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At The Movies: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

2007-06-21T14:56:00.000-04:00

Over recent decades graphic novels have developed their own niche within the world of film. Some of them offer a serious tone with a touch of witty humor such as the "X-Men" series and the franchise reboot "Batman Begins," while others like "Spider-Man 2" offer a balanced mix. We've seen those that try to be serious and flop big time like "Hulk" and "Daredevil" and others that embrace the idea of just being a good popcorn movie. The territory can be risky for those who try to be nothing more than fun, as exemplified by "Batman and Robin."

"Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" is a sequel to a mixed bag. "Fantastic Four" had the witty humor and climactic actions scenes, but was riddled with storytelling issues and a runtime unbefitting of a summer action flick. Thankfully the team behind the movie learned from their mistakes and shaved fourteen minutes off the runtime. The sequel has a story just as shallow and pointless as the first, but doesn't present itself as anything more than what it is. In that way it is far superior in comparison.

If you have yet to see "Fantastic Four" there is no need to hesitate in seeing this movie. The only things you need to know you probably gathered from the trailers. There are five people starring, they're in a freak accident, they somehow survive, they gained random super powers as a result, four decided to be good, one decided to be evil, the four thought they killed the one, audience knows that he will likely be coming back. If you found that sentence a bit uncomfortable and jarring, you have now completely experienced the acting and storyline of the first and are ready for the sequel.

As suggested in the title the popular "Silver Surfer" of the Marvel universe appears, voiced by Laurence Fishburne of "The Matrix" trilogy and modeled after Doug Jones. If this movie is lacking anything, it's lacking in its title character. By first glance alone one could argue that the "Silver Surfer" looks like an interesting character, so it's hard to see why he is tossed aside and only given a few lines of dialogue and a short amount of spotlight. However a script for a standalone "Silver Surfer" movie is allegedly in the works and it is very likely that he will reappear in the next "Fantastic Four" outing.

Another change this time around is the MPAA rating going from a PG-13 to a PG for sequences of action violence, some mild language and innuendo. Director Tim Story claims that the rating was just a coincidence and nothing was altered or cut to achieve it, however he sees the film as multi-generational and would like nobody to be excluded from seeing it. While it may not be a family film by nature, everyone in the family should have a good time if they aren't expecting too much. The new "Fantastic Four" is a passable summer action flick and well worth your hour and a half. For those interested, an extended edition of "Fantastic Four" has just hit the selves on DVD.

At The Movies: Ocean's Thirteen

2007-06-10T14:53:00.000-04:00

"Ocean's Thirteen" is the third in the remake franchise of the classic Rat Pack film from 1960. Nearly the entire cast returns, with the exception of female leads Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Their absence is directly addressed in the film by Danny Ocean (George Clooney) as he yells "It's not their fight!" Unlike its predecessors, this heist film isn't about financial gain. Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould), close friend of Ocean, makes the mistake of doing business with the Willy Bank (Al Pacino). Bank's vicious ego is played up well by Al Pacino and is exactly what this franchise needs. Bank expectedly double crosses Reuben, breaking the sacred pact between those who have shaken Sinatra's hand. Ocean and his crew decide to sabotage Bank and his new Casino on it's opening night to help out Rueben, now recovering from a heart attack.

We are told some of the plans details, left with questions, watch the mystery unfold, and as usual are given the last piece of the puzzle at the last possible second. This formula worked well for in the first two, completely surprising the majority of the audience each time. With director Steven Soderbergh's latest attempt the formula feels a bit dry, the mysteries a bit less potent, and the missing piece a lot less unexpected. You will likely find yourself saying "that's just not possible" to some of the things Ocean's crew pull off, but enjoying it enough to suspend disbelief and ignore the plot holes.

The Ocean's franchise is known for offering ironically clean and ethical films. This third outing does a great job of placing thieves in a heroic situation, to the point where they even right the wrongs they commit to another. The smooth pace, snappy dialog, and enjoyable subplots are all improved upon, but the biggest problem is that we don't get to see enough of the characters we like so much. Where there was more character development in the first two films, this film is about the characters we know doing what we know them for.

