SEEING RED: "Movie 43" Review

A group of ridiculously famous and talented actors get together to make a raunchy and over-the-top sketch comedy film. The result: a very bad movie.

Film Summary: Several celebrities in various R-rated comedy sketches. That's all you need to know.

I have never been a huge fan of vulgar comedies. But there have been gems in the past where I have been able to look past the outlandish cursing and sexual references and enjoy the movie because of their interesting characters and well-developed stories. Movie 43 has many characters and stories, but none of them worth the title of "interesting" or "well-developed". Yes, the movie is unlike others as it is played out through a series of sketches while a "plot" about a group of immature boys who are trying to find this infamous film unfolds, but the only thing that vaguely tries to capture the audiences attention is a slur of extreme shock-value.

While trying to think of ways this film could have been pulled off, I came across the idea that maybe these sketches would have been better off on their own than clustered together in a mess of a movie. CollegeHumor and Funny or Die have had overwhelming viral success doing exactly what this movie tried to do. Videos such as Will Ferrell's "The Landlord" have grown to be just as well-received and loved as several popular movies. And with the continuous uprising of YouTube and the creative minds that upload to the site daily, viewers are being drawn closer into this quick and easy form of entertainment. Why drive all the way to the theater and pay ten bucks to see a movie when there are several sites online that you can access from your own home that can satisfy an audience with the shortest of attention spans?

Now the question stands: Could Movie 43 be cinema's desperate attempt to compete with or overshadow their internet rivals?

This isn't Hollywood's first attempt at a film such as Movie 43. 1977's Kentucky Fried Movie continues to be loved by movie-goers (and it was popular enough to earn a spot on VH1's "I Love the 70's), and it shares primarily the same formula as Movie 43; dark and in-your-face sketches thrown together in movie form. What made Kentucky Fried Movie so special though was that it was the first of its kind. The gang of Saturday Night Live, which was running around its second season, and the boys of Monty Python were really the only heavy hitters in sketch comedy the popular entertainment world had at the time. Nowadays, there are countless shows and YouTube channels that offer the very same thing, and are many times funnier than what gets thrown into the spotlight. Perhaps, if released separately on the web, the contents of Movie 43 wouldn't have felt like an overkill of cursing and nudity.

Movie 43 fails to do little more than stir up a few cheap laughs (I will congratulate them for pulling off a successful Batman/Robin joke) and make audience cringe from an overdose of shock-value. Perhaps in a different light, the sketches could be considered quite funny. But, thrown together like they were, the comedy falls short. Viewers are left with a sour taste in their mouths as they try to decide whether what they have watched was actually funny or just too vulgar to be believed.


FINAL VERDICT: Skip it and rent something else

SEEING RED: "Dark Skies" Review

Nothing brings a family together like an alien abduction.

Film Summary: The Barrett family is going through a tough time. The father has been laid off and can't find a job, the eldest son is experimenting with drugs, and the mother struggles with maintaining some sort of financial stability. And, to top it all off, aliens have began to torment them and make their lives a living Hell.

It was nice to see Blumhouse Productions, the company behind such works as the Paranormal Activity series and both Insidious films, take a break from something that is solely meant to make the audience jump out of their seats into something more suspenseful and thrilling. True, there are some scares hidden within Dark Skies, but its focus doesn't revolve on the horror/gore aspect that they are so used to making. And for the most part, the filmmakers succeeded in making a fairly decent thriller with a nice twist ending that gives a fresh take on the idea of . It might not be the best thriller out there now, but the way the movie is formulated makes me wonder what went wrong with the company's next thriller, The Purge.

The difficult task many horror/thriller films face is the challenge of successfully developing characters that the audience will care about and feel sympathy towards when something horrific happens to them. Dark Skies had a whole family to achieve this level of apathy for. While it did take a bit of time, by the end of the movie, I truly cared about what was happening to the Barrett family. The same can be said for the pacing of the film; it was slow to start, but picked up quickly and made the audience invested in the actions on screen.

I don't really have anything bad to say about Dark Skies (other than I don't know why characters never thought to turn on a light whenever they walked through their house at night). It was a decent flick, and fun to watch with a group of friends for a good thrill. If your looking to be scared out of your pants, however....try to find something else.


RENT OR SKIP: Rent

NEW SERIES!

About to start a new review series called "Seeing Red"! This will cover what to rent and not rent at your local RedBox!

First Subject: Dark Skies

NEWS UPDATE!

Hey loyal followers!

