Marmaduke

 

• Released Internationally on 27/05/10
• Released in Malta by KRS on 18/08/10

 

Preview (first published 01/08/10 in VIDA magazine)

If you’re browsing through the action and looking for something to treat your children to (after taking them to see Toy Story 3, of course), your best bet this month is the accident prone Great Dane Marmaduke. Starting life as a comic strip, the crazy canine can now wreak havoc on the big screen, in what looks like a cross between Marley and Me and Scooby-Doo.

 

 

Review (18/08/10)

Size does matter

I'm not a dog person. Few things attract me less than a hefty dog clawing at my trousers or slobbering all over my face. But Marmamduke managed to win me over, at least for the duration of the film, despite being as hefty and as slobbery as they come. The enormous Great Dane, practically a pony in the size department, boasts enough charm and character to carry the whole film as the star, largely due to Owen Wilson's voice acting. Whether you'll enjoy an entire film full of talking dogs is another matter.

Teenage drama

The film starts off metaphorically, showing how hard it can be for an unusually tall boy to fit in at school. The focus then shifts to the dog world, where Marmaduke has to stamp through life with the clumsy burden of his unusual size. But the similarities with teenagers fitting in at school doesn't end there, because in many ways the whole film is simply a teenage drama - new friends, new romantic interests, bullying, learning life lessons - but set in the dog parks and rubbish dumps of California, rather than within school corridors.

Who's in it?

The cast of dog voices assembled is quite impressive. Comedian George Lopez spars with Marmaduke as Carlos, the luxurious cat who shares a family and household with the titular giant. Fergie, of Black Eyed Peas fame, is Jezebel, a blow-dried collie who catches Marmaduke's eye in the park, and Keifer Sutherland (24, Phone Booth) is the vicious and jealous boyfriend she has growling at her side.The wonderful, gravelly voice of Sam Elliot (The Big Lebowski, Hulk) adds menace and wisdom to Chupadogra, the much-feared local outcast with a history of rabies, and the Wayans brothers try to add some humour as Thunder and Lightning, the dim-witted henchmen. On the human side, Lee Pace (The Fall, A Single Man) gets dragged around as Marmaduke's owner, and William H. Macy (Magnolia, Fargo) has a small role as his tree-hugging boss.

Good dog!

The film is simple enough, and works as a light, dog-oriented comedy which will probably go down better with young children than with anyone else. The main messages of the movie - friends, priorities, etc., also seemed aimed at the younger part of the audience, and are messages that merit repeating. The star of the show was portrayed by two twin dogs, and CGI lip-synching was added in later. This makes all the scenes believable enough, although it's nothing we haven't seen countless times before.

Bad dog!

Despite all the above however, the film is ultimately a far-fetched excuse to bring yet another talking-animal film to the screens. No part is extremely bad, but no part is very good either, so don't expect another Homeward Bound or anything that will move you deeply or make you laugh out loud. Sadly, the powers that be deemed that it was necessary to add some toilet humour too, including the film's final scene, whereas everything would have worked fine without it.

In the end

Nothing new, nothing special. A simple, rather fun film for dog lovers and children of all ages.

 

 

Trailer:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox/marmaduke/

Toy Story 3

• Released Internationally on 18/06/10
• Released in Malta by KRS on 28/07/10

Preview (first published 01/07/10 in VIDA magazine)

The computer animated gem that started it all way back in 1995 is back. After a 1999 sequel that was as brilliant as the original, the host of colourful toy characters have been spending some quality time being bashed about by children all over the world. But since most good franchises come in trilogies, the minds at Pixar have opened the toy chest for a third and (they claim) final adventure. Andy, the much-loved boy who owned Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Potato Head and the rest, is now eighteen, and his mother unceremoniously sends all his toys off packing to a day-care centre, there to be systematically dismembered by a new army of children every day. Our heroes meet a host of new toys there, but Woody for one has no plans to stay put. The excellent voice cast are all back, as is editor and director Lee Unkrich who worked on the previous two films, as well as Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, Cars and Monsters Inc.. The screenplay was written by Michael Arndt, who shot to the A-list after writing Little Miss Sunshine.

Review (27/07/10)

Old Friends

I hadn't revisited the famous toys of Toy Story since seeing the second film upon release. Yet as soon as this third chapter got underway, a certain feeling of familiarity and affection arose, and I was eager to see what lay in store for these colourful characters. The exhilarating opening sequence offers a welcome change from the bedrooms and streets where we normally see these plastic heroes, and sets the tone for the adventures ahead. A few characters have gone missing, but the usual suspects are all still there, waiting patiently in Andy's toy chest for him to spend some time with them or even glance in their direction. Hardly likely considering he's engrossed in his laptop and upcoming move to college.

