“Safe House”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

Ryan Reynolds in a thriller that tries to improve his 2012 over a few…shall we call them miss-fires from 2011.  Hello there to everyone and thank you once again for tuning into ReelScreenReviews.com I am movie critic Nick Iacobucci, and our next movie review is “Safe House”.  This drama and thriller opened on Friday February 10, 2012, and it features the aforementioned Ryan Reynolds, Academy Award winner Denzel Washington, Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson, and Robert Patrick.  “Safe House” comes to us from director Daniel Epinosa, a first time filmmaker that couldn’t have asked for a better cast with which to start a career.

Our tale tells the story of a CIA secure haven that is breached leaving almost everyone even remotely involved very dead.  Matt Weston portrayed by Ryan Reynolds is the only one left alive, and the only man able to transport the prisoner Tobin Frost to yet another safe house.  Tobin Frost is brought to life by the very charismatic Denzel Washington, and together he and the younger Reynolds will meet with all sorts of baddies along the very action packed way.  Now with more than a few professional assassins eager to remove each of these guys from the planet, the main problem that they face isn’t a house that’s not safe, it’s getting to it in the first place.

Well people this is better than average and I would say that the biggest reason for that is Denzel Washington.  As with most of the characters that he brings to life, Tobin Frost is mentally strong and commands a presence just by walking into the room.  Denzel is such a great actor that they can create action around him specifically, and never once does it ever seem to be non-credible.  Now I do tip my hat to Ryan Reynolds for stripping down the pretty boy image as much as possible for this role, but I felt that when he went toe to toe with the two-time Academy Award winner, he was simply trying to just keep up.  The movie sports other quality supporting work from talented actors such as Sam Shepard and Ruben Blades, but all other characters are just window dressing for the ‘Denzel & Ryan Show’.

Now one thing that I liked about the film was he just turns himself in right at the very beginning of the movie and then you get a nice slow reveal throughout the feature.  In the same style as John Doe from “Se7en” who walked into a police station to turn himself in, this is only the very beginning of something much bigger, and getting there is half of the fun.  Something else that caught me off guard was how the film violates its own title.  Not that it’s a bad thing, but instead of keeping us confined and claustrophobic inside a safe house as the marketing campaign implied, the story branches out in many directions and reaches quite a distance.  The hand-to-hand fighting was also well done and believable in the aspect that the fights throughout the movie were anything but one-sided, and everyone that faught sustained injuries.  Now it did revisit the age old ‘Mole Inside the Agency Plot Point’, but did add enough originality to the story for me to at least like it.

Now even though I did like this film, “Safe House” did have a few things on the downside that I need to at least mention.  The first is the whole becoming a seasoned and veteran superagent literally overnight.  In almost a 24-hour period Ryan Reynolds goes from nervous novice, to a Jack Bauer-esque rogue agent…get it?  Then it is really like director Daniel Espinoza just wanted to make a Tony Scott film.  The quick and sharp edits, the grainy look and feel, and even the lead that has headlined about half a dozen Tony Scott projects …well add all of this together and it felt to me like I was watching a sequel to “Man on Fire”.  Also, everyone already knows that the “Bourne” trilogy has definitely raised the bar on the action genre over the last 10 years, and I really wish that others would just stop blatantly copying those films out right.  When this film goes back and forth amongst the secret CIA group it was just like revisiting Joan Allen and her gang from that film series, and these filmmakers could’ve and should’ve distanced themselves a little further from these known projects.

At just under 2 hours “Safe House” did not shortchange on the action, which was a good thing because it was a little too long.  The scenes of action and torture were graphic but effective, and the straightforward “R” rated violence only helped this story along.  The movie is pretty much fast, fast, fast, and the in your face action gets a boost from creditable actors the likes of Robert Patrick and Brendan Gleeson.  Though a little too long and a few other nitpicky things “Safe House” is a good movie with good action, and what red-blooded American male can complain about that.  Nick’s Reel Screen Review is a very favorable 3 stars out of 4, for Denzel Washington’s return to the genre of action.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“The Artist”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

1927 Hollywood is reborn, and we haven’t even gotten to the time of the talkies yet.  Hello there to everyone and thank you once again for tuning into ReelScreenReviews.com, I am of course movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “The Artist”.  This silent drama, romance, and comedy opened in limited release in November/December 2011, and has played here and there for short time periods across the nation.  It stars the onscreen talents of Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, Penelope Ann Miller, James Cromwell, and Missy Pyle.  “The Artist” comes to us from director Michel Hazanavicius, the previous director of the foreign “OSS 117” movies that also feature the stars of this film.  He once again reteams with these same 2 lead actors to bring to life a film that is captivated everyone that has seen it.

This tale tells us of Hollywood circa 1927, and centers on the fading vocation of the world’s most popular silent film star as cinema transitions into talkies.  Just as his fame and profession begin to dwindle, the entrance of a pretty young dancer sees talking motion pictures as the opportunity of a lifetime.  Young Peppy Miller embraces this change that seems to have cast aside veteran performer George Valentin, and together they form the most unlikely of friends.  Now as one career and star begins to shine very bright, it seems to only cast a shadow on a career that once was.  Together these interesting lives will intertwine highs and lows, and will these voiceless characters bring as much joy as the hype promises?

Well people I heard many gripes and complaints about “The Artist”, and the funny thing is that most came from people that didn’t even see the film.  “How am I supposed to enjoy the film of I can’t even hear it?”  Or there is also, “If I can’t hear what they are saying, then I already know that I am going to hate it!”  These were some of the things that I had to endure from others.  Well I can’t state any better than not only is this film easy to grasp, it is one of the year’s best films.  There wasn’t one inkling of one moment where I did not understand everything that was going on, and as every moment passed each second became more enjoyable than the previous one.

Then I have never seen a movie in my life more reliant on the musical score then “The Artist”.  With every note Ludovic Bource sets both the feel and the mood for every scene to follow, and all of the emotions of the highs and lows, and all of the feeling of the triumphs and failures is conveyed brilliantly through his music.  There are also reading facial expressions and lips, but never would anyone be lost while watching this absolute treat of a film.  Put it to you this way, I watched “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” for better than two hours with all of the characters speaking clearly, and till this day I have no idea what that movie was even about.  So what does that say?

Now what I believe to be two of the best aspects of “The Artist” are the pet dog and the last 5 minutes.  Normally when a dog is incorporated into a film it is usually reserved for pooping and flatulence jokes as in “Sherlock Holmes”, but this little dog steals almost every scene that he is in.  Put into the simplest of terms, this dog is 10 times better the actor than any cast member from “Conan”, “Shark Night”, or “One for the Money”.  And then we have the last 5 minutes when the two leads put on a ridiculously talented and detailed Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers dance that will have you fighting back a standing ovation.  Magnificent, breathtaking, and superb do not do justice to the last 5 minutes of this film.  I could’ve sat through it about 100 times.

Now something else that I believe boarders on exceptional are the talents of the two lead actors.  Both Jean Dujardin & Berenice Bejo emmerces themselves into these portraits of these vivid characters, and both expertly bring to life the definition of the silver screen icon.  The story also beautifully conveys the rise and fall of one certain person within the confines of the specific industry.  Just like Dirk Diggler from “Boogie Nights” or Henry Hill in “Goodfellas”, we trace the success and failure of a known figure within the world of silent films.

At 1 hour and 40 minutes “The Artist” not only expertly captures the look and feel of the silent film, it expertly conveyed the look and feel of the era of silent films.  The production design and set decoration, the wardrobe and costumes, the music, and Guillaume Schiffman’s brilliant photography all come together to create one of the most wonderful experiences that I have had a movie theater in a very long time.  Now I could nitpick and say that the film follows a certain formula, or that the predictability in the script left few surprises, but that’s exactly what would be…nitpicking.  This film is perfect in almost every definition of the word, and it was my privilege and honor to have seen it on the big screen.  “The Artist” is a fabulous and fantastic works of cinema, and I am sure that it will be a frontrunner at this year’s Academy Awards in about a month.  A perfect 4 stars out of 4, for the absolute must-see “The Artist”.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“Chronicle”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

The “X-Men” collide with “The Blair Witch Project” for our next creepy adventure.  Hello there everyone and thank you once again for tuning into ReelScreenReviews.com I am movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “Chronicle”.  This drama and thriller opened on Friday February 3^rd, 2012, and it stars Dane DeHaan, Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw, and Anna Wood.  “Chronicle” comes to us from director Josh Trank, the veteran director of the TV show “The Kill Point” from 2007, and credited writer on many quality projects.  This time out “Chronicle” will not only be a test the young actors involved, but it will also put to the test a freshman filmmaker as well.

This tale tells of three high school buddies that accidently stumble across a remarkable discovery and in doing so consequences both good and bad shortly ensue.  The three boys soon find themselves bestowed with uncanny abilities, or superpowers if you will, right after discovering this secret find.  All of this seems to play out like a pretty cool episode of “The X-Files”…well that’s until it starts to play out like a really creepy episode of “The X-Files”.  Before too long each of the youngsters begins to struggle with their inner Anakin Skywalker or darker side, and when lives are spinning beyond the point of no return, will the darker side of reality become the only side of reality?

Well people not only did I like this movie, I think that it is near if not perfect.  Filmmaker Josh Trank has taken the found footage genre and combined it once again with teenagers, but this time delivers a very clever fantasy that in my opinion absolutely dwarfs big budget Hollywood films the likes of “Hancock” or “The Fantastic Four”.  It immediately creates a very sympathetic protagonist and allows the audience to experience his highs and lows as the film progresses.

“Chronicle” also has many standout scenes of action and suspense.  As the boys in the film learn and grow with their newfound abilities you accompany them on these wondrous discoveries.  The scenes of telekinetic activity, especially the one involving Legos, were very, very cool…and when they discover how to fly you might actually say the word “Wow” out loud.  The action becomes bigger as the story plays out, and a fight very reminiscent of the battle of Metropolis in “Superman II” is very evident near the film’s finish.

The problem with the 3 boys is that they are not anywhere near mature enough to deal with these extraordinary abilities.  As they become physically stronger their common sense and trust in each other begins to falter.  The bonds that would never seem to break almost shatter by “Chronicle’s” conclusion, and never have I seen the film compared to almost everything.  I don’t know if this is the “X-Men” meets Gus Van Sant, or if this is “The Blair Witch” meets “Heroes”, or if it’s “Mystery Men” meets “Stand by Me”…but what I do know is that the end result is pretty fricken awesome.

