Lincoln Review

I haven't written a review on here for a long time, but that is because I have been insanely busy. However, now that I have a little free time I can start writing some more reviews. I have seen at least a dozen films over the past few days, so let's do it!

Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln follows the final four months of Abraham Lincoln’s life as he is still trying to end the Civil War and unite the nation once again. To do this he fights to pass the thirteenth Amendment, which would permanently abolish slavery. However, the odds are against him because the Democrats outnumber the Republican politicians in the House, and the former group does not want the bill to pass.

I was surprised because I was expecting a standard biopic of the 16th President. I admire the film for putting so much emphasis on these few months, which is arguably the President’s most crucial moment in office. So I’m glad Spielberg decided to focus on this subject for his film.

Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance is excellent. Of course, I expected nothing less from the two-time Oscar winner. Lewis is a frontrunner because he has already won several awards for the portrayal of Lincoln. As far as its Oscar chances goes, Lewis is definitely going to win an Oscar for Best Actor. This role just screams Oscar bait. Mainly because this film is a period piece focusing on a legendary political figure trying to overcome a great obstacle. The film will probably score many other award nominations like Best Supporting Actress (Sally Field), Best Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones), Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Picture, and in several technical categories. In fact, I would not be surprised if the film wins an Oscar for Best Picture. However, at the moment, Zero Dark Thirty is seems like the frontrunner as it has already won Best Picture from different critics award ceremonies.

Now, back to the film. The film as a whole didn’t leave that much of an impression on me. Spielberg’s previous film War Horse had a more emotional impact on me. Although some people thought it was overly sentimental, it was my favorite film of 2011. Nevertheless, Lincoln is still a powerful film. Spielberg portrays Abraham Lincoln as a flawed and complicated man during the last moments of his life. Despite all of Lincoln's stress, he still accomplished great things and managed to inspire people engulfed in war, and rallied then together for a greater good.

Lincoln - 3/4

Fun Fact: This is the only poster they have of the film. That seems kind of trivial, but still... 

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Lincoln Trailer

Well it's finally here. The trailer for Steven Spielberg's Lincoln. The movie has been hyped up for months and I can see why. Daniel Day Lewis, who plays the title character, in a Spielberg movie is so amazing. I never thought it would happen. So the trailer came out last week and I must say I am a little underwhelmed. It's not because of Daniel Day Lewis. From what I've seen so far, he looks just like the 16th President of the United States. Basically Lewis is Lincoln. Aside from that it just looks average to me. It's a shame because if it was any other director I would be more thrilled. However, it's Steven Spielberg. Probably the most iconic director ever. Ask anyone on the street and chances are they'll known who he is. Anyway, Spielberg has set the bar so high that the trailer probably doesn't do the film justice. I had the same problem with War Horse, but I ended up loving that movie. Of course, I am still interested in the movie and it could be another Oscar win for Lewis and Spielberg. Lincoln will open in limited release on November 9th and nationwide on November 16th.

To Rome With Love Trailer

The trailer for Woody Allen's next film, To Rome With Love. The previous titles of the movie were The Bop Decameron and Nero Fiddled. I had no idea what any of those meant, but To Rome With Love sounds great to me. It looks promising and it has a great cast, but that's not always a good thing. You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger had an excellent cast, but everyone knows how that turned out. It probably won't be as popular as Midnight in Paris, but it should still be good. To Rome With Love comes out on June 22nd.

Don't Be Lured by The Devil Inside

The Devil Inside is another one of the those faux horror documentaries. It's just like Paranormal Activity and The Last Exorcism, except those movies are interesting. The film follows a young woman named Isabella (Fermanda Andrade) who is trying to help her possessed mother (Susan Crowley). In 1989 her mother slaughtered three people performing an exorcism on her, and she is now in an asylum in Rome, Italy. The Catholic Church is unwilling to help her mother so Isabella finds two renegade Priests (Simonquarterman, Evan Helmuth) who try to save her mother. All while being filmed by a documentarian (Iount Grama).

