Tezz

TEZZ (2012) - April 29, 2012
An enjoyably cheesy and over-the-top Indian action film about a guy who plants a bomb on a passenger train that will explode if the train goes slower than 60 mph, and the cop tasked with taking him down.  It sounds like Speed meets Unstoppable, and that's basically what it is for the first little bit, but then most of the action after the first 40 minutes or so shifts to the cop trying to catch the terrorist (who the cop continually -- and hiliariously -- refers to as the "scoundrel").  There's absolutely nothing subtle here, from the ham-fisted dramatic moments to the over-the-top action, but it's fast-paced and entertaining throughout.  The first hour or so, which sets up the plot and focuses more on the train (and features a couple of tacked-on musical numbers -- a must for a Bollywood film, apparently), is just barely passable.  The second half fares much better, with some genuinely exciting action sequences directed with a slick competence by Priyadarshan (including a parkour-heavy foot-chase that almost plays out like parody, with all kinds of unnecessary flips and acrobatics).  The performances were all fine, though Anil Kapoor was definitely a standout, essentially playing a Jack Bauer-esque badass.  **1/2

The Five Year Engagement

THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT (2012) - April 27, 2012
Super meh.  About a couple who get engaged, and their ups and downs over the next five years.  Seriously routine and almost comically overlong, the film is generally well made but feels really familiar and does nothing to justify its epic 2+ hour length -- it drags throughout.  It's well acted, well made, and I did chuckle a few times, but man, the movie drags like a mofo.  They could have easily cut half an hour out of this film.  **

Lockout

LOCKOUT (2012) - April 25, 2012
Though Guy Pearce was just was awesome as I was hoping he'd be as a wisecracking action hero who has to save the president's daughter from convicts in a space jail (actually no -- more awesome), the film that surrounded him was pretty mediocre.  Passable, but mediocre.  I miss wisecracking action heroes who always seem to have a one-liner at the ready, and so I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed Pearce in the role.  I just wish that the movie itself could have been a bit better. **1/2

Groundhog Day

GROUNDHOG DAY - April 24 (Umpteenth Viewing)
About a guy who finds himself reliving the same day over and over again, this is an absolutely classic romcom.  It takes a really interesting premise and absolutely runs with it, and also features what is probably a career-best performance from Bill Murray.  It's good stuff.  ****

Jack and Jill

JACK AND JILL - April 23
I seriously need to just stop watching Adam Sandler's films.  At least I saw this one at home rather than theatrically, and thus was able to play with my phone in an attempt to fight off the film's mind-numbing tedium.  About a guy who must contend with his visiting "wacky" twin sister (with both roles being played by Sandler).  Though it wasn't quite as aggravatingly dull as Grown Ups, it still managed to be just as bad, and just as painfully unfunny.  With some comedies they don't even need to be laugh-out-loud funny if they're entertaining enough and you enjoy spending time with the characters.  But there's no attempt at fleshing out the characters or story beyond what's absolutely necessary -- it's just (terrible) gag after gag, followed by some completely unearned third act drama.  So seriously, who finds this funny?  I guess they must be out there, since Sandler's movies still do pretty well.  I need to sit one of those people down and get them to explain what's supposed to be funny here, because I just don't get it.  1/2*

Friends with Benefits

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS (2011) - April 21, 2012
About two friends, a man and a woman, who decide to start doing it without worrying about being in an actual relationship, and the inevitable consequences that ensue.  The movie spends a lot of time commenting on the cliches and predictability of romantic comedies, but at the same time seems to want to have it both ways, both satirizing and ultimately wholeheartedly embracing romcom tropes.  For a movie that tries to act all hip and self-aware, it follows the Big Book of Romcom Cliches to a T (and it's much more egregious here than in your typical romcom, because at least your typical romantic comedy knows what it is and doesn't have any delusions of grandeur).  In particular, the prolonged third act melodrama stood out even more than it usually does.  But the movie was generally well made, both Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake were likeable and had good chemistry, and it was entertaining enough.  **1/2

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE (1992) - April 20, 2012
An enjoyable thriller about a family who hires a seemingly perfect nanny, not realizing that she's actually on a vendetta against the wife, and wants to try to steal her family.  Though it's a fairly typical '90s thriller, it's well made and memorable for just how absurdly evil Rebecca De Mornay's character is (she's definiting a lot more schemingly sinister than the typical villain in a movie like this).  ***

Hellraiser

HELLRAISER (1987) - April 19, 2012
A basically enjoyable if somewhat overrated (at least in terms of its cultural significance) film about a couple who move into a new house, only for the wife to discover an old lover in the attic (who, thanks to some satanic shenanigans, is missing most of his skin and flesh).  Much time is spent with the wife trying to lure men to be murdered and have their flesh stolen -- very little time is spent with Pinhead, who has little more than a cameo here despite the general notion that he is the star of this film.  The problem here is that the wife is not a particularly sympathetic or likeable protagonist, so spending most of the movie with her is a bit of a drag.  Once the Pinhead stuff really kicks in the film definitely improves, but that's only the last fifteen minutes or so.  **1/2