No toy gets left behind

The inevitable happens, and we arrive at that point that most mothers love and most others dread – the clearing away of clutter. As Andy prepares to fly the nest, he must decide what to take with him, what to throw away, and what deserves the middle ground of being stored in the attic. These anxious moments are even more tense for the toys in question, and as the garbage truck creeps up the street outside, the toys are faced with a moment of destiny of epic toy proportions. Woody (Tom Hanks) gets some preferential treatment as Andy opts to take him to college, but camaraderie prevails and the toys manage to stick together and avoid the worst.

Sunnyside down

The action then shifts to Sunnyside day-care centre, where the toys are dumped, but which looks promising with regards to quality playtime spent with children. The horde of toys at Sunnyside are presided over by the cuddly Lots-O'-Huggin' bear, or Lotso for short, who welcomes the new toys warmly but later turns out to have a shady past and resulting character issues. The film then shifts into Great Escape mode, with Woody returning to help mastermind the toys' escape from this bright but terrifying compound. With Lotso's henchmen on the prowl after lights out, Sunnyside isn't somewhere you'd want to stay the night.

Why it works

The film can be summed up as a wonderful escape movie sandwiched between a touching, nostalgic beginning and an emotional ending. Each part of the film works because of our attachment to the toys in question, which is something the minds at Pixar are skilled at developing. Rather than sully the memory of the two previous films, this final outing tops them both and doesn't need to resort to fancy gimmicks to keep things exciting. The final scenes are a master stroke, and complete the story arc in a satisfying way that makes perfect sense once you look back on it.

In the end

Possibly the best animated film of the year so far, although certain dragon trainers offer some stiff resistance. A film that should prove a highlight with children, and that will probably resonate even louder with adults, or at least those who remember the time when they had toys of their own.

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/disney/toystory3/

The Karate Kid

 

• Released Internationally on 11/06/10
• Released in Malta by KRS on 28/07/10

 

Preview (first published 01/07/10 in VIDA magazine)

Not another sequel, but rather a remake of the original 1984 film. The kid in question is now portrayed by Jaden Smith, who had a promising introduction to the movie world in The Pursuit of Happyness, and is starting to look uncannily like his father, Will. After moving to Beijing with his mother, the young kid runs into some bullying and lots of culture shock, but he pulls his act together thanks to the guidance of a local kung-fu master. Filling in the classic mentor role is none other than Jackie Chan, who has so many martial arts films under his belt that it doesn't matter what colour it is.

 

 

Review 27/07/10

Rocky and friends

On a superficial level, this film is a familiar, satisfying and rather simple underdog story, which we’ve seen before in numerous versions set in numerous cities. This time around the city happens to be post-Olympics Beijing, and the medium happens to be kung-fu (not karate, by the way). But it’s pretty formulaic – new kid in an unfamiliar setting, gets bullied, finds a past-his-prime mentor who decides to take him under his wing, thinks get tough, they argue, things get better, we see a rousing training montage, and the big final tournament arrives. Then things take a bad turn and all looks lost, but our underdog hero wins in the end. Hugs, sweat, slow-motion, meaningful glances. Yet some similar movies manage to be both very entertaining and heart-warming despite adhering to the above predictable storyline. This one manages, but not in a big way.

The Golden Child

One of the main distractions is the kid himself. This film was produced by Jaden Smith’s star parents, and is very obviously a film with one sole purpose – to be a star vehicle for their son. Which I guess could be seen as Hollywood-style good parenting. But it also makes the whole project seem a bit unnecessary and self-centred. Why remake a film less than 30 years-old which many people remember and which has spawned countless other sequels and similar films? Is this kid too impatient to wait until an original project comes along? Is it so important that he starts to star before he starts to shave? In his defence, Smith Jr. does remarkably well, and besides being blessed with good genes, seems to have enough presence and basic acting to pull the title role off. Even more impressive are his martial arts moves however, which are evidently done by him in a number of scenes. He may be pint-sized, but I wouldn’t recommend stealing his lunch-box.

Awkward moments

Also tarnishing an otherwise straightforward sports movie is the age of the main characters. Smith seems rather young to be going through the aggression and romance issues his character faces in Beijing, and the final tournament is rather brutal considering the participants were only recently weaned off breast-milk. Taraji P. Henson, such a memorable mother to Benjamin Button, seems rather at odds with her son here, and I suspect any reasonable mother would have withdrawn him from the tournament after seeing the sort of bouts it boasts. Jackie Chan goes through the mentor role as expected, nursing a personal tragedy of his own but still managing to make his pupil a winner. The schoolmates and adversaries are all rather stereotypical children, and act more as struts to Smith’s needs rather than as characters of their own.

In the end

Apart from a solitary, beautiful scene with a cobra, this film goes through the paces without ever being too memorable. If you like martial arts, and Jackie Chan, this is one entertaining underdog story you’ve seen before, but won’t mind seeing again. If you’d rather not watch pre-pubescent boys beat the life out of each other, you might want to look elsewhere for something more original.