This movie recycles the plot of all of the other movies based on exorcisms, and it fails miserably. Thanks to the bland script and flat characters, the movie made me feel nothing for the plight of the main characters. Since this is a horror movie entirely made up of found-footage it means that there is plenty of shaky camera footage throughout the whole film. I do not like this technique and I never will. The technique is intriguing at first, but after so many horror films using shaky camerawork it gets old fast.

However, I do mildly commend the directors, William Brent Bell and Joaquin Perea, for the exorcism scenes. During these scenes there is a haunting vibe from the women screaming in agonizing pain as the devil is raging through their body trying to take it over. At times it can be tortuous to watch. Seeing the possessed victims bend like contortionists is always creepy, but these moments are too far in between to keep your attention. Thanks to the script from Bell and Matthew Peterman, this incoherent film is filled with poor acting and banal dialogue. Basically, we have seen everything else before and there are much better horror films out there. Plus this film has one of the worst endings I have ever seen in a horror movie. There is so much build up in the film and it just suddenly ends. I'm being dead serious. The film just ends without a climax or a resolution. Now that's what I call storytelling.

Someday I hope these types of found-footage movies will be extinct, but I don't think that's happening anytime soon.

The Devil Inside - 1/4

21 Jump Steet Review

21 Jump Street is the latest TV series from the 80’s to be adapted for the big screen. The original 21 Jump Street was gritty crime drama in which baby-faced cops go undercover in high school, and it helped launch the career of Johnny Depp. However, instead of following this format, the filmmakers made the new version an action comedy film. It’s sort of the same thing that was done with Starsky and Hutch and The Green Hornet. However, this didn’t turn out to be a bad idea.

21 Jump Street follows two immature police officers Morton Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Greg Jenko (Channing Tatum) as two immature cops who are sent to 21 Jump Street, which is a revived police unit. The two have to go undercover as siblings attending a local high school to find the supplier and distributor of a new dangerous party drug that makes ecstasy look tame.

However, the two officers weren’t exactly best friends back in high school. Schmidt was a nerd donning fashion cues from Eminem, which gave him the nickname Not-So-Slim Shady, and Tatum was a cool, but clueless jock. Naturally, there is conflict between the two as Schmidt is trying to find popularity and Jenko is struggling with the fact on how much high school has changed. For example, Eco-friendly kids are now cool and no one wears their backpack with just one strap anymore.

All of the performances are very good. Hill is as funny as ever, whether he’s thin or fat. Channing Tatum is surprisingly hilarious in the film. We are used to seeing him in a plethora of dull romance movies and mindless action films that we hardly see his comedic side. Here’s hoping that he’ll play in more comedic roles like this. Plus Hill and Tatum have amazing chemistry together as they play off of each other so well that I wouldn’t mind seeing them in other movie together. The script, written by Michael Becall, is filled with raunchy humor and gross out gags, but that’s to be expected since he wrote the outrageous party movie Project X, which came out a few weeks ago. Becall also co-wrote the script for the underrated comedy, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. So if you’ve seen Scott Pilgrim you can see where 21 Jump Street gets some of its quirky humor from.

The film is more of a spoof of the gritty drama series instead of an accurate portrayal of the series. Fans of the original TV show probably won’t like that, but the film still works in its own way. Plus some viewers probably can’t get over the fact that Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are supposed to be in high school. It’s definitely stretching the premise thin as Hill is 28 and Tatum is 31, but there are some clever lines in the script that address this situation. In addition, some of the action scenes are clunky and the standard car chases are just plain routine, but there are a few twists in the scenes to make them enjoyable. Also the third act isn’t as strong as I hoped it would be. Nevertheless, there is a surprise cameo in the film that should excite everyone.

21 Jump Street is a fresh and entertaining 1980’s reboot which pays off most of the time. If you can get past some of the ridiculous elements of the film then you’ll enjoy it.

