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Management
Jack Rico
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2009/09/29 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Management

09.29.2009 | By |

Rating: 3.5

Rated: R for language.
Release Date: 2009-05-15
Starring: Stephen Belber
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.managementfilm.com/

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Talk about getting suckered into vulnerability. Steve Zahn dripped that adjective in his latest performance in the film ‘Management’, also starring Jennifer Aniston. The movie, which has all the makings of an indie film, but it’s really targeted towards a more mainstream audience, is perhaps the best romantic comedy of the year. That’s really not saying much since the genre hasn’t put out a real charmer in a while.

Aniston plays a traveling saleswoman who sells cheap art to small companies in motels. She has a fling with an aimless, underachieving assistant motel manager (Zahn) at one of her stops, and he ends pursuing her all over the U.S.

The most memorable and moving moments of the film are found in the acting of Steve Zahn. His unconditional love towards Aniston was so touching and quirky, that I must’ve choked up almost 5 times. I think the beauty of this project lies in its simplicity and humility. All the characters were honest and sincere, and it’s those elements that added to a wonderfully, charming movie experience. Director and screenwriter Stephen Belber never complicated the dialogue nor the message. What did become a distraction were the extraneous subplots and unnecessary secondary characters that clogged the movie’s storyline (i.e Woody Harrelson who was blatantly miscast).

‘Management’ could have been better, which is a shame, but due to its poor scriptwriting decisions Belber lost a chance to make this film a rhapsody in romance.

Monsters vs. Aliens
Mike Pierce
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2009/09/29 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Monsters vs. Aliens

09.29.2009 | By |

Rating: 4.0

Rated: PG for sci-fi action, some crude humor and mild language.
Release Date: 2009-03-27
Starring: Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.monstersvsaliens.com/

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Yes! Monsters VS. Aliens – I had the chance to see this earlier this week and I must say…It was funny! I knew it would be. Check out the trailer and see for yourselves. (lol)

 

It stars the talented voices of Reese Witherspoon (Ginormica), Seth Rogen (B.O.B.), Hugh Laurie (Dr. Cockroach Ph. D), Will Arnett (The Missing Link), Keither Sutherland (General W.R. Monger), and many others. If you’re looking for a funny, all age family movie…Monsters VS. Aliens is for you!
 
It’s about this girl – who’s about to get the perfect life she’s always wanted. On her wedding day – she is hit by a meteorite from outer space…which turns her into a GIANT Monster lady. The government steps in and captures her – while she’s in the government prison…she meets 3 of the coolest monsters ever. Well, while that’s going on…an evil alien named, Gallaxhar decides he wants to attack and take over earth. As a last resort – with the leadership of General W.R. Monger and direct orders from the President of the United States…Ginormica and her 3 special friends must save the earth.
 
Ding…Ding…Monsters VS. Aliens. Your kids will love it and there’s enough adult humor to make you laugh.
I loved how they make you (me) remember all the classic monsters movies – The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Blob, and so on. You’ll see!
 
I give Monsters VS. Aliens…4 out of 5 Popcorns

Whip It
Karen Posada
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2009/09/29 at 12:00am

Reviews

Whip It

09.29.2009 | By |

Rated: PG-13 for sexual content including crude dialogue, language and drug material.
Release Date: 2009-10-02
Starring: Shauna Cross
Director(s):
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Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/whipit/

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Whip It

‘Whip It’ has got to be one of the most enjoyable movies that I’ve seen in a while. It was fun and very entertaining. It may make you want to go out and join a roller derby team or at least give yourself a cool and tough pseudo name.
 
This is Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut; we see her fun energetic personality at various points in the film especially with her character, Smashley Simpson. In the film we follow a teenager (Ellen Page) who is stuck in a small town on the outside of Austin and has been for most of her life following her mother’s dreadful dream of being a beauty queen, which doesn’t even fit with her metal rock/punk personality. She goes from pageant to pageant just to keep her pushy mother happy, until one day in Austin she encounters the Hurl Scouts, an all-girl roller derby team and decides to try out for the team to become, Babe Ruthless.

 

With her roller blades and her alter ego she becomes her own hero and we see her becoming confident as she sneaks off to practice with her best friend Pash (Alia Shawkat from Arrested development); we also see her struggle with her family as it becomes harder to lie. The focus of the story is her perseverance to reach greatness at a sport she falls in love with along with strengthening her family ties which doesn’t come into play until almost the middle of the movie. It is enjoyable to see Ellen Page, who plays the main character Bliss, grow as an actress; she still has her quirky personality from Juno and although she is still playing a teenager she makes us forget that at times. We also have Kristen Wiig and Jimmy Fallon, from SNL and Juliette Lewis who is also not unfamiliar to comedy.  
 