The strongest aspect of “Chronicle” is the same thing that made “X-Men: First Class” great as well.  It is a real movie first, then it is an action movie, then it’s a teenage movie, then it’s a found footage movie.  This project solidifies itself in the anchor of 3 characters before any bombs or special effects take over.  Each of the 3 leads brings something specific to a story that would’ve been very unforgiving to a week actor.  All of the 3 guys are well above average, and if one that would not have been, he would’ve stood out like an actor from “Shark Night 3-D”.  One is a great speaker and one is the voice of reason, but eventually the movie just becomes Andrew’s and you follow him and his journey into despair.  The film perfectly conveys the effects of being bullied both at-home and at school, and not since Norman Bates do you feel such sympathy for a known villain.  “Chronicle” always seems to have just as many moments of humanity as it does bombarding explosions and special effects.

At just 83 minutes “Chronicle” was spot on with the running time, but if they offer a longer or extended version on DVD, I will most definitely buy it.  This is a real movie with a great ending, and it is the first truly great film of 2012.  It is an amazing dissension into your own mental abyss, and it is surrounded with A+ storytelling and fantastic action sequences.  This is a new take on an old genre that Hollywood has run through time and time again, and defines the term ‘Exhilaration’ in about a dozen spots.  Not since Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves skydived 20 years ago in “Point Break” has a director captured the excitement and thrills of hurling through the clouds like the ‘Man of Steel’ himself.  “Chronicle” is tight, suspenseful, and most importantly it is fun to watch.  Nick’s Reel Screen Review is a perfect 4 stars out of 4, for the newcomers of the extremely entertaining and enjoyable “Chronicle”.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“The Woman in Black”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

Daniel Radcliffe graduates from Hogwarts to horror in this new film.  Hello there to everyone in cyberspace as always for ReelScreenReviews.com I am movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “The Woman in Black”.  This thriller and horror feature opened in wide release on Friday February 3^rd, 2012, and it stars Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer, and David Burke.  “The Woman in Black” comes to us from director James Watkins, the man that has helmed the previous “Eden Lake” from 2008 and the straight-to-DVD “The Descent 2” in 2009.  This time out Mr. Watkins gets a definite step up in the star power department, but with one of the most popular actors on board can he deliver us a quality film?

This feature tells the tale of a young lawyer named Arthur Kipps portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe.  Arthur has traveled to a very small village in a very isolated section of the world, only to find that the locals have been the victims of a terrifying ghost.  Many jumps and scares soon find their way into the story, but what also rises in this film are more than a few movie questions.  Where did this lady come from?  Why is she here?  And who is going to stop her?  Based on a well above average British TV movie from many years ago, and accompanied by a really creepy nursery rhyme and trailer, well I couldn’t help but have some high hopes going in.

Well people as I have said in many reviews that sometimes seeing a movie with the right audience can without question raise the entire experience, and that’s what happened when I saw “The Woman in Black”.  Just the same as when I saw last year’s “Paranormal Activity 3” there wasn’t an empty seat in the house, and the average age was about 16.  I have to admit that it is kind of easy to get wrapped up in a story where every time you’re supposed to scream there is a chorus of teenage girls ready to chime in.  At this point in his career Daniel Radcliffe should be happy that his films come with a built in audience, and these films that he is making right now are going to determine whether he can make the successful jump to leading man status.

“The Woman in Black” seemed to me to be genuinely creepy and freaky in many spots, and pretty much paid a compliment to the genre of the ghost story.  However, throughout the film there was really at least one too many times when the filmmakers relied too much on the musical score and other bag of tricks, rather than providing a solid foundation in scares.  I more than also realize that you are headlining this project with the biggest young actor in the world, but can someone please make a horror film that doesn’t shortchange on the gore and come in with a solid “R” rating.  Oh, and what was with all of the homage paid to the film “Psycho”?  I love that film too, but the old woman in the rocking chair, the dragging of the swamp, and even distinct shots of toy monkeys were all in reference to the horror classic, I just couldn’t figure out why it had to be so frequent and obvious.

Now Daniel Radcliffe does have the acting chops to hold this film together, but it is just not a great film.  “The Woman in Black” rarely even opens up and when it does it is only to show how isolated the characters are within the story.  Then the feature gets a boost from supporting players like Ciaran Hinds and Janet McTeer.  They show up as neighbors hiding their own tragedy and mystery, but they also add to the morose feel and enigma of the storyline.

At 96 minutes “The Woman in Black” dragged every now and again even with a short running time.  It is technically well-made and put together, and does seem to do a lot with just a little bit.  For a horror or a suspense tale it carries with it a truckload of sympathy and empathy for its characters, but it never does forget that it is a scary movie and will try and make you jump a number of times.  I think that this is one of those times where a truly engrossing an exciting climax would’ve solidified a truly great movie, but it just fell a little bit short in the film’s 3^rd act.  Still, I think that I can use the words fun, creepy, and just above average to describe “The Woman in Black”.  Nick’s Reel Screen Review is not a great but still recommended 2 ½ stars out of 4, for Daniel Radcliffe in his first post Harry Potter role.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“Man on a Ledge”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

After his dramatic turn in “The Debt”, does Sam Worthington pull off another credible performance in another quality film?  Hello there to everyone and welcome back to ReelScreenReviews.com, I am movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “Man on a Ledge”.  This thriller opened in wide release on Friday January 27^th, 2012, and it stars Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Kyra Sedgwick, and Ed Harris.  “Man on a Ledge” comes to us from director Asger Leth, a previous documentary filmmaker that now takes a crack at a mainstream action and thrill ride.

Our tale tells of former cop Nick Cassidy that is now on the opposite end of the law.  Nick is portrayed by Sam Worthington and is an ex-con that gains the attention of an entire city when he steps out onto the ledge of a high rise tower.  Within a short amount time we soon have the fire department, law enforcement agencies, and many news vans broadcasting the drama live for all to see.  We also see the addition of a trained police psychologist to try and talk down the man obviously at wits end by stepping onto the brink of death.  Or is this the result of a very complex and intricate plot that has set up our lead character from the beginning?

Well people though this is far from great it is still entertaining enough to not hate it.  Sam Worthington does pretty much everything that he can to hold this project together, but the film slips too much in the 3^rd act and can’t be saved by him or anyone else. Worthington who showed some dramatic range in last year’s solid “The Debt” once again is above average, but he is still in search of that one role to shoot him into the realm of superstardom.  Think about it, the only name that is ever mentioned when speaking about the film “Avatar” is James Cameron.  Then you have Elizabeth Banks who shows up in not her best written role, but she is however extremely nice to look at.  She usually brings above average talent her onscreen personas, but this is such a one-dimensional character that there’s not much to do with it in the first place.  And as far as Jamie Bell goes, I will say the same thing about him that I always say about him.  He needs to pick better filmmakers to work with, and needs to back off from making standard Hollywood trash the likes of “The Eagle” and “Jumper”.  He’s a very credible actor that rarely shows it.

Now there are some very decent things that happened in “Man on a Ledge”, but the drawback is that they only occur in the first 40 minutes.  They start with this very credible man-on-the-run story about a wrongly accused cop and his flight from justice, and that leads us to a back story involving stolen gems, fraud, and murder.  At least the filmmakers were smart enough to follow in the footsteps of a movie like “Speed” or “Phone Booth”, well in one certain aspect anyway.  They incorporate enough into the plot to keep the tale moving.  When you’re stuck with the confines of a phone booth, a bus, or a ledge, you better have something in your bag of tricks or you’ll lose the audience about 30 minutes into the feature.  Oh, and I would also say that this is better than it’s straightforward and basic title implies, and had enough twists in the plot to make me want to keep watching, unlike “One for the Money”.

As I said this is an enjoyable and fun movie most of the way through, but in my opinion the bottom completely falls out at the end…no pun intended.  Our man on a ledge does things in the 3^rd act that are not achieved by Christian Bale and Morgan Freeman in the “Batman” films, and there were other things that stood out as well.  The cheap imitation Megan Fox scene from “Transformers” where we put actress Genesis Rodriguez in a bikini and skintight jumpsuit, or the fact that the characters in this film must’ve read and took plays right out of the “MacGyver” handbook when attempting this coup upon this business tyrant.  However what stuck out to me more than anything else was the ridiculous happy and non-realistic ending that they chose to go with.

At 1 hour and 42 minutes “Man on a Ledge” wasn’t too long on running time, but it was too short on brains. It’s fun to be part of this story if you can truly suspend your disbelief, and “Check your brain at the door” should be stamped on every ticket stub.  I would say that this is an average thriller that creates genuine suspense throughout the movie, but stoops to the level of preposterous once too many times. I did really like the performance of Ed Harris as the features villain, but with Kyra Sedgwick, William Sadler, and Edward Burns all underused and or wasted…well that isn’t saying much either.  “Man on a Ledge” is the definition of when you’re talking to one of your friends about a film and you say, “You know…it just could’ve or should’ve been a better movie, and it just wasn’t.”  Nick’s Reel Screen Review is right down the middle with 2 stars out of 4, for the not good yet not terrible thriller “Man on a Ledge”.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“Underworld: Awakening”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

Everyone’s favorite vampiress in black leather Selene returns to center stage in the franchise that made her great.  Hello there and thank you once again for tuning into ReelScreenReviews.com I am movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “Underworld: Awakening”.  This horror/action/thriller opened round the nation on Friday January 20^th, 2012, and returning to her signature role as Selene is their very attractive Kate Beckinsale, and joining her onscreen is Michael Ealy, India Eisley, and Steven Rea.  This 4^th installment of the “Underworld” franchise comes to us from the directing team of Mans Marlind & Bjorn Stein, the team responsible for the previous “Shelter” with Julianne Moore, and “Storm” from 2005.  This duo is now put to the test of proving themselves dynamic, by taking the reins of a long and successful Hollywood franchise and seeing if they can take it into a successful second life…or would that be afterlife?

