"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" KICKS ASS

I don't even know where to begin with this one. Just wow. I was a huge fan of Mission: Impossible III, but Ghost Protocol completely blows it out of the water. The story and the new cast definitely make this a fresh and stylish installment, but a lot of the praise has to go to director Brad Bird whose skills in the world of animation where anything can happen result in impossible ideas and stunts being somewhat believable with real people. And even if you chuckle to yourself about how ridiculously insane some of the action is, it's still cool as hell.

The movie starts off with Josh Holloway (Sawyer from Lost) on a mission gone wrong (just one of several, so I guess some things are impossible even though every mission ends up being probable, but I digress). And it's a shame because let's be honest, this guy should be in more stuff. Then we find Ethan Hunt, you know Tom Cruise, in jail. The hilarious and now man in the field Benji, played by the always delightful Simon Pegg, helps get him out. Then we meet Agent Carter, played by Paula Patton. Hot damn. Good addition to the film. Anyway, they must recover a file containing launch codes that could start a nuclear war. They're about to fall into the hands of some Russian psycho code-named "Cobalt." So then they break into the Kremlin to get info about him. Other guys are there and blow their cover so the IMF is blamed and thus disavowed, hence Ghost Protocol. I'm giving away too much information that you can probably already tell from the preview, but long story short, they have to clear their name and stop the bad guy. But my God, do they do it in style. Also, Jeremy Renner joins in as William Brandt, the Secretary's analyst...or is he? And if you're wondering where the usual teammates are like Luther Stickell, played by Ving Rhames, you'll find out.

I saw this in IMAX, which for $18.50 really isn't worth it, but I had a gift card so whatever. Although only a handful of scenes are actually filmed with the IMAX camera, they're mind blowing. I was jumping and cringing feeling like I was hanging from the Burj Khalifa in Dubai (world's tallest building). I felt engulfed in a sandstorm. I felt like the Kremlin was blowing up around me. Just super intense. Full immersion! Leave it to Brad Bird to completely push it to the limit. It was literally The Incredibles on speed and with real actors. 

Only someone with a movie like that on his resume could create and make full use of the amazing technology in this film. Sure there are iPhones and iPads, and if you don't think the iPad is an incredible device, it's in a Mission Impossible film, so it's pretty sick, but there's so much more. There's a giant screen that unfolds from a pocket-sized device producing the image of a hallway Hunt and Benji are in and can hide behind. I mean, what?! How do you even come up with that idea. And a hovering magnetic suit. And gloves that allow you to climb a building. Those actually suck though, hence Cruise's amazing stunts, which he actually does himself. I've noticed that multiple devices are quite faulty. But hey, you need conflict to drive the story.

In conclusion, Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol is pure action, but not in a crappy Transformers way, although it is a big budget film. This film incorporates multiple locations, a very entertaining story line, awesome characters, and amazing stunts. I wasn't bored for a second. There's even a little mystery going on. It has it all. It won't be nominated for any Oscars or anything, except probably sound and those ones you don't remember that the Bourne movies won, but this is why we go to the movies. Entertainment. And trust me, you won't find anything in the theaters more entertaining than this mission. A tip of the hat to Brad Bird and Tom Cruise who give it their all and pull it off splendidly. And a wink to Paula Patton.

Stars: 4/4

Don't Want To Pass Along Anything Nice To These "Descendants"

WARNING: Although this is my little website full of my opinions about movies, I try my best not to ramble on about how I, personally, feel about the latest film I've seen. I do what I can to find the things that others may enjoy even if I couldn't care less. That being said, I'm informing you ahead of time that I have a serious bone to pick with The Descendants and all similar films that the Academy and other motion picture award organizations seem to regard as extraordinary work. I will rant, and I may even curse (I'll use asterisks when necessary) . Prepare yourselves. Don't worry though because I will (hopefully) never write another review like this one and it's a little unprofessional, but for right now it's just my blog so deal with it. After I see Mission Impossible and Dragon Tattoo and all that, I will right my usual awesome reviews.

F*** George Clooney. Am I right? The guy really isn't that good of an actor. He's half the reason why everyone is saying this will win Best Picture. Him and Alexander Payne (director and co-writer). Now, I don't want to drop a deuce on him because I've never seen Sideways and I've heard it's pretty good. But his style of directing is what makes Clooney look good in this movie to those who don't know better. Let me sum up the movie before I get too crazy.

So Clooney's wife is in a coma after a boating accident, but they've had trouble before that. He learns that she will never come out of it and the doctors have to pull the plug. Clooney is left with his younger daughter, and then decides to pick up his older daughter, Shailene Woodley of ABC Family's "Being Pregnant and a Teenager and S***" or something, from the boarding school she attends. (Rumor has it that she'll be nominated for Best Supporting Actress. I'll dispute that nonsense in a bit.) This gem of a daughter alerts Clooney that his wife was cheating on him with Shaggy Rogers (Matthew Lillard whose character is actually Brian Speer, but he was in Scooby-Doo so you know). So then Clooney tries to hunt this guy down to see his face, then eventually tell him about his wife so he can visit her in the hospital before she passes (how nice). All the while, here's where the title comes in, Clooney is trying to decide whether or not to sell a huge piece of Hawaiian land for millions of dollars that his family has passed down to him and his like 7,000 cousins, the descendants.

Tough dilemma for Clooney, right? You feel bad for him? Well don't. Every character in this movie is an ass****. It's hard to care when everyone is so awful. Let's critique the acting.

George Clooney does not deserve Best Actor or even a nomination. Up in the Air I can get behind, but not this one. By playing really depressing Hawaiian music while zooming in on his sad face, way too many times I might add, isn't good acting. The Academy falls for that garbage though. When you get a reputation like Clooney you can do anything. And he's so god**** unlikable in this movie.

Now Shailene Woodley. I've learned that it's okay for me to consider her attractive because now I know she's my age so I got that going for me. But if people think she deserves an Oscar nom for this role, then she should've won every Emmy Award for her performance in that Secret Life show. She may capture the angst of a teenage girl, but I think she's supposed to be a little older in The Descendants. She goes from complaining about everything and cursing in front of her kid sister to acting like a mother around her. And the little girl is terrible. As bad as the rest of them. When she cried in the hospital, I couldn't feel bad at all.

And then Woodley has to drag along her buddy to stay sane or whatever and this kid is a complete tool. He's a stoner who claims to be smart and we've all met someone like this, but even the most dirtbag of kids knows to shake a man's hand and say "Nice to meet you" as opposed to "'Sup bro?" Then he laughs at his friend's grandma who has alzheimer's. Really? Compose yourself in public bro.

Just when I thought I couldn't hate this movie any more, that redhead who is literally in everything shows up. This is the first time I've bothered to look up her name. It's Judy Greer. She was actually pretty good though. And surprisingly, so was Shaggy.

When I first heard about this movie, I had zero interest. I thought Ides of March would be Clooney's Oscar movie, and The Descendants would be just another paycheck. They both received good reviews from critics, but I enjoyed Ides of March a hell of a lot more. The Descendants does not deserve all the praise it's received. At first I thought, "Oh okay, it's kind of real, but in a way where people you barely know tell you everything going on in their life and you just don't care, kind of like how you sort of know these actors." Not all movies have to be entertaining so I get that, but this wasn't real. Would people actually do all this jibber jabber? (Best part of the movie, by the way, when the grandpa says that...but he's a d*** like everyone else.) 

In conclusion, I refuse to fall for the bull style of filmmaking that the Academy deems superior to all else. Obviously, the Academy hasn't come out with its nominations yet, but the Golden Globes pave the way. This type of movie has Oscar written all over it, but it really shouldn't. The reason The King's Speech won over The Social Network last year is because Speech had that Oscar scent to it. Both movies were fantastic, but everyone knows Network should have won.

I apologize for ranting like an old man, but then again I think all the old men in the theater with me enjoyed it. I know the old ladies behind me with constant commentary, even discussing how nice Clooney's feet are, enjoyed it, so maybe I'm not an old man, but actually too young to appreciate it (I don't actually believe that, I'm just saying it). I thought it was a great idea for a movie, but I had zero genuine feelings for any of the characters. I could just be looking for a negative review after seeing several excellent movies lately, trying to mix it up, but I simply cannot get behind this one. I didn't like it from the beginning with Clooney's narration that lasts 20 minutes then disappears (lazy writing) and thought it would pick up, but sadly it did not.

Just to be a bit of a follower and to avoid sounding like a dumb kid who didn't get the complexity of the film, I'll give The Descendants 2/4 Stars. I know it sounds like I should give it less, but the only reason why I hated it so much is because everyone else thinks it's amazing when it really isn't. I wouldn't be this angry if people didn't put it on such a high pedestal.

The Game Is Afoot With "Sherlock Holmes" And It's A Fun One

Just two years after the original, Robert Downey Jr. returns to his Golden Globe Award winning role in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.  The sequel involves Sherlock hunting down the mysterious man behind all the mischief in the first film who was revealed to be Professor Moriarty, played by Jared Harris of Mad Men who looks like Conan O'Brien's twin with that red beard.  Back by Holmes' side of course, and not exactly by choice, is his reluctant yet trusty pal Dr. Watson (Jude Law) who has recently set a date for his wedding.  Luckily for him, among all the chaos brought about by his inconvenient best man, the wedding goes as planned, but the honeymoon is a different story.

Moriarty is aware that the intelligent Holmes is right on his tail after figuring out all the clues left behind throughout his various evil plans, but his brainpower just about equals that of Holmes.  With ideas of corruption in his mind and a plethora of henchmen, Moriarty always remains a few steps ahead of our hero.  At one point, we even see Holmes truly suffer and we learn that he is indeed human and not some ingenious 19th century robot.  