Martha Marcy May Marlene

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE (2011) - April 18, 2012
About a young woman who, after spending about three years living in a commune with a cult, finally decides to leave.  She then goes to stay with her sister, but she has a hard time readjusting to life outside the cult.  Featuring some really effective, impressive direction from first-time director Sean Durkin, the film is actually pretty riveting at times.  It also features an amazing central performance from Elizabeth Olsen, and yet another impressive performance from John Hawkes, who is equal parts creepy and charismatic as the leader of the cult.  The film does feel like it's spinning its wheels a bit around the mid-section, but all in all it's a really solid first outing from Durkin.  ***

Sleepless Night

SLEEPLESS NIGHT (2011) - April 17, 2012
A really entertaining film about a cop whose son is kidnapped by angry drug dealers who want their stolen drugs back, and the game of cat and mouse that ensues in an enormous, labyrinthine night club.  The film does a pretty great job of quickly developing the protagonist and making him someone we care about, and then building up the tension as he attempts to avoid (and eventually confront) the criminals and corrupt cops who are after him in the gigantic club.  Though Frédéric Jardin direction is a bit shakier than I'd like, he generally does a pretty great job -- there's some really memorable action here, particularly a brutal, lumbering fight that takes place in a kitchen and involves drawers, pots and pans, and pretty much anything that isn't nailed down.  ***1/2

The Devil's Playground

THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND (2010) - April 16, 2012
A mediocre film about a group of people trying to get to where they know a helicopter will be during a zombie outbreak.  Having heard this described as the "zombie parkour" movie, I was definitely let down on that front -- the parkour really just amounted to the zombies enthusiastically jumping over things.  The main problem here (aside from the anemic zombie parkour) is Bart Ruspoli's uninspired screenplay; the story was the generic "group of survivors must get from point A to point B" that we've seen in so many horror films, and all of the characters were completely bland and unmemorable.  Mark McQueen's direction was basically servicable, but didn't do much to elevate the tired material.  **

The Cabin in the Woods

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (2012) - April 15, 2012 (Second Viewing)
Yep.  Just as awesome the second time around.  ****

American Reunion

AMERICAN REUNION (2012) - April 14, 2012
A surprisingly bad sequel about the old gang getting back together for a high school reunion.  Not that I particularly remember any of the previous American Pie films, but I do remember them at least being entertaining, and this movie dragged pretty heavily at times; I was quite bored.  It didn't help that the writing was surprisingly awful -- every character had the dullest, most predictable arc possible.  Seriously, was this much melodrama really necessary in an American Pie film?  I could have overlooked all that if the film had been consistantly hilarious, but the comic set-pieces pretty much all fell flat (I saw the film with a packed crowd, and many moments that were presumably supposed to be hilarious were met with silence).  I got exactly one big laugh from the film, and it was from a throw-away line from John Cho (whose too-brief presence was easily the highlight).  *1/2

The Cabin in the Woods

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (2012) - April 13, 2012
Awesomeness.  A seriously amazing movie about a group of teens who head out for some fun in a secluded cabin in the woods, only to find some sinister shenanigans afoot; meanwhile, in an underground bunker, their every move is monitored and controled.  This film essentially takes the "partying teens getting picked off one by one" subgenre, cuts it open and lays its innards bare for all to see.  It's a smart film that's also super entertaining and a lot of fun; it sets up a premise that allows it to comment on genre tropes in a way that feels completely organic.  It's exceptionally self-aware, without ever feeling smug.  It's also hilarious at times, and in that way might even supplant Shaun of the Dead as the best self-aware horror comedy.  It's kind of brilliant, actually.  Then there's the absolutely balls-out, mesmerizingly insane finale, which has to be one of the better things I've ever seen.  The whole movie is perfectly directed by Drew Goddard, who does a pretty great job of pacing the film and cutting back and forth between the teens and the control room without it ever feeling disjointed or jarring.  Another thing that's so great about the film is that it works just as well as a horror film as it does as a comment on horror films in general; it would have been easy for such a self-reflexive, self-aware film to feel more clever than exciting, but the movie is very tense and outright thrilling when it needs to be.  Oh, and all the performances were quite good, though special mention must be paid to Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins, who are pretty much perfect.  If I had one complaint, it is that it feels like slightly less time could have been spent with the teens -- all that stuff feels a bit stale (by design, of course).  But that is such a minor complaint for what is otherwise such a superlative, memorable film.  Seriously -- how can you not love a film that tries (and succeeds!) at doing something so different?  In a genre that tends to be as cookie-cutter as horror, a film like this is a rare treat.  ****

Small Town Saturday Night

SMALL TOWN SATURDAY NIGHT (2010) - April 12, 2012
A well made film about a couple of days in the life of a small town -- mostly focusing a guy's last couple of days before he's supposed to move away.  It's very well acted, particularly Chris Pine and John Hawkes, but it's low-key almost to the point of non-existence, and it really doesn't add up to all that much.  **1/2

