The Campaign - My Review

The Campaign  -  2012  Directed By Jay Roach

The Campaign is a raunchy, lowest common denominator movie about a career political hack (Will Ferrell) who suddenly finds himself in a tight election against a competitor being funded by BIG corporation (Zach Galifianakis). They then engage in a no holds barred, no rules permitted campaign that I believe even a real politician would say, "They went too far."

Any hopes of scathing political satire or even funny jokes is lost early on when it becomes clear that the director and its stars are only interested in throwing out crude, obvious jokes at a stunning, dizzying rate and hoping that some stick. Well for me none did.

The timing of this films release, in a presidential election year, gave me hope that the creators had lofty aspirations for this movie. Sadly I was mistaken. Lately it seems that comedy has become a dumping ground for loud, crude, rude, obnoxious, offensive and worst of all, not funny movies. If this is the state of current comedy, and unfortunately I believe it is, I want no part of it.

Rating: 2 out of 10

Moonrise Kingdom - My Review

Moonrise Kingdom  -  2012  Directed By Wes Anderson

I'm starting to believe that to say you are not a fan of Wes Anderson to Wes Anderson fans is to say they get  it and you don't. They are just smarter than you and you are missing the magic and hyper reality that he creates in his films.

I'm not missing either (notice how there are never any other people in his films? Its just the characters as if nothing else exists). I just don't believe it is magic.

Anderson's earlier films, Bottle Rocket, Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, of which I am a fan, were grounded in reality. Moonrise Kingdom is out of this earth.

I've always believed Wes was alot like Quentin Tarantino. They both make movies for themselves and it just so happens many people like watching them. While I am on board the Tarantino train I have jumped off the train carrying Wes. Whatever wavelength he is on I am not privy to.

The story is about 2 kids and their escape from their lives and their parents and the cop and the local scout leader all out looking for them. Along the way they experience the elation and heartbreak of childhood as they unknowingly seek to become adults, who they clearly do not understand and eye suspiciously.

Watching the actors in this film is a study in patience. There is no characterization only mannerisms and eccentricity. Everything is over the top.

I've said many times that when you like a movie you forgive it many things as opposed to a movie you don't where you have very little latitude. Such is the case here. Kids enroll in the local scout club but I never saw anyone else living on the island. Where are the other kids and adults? Vast land is covered in the search rescue and once again the land is empty and the people are non-existent. Why did this bother me? Simple. There was not one character in this film that interested me and I was hoping someone would come along and break the spell.

Rating: 4 out of 10

Seeking a Friend For The End of The World - My Review

Seeking a Friend For The End of The World  -  2012  Directed By Lorene Scafaria

Seeking a Friend is a film in 2 acts. It has no third act. Funny thing is, thats why I watched, to see how they would end it.

It stars Steve Carell, playing himself (literally, as he always does) and Keira Knightley, as two neighbors who meet with only 3 weeks left til a asteroid destroys the earth and of course they decide to go on a road trip! How original.

While they are on their road trip they meet a few people (apparently everyone else has already disappeared?) and find love with each other and live happily ever after for 3 weeks. Sound depressing? Actually its not but that doesn't mean its particulary entertaining either. It has more of a feel of a romantic comedy than a tragic drama but it has nothing to say unfortunately.

Considering I've never been a big fan of either lead I was looking forward to seeing this movie. This film just reiterates why I haven't been. Carell is horribly miscast. His deapan behavior and delivery belies there is even an oncoming catastrophe. Knightley brings nothing to the table unless you count her looks and I for one don't (and never have).

Reflecting upon this movie I realized there wasn't one single character in the film that had anything to say meaningful about their eventual demise. They went about their lives as if nothing was going to change or alter it. They didn't appear to be pretending. They just appeared to not care. Sums up how I feel about this movie.

Rating: 4 out of 10

The Amazing Spiderman - My Review

The Amazing Spiderman  -  2012  Directed By Marc Webb

To me the crowning achievement in comic book films was Sam Raimi's 2004 film Spiderman 2. However, after the disaster that was Spiderman 3 I could understand the need to reboot the franchise and start fresh.

