Written by Pirata Hermosa
The story begins with Anita (Amanda Seyfried), “Needy” as her friends call her. She’s narrating the story to explain how she ended up in the mental hospital where we now find her.
Just a few months earlier she was a nerdy girl in high school, hanging out with her boyfriend, Chip (Johnny Simmons), and her best friend, Jennifer (Megan Fox). They all lived in a small town called Devil’s Kettle, which was named after a nearby waterfall that emptied into a bottomless hole in the ground.
Jennifer and Needy had been best friends since they were little kids. Needy was the quiet reserved type, while Jennifer was the wild one getting them into all kinds of crazy situations. And to live up to this reputation, Jennifer convinces her friend to accompany her to some dive bar where she’s looking to hook up with the lead singer of a barely known band from the big city called “Low Shoulder”.
The band is your typical bunch of sleazeballs led by Nikolai (Adam Brody) who seems more interested in figuring out if Jennifer is a virgin than the music he’s playing. In the middle of the performance, one of the lighting rigs catches fire and within minutes the entire building is on fire. The two girls manage to escape through the bathroom and run directly into Nikolai. While the girls are still in shock, he leads Jennifer over to the band’s van and drives away with her.
Later on, when Needy can’t contact Jennifer on her cell phone she becomes worried. But shortly afterwards, Jennifer shows up in her kitchen covered in blood and vomiting up black bile. Just as quickly as she appears, she disappears and leaves Needy terrified.
While Jennifer appears to be her normal self and acts like nothing happened, she is actually killing and eating the boys around school. Nobody in town suspects who the cannibal is, but Needy knows that something is wrong and has her suspicions confirmed when Jennifer shows up in her bedroom and confesses that she is the killer. She also tells her how the guys from Low Shoulder drove her out to the falls and used her as a virgin sacrifice to Satan.
Needy does some quick research in the occult section of the school library and discovers that they performed the ritual incorrectly. They needed to sacrifice an actual virgin, which they did not. Instead when they sacrificed non-virgin Jennifer it allowed a demon to escape from hell and possess her body. Needy must now find a way to defeat the demon and save the town.
Starring what some consider one of the most beautiful women in the world, in a film called Jennifer’s Body, you’d think you might actually see Jennifer’s body. But no, there’s no nudity, no slow camera pans over her figure, or even an ounce of sexiness in the film.
Overlooking that, you might be able to forgive it because it’s supposed to be a horror film. But once again it fails because it’s not very scary or filled with any gore. Most of the horror aspect is only alluded to with the cameras turning away before you see anything or what is done is via silhouette. Even the format in which it’s told as one big flashback removes any suspense as the audience already knows that Needy lives through it all.
The writing is bad as it’s obvious that the writer is trying to make up new terminology that we should be using, such as “Salty” for someone who is hot looking and “Jell-O” for being jealous, and a number of the plot points just don’t make basic sense. Nobody in the world would have chosen Jennifer, dressed like a hooker, pushing alcohol, and aggressively flirting as "the virgin" over the timid, mousey, plain-looking, nerdy girl. Would you? The satanic ritual performed by the band was taken off the Internet and contained about three words. Why would the demon come to Needy and confess to her that she was the murderer? What small town would have a giant occult section in the school library?
For a film that almost puts you to sleep, the ending was actually pretty cool. It’s the only part of the film that actually makes you want to see more, probably because it’s about five minutes long and is done in a montage sequence where you see Needy escape the mental institute and deal out some vengeance to the boys of Low Shoulder.
The Blu-Ray version is presented in 1.85:1 widescreen with DTS-HD Master Audio and includes two discs. The first disc is a digital copy for your computer. The second disc includes both the theatrical and extended versions of the film, plus all of the bonus features. The video quality of the disc is a little grainy, but with most of the scenes shot with limited lighting the quality didn’t matter as much. There were some issues with the sound mixing. The dialogue was much too quiet compared to the music. I had to have the remote control in hand throughout the film as the music would suddenly just start blasting at full volume from my stereo system. I even checked the settings of my equipment just to make sure it wasn’t my fault. The actual sound quality seemed just fine, but I must confess that I am not a big fan of any of the songs on the soundtrack
The Bonus Features include:
A commentary by director Karyn Kusama and writer Diablo Cody on the theatrical version only and a commentary by Kusama on the extended version.
Deleted Scenes: most of these scenes were deleted for good reason, but there is a scene in the girls’ locker room that should have been left in. It’s actually pretty important as it helps make sense of why Needy is afraid of Jennifer going to the dance, and why Jennifer goes after Chip.
Gag Reel: there’s just a couple of bloopers and then it becomes a music video mixed in with random footage.
"Jennifer’s Body: The Dead Pool" is an in-depth discussion and behind-the-scenes look into the film’s climax where the two girls fight one another in a pool to save Chip’s life. Not only does it discuss the motivation, but it also shows you how all of the special effects were done.
Video Diaries of the cast members as they run around with handy cams taking uneventful home videos.
"Megan Fox is Hot" is not really a feature, but 30 seconds of Megan Fox close-ups from the movie.
"Megan Fox Peer Pressure PSA" starts off as a serious PSA announcement about peer pressure in school that talks about how you should be yourself and then completely changes gears when you realize it’s being told from Jennifer’s demonic point of view.
"Fox Movie Channel presents Life after Film School with Writer Diablo Cody": three film students do a serious interview with the writer. They discuss how she became a writer, her life as a stripper, and what it was like to win an Oscar.
Overall, Jennifer's Body is kind of a blah film as it feels like everyone is just going through the motions. The acting is pretty uninspiring and Megan Fox’s performance is just terrible. The storyline is just a regurgitated version of prior horror genre films that did a better job of telling the story the first time around.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Farscape: The Complete Series
Written Pirata Hermosa
In the early ‘90s the Jim Henson Company wanted to embark on a new endeavor and try something it had never done before. They were looking to take their unique skills at puppeteering and their Creature Shop and do more than just special effects in films. They were looking to create a television series where they could bring all of their creations to life.
After bringing on Rockne O’Bannon, who was known for creating Alien Nation and SeaQuest, to head the series, it still took them several years for it to hit the airwaves. It wasn’t until after the FOX network had passed on the series and they were about to make it out of their own pocket for syndication that the Sci-Fi Channel stepped up and said that they would use it to head Sci-Fi’s new original-programming format. But even then, the series was a huge expense on any network, so the Henson Company used a multi-national approach for funding. It was supported by three different agencies: one in the United States, one in Britain, and one in Australia. In return they each got broadcast rights in their respective country. This is also the main reason why all of the filming was done in Australia and ended up with only the lead role being cast with an American actor.
John Crichton (Ben Browder) is a modern-day astronaut/scientist who is conducting some experiments while orbiting the Earth in a single-man spacecraft. At the most critical juncture of the experiment, something goes horribly wrong and he finds himself and his small craft hurtling through a wormhole that deposits him on the opposite side of the universe. If this wasn’t enough of a problem by itself, he finds himself in the middle of a battle with a squadron of fighter ships that are attacking a much larger vessel.
But before Crichton can think, let alone act, his ship collides with one of the fliers, destroying it. This accident forces him to align with the ship under attack as the smaller fighters are targeting him as an enemy combatant. Once aboard the giant ship and after managing to escape from the battle, John discovers that he is aboard a prison ship filled with prisoners who have just completed a daring escape from their captors. Not only does John find himself with a group of possibly dangerous criminals, but also he quickly learns that in this part of the universe the race that looks like human beings are called Sebaceans, whose powerful military organization known as the Peacekeepers rules all the other races with an iron fist..
Somehow he must learn to get along with his new shipmates and find a way back home; all the while they are hunted by Crais (Lani Tupu), one of the Peacekeeper captains whose brother perished in the earlier collision with John’s spacecraft. He must also avoid capture by a creature called Scorpius (Wayne Pygram), who is only half-Sebacean and is hunting him down to learn the secrets of wormhole technology in order to create the ultimate weapon..
