Shop Talk
What We've Been Watching
By BOP Staff
February 26, 2014
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Jason Barney: We went to see The LEGO Movie this weekend and it is as good as everyone is saying. I never would have thought it would quadruple its $60 million budget, but all of the praise is well deserved. The visuals and animation are impressive and the story has something for adults and kids.
The Girl from Paris was a small French film that was actually pretty good. It’s definitely different from typical American story telling.
I am on a bit of a science fiction kick, so I have gone back and watched three of the original five Planet of the Apes films. I was surprised by how much I liked Planet of the Apes. Beneath Planet of the Apes was surprising and different, especially the ending. Escape from Planet of the Apes had a good story to it, but it was much different, slower, than the original two.
Matthew Huntley: I too saw The LEGO Movie this weekend, but I disagree with Jason Barney that it's as good as everyone says it is. Don't get me wrong - it's good, but it's far from great, and it ended up being a lot more streamlined than the audience/critical response would indicates. I felt the same about Frozen, which I wish would just go away already.
On another note, I did see RoboCop, and dare I say, it actually impressed me (bear in mind my expectations were rather low going in).
Finally, if you haven't seen Cutie and the Boxer, it's a great documentary that I think should win the Oscar. It's now on Netflix.
Edwin Davies: The two most recent films I've seen in theaters were Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and The LEGO Movie, one of which wasn't quite as good as I hoped it would be and the other was slightly better. Shadow Recruit was such a generic spy thriller that it needn't have been a Jack Ryan film at all, but it was a slick and well put together piece of fluff. The LEGO Movie was great, but I felt like it wasn't as great as it should have been. This is largely because I'm such a fan of Lord and Miller's work that I expect utter brilliance from them every time, and this time they crafted something that was often more energetic than it was funny. However, since watching it, I've been turning it over and over in my mind and I find more and more to like about it. I imagine that re-watching it will turn it into a firm favorite.
Max Braden: Since our last tally I've only seen Lone Survivor in theaters. It's moving, especially the closing credits. I think it merited a position in the Best Picture list, or at least as much buzz as Zero Dark Thirty received at this time in Oscar season.
Here's what I've seen lately on DVD:
The Croods - I thought Emma Stone provided some funny mannerisms to her character, and I was almost shocked at the apparent direction they were taking at the climax. The movie's a bit noisy, and I didn't like the humanistic Belt or wildly creative animals. The cinematography was nifty, though.
How I Live Now - This could really be a sequel to The Host, because Saoirse Ronan again tries to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. But where The Host is so silly it's mockable, Ronan's character in How I Live Now is so unbearable I wanted to throw her to the wolves in the first 10 minutes. And every 10 minutes until the end.
Enough Said - One of Gandolfini's last roles is one of his best. And I normally find Julia Louis-Dreyfus a little too much, but I really, really liked her in this. I just think they got the tone perfectly, even if the plot was a little sitcom-y, it never felt that way to me.
Blue Jasmine - I *hated* this character so much I had to pause for three 15 minute breaks in the first hour. I'm convinced that Woody Allen just steals his ideas from his social circle gossip, and he actually admires people like this.
The Summit - There's more tragedy here, about the loss of life on K2, but I still think Touching the Void is a much more harrowing mountaineering documentary.
St. Trinian's 2 - I watched this one because I watched the first one, because Colin Firth was in it. I can see how this very British comedy wouldn't play well in the U.S. But I was actually mildly amused by Rupert Everett.
Riddick - Pretty rote material for a Riddick movie, but Matthew Nable steals the movie, and Katee Sackhoff is a kick-ass addition.
Mud -There was all this great buzz about this movie. Matthew McConaughey is good, as are the boys, but the movie just felt flat and contrived to me.
Sanitarium - I rented this mostly because of the presence of Malcolm McDowell, expecting to not enjoy these short stories. I was correct.
Escape Plan - Twenty years ago it was the ultimate dream to see Stallone and Schwarzenegger in the same movie together. But now when it happens, it just fizzles. Not like Tango & Cash bad-good, but just fizzles. And Vincent D'Onofrio turns in one of the worst performances of the year.