This movie is full of girl empowerment without being feministic. It might become one of those flicks that they’ll replay on TV because of the comedy/teenage factor. Teenagers will definitely enjoy the film and adults will enjoy what it has to teach about family values and not forgetting about where you came from. But over-all there are plenty of fun moments for all to enjoy. The only thing that I found unnecessary in the movie was the sappy love story which is almost of minimal importance; Bliss’ own life was interesting enough without needing to add boy-drama.

Observe and Report
Jack Rico
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2009/09/26 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Observe and Report

09.26.2009 | By |

Rating: 3.0

Rated: R for pervasive language, graphic nudity, drug use, sexual content and violence.
Release Date: 2009-04-10
Starring: Jody Hill
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://observe-and-report.warnerbros.com/

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Observe and Report is a bizarre film whose laughs are rooted in shock comedy. This is highlighted by the last 5 minutes which will either culminate with your fascination by the scene or your heaving at the person next to you. The choice will be yours. I’m curious to know which one you will pick. Nevertheless, the laughs aren’t as frequent and the storytelling process is nowhere in sight.

This movie comes at the heels of January’s surprise hit “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” – coincidence? It was written and directed by Jody Hill, whose underground hit “The Foot Fist Way” who brought an exploration of a main character who is reprehensible, delusional, and foolish.

Seth Rogen stars as a bi-polar mall security guard Ronnie Barnhardt who is called into action to stop a flasher from molesting his “mall crush” (Anna Faris) and turning shopper’s paradise into his personal peep show. But when Barnhardt can’t bring the culprit to justice, a surly police detective (Ray Liotta) is recruited to close the case.

The cast is top notch, but perhaps the one who stands out most is comedy princess Anna Faris (Scary Movie, The House Bunny). Getting laughs is hard to do and she manages to make me laugh out loud in every scene she is in. Mexican-American actor Michael Peña, known for his dramatic performances, is another one who provided perhaps me with the loudest laughs halfway through the film. His character, Dennis, was undeniably underused. His screen time barely hits ten minutes, but he was a scene stealer from the very moment he was on.

What I can promise you is that you will laugh at this film, it is just a matter of whether you will feel right doing it. The director, Hill, takes perverse pleasure in getting laughs at whatever costs as he pushes the boundaries of what is funny and what isn’t.

Coco Before Chanel
Namreta Kumar
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2009/09/25 at 12:00am

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Coco Before Chanel

09.25.2009 | By |

Rated: PG-13 for sexual content and smoking.
Release Date: 2009-09-25
Starring: Anne Fontaine
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: France
Official Website: http://www.sonyclassics.com/cocobeforechanel/

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Coco Before Chanel

“Coco Before Chanel” is nothing short of a treat for your eyes – and your sensibilities. Anne Fontaine has created a period piece that like its subject, Gabriel “Coco” Chanel, is a classic.

 

Fontaine and Audrey Tautou create Coco seamlessly before your eyes. As the title claims this is a film about Coco, not about the successful Chanel. It is a story about a woman who is destined to be an icon, but not about the icon. In short this film is not about fashion, it is the story of a woman’s tragic success. Thanks to Fontaines’ masterful screenplay and direction this glimpse of Coco’s life feels authentic without being audacious.

 

Fontaine and Tautou take care to represent the eyes of Coco, as they become the vision of Channel. The whole narrative plays through the understanding of Coco’s vision, and Tautou portrays it perfectly from her first glimpse to her final gaze. Of course this film is incomplete without Etienne Balsan, Benoit Poelvoorde, and Boy Capel, Alessandro Nivola, because at its heart is the story of a woman’s tragedy and assiduity. The care and portrayal of these key figures matches that of Tautous’, which keeps the audience attached to the emotions and vulnerabilities of each until the bittersweet end.

 

The film in no mean encompasses the eighty-seven years of Coco Channel’s life; it does, however, encompass the style. It is a quiet, comfortable film that is driven through, in part, by the magic of stills; and so if you are outside those niche audiences prepare yourself for an altogether different experience. Like all things Coco Chanel, even if you cannot afford it, you cannot afford to miss it.