As both Jim Henson and Rockne O’Bannon said, they were looking for something completely new that had never been done before and wanted a more adult show, and in that they succeeded. The characters were all completely different from one another and their true motivations were not always apparent. If you are a science fiction fan and looking for something fresh and new, this would certainly be something worth having.
The extreme range of aliens created for the show is amazing. Some of them are so realistic that you wouldn’t believe they are animatronic. And then there are those like Rygel (Jonathan Hardy), looking like a cross between Yoda and a bullfrog, who at first glance seems silly but as the series progresses totally pulls you in.
The biggest problem I had with this show is that it’s not quite serialized enough. That’s not a bad thing when you’ve got the entire set in front of you to watch from beginning to end, but when it was originally airing and you would only catch an episode here and there, it made for some completely confusing television as everything always appeared to be in flux. Allegiances would change as well as cast members, plotlines carried over multiple episodes and a number of them were two- and three-part episodes, so if you weren’t regularly following the series it was easy to get lost.
Some of the more interesting story arcs involve their ship Moya, who is a living creature and gives birth to a male ship named Talyn; Scorpius implanting a chip in Crichton’s brain in order for it to discover his secrets and the chip becoming its own personality that John is constantly at war with, and finally his love affair with former Peacekeeper Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black).
It’s truly a wonderful thing that they have finally released Farscape as individual seasons and this giant Megaset. Up until now, you were forced to buy them in volumes, which are not only much more expensive, but it was difficult to find each of the volumes, leaving gaping holes in your personal collection. The Megaset includes 26 DVDs featuring all 88 episodes with two discs filled with extras such as:
"Making of a Space Opera" is a basic overview of the entire series and goes into detail of its creation and details of the special effects and the inner working of the animatronics used.
"In The Beginning: A Look Back With Brian Henson" is a sit-down interview where he discusses the basic concepts of how Farscape came into existence from the initial concept, how the show was financed, why they picked Rockne O’Bannon as creator, why season four ended as a cliffhanger, and even how the fans and their "Save Farscape" campaign brought the show back and allowed for the mini-series Farscape: The Peace Keeper Wars (not included here) to be made.
"Farscape in the Raw: Director’s Cut Scenes" takes original scenes and compares them to the Director’s cut, which doesn’t have the sound effects, music, special effects, or even the correct actor’s voices dubbed in.
"Farscape Undressed" was filmed just before season three aired and hosted by Ben Browder and Claudia Black. Essentially, it is a recap of the first two seasons in order to jog the memories of current fans and to help new viewers catch up to the current storyline.
“Listening In with Composer Guy Gross" reveals the musical side of the series as you get to observe him creating. Not only does he pause to add his own commentary, but it’s shot looking over his shoulder as you watch him play the synthesizer while he watches the scene on a television in front of him. This is certainly different than what you get from most DVD sets and there are 12 of these features, each from different episodes.
"Behind the Scenes Interviews" are with nearly every member of the cast except for the two main stars Ben Browder and Claudia Black.
"Video Profile: Creator/Executive Producer/Writer Rockne O’Bannon and Executive Producer Writer David Kemper" which are both very similar to the interview with Brian Henson, but these two have much more video clips mixed in and less information.
There are also 31 commentary tracks, deleted scenes from 33 episodes, a blooper reel, TV promos, and so much more for fans to explore. If you are a fan of the series, pick up this set.
In the early ‘90s the Jim Henson Company wanted to embark on a new endeavor and try something it had never done before. They were looking to take their unique skills at puppeteering and their Creature Shop and do more than just special effects in films. They were looking to create a television series where they could bring all of their creations to life.
After bringing on Rockne O’Bannon, who was known for creating Alien Nation and SeaQuest, to head the series, it still took them several years for it to hit the airwaves. It wasn’t until after the FOX network had passed on the series and they were about to make it out of their own pocket for syndication that the Sci-Fi Channel stepped up and said that they would use it to head Sci-Fi’s new original-programming format. But even then, the series was a huge expense on any network, so the Henson Company used a multi-national approach for funding. It was supported by three different agencies: one in the United States, one in Britain, and one in Australia. In return they each got broadcast rights in their respective country. This is also the main reason why all of the filming was done in Australia and ended up with only the lead role being cast with an American actor.
John Crichton (Ben Browder) is a modern-day astronaut/scientist who is conducting some experiments while orbiting the Earth in a single-man spacecraft. At the most critical juncture of the experiment, something goes horribly wrong and he finds himself and his small craft hurtling through a wormhole that deposits him on the opposite side of the universe. If this wasn’t enough of a problem by itself, he finds himself in the middle of a battle with a squadron of fighter ships that are attacking a much larger vessel.
But before Crichton can think, let alone act, his ship collides with one of the fliers, destroying it. This accident forces him to align with the ship under attack as the smaller fighters are targeting him as an enemy combatant. Once aboard the giant ship and after managing to escape from the battle, John discovers that he is aboard a prison ship filled with prisoners who have just completed a daring escape from their captors. Not only does John find himself with a group of possibly dangerous criminals, but also he quickly learns that in this part of the universe the race that looks like human beings are called Sebaceans, whose powerful military organization known as the Peacekeepers rules all the other races with an iron fist..
Somehow he must learn to get along with his new shipmates and find a way back home; all the while they are hunted by Crais (Lani Tupu), one of the Peacekeeper captains whose brother perished in the earlier collision with John’s spacecraft. He must also avoid capture by a creature called Scorpius (Wayne Pygram), who is only half-Sebacean and is hunting him down to learn the secrets of wormhole technology in order to create the ultimate weapon..
As both Jim Henson and Rockne O’Bannon said, they were looking for something completely new that had never been done before and wanted a more adult show, and in that they succeeded. The characters were all completely different from one another and their true motivations were not always apparent. If you are a science fiction fan and looking for something fresh and new, this would certainly be something worth having.
The extreme range of aliens created for the show is amazing. Some of them are so realistic that you wouldn’t believe they are animatronic. And then there are those like Rygel (Jonathan Hardy), looking like a cross between Yoda and a bullfrog, who at first glance seems silly but as the series progresses totally pulls you in.
The biggest problem I had with this show is that it’s not quite serialized enough. That’s not a bad thing when you’ve got the entire set in front of you to watch from beginning to end, but when it was originally airing and you would only catch an episode here and there, it made for some completely confusing television as everything always appeared to be in flux. Allegiances would change as well as cast members, plotlines carried over multiple episodes and a number of them were two- and three-part episodes, so if you weren’t regularly following the series it was easy to get lost.
Some of the more interesting story arcs involve their ship Moya, who is a living creature and gives birth to a male ship named Talyn; Scorpius implanting a chip in Crichton’s brain in order for it to discover his secrets and the chip becoming its own personality that John is constantly at war with, and finally his love affair with former Peacekeeper Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black).
It’s truly a wonderful thing that they have finally released Farscape as individual seasons and this giant Megaset. Up until now, you were forced to buy them in volumes, which are not only much more expensive, but it was difficult to find each of the volumes, leaving gaping holes in your personal collection. The Megaset includes 26 DVDs featuring all 88 episodes with two discs filled with extras such as:
"Making of a Space Opera" is a basic overview of the entire series and goes into detail of its creation and details of the special effects and the inner working of the animatronics used.
"In The Beginning: A Look Back With Brian Henson" is a sit-down interview where he discusses the basic concepts of how Farscape came into existence from the initial concept, how the show was financed, why they picked Rockne O’Bannon as creator, why season four ended as a cliffhanger, and even how the fans and their "Save Farscape" campaign brought the show back and allowed for the mini-series Farscape: The Peace Keeper Wars (not included here) to be made.