To reveal Moriarty's plan would give away too much of the mystery.  You may find yourself confused as hell for a while due to the Mulroneys' screenplay and Guy Ritchie's direction, but therein lies some of the fun.  Plus, when you figure it out 2/3 of the way in, you'll feel like a young Sherlock yourself.  What I can tell you is that this film is as entertaining and thrilling as the first.  It may not necessarily be superior, but it's a hell of a good time.

The chemistry between RDJ and Jude Law is still incredibly enjoyable and the action still packs a punch.  One of the only disappointments is that we've seen it all before.  In the first film, the slow motion effects and planning of every move in Holmes' head had a very unique style.  Now it's a bit overplayed and one scene even involves Moriarty doing the same thing, which is a little over the top.  The slow motion scenes outside of Holmes' mind may get a tad goofy, but they're pretty damn cool.  The entirety of the train scene as well as the one set in the forest with bullets flying everywhere (both played in multiple promotions for the movie) truly captivate the audience.  The action and the mystery will surely keep you entertained.

Besides the recurring Ritchie style in some fight sequences and newcomer Noomi Rapace's mundane performance as some gypsy woman dressed like Jack Sparrow, Game of Shadows is certainly an acceptable sequel to Sherlock Holmes.  Downey, Law, Harris, and Stephen Fry who plays Sherlock's brother, all deliver the goods.  And the comedy kept me laughing pretty hysterically during all the non-action scenes.  Brace yourself for Stanley the butler and Holmes' Li'l Sebastian-like horse.  Overall, a very pleasing film and a great start to what looks like a promising holiday season for cinema.  However, I'm glad I saw this before Mission Impossible because those stunts look f'ing intense.

Stars: 3/4

The Most Sensational, Inspirational, Celebrational "Muppets" Movie Ever

I could write this review in one sentence if I wanted to, and that one sentence would go a little something like this: The Muppets is one of the most entertaining, smile-producing and basically greatest movies I've ever seen.  But since I am committed to writing thorough reviews, I will do the same for The Muppets.  But seriously, it was amazing.  Go see it.

It has been twelve years since the last Muppets movie, Muppets From Space, and leave it to one of the most likable, hilarious guys in the business to revive the franchise: Jason Segel.  After seeing several talk show interviews featuring Segel, I've learned about his obsession with puppets.  He applied this interest to one of my favorite comedies ever: Forgetting Sarah Marshall.  This was just a stepping stone for the puppet-loving comedian that would lead to this wonderful version of the Muppets.

Teaming up with the director of Sarah Marshall, Nicholas Stoller, Segel co-wrote the movie full of funny, catchy, happy songs that fans of all ages will be humming as they exit the theater.  The story within the film relates to what Segel and Stoller are doing off-screen, which is bringing the Muppets back into pop culture.  Segel's character, Gary, is related to a new Muppet named Walter who is the number one fan of Kermit and the gang.  When the two of them, along with Gary's girlfriend Mary, played by the lovable Amy Adams, leave Smalltown USA for a trip to Los Angeles, they find out that the Muppet Theater is not as remarkable as it used to be.  If this discovery wasn't bad enough, they soon learn that it is going to be demolished by an oilman named Tex Richman, perfectly played by Chris Cooper, in order to reach the oil located beneath it.  This leads to an important mission initiated by Walter that involves getting the whole group back together and saving the theater.  To do so they must stage "The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever" and raise $10 million to get Richman off their former property.

As Gary, Mary, and Walter work their way from Kermit to Miss Piggy, picking up every other Muppet in between, they come across a batch of celebrity cameos.  Unlike the unbearable A-list filled movies like Valentine's Day and the upcoming New Year's Eve, these cameos don't feel forced at all.  You can tell that these stars are not in it just for the paycheck, but are there for the Muppets.  Most of them probably grew up with Jim Henson's classic characters and their comeback is as special for them as it is for your Average Joe.

Although I didn't grow up with The Muppet Show, I had my VHS tapes of Muppet Treasure Island and Muppets From Space, and since I had these films growing up, the new movie triggered my nostalgia for the Muppets.  Plus, I recently attended the Jim Henson exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image for my Understanding Television class and I learned everything about them from Henson's start in college to Mahna Mahna and more.  And just as Henson set out to do, the Muppets truly feel like real live creatures and not just pieces of fabric wrapped around hands.  I couldn't help but tear up when Kermit came out on stage on a log ready to sing "Rainbow Connection."

It seems as if this movie was made more for fans like Segel who grew up with them, but I imagine that children who have never seen anything involving the Muppets will enjoy it as well.  There are certainly multiple things that will go over their heads, like the barbershop scene with a rendition of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," but they'll still get a kick out it.  

The magic of The Muppets is that it can bring out the child in even the biggest curmudgeons like Statler and Waldorf.  Although it focused primarily on Kermit, Fozzie, and Miss Piggy, leaving out the rest of the gang, it was still near perfect.  And this just leaves more room for future films (but I'd be fine without them because we don't need sequels ruining something like this).  

I'm not lying when I say watching this film was the happiest hour and 42 minutes I've had in a long time.  I'm not sure if that's a sign of my pathetic life or that this movie is simply that good. I could go on and on about The Muppets, but those of you who are reading this and haven't seen it need to open up a new tab and check the times at your local theater.  Get there early too because there's another Toy Story short before it begins.  You may think you can't get any more Disney wonder than what comes along with any Pixar production, but believe me, The Muppets will leave you as happy if not more so than when you left the theater showing Toy Story 3.  Movies like these help us realize that sometimes "life's a happy song."

4/4 Stars

"Arthur Christmas" Brings Yuletide Cheer At The Start Of The Holiday Season

Finally, a quality Christmas movie since Elf that isn't a "Christmas Carol" adaptation!  This film follows the title character, Arthur, who discovers that, after what seems to be a perfect Christmas Eve for the Santa family, one gift has been left behind meaning one child will end up present-less.  It sounds like your typical Christmas movie, but it's actually quite unique and quite hilarious.

Arthur Christmas, an Aardman production for Sony Pictures Animation, starts off very similarly to Disney's holiday special Prep & Landing with secret agent-like elves using advanced technology and gadgetry to complete their deeds as Santa's little helpers on Christmas Eve.  Although it seemed to be an outright copycat at first, Arthur Christmas used this idea in a much cooler and eye-catching way.  After getting out of a jam and finishing a long night of delivering presents in the very high tech S1 sleigh, the elves and the Santa family celebrate back at the North Pole.  Then they find out about the wrapped-up bicycle that went unnoticed and undelivered.

The current Santa, boringly voiced by Jim Broadbent (a bit of a letdown since he is the iconic figure), goes right to sleep, ignoring the forgotten child.  The Santa-to-be, Santa's son Steve, voiced by Hugh Laurie, claims that the night was still a success due to the very small margin of error.  But Arthur, Santa's youngest son, voiced by James McAvoy, is as obsessed with the holiday as Will Ferrel's Elf and believes that the present must be delivered so the child can wake up to a gift the way all children should.  Grandsanta, hilariously voiced by Bill Nighy, agrees to help with his old sleigh to prove that newer is not always better.

Along with an elf that has a knack for wrapping, the former Santa and his grandson set off on an adventure.  As funny and emotional as the film may be, there are some issues.  It's very interesting to see an all British cast in an Americanized Christmas movie, but at times it seemed a little too British.  I've seen many acclaimed British comedies that I've enjoyed, but have also been like "What the hell is this guy saying?"  Grandsanta has some great lines, but also some that went right over my head because of his extreme accent.  British! British! British!

And as with most 3D movies, it's completely unnecessary.  This style is even less appreciated when you're in a theater as crappy as South Bay Cinemas in West Babylon where they don't even turn the lights off until you say something.  Some material in the film also seemed to be a bit much for children, which made me laugh, but may not have been understood by my eight-year-old sister.  And as likable as the main character should be, Arthur was a bit intolerable at times due to McAvoy's overacting and nonstop yelling that exceeded normal excitement.

Nevertheless, Arthur Christmas is a good new Christmas movie, although part of me thinks it won't be played every holiday season for years to come.  I could be wrong though because I've seen Fred Claus played on TBS multiple times and that movie is as enjoyable as a three-year-old fruitcake.  It could become a classic since it borrows from other holiday films like the aforementioned Fred Claus, showing the lives of the entire Santa family, Prep & Landing, with its use of high tech elves, and Elf, with its super excited human who kind of acts like an elf, but manages to make itself an original treat.

Arthur Christmas may share a few similarities with these films, but its emotional ending and Christmas message, along with its great use of humor, make it stand out.  After decades of the same holiday specials being played over and over, hopefully future Christmas movies can try to achieve their own unique styles, giving us a whole new batch of holiday treats.

I think I'll try implementing a star rating for those of you who don't like to read.

Here you go: 3/4 stars

"Melancholia" Is Visually Stunning

So I saw this in my friend's apartment where he downloaded the film and hooked it up to his TV.  Since I was not in a movie theater environment, I was not fully engrossed in the movie, but it deserves a review nonetheless (granted it will be brief).  Melancholia follows two sisters after the wedding of one of them, Kirsten Dunst as Justine, while Earth is about to collide with a rogue planet that the film is named after.  The first half focuses on Dunst's character who is experiencing melancholia, giving the title more than one meaning, which is a Greek word meaning sadness, further described as a "mood disorder of non-specific depression."  Being in this state allows Dunst to give a great performance, earning her the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

The second half follows Justine's sister, Claire, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg.  In my opinion, she handles the inevitable doom in a much more believable way.  She is constantly freaking out and is more noticeably depressed, while Justine is very calm and quiet while dealing with the end of the world.  Kiefer Sutherland is also in Melancholia, as Claire's husband, and proves that he can be more than just a hitman or a secret agent.  