Thanks for all the support for OPH! Just wanted to let you know there probably won't be any reviews this week. The admin is moving to Indiana, and won't have a chance to get a fast review in for Pacific Rim/Grown Ups 2. I will have a belated World War Z review up as soon as possibly, so be on the lookout for that!

I'm also considering starting a new section of the blog called "Seeing Red". These review will focus on new DVD releases that you can find at your nearest RedBox.

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"Despicable Me 2" Review

I saw Despicable Me 2 this afternoon, and came out of it certain of 2 things...
1. I want a little yellow minion.
2. Dreamworks does not know how to end a movie without a big dance party.

Film Summary: Master thief and villain Gru (Steve Carrell) has given up a life of crime to become a full-time dad to his three adopted daughters. But when the Anti Villain League calls on him to help catch a new global threat, he and his new partner, Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), are on a mission to become save the world and become heroes.

Despicable Me 2 falls under the same category as its current animated competition, Monsters University. The first movie was a hit with audiences and did well at the box office, and while a second would of course draw in a huge crowd, it wasn't a necessity as far as plot or relevance. However, this doesn't mean the second chapter in Gru's road to becoming a good guy wasn't any good. On the contrary, I feel that Despicable Me 2 was a very good movie for sequel standards. It was just as funny and entertaining as the first and succeeded in introducing us to new and hilarious characters.

One thing that is so clear after watching Despicable Me 2 is that Dreamworks paid close attention to what worked and what audiences continue to love about its predecessor: minions and Agnes. The adorable yellow henchman played a key role in the movies plot and served a higher purpose than just an excuse for slapstick laughs (which there were still plenty of). Agnes also had a slightly larger part than she did in the first installment. Her cuteness remained, but sometimes she also served as the sweet voice of reason for Gru.

What about the other daughters, you ask? Well...they were in the movie. Miranda Cosgrove's Margo had a short subplot about being in love with the antagonist's son that was quickly demolished almost as quickly as it began, and Edith (voiced by Dana Gaier) was...there. Her character dressed as and pretended to be a ninja for most of the film, and that's about all we here from her. If I had to complain about one thing about Despicable Me 2, it would have to be the role of the daughters. Such a prevalent part of the first film to be diminished into mere supporting characters is greatly disappointing.

I can't say anything about the 3D aspect of the film (I tend to stick with the traditional 2D to save myself from a headache), but other than the little importance Gru's daughters had towards the plot, I really don't have much to complain about the movie. I laughed a lot, I sympathized with many of the characters, and most importantly, I had a good time at the movies. Despicable Me 2 definitely serves its purpose in being a solid, fun family film.


FINAL VERDICT: If you need some good laughs and an overload of cuteness, this is the movie to see. I recommend a matinee, and if you're not familiar with the first installment, I'd say pull a double feature once this one comes out on DVD.

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"The Lone Ranger" Review

I will begin by saying I didn't have much expectations for The Lone Ranger to begin with. But my father is a big western fan, and he had been waiting for this movie to come out all summer. And for a man who wants to go see an early screening at 10:30 at night when his bedtime is usually 9, I thought that maybe there would be something special about this movie that I wasn't getting from the trailer.

There wasn't.

Film Summary: After being raised from the dead by an Indian named Tonto, John Reid dons a mask and becomes a western vigilante seeking to bring his brother's killer to justice.

The film started off on quite a confusing note by opening at a carnival in San Francisco circa 1933. Here, a small boy dressed as the iconic hero walks into a exhibition of the old west and is greeted by an old mannequin version of Tonto that comes to life before his eyes? At least, I think that's what happened. I haven't quite figured it out, because the movie never bothered to explain what Old Tonto was doing in a glass exhibition case in 1933, how he got there, or why the writers felt like this was remotely necessary. The Old Tonto/Little Boy subplot served as the movie's excuse for the Lone Ranger's (or more so, Tonto's) story to be told. Was this needed? Absolutely not. People had already paid good money to see these characters on the big screen. They didn't need any excuses from the characters as to why they wanted this story told. The movie could have very well have started in on the main plot first thing, but instead, we are "treated" to quite a few annoying segments of a crazy, aging Indian telling a young on-looker about his adventures.

While the carnival subplot was unnecessary and confusing, this was in no way the main problem the movie faced. For a movie named The Lone Ranger, the masked Texas Ranger seemed more of a secondary character to his "Indian" sidekick. If anything, the movie should have been called Tonto in order to put the right focus of the movie in place. Armie Hammer's Lone Ranger comes off as an incompetent man of the law  instead of the daring hero this movie needed to thrive. Part of this I don't believe is Hammer's fault, but that of the writers. They knew who people were coming to see (aka not Armie Hammer), and they knew who to make the true main character in order for the movie to do decently at the box office.

