Rated: PG-13
Run Time: 128 mins
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Mystery/ Fantasy/ Crime/ Thriller
3.5 frames out of 5
If there was ever a franchise that needed a modern reboot, then God save the Queen.
In this modern remake of the classic character created by Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) are on the case protecting the streets of London. Set in 1891, Holmes and Watson are closing in on the sinister Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) and stopping him from his latest murder. They apprehend him and months later as he is about to be hung from the gallows for his crimes against humanity, he summons Holmes to issue a warning. Blackwood vows revenge and that there will be 3 more murders before complete chaos ensues. Holmes blows him off and goes on with his day but the threat remains in the back of his mind. With the Blackwood case closed, Holmes is bored and itching for a new case.
As Holmes is experimenting with various way to keep himself occupied between cases, a woman from his past makes a grand entrance back into his life, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams). Irene is the only woman to capture Holmes’s heart, outwit and bamboozle him. She offers him a fresh lead for a missing person’s case. Little does Holmes know that this case intertwines …
Rated: R
Run Time: 118 mins
Genre: Romantic Comedy
4.5 frames out of 5
Divorce is messy but infidelity with your ex… it’s complicated.
It’s been about ten years since Jane (Meryl Streep) has been divorced from Jake (Alec Baldwin) and she is finally in a good place in her life. It doesn’t mean that it gets any easier as she ages. There’s a few more wrinkles that weren’t there, she hasn’t had sex in… well, let’s not go there and the fact that her ex-husband and his much younger and sexier new wife are trying to get pregnant with a child can be a bit too much for a woman to take. So Jane decides to move forward with a home improvement project she has been dreaming about for years. Her head architect is replaced by Adam (Steve Martin) another architect assigned to the project. He’s a bit geeky, awkward and shy but Jane is too distracted by other things in her life to notice that Adam has taken a fancy to her.
The relationship between Jane and Jake is cordial but the history between them is hard to ignore. On the eve of their son’s graduation in New York City, Jane is ditched by her children and she ends up in the hotel bar where she runs into Jake. They consume copious amounts of alcohol and the chemistry…
Rated: R
Run Time: 109 mins
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Romance
5 frames out of 5
Losing your job can be a traumatic experience, but if done with a smile and does it lessen the sting of rejection any less?
With the current state of economic uncertainty and the way so many industries are in a technological social revolution, there are those that are salivating at the conditions and are ready to pounce and make their money. Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) works for a company that travels to corporate or large businesses to help them downsize and their soon to be ex-employees transition to life after current job. Bingham is good at what he does and although he encounters a gamut of reactions from the people encounters, he takes the opportunity to promote his side gig of personal motivation. He loves everything about his life on the road, the non attachments of relationships and the perks of the various places he stays.
During one stop in a hotel bar, Bingham meets his female version of himself in Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga). The chemistry is intense and both are content in the status of the relationship. On Binghams next trip is to his corporate headquarters where his boss, Craig Gregory ( Jason Bateman) is excited about a new development that will revolutionize how they do corporate firings. The next generation of firings is to be done via web-cam and is all presented by rookie Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick). With this new technology all the people that normally travel to the companies to do the firing face-to-face, are being pulled off the road effective immediately. This does not fly with Bingham and…
Rated: R
Run Time: 111 mins
Genre: Drama
3.5 frames out of 5
Based on the book by Thomas Cobb, Crazy Heart tells the story of Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges), a washed up country singer whose life is now the epitome of a sad country song. He’s has several marriages, is an alcoholic and his fall from stardom from the rise of his protégé Tommy (Colin Farrell), now has him opening bowling alleys instead of concert halls. He can’t get through the day or a performance with out being stone cold drunk and he picks up women in each town he performs in.
On one stop in Santa Fe, he does a favor for the piano player that is playing the gig with him. He asks if Bad would let his niece interview him for the local paper because she’s trying to get her foot in the door with journalism. He begrudgingly agrees and becomes enchanted by Jean Craddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal) through out the interview. Bad turns up the charm to conquer Jean and as he does…
Boy meets girl. He falls madly in love but she could care less. Let me re-emphasize the point that the narrator has a disclaimer in the opening credits of the film: THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY. This is a smart, fantastic movie about falling for someone and the aftermath of love scorned.