 

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/karatekid/

Inception

 

• Released Internationally on 16/07/10
• Released in Malta by KRS on 21/07/10

Preview (first published 01/07/10 in VIDA magazine)

In a nutshell

Once in a while a film comes along that makes you want to rush to watch it without even knowing exactly what it's about. Sometimes it's hype, sometimes it's reputation, sometimes it's a brilliant marketing campaign of trailers and posters that look great without giving too much away. Sometimes it's all three.

Why we're hyped

Christopher Nolan (and DiCaprio).

Who's in it?

If the name Christopher Nolan doesn't ring any loud bells, it's probably because his Hollywood star is relatively young, and because his genius is behind the scenes. After exploding onto the scene in 2000 with one of the most original films of the decade, Memento, he proceeded to reinvent, reboot and revitalise the Batman franchise, collaborating with his screenwriter brother to bring us the excellent Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. This time around he's done the writing himself, and the film is being promoted as a psychological thriller, with mind-boggling trailers and taglines that tell us our 'mind is the scene of the crime', but little else. Which is fine by me - if there's a truly original story to be enjoyed, I'd rather not have it spoiled or spoon-fed beforehand. Based on his flawless reputation, Nolan has attracted a string of respected names to the project - Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer), Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose), Ellen Page (Juno), Michael Caine (The Dark Knight) and Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins). The special effects look just as stellar, and in a summer congested with sequels, remakes and filler material, this stands out as something truly creative to look forward to. Let's hope it's even half as good as his previous films.

 

Review (22/07/10)

Whether Inception ends up being the best film of the year is hard to predict, but it's hard to imagine anything more original, inventive and complex coming along anytime soon. From the opening piecemeal scenes, the films quickly establishes itself as a story that will take some unravelling, and set in a world, or worlds, with a strong sense of style.

So what's it all about?

To try and summarise the plot would make this review into a minor thesis, and would be a disservice to the masterful way director Christopher Nolan feeds us the rules of the game as we delve deeper into his labyrinthine creation. Suffice to say that the film is about dreams, and the main characters are individuals trained in creating dreams for individuals to inhabit while they sleep, inside which these conmen can steal ideas from the person's mind. This process of navigating one's dreams to covet their inner thoughts is called ‘extraction’, and presents a useful but potentially dangerous possibility. Much harder to achieve, but much more devastating in its effect is 'inception' - the opposite of extraction - whereby an idea is planted like a seed inside a person's mind, there to take root and grow to affect his decisions and life. Cobb (DiCaprio) is the most skilled extractor around, and he is given the job of a lifetime when a powerful Japanese tycoon (Watanabe) offers him his former life back in return for an inception assignment. Cobb assembles a team of experts, and the game is on.

Helping hand

It is no mean feat keeping a sense of urgency going for nearly two and a half hours, but Nolan succeeds brilliantly, and this is one film where you will not want to take your eyes off the screen for fear of missing something crucial, or amazing. When Cobb's team start delving deeper and deeper into dreams within dreams, Nolan makes use of new team members who need some explaining and guidance, so as to help us, the audience, who desperately need both. But the script manages to finely balance the explanation and theory with extremely vivid action and practice, preventing the storyline from becoming too tedious, as had happened to the Matrix sequels, which you might be reminded of when Cobb and co. plug in and conk out.

Technical brilliance

Just like his previous films, this one looks and sounds great. Even if you're struggling with the finer plot details, it's hard not to sit back and awe at the sheer class of what you're enjoying on screen. The cast shines without exception, and lesser-known Tom Hardy deserves a special mention for managing to hold his own as the smooth-talking Eames, the forger of the team. When called for, the visual effects are top-notch, and include some dreamy sequences we're unlikely to see anywhere else. Frequent collaborator Hans Zimmer picks up where he left off with his Dark Knight musical score, and delivers a similarly harsh soundtrack which helps propel the action forward but delivers some melody and moments of respite when needed. Nolan has apparently been fine-tuning the script for roughly a decade, and apart from a few 'not again!' moments, it's slick, smart and as far as I can tell, watertight. But don't expect everything to be gift-wrapped and nicely resolved, because like many of the best thrillers this one leaves room for interpretation at a number of points.

In the end

A film to be marvelled at, seen more than once, reflected upon and discussed. If you want something refreshingly different this summer, take a leap of faith into the intricate imagination of the one of the best filmmakers in the business.

Mark's Mark?

Trailer:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/inception/

Shrek Forever After

• Released Internationally on 20/05/10
• Released in Malta by KRS on 02/07/10 (also in 3D)

Preview (first published 30/06/10 in VIDA magazine)

In a nutshell

Everyone’s favourite green ogre (Shrek, or Fiona, depending on your tastes), is back for the fourth and final adventure. They have a new nemesis, and he’s short with red hair.