Problem is, there is nothing fresh here. Andrew Garfield is suitable as Peter Parker but in no way up to the task as was Tobey Maguire. (In fact, Maguire was so good as Parker that it made the scenes of Spiderman anti-climatic) Emma Stone's acting seems forced and many scenes you can see her trying to be coy and shy instead of just owning it. The story is serviceable but you know somethings not right when your only looking at it through the prism of the first 3 movies.

And then there is the special effects, aka the CGI. When I go to a movie I want to be blown away by the effects and ask myself after, how did they do that?! What I don't want is to see how they did it as it is happening cause it is being done so bad which happens time after time in this unnecessary film. If it doesn't work then spend a few extra million and make it work or just get rid of it!

Director Marc Webb immediately jumped on my radar after his film (500) Days of Summer. It was an assuredly confident Romantic comedy with flawless performances all around. Sadly, none of the elements that he worked so well in that film are on display here.

Rating: 4 out of 10

Expendables 2 - My Review

Expendables 2  -  2012  Directed By Simon West

Based on the worldwide grosses of the first Expendables movie there is clearly a market for films like this. People want to see stars they like doing what they do best.

Still, can't they even attempt to make the movie good? One 80's action star after another is trotted out along with bad acting, awful dialogue and each scene is ear numbing mindless noise that makes elevator music seem like Grammy material. Seriously, put some effort into this Hollywood!

I am going to run down the plot so see if you can follow it. Shooting, bad dialogue, shooting, stabbings, explosions, bad dialogue, maimings, explosions, explosions, more bad dialogue and more explosions and shootings and stabbings. If that sounds like your cup of tea, enjoy!

Rating: 2 out of 10

Life of Pi - My Review

Life of Pi  -  2012  Directed By Ang Lee

Years ago when I read Yann Martel's novel Life of Pi I was instantly struck with the impression that it could never be made into a movie. Director Ang Lee proved me wrong.

Whats even more impressive with Lee's adaptation is he has made a remarkable film filled with indelible performances and visual imagery second to none. This is by far the best movie I have seen this year.

The story is centered on Pi, a young man from India, who is shipwrecked and becomes a castaway on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean for over 200 days with Richard Parker, a Bengal Tiger. It is a story about survival, faith, friendship and religion and hinges on one central question. Is it real? In the book I had my opinion on that question but with the movie I realized it didn't matter to me. What mattered to me was the experience of watching this magical film unfold and I will be going back to see it again, this time in 3D.

A constant gripe with me about movies is that so many lack imagination or even try to show us something new. That is not the case here. I could literally count numerous scenes that are breathtaking in their imagery and scope and come Oscar time Lee will be rewarded for his creative vision, with many nominations.

Rating: 10 out of 10

This is 40 Screening W Albert Brooks, Leslie Mann, Judd Apatow! Autographs! Photos!

I went to this primarily for two reasons. One... Megan Fox. She showed up and showed no intention on way in or out of signing and that is exactly what happened. Considering I have seen her quite a few times this year and she has never signed she now owns a spot on the worst signers list.

The other reason I went was Albert Brooks. He is kinda rare and I loved the movie he was in last year, Drive, and wanted to start a cast piece for it for my own collection and thankfully he signed and signed quite a bit! I was able to get him on everything I had.

All 3 Finding Nemo's now have Albert, Willem Dafoe and Alexander Gould on them.

Annie Mumolo showed up and I got her on my cast piece. I have no idea what she was doing in this picture!!!

Leslie Mann and Judd Apatow showed up and I got both of them on the cast piece as well and got Leslie on a individual.

Lastly I got Patton Oswalt which was interesting to say the least! On the way in it was just me asking him to sign and he said no thanks I don't want to! On the way out a couple of us asked him and got the same response as he said he was late and had to go! However, he then stood on the sidewalk for close to 5 minutes waiting for his car so I politely asked again to which he reacted in a manner that made it seem like I was going to rob him and then finally he signed!