This newest chapter sees our lead heroine escaping an imprisonment of some duration only to find that a new war has engulfed the lives of her people.  In the time that has passed it seems that human beings have discovered the existence of the Lycan clans, as well as her own Vampire community.  Now in the 12 years that has passed Selene has lost her love Michael, and she will search for him as well as an answer to what it will take to survive.  Before this tale plays out Selene will prove herself as a warrior once again, but can she master the role of guardian?

Well people when you’re talking about the “Saw” franchise you have to understand that they pump one of those movies out every year, so you would only figure that they would have to lose a little with each one they produce.  I mean you have to write and cast the movie.  Then if you have to film, edit, and polish an entire movie all within 365 days, well they’re going to lose a little.  Now take this movie where you have years to find and develop a script.  You then get the original star of the franchise, and have all the time in the world to put together… Well in my opinion it should just be a whole lot better than this.  Now did I absolutely hate this movie, no, but it is definitely the least entertaining of the entire “Underworld” series.  The whole film feels just a little less authentic than the rest, and seems somewhat thrown together in spots.

Now I love Kate Beckinsale and have always thought of her as so much more than a pretty face.  She has proven herself in such films as “Snow Angels” and “The Aviator”, and has held this series of films pretty much under her thumb for quite a while.  However after her anorexic character and role in both this film and last week’s “Contraband”, she and her agent should start worrying about quality of projects, and not quantity of them.  Stephen Rea shows up and kind of wastes his talents, not to mention the fact that he could’ve easily been replaced by 100 other actors and the film would’ve skipped a beat.  Then there is a girl that is relevant to the story but you never really get to know her, and lastly there’s a vampire warrior in the film as a protector, but I think he was only in the movie because he looks like the illegitimate child of Ryan Philippi and Ricky Martin.

You know I hate when I watch a film and find many more things wrong with it than I do good things about it.  For starters this film is too short, and kills off characters before you ever know anything about them.  Also, the writers and filmmakers felt the need to reiterate the plot line to us about two or three times during an exchange of dialogue throughout the feature.  I’m a big boy I can follow along and connect the dots just fine.  Then you have a wasted Wes Bentley and an underused Stephen Rea, but the live actors don’t have a chance to shine above the cheap 3D action and battle sequences.

At 88 minutes “Underworld: Awakening” didn’t shortchange on the action, and didn’t shortchange on the Gore, only on the plot line.  The other films held true to the first two points and still told a credible tale, where this movie was barely an hour and a half and the first 5 minutes was footage from the previous three films.  Even the 3rd movie in the series, which didn’t even feature Kate Beckinsale, had a very strong plot to hold it together.  Now if you are a diehard of the “Underworld” series you are most likely going to be happy with your $10 investment in this newest installment, however if neon blue vampires and relentless gore do not really tickle your fancy, then please pick “The Artist”, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”, “Haywire”….. basically anything else.  Me, I was expecting a little more from the return of Selene, and was pretty much disappointed with the feature on a whole.  Nick’s Reel Screen Review is a very weak 1 ½ stars out of 4 for Kate Beckinsale’s return to the black leather and guns of “Underworld: Awakening”.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“Haywire”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

One of the greatest directors of the last 20 years once again assembles an all-star team of onscreen talent, and does he bring above average entertainment as well?  Hello there and welcome back once again to my favorite website ReelScreenReviews.com, I am movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “Haywire”.  This action and thriller opened in wide release on Friday January 20^th, 2012, and it stars Michael Douglas, Bill Paxton, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum, and acting newcomer Gina Carano.  “Haywire” comes to us from the Academy Award winning director of “Traffic” Steven Soderbergh, the man that also brought us the “Oceans’” films, as well as “Out of Sight” & “Contagion”.  This time out he takes on a straight action spy thriller, but knowing Steven Soderbergh put his own spin on a known genre.

This tale tells of Mallory Kane, she’s your basic super soldier that handles any and all black operations, and before too long she finds herself betrayed and on the run from the people responsible for her employment in the first place.  Mallory has just successfully completed the extraction of a foreign journalist, and upon returning finds herself double-crossed.  Now she is well aware that this turncoat must have come from within the higher echelon of the agency that she is working for, and she knows exactly what she needs to do to stay alive.  She must find the truth buried deep in government lies and deceit, all the while eluding master assassins at each and every turn.

Well people leave it to Steven Soderbergh to craft out an entire feature around an unproven actor, and have it come off almost seamlessly.  He has already taken an adult film star and successfully crossed her over into mainstream films, and now does the same with a beautiful MMA fighter.  Just as in “Contagion” Soderbergh uses a yellowish tint in the background, and almost always keeps the pace moving.  And I so loved the feel of the film very reminiscent of the 1970s, and I couldn’t help but think “Dirty Harry” and “The French Connection”.  Plus he can create an entire feature film using black and white, documentary style, grainy, and even tilted shots, and somehow just brings it all together.

Well what I can say about Gina Carano is that she looks like Charlotte from TVs “Sex & the City”, and hits like Brock Lesnar.  She’s like a hidden monster underneath this guise of beauty, and she is passionate in her ruthlessness and brutality when she is needed to be.  The coolest thing about her is that she will just thug you death by giving you a good old fashioned ass-whoopin’ in the style of Chuck Norris or Charles Bronson.  You also couldn’t have stacked the deck with anymore acting talent than you have in “Haywire”.  Michael Fassbender and Ewan McGregor stand toe-to-toe with Mallory, and Michael Douglas and Antonio Banderas are also there to add credibility to the story.  Channing Tatum also appears in his I believe 38th film in the last two years, and his 39 film “The Vow” opens in just two weeks.  And finally Bill Paxton also lends his talents to a film that was so short it almost didn’t even need it.

The films best quality is the basicness of its own story.  The movie is really a showcase of the hand-to-hand fighting like Jason Bourne, and never floods the plot with any unnecessary muddle.  It embraces the simplicity of storytelling and plunges itself full throttle into this world of espionage and murder.  And now that I think of it only a few things come to mind that I didn’t like, for example a few scenes, especially her running down an assassin, went on extremely too long.  Also, a huge cast mixed with a small running time left some actors a little wasted in the final cut, and to say that this movie follows a certain formula would also be pretty accurate.

Now I would like to do a shout out for the YouTube channel “Reel School” and their critic Mike.  Mike is a very knowledgeable critic that dives a little deeper into films than most YouTube critics, and his education on cinema is more than prevalent whenever he is speaking.  I enjoy another person’s opinion on movies just as much as anyone and I can highly recommend Mike as someone that deserves your time.  Please do yourself a favor and check out the YouTube channel “Reel School” and their critic Mike.

At 90 minutes “Haywire” packed enough of a solid punch that they really could’ve beefed up the plot just a tad bit.  They kind of summed up the entire mystery and explanation into a two-minute montage and soliloquy, and the only thing that was missing from the beginning of it was Tony Shaloub saying the line, “Okay here’s what happened.”  Still this film is sleek, stylish, very cool to watch, and is enjoyable most of the time.  It uses silence almost as a character itself, and is smart enough to encompass that silence around these in-your-face fighting segments.  It makes the action all that more real, and elevates this from the basic level of spy movie.  Nick’s Reel Screen Review is a very favorable 3 stars out of 4 for the debut of Gina Carano in Steven Soderbergh’s “Haywire”.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“Contraband”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

Every time Marky Mark tries to get out….they pull him back in.  Hello there to everyone and thank you for tuning in once again to ReelScreenReviews.com, I’m movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “Contraband”.  This actioneer and thriller opened in wide release on Friday January 13, 2012, and it stars Mark Wahlberg, Giovanni Ribisi, Kate Beckinsale, J.K. Simmons, and Ben Foster.  This film comes to us from director Baltasar Kormakur, the director of “The Sea”, “Inhale”, and the upcoming “2 Guns”.  This time out he takes his first crack at a big Hollywood action pic, and can Mr. Kormakur bring quality storytelling as well as big thrills…well we’ll see?

“Contraband” tells the story of a retired international smuggler that has long since left that life of crime behind.  Chris Farraday, portrayed by Marky Mark, must re-enter the life when his brother-in-law gets into a crapload of trouble with some powerful and very shady individuals.  Chris must run contraband this once last time in order for his debt to be paid in full.  However things begin to quickly unravel with a detailed timeline for which to abide, and he is also forced to quickly retain talents that he hasn’t been a master at in years.  Throw in on top of this hit men, law enforcement, and a powerful crime boss from the Russian mob, and I would say that you have a recipe for a big adventure ready to explode.

Well people though I have never heard of this filmmaker before I do like what he can do with the lens.  Baltasar uses the camera in such a way to get the most raw feeling possible, and his gritty and in-your-face style of filming never faltered throughout.  The absolute best way to describe “Contraband” is to say that it looks and feels like an episode of FX’s brilliant crime drama “The Shield”.  The director makes great use of close-ups especially when incorporating them into the films many confrontations, and credit the actors as well for pulling off these scenes which are some of the films more tense moments, and accomplishing this without music for these moments as well.

You know I really like Mark Wahlberg, and I have actually liked him since he was Marky Mark singing “Good Vibrations”.  But seriously people how many times can you make pretty much the same character in basically the same movie over and over again?  There’s “Four Brothers”, “Max Payne”, and “The Corrupter” where all he does is simply retread essentially the same plot line time and time again. The thing is not only is he talented, he is really talented when he chooses to align himself with truly brilliant directors like Paul Anderson and Marty Scorsese…unfortunately that seems like a rarity in his career.  He should take lessons from Matt Damon who just about every time out works with one of the best directors in the business, and that is going all the way back to Gus Van Sant with his breakthrough film.  Wahlberg really just needs to challenge himself as an actor more often, and he should also be a tad bit pickier when it comes to scripts.

Now another actor that I’m very fond of is Kate Beckinsale.  I can’t believe however that she took this role, or that the filmmakers sought out such a known leading lady for such a standard “Damsel in Distress” or throwaway character.  But you do have other solid supporting work from both Ben Foster and Giovanni Ribisi, and I think that Giovanni Ribisi is nothing short of a great character actor.  He can be funny, serious, or even a creepy criminal like in this story, but almost always delivers above average work.