Why we’re hyped?

The third instalment may not have set the world alight, but it had a tough job topping the first and second parts of this alternative fairytale, which remains one of the freshest and funniest franchises around. In less than a decade, Shrek has firmly established himself in popular culture, bringing with him a barrage of quotes and jokes, and giving rise to numerous imitations. Along with Pixar’s stellar output, Shrek is largely to thank for the constant output of smart, hilarious and spectacular computer animation we get to enjoy today. So it’s fitting that he is sent off with a bang, in what the filmmakers have promised will be the final chapter. Something tells me this won’t be a simple sentimental ‘happily ever after’ type closure.

Who’s in it?

The four main stars return. Mike Myers’s faux Scottish accent has become synonymous with the titular ogre, despite no rational reason for it being there. Cameron Diaz continues to sound better than she looks as his blushing, verdant bride. Eddie Murphy, the highlight of the original chapter, is still stomping around as the ever-faithful sidekick, Donkey, and Antonio Banderas once again lends his silky voice to the star of the second film, Puss in Boots, who now has a motivation and weight problem. Voice actor Walter Dohrn is the new major addition as the fiendish Rumpelstiltskin, whose infamous tantrum has now developed into a larger, more anti-social problem. Craig Robinson (Hot Tub Time Machine) also joins the cast as Cookie the ogre, and the wonderful John Cleese and Julie Andrews reprise their roles as Fiona’s entertaining parents. It’s curtain call time for possibly the best original character of the past decade.

Review (01/07/10)

Green and unamused

You'd think Shrek of all creatures would know that the grass is always greener on the other side. But he doesn't, and as his new life with Fiona and the triplets starts to settle down into a routine of burps, nappies, lack of sleep and not a moment of quiet, he starts to miss the time when he was a feared, secluded ogre with nothing to keep him from taking relaxing mud baths all day. So, in a moment of frustration, he says some regrettable things to Fiona, and storms off for some time to think. Enter Rumpelstilskin, a fiendish little redhead with an old grudge and a disturbing pet. He pounces on Shrek's moment of weakness and offers him an apparently simple deal - twenty-four hours of his single, villager-chasing days in exchange for some other day from his life - such as some day from his baby years which he doesn't even remember. Shrek doesn't sleep on it, and signs, which is never a good idea.

Fiona, warrior princess

What follows in a wonderfully inventive and entertaining Shrek adventure in what could be described as an alternate universe - what the kingdom of Far, Far, Away would look like if Shrek had never appeared on the scene and Rumpelstiltskin ruled the roost with his cackling army of ashen-faced witches. This idea works, because it allows us to rediscover the beloved characters and locations all over again, without the storyline having to toss in new elements to keep the novelty factor going, as happened in Shrek the Third. So we meet Puss in Boots, who has outgrown his boots and most other garments in sight thanks to a life of lazy pampering. And a ruffled Donkey who lives a hard life carting slaves and has to sing for his supper. Fiona, on the other hand has grown into a Xena-type revolutionary princess, who leads the resistance against Rumpelstiltskin. And none of them have any idea who this Shrek guy is, despite his insistence that he's their best friend.

Cool mule

As Shrek's friends rediscover him, and Shrek learns to appreciate how great his life was before that ill-fated contract signing, so do we. Which makes this fourth and final chapter a joy to watch. Donkey is given his due prominence, and Eddie Murphy does his usual stellar job as he sings, dances, and even tries to introduce 'flip-flop Fridays'. The music often takes centre stage, with Rumpelstiltskin employing the skills of the Pied Piper to smother the resistance, with hilarious musical results. There's even a brief but wonderfully timed Lionel Richie moment that is one of the musical highlights of the show. And when against all the odds everything falls nicely back into place for our thick-skinned hero, we're treated to the expected swamp-party to end all swamp-parties, which appropriately serves as a curtain call for the entire story, including good old Farquaad.

In the end

After a disappointing third outing (but only by Shrek's high standards), the franchise finishes with a flourish. A fitting end to a fantastic fairytale.

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/shrekforeverafter/

Summer 2010 Preview

 

As in previous years, KRS recently held a gala lunch for journalists, critics and censors. The event also featured a lengthy trailer showcasing the main films to look forward to this summer. Over the next 3 months, KRS will be releasing 42 films in Malta, including 17 blockbusters, and covering all genres and target audiences.