Part of what makes up for the lack of character development is the execution of the heist and how well it unfolds over a period of two hours. Telling a story this complex could easily get messy, even more so when you have ensemble cast staring some of the most respected actors of our time that people want to see. You're never left thinking a scene is redundant, taking too long, or causing you to wonder impatiently about another character. But you are left wanting more screentime for François Toulour (Vincent Cassel) and the hilarious duo Virgil (Casey Affleck) and Turk Malloy (Scott Caan). Further complimenting the smooth storytelling is the excellent score by David Holmes. Once again he provides music just as cool as the movie and characters on screen.

There is only one major problem with the concept for "Ocean's Thirteen," it's not really necessary. Watching this movie is like listening to a b-side track from one of your favorite bands. It's fun, it's catchy, but in the end it was cut from the album for a reason: it wasn't needed. However, out of all the sequels we've seen this summer this is likely the best of them all and should not be overlooked. Thankfully, unlike the "Spider-Man" and "Shrek" franchises, sequels are not currently planned and the franchise appears to be retiring. "Ocean's Thirteen" is without a doubt an acceptable and enjoyable end to the franchise, and worth the two hours of your time.

Originally published in The Hammonton News

At The Movies: Shrek the Third

2007-05-19T17:01:00.000-04:00

When seeing "Shrek the Third" you probably are walking in knowing exactly what you're going to get. If you walk in expecting a cinematic masterpiece you're bound to be let down, but if you're looking for an extra couple hours of what first two offered you'll get exactly what you're looking for. The basic working formula of a great cast, modern twists on old fairy tales, and double meanings galore is carried over and expanded upon in this second sequel. The issue lies simply with if you care enough to see more.

The first "Shrek" film was a surprise to say the least. Filled with charm, wit, and relatable characters it proved to be enjoyable for the entire family. "Shrek" also established DreamWorks as a true competitor to Walt Disney Pictures in the field of animated features. The fact that "Shrek 2" was as much of a success was by no means a fluke. The guys at DreamWorks teamed up with this cast know how to make a fun movie, "Shrek the Third" solidifies their credibility. Rather than just adding more stars to the cast and telling the same jokes again, it's apparent they did their best not to deliver a repetitive script.

Five members from "Saturday Night Live", two from the "Monty Python" cast, Justin Timberlake, and star of "The Office" John Krasinski among others are all worked into a modest ninety-three minutes of film. Even the smallest of parts prove to be most memorable and humorous. As the first "Shrek" this movie is about a journey, so the characters are used in predictable and fun ways throughout Shrek's (Mike Myers) quest. With the recent death of King Harold (John Cleese), Shrek is reluctant to take over his role. Shrek journeys to find the only other remaining heir, Artie (Justin Timberlake), a textbook reject who is eager to take the title.

While departing Shrek is less than enthusiastic to find out he is soon to be a father, which is the source of a lot of humor that might keep an adult audience interested. As soon as Shrek leaves for his journey Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) rounds up the usual fairy tale baddies to take over kingdom of Far Far Away. All of the fairy tale princesses, villains, and sidekick heroes are pulled out of the book of stock characters once again to take their part in the fight over the fate of Far Far Away.

The first two movies are among my favorite animated films, but I couldn't help but feel a third was almost certainly going to kill the charm of the first two. "Shrek the Third" is completely predictable, mildly crude, and completely unnecessary. I had no desire to see this movie going in, yet found myself slowly and reluctantly enjoying it. The same old "Shrek" with a few slight twits worked well this time around, but will it the next? Dreamworks Animation recently revealed forth Shrek is in the works for a 2010 release and a spin-off based on the "Puss in Boots" character played by Antonio Banderas soon after. Work has also gotten arond about a possible fifth Shrek later on. In the meantime, there is plenty of fun to be had with "Shrek the Third."

