After finishing with finals for the semester, the first thing I did was sit down and watch movies. Here are the four movies I watched.
Hyde Park on Hudson (2012)
I remember seeing the trailer at the theater for this movie a while back. I was interested in seeing Bill Murray portray Franklin D. Roosevelt, although at the same time I thought it might take away from the film if it wanted to be serious at some point. I was surprised that the best thing about this film was Murray and especially his relationship with King George VI (portrayed by Samuel West). It felt genuine. The biggest problem with this film I think was that it started to give you an interesting plot, FDR's relationship with his cousin Daisy (played perfectly well by Laura Linney), his relationship with the royal family, etc. and you never really knew what this film wanted to talk about. The director was fine, but the screenplay was lacking. If they had tightened the script a little bit, this film would have been much better.
6 out of 10
Broken City (2013)
I don't really know why I bother sometimes with films like this one. I think the cast is what made me want to spend my time with this movie. Russell Crowe always does interesting movies and Mark Wahlberg can throw down on a nice action movie. That wasn't enough to salvage this film from being completely predictable. If you have seen 20 movies, chances are you have come across the powerful politician using his power to commit a crime plot. I would be surprised if you couldn't figure everything out after watching the first scene. I did. That really takes me out of a film. I like to be surprised and if you are going to do something that has been done to death, at least do it in an incredible way. None of that happens here. It just fails to be interesting in any way. Meh.
5 out of 10
Red Dawn (2012)
If the last film was a meh, this one is an ugh. First time director Dan Bradley tackles on a remake of the 1980s campy as fuck but still entertaining because its so ridiculous and it knows it film about a Russian invasion of the US and a group of teenagers who fight back. Why someone felt this needed a remake is beyond me. The original was a child of the times. Last years of the Cold War mixed with some 80s teenager action and sprinkled with a dose of patriotism. Here we have the North Koreans being the invaders and apparently being helped by the Russians... even though we only ever really see one Russian. Anyway, pretty boy Chris Hemsworth takes a break from ruling Asgard to ham it up something heavy in this flick. Sadly, everyone seems to be hamming it up. Josh Peck, who plays Hemsworth's brother (yeah, right), seems to be bored to tears by everything that is happening. Its a run of the mill actioner where you really root for the Koreans to stick it to these ingrate kids. And it doesn't even have the courtesy to show some tits or something... Also, by the way... fuck shaky cam.
3 out of 10
Killing Season (2013)
After watching this film, I decided to check out the director. He wasn't terrible, but he wasn't great. There were some really interesting shots in the flick and I wanted to see what else he had made. Turns out Mark Steven Johnson has done crap filled with crap. Daredevil, Ghost Rider, and When in Rome... yeesh. Talk about a terrible track record. The movie deals with a Serbian soldier who searches for a US military man who served in Bosnia. Forget about the questionable history behind the conflict after Yugoslavia was torn to different countries and the involvement of US troops, forget the questionable serbian accent that Travolta tries on (and he talks a LOT), it all overshadows and makes seem worse a movie that is mediocre but has some interesting things. Especially the ending. It caught me by surprise and I thought it was a nice touch. I also have no problem with the torture scenes. People get all riled up whenever there are torture scenes in movies and video games and they need to chill out. Torture is supposed to make you feel queasy, that's the whole point. In the end, this is not an entirely terrible movie, but this one at least had some beautiful shots of the wilderness.
The hype. Oh, the hype. I think there was too much. For a character with a track record like Superman, I have no clue how people expected so much from this movie. And that's exactly what happened. As we left the theater, nobody seemed to love Man of Steel. They liked it, but this crowd expected to be blown away. They were expecting the perfect superhero movie, and unfortunately this isn't it.
The fact that Christopher Nolan's name is somewhere in the credits made people's expectations skyrocket. And now that the Batman series is "done"DC needs to figure out where they go from here. I will say this though, if this movie was trying to be the first step into a Justice League movie, I didn't spot it. But enough banter, lets get to the actual movie.. (slight spoilers ahead)
The movie opens on Krypton where Jor-El is trying to convince the kryptonian leaders that the planet has no hope. General Zod walks in and attempts a coup, which leads to our first action scenes. The problem is that this is an obvious alien world, with alien terms for things, and absolutely nothing is explained to us. They reference something called 'the codex' and how it's the key to their salvation. Of course, we need to take this for certain even though we have no idea what this thing is... You know, it's totally alien to us. But no one explains anything here, so we just have to take their word that this codex thing is important.