Don Jon - When I first saw this movie's trailer I thought that JGL was a few years past the Jersey Shore peak. That's still the case but it's not as painfully obvious in the movie. The hallway grinding scene: very sexy. Glenne Headly: very funny.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 - There are some cute moments in this movie but I've just never been taken by this series.
Blue Caprice - I wanted to see this movie about the DC snipers because I live(d) just down the road from one of the shootings, and the movie was an eye-opener about how long their spree went on. But boy, did this movie drag out.
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters - This is a perfectly fine young adult adventure, and I think it's an improvement over the first movie in the series, but I feel a little too old to enjoy it.
A Single Shot - Sam Rockwell is normally great in comedic roles, but he's also really good in this drama.
Free Samples - This movie is written to be a little two quirky and the main character is a bit too unlikeable for someone who has it pretty easy, but I grew into her story. It's odd how Jesse Eisenberg is good at playing a cocky jerk.
Kick-Ass 2 -I enjoyed this sequel, maybe more than the first movie. I don't think I'm bothered by the violence as some people are, but I think it doesn’t enhance the story to be something more than just a teen fantasy.
Captain Phillips - Maybe knowing the outcome of this movie diminished it for me, but I never really found it very harrowing. Barkhad Abdi is good and perfectly cast.
Man of Tai Chi - Keanu Reeves nearly ruins the movie for being overly stiff and a cartoon villain, but there's a beautifully choreographed fight to a draw between Chen Hu and Yu Hai that was one of my favorite scenes of the year.
Turbo - My brother thought I was being silly but I really wanted to see this movie from the first moment I saw the trailer. It lived up to my expectations for the most part, and the cars looked excellent.
The Spectacular Now - Shailene Woodley is fantastic in this movie, absolutely natural. Miles Teller is a little too Vince Vaughn too early in his career, but it works.
You're Next -I might have skipped this movie as just another slasher flick, but thanks to recommendations from David Mumpower and others, I watched and loved this movie. It's so darkly funny I could never quite tell if that was intentional or a happy accident. The actors playing the parents are terrible, but Sharni Vinson's character Erin is a great kick-ass heroine.
Kim Hollis: Here’s a quick shot glance at several of the movies I watched during my end-of-2013 binge to get all caught up.
Philomena – I don’t really know what I was expecting from this film, but it’s a lovely little piece of storytelling with a standout performance from Judi Dench. I’ve always thought that the stories of the Magdalene girls were both interesting and terrible, and seeing Philomena’s tale played out on film was certainly a heart-rending experience.
Nebraska – Apparently, I love Alexander Payne. If you asked me to list my favorite directors, I don’t know if he’d immediately pop to mind, but other than Election, which I liked well enough, I have truly enjoyed every single one of his films. Nebraska might be his highest achievement, too. It’s heartfelt and wistful while still being extremely funny. Honestly, for the most part the Best Picture nominees are all solid choices (even Wolf of Wall Street, which is tough to watch).
Blue Jasmine – Controversy notwithstanding, I generally enjoy about every other Woody Allen film. Thus, Blue Jasmine should have been a film I enjoyed, but I really did not. Jasmine is a horrible human being (although likely mentally ill) and while I appreciate that not every movie has to be all hearts and flowers, this was a particularly oppressive viewing experience for me.
Enough Said – I was devastated when James Gandolfini died, but at least we have this gentle performance to remember him by. It’s not at all what you’d expect from him. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is dynamite, too.
Riddick – I mean, it’s Riddick. You should know what you’re getting when you go into the movie, right? There were no surprises whatsoever but it was enjoyable enough, I guess. Pitch Black is still worlds better.
Kick-Ass 2 – I liked the first film even as I had extreme misgivings about it. The sequel was nothing special, and I’ve more or less forgotten most everything about it except for Jim Carrey’s weird performance. Chloe Moretz was a lot more striking in the first movie.
You’re Next – I echo any recommendation of this horror film. I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t watch movies from this genre anymore, but this one is top notch.