21 Jump Street - 3/4

Green Lantern Review

Green Lantern is a very popular comic character, but for some reason the character has not been adapted into a movie until now. I was expecting to hate this film, but I enjoyed this somewhat. However, it could have been much better.

The movie is full of exposition so you better pay attention or you might miss a couple of things. The main plot is about a test pilot named Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) who is accepted into a group called the Green Lantern Corps. It is made up of a brotherhood of warriors who have sworn to keep intergalactic order. Each Green Lantern wears a ring that gives them superpowers based on their strength of will. However, a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the Green Lantern Corps and only Jordan can defeat him, despite never harnessing the infinite powers of the ring before.

The visual effects save this film from being a complete failure. The rings the Green Lanterns wear give them the ability to create anything based on how fearless and willful they are. Jordan wears the power ring and is able to generate many effects that are great to look at. I just wish we got a good story to back up the visuals.

The main problem with this film is that it is just too formulaic. It is a typical origin story, but it did not have the spark to make it an exceptional origin story like Iron Man or Batman Begins. Ryan Reynolds is okay, but I felt they could have gotten someone better for the role. I like that the film does not take itself too seriously. Nevertheless, I really never felt a real danger in the film. To be honest I really did not care what happened to any of the characters as none of them were really engaging. It is probably because most of them are thinly written. I will admit that Sinestro (Mark Strong), who is a Green Lantern who later betrays the Green Lantern Corp, does well with the limited material he is presented with.

Green Lantern is a decent superhero, but I do not know how faithful it stays to its source material. I am sure some fans are finally happy to see a Green Lantern, but judging from its box office I say that they were disappointed also. I am sure there are better stories in the comics to adapt than the one we got.

Welcome to First Class (X-Men: First Class Review)

The X-Men series has always been a mixed bag for me. The first one was good and I loved the second one. It was my favorite comic book movie until Spider-Man 2 was released. The third had plenty of action, but was short on heart and character development. That is because the director of the previous films, Bryan Singer, left and went on to do Superman Returns. However, that turned out to be a super bore. Do not even get me started on X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I had low expectations going in to X-Men: First Class because it was a prequel, and most of the time prequels turn out to be bad. However, I ended up enjoying it.

The film is set in 1963 and tells the story of Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender). Before they took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their mutant powers for the first time. Charles is able to read and control people’s minds, and Erik is able to control and manipulate metal. Before they were archenemies, they were close friends who were trying to stop Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), a mutant who can absorb kinetic energy, and he now wants to take over the world. So Charles and Erik must find other mutants and destroy Shaw before his plan succeeds.

Unlike the last X-Men movie, we feel compassion for the characters as they actually have character development this time. The film is centered on the genuine friendship between Charles and Erik and it works well. McAvoy does a pretty good job as Charles Xavier, but Fassbender is the main star of this film. We feel Magneto’s pain throughout the whole film and how he represents a tragic hero. The rest of the cast is also well rounded, and it is refreshing to see mutants that have not been seen in the previous films before. Some new mutants are: Havok, Banshee, Angel, Darwin, Azazel, and Emma Frost.

The action scenes, special effects, and editing are all first class. In addition, the script is well crafted and smarter than the majority of summer blockbusters. The film is also able to incorporate real life events to deal with interesting issues like civil rights, discrimination, and the threats of nuclear war. It even uses archive footage from John F. Kennedy’s speeches.

The only bad thing I can say about this film is that it is a prequel so we already know what is going to happen in the future. Also, there are some talky moments that slow the movie down sometimes. Plus, some of more popular mutants in the previous movies like Storm (Halle Berry), Cyclops (James Marsden), and Rogue (Anna Paquin) are missing. Those hoping to see Wolverine will just have to settle for a cameo.

This is a good blockbuster and definitely worth a purchase, especially on Blu-ray. Recently 20th Century Fox ordered a sequel so I will be excited for that! And remember, Mutant and Proud!

