Speed Racer Review

Speed Racer stalls and never really catches up.
by mr. b

I had gone into Speed Racer with a very open mind. Reviews and word of mouth were a mixed bag and I tried to not let them get in the way of my enjoying the movie. They didn't, and I still didn't enjoy it. There has been a lot of talk about the needless bashing of this film and how all the negative press is undeserved. Maybe so, but it still doesn't change the fact that this movie was unbearable to sit through.



Speed Racer, as played by the competent Emile Hirsch, is a rising race-star living in the shadow of his deceased brother. After turning down endorsements from a number of big name companies Speed manages to make an enemy in the biggest of them. What follows next is a formulaic story about shady corporate dealings and back stabbings which lead Speed to dangerous race after dangerous race. The story itself is standard blockbuster fluff, which I don't have a problem with, but it's execution was poor.



The much anticipated CGI sequences were, in actuality, the downfall of the film. Lost in the over-whelming, sensory numbing effects were an incoherent storyline and an all-star cast who phoned it in. All focus from the actors were lost in the neon glow of the sets and green screens. As hard as the main story was to follow, the stories within the racing scenes were even more difficult. Dizzying spins and blinding lights killed any kind of story that was trying to be told. I actually had to close my eyes for a scene were a number of cars went into a psychedelic cave.

Emile Hirsch, as mentioned before, played a conflicted Speed to the best of his abilities. His supporting cast was a disappointment. I've come to expect much better things from John Goodman and Susan Sarandon. Christina Ricci, however, manages to pull of a good performance and provides one of the movie's bright spots. They were few and far between though, considering everything else was so damn bright. Worst part of the movie? Spritle and Chim Chim. I cannot stress enough how much I wanted these characters to get run over. Annoying and needless is a pretty good way to describe these two.



The Wachowski's have a spotty track record, at best. I haven't been impressed with them since halfway through the second Matrix. I, for one, hope they can get their super secret Carnivore project rolling and get them back on the same track when they were making Assassins and Bound. Well, maybe just Bound.

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Drillbit Taylor Review

Drillbit Taylor falls flat.
by Mikie

With Seth Rogan co-writing the film, and Judd Apatow getting a producer credit, one would think that Drillbit Taylor would be somewhat enjoyable. It almost is. Using a familiar formula, this story involves a tall-skinny kid, a fat-loud kid, and a smallish-uber-dork kid and how they deal with the start of their high school 'careers'. Only this time, instead of raunchy talk about girls and sex they're dealing with something every Hollywood high school has: the bully.



I found the movie somewhat enjoyable as it has its funny points, however they come too few and far-between and weren't able to keep me interested in the flick. The movie drags on for 100 minutes and continually slows down during its runtime. Once you figure out how it will conclude, which most could solve in the first 10 minutes, you'll want to speed to the end ASAP and head home.

Drillbit Taylor doesn't provide a new role for Owen Wilson as it feels quite a bit like a character we've seen before from the actor. Wilson’s character appears confused for most of the film, using nothing but lies and luck to get by. His performance really sags and he fails to carry any weight in the movie.



However, Drillbit Taylor does have its redeeming qualities. The scenes where Wilson and the kids are paired together is where the movie shines the most. The Mexican Judo, hold-back technique, and mind-over-pain training scenes all end with humorous results. The three kids who play the main targets of the bully do show some promise in future movies, especially Troy Gentile who plays the overweight kid. Drillbit Taylor does try its best to make you laugh, and there are a few good jokes found in the film.

One Sentence Review: The movie's tag-line is, "You get what you pay for" and I'm glad I watched the movie for free. | 6.1/10

A Second Opinion - larry_chimp_man: As much as I tried to enjoy the Steven Brill-directed Drillbit Taylor I couldn't buy into the poorly done cookie-cutter of a film. I found myself hating the majority of the film's characters the more I got to know them and Owen Wilson is garbage with one of his most disappointing performances. However, Leslie Mann is fun to watch as always. The film's plot points are obvious from the get-go but feel cheap and poorly executed when pulled off later in the flick. Drillbit Taylor is also severely lacking the funnies. The one or two laughs that escaped from my mouth while watching this flick were more out of pity than amusement. Avoid Drillbit Taylor at all costs. One of the worst of 2008 so far.