Although the actors do a wonderful job in the film, I enjoyed it more for its visuals.  The characters use a simple homemade device to judge whether or not the planet is moving closer, and it creates a beautiful spectacle.  And overall, the whole thing is visually captivating.  The fact that they live on a golf course with the most amazing view certainly doesn't hurt.

So if you're sick of blockbuster end of the world films, and want to see a disaster movie done in a more artsy and emotional way then consider downloading Melancholia.  The director, Lars von Trier, has experience with this type of movie and certainly knows what he is doing, although he seems like a total weirdo.  In a Kirsten Dunst interview, the actress said he would run around with his pants off just to get a laugh.  You don't have to worry about that sight in the actual film, but you do get to see Kirsten Dunst's boobs.  How's that for "visually stunning"?

"Tower Heist" Is An Investment That Sometimes Pays Off

I'd like to start off by saying that I've made multiple attempts to see this movie.  It was sold out twice in one night, and plans fell through the other few times I tried to check out Tower Heist, so I apologize for the lack of reviews throughout the month of November.  Anyway, last night I went back and forth between Tower Heist and The Descendants, not quite sure which I'd rather see more, favoring one over the other for brief moments, until I finally decided I'd try one last time to see Tower Heist.  The actual heist takes place during the Thanksgiving Day Parade and I figured this would put me in the holiday spirit.  However, since I failed in my attempts at seeing it so many times, maybe those were signs saying I shouldn't waste an evening with this mainstream jibber jabber.  But I digress.  The fact of the matter is, it was a Monday night and it's been out for a while and I got tickets no problem.  Let's talk about the actual movie.

So I don't think I need to get too into the plot points because the title itself tells you what this movie is all about.  Plus, it's a Brett Ratner film so the plot doesn't really matter because let's face it, this director just puts out decent crap.  And that's really all it is.  But in case you don't know, the movie takes place at The Tower, just like the Trump one, located in Columbus Circle.  I'm not sure how I managed to live there during the filming of it and not notice the production, but they probably only needed a few shots and I just missed out.  So Alan Alda plays Arthur Shaw, who is essentially Bernie Madoff, and he does a great job with this role.  Like Madoff, Shaw steals the Tower's employee's pensions in a Ponzi scheme.  Although Josh Kovacs, our protagonist played by Ben Stiller, had a very close relationship with Shaw at first, he discovers that his doorman friend got screwed over and he decides to get a motley crew together to steal back everyone's money.

The cast of characters includes: Matthew Broderick as a somewhat unintentionally hilarious Mr. Fitzhugh, who has recently been evicted, Casey Affleck as a less enjoyable, but not so bad version of himself in the Ocean's movies, Gabourey Sidibe as a pretty funny maid, and finally Eddie Murphy back to his hysterical, not Meet Dave self.  It took a while for him to finally get screen time in the film, making the first half hour or so quite stale, but it picks up once Eddie joins the crew.

So the plan for the heist gets pretty crazy and a bit unbelievable, but it's all in good fun.  The movie is nothing special, but it will hopefully pave the way for Eddie Murphy to get back on track with his career.  It's a shame that Ratner screwed up his chances at the Oscars, but I don't think he was ever truly committed to hosting anyway.  So if you have time to kill and wish to see decent performances from a decent cast, then check out Tower Heist.  I know it's been out for several weeks, but I'm glad I got it out of the way before Thanksgiving break.  The Muppets looks like it'll be a great movie-going experience.

"The Ides of March" Gets My Vote

With the extensive coverage of the Republican presidential debates currently going on, as well as my, for lack of a better word, hatred for politics,  I found myself wondering why I was in the theater for The Ides of March.  Truth is, I had a free ticket and knew of the potential Oscar buzz for George Clooney's latest project.  I went in thinking it would be one of those movies that's only considered good because of who is responsible for it, and overall it'd be rather dull and boring.  However, I was wrong.  The Ides of March is truly captivating, due to the renowned cast, the great twists, and of course, Clooney's directing.

The film follows Stephen Meyers, wonderfully played by Ryan Gosling, the Junior Campaign Manager for Mike Morris (George Clooney), Governor of Pennsylvania and a Democratic presidential candidate.  It takes place in Ohio, where Meyers and the Senior Campaign Manager, Paul Zara, (Philip Seymour Hoffman, who is perfect as always) are trying to enlist support for Morris, which would basically guarantee his nomination.  It is clear that Meyers is a very important asset to the campaign, which leads to the rival candidate's campaign manager, Tom Duffy, played by Paul Giamatti (also perfect), asking for a meeting with Meyers to try and convince him to join the other side.  Overall, the movie focuses on loyalty, which is something that Hoffman gives a powerful speech about.

It's difficult to say much about the plot without giving away the twists, but if you thought it would be just a boring movie about politics like I did, you need to realize it's nothing of the sort.  Although the story is genuinely entertaining, The Ides of March really is about the acting.  Ryan Gosling will most likely be nominated for Best Actor.  There's one scene that had me on the edge of my seat, waiting for him to stomp someone's head to a pool of blood a la Drive.  It didn't happen, but Gosling continues to prove that he could be the next Clooney.  The poster for Ides couldn't be more appropriate and accurate.  George Clooney may not get a nod, but in my opinion, his character should be the next president.  Philip Seymour Hoffman could get a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, but he probably could've gotten that for Along Came Polly too.  He's always superb.  The most captivating performance had to be from Evan Rachel Wood as Molly Stearns, an intern for Morris' campaign.  She ends up having a much bigger impact than your average coffee-fetching 20-something.

If you're looking to escape the real news regarding politics and want a more appealing story than whatever is going on with Mitt Romney or Michele Bachmann, then check out The Ides of March.  You'd probably also save some time for when Oscar season rolls around and you're racing to the theater to see everything that's nominated.

"Moneyball" For The Win

Whether you're a baseball fan or not, I'm almost positive you'll really enjoy Moneyball.  And if you don't for some reason, I'm sure you'll at least be able to appreciate it as a great work of cinema.  The film starts off showing the 2001 postseason game between the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees.  It's portrayed as if you are watching it through an old, fuzzy television to make it seem more historic.  Although this is just the first few minutes of the film, you immediately start to root for the underdog as you learn just how much more money the Yankees have than a low-budget baseball team like the A's.  I felt a little bad being a Yankee fan, but it didn't alter my love of the pinstripes.  However, it is a very moving film and for 2 hours and 6 minutes I was rooting for Billy Beane's baseball club.

After a very tough loss for the A's (not just the postseason game but also star players like Jason Giambi and Johnny Damon), the general manager, Billy Beane, played by a very funny and emotional Brad Pitt, realizes that he needs to completely restructure his team.  He does so with the help of Peter Brand, wonderfully played by Jonah Hill, who does all the calculations to assemble a brand new ball club.  Together, they focus heavily on players' on base percentage, which upsets the older scouts who Beane has worked with for years.  At first this seems to be a complete failure, but if you know anything about the A's, they end up making baseball history.  

I'm not going to bother summarizing the whole movie.  If you want to know what happened with Billy Beane and the 2002 Oakland Athletics, you could Google it in a heartbeat.  However, if you want to see a fantastic performance by Brad Pitt and the rest of the cast, and see baseball from a powerful emotional perspective, then see Moneyball.  Jonah Hill, although quite funny in this role, further proves he is more than just someone to laugh at on the big screen.  Philip Seymour Hoffman is perfectly cast as Art Howe, the stubborn manager who refuses to test Beane's strategy.  It is also great to see Chris Pratt, from Parks and Recreation, on the big screen.  As for the star, Brad Pitt manages to keep the audience cheering by his side whether he is hilariously making player trades with the help of Jonah Hill, or unleashing his hotheaded fury on players and occasionally objects in his clubhouse as a result of consistent losses.  He is at his best, however, while sharing the screen with Kerris Dorsey, who plays Beane's smart and talented daughter.

Overall, Moneyball is a terrific film.  Many people are calling it The Social Network of baseball movies.  I guess I would agree, not just because this is also written by Aaron Sorkin, but because it is an intelligent and possibly Oscar-worthy motion picture.  But do you have to be a baseball fan to like Moneyball?  I don't think so.  You'll certainly enjoy it a lot more if you are, but either way, Moneyball is a home run.

"Drive" Starts Off Too Slow...Then Crashes Violently

As you all know, my latest review was for Contagion, which I had very mixed feelings about.  What you may not know, however, is that while waiting for that movie to begin, all I wanted to do was see Drive.  It was one of the previews before Contagion and I had been dying to see it.  So a few days ago I went to check it out feeling pretty pumped about it, but man was I disappointed.

The film starts out very quiet with no more than a few words spoken.  We follow the "hero," Ryan Gosling, who is simply called "Driver," carry out one of his missions.  And I'm not going to lie, he's a badass.  However, towards the latter half of the film, I wasn't expecting him to turn out to be a genuine psycho rather than a James Bond-like protagonist.  But I'll get to that later.  

So Gosling is helping some guys rob a place and uses his unique driving skills to avoid the cops as they flee the scene of the crime.  With this downright cool sequence, I really thought I was in for something incredible.  Then the '80s style credits roll, followed by about an hour of Gosling falling for Carey Mulligan and hanging out with her kid while the father is in prison.  These 60 minutes feature about twenty full sentences, with so few words from Gosling I could count them on one hand, one short scene giving evidence to the fact that Gosling is a stunt driver for the movies, a couple of parts featuring Gosling working as a mechanic for Bryan Cranston, and two *t0t@l1y hiP* songs.  