“Shrek the Third” is rated PG by the MPAA for some crude humor, suggestive content and swashbuckling action.

At The Movies: Spider-Man 3

2007-05-07T22:52:00.000-04:00

Since the 1960s Spider-Man has been Marvel's flagship character, simply because he is the most down-to-earth superhero around. As in the comics, Peter Parker/Spider-Man  (Tobey Maguire) is portrayed as an average guy who just wants to do the right thing, making a few mistakes in the process. “Spider-Man 3” continues to explore the usual struggles of life magnified by the words memorable words of Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), “With great power comes great responsibility."

In “Spider-Man 3” the way those issues and themes are depicted makes the movie more like a daytime soap opera. The previous movies featured only one villain, to make sure due attention was given and the movies wouldn't be cluttered. Deviating from that course turned out to be a huge mistake, and on many levels ruined the experience. Eddie Brock/Venom (Topher Grace), Flint Marko/Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), and a vengeful Harry Osborn (James Franco) are all fighting for screentime and completely underdeveloped characters. It doesn't help that these are three of the most interesting and popular characters in the Spider-Man universe, with the most complex stories to be told. The material in this film should not have been compressed into a single movie, but rather told properly over a few films or not told at all.

Fans have been begging director Sam Raimi to include Venom in the series since production of the first film began. The character finally gets his literal fifteen minutes of tacked on fame, but we never actually hear the name “Venom” spoken. The only story to the character we receive is a meteor crashing on earth in the beginning of the film with an extra terrestrial goop making its way onto Peter Parker, and later Eddie Brock. It is said that the substance amplifies aggression and brings out the darker qualities of the object it is attached to. This leads to dark scenes of Peter doing things we would have never imagined him doing, and some fun, campy scenes of him indulging in his fame and popularity.

As a whole, the movie feels unfinished and does not fulfill even moderate expectations. For the most part the acting feels more tongue-in-cheek than in the previous films, at times clashing with the dramatic tones of the movie. The best performance is given after the final action scene by Academy Award-nominee Thomas Haden Church, which is truly a shame because there were plenty of great opportunities for the recurring characters to really make something great out of their legacy. The special effects are acceptable, but they definitely could have used some more work. Given how fast everything happens viewers are never really given the opportunity to enjoy the great characters. Often finding yourself bored of what's on screen, you'll probably be wondering what's happening with one of the other storylines.

“Spider-Man 3” is enjoyable if you're a huge fan of the series, but there is little compelling or innovative material to urge you to watch a second time. Riddled with too many plots and villains, it's hard to imagine how a group of people who have worked together on two solid previous films could let the series come to this. Sony Pictures is currently planning three more sequels according to director Sam Raimi, and all of the cast and crew have expressed mixed feelings on returning. Hopefully the next films will take a step back and tell the stories at a proper pace, but at this point it's hard to say if the audience is sick of “Spider-Man.”

There is plenty of fun to be had with this movie, but it's far from the best in the series as the amazing cast is underutilized.

At The Movies: Rocky Balboa

2006-12-22T10:51:00.000-05:00

Thirty years ago Sylvester Stallone wrote and starred in “Rocky” which became one of the best sports films of all time. Unfortunately the four sequels lacked consistency in quality and heart, ironically mirroring not only the character “Rocky” but arguably Stallone's career as well. Even Stallone himself has publicly expressed his disappointment in “Rocky V” as a finished product, as it did not end the series on the high note he was hoping for. So it's no surprise that over a decade later he has resurrected the franchise with what is meant to be the last movie in the “Rocky” series.

The majority of the movie as the title “Rocky Balboa” suggests is about “Rocky” as a person. We get to see what has become of his life since losing all of his money in “Rocky V” and how he is dealing with the loss of his wife. A surprising amount of characters return to the sequel, giving us a sense of closure on all the stories the franchise has to tell. This movie is about “Rocky” and does not offer the in depth focus on the opponent that was usually offered in the other films. In that sense “Rocky Balboa” showcases Stallone's ability to make an excellent film driven by characters as opposed to action.