Have you seen Drillbit Taylor? Post a comment with your review.

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Charlie Bartlett Review

Editor-turned-director Jon Poll delivers a haphazard yet enjoyable experience in his feature film debut.

I, for the most part, enjoyed Charlie Bartlett. I love high school dramas and this film feels like a return to form for the genre. While the film isn't without its flaws it does deliver quite an entertaining tale. Browse the list below for a more detailed perspective.



The Good:
-Actor Anton Yelchin reminds me of a young Michael J. Fox.
-Robert Downey Jr is excellent as always and a force in every scene.
-Almost all the characters are well rounded and develop somewhat naturally throughout the film.
-Hope Davis is great and Kat Dennings (Catherine Keener's daughter in The 40-Year Old Virgin) is pretty good.
-The return of the high school drama?
-That Indian dude from those Rogers My5 commercials.



The Bad:
-The Film has a hard time defining itself and changes its identity throughout.
-Takes risks in an attempt to be original when simply telling the story would provide a better film.
-Some characters are exaggerated to unlikely extremes.
-The film's message is a bit off; is selling prescription drugs really the giant leap to popularity in high school?
-There was a mouse in our theatre.



Charlie Bartlett feels a lot like a Patrick Dempsey high school flick from the 80's. I enjoyed the film quite a bit. However, I'm not sure it was due to its quality or my craving for more high school dramas.

One Sentence Review: Fun and enjoyable, albeit quite flawed. | 7.2/10

Have you caught Charlie Bartlett in theatres? Post a comment and tell me what you thought of it.

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Be Kind Rewind Review

Be Kind Rewind is a visual treat and a great film.

Be Kind Rewind, contrary to the trailer and popular belief, is not about two young men recreating famous films in an effort to save a VHS rental shop. Nor is it an over-the-top Jack Black comedy. The film, however, is about two men establishing a place in their environment and finding a passion for filmmaking along the way.



Jerry and Mike are two characters stuck in a rut. Mike, played by Mos Def, is an employee at a small-time VHS shop in an under-developed end of town. His friend Jerry, portrayed by Jack Black, is a slightly-delusional mechanic who lives in a trailer a block away. The two lack any sort of motivation but that all changes when the VHS shop's owner, Danny Glover, leaves town. Due to an event I won't spoil in this review Jerry becomes magnetized. VHS tapes and magnets don't mix and when Jerry enters the shop all the rentals go blank. Struggling to keep the store above water while the boss is away the duo start "Sweding" recreations of each film over its erased tape. The videos start generating a buzz and soon the shop is attracting more customers than ever.



The film's story may read as your typical "save the business" film but it's far from it. Director Michel Gondry has created a practical visual masterpiece that is far from traditional filmmaking. It jumps around as you wouldn't expect and at no time does it feel like you're in familiar territory or a moment borrowed from another film. It's such a joy to see what the French director pulls out of his bag of tricks and it never disappoints. While some will say Be Kind Rewind is not as visually stimulating as Gondry's past work it is still quite an artistic accomplishment.

Another complaint I've heard from a few critics is that the "Sweded" scenes in Be Kind Rewind break up the flow of the film and take you out of the experience. I disagree. Watching Mike and Jerry recreate scenes from Ghostbusters, Rush Hour 2, King Kong, and more is hilarious and kept me entertained throughout the film. It didn't break the fourth wall nor did it remove me from my element.



The acting in Be Kind Rewind is well worth a second look. Mos Def really delivers a terrific heartfelt performance in a breakout role. Jack Black is also quite good in the film. I'm not a fan of his but I have to admit he comes quite a long way with his performance. His character is rounded and develops naturally as the movie progresses, something not seen from Black before this film. Danny Glover is also terrific in the limited amount of scenes he's in. His has a very respected presence but doesn't fail to capture the comedic side of his character. Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz, and Irv Gooch are also great in the film.