Now I will say that if you sit back and actually try to evaluate the storyline being told I think that one thing will happen, you will start to realize just how ludicrous and ridiculous this entire concept is.  Let’s just say that I think that there are some comic books out there more based in reality, but “Contraband” was a fun movie to be part of.  Also, the brother-in-law character of Andy is very, very dumb, and boarders on pathetic.  He reminds me of the cop in charge in the original “Die Hard”, you know the one that always says the most senseless thing possible.  Oh one more thing, “Contraband” has such a Hollywood ending that I’m surprised that the filmmakers didn’t put the actual Hollywood sign in the features final shot.  You know they could’ve ridden off into it.

At one hour and 50 minutes “Contraband” moves right along from one scene to another with almost no breaks in the action.  The movie is tight on suspense and doesn’t flood the story with subplots to slow it down.  This is like “The Italian Job” because it is entertaining and fun, but falls dramatically short of other Wahlberg projects like “The Fighter” and “The Departed”.  Still, this is an enjoyable rated “R” crime story that was well thought out enough for me to recommend it.  Nick’s Reel Screen Review is a favorable 3 stars out of 4…for Marky Mark and his thriller “Contraband”.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“The Adventures of Tintin”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

Steven Spielberg presents a 3D motion capture film based on one of the world’s most popular comics.  Hello there everyone in the land of cyberspace I am film critic Nick Iacobucci here as always for ReelScreenReviews.com and our next movie review is the highly anticipated “The Adventures of Tintin”.  This family friendly feature opened just ahead of Christmas on December 23^rd, 2011, and it stars the voice and motion talents of Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost.  This film comes to us from the most successful director of all time Steven Spielberg, the director of “Jaws”, “Jurassic Park”, and “Saving Private Ryan” which I’m sure you didn’t know.  He now attempts to tackle, if I’m not mistaken, his first animated film.

This tale tells the story of Tintin, a bold and courageous young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a world of high adventure.  Jamie Bell stars as the lead character and the center of our tale, and joining him as the nefarious Red Rackham is 007 himself Daniel Craig.  The story here is actually simple enough to explain, Tintin and his friends discover directions to a sunken ship commanded by Capt. Haddock’s ancestor and go off on a treasure hunt to try and find the missing vessel.  Along the way we will encounter a calamity of colorful characters, say that 3 times fast, as well as eye-popping and dazzling 3D animation.

Well people just because we here in America have almost never popularized Tintin, it is actually one of the world’s most popular characters.  Tintin has stories translated and published in more than 80 languages that equals out to around 300 million copies of the books sold to date.  Someone commented on an article about Tintin that they hoped that the original author would not be rolling over in his grave because of this film.  My response to his comment was with this talent, this budget, plus Spielberg and Peter Jackson, I would think that this is the best shot at that not happening.

“The Adventures of Tintin” looks so amazing that sometimes you actually forget that you’re even watching animation.  The combination of Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg is a magical conjunction, and when you add Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy how could you go wrong.  Between these individuals they are responsible for the “Indiana Jones” trilogy, the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, and the “Back to the Future” trilogy, as well as “Jaws”, “King Kong”, and “The Sixth Sense”…Wow!

Jamie Bell was perfectly cast as the lead and protagonist, and he manages to capture both charm and youthful innocence in his performance.  Seeing as this character couldn’t have moved forward without both of these qualities, kudos to the casting department.  Andy Serkis once again proves his brilliance with capture motion animation, and brings to life the vibrant and over-the-top Captain Haddock.  Daniel Craig also shined in his role as the villain Red Rackham, and solidified a strong end to an exceptional year for him.

What makes this well above average is what makes most Spielberg movies well above average, and that would be adventure.  Now not that his films don’t have action, but they always seem to concentrate on the adventurous aspect of the story but never shortchange on storyline.  They are fun to be part of and are usually something to look forward to.  The animation in “Tintin” is nothing short of brilliant, and it is just like Indiana Jones with its nonstop action.  This is an adventure story for anyone of any age, and I hope that this is just the first in many more “Tintin” films to come.  The filmmakers knew that they wanted to make a 3-D film before they began this project, and they went out of their way to accent the depth of the dimensions throughout. It was truly impressive just like Disney’s “Tangled”.

At one hour and 47 minutes “The Adventures of Tintin” was exceptional filmmaking and could’ve easily been at least 15 or 20 minutes longer.  This feature begins with a tremendous opening segment and takes us through the air, across the sea, traveling by cars, motorcycles, ships, and equaling all-around big fun. Tintin has relentless action, relentless fun, and most of all relentless entertainment.  Through all of this Tintin still has time enough to wear a necktie everywhere he goes, and coach people to do the right thing whenever possible.  I really enjoyed this movie and I thought that it perfectly blended enough animation for children with enough adventure for adults.  Nick’s ReelScreenReview is a very solid and well above average 3 1/2 stars out of four for Steven Spielberg’s latest achievement “The Adventures of Tintin”.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies. And thank you for your attention

“The Darkest Hour”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

Aliens invade our warm and inviting planet once again this holiday season.  Hello there to everyone and thank you once again for tuning into ReelScreenReviews.com I am movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “The Darkest Hour”.  This film opened round the world on Christmas Day 2011, and it features Olivia Thirlby, Emile Hirsch, Joel Kinnaman, and Max Minghella.  This out worldly adventure comes to us from director Chris Gorak, the director of 2007’s “Right at Your Door”.  This time around he combines with some of Hollywood’s hottest young talent in hopes of delivering us the next “Independence Day”, and not the next “Skyline”.

This tale is one that we have all heard many times before.  Aliens have arrived at earth’s doorstep and once again they are anything but friendly.  A short time after their arrival they have already conquered our planet and are starting to exploit anything and everything they desire.  Now the way that they have accomplished this goal is by taking out all of our electronic grids and scorching them beyond all repairs.  After laying down this piece of their puzzle they then systematically start to eliminate anyone left.  Because there is no electricity there is no way for anyone to communicate, or incorporate any kind of resistance.  That is until a small group of students traveling in Russia gather together and come up with a way to do just that.  Before too long they will be confronting the alien attack head on, and they will not stop until they bring down the aliens extremely dominant defenses.

Well people unfortunately we have found this year’s “Skyline”, and I’m not saying that because they both deal with alien invasion.  This is just like “Skyline” because it is one of those movies that about 15 minutes into it, you realize that you are watching one of the year’s worst films.  To say that this movie is just agony would bestow a compliment to it, and the special effects are so bad that… Well let’s just say that I think that there are better special effects in the “Dora the Explorer” ice show.

The usually credible Emile Hirsch stoops to the level of ‘Bottom of the Barrel’ for this project, and I can only imagine that he was in dire need of the paycheck.  At one point he is the only one left alive that can still think clearly, and all he seems to do is state the obvious.  For example when he says, “If we can get through its armor, we can kill it.”  Really…thanks Mr. Spock for the intelligent assessment.  Then Rachel Taylor gave one of the worst performances of 2011.  The look on her face throughout this feature wasn’t displaying terror; it was the look of and actress’ talent being displayed terribly.  Oh, and of all of the thousands of people in Russia, not one is overweight and they’re all beautiful.

You know with all of the light bulbs that turned on in this film as warning signs, how ironic that no light bulb went on while someone was writing or filming this movie.  The guns, vests, and mobile artillery look like they were created by Doc Brown from left over DeLorean parts, and at one point the lead character destroys a monster by throwing a rock at it.  Are you serious?  And the mere notion that they’re going to find a spare nuclear submarine to take them to America is beyond my suspension of disbelief, actually it’s beyond my suspension of preschool common sense.

“The Darkest Hour” also must have some of the worst dialogue ever written.  With lines actually spoken like, “I’m trying to keep my freak out on the inside” and “Your mom left in my room”, you’ll just be rolling your eyes.  Then there is one part when someone speaks and no one reacts for like five full seconds.  I was seriously waiting for someone to call for a ‘Line’.

At 90 minutes, of sheer torture I might add, “The Darkest Hour” should’ve gone with its original title of “The Darkest Hour and a Half”.  This could easily be the worst Christmas present that I have ever received, and this is so bad that I found myself envious of the kids that found coal in their stockings earlier in the morning.  The end of this film starts to show the foundation of a resistance being built against this enemy with our lead character stating, “This is how it all starts.”  Well I have a newsflash for Emile Hirsch.  This is how it crashes and burns and if you think that a sequel is anywhere close, well then you’re more pathetic than this film.

Nick’s ReelScreenReview is avoid at all costs with only ½ of 1 star out of 4 for the so-called film “The Darkest Hour”.  And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“War Horse”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

Steven Spielberg gives us his 2^nd major release in just 5 days.  Hello there everyone and thank you once again for tuning in to ReelScreenReviews.com I am film critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “War Horse”.  This drama opened on Christmas Day December 25^th, 2011, and it stars Tom Hiddleston, Emily Watson, David Thewlis, and Toby Kebbell.  “War Horse” comes to us from the most successful director or all-time Steven Spielberg, who has just helmed the 3-D animated adventure “Tintin” released just a few days ago.  He now abandons the fun and adventure in favor of a more serious drama.

This tale tells of a youngster named Albert and his trusted steed Joey.  They share a relationship and bond that seems to be stronger than most siblings, and would pretty much do anything for each other.  However the sanctity of that relationship now stands threatened because of the emergence of World War I.  Albert’s horse Joey has been sold into the cavalry and put smack dab into the middle of battle.  Now even though Albert is much too young to join the service he soon embarks on the long journey oversees to find and help the friend he loves.  Now before this adventure comes to a close, I believe that all in attendance will learn the true meaning of the words courage, friendship, and caring.

Well people beautiful opening shots begin one remarkable experience at the theater when it comes to describing “War Horse”.  The bond between man and animal is ever present in this film, and done to its absolute best.  Just like Cisco from “Dances with Wolves” or Toothless from “How to Train Your Dragon”, this film captures the heart and caring of just how strong the connection between two beings can be.  “War Horse” thrives on emotional relationships and puts forth more than a few as the tale gets going.

Once again Steven Spielberg has packed his project with acting talent well above average.  Youngster and newcomer Jeremy Irvine was terrific as the horse’s central owner, and was so compassionate and charming he reminded me of a young Christopher Reeve.  Tom Hiddleston also gave a warm and gentle performance, as did Peter Mullan and Emily Watson.  However the main character of this film is the horse himself, and it is truly amazing how Spielberg has crafted this entire feature around this beautiful animal.  The human beings come and go and change frequently throughout “War Horse”, but the one constant and anchor in the story is Joey.  Make no mistake about it; it is ‘Joey the Horse’ that carries this film.  Actually now that I think about it he is more of a convincing lead character than Jason Momoa from “Conan”, or Cameron Diaz from “Bad Teacher”.