The Story of an Ogre Killer (Puss in Boots Review)

Puss in Boots, a spin off movie based off DreamWorks successful Shrek franchise, is the latest animated film to come out in theaters. Puss in Boots first appeared in Shrek 2, and immediately became a fan favorite because of his great charisma and swashbuckling skills. However, the Shrek films kept getting worse and my interest waned. So I wasn’t too thrilled to see anything involving Shrek. However, this film pleasantly surprised me.

The film is set before the events of Shrek and stars Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots. Puss is an outlaw who has a mission to find magical beans. Immediately, he has a rival named Kitty Softpaws, who is voiced by Salma Hayek, who is also trying to find the beans. Along with Puss’ estranged childhood friend Humpty Dumpty, voiced by Zach Galifianakis, the three set out on an adventure to find the three magic beans that will lead them to treasures beyond their wildest dreams.

Antonio Banderas proves that there is no other actor who can voice Puss. Banderas makes him such a lovable and suave character. He and Salma Hayek have great chemistry that does not feel forced at all. The film is funny and I’m glad it doesn’t totally rely on pop culture jokes the whole time just like the Shrek films and 2009’s Megamind.

DreamWorks, which is the main rival to Pixar Studios, are getting much better with their films. Puss in Boots has a bold visual style and the CGI is very impressive. The film is thrilling and had some great action scenes. The story is not as deep as other DreamWorks’ movies like the first Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon, but the characters and humor prevent the film from being average.

Nevertheless, it was a good animated film and certainly better than the last two Shrek films. However, it wasn’t my favorite animated movie of the year. That honor belongs to The Adventures of Tintin. Still it is at least worth a rental.

Where's the Rum (The Rum Diary Review)

Besides the hugely popular Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and any film Johnny Depp does with director Tim Burton, Depp’s other films have always been a mixed bag. His new movie, The Rum Diary, is one of most interesting films I have seen this year.

Depp stars as Paul Kemp, an American writer who travels to Puerto Rico to write for the local newspaper. While adopting the rum-soaked life of the island, Kemp is recruited by American entrepreneurs to write favorably about the scheme of converting Puerto Rico into a capitalist paradise for the wealthy. Now, the journalist is presented with a choice: to use his words for the corrupt businessmen's financial benefit, or use them to take the bastards down.

The Rum Diary is based off the novel written by the eccentric author, Hunter S. Thompson. He coined the term "gonzo journalism" to describe his guerrilla approach to reporting, which consisted of getting stoned out of his mind, hurling himself at a story, and recording it in frenzied hyperbole.

This movie is strange, but in a good way. I am not too familiar with Thompson’s work, but I did see Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which was also written by him. That film is visually creative, but it suffers from an uneven narrative just like this film. I also feel The Rum Diary loses its focus around the halfway point of the film and never recovers. Plus, it does not help that the film is about 20 minutes too long. The film feels episodic because some scenes will have people laughing out loud. However, some scenes feel sluggish and stale.

It is an incoherent film, but at least it does not go for the typical Hollywood happy ending. It is not one of the best films of the year, but it is different and quirky. Nevertheless, I think Johnny Depp should get some recognition for his role. This is a polarizing film, and some people might not enjoy it. It’s on DVD/Blu-ray, so at least give it a rental.

The Rum Diary – 2.5/4

The Way Review

The Way stars Martin Sheen as Tom Avery, an eye doctor who is upset at his son’s decision to walk the Camino de Santiago, a Christian Pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain also know as the Way of St. James. While playing golf one day, he gets a phone call that his son, played Emilio Estevez, died the first day of the journey. Now the father goes to the sacred route to help continue his son’s journey by spreading his son’s ashes along the way. On the way his father meets several colorful characters that help on his journey on the Way of St. James.

The film, written and directed by Estevez, is a touching story and a very inspirational one too. The film is also ambitious as it shows the audience the amazing pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago. The journey on the pilgrimage route is beautifully shot by Estevez and at some points in the movie it made me want to travel it, even though it’s 800 miles.