Tom is an average, everyday guy played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He hates his job, has his friends and his idea of love stems from the childhood notion of The Graduate and weird pop bands. Then in walks Summer, played by Zooey Deschanel. Summer has been hired as Tom’s boss’ new assistant and Tom wakes up. Summer is not your average girl. She’s quirky, independent, and beautiful in her own way… basically damaged goods from her parent’s divorce of when she was young. She doesn’t believe in love. Or titles. Just having fun.
Tom and Summer start dating and everything is fantastic. Or so Tom thinks. A wonderful musical number, a fun look at IKEA and all of the gratuitous sex a guy could hope for. This relationship has an expiration date only he doesn’t know it. Somewhere around day 250 something Summer drops the bomb and asks to be the dreaded f- word… friends.
Tom is, of course, devastated and the rest of the film is the exploration into the depths of human emotions that go along with relationships- the good and the bad.
500 Days of Summer is such a breath of fresh air in films today. It’s a romantic comedy that is told from the guy’s point of view without getting cliché or ridiculous. It’s quarky enough to keep the artsy people engaged and the heartbroken hopeful. When watching the movie you can picture yourself in either Tom’s or Summer’s shoes with a relationship in your own life.
Things to watch for: Great way of looking at the post- breakup job performance. Some really great lines that should and will be quoted.
Who should see this movie: Women and Men. We all suck in one way or another. And we are all looking for our Autumn.
Rated: PG-13
Run Time: 162 mins
Genre: Action/Fantasy/ Sci-Fi/ Drama
4 frames out of 5
Welcome to Pandora – where the indigenous live & play and we are out for blood money.
It’s the year 2154 and us Earthlings have set up shop on planet Pandora where the mineral Unobtanium, is abundant and goes for millions of dollars by the ounce. In the conquest for the abundant supply, the humans are destroying the environment which is extremely unique and has a greater impact than what they currently know. To help ease the local people into a more civilized way of life, the humans create half-breeds called Avatars to walk among the locals and help them adjust to a more humanistic lifestyle. One particular tribe, the Na’vi, their land holds one of the most abundant supply of Unobtanium, which has the corporate shareholders drooling. Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi) is the corporate representative and is constantly at odds with scientist Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) on the treatment of the Na’vi people and the state of the Pandoran environment.
Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is a paraplegic Marine, sent to Pandora in place of his brother who was tragically killed before their departure five years earlier. His mission is to continue his brother’s work controlling his Avatar because their genetic code is nearly identical. As Jake gets comfortable into his new role as the Avatar, he serendipitously finds his way into the Na’vi tribe and learns their way of life. Jake’s original counter mission given to him by Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) was to infiltrate the tribe and pass along information to help Parker get the Navi off their land. The closer he becomes to his Na’vi trainer, Neytiri (Zoe Salana) the more conflicted he becomes in trying to decide which life suits him more.
Avatar is one of those movies you will love or hate. Although it clocks in just under 3 hours, the way the movie flows, time speeds by quickly. James Cameron spends over 15 years trying to make this movie and it was time well spent. Some of the story elements mix issues that are still prevalent today such as the green movement, corporate greed, new age concepts and the struggle for peace and power, Cameron balances that out with the Average-Joe mentality and farcical dialog. The world of Pandora is very mystical, inhabited by animals that are a cross between everyday normal animals and the dinosaurs and the tribes’ people are cross between human and feline. As a viewer, you may think that you see elements that have been so successful in his other films he has either written and/or directed such as Terminator, The Abyss, Aliens and Titanic.
Things to watch for: Stunning scenery & amazing special effects.
Who should see this movie: Sci-fi fans, fantasy movie fans, fans of James Cameron’s movies – especially cheesy dialog.
See it in the Theater or Rent it on DVD: The special effects like this were meant to be seen only on the big screen. With the blu-ray technology this will be a must have title for anyone’s collection when it is released.
Rated: R
Run Time: 100 mins
Genre: Comedy/ Adventure
5 frames out of 5
What does a tiger, baby and a missing tooth all have in common? Not a whole lot if you can’t remember the night before.