Pacing is all the more vital in a movie that picks up many years after it's predecessor. This is the only area I felt this movie fell short to the point of it being annoying. Great epic dialogues between close characters are fine, but hearing so many crafted lines in a short period of time pulls the human element out of the story despite the excellent acting from main characters. It does not ruin the experience, but it does start to feel awkward about twenty minutes into the movie. As usual the dialogue between subsequent characters is less than stellar and often annoying. That said, “Rocky Balboa” is able to portray variety in the humorous and dramatic tones as well as the original film did.

All of the music is enjoyable and succeeds in bringing you into the moment as all the other “Rocky” films. The parts involving the simulated computer fight and the real fight thereafter feel like mere compliments to the story as opposed to something we are supposed to care about. The movie could have used an extra twenty minutes to flesh out the main story a bit more and fix the aforementioned pacing issues. But it is safe to say that at this point most fans are satisfied with 102 good minutes of film to honor the series.

“Rocky Balboa” calls heavily on brief flashback sequences and references to the previous films, however if you only saw the original there is still much to enjoy about this movie. Fans who were disappointed in the last film will be happy that Stallone learned from the mistakes made the last time around. The concept may be sound ridiculous, but if you can overlook the unrealistic ideas presented you will more than likely have a great time.

“Rocky Balboa” serves as a great mirror to the original and excellent conclusion to the franchise.

“Rocky Balboa” being possibly the best sequel in the franchise gets a 9 out of 10.

Now on DVD: “Invincible” stars Mark Wahlberg as Eagle's legend Vince Papale. M Night Shyamalan turns the bedtime story he invented for his kids into a riveting mystery movie. Sean Penn stars in another film adaptation of the novel “All The King's Men” alongside Jude Law and Anthony Hopkins.

Originally published in The Hammonton News

At The Movies: Casino Royale

2006-11-20T23:23:00.000-05:00

Directed by Martin Cambell (“Goldeneye”), “Casino Royale” is the 21st movie in the James Bond film series based on the first novel of the original novel series by Ian Flemming. Daniel Craig takes the lead as James Bond, and Judi Dench reprises the role as M once again in this franchise reboot. Despite retaining one of the same actors, this is an alternative timeline from the previous “Bond” films. Taking place post 9-11 as explained in the movie, and before James earns is “00 License”, we get to see a more human character than the Bond portrayed by those like Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan.

One of the key differences that make this film superior than some of the other films is the character development. In the previous movies Bond only engaged in simple, unfulfilling, hero meets heroine relationships that meant nothing to the character. In “Casino Royale” we see a genuine love story develop, as well a true explanation for Bond’s detachment from the realities of his lifestyle. The focus this time is less on the villain Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), and more on Bond and his love interest Vesper Lynd (Eva Green). The biggest weakness of the film is that we don’t get enough time with the enemy to truly see him as threatening, despite how interesting of a character he may be.

“Casino Royale” has a much more realistic and gritty feel than viewers may be comfortable with at first. Bond’s inexperience is shown both in his physical and emotional attributes, so we get to see him learn from mistakes and develop into the Bond we are more familiar with. The first several minutes of the film are shown in black and white, directed in a style reminiscent of the noir films of the 40’s and 50’s. These scenes show just what kind of person James Bond really is.

Even with a runtime of 145 minutes “Casino Royale” doesn’t quite give you everything you might want, but the cliffhanger ending will leave you excited for Bond 22. Chris Cornell of the band “Audioslave’ composed and performed the excellent title song “You Know My Name” which is threaded throughout the film until we hear the familiar 007 theme. Overall this is arguable the best film in the Bond franchise, and it makes you wonder what the other Bond actors would have done with a script so focused on character development instead of action and one-liners.

Casino Royale gets a well earned 9 out of 10.

