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04 Jan

King Kong

Grade: B-

I wish I could get excited about King Kong – I mean, after all the build up, it would be nice to have a real blockbuster come out for Christmas. But, sadly, I found it disappointing. Mainly because it’s 3 hours long and about an hour could have easily been edited out and not even noticed. The original King Kong clocked in at a little over an hour – and this one is supposed to be true to the original…. uh, don’t think so. The ads and previews all make this King Kong seem like an adventure movie – but in the first half hour we are warned by one of the characters: “This is not an adventure movie” and he’s right. It’s a horror movie, through and through. Be prepared for a King Kong vs. Godzilla scene that could be a movie itself – then there are the giant slugs which swallow people whole head first, and the demonic looking bats. A bit too gruesome if you ask me. The movie takes risks, that’s for sure. It’s just that sometimes the risks just don’t pay off. Other than that, well… Peter Jackson got some great moments on film. The movie is BIG, as big as its title character. Jack Black seems like an odd choice to play Denham, the director who gets everyone into this mess in the first place. Black kind of mugs his way through the film, making it all a little too put on, and unreal. Maybe that was the intention? Not sure, it just felt out of place next to Adrien Brody’s very real and brooding screenwriter and Naomi Watts’ sensitive and desperate ingenue, Anne Darrow. Kyle Chandler’s credit isn’t near the top of the list – but he is wonderfully funny and fresh as the egotistical actor cast opposite Anne in the movie, Bruce Baxter. You may recognize Chandler from the series “Early Edition” which aired on CBS in 1996. He played Gary Hobson, who is visited every morning by a mysterious cat and tomorrow’s newspaper. It was a great series, and I always liked Chandler. It’s good to see him on the big screen and I hope this is a big break for him. Older kids who are real movie-philes and can sit through 3 hours (plus the now-standard 20 minutes of ads and previews) may get a kick out of it. Otherwise, thank goodness we have lots of movie-going options this holiday season.
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04 Jan

Killers

Grade: C

I think this is supposed to be a romantic comedy, and there are a few romantic moments – not nearly enough of them – and some comedy – mostly black comedy – but what there is a lot more of is pure silliness.  This is a farce more than anything.  Katherine Heigl is too smart to be playing ditzy.  Ashton Kutcher is the new hubby, and he’s great in the role – he’s playing it straight, and everyone around him is playing over-the-top.  We’ve got the mom who drinks too much the overprotective dad, the gossipy girlfriends and the nosy neighbors.  And who turns out to be the undercover killer?  Ummm…. maybe we should say who does NOT?  Loved seeing France, otherwise, this one’s a rental.

 

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04 Jan

Just Like Heaven

Grade: B

Reese Witherspoon plays another spunky, smart character, and Mark Ruffalo is her love interest. It’s definitely a romantic comedy, and we don’t see enough of those these days. There’s also some melancholy, as the topic could be quite heavy if played differently. But the formula works, boy meets girl, etc. The twist is that there are metaphysics involved! Jon Heder, from Napoleon Dynamite, plays a psychic who helps the two communicate – kind of the Whoopi Goldberg role in “Ghost.” Sweet and thoughtful – and sometimes just a little uncomfortable, which might not be a bad thing.
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04 Jan

Juno

Grade: A-

I really like this movie.  Juno the character is a sixteen year old girl who finds out she is pregnant.  She’s not your typical movie teen who freaks out, she handles the news rather pragmatically.  She may not have been savvy enough to prevent the pregnancy in the first place, but she’s smart and mature enough to deal with the consequences and make some bold decisions all on her own.  Ellen Page plays Juno and she is brilliant in the role.  Michael Cera plays the baby’s father, naive and smitten, and clueless as to how to handle this situation so he follows Juno’s lead.  Alison Janney plays Juno’s stepmother, and she is hilarious – so funny and with the best of intentions, a real character with genuine emotion.  Juno meets a childless couple who wants to adopt, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman.  They look like the requisite yuppy twosome, but there are issues beneath the surface that Juno witnesses.