"Farscape in the Raw: Director’s Cut Scenes" takes original scenes and compares them to the Director’s cut, which doesn’t have the sound effects, music, special effects, or even the correct actor’s voices dubbed in.
"Farscape Undressed" was filmed just before season three aired and hosted by Ben Browder and Claudia Black. Essentially, it is a recap of the first two seasons in order to jog the memories of current fans and to help new viewers catch up to the current storyline.
“Listening In with Composer Guy Gross" reveals the musical side of the series as you get to observe him creating. Not only does he pause to add his own commentary, but it’s shot looking over his shoulder as you watch him play the synthesizer while he watches the scene on a television in front of him. This is certainly different than what you get from most DVD sets and there are 12 of these features, each from different episodes.
"Behind the Scenes Interviews" are with nearly every member of the cast except for the two main stars Ben Browder and Claudia Black.
"Video Profile: Creator/Executive Producer/Writer Rockne O’Bannon and Executive Producer Writer David Kemper" which are both very similar to the interview with Brian Henson, but these two have much more video clips mixed in and less information.
There are also 31 commentary tracks, deleted scenes from 33 episodes, a blooper reel, TV promos, and so much more for fans to explore. If you are a fan of the series, pick up this set.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Winnie the Pooh - A Valentine for You (Special Edition)
Written by Hombre Divertido
The special edition is due to hit shelves today, but it does not appear that Disney has added much to make this release significantly more “special” than the 2004 release. The six-year evolution has resulted in the addition of another episode from the television series The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1989), and six Valentine cards (three designs, two copies each) to “A Valentine for You,” “Un-Valentine Day,” “Three Little Piglets,” and the game “Catch the Love Bug,” which were all included in the 2004 release.
“A Valentine for You” tells the unusual tale of Pooh and his friends in search of a “smitten,” or a love bug, in order to cure Christopher Robin of his first crush. The tale is unusual in its lack of a sensible story. The transitions which send our friends on their search make little sense, as do the turn of events once the smitten is captured. Though the very young may enjoy the tale like a shiny new toy, parents may find that said toy will not keep the young ones entertained long.
“Un-Valentine's Day” makes far more sense from a pure storytelling perspective, and has more energy than “A Valentine for You.” It should garner more attention from both the young and old.
“Three Little Piglets” starts abruptly, and is a cute telling of the classic tale, but seems incomplete as an episode of The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
New to DVD is “My Hero.” Like “Three Little Piglets” this story is far from new and has nothing to do with Valentine's Day. In “My Hero” Piglet inadvertently falls in a small pond where Tigger is floundering. Tigger believes that Piglet has saved his life, and vows to become his servant. Sound familiar? Yeah, it would be hard to find a sitcom of the sixties or seventies that did not play out that same scenario. Nonetheless, the episode is fun, and highlights the vocal talents of John Fiedler who has been the voice of Piglet for more than forty years.
The “Catch the Love Bug” game is far too basic for the technology of today, and even would have been simple six years ago, as one is asked to move the jar utilizing the arrow keys on the remote, and then press "Enter" when the jar is over the bug. Even the youngest of children will eventually figure out that it is not necessary to move the jar as the bug follows the same course every time and will fly under the jar.
The vocal talents in this release are generally excellent primarily due to the inclusion of not only Feider, but also the legendary Paul Winchell as Tigger in all the stories. Jim Cummings who has been providing the voice of Pooh for over twenty years has taken over the voice of Tigger for the last ten years. Owl is voiced by Andre Stojka in “A Valentine for You” and Hal Smith in the other stories. Smith has been providing the voice of Owl since 1968 and has more of a worldly energy to his voice than that of Stojka. All the stories tend to lack input from Eeyore (Peter Cullen) whose mundane delivery pleasantly counters the exuberance of the other characters when we do get to see and hear him.
The menu on the DVD is awkward, and may be difficult for children to find what they want.
Recommendation: There simply may not be enough material here to warrant the purchase, and certainly not enough new material for those who own the previous release. If it’s on sale, it’s hard to go wrong with anything from the Hundred Acre Wood.
The special edition is due to hit shelves today, but it does not appear that Disney has added much to make this release significantly more “special” than the 2004 release. The six-year evolution has resulted in the addition of another episode from the television series The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1989), and six Valentine cards (three designs, two copies each) to “A Valentine for You,” “Un-Valentine Day,” “Three Little Piglets,” and the game “Catch the Love Bug,” which were all included in the 2004 release.
“A Valentine for You” tells the unusual tale of Pooh and his friends in search of a “smitten,” or a love bug, in order to cure Christopher Robin of his first crush. The tale is unusual in its lack of a sensible story. The transitions which send our friends on their search make little sense, as do the turn of events once the smitten is captured. Though the very young may enjoy the tale like a shiny new toy, parents may find that said toy will not keep the young ones entertained long.
“Un-Valentine's Day” makes far more sense from a pure storytelling perspective, and has more energy than “A Valentine for You.” It should garner more attention from both the young and old.
“Three Little Piglets” starts abruptly, and is a cute telling of the classic tale, but seems incomplete as an episode of The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
New to DVD is “My Hero.” Like “Three Little Piglets” this story is far from new and has nothing to do with Valentine's Day. In “My Hero” Piglet inadvertently falls in a small pond where Tigger is floundering. Tigger believes that Piglet has saved his life, and vows to become his servant. Sound familiar? Yeah, it would be hard to find a sitcom of the sixties or seventies that did not play out that same scenario. Nonetheless, the episode is fun, and highlights the vocal talents of John Fiedler who has been the voice of Piglet for more than forty years.
The “Catch the Love Bug” game is far too basic for the technology of today, and even would have been simple six years ago, as one is asked to move the jar utilizing the arrow keys on the remote, and then press "Enter" when the jar is over the bug. Even the youngest of children will eventually figure out that it is not necessary to move the jar as the bug follows the same course every time and will fly under the jar.
The vocal talents in this release are generally excellent primarily due to the inclusion of not only Feider, but also the legendary Paul Winchell as Tigger in all the stories. Jim Cummings who has been providing the voice of Pooh for over twenty years has taken over the voice of Tigger for the last ten years. Owl is voiced by Andre Stojka in “A Valentine for You” and Hal Smith in the other stories. Smith has been providing the voice of Owl since 1968 and has more of a worldly energy to his voice than that of Stojka. All the stories tend to lack input from Eeyore (Peter Cullen) whose mundane delivery pleasantly counters the exuberance of the other characters when we do get to see and hear him.
The menu on the DVD is awkward, and may be difficult for children to find what they want.
Recommendation: There simply may not be enough material here to warrant the purchase, and certainly not enough new material for those who own the previous release. If it’s on sale, it’s hard to go wrong with anything from the Hundred Acre Wood.
Monday, January 04, 2010
10 Things I Hate About You - 10th Anniversary DVD Edition
Written by Fantasma el Rey
10 Things I Hate About You is the best of the slew of teen comedy/dramas that hit the screen in the late 1990s. A strong cast, good writing and the fact that it’s built around a Shakespeare play are some factors that set this film apart. Ten years after its release by Disney/Touchstone it is still loved and widely watched as this 10th Anniversary Edition proves.
The basic story is a simply one. Adored teen daughter (Larisa Oleynik) of an overprotective father (Larry Miller) won’t let her date until her antisocial older sister (Julia Stiles) does. So a pure-hearted admirer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) of the adored cutie and his friend (David Krumholtz) set in motion a plan that involves a rich snob (Andrew Keegan) and a mysterious outsider (Heath Ledger) to lure said older sister into the dating sphere. Along the way much fun is had, love is fallen in and out of, youths party and dance, the villain is foiled, the boys get their girls, and all is right with the world.