For the most part the portion of the movie that takes place on Krypton is pretty, but quite forgettable. Obvious exposition, it's the type of exposition that gets regurgitated over and over again. Why do we need to hear Jor-El's consciousness explain to Clark step by step what happened when we just saw it happen ten minutes before? It feels like significant chunks of movie time are wasted recapping what happened earlier on. The plot isn't elaborate enough to merit this much explanation.
Being an "origin story" I'm surprised by how well the childhood/growth was handled. Through flashbacks they successfully stray away from having the first half of the movie being superkid doing mundane miracles. Unfortunately they flash back a bit too often, and it really breaks the tension at moments where you just want to see what happens next. Just when a huge confrontation is about to happen we hop back to a touching father/son moment that comes off cheesy because you're more interested in what's happening in the present.
And about those father/son moments... There are way too many of them. I get that you've got Crowe and Costner as the father figures and each of them deserves proper screen time, but it really starts weighing the movie down at a certain point. Due to all the flashing back, there's a real lack of action here. He's not in the costume enough. He's not fighting enough. There's just way too much exposition.
Zod who?
The action scenes are brilliant though. While the camera gets a bit shaky for my taste, everything looks awesome. Destruction has rarely looked this impressive. The breakthrough character in these scenes is definitely Faora-Ul who kicks all sorts of ass. Seeing her zip around at super speed annihilating just about everyone and everything in sight is one of the coolest visuals I've seen in a while.
The final confrontation between Zod and Superman is as massive a battle as you'll ever see on the big screen. A fight scene that really delivers. The type of fight scene that makes me hopeful for a decent DBZ movie at some point. And yes, I did have to reference Goku in this article at leas once.
Performance wise there isn't really anything for me to gripe about. Henry Cavill wore the cape well; charming yet intimidating, it works. Kevin Costner may seem overly cheesy at times, but he's by no means unbearable. Zod was a fun villain for a first movie, and Michael Shannon did a good job being the villain who believes he's doing the right thing. Lois Lane wasn't as tough as she should have been, but they got the nosy intrepid reporter part right; and I love Amy Adams. But, as I said earlier, the breakout star of here is without a doubt Antje Traue as Faora-Ul; a real badass second villain was the spark those initial action scenes needed.
All in all, it's an enjoyable movie. It's just one of those movies where you just want to fast forward to the fight scenes, and unfortunately there aren't that many... The initial action sequence on Krypton is pretty, but it's really just filler. I've only seen it once, and I really get the feeling that my complaints would only intensify on a second viewing. While definitely better than Superman Returns and much more enjoyable than Smallville there is still plenty of room for improvement.
When some people hear the words “rap” or “hip hop”, they
might conjure images of young blacks and Latinos with expensive cars and extravagant
jewelry, dressed in sports attire, and surrounded by a bevy of scantily-clad
women. Perhaps, others might visualize parties in which only one man behind a
pair of turntables is responsible for the event’s success. The fact of the
matter is that few, if any, would think of a band of up to eight different
musicians that play their own instruments.
The Roots, a legendary alternative rap group from
Philadelphia, have established an amazing career marked by a willingness to shatter
the stereotypes that sadly characterize hip hop culture in the eyes of many
badly informed observers. Led by drummer ?uestlove and MC Black Thought, the
collective’s discography totals eleven group album and three collaborations
(with rapper Jay-Z and singers John Legend and Betty Wright) throughout twenty
years. The hallmarks of their distinctive style are their use of acoustic
instruments, the way that they mix different musical genres, and their poetic
lyrics with existential themes.
Despite having never sold a platinum album, their single “You
got me” was awarded a Grammy in 1999, and since 2009, they have been the house band
of the NBC talk show “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”. Although it is a shame
that some people know them from their role on the show and not from their prolific
recording output, the media exposure that they have achieved as a result of
supporting a popular comedian has considerably expanded their audience.
The albums they released in the nineties create a relaxing
ambience, something that many thought hip hop music could never do. However,
this does not mean that the band limited itself to soft songs during this
period. “Respond/React”, “Distortion to Static”, and “Adrenaline!” go back to
hip hop’s essence with their abundance of complex rhymes and pulsating beats. “What
they do” criticizes rappers that compromise their integrity in an attempt to
get rich and please the masses. Musically, the track combines hip hop with
melodic jazz guitar lines and smooth neo-soul hooks. Its accompanying music
video, a satirical look at hip hop clichés, is one of the best of the decade.
