a new audience. Hopefully we can see an improved sequel of sorts when the other hitmen - Gene Hackman, Jack Nicholson and Sean Connery – join in on the fun!

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