Once the World Cup is over, here’s the menu for top-notch evening entertainment:

(the ones I’m looking forward to most are in orange)

 

• The A-Team – big screen version of the classic TV action series, starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper and Sharlto Copley.
• The Adjustment Bureau – Paranoia thriller starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt as a potential couple kept apart by strange forces.
• Brooklyn’s Finest – Police and crime drama starring Richard Gere, Don Cheadle and Ethan Hawke, from the director of Training Day.
• Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (3D) – Sequel to the family favourite, featuring lots of talking pets with high-tech gadgets.
• Centurion – Period war drama starring Michael Fassbender.
• The Collector – Somebody breaks into a house, not knowing that there’s already somebody much more dangerous inside. Thriller, of course.
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Comedy about a smart but unimposing kid who documents his attempt at surviving secondary school.
• Dinner for Schmucks – Steve Carell and Paul Rudd star in this offbeat comedy about an executive who invites losers to dinner for entertainment purposes.
• Eat, Pray, Love – Based on the best-selling true story, this film stars Julia Roberts as a middle-aged woman who breaks free of the rat-race back home to spend a year travelling the world and marvelling at what she discovers.
• The Expendables – Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Steve Austin, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Not a chick flick.
• Get Him To The Greek – Johan Hill stars as a young intern assigned the impossible task of ensuring that erratic British rocker Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) gets to a concert on schedule.
• Grown Ups – Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider and Kevin James star as a group of old friends who get together and realise not much has changed.
• The Hole – Matinee-type horror film about two boys who discover a mysterious hole in their basement, from much-loved director Joe Dante.
• I Am Love – A classy, tragic love story starring Tilda Swinton as a woman in a posh Italian household threatened by love and passion.
• Inception – From the director of Memento and The Dark Knight comes a psychological thriller about the content of dreams, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Michael Caine and Ellen Page.
• The Karate Kid – a remake of the 80s classic, this time starring Jackie Chan as the mentor and Jaden Smith as the kid.
• The Killer Inside Me – Casey Affleck stars in this chilling drama about a deputy sheriff with psychopathic tendencies, from director Michael Winterbottom.
• Killers – Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher star in this crime comedy about a girl who finds the man of her dreams and then finds out what he really does for a living.
• Knight and Day – Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz star in this action-comedy about a globe-trotting and glamorous fugitive couple.
• The Last Airbender – M. Night Shyamalan returns with his take on the fantasy TV series about those who have the power to control the elements.
• Mark of an Angel (L’ Empreinte de L’Ange) – drama about a woman who becomes obsessed with the idea that a young girl might be the daughter she thought had died in a fire.
• Marmaduke – Based on the popular comic strip, this film follows the antics of the lovable, but often uncontrollable Great Dane, voiced by Owen Wilson.
• Mes Amis Mes Amours – Set inside a French expat community in London, this quirky romantic comedy follows of the adventures in life and love of two single fathers who decide to share a flat.
• The Other Guys – Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell star as two bungling New York City detectives who try to make it amongst the elite.
• Piranha (3D) – Prehistoric piranhas are unleashed in Lake Victoria after a tremor. Like many Jaws, but smaller.
• Predators – Adrien Brody and Laurence Fishburne form part of a team of dangerous criminals who are hunted down by the merciless alien race from the previous Predator films.
• The Rebound – Catherine Zeta-Jones stars in a light romantic comedy about a middle-aged woman having a rebound relationship with her young male nanny.
• Resident Evil: Afterlife (3D) – Milla Jovovich returns as the heroine of this dark and action-packed franchise, whose baddies just won’t stay dead.
• The Runaways – Rising female starts Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning star in a coming-of-age biopic about a 70s teenage band.
• Salt – Angelina Jolie is Evelyn Salt, a CIA officer who claims she is being framed, and has to stay on the run while trying to prove her innocence.
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – Based on the popular comic, this original modern-day tale of chivalry pits the hapless Michael Cera, as the titular character, against the seven evil ex-boyfriends of his new-found love.
• Shrek Forever After (3D) – The 4^th and final chapter in this alternative fairytale.
• The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – Walt Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer joins forces to bring us the live-action adventure full of magic and marvel, stemming from the famous Fantasia sequences. Starring Nicholas Cage, Jay Baruchel and Monica Bellucci.
• Step Up 3-D – Street and hip-hop dancers face off in a high-stakes showdown in the heart of New York.
• Takers – Matt Dillon, Hayden Christensen and Paul Walker star in this thriller about a group of bank robbers who see their 20-million-dollar heist interrupted.
• The Tournament – Every seven years in an unsuspecting town, thirty of the world’s deadliest assassins’ battle to the death for the title of No. 1. Starring Robert Carlyle and Ving Rhames.
• Toy Story 3 (3D) – The ground-breaking and heart-warming tale of toys resumes, with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen reprising the famous roles of Woody and Buzz Lightyear.
• The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – Part 3 of 4 in the fable of vampires and werewolves that has set the teenage world alight.
• Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps – Oliver Stone returns to direct, and Michael Douglas returns to star in the sequel to the 80s greed thriller that seems even more relevant now. Also starring Shia LaBeouf and Carey Mulligan.
• Warrior – Nick Nolte stars in the story of an alcoholic ex-boxer who tries to return to the top of his game, but knows he must fight his brother to do so.
• When In Rome – Kristen Bell stars in this romantic comedy about an impulsive New Yorker who steals some coins from a fountain while on holiday in Rome, and see her love-life go to extremes as a result.
• Wild Target – Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt star in a black comedy about a solitary assassin with a perfect reputation, who finds himself drawn to one of his victims.