The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
Jack Rico
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2009/09/22 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

09.22.2009 | By |

Rating: 2.5

Rated: PG-13 for sexual content throughout, some language and a drug reference.
Release Date: 2009-05-01
Starring: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Director(s):
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Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.ghostsofgirlfriendspastmovie.com/

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‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past’ isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore somehow manage to salvage the film by developing two well written romantic moments into the overdone cornball premise. The film doesn’t work as a comedy, but it gets the job done in the romance department.

Celebrity photographer Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) is a free loving bachelor  who is the ultimate ‘playa’. Unfortunately, his childhood friend Jenny (Jennifer Garner) is the one woman in his life who has always seemed immune to his considerable charm. It all comes to a climax when three ghosts, yes a la Dickens, take him on a revealing odyssey through a lifetime of failed relationships. The purpose of this exam is to get him to redeem himself in front of his one true love – Jenny.

There is no doubts about this film being targeted to female viewers, Unfortunately, they’ll have to deal with some negatives. Most of the damage of the film exists in its overused storyline – Charles Dickens’ ‘The Christmas Carol’. That on its own should scare most moviegoers away. Adding to the barrage of detriments is the myriad of lame and unamusing gags that never go over. I don’t really remember laughing once. But halfway through the film, when Michael Douglas appears as Uncle Wayne, is when we finally experience the first engaging moment. Douglas’s detailed in-depth tutorial on picking up women to a young Connor possesses a real candor absent from similar movies of the genre. I’m sure female viewers will find it amusing if not absurd. We once again are treated to another memorable moment at the film’s climax when McConaughey himself dishes out some love wisdom of his own. These scenes mixed in with a gooey score and sufficient teary close ups will debilitate even some of the most stoic of men.

 

Apart from those likable sequences, the supporting cast is simply irrelevant and insipid. Their charms and levels of interest are nonexistent. Futhermore, McConaughey’s performance matches those of his previous uninspired works (Fools Gold, Failure to Launch, The Wedding Planner). Nevertheless, if you can get past the Dickens homage, ‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past’ is better than most romantic fare out in theaters right now. Female viewers will enjoy a good insight into the male psyche and have a chance to see a man go from player to prince. Isn’t that what all women want?

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Jack Rico
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2009/09/19 at 12:00am

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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

09.19.2009 | By |

Rated: PG for brief mild language.
Release Date: 2009-09-18
Starring: Judi Barrett, Ron Barrett
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/cloudywithachanceofmeatballs/

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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Gluttony to the umpteenth degree is what parents should expect from this farcical 3D animation that is strictly for kids’ excessive and hyper yearnings. I’d like to say, “fun for the whole family”, but the story is too infantile for adults to be truly bothered. Watch out for Mr.T’s character throughout the film – he is hilarious for all ages.

‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’ is based on a children’s book from Judy and Ron Barrett which follows inventor Flint Lockwood (voice of Bill Hader) and brainy weathergirl Sam Sparks (voice of Anna Faris) as they attempt to discover why the rain in their small town has stopped while food is falling in its place. Meanwhile, lifelong bully Brent (voice of Adam Samberg) relishes in tormenting Flint just as he did when they were kids, and Mayor Shelbourne (voice of Bruce Campbell) schemes to use Flint’s latest invention–a device designed to improve everyone’s lives–for his own personal gain. Mr. T. voices by-the-books cop Earl Devereaux, and James Caan voices Flint’s technophobe father, Tim.

For those of you that might be going for the 3D animation experience, “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” produces a sharp, crisp picture, with no visible imprecision between the matches of the images. There is clear definition between closer and further elements. In terms of technical quality, this is the best I’ve seen so far along with G-Force from Disney.

The Burning Plain (Movie Review)
Jennifer Lawrence in ‘The Burning Plain’
Jack Rico
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2009/09/19 at 12:00am

Reviews

The Burning Plain (Movie Review)

09.19.2009 | By |

‘The Burning Plain’ is a bleak film which is heavy on the visceral drama and light on substance. The script isn’t compelling nor are the characters and last I heard, the idea behind creating a movie is to entertain audiences to some degree, not make one miserable and despondent.

Three stories about three women swing back and forth in time and place, gathering apparently disconnected and twisted scenes into a monotonous tale of betrayal, love, and death. The film stars Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger and a new crop of actors.