Much to my surprise this feature is filled with dramatic scenes of combat and violence.  Unlike Spielberg’s masterpiece “Saving Private Ryan” this film concentrates on a bloodless viciousness, but still retains all of the dramatic effect.  Mortars, trenches, Gatlin guns, and solid hand-to-hand combat filled the screen with action, and not everyone that you meet makes it through this conflict alive.  Innocent soldiers and even little girls are not exempt in this non-discriminating feature, and leave it to Steven Spielberg to create an entire subplot founded on the sympathy of two German soldiers.

With all of the solid drama there was still enough humor and funny moments to let you smile periodically.  Many sincere moments occur as well, and the last 15 minutes might see you choked up more than a few times.  To me however the best scene comes in what can only be described as a moment of clarity on the battlefield.  A member of each side comes together to free the injured horse in the film’s most humane moment, and the dialogue and interaction between these two characters was some of the best between any two actors that shared the screen in 2011.

At around 2 hours and 15 minutes “War Horse” flew by easily as one of the year’s 10 best. It always surprises me when I see a film that someone financed, even when there is no chance at becoming a videogame, a Happy Meal toy, or theme park ride.  This is just a remarkable film beautifully shot by cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, and given a memorable soul with the musical score by the great John Williams.  This is almost as perfect as movies can get, and Nick’s ReelScreenReview is a near-perfect 3 1/2 stars out of four, for Steven Spielberg’s epic drama “War Horse”.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“Sherlock Holmes: Games of Shadows”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

Warner Bros launched a franchise in the Christmas of 2009; it was extremely successful, so now we have a sequel…Elementary!  Hello there to everyone and welcome back once again to ReelScreenReviews.com I am movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows”.  This time period action and mysterious adventure opened around the globe on Friday December 16^th, 2011, and returning it the title roles of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.  This sequel comes to us from Guy Richie, the man that brought us the first one as well as “Snatch”, “Lock, Stock, and 2 Smoking Barrels”, and “Rock N’ Rolla”.  They all reteam just a few years after the success of the first installment to see if they can strike box office gold once again.

This time around we see master detective Sherlock Holmes meeting his match in the mind of Professor Moriarty.  Not only can he match wits with our criminal sleuth, he has the definite advantage of not have a conscience to his actions, and he doesn’t have to play by the rules either.  It seems that the Prince of Austria has been found dead and all of the evidence leads us to believe a demise of suicide.  However, upon further investigation Mr. Holmes soon realizes that simple logic and deduction points to foul play.  As Holmes and Watson dig a little deeper they come to deduce that this is only one mere part of a very intricate plot designed by the cunning Professor, who I might add always seems to be one step ahead of England’s most famed detective.  Our 2 heroes must also take the action to France, Germany, and Switzerland if they are to save to world from this dastardly fiend.

Well people I was not a huge fan of the first Guy Richie/Robert Downey collaboration back in 2009, but I am happy to say that I did like this one at least a bit more than the last one.  There are some really good action sequences, and they did give us a healthy chunk of mystery to be solved.  It’s not a below average story sometimes managing to hide a murder within another crime, and the movie stays intriguing as it plays on.  The banter is back between the 2 leads and so is the ‘Bromance’, but this time I didn’t think that I minded it anywhere near as much because I knew that it was coming.  Though the movie is not great Downey’s charm was still as solid as ever, and Jude Law…well he was Jude Law.

Now I will say that director Guy Richie has paced this film faster and quicker than the previous, and he once again retains the grainy and gritty feel of the first.  The parts where Sherlock Holmes is figuring thing out in his head I think are some of the most entertaining moments, call it using his superpower if you will.  Richie uses sharp cuts and fast editing and I think that this style works so very well when depicting this because the mind itself works in flashes, so it really seems to fit.  However on a whole I would say that this was a very safe film for Richie to make, and not a lot of chances or challenges were taken in this studio project.

Sherlock Holmes’ brother also added some humor to the story and Noomi Repace, the original “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, was very good in her English language debut.  However, the best and most interesting character in “Game of Shadows” was of course Professor Moriarty.  Tip your hat to Jared Harris for gathering together terror, cunning, and an Englishman’s graciousness to bring to life a very credible equal to Downey’s Holmes.  You know it is very tough portraying someone as known as the literary character of Professor Moriarty.  Now I bet that it is quite a bit of fun being the one of the most famous villains, but when you tackle a project like this the actor is almost always just 1 line of dialogue away from turning into Dr. Evil or Goldfinger, and Jared Harris never succumbs to such a thing.  He so intelligent and engaging that I found myself rooting for him sometimes, almost like I do for Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber from the original “Die Hard”, and even Holmes had admiration for the skill of his crimes.

Considering the vintage Conan Doyle stories this film franchise definitely piles on the action, and maybe a bit too much of it.  I think that all of the guns and bombs deter from the core of the character of Sherlock Holmes, and he should be allowed to slow down enough to actually solve something.  It is entertaining, but if they up the campiness anymore going forward it’s going to turn into the “Batman” franchise of the 90’s.  By the end the bickering between Holmes & Watson might wear on you a bit, but hey at least it’s not Adam Sandler playing a set of twins.  Oh and one last gripe, and this is one of the same gripes as I had for the last film, there’s too much gray in it.  Throughout the entire feature it’s like we are in the Gotham City of 1900, and it just could have used some color.  The funny thing is that they travel through more than a few countries and it all looks the same, I guess that Europe must be a pretty gray place.

At over 2 hours “Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows” was a tad too long, but not enough to make a federal case about it.  In a time of the year when you have a whole bunch of family films playing like “The Muppets”, “Arthur Christmas”, and “Alvin & the Chipmunks”, this more mature and gritty action film really struck a good chord.  The action scene running through the woods was truly exciting to watch, and it was captured in a slow motion or almost bullet time, and taken altogether the film had enough fun moments in it to be considered an enjoyable experience at the theater.  A solid 3 stars out of 4 for the return of Robert Downey Jr. in “Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows”.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies. And thank you for your attention.

“The Sitter”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

“Adventures in Babysitting” collides with “Superbad” in our next winter comedy.  Hello there everybody and thank you for tuning in once again to ReelScreenReviews.com I’m movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is the “R” rated comedy “The Sitter”.  This film opened in wide release on Friday December 9^th, 2011, and it stars wonderful young actor Jonah Hill, Sam Rockwell, J. B. Smoove, and Method Man.  “The Sitter” comes to us from director David Gordon Green, the director of “Your Highness” and “The Pineapple Express”.  This time out he once again revisits the realm of the comedic feature, and hopes to redeem himself after the disappointment of “Your Highness”.

Our tale tells of a college dropout and loser that will pretty much do anything to make a buck.  He agrees to take care of 3 young children, but soon leads them on an adventure of urban proportions and adventure.  Our lead Noah is so shallow that he will risk the children for something as important as drugs and sex, and he will also be the epitome of irresponsibility as the evening progresses.  Soon enough he and the children will be on the run from dangerous drugs dealers, criminals, and all around bad guys.  Now before this tale comes to a close we will have been chased all around the city, but the laughs and giggles were few and far between.

Well people this is just another stumbling block for director David Gordon Green.  After the very underwhelming film “Your Highness” from earlier this year, this director has done nothing to up the value of his stock.  Just like the “Change-Up” with Jason Bateman this had a great trailer, but it wasn’t a great movie by any means.  It’s almost as if in some spots the filmmaker doesn’t even care about what is going on, and this proves itself in the debilitating progression of this guy’s movies.  It just could’ve been a whole lot funnier.  I also won’t even go so far as to say that I was offended by the circumstances that the children were put in…like criminal behavior, drug use, and sexual situations.  I could’ve easily gone with that, but the simple fact remains that it just wasn’t humorous to begin with.

The movie really fails when it tries to incorporate sincerity into a script that could barely be a comedy.  It is so messy that it only manages to attain spotted laughs it what promised to be a ‘Laugh-Fest’ in the marketing campaign.  Now this isn’t the absolute bottom of the barrel, but if there was an award for the biggest disappointment…well let’s just say that “The Sitter” would definitely be one of the 5 nominees.  This is the definition of when you speak to one of your friends and they say, “Oh you don’t want to see that, they showed all of the good parts in the trailer.”  If you’ve seen the preview for “The Sitter”, then you have already seen all of the good parts.

Now I love Jonah Hill and think that he is one of the more talented young actors in Hollywood.  He can release ‘R’ rated comedies like “Superbad” and “Get Him to the Greek”, and can also produce PG-13 drama as he did earlier this year in “Moneyball”.  He’s has range and likeability, but still manages to maintain this conservative innocence when he wants or needs to.  He is the only thing that elevates this project above dreadful, but he can only do so much.  The 3 kids do not have near enough substance as characters, and it’s like we’re supposed care for each of these kids because they have 1 scene of ‘Would-Be’ real dialogue.  Max Records gave a very weak and stereotypical performance as the son Slater, and the little girl Blythe was no array of sunshine.  Then the adoptive son Enrique was not only one of the most unlikeable characters of the entire year of 2011, he was so cruel and malicious that I thought he could’ve easily been interpreted as racially offensive.

I haven’t done a shout out in a while and I would love to do one for the YouTube channel “Hagfilms”.  I recently came into contact with Trev at “Hagfilms” and he reviews older and soon-to-be classic films, and how they have stood up over the test of time.  You can hear and feel the man’s passion for film when he speaks, and I have already re-watched “American Beauty” and “Jaws” because of him.  If you really want a confident and trustworthy review and just desire some useful information about popular movies in general, then make sure you check out “Hagfilms” and their very knowledgeable critic Trev.