The writing is top-notch.  The characters well drawn and relatable.  This is a terrific movie, that is sure to generate discussion among parents and teens.
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04 Jan

Jumper

Grade: C+

Great movie for anyone with Attention Deficit Disorder, Jumper is non-stop action, moving not only from one scene to the next but one location to the next super quickly!  Hayden Christensen is a “Jumper” meaning that he can teleport himself to just about anywhere he wants anytime he wants.  After a rough childhood, he discovers his power and ends up living a pretty cushy life in New York.  Until he is found out, that is.  Samuel L. Jackson heads an agency who is out to kill the Jumpers and he means serious business.  The chase is on.  Hayden heads for his home town to win the heart of the girl of his dreams, The OC’s Rachel Bilson.  He teams up with another Jumper, played by Jamie Bell and the two go at it like twin brothers fighting over a Happy Meal.  Diane Lane comes in as Hayden’s long lost mother – turns out she’s working with the bad guys!  Tons of holes, tons of questions, all left very open-ended as they’re sure to have at least one sequel planned.  Loved the locations!  Rome, China, Egypt – wow!
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04 Jan

Jindabyne

Grade: B+

As members of Australians in Film my husband (the Aussie in the family) were lucky enough to see Jindabyne at a special pre-release screening. This is a very interesting, thought-provoking, conversation-stimulating movie.  Australian made, and set in the small Australian town of Jindabyne in South-East New South Wales, Jindabyne looks at how a lurking evil infests a community, and the affect that it has on the people and their relationships.

Gabriel Byrne has the lead role, a gas station owner caught in the midst of mid-life, a strained marriage and an anxious little boy.  His sole source of recreation and decompression is fishing, his passion.  When out on a long-awaited trip with his buddies, he comes across a body.  And that’s when his troubles really begin.

Moral dillema, how to handle the situation.  The choices the men make in the moments that follow greatly affect their future and how they are viewed by the people in their town.  It sets up a racial divide, and a gender divide, as each family member experiences the fall-out.

Laura Linney, one of the best actresses of our generation, I really think she is as good as Meryl Streep but she just doesn’t get the credit she deserves.

Gabriel Byrne was gracious enough to talk about the filming of Jindabyne.  He is brilliant, and his insights were fascinating.

I can always tell a movie is good when we talk about it all the way home, and with Jindabyne, that’s what we did.
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04 Jan

Jersey Boys

Grade: B

Jersey Boys, directed by Clint Eastwood, is a movie based on the stage play, based on the real life story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The Four Seasons had multiple hits in the 1960’s. The four Jersey boys who made up the group were from the wrong side of the tracks, as they say, and managed to make it big time in the recording industry. But fame was not without a cost.

Loved the music, of course, but also loved seeing “behind the scenes” into the lives of these guys, and how the whole music industry was changing during that time in history.

Also loved a quick “wink” to the audience – a glimpse of Clint himself appearing in one of his TV shows from that era. And a nice cameo by Clint’s daughter as well.
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04 Jan

Jane Eyre

Grade: B

Jane Eyre is based on the classic novel that has been interpreted many times in film and on television.  This version is dark, almost gothic.  The performances are fabulous – Mia Wasakowska, who was so fabulous as Alice in Wonderland, plays the title role of Jane.  She looks fragile, but she’s strong and smart and fiercely independent – the kind of heroine we love to see in the movies!  From what I can remember, since I read the book back in high school, the film stays pretty true to Charlotte Bronte’s story.  Tragic, romantic, hopeful… worth seeing!
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04 Jan

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Grade: B

 In this movie, a prequel to the series featuring the same character, Chris Pine plays Jack Ryan.  We first see him as a financial analyst, super sharp.  Before long he gets recruited into the CIA.  Thinking it’s basically a desk job, he has no idea what he’s gotten himself into! Before long, he uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack.

His mentor in the CIA is none other than Kevin Costner, who has seen his share of action, and action movies.  And Jack Ryan’s love interest is the lovely Keira Knightley.

Kenneth Branagh directs. Fun movie for date night.
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04 Jan

Iron Man 2

Grade: C+

The first blockbuster of the summer season opened strong, and set records.  Robert Downey Jr reprises his role as Tony Stark, megamillionaire and owner/inventor of the Iron Man suit that has been keeping the world safe and at peace.  But it comes with a price – Tony’s own health is suffering, so he has to find a solution to this problem before his time runs out.

Sam Rockwell is the comic relief this time around, and Mickey Rourke is the villain – an evil scientist who seeks revenge on Tony.  Gwyneth Paltrow is the love interest, once secretary and now CEO.  And Scarlett Johansson is the new mystery woman.  Don Cheadle takes over the role of best buddy.

Interesting premise – but when it all comes down to it – it’s still a comic book come to life.  There’s all the predictable elements, including the big show-down at the end with all the iron man’s fighting in an over-the-top display of metal on metal. Sorry, but… yawn.
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