Once again, audiences are given a Johnny Depp showcase. Don't get me wrong; I love Johnny Depp. He is a great character actor, and has many amazing, memorable roles under his belt. But his last few movies only serve to test just how far he can stretch his style of diversity and just how much makeup he can put on his face (Alice in Wonderland, Dark Shadows). It should have been clear from these past flops that relying on Depp's weirdness does not a good movie make. And why Depp was cast to play a stereotypical Indian of the old west when there were several others within the film who had the looks and lineage to fill the role better baffles me. Depp looked very out of place compared to his fellow tribe members, but his heritage wasn't the reason he was given the part, was it?

To the movie's credit, The Lone Ranger did provide a few very intriguing action sequences (most of which took places on trains), but not even these scenes mixed in with a score by the great Hans Zimmer could save the film.This could have been a great opportunity for Hammer to sky-rocket his career and to become a big name in Hollywood. That is the only thing I was expecting out of this movie. Hammer is a wonderful actor. He proved that by playing both Winklevoss twins in The Social Network, but took a step back in his career by signing on for Mirror Mirror. And with the camera and director giving all of their love to Depp throughout the movie, Hammer is going to have to really push himself with his next project in order to prove he is the great actor I believe his is fully capable of being.


FINAL VERDICT: If you must see it, wait until it's available for rental.

UPDATE

I plan on reviewing World War Z soon, but I need to get my rant out about The Lone Ranger first before I explode...

(Belated) "Monsters University" Review

Ok...I'm just going to come out with it...MONSTERS INC. IS MY FAVORITE PIXAR MOVIE. Not Toy Story, not Up, but Monsters Inc. holds the number one spot in my heart.

There, I said it. Please refrain from sending any hate mail my way.

Yes, Monsters Inc. trumps all other Pixar movies in my opinion. And when I heard the beloved movie company was adding on to the franchise, I was both excited and terrified to see the final product. Fortunately, Pixar continues their trend of producing solid and entertaining family films

Film Summary: Monsters University gives audiences the origin story of everyone's favorite scare team, Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan. The dynamic duo did not start out as friends, however. Beginning as rivals in the prestigious scare program, they must learn to work together to insure their place at MU.

Like always, Pixar delivers top of the line animation, and their designs never cease to amaze me. It's hard to think of a university setting filled with hundreds of uniquely built monsters, but they managed to pull it off. I was especially impressed with the looks of the scare school's dean, Mrs. Hardscrabble; a terrifying, yet sophisticated collaboration between a dragon and a centipede. And yes, I will admit, I melted at the sight of baby Mike Wazowski!

I was also shocked by the amount of vocal talent involved with the project. Unless it is heavily advertized through trailers or posters, I have a hard time picking out who is voicing who in animated features. This was not the case with Monsters University. Not only were several of the original cast members from Monsters Inc. back for round two, but along beside them came Helen Mirren, John Krasinski, Aubrey Plaza, and Nathan Fillion!

I believe Pixar made a smart move by not making an exact sequel to Monsters Inc. The first movie had a perfect ending, and I think it was a wise choice to make a prequel instead of a continuation from the first. I'm not saying this movie was completely necessary, but you can tell that the material and characters were handled with care and wasn't just a way for the company to make an easy buck. That's one thing I love about Pixar; everything they shell out (with the exception of Cars 2 perhaps) are passion projects. They won't release anything they don't think is up to par with their high standards of quality. Monsters University is a great example of this commendable principle.

There's not a whole lot of great conflict throughout the film because we already know where Mike and Sully will eventually end up. The main action comes from the duo having to team up with a fraternity of "loser" monsters to compete and win a scare tournament. Although, it could be worse. The tournament could have just been a way for the Mike and Sully to gain popularity or to reach the top of their class or the movie could have simply revolved around how the two become friends. Thankfully, the movie is so much more than that. A major part of the film deals with what happens when you can't have that one thing you've been dreaming of your whole life; an incredibly adult concept for a kid flick. And when the main characters do something incredibly illegal, there are actual consequences! They are not scolded and then forgiven five seconds later because of their heroic actions. This aspect was so refreshing to see from not only a family film, but from an all-around, general movie perspective.

Monsters University might not have been my first choice for a Pixar follow-up (I am still waiting for The Incredibles 2), but it did turn out to be a pleasant surprise.

FINAL VERDICT: It's worth seeing, but catch the matinee.