David Mumpower: The best movie I’ve watched recently as well as a title that finished in my top five for 2013 is Rush. The marketing understandably focused upon handsome Chris Hemsworth, wielder of the almighty Mjolnir. The man who carries the movie is Daniel Brühl, and he is revelation as a precise Austrian driver who discovers how far he is willing to go in order to beat a rival. From the moment Hemsworth’s character, James Hunt, is introduced to the humorless Niki Lauda, the actors elevate one another. The odd part is that the real Niki Lauda is a very funny man, and that is the way that his accident changed him. That message is left understated in Rush, a subtle storytelling decision that pays dividends during a sublime third act. It is further proof that truth is stranger than fiction as if these events had been invented rather than recreated, nobody would find them plausible. Rush is an instant classic sports movie and a true masterpiece of cinema.
Saving Mr. Banks is also a wonderful movie that may whitewash the history of Walt Disney a bit too much for some. Personally, I am not a huge fan of Mary Poppins because I am a dude. So a lot of what transpires in the film is going to be more original to me than to some. Acknowledging that, what surprised and impressed me about Saving Mr. Banks is that it is a bit of a spiritual successor to Finding Neverland, one of my favorite films of the 2000s. John Lee Hancock is one of my favorite directors, and I can honestly say that all is forgiven for that Snow White and the Huntsman script.
The Way, Way Back is no The Spectacular Now, but it is still very good. While it does feel a bit like an Adventureland redux, I happen to be a huge fan of that film so another take on the same premise works for me. The one aspect I did not enjoy is that Steve Carell is a jerk in this film, which reminded me why I never really cared for The Office. I believe that in order to “act” annoying or mean, he has to go too far outside his natural personality. Carell is meant to be a Jimmy Stewart type, the winning everyman who can save the day in Get Smart, get the girl in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, and evolve into the best possible single parent in Dan in Real Life. Making him portray a cheating jerk that is mean to kids is simply not good casting. Conversely, this is one of Sam Rockwell’s best performances. Because he exudes cool in everything he does, even a self-destructive loser character would still be an enticing mentor to a struggling teen. Rockwell embraces that union, and mentors perfectly, even as his own life implodes. That showdown moment between Carell and Rockwell is brief but pure, and I love the movie for it. The Way, Way Back is imperfect but its high points are as good as movies can be.
As comes up from time to time, I may be Paul Greengrass’ most ardent admirer. I am the person who recommends Green Zone to friends. I have watched United 93 over 25 times. And my voting record on The Bourne franchise speaks for itself. Greengrass movies energize me with their exhaustive evaluations of how the sausage gets made. Captain Phillips is probably the least of his last five films, which means it is “only” an 85 on a 100 point scale for me. For other directors, that type of number could stand as their best feature (I’m looking at you, Quentin Tarantino). For Greengrass, it means that I enjoyed watching the mechanics of the nuanced negotiations and political ramifications of piracy and kidnapping in an indigent area. I found the ending a bit overwrought, my same criticism of Argo. Also, I really only liked two characters, the titular protagonist and the willful bandit. Everyone else was nondescript. Captain Phillips is very good but it isn’t great the way that United 93 and The Bourne Supremacy are.
August: Osage County is one of those movies that become respected due to herd mentality and little else. This movie made me want to pour battery acid in my eyes in order to end my visual suffering. The whole cast is varying degrees of terrible. Meryl Streep was nominated for an Academy Award for this role. That is how history will remember it. I will go so far as to say that this is her worst performance since Death Becomes Her. And my beloved Margo Martindale (Mags Bennett 4eva!) is somehow even worse as this deplorable human being whose only purpose in life seems to be causing suffering in others. I suspect that the play version of this story is better but then again, it pretty much has to be. I watched about 145 2013 releases. By my count, August: Osage County is in the 14th percentile. Here are a few titles I swear that I enjoyed more: After Earth, The Big Wedding, Texas Chainsaw 3D, Bullet to the Head and Battle of the Year. You get the point. I believe it is a total disgrace that August: Osage County has received any awards consideration at all, much less Academy Awards nominations in a pair of acting categories.
Finally, Upside Down is in a lot of ways the latest iteration of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. The visuals are absolutely breathtaking. A few of the effects literally took my breath away. The problem is the story, which makes Sky Captain look like Inception. It is a lazy science-fiction structure, which is all the more maddening because the start of the film precisely defines the laws of this society. After the first three minutes of Harlan Ellison-level ideas, everything falls apart. It is the movie equivalent of dating a daft lingerie model. As long as looks are all that matters to you, you’re fine. If you want to stimulate your brain, Upside Down fails on a Doom-ish level.