Now “The Sitter” has a running time of only 80 minutes, and with the quality of this feature that is one of its strongest points.  You know if you’re not going to be fun, comical, or entertaining, then the least you could do is not make it too long.  Jonah Hill somehow still sustains himself as a comedian in all of this befuddledness, but this film on a whole is just not amusing.  It’s never original, clever, or imaginative, and the jokes are mostly stale retreads of tales seen many times previous.  If the filmmakers don’t even care enough to make a quality hour and 15 minute feature, then how can the public possibly embrace it?  A very disappointing 1 ½ stars out of 4 for Jonah Hill and the comedy “The Sitter”.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

For once a martial arts foreign film doesn’t rely on blood-thirsty revenge, and still delivers the quality visuals that we have all come to expect.  Hello there everybody and welcome back once again to the website ReelScreenReviews.com I am of course movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”.  It not only has a really long title it opened in very limited release in the Unites States in September, and I recently saw a screening of it at a neighboring college.  “Detective Dee” is a time period drama with a nice dose of action and features Andy Lau, Li Bingbing, Carina Lau, and Tony Leung.  This film comes to us from director Tsui Hark, the director of many eastern cinema classics, and the western and not so classic “Double Take” with Dennis Rodman and Jean Claude Van Damme.  This time around he kind of combines a little bit of many genres to deliver a very well rounded and solid motion picture.

This tale tells a story in the year of 689 A.D., and the baffling murder of seven men that were all loyal guards of the soon-to-be-empress and the mystery that surrounds their demise.  The evening before the most powerful woman in China’s history is about to have her coronation as empress, an evil force will stop at nothing to make sure that does not occur.  The murder of the 7 guards was only the beginning of an evil scheme that will soon need the assistance of legendary detective Dee, and with him also comes an intricately woven mystery and the need of it being solved.  In addition to the enigma of the tale we also have time for some big adventure, and will the answers that are sought place the entire dynasty in jeopardy?

Well people this movie is very full, and I mean that in a very positive way.  There is just a lot jammed into every frame and moment, and rarely is it ever boring to look at.  Even though this is an eastern film it completely and totally reminded me of a good old fashioned western, and the lone gunman/cowboy would be Detective Dee.  I was unfamiliar with the lead character going into this film, but Detective Dee not only seemed like a natural, he absolutely owns the screen when he’s on it.  Not only is he a detective, he wields a mace like Thor’s hammer, as the same time moving like a young Jet Li.  This action Asian Sherlock Holmes comes to life by the very charismatic Andy Lau, who always manages to stay likeable and fun.

The film’s best aspect is the strength of the film’s empress.  In 700 A.D. I could only imagine that it would’ve been very difficult for the advancement of women, and I admire how the movie tackled that head on.  I truly loved how the feature made known that other officials were afraid of her just because she was a woman, and they were even more afraid of a woman in power.  She then solidifies herself as one commanding individual when she accepts the throne over the power of true love.  The scene where the empress does this was simple and brutally honest charisma, and it worked because of the talent of actor Carina Lau.  She reminded me of the evil queen in Kurosawa’s brilliant “Ran”.

Now I will say people that they had characters spontaneously combust…I mean C’mon there were more people bursting into flames in this film than there were in “Spinal Tap”.  I guess sometimes these foreign films just can’t resist being a tad bit campy, but I thought that kind of camp hurt the project on a whole.  “Detective Dee” could’ve went for the straight dramatic telling of the tale, and I believe that it would’ve worked no problem.  It does do a good job shifting from drama, to comedy, to action, and balances out the 3 genres as well.  However at its core it is a rather rich and satisfying mystery, and I think that even the great Mr. Holmes would find this game afoot.

The action scenes are grand and beautiful, and a monsoon of attacking arrows looks as exquisite as a ballet dancer performing a choreographed routine.  It’s not a dumb movie either.  “Detective Dee” is well made with above average acting talent, and I just always love the time period pieces.  The characters are not only real they are constantly attempting to undermine each other, and as the mystery unfolds it could actually be anyone responsible for these deaths.

At 2 hours and 2 minutes “Detective Dee” was a likeable fantasy, yet it was also real enough to be enjoyable and entertaining.  It really didn’t seem like a full 2 hours when I was watching it, and the best compliment that I could pay the film is that I did not guess who did it.  The filmmakers gave us a quality ending, and had guts to take the lead character in a direction that Hollywood would have never gone in.  Some of it did look gamish, but I’d be nit-picking if I said that I didn’t like it.  Be forewarned that it is a foreign film and you do have to read the subtitles, I know that can be a turnoff to some.  Me however, I don’t mind the subtitles, and I didn’t mind the movie.  A favorable 3 stars out of 4 for “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“We Bought a Zoo”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

Matt Damon is a father struggling to keep his family together is this holiday drama.  Hello there everyone I’m movie critic Nick Iacobucci as always for ReelScreenReviews.com and our next movie review is “We Bought a Zoo”.  This drama and family film opens in wide release on Friday December 23^rd, 2011, this is an early review.  “We Bought a Zoo” stars the aforementioned Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Elle Fanning, Thomas Haden Church, and John Michael Higgins.  This film comes to us from writer and director Cameron Crowe that started his career with writing “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”, and since has graduated to directing the likes of “Jerry MacGuire”, “Vanilla Sky”, and “Almost Famous”.  This time out he teams with what has to be the most credible and reliable leading man that Hollywood could possibly offer, and delivers one hell of a quality movie.

Our story centers on a family man that will stop at nothing to keep his family together.  Benjamin Mee wants to sustain his loved ones and feels that he must do this by investing his life savings into a zoo teetering on dilapidation.  Benjamin and his children are also faced with the day to day challenges of picking up the pieces after the recent passing of their wife and mother.  Together the Mee household will have to pull out all the stops if they are to round up escaped wild animals, nurse endangered species back to health, and have their family and the zoo ready for one big and grand opening.

Well people the return of Cameron Crowe sees a definite above average step back into the ring, but this is short of greatness.  He is usually really good, or really not-so-good.  We have the really good in “Jerry Maguire”, “Almost Famous”, “Say Anything”, and the fantastic “Singles”.  However, we also have the flip side with the disappointing “Vanilla Sky” and “Elizabethtown”.  This time he is more right than wrong, and put together a film well worth seeing.

The film’s strongest point comes in the form lead actor Matt Damon.  Almost 15 years after “Good Will Hunting” Damon has matured into one of the most solid, reliable, and credible actors in all of Tinsel town.  He seems to slip almost seamlessly into every project and brings believable emotion to every role.  He can portray the action hero, straight comedy, thrillers, or solid drama as with this feature.  Director Cameron Crowe really has a way of identifying with his leading men and bringing their weakness to the forefront of the story, and with Matt Damon aboard his job had to have been just a little bit easier.  All I can say is that he is a great anchor for this tale, and every moment you want to root for him.

Another reason that “We Bought a Zoo” works is because it’s one of the more human stories I’ve seen all year.  You truly care for these individuals and feel as if you are part of this family, and you don’t want to see them fail.  You know for a movie about a widower and his children dealing with the grieving process and coping with loss, this film clips right along and stays interesting throughout.  “We Bought a Zoo” is the definition of a feel good film and is stuffed with solid emotion.

Then Thomas Haden Church gives another quality performance as does Patrick Fugit, but the adorable Maggie Elizabeth Jones steals most of her scenes as the charming and lovable daughter.  This little cutie pie lights up the screen when she smiles, and then you have Scarlett Johansen that brings depth to what could’ve been a throw away character.  I am so glad that she takes on roles that display her as an actress and not just a pretty face.

Some things stuck out as real problems while watching this movie, and unfortunately that brings the project down a few notches from being classified as perfect.  Some parts of the film just felt very convenient.  When they really needed something good to happen, there it was.  Also some of the scenes to me felt very planned and staged, and comedic jokes and situations seemed to come right along as if on cue.  Then in order to make the film even more dramatic they may have incorporated 1 too many relationships into the story.  I mean did we really need yet another love interest for his 13 year old son…that is on top of everything else that was going on?  I really didn’t think so.

At right around 2 hours “We Bought a Zoo” was much more entertaining than I thought that it was going to be, even though the story is reasonably predictable.  The movie is about hope and giving your life something to believe in, and who can’t identify with that?  Moving on and taking chances in order to do so are challenges we all face, and it was very easy sitting in the theater and siding with this family on the big screen as they were living through it.  Cameron Crowe knows how to craft a story, and more importantly he knows how to connect that story with both individuals and audiences alike.  “We Bought a Zoo” is a feel good movie that does exactly that, and is timed perfectly as a welcomed addition to this year’s holiday season.  I’ll give this solid family drama a solid 3 stars out of 4.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“Hugo”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

One of the ‘Masters of Cinema’ once again shows us why he as earned such a title.  Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in cyberspace and thank you once again for tuning into my favorite holiday website ReelScreenReviews.com, I am of course movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “Hugo”.  This family friendly adventure opened on Wednesday November 23^rd, 2011, and it stars Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Sir Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Ray Winstone, and the great Christopher Lee.  “Hugo” comes to us from legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese, the Academy Award winning director of “The Departed”, “Goodfellas”, “Casino”, and “Taxi Driver”.  This time out Mr. Scorsese sheds the guns, the goons, and the gangsters, and instead brings us a time period and fantasy story that is more than suitable for the entire family.

This tale tells of an orphan growing up in Paris, France circa the 1930’s, and a fable that involves robots, magical trains, and a passion for life.  Hugo Cabret lives in the walls of the train station and soon becomes entangled with a damaged robot.  Along this journey he will be joined by a very unconventional girl named Isabelle, a twitchy constable portrayed brilliantly by Sacha Baron Cohen, and a mystery connected to his late father.  As “Hugo” digs deeper into this fantasy world for a solution to his questions, the only real answer he wants is “Will he ever have a place to call home”?

Well people Martin Scorsese put together a beautiful opening shot and followed that with one remarkable cinematic feat.   Everything that happens in a Scorsese picture is always so exact and precise.  He has this seamless style that brings elegance to every project, and this is a masterwork of visual talent.  Even though he will always be known for the crime and mobsters the likes of “Mean Streets” and “Gangs of New York”, this just solidifies that the man can direct a film in pretty much any genre.  Many people forget that he has helmed “The Age of Innocence”, “The Last Temptation of Christ”, and even the music video of Michael Jackson’s “Bad”.

I also loved how Marty Scorsese took the use of 3D technology and finally put it to good use.  I said in my review for “Final Destination 4” way back when, that I couldn’t wait to see what Scorsese could do with 3D imagery, and what he has done is incorporate 3D into his film almost as a character itself.  Unlike the “Immortals” or “Clash of the Titans” that used this technology as a gimmick or selling point, “Hugo” holds this always secondary to the story being told first.