Sound vaguely like a Shakespeare play? Well it is, sort of, The Taming Of The Shrew. The writers envisioned a modern-day (1990s) version of the play set in a high school and somehow it works well. Blending some classic Shakespearean lines in along with their own witty dialog and cleverly mixing and matching names for certain characters. Examples are Patrick Verona for Petruchio, born in Verona; Katharina and Bianca are now Kat and Bianca Stratford for the birthplace of The Bard himself; and the students attend Padua High School (an actual high school building in Washington that looks like a castle) named after the city the play is set in.
Clever and well done with its many memorable lines and scenes that push the limit of its PG-13 rating, 10 Things has held its own in the ten years since its release. The film never talks down to its audience in general. The characters are never stupid (although some do dumb things) or try to talk in then-current hipster lingo. We get smart, bright youths who can act and speak intelligently. The majority of the cast were actually teenagers themselves while filming and playing these roles, which shines through in their chemistry. As you watch you get a sense that some will go on to bigger things in their careers.
The DVD bonus material includes a funny, anecdote-filled audio commentary by writers Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith along with cast members Oleynik, Keegan, Krumholtz, and Susan May Pratt (Kats friend Mandella, who’s madly in love with Shakespeare). As a bonus there is a 30-minute documentary with vintage interviews from the cast and current reflections by director Gil Junger as well as the brilliant writing duo. This edition comes with a digital copy on a separate disc for those who want to take the film wherever they go. Noted on the DVD are deleted scenes that are not shown separately but included in the documentary.
The movie isn’t a masterpiece or a perfect film. There are many little flaws and shooting goofs, but unless you have that keen movie eye or it’s pointed out, you may never know. 10 Things I Hate About You came together very well and is very enjoyable today as it has been through the years; one of my many guilty pleasures.
10 Things I Hate About You is the best of the slew of teen comedy/dramas that hit the screen in the late 1990s. A strong cast, good writing and the fact that it’s built around a Shakespeare play are some factors that set this film apart. Ten years after its release by Disney/Touchstone it is still loved and widely watched as this 10th Anniversary Edition proves.
The basic story is a simply one. Adored teen daughter (Larisa Oleynik) of an overprotective father (Larry Miller) won’t let her date until her antisocial older sister (Julia Stiles) does. So a pure-hearted admirer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) of the adored cutie and his friend (David Krumholtz) set in motion a plan that involves a rich snob (Andrew Keegan) and a mysterious outsider (Heath Ledger) to lure said older sister into the dating sphere. Along the way much fun is had, love is fallen in and out of, youths party and dance, the villain is foiled, the boys get their girls, and all is right with the world.
Sound vaguely like a Shakespeare play? Well it is, sort of, The Taming Of The Shrew. The writers envisioned a modern-day (1990s) version of the play set in a high school and somehow it works well. Blending some classic Shakespearean lines in along with their own witty dialog and cleverly mixing and matching names for certain characters. Examples are Patrick Verona for Petruchio, born in Verona; Katharina and Bianca are now Kat and Bianca Stratford for the birthplace of The Bard himself; and the students attend Padua High School (an actual high school building in Washington that looks like a castle) named after the city the play is set in.
Clever and well done with its many memorable lines and scenes that push the limit of its PG-13 rating, 10 Things has held its own in the ten years since its release. The film never talks down to its audience in general. The characters are never stupid (although some do dumb things) or try to talk in then-current hipster lingo. We get smart, bright youths who can act and speak intelligently. The majority of the cast were actually teenagers themselves while filming and playing these roles, which shines through in their chemistry. As you watch you get a sense that some will go on to bigger things in their careers.
The DVD bonus material includes a funny, anecdote-filled audio commentary by writers Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith along with cast members Oleynik, Keegan, Krumholtz, and Susan May Pratt (Kats friend Mandella, who’s madly in love with Shakespeare). As a bonus there is a 30-minute documentary with vintage interviews from the cast and current reflections by director Gil Junger as well as the brilliant writing duo. This edition comes with a digital copy on a separate disc for those who want to take the film wherever they go. Noted on the DVD are deleted scenes that are not shown separately but included in the documentary.
The movie isn’t a masterpiece or a perfect film. There are many little flaws and shooting goofs, but unless you have that keen movie eye or it’s pointed out, you may never know. 10 Things I Hate About You came together very well and is very enjoyable today as it has been through the years; one of my many guilty pleasures.
ER - The Complete Twelfth Season
Written by Senora Bicho
ER was nearing the end of its 15-year run when season 12 aired in 2005-2006. Ratings had been steadily dropping and this season saw a plummet from #16 to #30.
This season brings new challenges for those working in the ER. Dr. Luka Kovac (Goran Visnjic) and girlfriend Nurse Samantha Taggart (Linda Cardellini) call it quits again, which leads him back into the arms of Dr. Abby Lockheart (Maura Tierney). Neela Kaur Rasgotra (Parminder Nagra) welcomes Dr. Michael Gallant (Sharif Atkins) home from Iraq and he has an important question for her. Dr. Gregory Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) travels to Darfur to assist Dr. Carter (Noah Wiley) while at home he begins to find a family with his estranged father. Dr. Ray Barnett (Shane West) tries to balance being a doctor and a rock star. In addition to all of the personal drama that the characters endure they must also deal with complicated, demanding, and life-altering patients.
ER continued to have more cast changes in season 12. Previously, season 11 saw the departure of Noah Wyle with a tribute in the season finale. In contrast, Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) makes her final appearance in the first episode here with surprisingly little fanfare via an announcement at the beginning of episode five. John Leguizamo joins the cast as Dr. Victor Clemente, John Stamos as Paramedic Tony Gates, and Kristen Johnston as Nurse Manager Eve Peyton.
James Woods received an Emmy nomination for his guest appearance in "Body & Soul" as Dr. Nate Lennox, professor of medicine and Abby’s mentor who is suffering from debilitating ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). The progression of the disease is illustrated through flashbacks working backwards to the day of diagnosis. It is an extremely well-done yet difficult episode to watch that highlights the seriousness and destruction of this disease. Danny Glover and Sara Gilbert continue their recurring roles, and Dr. Carter returns for four episodes involving a special storyline in Darfur. Stana Katic (“Castle”), C. Thomas Howell, Ernie Hudson, Serena Williams, Diane Ladd, Mary McCormack, and many other lesser-known actors appear throughout the season.
There are 22 episodes in the season and the only special feature is “Outpatient Outtakes” presenting deleted scenes.
I previously had the opportunity to review Season 11 which offered great writing and fine storytelling with engaging storylines. While this season offered some good moments and interesting episodes, it was not nearly as strong of a season. Considering that the show is 12 seasons in, it is still very strong and better than many other medical dramas that have followed. If you checked out of the ER before this season aired, I suggest a return visit with the staff of County General.
ER was nearing the end of its 15-year run when season 12 aired in 2005-2006. Ratings had been steadily dropping and this season saw a plummet from #16 to #30.
This season brings new challenges for those working in the ER. Dr. Luka Kovac (Goran Visnjic) and girlfriend Nurse Samantha Taggart (Linda Cardellini) call it quits again, which leads him back into the arms of Dr. Abby Lockheart (Maura Tierney). Neela Kaur Rasgotra (Parminder Nagra) welcomes Dr. Michael Gallant (Sharif Atkins) home from Iraq and he has an important question for her. Dr. Gregory Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) travels to Darfur to assist Dr. Carter (Noah Wiley) while at home he begins to find a family with his estranged father. Dr. Ray Barnett (Shane West) tries to balance being a doctor and a rock star. In addition to all of the personal drama that the characters endure they must also deal with complicated, demanding, and life-altering patients.
ER continued to have more cast changes in season 12. Previously, season 11 saw the departure of Noah Wyle with a tribute in the season finale. In contrast, Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) makes her final appearance in the first episode here with surprisingly little fanfare via an announcement at the beginning of episode five. John Leguizamo joins the cast as Dr. Victor Clemente, John Stamos as Paramedic Tony Gates, and Kristen Johnston as Nurse Manager Eve Peyton.