I really enjoyed Be Kind Rewind. It's not as tightly polished as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind but is still an excellent film. Michel Gondry is quickly becoming the most original visionary working in the business and it's a joy to see what he'll put on screen in every new feature film or music video he directs.

One Sentence Review: A complete treat of a film. | 8.1/10

Have you seen Be Kind Rewind? Post a comment and let me know what you thought of it.

Also, if you haven't seen it already, Michel Gondry Sweded a the film's trailer and posted it on YouTube a few days ago. Check it out below:



Cheers.

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Definitely, Maybe Review

Adam Brooks' Definitely, Maybe is one of the best romantic comedies in recent years.

I might have gone into the theatre for this flick expecting too much. I had seen the trailer a few times, along with some TV spots, and I had the feeling it was going to be something surprising. The previews gave the impression of a more laid back and sophisticated romantic film and I was all aboard and ready to watch. Well, I wasn't disappointed. Definitely, Maybe is a decent film in a struggling genre that excels simply because it doesn't make those fatal mistakes other romantic comedies often resort to.



The film stars the charismatic Ryan Reynolds (Smokin' Aces, Van Wilder) as William Hayes. Will has struggled with love his whole life and is on the end of an impending divorce. With his 11-year old daughter's interest piqued on the topic of love Will must explain his pending split with his wife along with his failed past relationships.

Definitely, Maybe is told in your traditional flashback storytelling format that catches up to itself a third of the way through the film. The jumps between the past and present day are very rudimentary but that's one of the things that makes the film work, it's simplicity. It doesn't try to be laugh-out-loud funny nor does it attempt to transform itself into a high-strung drama. It's just a simple romantic comedy.



What holds the film together and pushes it forward are the tremendous performances. Ryan Reynolds absolutely nails his character and turns out a great rendering of his character. He's witty, as expected, but also very fragile and easily shaken. His three love interests are played by Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher, and the amazing Rachel Weisz. All three share a great chemistry with Reynolds and it's a treat to watch as they play off of each other throughout the film. Kevin Kline also has a small role in the film but manages to hilariously steal every scene he's in. Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) plays her usual role of a child more mature than her age and does a decent job.

One complaint I do have about the film is how it bounces around quite a bit during its 112 minute duration. It is constantly changing gears and adjusting pace which keeps things fresh but also makes the film feel like it's dragging. A lot of this can be credited to the 3 seperate love stories. Every time there's a jump from one to the other it feels like a reset and momentarily takes you out of the film. This isn't a major problem in the film but hinders the view from total immersion in the experience.




Definitely, Maybe is one of the best romantic comedies I've seen in recent years. It's not terribly original but manages to keep itself simple and grounded. It's a film with heart and tells the story of what feel like real people, not archetypes like in so many other romantic comedies. In a genre that often insults its viewers and feels cheap, Definitely, Maybe is a sigh of relief.

One Sentence Review: A very well-acted romantic comedy that doesn't fall into the usual traps of the genre.

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Amazing Spider-Man #550 Review

Brand New Day's second arc's second issue is a hit-and-miss affair.

I really enjoyed the first three-issue arc of Brand New Day. I felt Dan Slott and Steve McNiven did a superb job following up after the train wreck that was One More Day and I was genuinly excited to read Spidey again for the first time in years.

The second arc has tried to continue that fun and exhilarating Spider-Man style but it's not working as well as it did in the first arc. For starters, I'm already sick of the retro feel Marvel is shoving down our throats with this book. The silly opening/closing narratives feel forced and the editor comment box feels like it was written for children or readers partially retarded (or both?).



All quibbles about the presentation aside, I'm enjoying where this book is going. Many seeds are being planted and it feels like the book is progressing substantially every week. The new villain nicknamed Menace, a Green-Goblin-esque character introduced in ASM #549, looks like he could lead to something big and I want to see where he leads. It's also nice to see Jackpot getting a portion of the spotlight.