 

 

Summer 2010 is looking very promising indeed...

She’s Out Of My League

• Released Internationally on 12/03/10
• Released in Malta by KRS on 23/06/10

Preview (first published 29/05/10 in VIDA Magazine)

June is looking like a good month for comedy, and the second most promising offering is an underdog story with heart. The man against the odds is Kirk, portrayed by Jay Baruchel, the young and slightly-built guy who played unlikely heroes in Tropic Thunder and the recent How To Train Your Dragon. After tackling the Vietnam jungle and a nest of dragons, he now attempts to win over a far deadlier foe – a 10/10 woman. His supportive friends assure him that he is clearly a 5/10 at best, and affectionately refer to him as a moodle, or man-poodle, whom women would love to pet. But for some strange reason, the stunning blonde Molly (Alice Eve – ­Crossing Over, Sex and the City 2) seems to have more than just pity for him, and with nothing to lose, he puts pride aside and goes for gold. The least us males can do is support him in this noble venture.

Review (22/06/10)

Beating the odds

Despite being inherently predictable, this films works. It may not cover any new ground, or deliver any unexpected thrills, but for its entire duration it manages to keep us interested in the romantic endeavours of its hapless hero, and his unlikely shot at scoring out of his league. This is largely thanks to the two main characters. Baruchel’s Kirk is hard not to like, and his attempts in the opening scenes to win back his previous girlfriend firmly establish his lowly rank in the world of romance. If geeky is the new cool, this guy is ice cold. Rather hotter, however, is Molly, who floats through airport security, where Kirk works, setting off every alarm in sight, including his. When she leaves her phone behind, he suddenly has a chance to meet her again, and she seems unusually nice to him when they do. Alice Eve manages to balance looking ridiculously hot with acting rather down-to earth, making her seem somehow attainable. If we can see it, then eventually so can Kirk.

Support network

Before he sees it though, his friends do. As is standard in these sort of love/sex comedies, the friends and family of the main couple play an essential role. Kirk has three close friends and colleagues with wildly varying views about life, the universe and everything. They provide some of the better scenes and lines, with hopeless romantic Devon often being the most original and amusing of the three. Inevitably, their interaction with Molly's friends takes on a role of its own. Kirk's family, however, make his friends seem meek. Loud, obnoxious and incredibly thick, they constantly ruin Kirk's life, and when Molly comes over for lunch he has good reason to feel uneasy. The family chemistry culminates in a hilarious in-flight scene later on in the film, which is well-played.

Self-esteem

As expected, Kirk's self-worth proves crucial in his attempt at greatness. In a world where perceived quality is swiftly replacing actual quality as a key to success, Kirk needs all the help he can get to believe in himself and project the right image. Sadly, he would probably not stand a chance in reality, but who needs reality when we're heading to the cinema?

Trailer:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/shesoutofmyleague/

Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back

 

• Released Internationally on 28/05/10
• Released in Malta by KRS on 23/06/10 in 3D

 

In a nutshell

In 2008, three annoying chimps ventured into space. Unfortunately, they didn't stay there.

Why?

I imagine there are many factors contributing to the decision to make a sequel. Money's probably a driving factor (Sex and the City 2), as in an unfinished story to tell (Iron Man 2). Sometimes a concept works so well and is so liked that filmmakers find ways of extending the story to justify the return of their beloved characters (Shrek 2). And sometimes a fresh pair of hands tries to succeed where the original film failed (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan). With Space Chimps 2, the most plausible reason seems to be that since somebody had already designed all the characters, they realised they could quickly hammer out some semblance of a script and make another film with minimal effort.

What?

The film is mostly set on Earth, where the chimps run amok in the space station, awaiting orders. The youngest and most eager of the trained monkeys gets cut from the upcoming mission for budget reasons, and in an experimental and angry mood he inadvertently launches the space shuttle, with only himself inside. Nobody notices the shuttle is gone, because all those in ground control are busy eating ice-cream sundaes. There are further mind-boggling plot twists, but I won't ruin them for you.

Who?

The voice cast manages to act badly, perfectly matching their crudely-animated counterparts. This is probably the first time I ever saw awkward silences in an animated film, and the script and plot stutter and drag in equal amount, ultimately telling a story that could have (and probably should have) been a half-hour television episode. Stanley Tucci stains his filmography as the senator, while other voices of varying quality breathe life into the four main chimps. Rounding off the cast are three human scientists who offer a brief promise of humour, a big-headed sidekick who's so annoying she made me miss Jar-Jar Binks, and a Vogon-like bad guy, who looks like his animation was abandoned half-way.