James Woods received an Emmy nomination for his guest appearance in "Body & Soul" as Dr. Nate Lennox, professor of medicine and Abby’s mentor who is suffering from debilitating ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). The progression of the disease is illustrated through flashbacks working backwards to the day of diagnosis. It is an extremely well-done yet difficult episode to watch that highlights the seriousness and destruction of this disease. Danny Glover and Sara Gilbert continue their recurring roles, and Dr. Carter returns for four episodes involving a special storyline in Darfur. Stana Katic (“Castle”), C. Thomas Howell, Ernie Hudson, Serena Williams, Diane Ladd, Mary McCormack, and many other lesser-known actors appear throughout the season.
There are 22 episodes in the season and the only special feature is “Outpatient Outtakes” presenting deleted scenes.
I previously had the opportunity to review Season 11 which offered great writing and fine storytelling with engaging storylines. While this season offered some good moments and interesting episodes, it was not nearly as strong of a season. Considering that the show is 12 seasons in, it is still very strong and better than many other medical dramas that have followed. If you checked out of the ER before this season aired, I suggest a return visit with the staff of County General.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
FACING ALI
Written by Hombre Divertido
Like all boxing matches some solid shots are landed in Facing Ali, but more often than not, this documentary swings and misses.
The story of Muhammad Ali’s career has been told and documented many times in many forms, so finding a new slant was certainly a challenge. Nonetheless, producers Derik Murry and Paul Gertz, and director Pete McCormack found a way to tell Ali’s story and the stories of other legendary boxers that was unique and exciting. Unfortunately, somewhere in the process, it appears that they got a bit off track.
The packaging for the DVD states, “Ten of the sport's finest fighters tell what it is like to battle Muhammad Ali”. It also mentions, “This brutally honest documentary recounts Ali’s incomparable journey as seen through the eyes of those who stepped through the ropes and into history.” To some extent, the footage of Ali throughout his career both in the ring and out, and the interviews with George Chuvalo, Sir Henry Cooper, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, Ernie Shavers, Leon Spinks, and Ernie Terrell does accomplish what the documentarians set out to do, but ultimately the goals touted were not achieved.
It is always good to leave an audience wanting more, but, it is not good for a documentary to leave so many unanswered questions. Whether it is poor interviewing or poor editing is not clear, but more insight into what it was like to be in the ring with Muhammad Ali certainly was available, and yet, not found in Facing Ali.
In the opening segment of the film, Ernie Terrell recounts a story from 1958 where he tells of Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) walking into a room and saying “I want everybody who weighs 175 pounds to stand-up. I just want to let you know who is going to win this thing here tonight; it’s gonna be me.” What room? Where was this? What “thing” was he going to win? The questions remain, and this was just a glimpse of more incomplete interviews to follow.
The discussions with the fighters are candid and entertaining, but one could easily expect that a documentary titled Facing Ali would delve deeply into what it was like to prepare for and fight the legendary fighter. The actual accounts of what it was like to be in the ring with Ali are few and far between, and there is even less time dedicated to preparation. More frustrating is the obvious questions that are not answered. What would seem like a natural course to have taken would have been to discuss rematches with Ali. The rematches with Cooper (1), Chuvalo (1), and Norton (2), are not acknowledged, and only Ali vs. Frazier I and III are chronicled here. At only 100 minutes, time certainly could have and should have been spent on what it was like to go back into the ring and face Ali again.
The bonus material primarily focuses on the making of the documentary, and it is clear both from listening to the filmmakers and viewing the final product, that a great deal of time and energy was put into making the archival footage and the film as a whole look great. The final product does indeed look amazing; it is the content that is frustratingly lacking.
The “Animated Trivia Cards” of each of the ten fighters interviewed is a nice touch.
Recommendation: Though we are led to believe that we will see “ten of the sports finest fighters tell what it is like to battle Muhammad Ali” that is not actually what we get. Yes, the majority of the fighters interviewed are engaging and entertaining, and that does make the product enjoyable, but this film could have been and should have been better.
True fans of boxing are going to enjoy the time spent with the legendary fighters interviewed. Fans of Ali can find better accounts of the champ's career. Those looking for insight into what it was like Facing Ali will be frustrated with this incomplete product.
Like all boxing matches some solid shots are landed in Facing Ali, but more often than not, this documentary swings and misses.
The story of Muhammad Ali’s career has been told and documented many times in many forms, so finding a new slant was certainly a challenge. Nonetheless, producers Derik Murry and Paul Gertz, and director Pete McCormack found a way to tell Ali’s story and the stories of other legendary boxers that was unique and exciting. Unfortunately, somewhere in the process, it appears that they got a bit off track.
The packaging for the DVD states, “Ten of the sport's finest fighters tell what it is like to battle Muhammad Ali”. It also mentions, “This brutally honest documentary recounts Ali’s incomparable journey as seen through the eyes of those who stepped through the ropes and into history.” To some extent, the footage of Ali throughout his career both in the ring and out, and the interviews with George Chuvalo, Sir Henry Cooper, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, Ernie Shavers, Leon Spinks, and Ernie Terrell does accomplish what the documentarians set out to do, but ultimately the goals touted were not achieved.
It is always good to leave an audience wanting more, but, it is not good for a documentary to leave so many unanswered questions. Whether it is poor interviewing or poor editing is not clear, but more insight into what it was like to be in the ring with Muhammad Ali certainly was available, and yet, not found in Facing Ali.
In the opening segment of the film, Ernie Terrell recounts a story from 1958 where he tells of Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) walking into a room and saying “I want everybody who weighs 175 pounds to stand-up. I just want to let you know who is going to win this thing here tonight; it’s gonna be me.” What room? Where was this? What “thing” was he going to win? The questions remain, and this was just a glimpse of more incomplete interviews to follow.
The discussions with the fighters are candid and entertaining, but one could easily expect that a documentary titled Facing Ali would delve deeply into what it was like to prepare for and fight the legendary fighter. The actual accounts of what it was like to be in the ring with Ali are few and far between, and there is even less time dedicated to preparation. More frustrating is the obvious questions that are not answered. What would seem like a natural course to have taken would have been to discuss rematches with Ali. The rematches with Cooper (1), Chuvalo (1), and Norton (2), are not acknowledged, and only Ali vs. Frazier I and III are chronicled here. At only 100 minutes, time certainly could have and should have been spent on what it was like to go back into the ring and face Ali again.
The bonus material primarily focuses on the making of the documentary, and it is clear both from listening to the filmmakers and viewing the final product, that a great deal of time and energy was put into making the archival footage and the film as a whole look great. The final product does indeed look amazing; it is the content that is frustratingly lacking.
The “Animated Trivia Cards” of each of the ten fighters interviewed is a nice touch.
Recommendation: Though we are led to believe that we will see “ten of the sports finest fighters tell what it is like to battle Muhammad Ali” that is not actually what we get. Yes, the majority of the fighters interviewed are engaging and entertaining, and that does make the product enjoyable, but this film could have been and should have been better.
True fans of boxing are going to enjoy the time spent with the legendary fighters interviewed. Fans of Ali can find better accounts of the champ's career. Those looking for insight into what it was like Facing Ali will be frustrated with this incomplete product.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
UP IN THE AIR
Up in the Air with George Clooney is a thoroughly entertaining place to be.
Avatar may have state of the art special effects, and Sherlock Holmes may be action packed, but Up in the Air succeeds by keeping it simple, excellent storytelling through superb writing and solid performances.
In Up in the Air Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a corporate-downsizing gun-for-hire who is on the road more than 300 days a year firing employees for corporations, and lecturing on simplifying one's life by eliminating attachments to things and relationships. Though a life upon the road may seem like a miserable existence to most, it is exactly the existence Ryan cherishes and yearns to excel at.