Even after twenty years in the business, the group keeps
finding ways to innovate within its unique mix of rap, jazz, soul, and rock.
Their last album, Undun, was released
on December, 2011, and immediately hailed as a classic by many critics. A
concept album that narrates the final 24 hours in the life of a young thug (in
reverse chronological order), it just might be their most profound and
elaborate creation. Every song is a story within itself, but listening to them in
succession gives the listener a complete perspective on a troubled and complex
character. The music, which tends to be somber and dark, creates a
contemplative and melancholic atmosphere that provides the ideal background for
Black Thought’s introspective rhymes.
Each one of the Roots’ albums displays the qualities that
make their music so special, but their tendency to experiment assures that they
all have their own personality. As a result, their legacy is not only centered
on their abundant creativity, but in the fact that they have never exploited
trends to try and increase their appeal. This disposition to set their own path
and establish new musical tendencies has brought them a lasting and successful
career in a field where one can be forgotten a year after selling millions of
records.
In January, ?uestlove announced that the band is recording
its twelfth album, as well as a collaboration with famed English rocker Elvis
Costello. Also, last week Black Thought revealed that he is currently recording
a blues album - his first solo record, and another chapter in the impressive
trajectory of the Philadelphia collective.
Bruce Willis gets bored, you know? So he made another Die Hard movie. This time we see John McClane venture to Moscow (comedy gold already, right?) to find his son Jack, played by Spartacus' Jai Courtney, whom he hasn't heard from in years.
Assuming the worst (not kidding, the worst) of his son, good 'ol John wastes no time in finding trouble. This leads to the obligatory car chase, explosion scene, and hostage situation.
The problems start once you realize that the movie only really has two characters. Nobody else really needs a name. You've got John, and Jack. Everyone else is generic and kinda pointless. The movie centers around the banter between father and son, their attempts at comedy get a chuckle out of you every once in a while, but it often falls flat. John's one liners are also uninspired at best. His "I'm supposed to be on vacation" lines happen a couple of times too many, akin to Lethal Weapon's"I'm getting to old for this shit". Even the mandatory Yippee Ki-Yay moment feels phoned in.
Story wise, it isn't anything special. Bad attempts at plot twists don't really work because you only care about the two main characters, and even when it gets the chance to do something interesting the McClanes always seem to figure it all out surprisingly quickly, leading to more action instead of interesting storytelling. And honestly, that might not be a bad thing.
The action scenes are another story. Some of these segments are legitimately jaw dropping. The chase scene comes to mind, brutally over the top and quite entertaining. The stunt work is very well done, and the slow motion is used sparingly and it really works surprisingly well.
Ultimately a lack of memorable characters leads to nothing special. This is easily the weakest of the Die Hard films. That doesn't mean it's bad, just not good. There's no Hans Gruber to give you memorable bad guy lines, there's nothing to challenge running barefoot on broken glass. It just falls flat.
This probably won't be the last Die Hard. The way Hollywood works these days this will keep going. And of course, we'll watch them... We can only hope that they can once again find their charm and they stop with the ridiculous title puns.
Fine... The title puns can stay.
A Good Day To Die Hard... Who comes up with this shit?! 5.5/10
The time has come once again to look forward into the next year and the films that will be released in order to weed out the good from the bad. There are a lot of interesting looking films coming out from well-known, as well as from some lesser known, directors. So, let's just get on with it and see what we should be looking for next year.
Honorable Mentions
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
I don't care what anybody thinks of Frank Miller's graphic novel on which this movie (as well as the original Sin City), I enjoyed the hell out of it. The feel of the film, the use of the same techniques that were used by Miller in the graphic novel but in movie form, it all felt like it fit perfectly. Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller team up once more in the shared director's chair. Hopefully they can make this movie as enjoyable as the last one. One thing that might hurt it is that some of the characters had to be recast because of death or pregnancy. Luckily, none is one of the important roles. Jamie Chung (Battlestar Galactica) will now play the role of Miho that Devon Aoki used to play, and Dennis Haysbert (The Unit, 24) will replace Michael Clarke Duncan who sadly passed away. I'll be hoping this is at least as entertaining as the first one.
The Lone Ranger
This is a strange one for me. I'm not looking too forward to it because I love the original or anything of the sort. I guess I'm just interested in seeing the two main characters together on screen. Armie Hammer was probably the breakout star of The Social Network and I guess I just want to know what he can do. Having Johnny Depp besides you playing Tonto is not too bad either. I also want to see Depp do something other than another lame Tim Burton movie and while I'm not the hugest Gore Verbinski fan, I want to see what Verbinski's take on these characters is.