One thing that really bothered me about this issue, and the last one for that matter, is Salvador Larocca's art. Larocca's Spider-Man is great. He's cinematic and stylistic and seems to always be in motion, I have no complaints. What bothers me is how the art quality drops once Spidey takes off his mask. Some of Larocca's faces are flat out terrible and many of his civilians are plain and boring. It feels like Larocca doesn't have the passion for drawing everyday Joes the same way he does for drawing superheroes.

The same can be said for writer Marc Guggenheim. He's great whenever Peter's in action but lacks the same punch once the costume comes off. A lot of his dialogue simply seems like filler shoved in-between the action.

I may be being too harsh on Marvel and the creative team behind this current arc. I'm enjoying Brand New Day and this issue was no exception. I just wish Slott and McNiven were back on the book. Oh well, at least it's only one more issue before writer Bob Gale and artist Phil Jiminez team up to bring us Brand New Day's third arc.

One Sentence Review: Better than your average issue but frustrating at the same time.

The next issue, Amazing Spider-Man 551, hits comic shops on Wednesday.

Cheers.

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In Bruges Review

Martin McDonagh hits the mark with his first feature.

In Bruges is fun. It mixes humour and heartfelt grit but works because it doesn't take itself too seriously, managing to stay light in what would certainly be dark situations in most other films.

In Bruges focuses on two Irish hit-men, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, who have been ordered to hide in Bruges, Belgium while they stay low after a hit gone wrong. Colin Farrell plays Ray, a tormented man who's hurting due to initially unknown complications from an earlier job. His partner is Brendan Gleeson's character; Ken. Ken is a keener and an avid sightseer, trying to get as much enjoyment as possible from being holed up in the foreign city. Ken is insistent on closely following the orders of Harry, the hit-men's hidden boss, as close as possible and much to the dismay of Ray. The two characters slowly start feeling the effects of living in Bruges two separate ways; Ken learns to love the town while Ray really has a hard time setting in.



The film crosses the line between light humour and dark drama quite often during its 107 minute runtime. One minute you'll be laughing at Ray's infatuation with the filming of midgets, the next you'll be in shock as you learn more about the hit-men's previous job. McDonagh does a great job shocking and surprising his viewer and it entertains throughout the film. This film could have easily been a throw-away comedy or over-stylized shooter but a happy medium is found between the two. It's fun and a thrill to watch but also very touching and dramatic, keeping you invested in the characters throughout.



And what great characters they are. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson turn out amazing performances in the film. I was initially a bit weary of Farrell's almost exaggerated performance at first but settled in after the opening ten and enjoyed it. Farrell's been great before, and will no doubt be great again, but he's given a lot of room to shine in this film which is one of his best showings to date. Gleeson is also terrific. He's grounded and stoic but also quite comedic in the role. It would be easy to label Ken as the damper on the first half of the film but Gleeson's performance keeps the character fun yet responsible. Ralph Fiennes shows up half way through the film with a great performance. He's rough and unforgiving but his character manages to show his humanity. The scenes with Fiennes and Gleeson towards the end of the film are superb as the two veteran actors display tremendous chemistry with one-another. The whole film is based around chemistry when you think about it. Gleeson and Farrell are great together and so are Farrell and Clémence Poésy, Farrell's love interest in the flick.



The finality of the film is open ended and as much as some despise this ending choice I thought it worked rather well. It's not totally ambiguous, instead giving you a yes or no choice to choose your outcome. McDonagh does a great job planting small seeds throughout the film and showing them grow as time passes, a trick that often appears as cheap in many films but works quite well in this one.

I really enjoyed In Bruges. It's a great piece of entertainment that doesn't stray away from dipping into the dark side. I'll be picking this one up on DVD for sure, if you haven't seen it go check it out when it opens wide this Friday.

One Sentence Review: Hilarious yet grounded, In Bruges is a very fun watch.

Have you seen In Bruges? Leave a comment and tell me what you thought.

Cheers.

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Reign Over Me Review

Director Mike Binder delivers an above-average portrayal of two normal men with two very familiar problems.