The director, Nicolas Winding Refn, throws in a little thing about Albert Brooks, head honcho of the mob, asking Gosling to be a stock car driver, but the main focus so far is the love story.  This begins to fall apart when the husband, played by Oscar Isaac, comes home from prison.  He is in a lot of trouble and the bad guys say they will hurt his family.  Gosling will have none of this.  He goes on a mission to steal a million bucks from a pawn shop with the husband to pay for his protection.  Things go terribly wrong and here comes the violence.  I remember reading that this movie may be too violent for some and for the first hour I was thinking, "What the hell are these people talking about?"  I shut up the second someone got their head blown to smithereens.  Now the film changes from super indy/artsy to unnecessarily violent.  I mean, the kills are pretty cool, but it was just too drastic of a change.  The gangsters, including Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman (who looks like Johnny Drama's cartoon character, Johnny Bananas on Entourage) want to kill everyone who stole the money and keep the million for themselves.  Ryan Gosling goes f***ing nuts.  As I watched him beat people to a pulp (he never uses a gun), I thought, "How could this quiet, calm man be so crazy?"  Then I realized, most of the quiet ones are.  I was completely caught off guard and didn't know how to react.  Anyway he tries to hunt them all down, a ton of people die, there are about five way over the top kills, and it ends all symbolically.

Now I'll admit that the film is very stylishly directed, explaining why Refn won Best Director at Cannes.  However, I think the abundance of fancy mise-en-scene (yeah, just learned that in my communications class, look it up) makes it seem as if the actors are performing amazingly.  Is it really so hard to not say anything and just look cool?  Maybe, but I don't think so.  I can see why some would consider this a masterpiece, but it didn't really dazzle me.  The more I think about it, the more I imagine how completely wrong I could be.  I've never seen A Clockwork Orange, but I believe I feel the same way about Drive as people who have seen Clockwork feel about that.  A masterpiece, but kind of slow and gross?  I'm not too sure.  I just feel that a lot more could have been done.  He barely even drives in the movie.  I'm not exactly saying I wanted it to be a studio film, but if there were more missions showing him being the getaway guy, more peeks into the life of a Hollywood stunt driver, more dialogue and appropriate action, it could have been awesome.  The film is still well done in a sense, but I think the concept was wasted.

I thought I'd leave wanting to get into a car chase, but I just left bewildered.  I thought Ryan Gosling was the s*** after Crazy, Stupid, Love but after his performance in Drive I'm just hoping I can appreciate his future projects, such as The Ides of March without playing this one scene over and over in my head.  Let's just say, if you see Drive you'll understand when I claim that I can never ride in an elevator the same way again.

"Contagion" Spreads like the Flu with Minimal Effects

Let me start off by saying that I've had issues with Contagion before it even hit theaters.  A few months ago, way before any preview had been released for the movie, I had a dream about a disease wiping out the population.  It played out like a film in my head, and the second I woke up, I wrote down what happened because I figured it could be a good idea for a screenplay (hopefully one day I'll have time to write my own movie and not just a few paragraphs every now and then reviewing one written by someone famous...we'll see).  So yeah, I was pretty upset when I finally did see the trailer.  I had to check it out though to see just how similar it was compared to my tentative script.

The movie starts off with sequences of people simply touching things.  And since it's clear that this is a movie about germs and a fatal disease that spreads across the globe, I was immediately grossed out.  However, the cringing just about ends there apart from one scene involving Gwyneth Paltrow's autopsy.  If you've seen the trailer, you know that's not a spoiler.  She's the first one dead.  The studio certainly could've saved some money casting a nobody for her role, but Contagion is all about the ensemble cast.

So thanks to whatever Gwyneth did (you'll find out), the world is suffering from bird flu times 1,000.  This leaves her husband, Matt Damon, who is immune to the disease, alone with his daughter from a previous marriage.  He deals with the loss of his wife, and the anxiety of whether or not his daughter is immune, thus turning him into an overprotective father, but reasonably so.

Laurence Fishburne and Kate Winslet do the best they can to figure out how exactly this disease originated, and what elements make it up so they can come up with a cure.  Bryan Cranston is thrown into the mix and aids in the CDC's efforts.  Marion Cotillard works with the World Health Organization and is kidnapped in Hong Kong and held there until her captors receive the vaccine.  Jude Law is a blogger who gets rich and famous for his conspiracy stating that the government started this disease with the pharmaceutical companies for a profit.  I think that covers most of the ensemble cast.  It was kind of hard to keep up.

Now Contagion is actually a pretty good film, but there's too much, yet too little going on for it to be great.  With regards to the story, most of the movie is like an actual newscast or even a documentary making the whole thing very believable.  However, this involves simply showing people doing research while playing dark and ominous music.  There's not enough action or enough scenes depicting what is happening to everyone.  But I guess a bunch of seizures on screen would get old.  That's where there is too little.  The number of story lines and characters bring too much in a sense, which then results in minimal character development.  Don't get me wrong, the acting is great.  It truly felt like watching real people react to an epidemic, but there was so much I wanted to see happen for each character, particularly Cotillard who connects with the children she is surrounded by while held captive.  We learn that and see that develop in about 10 seconds.  At the end, however, we see Matt Damon crying over his wife's death, but seeing hope in his daughter who is going to prom that night.  They tried to make us feel really sorry for him, but it's not like he was the only person we followed throughout.

The final scene shows how the disease started.  It's actually a very cool sequence, but we were already told what happened, so this was literally just seeing it.  I'm really going back and forth with how I feel about Contagion.  The movie is very well directed by Steven Soderbergh and the performances are great, but it just wasn't as thrilling as I had hoped.  I did like it as an example of how crazy our society can get when given tragic news that will affect everyone's lives.  This is where the tagline "Nothing spreads like fear" comes in.  It was also cool as a metaphor for how quickly information can spread on the internet and how something like what Jude Law's character says, which is false, can result in an insane amount of people following one random person with a blog (should be me).  It's really disgusting to see people view him as a "prophet" only his posters say "profit" because of what he thinks the government is doing.  Think Glenn Beck, but not as bad.
Anyway, I washed my hands immediately after the movie, but then when I got on the subway to go home, I held the rail without hesitation.  I think that about sums up my uncertain reactions to Contagion.  Maybe if I ever get to writing a screenplay based on my dream, the audience will walk away satisfied and not on the fence.

"Crazy, Stupid, Love" is Hilarious, Smart, Delightful

Being a huge fan of The Office, I was quite skeptical of Steve Carell leaving the show in order to pursue a career solely in film.  My doubtfulness in future success for the actor grew when I first saw a trailer for Crazy, Stupid, Love during a commercial break that took place around the time of Carell's final episode.  However, after the buzz about such a terrific cast and a good story-line, I figured I would check it out even though it has been out for over a month (my apologies).  

The movie has everything the title suggests.  The characters get a little crazy.  They make stupid decisions, even though, overall, it is a smart movie.  And, obviously, love flourishes.  Crazy, Stupid, Love starts off with Julianne Moore's character, Emily Weaver, stating that she wants a divorce from her husband, Cal, played by, who I guess now has proven he can remain hilarious, Steve Carell.  Cal must now get an apartment on his own, which is quite embarrassing for him to show his children.  He is left with no friends because they all side with Emily, and he finds himself alone at a bar quite frequently.  In comes the man who steals the movie: Ryan Gosling.  He plays the rich, well-dressed, ladies' man known as Jacob Palmer who offers to change Cal's entire image so he can get over Emily and quit discussing the man she cheated on him with, David Lindhagen (a tolerable Kevin Bacon after the dreadful X-Men: First Class).  Cue the hysterics!

The process of Cal's transformation is hilarious and watching him and Jacob interact with women in the bar is downright cool.  Obviously, as the title suggests, it's all about love and Cal doesn't get love from the random chicks he meets out on a Friday night.  So, the story of him trying to win back his wife becomes the focal point.  However, Jacob falling for Emma Stone's character, Hannah, may in fact trump the true main characters' love story.  Emma Stone is as lovely as ever, by the way.  Even the kids in the movie, Cal's teenage son, Robbie, played by Jonah Bobo who will certainly get a few phone calls after his performance, and the babysitter he is in love with, Jessica (Analeigh Tipton), are highly entertaining to watch.

It may seem as if Crazy, Stupid, Love is just your average love story, but unlike the typical romantic comedies, this film truly has heart and a wonderful message.  There is also a huge twist that I didn't see coming at all.  I like to say that I normally notice one from a mile away, but I surely wasn't expecting one in a rom-com.  The characters, nevertheless, are the best part about the film.  Since it has been out for a pretty long period of time, if you haven't seen Crazy, Stupid, Love go see it now.  You'd be crazy and stupid not to.

"30 Minutes or Less" is 1 Hour and 23 Minutes of Dangerous Fun

Two years after his surprise hit Zombieland comes Ruben Fleischer's next comedy 30 Minutes or Less also starring Jesse Eisenberg.  This time, instead of battling the undead, Eisenberg must deal with a couple of idiotic criminals that force him to rob a bank.  As goofy as the premise may seem, the movie still works to some extent even with a few misfires.  Danny McBride and Nick Swardson, who play the criminal "masterminds" Dwayne and Travis, come up with a plan to have Dwayne's father killed so they can inherit the one or two million dollars he has left after winning the lottery in hopes of opening up a prostitution ring to then make even more money.  They decide to hire a hit man to do the job, but must come up with 100 grand to pay him.  Thus, comes the brilliant idea of capturing a pizza boy (Eisenberg as Nick), strapping a bomb to his chest, and demanding that he rob a bank unless he wants to explode.  Sounds pretty moronic, right?  Right.  And that's the fun of it.