Doug Billings (Justin Bartha) is set to be married in 48 hours. His closest friends want to give him the most memorable send off into married life as humanly possible. What is the best way to do so? They plan to have a boys trip to Las Vegas and anticipate to be back in time for the wedding. Sounds harmless, right? Not if your future brother in law, Alan (Zach Galifianakis) drugs you and your friends with roofies. Then your other buddies Phil (Bradley Cooper) and Stu (Ed Helms) take you out drinking at the casinos. It’s a party right?
Everything is great until they wake up the next morning with a killer hangover, a trashed hotel room and no memory of what has happened the past 12 hours. They quickly realize that they can’t find Doug and have to retrace their steps to find their friend and get him back home in time for his wedding. Along the way Stu, Phil and Alan encounter tigers, a baby, angry mobsters and various other characters that leave them dazed and more confused.
The Hangover is one of those movies that you think by watching the trailer that all the funny parts are there. So untrue for the actual film. The Hangover will leave you with a sore stomach from laughing so hard. Unless you’re a non drinker or never been to Vegas, you can relate on some level. The chemistry between all the lead actors is phenomenal and leave you wishing that these guys would party with you.
Things to watch for: When they wake up from partying the night before – so much random stuff. Stu’s song at the piano is fantastic. So many quotable lines and stay tuned to the end credits – it helps explain what actually happened.
Who should see this movie: Everyone that has had a hangover or been to Las Vegas. Everyone that has had a hangover in Las Vegas.
Buy it or Rent it on DVD: Buy it, you won’t be sorry
Rated: R
Run Time: 153 mins
Genre: War/ Drama/ Action
4.5 frames out of 5
Take the classiness of Casablanca, the violence of Kill Bill and mix it up with the grandiosity monologues of Pulp Fiction you get Inglorious Bastards. All courtesy of Mr. Quentin Tarantino.
Inglorious Bastards is broken up into 5 chapters all of which the characters lives intertwine and doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense until the end. The majority of the film is set in an alternate version of World War II, June 1944 in Europe.
Chapters 1-3 establish the dysfunctional cast of characters. In Chapter 1 you meet the uber villain (aside from Hitler) Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). He is on a mission to eradicate all Jews and does so with a smile. On this particular day he slays a family staying underneath a dairy farm house yet one member managed to escape alive. Col. Landa watched as young Shoshanna raced for her life and vowed to find her one day.
Chapter 2 is all about the Bastards, the Inglorious Bastards. As violent as they are they are just some good ole’ American Boys wantin’ to kill dem’ Natzis. Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) leads the Bastards and their whole goal is to each get the scalps of 100 Nazis. Rounding out the Bastards are Sgt. Donny Donowitz a.k.a. Bear Jew (Eli Roth), Pfc. Smithson Utivich (B.J. Novak), Pfc. Omar Ulmer (Omar Doom) each with his own specialty of Nazi torture before death.
Chapter 3 brings us to Paris where young Shoshanna (Mélanie Laurent) is now grown, running a movie theater with her partner Marcel (Jacky Ido). One night as she is changing the marquee, a young German soldier takes a fancy to her and tries to pursue her. Little does he know that she is a Jew and hell-bent on revenge of her own.
Chapter 4 & 5 brings the characters together in various fashions and explains how they each play a part in the film’s finale.
Although Inglorious Bastards runs long (153 minutes), the details of the film really draw you in. The characters are brilliantly casted, the costumes and set designs are stunning and the visual effects are superb. For a film that has subtitles, the characters are actually speaking the languages they are translating rather than having the cast speak English. As violent as this movie is, it is a lot of fun and very cleaver. Too bad it didn’t go down this way in reality.
Things to watch for: Brad Pitt killn’ dem Natzis.
Who should see this movie: Fans of Tarantino
Buy it or Rent it on DVD: If you’re a Tarantino fan, this is a jewel for your collection. Buy it.
Rated: PG-13
Run Time: 134 mins
Genre: Drama/ Biography
4 frames out of 5
Based on the true story of Nelson Mandela’s early years as President of South Africa, Invictus paints the tale of determination, tolerance and perseverance. For those not familiar with that period of time, South Africa’s social, economic and political climate was deeply divided and extremely unstable. When Mandela took office, he was determined keep the promises made during his campaign. One of his missions was to unite the country and what better way to bring people together than rugby?