I think that the main reason that the movie works and is above average is because of Asa Butterfield in the lead as Hugo.  He was taught by his father how to fix and assemble many complex machines, and his desire to fix this robot is just so he does not remain alone.  Asa Butterfield proves quite an easy kid to sympathize with, and by the way if they are not contacts he has the most captivating and bluest eyes I have seen since Paul Newman.  This kid is a talent well above the norm for others his age, and he owns the screen most of the time that he is on it.  Dakota Goyo tried to achieve this kind of drama with a robot about a month ago in “Real Steel”, but he had more holes in his performance than a brick of Swiss cheese and that’s what killed that project for me altogether.

A lot of this movie is about relationships and there are many of them throughout this tale.  A boy and his father, mentors, and even a man and a woman falling for each other find their way into the story.  Hugo gets glimpses of these lives and relationships as he works on the system of clocks around Paris.  The tango is about the passion between a man and a woman, and I loved how one was playing every time the constable was wooing the very attractive florist.

Now as beautiful as I think this film is, it did lag in just a few spots.  The fantasy aspect maybe was a little too ‘Out There’ for me, and the film’s beauty isn’t enough for me to call this perfection.  At just over 2 hours “Hugo” was a tad too long and had me looking at my watch more than once.  Though rated “PG” and marketed as a family film I think that young audiences would thoroughly enjoy something like “The Muppets” much more than this.  “Hugo” is quite serious and dramatic most of the way through, and if you are not expecting it you could be in for a long 2 hours.  I would put the storyline of this movie on par with the likes of “E.T” and “The Indian in the Cupboard”, that is to say that this is a drama for the whole family and not a comedy such as “Air Bud” or “Baby Geniuses”.

I did really like this, but it is a step down from great.  From a technical and visual standpoint this is 4 stars.  From a straight entertainment standpoint this is 3 stars.  Which means I’ll give it a very favorable 3 ½ stars out of 4.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“The Muppets”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

“It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights, it’s time to get things started at the Muppet Show tonight!”  Gosh, I’ve always wanted to say that.  Hello there to everyone and thank you once again for tuning in to ReelScreenReviews.com I am movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “The Muppets”.  This family friendly adventure opened round the nation on Wednesday November 23^rd, 2011, and it stars Jason Segal, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, and Alan Arkin.  And of course it also features ‘Kermit the Frog’, ‘Miss Piggy’, ‘Fozzie Bear’, and ‘The Great Gonzo’.  “The Muppets” comes to us from director James Bobin, a veteran comedic writer and creator that now takes his first crack at helming a Hollywood feature.

This newest installment of the Muppets sees them scattered round the country tending to their own respective careers and lives.  The plan is to reunite the original cast of the Muppets and try to put on ‘The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever’.  The reason is to raise $10 million dollars in hopes of being able to save the original Muppet Theater from destruction.  This plan to excavate the Muppet Theater has been put into place by the evil businessman Tex Richman, and he means to stop at nothing in order to drill for oil underneath it.  At this point only the people able to help save the theater are Mary, Walter, and Gary, and that’s only if they can get the gang back together for the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational, or what we call the Muppet Show.

Well people how can you not like the Muppets; I think to not like the Muppets boarders on being straight up un-American.  Kermit, Fozzie, and Miss Piggy brought happiness and joy to me for years throughout my childhood and now they are doing the same with my nephews.  There is just something warm and inviting about the Muppets, and in my opinion it is something that cannot be duplicated within the realm of animated features.  They are really there, and they really interact with live actors which gives them an edge on connecting with an audience.  As you watch “The Muppets” you actually start to accept them almost as real people, and the Muppet Walter sometimes came off more human than the human Jason Segal.

Just like the classic “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” this film sees our Muppets as part of society and they interact with humans in a world where it is all accepted.  Something that I thought was really cool is that  now you get to see their feet whenever possible, and I thought that gave credence to them as individuals.  It’s a good thing that they had feet for the many big musical song and dance numbers throughout the movie.  In many spots the actors break into song and big choreographed dances, and it was very easy to grasp because the whole film plays out almost as if it was an animated feature to begin with.  From identifying plot points, to addressing the audience outright, there are more cartoons founded in reality, and the Muppets can even travel by map.  Eat your heart out Harry Potter.

You know the guys that created “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” & “Get Him to the Greek” wrote and helped create this movie.  That just goes to show the very wide range of talent from both Jason Segal and Nicholas Stoller.  Together they can produce “R” rated and very adult humor, but then they can put together something you would wait in line to take you 4 year old to.

“The Muppets” has big laughs, as well as feeling and messages that aren’t too difficult for the youngsters to get.  You get great cameos from many, many stars including Jack Black, Zack Galifanakis, and Jim Parsons to name just a few.  Many references to the 80’s and also a soundtrack filled with classic hits from that decade were also a help for me to enjoy this.  Then something that I’d never thought I would say, Academy Award winner Chris Cooper raps a Hip-Hop song, and not only is he funny, he’s really not terrible at it.

At 98 minutes “The Muppets” was a perfect running time even with the incorporation of Disney’s animated short film featuring the “Toy Story” cast and characters.  The Muppets are magical and timeless, and the stories and lessons that they convey can be shared by both adults and children alike.  Maybe because they appeal to so many people of such a wide range of ages, well that’s the reason why 30 years later they are still packing theaters full.  I had a great time watching “The Muppets” and I could’ve sat through another 15 to 20 minutes of it.  It is just something that adults can enjoy just as much as toddlers.  You could bring a date to this and be as entertained as the mom next to you with her 2 little girls.  I really hope this turns out to be successful, because I would love to see this as the beginning of many more Muppet adventures to come.  I very favorable 3 stars out of 4 for this return of the Muppets.

And remember people, I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

It’s the beginning of the end for Edward Cullen and Bella Swan.  Hello everyone and welcome back I’m film critic Nick Iacobucci and thank you once again for tuning in to ReelScreenReviews.com, and our next movie review is the highly anticipated “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1”.  This global phenomenon opened round the world on Friday November 18^th, 2011, and it once again reunites the onscreen talents of Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattison, Taylor Lautner, Kellan Lutz, and Nikki Reed.  “Breaking Dawn Part 1” and the soon-to-be “Part 2” come to us from director Bill Condon, the Academy Award winning writer of “Gods & Monsters” and the director of “Dreamgirls”.  This time around Mr. Condon attempts to bring his talents to Forks, Washington, and to bring to a close one of Hollywood’s most lucrative franchises.

This tale continues the epic love story between Bella Swan and Edward Cullen.  The choices that they have made bring serious consequences not only to them but to their loved ones as well, and marriage and the birth of a child are merely only the beginning.  These specific circumstances will also fuel the rage of Jacob Black, and these shocking developments take his character into a new direction.  Now as Bella must come to the decision of humanity or vampire, the fate of that choice holds in the balance potentially devastating results.  Will the vampires accept the child, will humanity accept Bella, and in my opinion the biggest question…what about Jacob?

Well people I didn’t like “Twilight” all that much.  I thought that “New Moon” was a little bit better, and I out-and-out liked “Eclipse” thinking that it was the best in the series.  However “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1” is a definite step backwards for the same reason that I disliked the original tale.  Outside of the love triangle there just isn’t enough of a story to be told, or they just don’t want to tell it to us.  We waited a year and a half for this?  In my opinion just when this story could’ve been coming together and getting audiences around the world ready for a truly satisfying finale, it just goes fizzle.

My biggest complaint is that they got an hour and 45 minutes out of a plotline that could’ve easily filled the timeframe of an episode of “Sex and the City”.  “Harry Potter”, “The Lord of the Rings”, and other serial stories set up their finales with both heart and drama, but they also leave room to let the film pace itself along and still be entertaining.  “Breaking Dawn Part 1” sets up and executes a wedding, the hot and steamy honeymoon, and then she is pretty much pregnant the rest of the movie.  If I told someone I watched a film about a marriage, a honeymoon, and a pregnancy, they would most likely ask if it was a “Lifetime” original movie.  Think about it, that hardly describes a Hollywood juggernaut franchise.

For me it is actually difficult to feel sorry for these 2 because they put themselves into these situations.  They all assume that she cannot conceive, but she is warned by Jacob about this very subject in an extremely stringent manner.  What does she do, she blows him off.  They know that it is possibly life threatening, but go ahead when they could just wait a few days until she changes over.

Outside of Bella, Edward, and Jacob, the rest of this ensemble cast is as much a part of this film as the set decorations and costumes from “Anonymous”.  Some had only mere lines to speak, and the most interesting character in the film was Jacob.  He is not the only one with a conflict, but he is the only one that knows how to convey it to the audience.  He is also hiding a secret of which he is the main part, and has to be one of movie’s most honorable characters ever.  Jacob turns his back on his own beliefs and alienates himself from his own people.  Why, for a girl that has already chosen ‘The Other Guy’.

There were some brighter spots.  The chemistry between the 2 leads is still as strong as ever, and the flash back at the beginning where Edward was on the hunt was fantastic.  For the first time in this “Twilight Saga” we were given many spots of humor throughout the first half of this feature, and the funny lines added a nice lighter tone to the project.  Billy Burke seemed to have the most fun with his comedic dialogue as Bella’s father, and I have always enjoyed his work as an artist.  I think that he is a great character actor.  Oh, and the fact that all of these ‘Monsters’ have such a loyalty to family was kind of cool.

You know they never got too specific at the wedding in the beginning of the film, but I was really wondering what the ushers would say to guests coming up to be seated?  Would it be something like, “Are you on the side of the bride, or are you one of the bloodsucking children of Satan?”  “Alive?   Undead?”

At 1 hour and 45 minutes my biggest complaint…nothing happened!  The filmmakers put the entire main body of the story on hold and gave us a 2 hour Lamaze class.  “Breaking Dawn Part 1” can easily be described as a downer or a buzz kill.  “Eclipse” had serial murders, an evolving conflict and war between the vampires and werewolves, and even a mystery in the balance.  Well I really hope that they saved everything they’ve got for part 2, because they didn’t show me anything in part 1 except a very sheltered story.  I will definitely see how this ends in a year, but with this as the lead in I can easily wait for it.  Though well made in my opinion not very entertaining and anything but a plus for the “Twilight” franchise, and I’ll give it a mild and not highly recommended 1 ½ stars out of 4.