Following Zombieland and The Social Network, Eisenberg plays a character that is a combination of the nerdy and nervous boy we saw in the horror spoof and the self-centered and hated genius in the Oscar nominated film.  There is even a scene when the girl Nick loves, who also happens to be his best friend Chet's sister, mentions someone's Facebook page and Eisenberg says "You know I don't use that.  I'm off the grid." Ha ha.  Danny McBride, on the other hand, is no different than the characters he has portrayed in every other piece of work you've seen him in.  I don't think he will ever be asked to play a role that doesn't require excessive use of the F-bomb and a handful of blow job jokes.  And boy are there a lot.  The good thing, however, is that it doesn't cross the line of too dirty and offensive.  It manages to remain funny throughout.  The same goes for Nick Swardson, who has a few laugh out loud moments.

The real star though is Aziz Ansari as Chet.  He is consistently funny in everything I've seen him do, from standup comedy to his role as Tom Haverford on Parks and Recreation.  Every scene he is in guarantees a laugh.  Overall, every character is funny, even Michael Peña as the hit man, and I normally can't stand him because he tries way too hard to be hysterical.

Although the movie has a foolish plot, it's aware of its absurdity, making it a hilariously good time.  The ending is probably the least believable part, but as you'll come to expect throughout the whole film, Aziz saves it with one line.  If you're a college student like myself and only have time to see one more movie before you go back to school, I'd recommend 30 Minutes or Less.

The Summer Has Been Taken Over By "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

With the summer movie season heading into its final month after a plethora of below average blockbusters, a highly entertaining and well crafted motion picture has come along to wow audiences around the globe.  I, however, did not expect such an intelligent movie after seeing the first trailer for Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  I thought it would be another notch on the belt for James Franco (who does everything) as well as a subpar addition to the number of films injected with an abundance of special effects.  Apes certainly has some cool effects, with all of the chimps being CGI, and a standard performance from Franco, but it also contains wit, humor, and a whole lot of heart.
James Franco's character, Will Rodman, has just developed a possible cure for Alzheimer's disease, and tests the virus on chimpanzees in his lab.  When one escapes and runs wild, however, fearing that the scientists will hurt the baby she has just given birth to, all of them are put down, except for her child who Will takes home.  After seeing how happy it makes his father, Charles, who happens to have Alzheimer's disease, Will decides to keep the ape and name him Caesar.  The baby has inherited the drug, which provides a high level of intelligence, from his mother who received a sample of the cure and becomes smarter and smarter as years go by.  Caesar also becomes very attached to Will and his father and after seeing someone yell at Charles for crashing his car due to his confused condition, Caesar runs amok and is forced into a primate facility.
This is where Caesar begins to turn on the humans after being treated horribly by the employees of the facility, especially Tom Felton's character Dodge.  He acted exactly like his well known role of Draco Malfoy and I was just waiting for him to shout "Stupid Potter!"  His acting may have been hard to watch, but a fantastic performance comes from Andy Serkis, known for playing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, the man in the suit creating every facial expression and gesture as Caesar.
Caesar eventually steals the new version of the virus, which actually kills humans (although no one knows it yet) and lets it loose among all the apes in the facility, leading to an epic scene when after thinking "Hey, didn't they talk in the other movies?" throughout the first hour, you see it unfold.  Then, obviously, they begin to take over.  The idea behind what can sound like a silly premise becomes much more real in this adaptation of the classic film.  Everyone knows what will happen since Rise is obviously a prequel, but seeing exactly what led to the takeover is what makes this film so enjoyable beyond the effects and work of Serkis.  The only somewhat dissatisfying thing about it, other than Felton's goofy performance, is that in the end it seems that everyone in San Francisco, after witnessing apes go crazy, decide to just let them hang out in the forest.  I guess after the police force got their asses handed to them, they figured, "They're pretty smart...and pretty strong.  I guess if all they want is respect and to be left alone then that's fine with me."  They're not evil, but their revolution is just like any other in history.  They want something, and in this case to be treated with respect.  And finally, moviemakers respect the audience and deliver a great summer blockbuster.

Willy Nilly Silly and Purely Enjoyable "Winnie the Pooh"

With almost everything in theaters right now being loud, long, and lame, Winnie the Pooh serves as a breath of fresh air.  Simpler and more heartfelt than the other big kids movie of the summer, Cars 2, this film follows the classic yellow bear on a silly little journey that barely takes more than an hour.  Narrated nicely by John Cleese, we delve into the imagination of Christopher Robin told through a storybook where the words literally jump off the page and affect the characters in their adventure.
The movie starts with a hungry Pooh Bear who is out of honey, or hunny, resulting in a hilarious song involving a beat coming from his rumbling tummy that actually made me laugh out loud.  Pooh meets with Eeyore, who lost his tail, or tael, and the whole gang including Tigger, Rabbit, Owl, C.R., Kanga, Roo, and Piglet, try to help him find a new one for the reward of a pot of honey.  Of course Pooh loves the idea, but he, along with everyone else, cannot come up with a fully successful idea.  Then when Pooh seeks Christopher later in the day, he sees a note on his door that is supposed to say that he will "be back soon" but none of the animals can read properly, nor can C.R. write correctly, and think a monster called "The Backson" has taken him.  Thus a new adventure begins.
Throughout the film Pooh dreams of honey as usual, coming across a bit like a drug addict, but you know...it's for kids.  He's just a cute little bear and that's really all that can be said.  I'd feel foolish saying it's smart compared to the dross of the summer like Transformers, which it absolutely is story-wise, but the animals are pretty dumb with spelling and all that but hey, it's Winnie the Pooh.  It's adorable and it's a classic.  The couple of songs by Zooey Deschanel add to the delightfulness.  It's unfortunate that "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane, which was featured in the trailer, did not make it into the movie, but it's a very minor loss.  I'd see any movie with that song in the preview.  Anyway, what're you waiting for?  Grab a kid and satisfy your hunger by checking out Winnie the Pooh.

"Captain America" Can't Win This War

With The Avengers coming out a few months short of a year, Marvel had to squeeze out its final superhero movie, ironically with it being the First Avenger.  Captain America: The First Avenger stars Chris Evans, who we have already seen as The Human Torch in the dreadful Fantastic Four movies and takes us back to World War II, which has been portrayed 100 different ways in 100 different films.  Evans' character starts off as the scrawny Steve Rogers with pretty impressive special effects putting the burly actor's face on a tiny body.  All he wants to do is join the army, but he is constantly rejected due to his size.  Eventually, a doctor planning on creating a super soldier grants him access into the U.S. army to see his potential.  Dr. Erskine, played by the always delightful Stanley Tucci, chooses Rogers for his experiment because he believes that a lanky man will truly appreciate the gift of strength.  Thus, Captain America is born with the help of Tony Stark's dad.  It all comes together, doesn't it?
On the Nazi side of WWII, we find Johann Schmidt, or the Red Skull, played by Hugo Weaving, who also experienced the work of Dr. Erskine, but since Schmidt is evil, he just became more evil...or something.  The power source behind all of this isn't really explained, but it brings out the good or evil in a person and multiplies it by a significant amount.  This guy is looking to take over the whole world, but Captain America will have none of that.
The action is lacking besides a few cool shield tosses and some dull motorcycle jumps, which is a shame because the film starts off pretty promising.  Most of it is simply too corny.  I didn't care for the tiresome "chemistry" between Rogers and Peggy Carter and their final scene is exhausting.  Plus the ending, as heroic as it is intended to be, ends up being too ridiculous to care for.  How does Captain America look so young in the trailer for The Avengers (which can be seen after the credits) taking place in present day when he is running around looking 30 in the 1940s?  You'll find out and probably be dissatisfied.
The acting isn't bad despite all the cheesyness, but that's obviously not enough in an action flick.  Tommy Lee Jones as the Colonel may be the best part.  Although The Avengers could be a total bust since it is attempting to pack so many superheroes with their big egos into one film, the trailer at the end looks decent.  At this point, however, I don't really care much about Marvel.  At least we'll have a break until the aforementioned blockbuster, as well as The Amazing Spider-Man, both coming out next summer.  Hopefully they are amazing.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" Works Its Magic on Muggles

Let me start off by saying that I have never been a huge Harry Potter fan.  I tried reading the books as a child, but just couldn't get into them.  I gave the movies a shot when they came out so I would not be completely out of the loop.  The first two, as well as the fourth were quite entertaining.  The rest, however, (with an exception of the third, which was well done cinematically) put me to sleep since I could not keep up with the story line.  After some quick explanation prior to my viewing of the final installment, I was ready to just get it over with and see the film for critiquing reasons as opposed to a couple hours of entertainment.  Boy, was I wrong.  Even without knowing every little detail that the avid and even semi-interested fans picked up on that led to an understanding of the plot, I still found myself very intrigued.  I would lean over to my girlfriend every few minutes asking "That's the Chamber of Secrets, right?!", "Wait, wait, who's that guy?", "Is Snape Harry's dad?!"  So obviously you can tell I was a little confused, but I was still roped into the adventure because it incorporated things I recognized from the better films.  Everything comes full circle.  I should clarify that this is more of a review for those who couldn't care less about the popular wizard, but for those of you who do love him, which I can guarantee is most of you, congratulations, I award 10 points for Gryffindor!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 wraps up the phenomenon that has lasted years in written form and on the screen.  We follow Harry and his friends, as well as enemies, through the latter half of the seventh book all the way to the final showdown.  For those of you who have read the books, you don't need any explanation of what unfolds on screen.  You can enjoy it visually or complain a bit here and there about things left out.  As for those like me who don't know a thing, I also don't want to give away details since I may not entirely understand them, but I'm sure you know it all comes down to this: Harry vs. Voldemort.  Good vs. Evil.  We've heard and seen similar stories, but none as magical as this.  You must understand that to hear me talk about Harry Potter like this is a big deal.  I've ripped on it so hard in the past, but Deathly Hallows - Part 2 is a fine piece of cinema whether you're a wand-wielding wannabe or not.  The acting is the best I've seen in all the films, and the characters have grown in a believable fashion.  The visuals are stunning, which will keep your eyes open (thank God, because it's been a while) and on the screen throughout even if you do get a little lost like I did.
I doubt I have to recommend this to anyone because it's shattering box office records and you'll most likely see it no matter what.  But if you're skeptical like I was, thinking you should just go at 11:00 a.m. on a Sunday to get it over with while there's no crowd, don't be so pessimistic.  Harry will cast a spell on you and leave you wanting more, but like the posters and billboards keep reminding you, "It All Ends."

