Thursday, February 23, 2012

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.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

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…

way picture 2.jpg

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