Once again, why?

It's not all bad. Whilst clawing at reasons to like this film I had to admit I'm most probably not its target audience. I'd venture to guess that there's enough colour, simplicity, talking animals and crude action to appeal to toddlers, but more discerning children will find smarter stimulation this summer amongst dragons, ogres and talking toys. This might keep your three-year old occupied for just over an hour, but you’d better pray they don’t ask you to sit with them. There are worse ways to pass the time, but most of them are not readily available outside of Guantanamo Bay.

 

Trailers:

http://www.spacechimps2.com/

Hot Tub Time Machine

 

• Released Internationally on 26/03/10
• Released in Malta by KRS on 02/06/10

 

Preview (first published 29/05/10 in VIDA Magazine)

In a nutshell

Time travel is fun, I’ve been told. And the 80s were fun, if I remember well. So as part of the ongoing fascination with that most unstylish of decades, we finally get to travel back to 1986.

Why we’re hyped?

Probably the best time-travel film to date was based in the 80s, with Marty McFly leaving 1985 to travel back and forth in Back to the Future. This time, four male buddies with women troubles find themselves trapped in 1986 after a very drunken night involving a hot tub. They wake up when hair was bigger, highlighter jumpsuits weren’t only worn by inmates, and Michael Jackson (rest his soul), was still black. With such a goldmine of kitsch references and retro jokes, this promises to be one of the funniest movies this summer. It’s like The Hangover, but on the set of a Bonnie Tyler video.

Who’s in it?

Leading the pack back in time is the ever likeable John Cusack, who continues to alternate between quirky but excellent smaller films like Being John Malkovich and big-budget epics like Con Air or 2012. He is also one of the producers of the film, and should know something about the 80s since that when he had his first starring roles. Rising comedy regular Craig Robinson (Pineapple Express, Zack and Miri Make A Porno and the upcoming Shrek Forever After) is one of his bosom buddies, who isn’t too keen on bumping into his 1986 self, complete with high-rise hairdo. Clark Duke (Kick-Ass) and Rob Corddry (The Heartbreak Kid) round of the futuristic foursome. The film is directed by Steve Pink, who once adapted the screenplay for another Cusack gem – High Fidelity. So get out your leg warmers and zip up your shell suits, and get in the tub.

 

Review (02/06/10)

Present imperfect

Adam (Cusack) returns home from work to find that his long-term girlfriend has finally left, taking most of his possessions with her. In his basement, his pudgy nephew Jacob (Duke) lives indoors and his only social interactions are online, via his avatar on 'Second Life' (which makes one worry about how many such situations really exist). Across town, failed musician Nick (Robinson), does various non-appetising jobs at a dog-care centre, and definitely doesn't wear the trousers in his marriage. When their previously close friend Lou (Corddry) is hospitalised after a suspected suicide attempt, their lives comes swiftly into focus and they decide to try a weekend of bonding in a ski resort they used to love when they were younger. Nostalgia plays tricks, however, and they arrive to find a run-down resort that is a mere shadow of their glorious memories. When in doubt, drink.

Details, details

Time travel films require a certain amount of suspension of belief, for what I hope are obvious reasons. But the concept is so entertaining, and such a goldmine for cinematic moments that we're usually more than willing to nod along with talk of 'flux capacitors' and the 'space time continuum'. So usually the scantiest of details are enough to get the plot going. In this case, the unlikely mode of transport is an outdoor jacuzzi, which during the wild night of partying in which lots of sticky alcohol is spilt over the control panel, sends the four naked occupants swirling back to the mid-80s. The scene is a fast-paced, slightly trippy and very dizzying montage, which moves the plot swiftly forward to where we want to be. Getting back proves slightly more complex, however, and the numerous scenes where the four travellers and a mysterious, angelic handyman (Chevy Chase) try to fix the tub and get home end up being rather tedious and overdone.

Sex, drugs and glam-rock 'n’ roll

It may not be the swinging 60s or hedonistic 70s, but these unsuccessful males travel back to what they consider to be the zenith of their social lives - a wild winter week they spent in the resort, which was eventful and memorable on various levels. Brought up watching numerous time travel films themselves, they decide they should relive the week exactly as they remember it, so as to hopefully avoid a ‘butterfly effect’ and end up changing history forever. So, with a sense of duty, they set out into the frosty night to get punched by bullies, stabbed in the eyebrow by angry ex-girlfriends and booed off stage at a concert. Until, that is, they start realising that there’s fun to be had. Jacob, the unlikely time traveller who wasn’t even born at the time, is the most eager to get back home, especially after meeting the rather slutty 80s version of his dear mother.