This week on DVD: The popular book “The Da Vinci Code” is adapted into film staring Tom Hanks and Ian McKellen. Justin Long stars in the comedy “Accepted” as a high-school senior who decides to start his own college. The “Lassie” series gets a new addition that surprised many as a genuinely good family film.

Originally published in The Hammonton News

At The Movies: Invincible

2006-09-04T09:17:00.000-04:00

At a seemingly low point in Philadelphia Eagles history, coach Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear) decided to invite fans to compete for a spot on the team's roster. At the same time, Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg), a 30-year-old bartender and teacher, hit a low point in his life. Not only had he lost his teaching job, but his wife left him behind with nothing but a scorning letter declaring he would never amount to anything. Soon after this, he tried out for the team, and to everyone's surprise was the only fan invited to play with the Eagles. The events of Papale's journey are the basis for the new Disney sports film, "Invincible."

Portraying football on film as opposed to seeing a live game is always a difficult task because it's compressed into a few minutes and the camera movements are premeditated. "Invincible" has some fantastic directing and shows on-field views that you may have never seen before. Director Ericson Core finds new ways to make the opposing teams such as the Dallas Cowboys feel big and intimidating in every scene.

The story is told with a tenderness that shows exactly what Papale was going through. Despite the audience knowing that in the end Papale made it to the team and had a three-season career, you are able to feel the suspense as he sits on his bed in training camp, wondering if he has been cut from the team. You really understand that not only was it Coach Vermeil's last resort to allow a player with only high school football experience on the team, but it is Papale's last resort to try out as well.

The film shares many undeniable resemblances to "Rocky" as a "pick-me-up" sports film about a Philadelphia man during the 70s. Much like "Rocky," there is at least one character everyone in the audience can relate to, and you are quickly pulled into the downbeat 70s time frame. That said, unlike "Rocky," the film does cover a fairly long time period, so the story and character development are forced to move along quickly and at times abruptly. For that reason Invincible will leave you wanting more and feeling a little unfulfilled.

Rating: 8 out of 10

This Week on DVD: Keifer Sutherland gives a "Jack Bauer" like performance while chasing down Michael Douglas in "The Sentinel." Rising star Keke Palmer gives a career-making performance with Laurence Fishburne in "Akeelah and the Bee."

Originally published in The Hammonton News

At The Movies: World Trade Center

2006-09-04T09:16:00.000-04:00

Oliver Stone has not tried to make a movie that sets out to be the definitive 9-11 film, nor does he try to harass anyone with political statements or conspiracies about the events like some of his previous works. In that sense "World Trade Center" is a tasteful movie that tells the story of two surviving Port Authority Police officers John McLoughlin (Nicolas Cage) and Will Jimeno (Michael Pena) who were in the towers when they collapsed.

While Cage's acting is fantastic, many of the other actors seem out of place at times. Some of the reactions to the events portrayed are completely over the top, while others are far too underwhelming. Sadly, the movie fails to be emotionally gripping throughout its entirety, and your mind may start to drift to your own memories of 9/11 rather than focusing on what is on screen. One whom would agree even more so would be Jeanette Pezzulo, widow of Port Authority officer Dominick Pezzulo (Jay Hernandez) who has expressed disgust with the film even being made. She has been quoted saying she does not "need a movie" to explain "what a hero" her husband was.

There are moments in the film, specifically conversations between Cage and Peña that felt manufactured by Hollywood. As it would turn out some of the conversations are only inspired by the conversations or ideas that Jimeno and McLoughlin had. So rather than taking the route of being a perfect re-creation of what they went through, "World Trade Center" uses some forged conversations as a way to ease the audience of the tension with the occasional chuckle.

Overall, you may be impressed with the film on technical standpoints as I was, but when it comes down to it "World Trade Center" falls short from being a truly great film. If you can put your views aside for two hours and forget about yourself, you will see a really great tale of two people who didn't hesitate to face danger to save others, and those who did the same for them.

7 out of 10

Originally published in The Hammonton News