"Horrible Bosses" Doesn't Kill With Laughs, But Still Works

With a cast involving the Arrested Development star Jason Bateman, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's wild card Charlie Day, and SNL funny man Jason Sudeikis, what more could you ask for in the new comedy Horrible Bosses?  Well, you could ask for more laughs.  The movie certainly has a decent amount of them, but not as much as one would expect from such a hilarious trio.  There are enough to keep you chuckling along and an occasional laugh out loud moment here and there, but it would have been nice to see these comedians really push themselves.  Nevertheless, the characters are so appealing that one can easily be entertained throughout their ridiculous plan to kill their horrible bosses.
That's the premise.  Bateman's character Nick is abused by Harken, played by Kevin Spacey as one of the biggest a-holes I've ever seen on screen.  Charlie Day's newly engaged Dale is sexually harassed by an incredibly alluring Jennifer Aniston, sporting bangs and a new hair color (this situation doesn't seem so bad and Dale's buds let him know that multiple times).  Lastly, the somewhat sex addict character of Kurt, played by Sudeikis, has a new coke head tool of a boss, Colin Farrell with a hairpiece, that shows no respect for anyone.  The decision to kill them doesn't come easy at first, and neither does following through with the plan, but when they seek the help of a man named Motherf***er Jones, hilariously played by Jamie Foxx, things start to get crazy.
Things obviously go wrong, which allows the comedy to take place, and this permits Charlie Day to act like his Sunny character Charlie Kelly.  Thus, his performance is not much different from the way he behaves on the show, but that's what is so lovable about him.  He certainly deserves more time on the big screen.  Bateman is his usual self, which is always satisfying, but I'm looking forward to see him act like Ryan Reynolds in The Change-Up.  Sudeikis is funny as well, but not as raunchy as he was in Hall Pass.  That movie is nowhere near as good as Horrible Bosses, but transferring that degree of nastiness to this film would have added to the number of crackup moments.  As for the bosses, Spacey plays the perfect anti-christ that no one wants to deal with in the workplace, and Farrell is just as unbearable, but in a good way.  Jennifer Aniston is a great reason to see it too, considering the absurdly dirty words coming out of her mouth that prove she can play something other than a Rachel-like role.
Overall, Horrible Bosses is no original Hangover, but ten times better than the sequel.  It has enough laughs to maintain a smile on your face and the characters are what really keep you engrossed in the film.  Get your dose of comedy since the rest of this month seems action packed with Harry Potter and Captain America.

"Cars 2" is Fast and Furious, But Not Pixar Worthy

Well I never thought the day would come, but Pixar has finally come out with a movie that is not perfect.  Whenever I discuss the superb studio, people normally say that Cars is either the only film from Pixar that they haven't seen or they haven't enjoyed.  It even has the lowest overall rating on Rotten Tomatoes with 74% which isn't bad, but not exactly up to par with the rest of the animation studio's work.  Now, unfortunately, the sequel has become the most poorly reviewed film for John Lasseter and Co. to date.  Let me add on to the criticism.
Unlike most people I've talked to about the first Cars, I am a fan of the homey and nostalgic picture set in fictional Radiator Springs.  Even if I were not, I'd have to learn after building remote control versions of the main characters at the Disney Store for 7 months.  Cars 2, however, abandons this idea of a simpler time and the town in general and focuses almost entirely on action and gadgetry.  The opening sequence follows a new character, Finn McMissile, voiced by Michael Caine, who is actually very cool and probably the best part about the film.  We watch him on a Bond-like mission that is basically what the real secret agent would do in a sports car given the situation.  It has missiles (obviously), bombs, guns, and can even turn into a submarine.  This was all highly entertaining, but no Pixar movie has ever started off like a typical Hollywood action flick.  The rest of the film is no different.
Lightning McQueen and Mater are still best buds, although they get into a fight when McQueen is just about to win the first race of the World Grand Prix headed by Miles Axlerod, who has come up with an alternative fuel for cars, and Mater distracts him while accidentally caught up in a secret mission.  Thus, Mater becomes a spy because he is assumed to be a dumb tow truck undercover.  Now the film focuses solely on Mater along with the new characters McMissile and Holly Shiftwell.
I don't understand why Larry the Cable Guy would ever be cast in a Pixar film, let alone any film for that matter, but he is one of the main reasons why Cars isn't as well reviewed as Toy Story or any of its predecessors.  It is hugely popular though and probably attracts those living in the midwest.  Nevertheless, the character of Mater may touch the audience's heart at times but he comes across as too stupid.
Cars 2 works as a spy/action movie and would most likely be appreciated a lot more if it were from a different animation studio that can never seem to accomplish the acclaim that Pixar receives, but the fact that it lacks the impression of its other works is what makes it mediocre.  At least these cars don't transform though.  It concludes with a message like the others do, but it simply does not have the same effect.  You'll probably be entertained, but won't care for the characters like you did in last summer's Toy Story 3.  Luckily, there is an animated short involving Woody and the gang before Cars 2.  That alone is worth the price of admission.

"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Has It All...Except a Shred of Intelligence

Audiences have learned not to expect a genuine thought from director Michael Bay who is obviously known for his intense action sequences, loud explosions, and busty actresses, well...models, but Transformers: Dark of the Moon is just plain stupid.  Similar to X-Men: First Class, the plot revolves around changing historical events, this time dealing with the 1969 moon landing as opposed to the Cuban Missile Crisis.  The movie begins by trying to explain something important about the alien robot race while rushing through moments pertaining to what Michael Bay says the moon landing was all about.  Just like the first two movies, Transformers 3 starts off ridiculous, but pretty entertaining despite its stupidity, then becomes almost unbearable.
Even though Sam Witwicky, played by the over-enthused Shia LaBeouf (man, that's a lot of vowels), and his girlfriend Mikaela from the previous films seemed perfectly fine, they have clearly gone their separate ways due to the dispute between Bay and Megan Fox off camera.  Without much explanation, in comes Carly Miller played by Victoria's Secret supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whitely.  I don't know how Sam manages to score with these beauties but more power to you pal.  She's certainly easy to look at and actually not a bad actress when you consider the role she's performing.  Meeting her on screen as well as the scene involving Sam receiving the Medal of Honor from Obama are quite entertaining.  Then the "plot" begins to unravel.
I never thought I'd be confused by something as simpleminded as a Michael Bay movie, but I guess it's because I expect movies to make sense.  It takes a while to figure out what everyone is fighting over and what it does, but when you do it doesn't really matter.  Something that teleports weapons and machines from space to Earth in order to rebuild Cybertron, thus making humans the Transformers' slaves even though they're killing them War of the Worlds style.  Again, doesn't make sense, but whatever.
This installment in the franchise has all the action you would presume, but the real entertainment comes from the reputation-ruining small roles from people like John Turturro, Patrick Dempsey, and John Malkovich.  Turturro behaves the same way as he did in the other films, Dempsey is a complete jerk, and Malkovich is a riot.  Ken Jeong, however, who also shows up in the movie is utterly unbearable.  I don't know what people see in him, but he is literally unwatchable.  Alan Tudyk, better known as "Steve the Pirate" from Dodgeball delivers his share of humor, on the other hand, and should be used more often in actual comedies.
Although Bay feels the need to try and make his movies funny, they're all about the action.  The final battle in Chicago, which is at least 45 minutes long but only needs to be about 5, just seems like Bay sat around a toy box with Transformer action figures causing a ruckus.  It's all unnecessary and the damage inflicted on the city did the same to my brain cells.  Slow motion robots fighting and Shia repeatedly shouting "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" is not what I call a movie.  What else can you expect from Michael Bay though?  It's my own fault that I went to go see it.  It honestly could be better though if it wasn't so long.  Either way, save your money but more importantly your time, but even more importantly your smarty brain intelgencey...whoops, I mean intelligence.

