David Raitt – Off-Topic

By the time a film franchise reaches its third instalment, a certain problem sometimes arises. The main characters’ major weaknesses or flaws have been corrected or resolved by the previous stories, and as a result the original lineup is no longer able to drive a plot by itself. New characters appear to provide the heroes with the motivation to run off on further adventures. The larger cast then throws off the film’s focus to make room for everyone, old and new. Such is the case with Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, but even so, much of the action is so anarchically silly that you may not mind. Certainly, the kids won’t.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/madagascar-3-europes-most-wanted-movie-review/

“This is no fairy tale,” an ad for Snow White and the Huntsman warns us, and it’s right: while the film preserves many of the same elements, it raises both the scale and the stakes of the classic story. On the whole, this makes it a worthy summer blockbuster, though it sometimes buckles under its own weight.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/snow-white-and-the-huntsman-movie-review/

It’s been ten years since the last Men in Black movie, long enough for many to ask “Why now?” However, if a third film in the series gets the elements right, and presents an enjoyable experience, then maybe we should ask “Why not?” Helpfully, Men in Black 3 does those things for the most part, even if it’s not a triumphant return to form for the franchise.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/men-in-black-3-movie-review/

Sacha Baron Cohen is nothing if not courageous. The creator of Borat and Brüno regularly treads the fine line between humour and offense, often generating both in equal measure. With The Dictator, Baron Cohen and his frequent collaborator, director Larry Charles, now aim their satire at political and religious extremism, particularly as practiced by the infamous world leaders of North Africa and the Middle East. But, while the film often walks that same fine line, it also seems curiously conventional, and lacking in edge. It’s not hard enough for rabid Baron Cohen fans, and others may be left wondering what the big deal is.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/the-dictator-movie-review/

There really is no other actor like Johnny Depp. In a long, eclectic career, and especially in collaboration with director Tim Burton, he has given us characters that are nearly impossible to imagine being portrayed by anyone else. This seems doubly true for Dark Shadows, though it’s a pity the rest of Burton’s movie doesn’t live up to Depp’s performance.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/dark-shadows-movie-review/

It’s not at all surprising that Marvel’s The Avengers quickly smashed box-office records on its opening weekend – there have been no less than six films before it acting as extended commercials. That’s not meant to diminish the strengths of Iron Man or Captain America, nor lay further punishment on the Hulk movies. We’ve simply been chomping at the bit for years to see these diverse superheroes come together in the same story. And I’m very happy to report that the wait was well worth it.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/the-avengers-movie-review/

Though they don’t produce all that many, the British seem to excel at animated films, mostly because they don’t let the fact that the characters on screen are made of clay, paint, or pixels get in the way of treating the audience like more than brainless schoolchildren. The Pirates! Band of Misfits continues this tradition, the only awkward thing about it being the title.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/the-pirates-band-of-misfits-movie-review-2/

Romantic fiction has always found loyal and patient audiences, who are willing to endure all manner of clichéd storylines to get their fill of torrid affairs and longing gazes over a sink full of supper dishes. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, but I strongly suspect that even those lovely people will heave a sigh during The Lucky One, and not the good kind.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/the-lucky-one-movie-review/

In a lifetime of following popular culture, I have never encountered a neutral opinion on The Three Stooges. People either love the anarchic silliness of Larry, Curly, and Moe, or they find the whole concept completely asinine. (The former group also tend to giggle at the word “asinine”, but I digress.)

The Farrelly Brothers’ new tribute to the classic Stooge shorts of the 1930s will do nothing to change these opinions, but it’s wonderful to have a film that actually revives the argument. The Three Stooges is as good a remake as could be expected.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/the-three-stooges-movie-review/