When Ryan’s company hires fresh-out-of-college hotshot Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) who has plans to change the way the company operates by eliminating the need for travel, Ryan gets assigned to show her the ropes. While Ryan and Natalie are traveling throughout the U.S. firing people, Ryan is also trying to make time for a new interest in his life (Vera Farmiga) who describers herself as a female him and a pending family obligation.
Ryan’s cynical sense softens slightly throughout the film as he begins to see his life from the perspective of others, but the growth is stunted, and he is left to evaluate many choices he has made in life. Some of the plot turns are a bit obvious, but that is made up for by smart and witty dialog.
Based on the novel by Walter Kim, the screenplay by director Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner is paced perfectly, moving at a speed that is just quick enough to keep the dialogue-driven endeavor from bogging down without losing any of the subtle moments key to the success of the film as a whole.
The cinematography by Eric Steelberg is top notch as he truly manages to capture the U.S. locations in a rural and gray look that is engaging to the audience.
The performances in Up in the Air will warrant many award nominations. Unfortunately, Clooney makes this look too easy, and though that is a tribute to his skill and that of casting director Mindy Marin, it may hinder Clooney when the awards are distributed. It is the supporting players that make this film extremely fun. From the one-scene outings of J. K. Simmons and Sam Elliot, and those of even lesser-known actors playing the soon to be downsized, to the performance of Farmiga who manages to say so much without saying a word. Kendrick’s performance gets a bit too cartoony at times for this production, and Jason Bateman as Ryan and Natalie’s boss is too smug, but the impact is minor, and is made up for by those surrounding them.
Recommendation: Guaranteed to leave you wanting more. Skip the blockbusters and settle in for some old-school filmmaking.
Avatar may have state of the art special effects, and Sherlock Holmes may be action packed, but Up in the Air succeeds by keeping it simple, excellent storytelling through superb writing and solid performances.
In Up in the Air Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a corporate-downsizing gun-for-hire who is on the road more than 300 days a year firing employees for corporations, and lecturing on simplifying one's life by eliminating attachments to things and relationships. Though a life upon the road may seem like a miserable existence to most, it is exactly the existence Ryan cherishes and yearns to excel at.
When Ryan’s company hires fresh-out-of-college hotshot Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) who has plans to change the way the company operates by eliminating the need for travel, Ryan gets assigned to show her the ropes. While Ryan and Natalie are traveling throughout the U.S. firing people, Ryan is also trying to make time for a new interest in his life (Vera Farmiga) who describers herself as a female him and a pending family obligation.
Ryan’s cynical sense softens slightly throughout the film as he begins to see his life from the perspective of others, but the growth is stunted, and he is left to evaluate many choices he has made in life. Some of the plot turns are a bit obvious, but that is made up for by smart and witty dialog.
Based on the novel by Walter Kim, the screenplay by director Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner is paced perfectly, moving at a speed that is just quick enough to keep the dialogue-driven endeavor from bogging down without losing any of the subtle moments key to the success of the film as a whole.
The cinematography by Eric Steelberg is top notch as he truly manages to capture the U.S. locations in a rural and gray look that is engaging to the audience.
The performances in Up in the Air will warrant many award nominations. Unfortunately, Clooney makes this look too easy, and though that is a tribute to his skill and that of casting director Mindy Marin, it may hinder Clooney when the awards are distributed. It is the supporting players that make this film extremely fun. From the one-scene outings of J. K. Simmons and Sam Elliot, and those of even lesser-known actors playing the soon to be downsized, to the performance of Farmiga who manages to say so much without saying a word. Kendrick’s performance gets a bit too cartoony at times for this production, and Jason Bateman as Ryan and Natalie’s boss is too smug, but the impact is minor, and is made up for by those surrounding them.
Recommendation: Guaranteed to leave you wanting more. Skip the blockbusters and settle in for some old-school filmmaking.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie - Extended Edition
Written by Pirata Hermosa
The first feature-length made-for-TV movie based on the popular Disney channel show has been released for the first time on DVD.
When the Russo family goes on vacation, it is never a dull moment. While most kids can go to the Caribbean with their parents and have a fairly normal family vacation, it’s not so easy when the kids are three wannabe wizards. Knowing their children’s tendencies to cause mischief and mayhem, their parents, Jerry (David DeLuise) and Theresa (Maria Canals-Barrera), forbid them to bring along their wands or to use any magic while on the trip.
That plan lasts almost as long as a short commercial break. Daughter Alex (Selena Gomez) has discovered the family’s spell book and brought it along, but she’s not the only one to blame. Justin (David Henrie) packed his wand and Max (Jake T. Austin) immediately starts using spells on a local street magician to spice up his act.
But this street magician is more than he appears to be. Sensing the Russos are doing real magic, Archie (Steve Valentine) asks for them to help his parrot return to her human self, as she has been turned into a bird. He says that he has a map to the Stone of Dreams, an extremely powerful item that is rumored to grant wishes.
After initially dismissing his request and acting like they don’t know what he is talking about, the kids return to ask him for help in saving their parents. During a normal teen moment while Alex is arguing with her mom, she mistakenly wishes that her parents had never met. A common wish that many teenagers have had throughout history, but not while they are holding the powerful family spell book and Justin’s borrowed wand. When Alex realizes that her parents have no memory of anything that has happened after their initial meeting, she rushes to her siblings for help.
Alex and Justin enlist help from Archie, while Max stays behind to not only watch his parents, but also to find some way to help them fall in love again. You’d think Max would have the easier job, but keeping his parents out of trouble while both are on the prowl and his father can use magic again is far from being an easy task. The other two teenagers head off on a magical journey through the jungle to face a myriad of obstacles in the search for the stone.
Eventually all of this climaxes into a final battle reminiscent of a Harry Potter film. Alex and Justin must fight one another in order to pass the final wizard task where one will become a full wizard and the other loses their abilities forever.
At first it’s a little strange seeing the show in a feature-length format. The sets look a little different and there is no laugh track. After you settle into the first 10 minutes of the show and the family arrives at their vacation spot, it really begins to take off and becomes an independent film of its own. It has nice pacing and a good storyline that keeps your attention. You don’t even need to be a fan of the show to understand what is going on.
For fans of the show, I think they will be surprised at the changes. The special effects are far superior to what they do on the television show and there is a lot more character development. Alex finally shows a little emotion and becomes less of a brat and more of a responsible young woman. You can feel an actual relationship between Justin and Alex develop as the two join forces and find themselves struggling to save the family. Under normal circumstances they are rivals, but in the film you see that they do care for one another like most siblings do. Max isn’t just the stupid younger brother. He’s certainly not a genius, but he actually uses his brain a few times and is less of a one-dimensional character. Theresa actually shows some parenting skills and isn’t just part of the background like she normally is. And finally, Jerry isn’t just a foil for his kids to play off of, and shows how he wasn’t such a responsible person when he was a teenager either.
The DVD contains one making-of featurette where you go behind the scenes with the cast to see how the film was created, a digital copy, and a Wishing Stone key chain that changes color when you touch it.
The first feature-length made-for-TV movie based on the popular Disney channel show has been released for the first time on DVD.
When the Russo family goes on vacation, it is never a dull moment. While most kids can go to the Caribbean with their parents and have a fairly normal family vacation, it’s not so easy when the kids are three wannabe wizards. Knowing their children’s tendencies to cause mischief and mayhem, their parents, Jerry (David DeLuise) and Theresa (Maria Canals-Barrera), forbid them to bring along their wands or to use any magic while on the trip.
That plan lasts almost as long as a short commercial break. Daughter Alex (Selena Gomez) has discovered the family’s spell book and brought it along, but she’s not the only one to blame. Justin (David Henrie) packed his wand and Max (Jake T. Austin) immediately starts using spells on a local street magician to spice up his act.