Mexican screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga, now turned director, is a magnificent penman who creates scenes that bring the best out of actors and his director. Regrettably, as his fourth work shows, he has reached a repetitive, one-dimensional plateau where he can’t seem to free himself from. Once again, Arriaga tells a story of various characters paralleling each other. He began with this structure in ‘Amores Perros’ and continued in ‘21 Grams,’ ‘Babel’ and now ‘The Burning Plain’. When I spoke to him, Arriaga contested that he felt the composition and story of this film are completely different than anything he has done before. He needs to take a closer look at his films and pick up on the recurring patterns – multi-narratives and gut-wrenching, emotional dramas. There isn’t anything wrong with Arriaga continuing along this trademark path, but isn’t variety the spice of life? Versatility is where you prove yourself to be better than just one style and I am hoping to see something distinct and fresh for his next project.

This is a Hollywood indie intertwined with a Latino story. For Hispanics, the decision to watch this heavy film for the sake of supporting a fellow patriot is ignorant. You make your decision based on the quality of the script and the acting. In this case, the script is banal, too serious and melodramatic and the acting, though arguably strong, is not compelling and lacks believability. I recommend you wait for his arch nemesis, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s new film ‘Biutiful’ starring Javier Bardem for a more enjoyable experience at the movies in December.

 

Jennifer’s Body
Alex Florez
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2009/09/18 at 12:00am

Reviews

Jennifer’s Body

09.18.2009 | By |

Rated: R for sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use.
Release Date: 2009-09-18
Starring: Diablo Cody
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://www.jennifersbody.com/

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Jennifer's Body

‘Jennifer’s Body’ is a failure on so many levels: as a horror film, a comedy and its acting, but it does manage to be a good teen film due to Diablo Cody’s authentic and irreverent script and dialogue. It is so sumptuous that I haven’t been this excited to HEAR just dialogue since her first work in ‘Juno.’

The premise is simple yet loses its path many a times. When small-town high school hottie Jennifer (Megan Fox) is possessed by a hungry demon, guys who never stood a chance with her, take on new luster in the light of Jennifer’s insatiable appetite.

Oscar award winning screenwriter Diablo Cody is a teenager trapped in a woman’s body. Her uncanny way to capture and tap into the teen angst of today is an onerous task that she pulls off effortlessly… once again. Nevertheless, there is no excuse for some of the tawdry moments the movie provides. Its pacing, in particular, lacks a natural rhythm, the acting is descent at best and Megan just doesn’t bring it; she’s not good enough to carry the movie. The film overall struggles with a sense of identity. It doesn’t know whether it wants to be campy or a little less flamboyant, but it never finds the right balance. It’s never truly scary or funny. If you’re going to see the film in theaters just to get off on Megan Fox, there are other ways to do it, such as waiting for it on DVD in 4 months

Watch out for the lesbo scene, it might just shock the horror from you.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Jack Rico
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2009/09/15 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

09.15.2009 | By |

Rating: 3.0

Rated: PG-13
Release Date: 2009-05-01
Starring: David Benioff
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.xmenorigins.com/

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Is the bootleg online version of ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ better than the cinematic experience? If you already saw the illegal downloaded version, should you spend your money to watch it in a real movie theater? I personally haven’t seen the unauthorized edition, but from the feedback I’ve received from those who have and with my take from the theatrical version – yes, you should see it in theaters only if you enjoyed what you saw. It would enhance the experience that director Gavin Hood intended to originally put forth, but, if you didn’t like the story to begin with, odds are you won’t like it after you see in the big screen.

‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ is set prior to the events of the original X-Men films, sometime in the 1970s. It begins principally with Wolverine and partially with a few other legends of the X-Men universe. Some highlights include characters and story lines that have been long anticipated. The movie also explores Logan’s romance with Kayla Silverfox. Kayla’s fate triggers Logan’s involvement with the ominous Weapon X program, a top secret, billion-dollar military experiment, in which Wolverine obtains his indestructible metal skeleton.

The film had several problems ranging from blatant gaps in the story, underwhelming performances by new characters, to the unacceptable, second-rate CGI effects throughout the film (in particular a cameo done by a CGI Patrick Stewart). Unfortunately, these critical factors in particular, were too distracting for me to overcome. In its defense, there were many laudable moments such as Hugh Jackman’s performance of Wolverine (I can’t see anyone else ever playing him) and Liev Schrieber as his archenemy brethren, Sabretooth. Ryan Reynolds, who has been bashed by some bloggers for being casted as Deadpool, was likable in playing the wise cracking sword killer.

Overall, you have the good and the bad making ‘Wolverine’ an average film. Brett Ratner’s “X-Men: The Last Stand” turned out to be a better films on all levels. On a separate note, watch out for two clips after the credits, one scene immediately after the credits begin and the other at the very end of all the credits. These will reveal some of what may come in the next sequel.

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