After seeing Bridesmaids, I feel compelled to address this review to men who might be reading it for one of two reasons: 1. They’ve heard it’s funny, but are worried about being overwhelmed by the female mushiness inherent to a film called Bridesmaids, or 2. Their significant others are dying to see it, and they’re wondering whether they should go along, or develop a spontaneous illness.
Gentlemen: You’ll be okay. Go.
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These are interesting times for superhero movies. The 3 most popular (arguably) characters – Batman, Superman, and Spider-man – have either rebooted or are in the process of rebooting their franchises. Iron Man and the X-Men have also made a big impact. Now we’re starting to see some lesser-known heroes coming to the screen, including now The Mighty Thor.
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Vin Diesel has really been working out lately. That much is clear the first time we see him in Fast Five, the fourth sequel to The Fast and the Furious. Mr. Diesel has always been muscular, but there’s a problem now – he’s bulked up too much. It’s thrown off his body proportions, so that in some shots, he looks almost overweight, and in others, he just looks odd.
I like Vin Diesel, have enjoyed his previous films, and I admire his skill as an actor. I’m picking on his physique here because it’s the exact thing that’s wrong with the movie: in trying to bulk itself up, Fast Five drags itself down.
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Brazilian culture is renowned for its carefree, celebratory lifestyle, with Rio de Janeiro being one of the country’s most exciting destinations. Perhaps unfairly, in recent years the city has also gained a reputation as a haven for kidnappers and smugglers. These two contradictory facts accurately describe Rio – a slightly-above-average film about the adventures of a kidnapped bird in a colourful and vibrant city. The film itself is a bit of a contradiction too.
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I’m torn on the idea of re-making films. On the one hand, if the original was such a great movie, then why not just watch that one? On the other, if a previously told story can be updated to speak to new generations, then why not? Most Hollywood films are derivative anyway – why not recycle good material instead of junk?
I debated watching the original Arthur before seeing this new version, but there would be little point. Deciding to condemn or praise the re-make for being too much or not enough like its predecessor is a job better left to film historians and purists. We should decide whether Arthur 2011 is a good movie on its own merits, and as it turns out, it is a good movie, though not great.
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You may not have noticed, or even care, but the Easter Bunny hasn’t received the best treatment in the history of the movies. Depending on your point of view, Easter is either the first or second most significant holiday in the Christian calendar. It stands to reason that its metaphorical representative should be in as many films as a certain jolly fat man in a red suit.
The makers of Hop try to redress this situation with a film about the inner workings of the Bunny’s operation. Unfortunately, it’s a lifeless film that might pull a few laughs out of the kids, but will leave parents checking their watches.
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One minute, Lt. Colter Stevens was flying a helicopter in Afghanistan. The next, he’s on a Chicago commuter train, in the body of somebody he doesn’t recognize in the mirror. Then the train explodes, and he’s inside a strange capsule, talking to military scientists on a video link. Life is very disorienting for Lt. Colter Stevens.
Luckily, Source Code isn’t. While you could get a migraine from trying to figure out the pseudo-science, the film’s involving story and brisk pacing make for an enjoyable ride.
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What could you do if you had absolute mental clarity, laser-like focus, total recall of everything you’ve ever experienced, a four-digit IQ, and a complete personality makeover? What couldn’t you do? And would you risk your life for it? This is the premise of Limitless, a trippy thriller that hooks into everyone’s secret desire to make more of themselves. And lucky for us, the film is more than what it could have been, too.
Read the rest of my review on Oakville.com: http://www.oakville.com/articles/limitless-movie-review/
Philosophers have endlessly debated the concept of Fate vs. Free Will. If destiny has a plan in mind for us, then free will is an illusion – all of our choices have been predetermined. Then again, if we do have free will, and everything that happens in the universe is random, then why do some events in our lives seem more meaningful than coincidence, as if they were meant to happen?
This debate underlies the story of The Adjustment Bureau, and while it does little to advance the argument either way, some interesting ideas lift the film beyond the standard romantic thriller fare.
Read the rest of my review on Oakville.com: http://www.oakville.com/articles/the-adjustment-bureau-movie-review/
Most film genres stick pretty closely to certain typical elements, the Western probably most of all. You can really only see so many gunslingers and ghost towns before you begin to think you’ve seen them all. But a good Western succeeds when it focuses on character over the elements, and Rango really has the goods. It’s an animated kids’ movie, but adults will probably get more out of it. Read the rest of my review on Oakville.com.