But this street magician is more than he appears to be. Sensing the Russos are doing real magic, Archie (Steve Valentine) asks for them to help his parrot return to her human self, as she has been turned into a bird. He says that he has a map to the Stone of Dreams, an extremely powerful item that is rumored to grant wishes.
After initially dismissing his request and acting like they don’t know what he is talking about, the kids return to ask him for help in saving their parents. During a normal teen moment while Alex is arguing with her mom, she mistakenly wishes that her parents had never met. A common wish that many teenagers have had throughout history, but not while they are holding the powerful family spell book and Justin’s borrowed wand. When Alex realizes that her parents have no memory of anything that has happened after their initial meeting, she rushes to her siblings for help.
Alex and Justin enlist help from Archie, while Max stays behind to not only watch his parents, but also to find some way to help them fall in love again. You’d think Max would have the easier job, but keeping his parents out of trouble while both are on the prowl and his father can use magic again is far from being an easy task. The other two teenagers head off on a magical journey through the jungle to face a myriad of obstacles in the search for the stone.
Eventually all of this climaxes into a final battle reminiscent of a Harry Potter film. Alex and Justin must fight one another in order to pass the final wizard task where one will become a full wizard and the other loses their abilities forever.
At first it’s a little strange seeing the show in a feature-length format. The sets look a little different and there is no laugh track. After you settle into the first 10 minutes of the show and the family arrives at their vacation spot, it really begins to take off and becomes an independent film of its own. It has nice pacing and a good storyline that keeps your attention. You don’t even need to be a fan of the show to understand what is going on.
For fans of the show, I think they will be surprised at the changes. The special effects are far superior to what they do on the television show and there is a lot more character development. Alex finally shows a little emotion and becomes less of a brat and more of a responsible young woman. You can feel an actual relationship between Justin and Alex develop as the two join forces and find themselves struggling to save the family. Under normal circumstances they are rivals, but in the film you see that they do care for one another like most siblings do. Max isn’t just the stupid younger brother. He’s certainly not a genius, but he actually uses his brain a few times and is less of a one-dimensional character. Theresa actually shows some parenting skills and isn’t just part of the background like she normally is. And finally, Jerry isn’t just a foil for his kids to play off of, and shows how he wasn’t such a responsible person when he was a teenager either.
The DVD contains one making-of featurette where you go behind the scenes with the cast to see how the film was created, a digital copy, and a Wishing Stone key chain that changes color when you touch it.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
BROTHERS (2009)
Written by Hombre Divertido
It is not unusual at this time of year for one's thoughts to turn to the upcoming holiday, the New Year, and of course the best and worst movies of the current year. The respective lists can be tough as they are usually limited to ten entrants. One can certainly thank the writers, director, producers, and actors of Brothers for supplying all with a surefire entrant on to everyone’s "worst of 2009" list.
This plodding 110-minute yawn fest featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, and Tobey Maguire drags along toward a conclusion that every audience member sees coming, and yet, still manages to be more disappointing than anticipated. The commercials for Brothers would certainly lead one to believe that this is an intense thriller. In actuality, there is little intensity until the second hour, and by then most of the audience has checked out.
Though Maguire manages to look eerily like Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver that is certainly where the similarities cease. Maguire is simply in over his head as Capt. Sam Cahill, the emotionally unstable soldier returning to his family after being thought killed in Afghanistan. Mare Winningham is distractingly miscast as the Cahill's stepmother, but Maguire is the big problem as he is too young looking for his part and many of the emotional scenes are beyond his range. Most notable is Maguire's performance in the scene in which his character finally blows and begins to destroy his newly refurbished kitchen. Said performance will rival that of Sylvester Stallone in the conclusion of First Blood for one of the worst of all time. The rest of the cast is adequate. Unfortunately they are given little to do, and thus provide one-dimensional performances. Though Bailee Madison provides an engaging performance as Cahill's eldest daughter, the motivation for the character, and most of the others in the movie, is inconsistent and subsequently distracting.
The screenplay by David Benioff based on the motion picture Brødre, written by Susanne Beir and Anders Thomas Jensen, manages to surprise as it fails to go many places one might suspect. It fails to go anywhere that would generate any energy, tension, or excitement. Director Jim Sheridan reigns in his talented cast and wastes the skills of Gyllenhaal, Portman, and Sam Shepard. What should be emotion filled climactic confrontation scenes border on comical as they are too contrived.
Recommendation: It is rare to find a film that warrants no positive factors in a review. Perhaps if someone was to see Brothers more than once, they may find some redeeming qualities, but that would not be a task wished upon anyone during this joyous holiday season. If it hits DVD shelves before Christmas, which would be appropriate, it will make the perfect white elephant gift.
It is not unusual at this time of year for one's thoughts to turn to the upcoming holiday, the New Year, and of course the best and worst movies of the current year. The respective lists can be tough as they are usually limited to ten entrants. One can certainly thank the writers, director, producers, and actors of Brothers for supplying all with a surefire entrant on to everyone’s "worst of 2009" list.
This plodding 110-minute yawn fest featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, and Tobey Maguire drags along toward a conclusion that every audience member sees coming, and yet, still manages to be more disappointing than anticipated. The commercials for Brothers would certainly lead one to believe that this is an intense thriller. In actuality, there is little intensity until the second hour, and by then most of the audience has checked out.
Though Maguire manages to look eerily like Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver that is certainly where the similarities cease. Maguire is simply in over his head as Capt. Sam Cahill, the emotionally unstable soldier returning to his family after being thought killed in Afghanistan. Mare Winningham is distractingly miscast as the Cahill's stepmother, but Maguire is the big problem as he is too young looking for his part and many of the emotional scenes are beyond his range. Most notable is Maguire's performance in the scene in which his character finally blows and begins to destroy his newly refurbished kitchen. Said performance will rival that of Sylvester Stallone in the conclusion of First Blood for one of the worst of all time. The rest of the cast is adequate. Unfortunately they are given little to do, and thus provide one-dimensional performances. Though Bailee Madison provides an engaging performance as Cahill's eldest daughter, the motivation for the character, and most of the others in the movie, is inconsistent and subsequently distracting.
The screenplay by David Benioff based on the motion picture Brødre, written by Susanne Beir and Anders Thomas Jensen, manages to surprise as it fails to go many places one might suspect. It fails to go anywhere that would generate any energy, tension, or excitement. Director Jim Sheridan reigns in his talented cast and wastes the skills of Gyllenhaal, Portman, and Sam Shepard. What should be emotion filled climactic confrontation scenes border on comical as they are too contrived.
Recommendation: It is rare to find a film that warrants no positive factors in a review. Perhaps if someone was to see Brothers more than once, they may find some redeeming qualities, but that would not be a task wished upon anyone during this joyous holiday season. If it hits DVD shelves before Christmas, which would be appropriate, it will make the perfect white elephant gift.
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Night at the Museum - Battle of the Smithsonian (Two-Disc Monkey Mischief Pack)
Written by Pirata Hermosa
It’s hard enough to believe that one film about a museum whose exhibits come to life during the night would be a fun exciting film, let alone two. But somehow director Shawn Levy managed to succeed.
The original film was about Larry (Ben Stiller), a guy down on his luck who gets a gig as the late night guard at the American Museum of Natural History. Unbeknownst to him, the exhibits actually come to life at night and there are a lot of tasks he has to do on a nightly basis just to keep them in line.
In the latest incarnation, Larry has moved on to bigger and better things. He’s an infomercial sensation selling all kinds of gimmicks that he has invented. His latest invention is the glow-in-the-dark flashlight. With his new-found fame and fortune, Larry no longer needs to be a night watchman. It’s been two years since he left the museum and only shows up every few months to check on his old friends.