Johnny B. Goode

The references to Back to the Future are frequent and not too subtle, from the hot tub’s digital display to the scene where the crowd is awed by a rendition of a ‘song from the future’. Certain scenes have the same overall feel of that time-travel classic too, as the characters try to tip-toe through the night’s events without disturbing the course of history, and failing miserably. The film also contains numerous elements that struck a chord in last year’s The Hangover, from the buddy aspect of the main characters to the shameless lack of decency or correctness as the events unfold. Most of the sleaze and crudeness is embodied in the character of Lou, with his three companions trying to hold him back, which sets up an interesting finale to the timeline troubles.

In the end

It’s crude, it’s rather silly, and it’s often much less coherent than similar films it tries to emulate. But there are frequent moments of hilarity, and a few inspired scenes that the main characters handle with boyish charm. You’ll probably need to be in the mood for this one, but if you are, you’re in for a fun ride.

 

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/mgm/hottubtimemachine/

Sex and the City 2

• Released Internationally on 28/05/10
• Released in Malta by KRS on 28/05/10

Preview (Published 01/05/10 in VIDA magazine)

The four femme fatales from New York are back. After they decided to wring some more money out of the brilliant TV series with the big screen version two summers ago, the generally good response set the stage for more tales of fashion and romance in the posh sections of Manhattan. The first film stuck to the winning formula that made the series so successful, and it appears that so will this one, albeit with a trip to the desert thrown in. This seems like a good idea, to prevent the film from feeling like a double-length TV episode, as it very easily could. A few celebrities will pop up as cameos to add further big-screen power, including Liza Minnelli and Miley Cyrus, huge female stars at either end of the age spectrum. Cameos aside, however, the series’ fans can rest assured that the four golden girls will all be there, along with nearly all of the regular supporting cast, and with the show’s writer and director still in his plush driving seat.

Review (26/05/10)

Abstinence and the desert

There are some interesting plot developments in this latest outing from the female fab four, but they're definitely not enough to fill an entire film. In fact it's quite telling that this would have made a quite interesting 45-minute episode, to add to the many excellent ones that came before it. But to make it to the big screen a second time these love and life lessons are padded with endless filler material and the result is a bloated, self-congratulatory exercise in excess.

All the single ladies

The films starts off disastrously, with a gay wedding that defies everything the two characters in question said throughout the series. It's so obviously an excuse to cram another wedding into the plot that even the guests are surprised. Liza Minnelli makes a cameo appearance as herself, officiating at the ceremony - which is sort of like asking Guy Fawkes to put out your chip-fan fire. The audience then has to sit through an unabridged musical number where Minnelli belts out Beyoncé's finest, though to her credit (or that of the post-production team) she looks and sounds quite with-it.

Less sex, less city

Thankfully, things eventually start rolling, and after the stuttering initial scenes we return to some proper drama from the lives of these four women with attitude. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is having trouble getting used to married life, and her partying plans contrast with the lazy, cosy, evenings that Mr. Big (Chris Noth) wants to spend with his bride at home. Samantha (Kim Cattrall) is trying to cheat her body out of menopause, and despite her increasing wrinkles she wrangles a cocktail of hormones to keep her libido blazing. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) has two adorable little girls, but they are starting to drive her crazy, and her reliance on the resourceful nanny is tinged with a hint of worry about the effect the nanny's bountiful chest area might be having on her husband. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), as usual the more career-oriented of the four, is struggling at her law firm, where female dominance is still not the norm, and she finds her personal life struggling as a result.

Princesses of Persia

The solutions to all these problems might lie outside New York, however, and the girls end up on an all-expenses-paid luxury trip to Abu Dhabi, courtesy of Samantha's business connections. Most of the film's action unfolds there, and the break from their newly adopted routines helps the girls realise where their priorities truly lie. The choice of setting is a clever one for the filmmakers, with the sparkling city matching New York in the opulence department, while the strict religious boundaries jar with the foursome's (or rather, Samantha's) ideas about how to enjoy yourself on vacation.

In the end

Ultimately, things do reach neat and satisfactory conclusions, albeit via a tortuous (for us) route. The product placements were always a part of the series, but here they've reached occasionally ridiculous heights, including one during the flight to the Middle East which would have seemed blatant even if it was an actual advert. There's also the usual focus on fashion, including an interesting local twist, and yet another musical number, this time in the form of a painful karaoke session. With three of the four wonder-women happily settled, it's inevitable that the focus of the plotline has veered away from sex considerably, but maybe that should have been a hint to end the franchise earlier. After milking this cash-cow for all its worth, creator Michael Patrick King has now chopped it up and served it as kebabs. For the sake of all the excellent episodes that came before, I hope that this is the end of the line.

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/sexandthecity2/