13. Zero Dark Thirty
Katheryn Bigelow killed at the Academy Awards a few years ago with the movieThe Hurt Locker. While I am not a huge fan of that movie, I understand why it was universally lauded as the best of that year. There is something gritty and grimy about that movie and I am hoping that it will be the same when Bigelow tackles the spy genre. I'm not sure exactly how much spy it will have, but it being about the search and death of Osama bin Laden, we can be sure that it will be controversial either way. The movie stars the beautiful Jessica Chastain in a role that I didn't expect. I'm hoping to see if she can pull off this kind of movie. Alexandre Desplat will be working on the music, which is pretty awesome as he can do some really fantastic stuff.
12. Elysium
A few years back South African director, Neill Blomkamp, came out of nowhere with a little sci-fi film that really seemed to catch the attention of the masses. District 9 was an incredibly interesting take on the alien invasion film while also touching on topics like racism and apartheid in an entertaining way. This new flick stars Matt Damon and Jodie Foster and it deals with a future in which the divide between economic classes has really stretched incredibly and one man's battle to try to bring equality. The blurb doesn't really give us much information about anything other than the setting, so I'm interested to see more news about this movie, or better yet, go in completely blind.
11. Gangster Squad
The director of one of the funnest zombie flicks this side of Shaun of the Dead begins January with the period mafia film Gangster Squad. With a pretty damn interesting cast comprised of actors like Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte, and Robert Patrick, this definitely might be a surprisingly good movie. I also liked Ruben Fleischer's stylish take on the zombie flick, so I am looking forward to what he can do with the gangster movie. He is lucky to be working with such an ace cast. My only worry about this film is the music. Of course, trailer music doesn't constitute the whole of what we will see when we go to the theater, but I think this kind of film needs a specific kind of music. Either way, I'll be looking to see this one next month.
10. Trance
While I know that some people dislike Danny Boyle's style, but I am a very big fan of his work. Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Slumdog Millionaire,and 127 Hours are all movies that I enjoy to different degrees. What I mean is that I look forward to seeing whatever Boyle is coming up with next because he is not afraid to take chances and he will always try different things. The story of Trance is pretty interesting but pretty vague. Apparently it deals with a fine art auctioneer joining forces with a hypnotherapist to recover a lost painting. In between, it seems to deal with the effects of hypnotic suggestion and reality. The three main players Boyle will be working with are James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson and Vincent Cassel which is an interesting mix and one I will be looking forward to seeing. I believe this movie is expected to come out on March of 2013.
9. Los amantes pasajeros (I'm So Excited!)
Any time that Pedro Almodovar is about to release a film, I get excited. He always has a way of getting some amazing performances from the actors he works with and his movies are always different and interesting. This one specifically interests me because I have no idea what it is about. All that I have seen is that it looks like a comedy or at least it looks like it will be a lot more comedic than his last few films. Penelope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Paz Vega seem to be the big players here and also Argentinian actress Cecilia Roth seems to be making an appearance as well. Even without knowing what the film is about, I definitely want to check it out.
8. Oz: The Great and Powerful
Although at first sight this probably isn't my cup of tea, Sam Raimi is a director that I always try to give a chance with every new film he releases. Although I absolutely loathe his Spider-Man franchise, I think he is a pretty good director that can work well when given the opportunity to do his schtick. This particular movie has James Franco playing a magician that gets sent to the land of Oz where he meets three witches played by Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams and Mila Kunis. Basically it is the story of the way the Wizard of Oz began. I'm afraid that it will be looking too much like the really terrible Alice in Wonderland. Hopefully Raimi's fantastic sensibilities will make this a really interesting film to watch.
7. Ender's Game
I have been hearing for years that one of my favorite science fiction books from when I was younger was being turned into a movie. I have always been incredibly leery about this project, because of one simple reason: I worry that the kid actors wouldn't give Orson Scott Card's story justice. The movie deals with Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a really gifted kid who is sent to an advanced military training program in space in order to prepare for invasion. From what I remember from the book, this is a bloody story with a lot of violence between the young kids. While I think that Butterfield is a great young actor, I'm not sure his look feels right. The same goes for Abigail Breslin, who plays Ender's sister. Rounding the cast are Harrison Ford, Viola Davis and Ben Kingsley. I do worry that this movie won't live up to my expectations, and I especially worry that director Gavin Hood will come out with another X-Men Origins: Wolverine instead of a Tsotsi.