An Exquisite Evening with "Midnight in Paris"

It took a while for Midnight in Paris to reach worldwide release, but boy did I pick the perfect evening to finally see Woody Allen's latest film.  The theater contained a few scattered couples all over the age of twenty and most of them being much older except for two girls and a boy in the very back row who were roughly twelve years old.  What drove them to a Sony Pictures Classics film I do not know.  Maybe they thought the theater would be empty and they could goof off.  Maybe they were given an assignment to see the film for a history or literature class due to the glimpse into the lives of some of these subjects' most influential individuals.  No matter what the case, they would not keep their mouths shut, and in response neither would anyone else in the theater.  People shouted "Shut up!" and "Could you please be quiet?!" several times, but no one got up to have an employee come in and do something about the problem.  This can be explained by the fact that Woody Allen's imaginative storytelling and incredibly intriguing characters kept everyone in their seats despite the rude and annoying children behind them.
Midnight in Paris follows Owen Wilson, in a role that shows his real potential as an actor (not like foolish comedies such as Hall Pass), as Gil Pender, a Hollywood screenwriter who is dissatisfied with the focus of his career and wishes to branch out into writing novels.  While in Paris with his fiancee, Inez, played by a convincing but slightly annoying Rachel McAdams, Gil begins to feel distant from his significant other who has absolutely no interest in his feelings or ideas, so he separates from Inez and her family to explore the beautiful city at night.  On one drunken evening while looking for his hotel, Gil is invited into an old looking car and escorted to a party.  Here he meets a man named Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda.  At first he just assumes this to be a coincidence even though the man playing piano at the party seems to have written the music himself.  Then he is led to a pub where the group encounters none other than Ernest Hemingway.  Gil goes along with everything, since his dream is to live in 1920s Paris, and asks Hemingway to take a look at his novel, which instead is passed along to Gertrude Stein.
Gil makes an attempt at bringing his fiancee along for the adventure the next night, but she leaves after waiting impatiently (certainly no Wedding Crashers chemistry here).  Then the clock strikes twelve and Gil enters the old fashioned car on his own.  While in the company of Gertrude Stein, he meets more significant people of the time such as Pablo Picasso and his mistress, Adriana, played by the beautiful Marion Cotillard.  Gil takes a liking to her and spends more and more time with her throughout his visits to the past, but soon learns that he is not alone in the quest for another time.
Woody Allen explores the recurring argument of which period in time was most remarkable and how people constantly chase after a different age or wish for a better era.  With advancements in technology taking away every mystery about every detail one could think of, even something as simple as when a movie or album came out, people tend to stop thinking on their own and just go to their Mac or Blackberry for the answer.  However, even those who lived in what some may say was the Golden Age believe otherwise and look back on the generation before them with jealousy.  Allen's characters portray a genuine struggle for another time as well as the complete opposite opinion, in addition to the enthusiasm evident in particular periods (especially Adrien Brody's hysterical rendering of Salvador Dali).  Inez and her parents, who seem to have no similarities with Gil, are the typical rich and spoiled Beverly Hills family who, along with Inez's friend Paul, think they know everything about the past, but don't truly care about what they think they know.  Some standout scenes include Gil proving Paul completely wrong.
As technically cluttered as our generation may be, it's impossible to travel back to a time deemed more noteworthy or "golden."  However, if one can find someone with the same passion that exists today, life can be a lot more enjoyable.  I doubt the twelve-year-olds got any of this out of the film, but it's clear that they should have been next door watching The Hangover: Part II.  I hate to sound like Inez's snotty parents, but a little culture could do them some good.

Super Acting, Average Story in "Super 8"

Just three years after experiencing the mind-blowing trailer for Cloverfield, moviegoers in the summer of 2010 witnessed another preview from the Bad Robot production company that came across as a sequel, prequel, or different viewpoint of the 2008 monster movie.  As time passed, however, director J.J. Abrams assured everyone that Super 8 has no connection to his previous production.  Nevertheless, after viewing the presumed followup, one can certainly point out a number of similarities.
Super 8 of course is directed by the new man of mystery and science fiction, J.J. Abrams, who like most people in his line of work, looked up to and was influenced by Steven Spielberg, who is an executive producer for the movie.  While on the set, the two discussed what it was like growing up making movies for fun with an actual super 8 mm camera.  Their passion for the style of filmmaking seen around the time of Abrams' childhood in the 1970s, which is when the film takes place, is obviously noticeable throughout, which creates a sense of nostalgia for that time period.  As the film progresses, however, it changes from a great narrative revolving around a group of young filmmakers working on a piece to submit in a festival, to a combination of story lines we've all seen before.
Although I do not intend on giving away too much of the plot and its factors that are to be kept secret, I will include a SPOILER ALERT warning just in case.  I went into the theater expecting another Cloverfield, but the first two-thirds or so of the movie proved otherwise until of course, I did notice the resemblance.  The monster looks very familiar, and the classic case of boy tracking down location of girl (protagonist of Cloverfield trekking across the city for his ex-girlfriend) is evident.  While the alien unleashes a substantial amount of havoc in the small town of Lillian, Ohio, it does not mean as much harm as it inflicts.  This relates to Spielberg's own E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Super 8 does have unique qualities despite its various parallels with other movies.  The acting is superb and Joel Courtney along with Elle Fanning, sister of Dakota, should have extraordinary careers ahead of them.  The rest of the young characters played by Riley Griffiths, Gabriel Basso, Ryan Lee, and Zach Mills also do a fine job, as well as the adult actors including Kyle Chandler, making for a great cast.  I think the best part of the film is seen during the credits, when the entirety of the zombie movie directed by Griffiths' character is played out.  It reminded me of when I made my own short movies as a kid using my dad's camera.  Don't worry, I will not turn this into a story of how I was just like Abrams and Spielberg when they were kids.
Overall, Super 8 is not a bad movie.  It's just not great either.  I believe if the mediocre Cloverfield never existed, then this movie could be appreciated a lot more.  I also don't wish by any means that E.T.  or CE3K were not around, but if Super 8 could better distinguish itself from these movies, then we would have a fantastic piece of cinema on our hands.  In any case, it is worth seeing as an escape from the completely obvious formulaic dross that will clutter the theaters throughout the remainder of the summer.

"Fast Five" Kicks the Summer Into High Gear

I know Fast Five has been out for a while so most of you may have seen it already, but if you haven't and need some mindless entertainment that is aware of its ridiculousness then this is the movie to see.  For the 2 hour and 10 minute running time, at least an hour and 45 minutes of that is pure action.  From the opening sequence of a bus flipping over a dozen times, to the heist on a train, all the way to the final job, the intense fighting and racing hits hard.
The plot certainly isn't important, but it's a classic case of a heist going in a different direction due to some people being bad and untrustworthy.  After Toretto and O'Conner, played by the franchise heros Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, along with their team are accused of killing three federal agents, they are not only hunted by the head honcho in Rio whose men were planning on betraying them, but also a new addition to the series, Dwayne Johnson.  He sports a goatee in order to differentiate himself from his equally jacked costar Diesel (which comes in handy during a completely unnecessary but extremely amusing fist fight).  Johnson's cheesy but hilarious lines are worth the ticket price alone even with the never before seen type of special effects scenes.
The whole gang comes together for the final job and if you are wondering how Diesel and Walker somehow managed to obtain a career in acting, Tyrese Gibson among others prove that things could be worse.  This isn't too upsetting, however, since it simply doesn't matter what anyone has to say.  It's all about what they do.  Sure every single thing they succeed in pulling off is utterly absurd, including two average sized cars pulling a safe weighing ten tons out of a wall and across streets and bridges, but just remember to check your brain at the door.  I found myself in several WTF moments, getting a little annoyed at how stupid the people behind this movie think the audience can be, but what can you expect from a movie called Fast Five.  A ludicrous title and a joke to know that it's the fifth installment in a movie about racing cars.  Thankfully, this one is more Ocean's Eleven (without the A list stars) than NASCAR on the streets.
If five brain cell damaging movies weren't enough, stick around after the credits.  One star from the series who was left out has news about another.  I can't even imagine what they'll try to do next.  Oh wait, steal and race some cars.

"X-Men: First Class" Starts Off Strong Then Takes a Beating

After a disappointing third installment in the franchise and a below average origin story with Wolverine, it seemed as if the X-Men series would finally get back on track with First Class, but unfortunately the movie took a turn for the worse.  This film follows Professor X and Magneto before they become the wise and powerful mutants most people are familiar with, starring James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender in the lead roles, respectively.  The first half hour or so is so intriguing that it's hard to believe that the film could change so drastically from an early James Bond type adventure to a laughingly corny superhero flick that we've seen too much of in the past.
First Class begins just as 2000's X-Men with a scene involving Erik Lehnsherr, later to become Magneto, in Nazi invaded Poland.  It goes deeper into what happened that day, however, and Erik is taken into the custody of the main villain, Sebastian Shaw, played by Kevin Bacon.  At first Bacon manages to pull off the bad guy persona, and as he torments the young child into wielding his powers, the audience truly feels the boy's agony.  After this torture and the murder of his mother, years go by and the main source of entertainment comes from Erik's quest for the man who ruined his life.  He travels to different locations, bouncing around the globe, similar to that of a classic Bond film, and one scene in particular stands out above the rest in which Erik shows off his remarkable power in a bar located in Argentina.  This is the most noteworthy moment, but it gets lost in the rubbish that is to come.
Fassbender's performance involving the struggle over the control of a mighty gift is certainly the best part of the film and it is believable that he is to become Ian McKellen's Magneto.  McAvoy's portrayal of Professor X is also convincing at first, but when the film flips on its ear to become a joke, he is no longer tolerable just like the rest of the cast.  The supporting characters are what make First Class feel more like coach.  The transition from awesome to unbearable is so distinct, I almost said "Uh oh" out loud.  After Xavier and Erik recruit new mutants, in a montage including a pretty funny cameo, the team of youngins go around their isolated room coming up with cool superhero names.  This cheesy scene was so aggravating I was hoping that Kevin Bacon and his minions would arrive sooner and wipe them all out.  When he finally does drop by, the X-Men realize they must train in order to stop him.
As can be seen in the film's commercials, the story revolves around the Cuban Missile Crisis, which apparently started because both the U.S. and the Soviet Union were fooled by Sebastian Shaw alone.  It really makes both parties look completely idiotic.  So now it is up to the mutants, who the humans have a deep hatred for, to solve the issue.  Cue the next corny montage of training and coming to the understanding that we can do it guys!  As if that's not bad enough, Mystique is flirting with everyone, including an incredibly annoying Beast, as well as Erik who convinces her that she is beautiful.  As if.
If you're looking for some solid action sequences, this isn't a bad place to start for the summer.  However, if you recognize what is really happening around the explosions, it's quite pathetic.  Why the butterfly stripper can't be stopped with a single bullet, let alone huge red rings shooting out of Havok is beyond me.  It's obviously not a spoiler to hear that Professor X somehow ends up in a wheelchair.  Brace yourself for that groundbreaking scene.  If you recently watched the third X-Men film you'll notice that he's old and still walking.  Guess that one didn't match up, huh?
Anyway, the movie had such potential with a strong performance throughout from Fassbender and a decent start from McAvoy and Bacon, but they grow to become so insufferable.  Other than a good beginning and January Jones' cleavage every few minutes, there is not much to see besides special effects.  I know that we've learned everything necessary to understand Magneto's origin, but if the film solely followed his quest for revenge, this installment could've been a lot better.  I'm sure Marvel will go back to one mutant at a time with Deadpool or whoever is coming up next, but it's a shame that several characters at once couldn't work and such great talent went to waste.