Black Death

BLACK DEATH (2010) - April 11, 2012
A well made film, set during the time of the plague, about a young monk who joins a group of religious soldiers on a mission to find a village said to be untouched by the plague.  It's quite well directed by Christopher Smith, and has some really interesting things to say about the role of religion in society, and what fanaticism can do to people.  It kind of drags a bit towards the end, but it has a really memorable finale that definitely concludes the film on a high note.  ***

The Three Stooges

THE THREE STOOGES (2012) - April 10, 2012
Hmm.  As much as I like the Three Stooges, this just didn't particularly work.  It wasn't outright terrible -- the three leads do an admirable job of portraying the Stooges, and the Farrelly brothers do a pretty good job of replicating the feel of the classic shorts.  But the Stooges are characters who work best in small doses -- I suspect that there's a reason why we never saw a full-length movie starring the three, even in their heyday.  The three men probably realized that their particular brand of comedy would be tough to sustain over a feature-length film, something which is certainly borne out here.  **  

Tiny Furniture

TINY FURNITURE (2010) - April 9, 2012
A well made film about a girl, just returned from university, who moves back in with her mom and sister, and who struggles to find a place for herself in the world.  There's something very relatable about a character struggling with what to do with her life, though it's hard to feel too sorry for a 22-year-old in this position (I think perhaps being a few years her senior and yet being in roughly the same position made me a bit bitter towards the film).  The biggest problem here (aside from my aforementioned bitterness) was that none of the characters surrounding writer-director-star Lena Dunham are particularly likeable, so it's kind of a drag spending 90 minutes with them.  But this is definitely an accomplished first film (particularly considering the budget) so I look forward to what Dunham comes up with next.  **1/2

Valhalla Rising

VALHALLA RISING (2009) - April 7, 2012
A really well made film about a grizzled, mute, one-eyed viking who winds up tagging along with a group of crusaders on their way to the holy land.  Things don't quite work out as intended.  Featuring some really striking direction and cinematography, the film unfolds at a fairly deliberate pace (not much happens for long stretches), but it's pretty mesmerizing and certainly never boring.  This definitely confirms that Nicolas Winding Refn is a director with a serious amount of talent; the film is visually stunning and quite Kubrickian (after this and Bronson, which plays out in parts as a homage to A Clockwork Orange, it's pretty obvious that Refn is a fan of the K-man).  There's an almost horror-movie sense of dread, thanks to the direction and effective sound design.  ***1/2

Wrath of the Titans

WRATH OF THE TITANS (2012) - April 6, 2012
Meh -- more of the same.  Though I have to say, Jonathan Liebesman's direction was surprisingly passable.  The action was actually pretty decent, if nothing too special, which is far more than I was expecting given the man's past work.  As for the non-action stuff (which was quite a bit), it pretty much suffered from the same problems as the first movie -- the characters were all pretty bland, and the story wasn't terribly interesting.  **

Doomsday

DOOMSDAY (2008) - April 5, 2012 (Second Viewing)
Good stuff.  Though it feels more like a mash-up of several films rather than an original creation, it's a fun mash-up, and quite well made.  ***1/2

Mirror Mirror

MIRROR MIRROR (2012) - April 4, 2012
A moderately entertaining retelling of the Snow White story.  Though the film was aimed squarely at children, there was (mostly) enough here to keep adults satisfied.  Tarsem's direction was, as usual, visually audacious -- but actual storytelling continues to be a weak point, though he has gotten better since his first two films.  The performances were all quite good -- Lily Collins made for a charming Snow White, and Julia Roberts was obviously having a lot of fun in a rare villianous role.  **1/2

Happythankyoumoreplease

HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE (2010) - April 3, 2012
An enjoyably affable film about an aimless writer in New York who meets a kid, and who meets a girl.  Well made by Josh "Ted Mosby" Radnor, and featuring a group of very likable characters (and good performances all around, including Radnor himself in the main role).  The film definitely feels like a lot of other indie romcoms with a group of 20-somethings trying to make their way in the world, but what the film lacks in originality, it definitely makes up for in charm and general likability.  ***

Mr. Nobody

MR. NOBODY (2009) - April 2, 2012
A really unique and kind of amazing movie about the many potential variations that the eponymous Mr. Nobody's life can take -- the film shows the impact of many of his choices, then goes back and shows us what would have happened if he had made the other choice.  This results in many different versions of the same man; some quite different from others.  It's all framed by him, well over a hundred years old and near death, in the future (where he's the last living mortal man), looking back on his life.  It sounds like it could be too complex for its own good, or hopelessly pretentious, but Jaco Van Dormael does a pretty amazing job of making all the characters (and their many variations) people who we come to really care about.  The film is also quite stylish and impeccibly directed, cutting seamlessly between the many realities without ever feeling disjointed -- no small feat, considering how much the film jumps back and forth through time and through the many iterations of Mr. Nobody's life.  ***1/2