6. Kick-Ass 2
I tried as much as humanly possible to refrain from putting too many sequels on my list. This one I just couldn't help. I really loved the first Kick-Ass. It was a breath of fresh air when it came to superhero movies. So it makes sense that I am really excited about this film. One of the things that freaks me out a little bit is the new director. Matthew Vaughn, who directed the original, is not back at the helm and instead of him, we get Jeff Wadlow. Wadlow has directed Cry Wolf and Never Back Down. These are two movies that I never cared for. So, I am definitely worried about this. Most of the cast is back, though with some interesting additions. I'm looking forward to seeing Jim Carrey as Colonel Stars and Stripes.
5. Pacific Rim
I admit that I am a huge fan of Guillermo del Toro. Ever since I first saw Hellboy, I began my mission of trying to watch everything he has released. Then I saw Pan's Labyrinth and I was hooked on his style and his storytelling. While this one is certainly not Pan's Labyrinth, I'm still excited over the film. I'm guessing that anyone with a mecha fetish (I'm looking at you Fefi!) will also be interested. As far as I know, it deals with an alien invasion and humans defending themselves with giant robots. Charlie Hunnam and Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) will be part of the cast along with Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and motherfuckin' Heimdall himself Idris Elba (Luther). Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones) will be working on the music, which is pretty interesting as well. I'm looking forward to this one.
4. Oldboy
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not expecting this movie to be a fantastic film. It could even be that the movie sucks balls. Spike Lee has always been a very hit or miss director to most people. Add to that the fact that the original Oldboy directed by Chan-wook Park has become a cult classic in the United States and you have what most people believe is a recipe for disaster. I find it hard to believe that Lee could in any way surpass the greatness of Park's film. So, why is it on my list? This is not a list of which movies I think are going to be the best, but of movies I think people should see. I am interested in seeing Lee's interpretation of this film. I am looking to see if the gritty violence and more unsavory plot points survive the transfer to American audiences. I'm also not sure about the rest of the cast except for Josh Brolin. While Elizabeth Olsen was fantastic in 2011's Martha Marcy May Marlene, I'm not sure how she will fit here and Sharlto Copley (District 9) seems like an odd choice as well. All we can do is wait for this now and hope that Lee brings his A game.
3. Stoker
We were just talking about director Chan-wook Park and who else could I have put at number three other than that directors new film? This is Park's first film without a Korean cast. It deals with India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) and how she deals with the death of her father, her estranged mother (Nicole Kidman) and the arrival of her uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode). At first glance it doesn't seem like a Chan-wook Park film, but I'm sure that he has some surprises up his sleeve that will throw everyone off. At first glance, it seemed like the plot was pretty similar to Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt, but either way, I'd watch it. After watching the trailer, you can tell that there is something there brimming that we will not figure out until Park wants us to. I'd like to see what Park can do here.
2. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Ever since the Lord of the Rings came out, people have become enthralled by the world that J.R.R. Tolkien built many moons ago. People really couldn't get enough, so they decided to make Tolkien's children's book, which took place in the same world and had a couple of the same characters as his adult series, to turn it into a movie. I already saw the first part, An Unexpected Journey and I have to say that it really did meet all my expectations. Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins was a revelation. Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Hugo Weaving as Elrond and Sylvester McCoy as Radagast were all their fantastic selves. This is the second part of the trilogy and I can't help but be incredibly excited to see this film. I am sure this one will be just as great and might even be greater than the first one. Trust Peter Jackson.
1. The World's End
What do you get when you mix actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost with writer/director Edgar Wright? Pure, unadulterated awesomeness. Spaced, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are favorites of mine. They are great as parodies, comedies, buddy movies (series), and just about anything they set out to do. So, seeing them tackle the end of the world is pretty cool and I just can't wait to check it out. Add to the cast Paddy Considine and Martin Freeman and I imagine more of Britain's best will make some cameos to make this a really entertaining cast. This is the third one in what Pegg and Wright have called "The Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy" and it will be their homage, parody, whatever you want to call it, to science fiction. This is the film I am most looking forward to seeing next year and even if it is not yours, you need to go see it when it comes out!
There you have it. The list of 13 movies I think people should watch next year. There will be a lot more interesting films to check out, but these are the ones I want to see. Got a movie you think should be considered? Let me know!