And remember people I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies. And thank you for your attention.

“Anonymous”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

Is William Shakespeare the greatest playwright of all-time, or the biggest fraud of all-time?  Hello there to everyone in cyberspace I’m movie critic Nick Iacobucci as always for the website ReelScreenReviews.com and our next movie review is “Anonymous”.  This time period and thriller opened in very limited release on Friday Oct 28^th, 2011, and it stars Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, David Thewlis, and Joley Richardson.  “Anonymous” comes to us from one of the most commercially successful directors of all-time in Roland Emmerich.  He is the director of such worldwide hits as ”Independence Day”, “2012”, “The Day After Tomorrow”, and “Stargate”.  This time around Mr. Emmerich attempts to change his status as a filmmaker with this very compelling and dramatic tale.

Our story centers on the theory that it was in fact Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford who penned Shakespeare’s plays and not the William that is so set into the minds of historians.  Now this is actually a mystery that has plagued the literary world for years.  After some research, and much to my surprise, there have been books, published papers & articles, and countless theories as to who truly composed and authored the greatest known works of literature.  This film “Anonymous” explores only one of these plotlines which place it against the backdrop of the Queen Elizabethan Era, and the Essex Rebellion against her.  Throughout this feature the hierarchy of Great Britain will serve as the battleground where political deceit, forbidden romances, and the lust for power….is just part of the day.

Well people however non-truthful I believe the premise of this feature to be, it is very fine storytelling all the way through.  It captures the audience almost immediately and then plunges them into this tale that is very easy to get caught up in.  I loved how it opened in a theater of a live production of the movie that I was about to see.  It quickly evolves into its own straight forward thriller, and it actually could be called ‘a story, within a story, within a stage play’.  Or it could be ‘a story, within a stage play, within a story’…I don’t know is that ‘1 plus 2 plus 2 plus 1” or was it “1 plus 1 plus 2 plus 1”?

Anyway I have always enjoyed these stories that take place hundreds of years ago, and one of the parts that I enjoy most is the backstabbing that goes on through all of them.  There are always intricate plots, upon treason, upon secret revolutions, and needless to say “Anonymous” has a lot to it.  There are a band of rebels attempting to overthrow the Queen, as well as lies, deceit, and intrigue at almost every turn.  It really does try to pack everything into one film, sometimes it does come off a little convoluted and muddled, but throughout it does depict a credible and interesting argument.

With “Anonymous” I saw direction out of Rolland Emmerich that I have never seen before.  He had a nice opening shot that felt very Brian DePalma, and he’s already an expert on any special effects.  This period piece on a whole is amazing and worth the ticket price.  The costumes were brilliant, and the production designer could easily win the Oscar with his work here, because the sets alone are one of the film’s strongest points.

Rhys Ifans is extremely confident and strong as the lead and central character of this project.  It’s funny to think that the comic relief from “Notting Hill” and “The Replacements” can show us his dramatic side in a very big way.  With this and the role of the lead villain in this summer’s “Spiderman” reboot, well let’s just say that his career is deserving of a little more notice.  You also have very solid work once again from David Thewlis, and a great casting call of a real-life mother and daughter portraying the same Queen in different time periods.  Vanessa Redgrave and Joley Richardson not only very much resemble each other, they act extremely similar when playing Queen Elizabeth I, and I mean down to the mannerisms.

Some drawbacks of “Anonymous” are the ending could’ve been better.  You could see what was coming and there were few surprises along the way.  This is going to be one of those films for the conspiracy theorists I know it.  I would say that this movie is above average and it does put forth some truly catching facts.  However I do think that those individuals that are much more familiar with this historical time period and subject matter will enjoy the film more than others.  Then people that consider themselves experts on the subject will want to tear it up for its historical inaccuracies, but by doing that they will have missed one enjoyable time at the movies.

At 2 hours and 10 minutes “Anonymous” might have taken a premise to an unbelievable level of far-fetched, but it is highly entertaining and storytelling almost at its best.  This is one of those films whose wardrobe and set design are characters all their own and only enhance the movie’s experience.  The best advice that I could give when describing this would be if you like “The Fast & the Furious” and “The Expendables” you’re going to hate this movie.  If you enjoy period films like “Cold Mountain” or “Shakespeare in Love”, then you will probably really like this.  Me I really liked this, the ending could’ve been better, nevertheless a very solid and above average feature that I will gladly give 3 stars out of 4.

And remember people, I’m not always right, only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

“Immortals”

A Movie Review

By

Nick Iacobucci

Brutal and bloodthirsty warriors are ravaging the land and only a fatherless peasant has the strength to unite and overcome.  Hello there to everyone and thank you once again for tuning into ReelScreenReviews.com, I am of course movie critic Nick Iacobucci and our next movie review is “The Immortals”.  This actioneer opened around the world on Friday November 13^th, 2011, and it stars Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, Frida Pinto, Steven Dorff, and John Hurt.  This film comes to us from director Tarsem Singh, the director of “The Cell” with J Lo from over a decade ago.  He now takes the reins of what could be the next juggernaut success in the style of “300”, and attempts to combine action and bloody good fun.

This tale tells of King Hyperion and his murderous and unrelenting quest to find the lost bow of Epirus.  Hyperion and his army are destroying everything in their path because if the bow is found, he will then have the power to take down the Gods and achieve the status of supreme ruler.  Along his journey he will cross the path of a young warrior in training named Theseus.  Theseus originally sets out only in rage to get revenge on those that murdered his mother, but soon it evolves into much more than a mission for vengeance.  Theseus then gathers a handful of trusted soldiers, and together they will stop at nothing in order to bring peace to the heavens and to the earth.

Well people when it comes to blood and gore “The Immortals” is just like the recent “Conan” or “Season of the Witch”, but unlike those films this one is actually decent.  When I say decent I mean that there is at least a storyline that is being followed, and they surrounded the project with credible acting talent.  I am very glad that the filmmakers went for the straight “R” rating and kept the film true to its genre.  Now there is strong and relentless gory violence, but the violence really had a hint of photographic elegance to it.

I like director Tarsem Singh because he takes chances.  Even though I did not love “The Cell” I always thought it was a rather bold film for a Hollywood film.  “Immortals” doesn’t go out on quite such a limb, but it still lends as much cinematic style as it does a body count.  His biggest problem as a filmmaker is that his concern is only visual style and nothing else.  Dialogue, characters, and even spots of editing suffer when you look at the project on a whole.

Now the battles are big and there a lot of them.  The action is pretty intense and it is enhanced by the 3D visuals.  “Immortals” has hand-to-hand combat as well as mass conflicts throughout, and thoroughly entertains on this level.  You have geysers of blood, decapitations, and even self-tongue removal finds its way into this movie.  I will say that when the Gods fight the Titans it really is ‘Wow’, and they do give you one heck of a finale.  However outside of the eye candy there isn’t much left to compliment.

Okay this being from the maker of “300” it’s very similar to that film, even down to the battle speech.  One issue is this film has absolutely nothing to do with that one, and it’s marketed almost as if it were a sequel.  Everywhere that I have looked for the last few weeks all that I have seen are ads for this movie, and the big problem facing “The Immortals”…It’s not the smash hit that it claims to be.  “300” proved itself a success before anyone called it a blockbuster, and just because you can capture the feel of a film that doesn’t mean that you can duplicate its financial success.

Now you can also say that this isn’t the tightest script ever written.  Throughout the entire feature every town, village, or even individual home was located on a cliff.  I’ve heard of beach front property but C’mon.  Though not awful, it never achieves those moments of genuine movie magic or wow factor.  There were spots of CGI shoddiness, and I’m pretty positive that creative liberties were taken when outlining this mythological adventure.  You know there are many times when people say to me that they won’t watch foreign films because they don’t want to read the subtitles.  Well my opinion is the dialogue from “The Immortals” is so bad in some spots that it could’ve been a foreign film without subtitles, and that would’ve been an improvement.

At 1 hour and 50 minutes this film didn’t feel too long, but it didn’t need to be any longer than it was.  I would say do not take a date to this if you have any plans of having sex later in the evening, because this most certainly isn’t what you would call a ‘Date Movie’.  It looks great but it really doesn’t have anything to back that up, and it’s better than “Clash of the Titans”, but is that even a compliment?  This average film is trying so damn hard to be this great film and unfortunately it just doesn’t live up to its own hype.  Only because of how cool it looks and the fight sequences, I’ll give “Immortals” a very generous, let me say that again a very generous, but still recommended 2 ½ stars out of 4.

And remember people I’m not always right, but only when it comes to the movies.  And thank you for your attention.

Release Date: March 16, 2012

Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Writer: Michael Bacall
Cast: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Ellie Kemper, Brie Larson, Ice Cube, Dave Franco, Jake M. Johnson, Johnny Simmons, Dakota Johnson, Rob Riggle, Lindsey Broad, Valerie Tian, DeRay Davis, Joe Chrest, Johnny Pemberton, Spencer Boldman, Randal Reeder, Luis Da Silva Jr., Anthony Molinari, Johnny Depp
Plot: An undercover police unit consisting of young looking officers infiltrate high schools to control youth crime.
Genre: Action | Comedy

Release Date: March 2, 2012

Director: Nima Nourizadeh
Writers: Matt Drake, Michael Bacall
Cast: Thomas Mann, Jonathan Daniel Brown, Oliver Cooper, Dax Flame, Nichole Bloom, Martin Klebba, Miles Teller, Sam Lant, Alexis Knapp, Brendan Miller, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Alex Rose Wiesel, Eddie Hassell, Peter Mackenzie, Sophia Santi, Caitlin Dulany, Rick Shapiro, Rob Evors, Nick Nervies, Brady Hender
Plot: 3 high school seniors throw a birthday party to make a name for themselves. As the night progresses, things spiral out of control as word of the party spreads.
Genre: Comedy

Release Date: February 3, 2012

Director: Ti West
Writer: Ti West
Cast: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis, George Riddle, Alison Bartlett, Lena Dunham, Jake Ryan, John Speredakos
Plot: During the final days at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, two employees determined to reveal the hotel’s haunted past begin to experience disturbing events as old guests check in for a stay.
Genre: Horror | Thriller