In his quest to help unite his country, Mandela (Morgan Freeman) enlists the help of the Springboks team captain, Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon). The Springboks track record is less than impressive and most of the population despises them. With encouragement from Mandela, he inspires Pienaar to become the leader he is meant to be. Hard work and determination pays off as Pienaar leads his team to compete in of the most globally recognized sporting events, the World Cup (1995). Once they arrive, will the hard work payoff and will they win it all?
As a fan of Clint Eastwood’s film, this movie is much different than his past films. Invictus is much lighter in tone and takes on the inspiring persona of Nelson Mandela – full of light and hope. In the past, Eastwood has successfully navigated heavier movies such as Million Dollar Baby, Grand Torino and Changeling, so it is a refreshing change to see a more uplifting film.
Things to watch for: Solid performances by Morgan Freeman & Matt Damon. This will definitely be a front runner during the upcoming award season.
Rated: R
Run Time: 110 mins
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ War
5 frames out of 5
Many things can tear a family apart. Death. Infidelity. Suspicion. War. But if two people truly love one another can they keep it together to save their family?
Brothers is an adaption of the movie Brothers by Susanne Bier. Capt. Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is about to be shipped out on another deployment to Afghanistan. As he’s about to leave, his brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) is released from prison. In typical family fashion, during a going away/ welcome home dinner tensions rises between Sam and Tommy’s father Hank (Sam Shepard) making his feeling quite clear on where he stands with his sons. Sam has always been the perfect son with the great family and beautiful wife, Grace (Natalie Portman). Tommy has never lived up to his fathers standards and is always comparing him to Sam.
While over in Afghanistan, Sam’s helicopter is shot down and he reported dead. News of this reaches Grace and she can’t quite accept that Sam is gone. Her grief is so much at times that she cannot get out of bed. Sam’s death shakes Tommy out of his brother’s shadow and into life. He steps up to be a better role model and friend in Grace and the girl’s lives. As Tommy, Grace and the girls start to heal from the loss of Sam, news reaches Grace that Sam is alive and coming home. Sam’s homecoming is bittersweet as he tries to readjust to life as he once knew it. His mood is darker, patience next to zero and is suspicious of his loved ones.
For those who have loved ones that have gone overseas and experienced the brutality of war, Brothers does an excellent job of showing both points of view of soldiers and the people in their life. For those that don’t understand why people act a certain way after experiencing any sort of trauma, this film is a good way to bridge the gap and gain some insight. What these men and women go through while serving overseas, some may or may not agree with, but they are doing their job and they deserve our respect. Tobey Maguire gives a powerhouse performance so convincing, your heart breaks for him. Although the content of this film is quite heavy, it is broken up by many light, humorous moments that help to overcome the darker scenes.
Things to watch for: Solid performances by Portman, Maguire, Gyllenhaal and Sheppard. The two girls that play Isabelle (Bailee Madison) and Maggie (Taylor Geare) are scene stealers and have a promising career in acting. The Afghanistan scenes are hard to watch due to the brutal content. Expect this to be on the radar in the upcoming awards season.
Who should see this movie: Friends and family members of those who serve in the military,
See it in the Theater or Rent it on DVD: See it in the theater and own this one on DVD – it will be worth it.
Sherlock Holmes Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong Directed by Guy Ritchie Rated: PG-13 Run Time: 128 mins Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Mystery/ Fantasy/ Crime/ Thriller 3.5 frames out of 5 If there was ever a franchise that needed a modern reboot, then God save the Queen. In this modern remake of the classic character created by Ar […]
It’s Complicated Starring: Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, John Krasinski Written & Directed by Nancy Meyers Rated: R Run Time: 118 mins Genre: Romantic Comedy 4.5 frames out of 5 Divorce is messy but infidelity with your ex… it’s complicated. It’s been about ten years since Jane (Meryl Streep) has been divorced from Jake (Alec Baldwin) and she […]
Up In The Air Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons, Melanie Lynskey, Danny McBride, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Morton Directed by Jason Reitman Rated: R Run Time: 109 mins Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Romance 5 frames out of 5 Losing your job can be a traumatic experience, but if done with a smile and does it lessen the sti […]
The Reel Critic