Recently, it seems as if every mainstream movie to hit theatres is about flamboyant superheroes, courageous Spartans, or smoking guns. Now, I love those films, and I'd be a hypocrite to criticize them, but sometimes I want something real. Something I'd experience in a restaurant or on a bus, not in a comic book. Reign Over Me fills that void. It fills it very well.

The film's protagonists are old college roommates Alan Johnson and Charlie Fineman who run into each other years after they've drifted apart. Don Cheadle (Crash, Hotel Rwanda) plays Johnson, a dentist living the American dream with a loving family waiting for him at home every night. Charlie Fineman is the opposite. Portrayed by Adam Sandler (Punch-Drunk Love, Spanglish), Fineman is a tortured soul who is still in a mess after losing his wife and kids in 9/11. The characters may seem extremely different, but they aren't. Both are men with problems having a hard time getting a grasp on their situations. The film deals with loss, the responsibility of relationships, and fighting against yourself to overcome your problems.



What I loved most about Reign Over Me are how the characters are handled in the film. No one is flat, not even the smallest of characters, everyone develops and is shown in neutral light, free from bias. Sure, there are a few characters, namely Fineman's in-laws, who are initially shown to be negative, but they escape from that before the film comes to an end. Writer and Director Mike Binder (The Upside of Anger) really did a great job handling Fineman and Johnson. We experience a full range of their emotions and follow along with them, feeling for them when they are down and laughing along when they pick themselves up.

Another highlight of Reign Over Me is Binder's dialogue. It's smooth and flows well, always feeling natural. It packs a punch when it needs to and delivers comedy (free from one-liners) throughout. Laughs are something I didn't expect from this film. I thought it would be heavy and somewhat depressing, and some of its themes are, but there are many areas where I found myself laughing for the right reasons.

Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle do an excellent job in the film. Sandler's character is a bit on-edge. You're not sure how he'll react to certain things and feel as if his moods could swing at any moment. While Sandler is able to separate himself from normality in the role, he still manages to win over the audience and earn their compassion. Cheadle is also brilliant in the film. His character is impossible to hate. He consistently puts himself out on a limb to rescue Fineman and you want him to succeed. Johnson isn't flat though. It would be easy for Cheadle to play the nice guy with no repercussions but he doesn't, showing his weaknesses when needed, proving that he is in fact human. Liv Tyler, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Saffron Burrows play excellent supporting characters.



Something that really made me smile when watching Reign Over Me are the small parts given to Donald Sutherland, Ted Raimi, and B.J. Novak. Sutherland plays a hard-nosed judge, and does an excellent job standing his ground in the courtroom. Raimi plays a defense lawyer and, while he doesn't have many lines, I felt a giggle coming on whenever his face filled the frame (probably due to his work in Bruce Campbell's Man with the Screaming Brain, among others). B.J. Novak (of The Office fame) plays another lawyer and does a great job acting like a dick yet earning a bit of compassion from the audience.

One problem I did have with the film though was the ending. While I won't spoil it for anyone, I did feel that it dragged on a bit past its welcome and didn't fit onto the foundations Binder established in the first hour and a half of the film. The film takes a bit of a turn in the last half-hour and while it's not a plot-twist, the ending feels different than everything that came before it.



Another complaint, albeit a minor one, I had with Reign Over Me is the colour correction. There are a few shots that were really poorly handled by digital colourist Steven J. Scott as they stand out from the rest of the scene. For example, there's a scene where Johnson and Dr. Oakhurst (Liv Tyler) are sitting in the hospital. The entire scene has a neutral temperature, maybe it's a bit warm, but all of a sudden a shot with a blue hue is thrown into the mix. It wasn't a stylistic choice, believe me, just a poor colour correction job.

Overall I felt that Reign Over Me was a fairly good film. It's a fairly realistic yet entertaining look at people and their problems and how they eventually overcome them. It may not have caped crusaders or archatype heroes but it's an exciting film nonetheless.

One Sentence Review: A good film that relies on its superb writing and fleshed-out characters to progress the plot.

Cheers.

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