The only problem with the film is that it is a little long. It’s also a little slow in some parts, and if you’re not into journey films then this may bore you. Plus the film was good, but it could have better. This is Emilio Estevez’s best film so far, but it could have been great in the hands of a more experienced director.

The Way is a gift to his father, Martin Sheen, and it brings out the best in Sheen. It is one of Martin Sheen’s best performances that rank up with his roles in Badlands, Apocalypse Now, and The West Wing. This is a special film and deserves to be seen by more people. It’s on DVD/Blu-ray so give it a chance.

Also, when I first saw the film last October, I met Martin Sheen in person before the advance screening. Sheen and his son Emilio went on a 30-city tour to promote the movie. Sheen was a very down to earth guy. I also saw Emilio Estavez and the producer David Alexania. I still can’t believe I got a picture with Martin Sheen. It’s not the greatest picture, but still…

The Way – 3/4

Moneyball Review

I have always said that September is one of the worst times to release a movie, but there are always exceptions. Moneyball is one of those exceptions. It managed to get excellent reviews and right now it is nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Brad Pitt), and Best Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill).

Moneyball, based on a true story, stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A's. After losing the previous World Series and some key players, he has to reinvent his team on a tight budget. The onetime jock teams up with Ivy League grad Peter Brand, played by Jonah Hill, and they form an unlikely partnership. Their strategy is to recruit bargain players the scouts call flawed, but all of whom have an ability to get on base, score runs, and win games. They create a new plan that challenges old school traditions, and puts Beane in the crosshairs of those who say he is tearing out the heart and soul of the game.

I am not a big fan of baseball, but I did enjoy this film. The screenplay is fantastic because it is witty and full of sharp dialogue. Of course, this is no surprise as it is co-written by Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the award winning film, “The Social Network”. It also shows the audience the business side of the game, without making it too complicated for viewers. The majority of sports films rarely do this and I like this aspect of the film. Brad Pitt is the heart of the movie, and his character is deep and based on a real life figure. I can see why he got nominated.

Jonah Hill gives his best performance of his career so far and the Academy recognized his performance and gave him an Oscar nomination. However, his performance didn’t scream Oscar worthy to me. This spot should have been reserved for Albert Brook’s brilliant performance in Drive, but that’s another story. In addition, the film gives Philip Seymour Hoffman an underwritten role, which is a shame since he is an Oscar winner.

You do not have to enjoy baseball to watch Moneyball, but I do think it will appeal more to baseball fans. As far as its Oscar chances go I think it will go home empty handed. I think the film is too lightweight to win Best Picture and it lost a lot of buzz rather quickly into the awards season. However, it is possible that Brad Pitt can pull an upset on Oscar night and take home the Best Actor trophy.

Moneyball – 3/4

Real Steel Review

I had really low expectations for Real Steel . When I saw the first trailer all I could think about was Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots the movie. To my surprise, this was a really fun movie.

In the year 2020, robots have been replaced by humans in boxing. Hugh Jackman stars Charlie Keaton, a former boxer who loses his chance to be a champion once the robots take over. Soon he becomes a small-time promoter who pieces together cheap bots from scrap metal to compete in underground boxing venues. Eventually Charlie hits rock bottom and reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max to build and train a championship contender.

Now I know what you’re thinking. This is just like Rocky with robots. Well it is, but that’s not a bad thing. The film is a cliché father and son story with some moments of weak dialogue, but it didn’t distract too much from the film. Max, played by Dakota Goyo, made the movie for me. He had the best lines and had a dry sense of humor, but he was very likable too. The visual effects were spectacular because the photorealism of these robots were simply amazing to look at.

Unlike the headache inducing Transformers, Real Steel slows down the action and gives the audience a chance to actually perceive what’s on screen. Plus the boy-robot relationship is done much better here than in Transformers. Overall, if you can get past the ridiculous premise this is a well-made movie. It has enough heart and thrills to keep you excited until the very end.

Real Steel – 3/4