During his latest visit, he discovers that the museum is being modernized with interactive exhibits. This means that all of the old exhibits are being sent into deep storage in the Federal Archives at the Smithsonian. Not only are they going to be shipped away, but the golden tablet of Akmenrah that brings them to life every night is not being sent along.
At first, Larry is slightly bothered by this news and eventually accepts the fate of his friends. His son doesn’t understand his father’s reaction, but when Larry suddenly receives an emergency call from Jedediah (Owen Wilson) the miniature cowboy, the former night watchman decides that he has to do something.
Once he manages to sneak into the underground archives he finds that Dexter, the Capuchin Monkey has stolen the plaque and brought it with him. Now everything in the Smithsonian’s multiple museums has been brought to life and is running amok. While most of the exhibits are friendly, Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), who is Akmenrah’s brother, has gathered some of the world’s most dangerous men to hunt down the life-giving tablet in order to bring his army back to life. It’s up to Larry to stop the pharaoh and save his friends.
The film is very entertaining, and it’s difficult not to be when you have such an all-star cast. Hank Azaria is a major reason for the success of this film. His portrayal of the Pharaoh and the bizarre voice he uses makes every minute he is on screen incredibly funny. The addition of Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart is also a brilliant casting decision. Not only is she stunning to look at, but her spirit and plucky attitude is what gives the film its heart.
This is a two-disc DVD set. Disc 1 contains the full-length feature, has a director’s commentary, a writer’s commentary, and the following special features:
“The Curators of Comedy: Behind the Scenes of Night at the Museum - Battle of the Smithsonian.”
Deleted Scenes: Mostly just a few extended scenes, but there are a couple with Al Capone (Jon Bemthal) that would have been a nice edition. Also, the alternate ending is interesting because the original villains from the first film show up. And those were played by Mickey Rooney, Dick Van Dyke and Bill Cobbs, but unfortunately, their scene would have detracted from the film and were better left out.
Gag Reel: A fairly typical gag reel, but with much better actors unable to get their lines right.
“Phinding Pharaoh”: Having cast Hank Azaria in the role as the pharaoh, Levy turned him loose and let him come up with the voice. This is the video of Azaria in full costume playing around with different accents, such as British, Southern, Cockney, and finally settling on Boris Karloff.
“The Jonas Brothers in Cherub Boot Camp”: It’s pretty funny to watch Levy torturing the brothers by having them training to be cherubs. They must prance around wearing wings, play harps, and practice archery.
Disc 2 is Monkey Mischief and it is filled with monkey-related activities and featurettes.
“Monkey Business” tells how Crystal, the monkey who plays Dexter, was trained and how the cast interacts with her. It deals only with the first film.
“Primate Prima Donnas” is based on the second film. While Crystal played both Dexter and Able, she has a stand-in named Squirt who isn’t as talented that helps during the shooting of the second film when both monkeys must appear together in a scene.
“The Secret Life of a Monkey Movie Star: Life Off Camera”: Home videos strung together to show what the two monkeys do at home. Basically it’s an excuse to put them in different costumes and give them props to show that they play music or spend time in the pool.
Monkey Slap: a video game for Mac or PC. Play as Dexter or a guard and slap one another until your power bar is completely filled. You can slap high or low, dodge backwards or block. It’s rather slow and awkward to play. You’d need to be a very young child to enjoy this game.
“Able & Dexter’s Flights of Fancy” is a trivia game that is run by the two monkeys in the film. They give you a history lesson and then you get a pop quiz in regards to what you just learned. If you succeed you build a flying machine. The game is really simple and made for little kids. The fact that the monkeys just chitter while you read the subtitles is just annoying.
It’s hard enough to believe that one film about a museum whose exhibits come to life during the night would be a fun exciting film, let alone two. But somehow director Shawn Levy managed to succeed.
The original film was about Larry (Ben Stiller), a guy down on his luck who gets a gig as the late night guard at the American Museum of Natural History. Unbeknownst to him, the exhibits actually come to life at night and there are a lot of tasks he has to do on a nightly basis just to keep them in line.
In the latest incarnation, Larry has moved on to bigger and better things. He’s an infomercial sensation selling all kinds of gimmicks that he has invented. His latest invention is the glow-in-the-dark flashlight. With his new-found fame and fortune, Larry no longer needs to be a night watchman. It’s been two years since he left the museum and only shows up every few months to check on his old friends.
During his latest visit, he discovers that the museum is being modernized with interactive exhibits. This means that all of the old exhibits are being sent into deep storage in the Federal Archives at the Smithsonian. Not only are they going to be shipped away, but the golden tablet of Akmenrah that brings them to life every night is not being sent along.
At first, Larry is slightly bothered by this news and eventually accepts the fate of his friends. His son doesn’t understand his father’s reaction, but when Larry suddenly receives an emergency call from Jedediah (Owen Wilson) the miniature cowboy, the former night watchman decides that he has to do something.
Once he manages to sneak into the underground archives he finds that Dexter, the Capuchin Monkey has stolen the plaque and brought it with him. Now everything in the Smithsonian’s multiple museums has been brought to life and is running amok. While most of the exhibits are friendly, Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), who is Akmenrah’s brother, has gathered some of the world’s most dangerous men to hunt down the life-giving tablet in order to bring his army back to life. It’s up to Larry to stop the pharaoh and save his friends.
The film is very entertaining, and it’s difficult not to be when you have such an all-star cast. Hank Azaria is a major reason for the success of this film. His portrayal of the Pharaoh and the bizarre voice he uses makes every minute he is on screen incredibly funny. The addition of Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart is also a brilliant casting decision. Not only is she stunning to look at, but her spirit and plucky attitude is what gives the film its heart.
This is a two-disc DVD set. Disc 1 contains the full-length feature, has a director’s commentary, a writer’s commentary, and the following special features:
“The Curators of Comedy: Behind the Scenes of Night at the Museum - Battle of the Smithsonian.”
Deleted Scenes: Mostly just a few extended scenes, but there are a couple with Al Capone (Jon Bemthal) that would have been a nice edition. Also, the alternate ending is interesting because the original villains from the first film show up. And those were played by Mickey Rooney, Dick Van Dyke and Bill Cobbs, but unfortunately, their scene would have detracted from the film and were better left out.
Gag Reel: A fairly typical gag reel, but with much better actors unable to get their lines right.
“Phinding Pharaoh”: Having cast Hank Azaria in the role as the pharaoh, Levy turned him loose and let him come up with the voice. This is the video of Azaria in full costume playing around with different accents, such as British, Southern, Cockney, and finally settling on Boris Karloff.
“The Jonas Brothers in Cherub Boot Camp”: It’s pretty funny to watch Levy torturing the brothers by having them training to be cherubs. They must prance around wearing wings, play harps, and practice archery.
Disc 2 is Monkey Mischief and it is filled with monkey-related activities and featurettes.
“Monkey Business” tells how Crystal, the monkey who plays Dexter, was trained and how the cast interacts with her. It deals only with the first film.
“Primate Prima Donnas” is based on the second film. While Crystal played both Dexter and Able, she has a stand-in named Squirt who isn’t as talented that helps during the shooting of the second film when both monkeys must appear together in a scene.
“The Secret Life of a Monkey Movie Star: Life Off Camera”: Home videos strung together to show what the two monkeys do at home. Basically it’s an excuse to put them in different costumes and give them props to show that they play music or spend time in the pool.
Monkey Slap: a video game for Mac or PC. Play as Dexter or a guard and slap one another until your power bar is completely filled. You can slap high or low, dodge backwards or block. It’s rather slow and awkward to play. You’d need to be a very young child to enjoy this game.
“Able & Dexter’s Flights of Fancy” is a trivia game that is run by the two monkeys in the film. They give you a history lesson and then you get a pop quiz in regards to what you just learned. If you succeed you build a flying machine. The game is really simple and made for little kids. The fact that the monkeys just chitter while you read the subtitles is just annoying.
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