"The Hangover Part II" Feels Like a Real Hangover

Jaws. Pirates of the Caribbean. The Lion King. The Hangover.  What do all of these movies have in common?  They shouldn't have had sequels.  It certainly seems reasonable to cash in on a huge hit or continue a great story, but these films are good on their own.  What makes things worse about The Hangover Part II is that it does not even make sense to try and add on to its predecessor.  The story ends with the Wolf Pack getting home from Vegas in time for the wedding.  Perfect.  In Jaws, the shark blows up.  Perfect.  With Pirates and Lion King there is room for character development and a more detailed story, but these certainly aren't necessary when one takes a look at the sequels.  There is simply nothing to do for a Hangover sequel but copy the same exact formula.  And that's just what Todd Phillips and the gang did.
The first few minutes of both films can be played side by side and one would barely be able to tell the difference.  Bradley Cooper's character Phil looks up into the sky after talking to Doug's wife on the phone to look at "The Hangover" written in the same font as in the first movie.  I didn't even think they were going to include "Part II."  Then the opening credits roll along with a song from the same artist who was featured in the previous film.  Things start to change up just a bit while the Wolf Pack discusses their trip to Thailand for Stu's wedding, but once they arrive, one realizes that he or she should've just popped in the 2009 DVD to save some time and money.
The only real difference in Part II is the scenery, the person they lose, and the level of obscenity.  Once again, Stu gets the worst of it and I even began to feel bad for him, not only for the terribly disgusting things happening to him, but the fact that it's his second go-around.  One character I absolutely do not feel bad for is Alan.  Zach Galifianakis is not meant for a lot of screen time, and in Part II it shows.  He has become even more hard to believe due to his insane obsession with the Wolf Pack and his carelessness towards them at the same time.  He, along with Ken Jeong, who should've stuck with just Knocked Up and the first Hangover so we would miss him a little, is completely exhausting.  When Jeong first appears on screen and something abruptly happens to him, I almost shouted with joy.  Don't worry though...he comes back.
While the first film had a sequence of crazy events and a true mystery, the sequel involves one riot (which doesn't seem so bad knowing what the characters can handle) and it's a lot easier to piece this one together.  Plus the laughs are barely present.  There is one scene in particular, when Alan has a flashback of the evening while meditating that is quite funny, but I think I laughed the hardest during the opening credits when I saw who would be playing the surprise cameo.  He disappoints, however, like the rest of the cast.
Many people were probably looking forward to a solid comedy since this summer will be bombarded with superhero movies, but The Hangover Part II does not satisfy.  Avoid this carbon copy and enjoy all of the hilarious quotes from the first film if you can resist the urge to give this pathetic sequel more money.  Or better yet, see Bridesmaids or wait for something like Horrible Bosses.  I'm sure if I can remember the few humorous lines from Part II, I'll be reciting them throughout the summer.  But I doubt I'll enjoy it.  Watching the first Hangover is like experiencing a happy buzz with the potential of getting hammered.  Watching Part II is like the next morning when you feel like shit.

Following Along with the Typical Cliche of Saying "I Do" to "Bridesmaids"

Judd Apatow strays away from his typical movie characters just a bit with his next production, Bridesmaids, which follows a group of women as opposed to lazy, pot smoking, wisecracking men.  Saturday Night Live's leading lady, Kristen Wiig, heads this hilarious cast as the depressed and jealous Annie, all the while proving that she deserves more time on the big screen.
The audience immediately discovers Annie's low self esteem in the first scene, involving an uncomfortable yet hysterical sex scene with Jon Hamm's character.  Hamm shows off his comedic chops as well by acting out the side of Don Draper that we know he is just bottling up on Mad Men, acknowledging his handsomeness as a complete dirtbag.
When Annie finds out that her best friend Lillian, played by Maya Rudolph, is getting married, she can't help but feel sorry for her lonely self.  Things only get worse when she meets Lillian's new rich, obnoxious, party planning friend Helen, played by Rose Byrne who appeared in Apatow's previous production Get Him to the Greek.  The competition among Lillian's best friends results in side-splitting scenarios, most notably Wiig's drunken rant about first class on the bridesmaids' plane to Vegas.
However, Wiig is not the only one that provides a standout performance.  Mike & Molly's Melissa McCarthy plays a big role, not just because of her size, but her ability to cause a burst of laughter with every word or gesture.  Her slightly disgusting actions (one concerning a sink and another involving her obsession with an air marshal) mixed with her lovable and caring qualities make for a great character.
Annie's jealousy continues to grow, leading to some measures that are a bit absurd and unlikely, but she slowly finds herself caring about a police officer who pulled her over, played by Chris O'Dowd (the man with the most screen time), allowing her to get over her distasteful behavior.
Bridesmaids may come across as a chick flick due to its censorship in commercials, but this R-rated comedy is just as entertaining for men as it is for women.  There are a few emotional scenes that will target the females, but the men will look right past them once the next outrageously funny incident takes place.  Bridesmaids sets the bar pretty high for the rest of the comedies releasing throughout the summer season.

"Thor" Hammers Away with Action

Kicking off a summer full of superhero movies is the next installment in the Marvel franchise, Thor.  It follows the success of two Iron Man films, and the not so successful The Incredible Hulk as the next member to join the forthcoming 2012 hit The Avengers.  Robert Downey Jr.'s character Tony Stark will have to watch out after being teamed up with the equally cocky, but more robust Chris Hemsworth who plays the title character in the most recent Marvel film.
Thor has never been as popular as other characters in the franchise such as Iron Man, Spider-Man, Captain America, or The Hulk, but this humorous, action-packed motion picture has proven that Thor deserves a little more attention.  The film starts with a sequence of Natalie Portman, who has become a bit exhausting on the big screen lately, and her science team, during which we meet Thor who crashes down to earth (and then into Portman's van) after being banned from his home, Asgard.  As he curses the heavens while appearing to be a psychopath, the audience gets its first hint that the movie knows how ridiculous it will most likely come across as, thus acknowledging the comical parts where appropriate.
Thor is frequently captured by the government agency S.H.I.E.L.D. who will be running the Avengers team, and one scene full of ass-kicking really stands out (with an unexpected appearance of another new add-on to the group).  The great action segments and outstanding visual effects of Asgard and the other realms of the universe make for an entertaining two hours by themselves.
As enjoyable as the scenery may be, Chris Hemsworth also delivers a marvelous breakthrough performance despite his dull sidekicks and friends.  His pals from Asgard serve almost no purpose and we never learn a significant detail about any of them, but Thor's evil brother played by Tom Hiddleston as well as Stellan Skarsgard's role of Dr. Erik Selvig somewhat make up for the lack of depth in the other characters.
Thor may not be the best superhero movie in the past few years, nor will it likely be the best of the summer, but it certainly serves as a good trip to the movies and a decent introduction to a new figure in the series.  Although it would make sense for the studio to flesh out the supporting characters of Thor in The Avengers or in a possible sequel, hopefully they are completely disregarded since The Avengers already seems to have too much on its plate.  Combining the numerous heroes, villains, and side stories from all the Marvel movies will certainly be too much to handle, but it's nice to enjoy one protagonist at a time while it lasts.

"50/50" Delivers 100%

At an early screening of "50/50," I went into the theater with no idea of the film's plot other than the fact that Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character has cancer, and Seth Rogen is his best friend.  This information seemed promising enough, but certainly did not serve as grounds for what to expect from such an unusual pair.  What came across as an odd duo soon made a lot of sense when, prior to the opening credits, the writer and director addressed the audience, and the former introduced himself as Will Reiser, Seth Rogen's real-life best friend.  He told the attendants about how he was diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer, and after a quick Internet search, Reiser discovered that he had a 50/50 chance of making it through this tragic experience.  Obviously he survived the disease and wrote a movie about it, but knowing these details does not prevent the emotional roller coaster ride that comes with this remarkable film full of outrageous laughs and steady flowing tears.
JGL's character, Adam, almost immediately finds out about his spinal cancer, but even with this devastating news he manages to keep a sense of humor thanks to his bud Kyle, played by Seth Rogen.  One may think that this was an easy role for Rogen since he is playing himself in a situation that he actually lived through, but Rogen brings depth to a character that at first appears as nothing more than an equivalent to his part in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.  Gordon-Levitt further proves his ability to lead in a movie as he did in 500 Days of Summer by showcasing a wide range of emotions, from frequent sorrow and anger, to hysterical laughter after smoking weed with some elder cancer patients, and even a powerful panic attack that pains the audience.
With exceptional performances from the supporting cast, including a damaged and somewhat cruel Bryce Dallas Howard as Adam's girlfriend, a frantic and worked-up Anjelica Huston who plays Adam's mother also dealing with her husband's dementia, and a helpful Anna Kendrick as a new therapist, 50/50 is truly captivating.  Jonathan Levine, the director of The Wackness, shows that he is on his way towards bigger things after his phenomenal sophomore film.  Seth Rogen and his buddy Evan Goldberg also prove that they can produce films outside the realm of raunchy titles such as Knocked Up and Superbad.
To see their best acting to date, check out Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen in 50/50 in late September.  You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll call your mother once you exit the theater.