Monday Morning Quarterback Part III
By BOP Staff
July 11, 2012
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Kim Hollis: Which movies have you watched recently and what are your thoughts?
Tim Briody: Ted is hilarious, with two awesome scenes not spoiled in the trailer or advertising that completely killed me.
Matthew Huntley: Agree with Tim that Ted is hilarious and a pleasant surprise overall (the special effects are especially impressive). I smell a sequel.
To Rome with Love is charming and it watches like a relaxing vacation. Not deep, but soothing.
The Amazing Spider-Man is good but not great, though certain aspects of it are on the verge of greatness.
Brave shines in its latter half. Definitely not top-notch Pixar, but it gets progressively inventive as it goes along and it's a step up from Cars 2 (I know, that's not saying much).
Max Braden: I'm still taking in most movies on DVD, but that will change now that we're in the second half of the year. I did go see Brave in theaters. I enjoyed it. It was nice, loved the hair, laughed a few times, and didn't find any fault with it, but it's not a Pixar movie I'll rave about like Toy Story. My brother, who saw it with me, complained the music was uninspired, and suggested they should have used Enya. Is a movie based in Scotland tainted by Irish music?
Movies I've seen on DVD:
Act of Valor - I didn't mind the stilted dialogue (though the guy who played Senior was excellent) so much as just the lack of excitement in the direction. The action sequences were good, but Hollywood productions like The Hunt for Red October and even Charlie Sheen's Navy SEALs from 1990 are more fun to watch.
The Grey - I was ready to dismiss this as a silly genre movie, but Liam Neeson really elevated it with an interesting character and great performance.
21 Jump Street - I don't expect this to be my favorite comedy of the year by any means, but it did get me to laugh a bunch. Tatum was a lot more lively in this than almost any of his other movies to date. The jock/nerd role reversals were great, as were some of the action movie tropes. Loved the drug deal shootout...dialogue...near the end.
Wrath of the Titans - Like the first Titans, this movie has great visuals for its big set pieces, but it's just a mess of a movie. I never cared if Prometheus Perseus succeeded or not, and I'd still grab the 1980's Titans over either of them. Plus, they made Rosamund Pike look (beautiful, obviously) ridiculous, which is a crime.
A Novel Romance - A direct-to-video title released earlier this year, interesting for only two reasons: Steve Guttenberg still does movies (he released his memoir a couple months ago. Did anyone notice?) and it costars the beautiful Milena Govich.
7 Below - Yet another crappy straight-to-video Val Kilmer movie, which I guess is more of a Ving Rhames movie (and has nothing to do about cold weather), about seven strangers who get caught in a haunted house and blah blah blah, featuring dialogue such as "Who the hell are you??" "I've been called many names through the centuries..." Don't watch this one. (It's a good thing I don't gamble with money like I do with Val Kilmer movies.)
Felix Quinonez: I saw Prometheus and I have to say, In my opinion, this is the movie to beat this year. It was so much more than I was expecting and I can understand why some people were disappointed. I saw it with my brother and he was not happy with it. But the question that he asked me pretty much told me he missed the point of the movie. I guess it's just not for everyone. But I loved the fact that it asks the questions it does and knows better than to try to answer them.
I also saw The Amazing Spider-Man. I LOVED so much about this movie. I should admit that I'm a huge Spider-Man fan, so maybe my fanboy excitement is overtaking my objectivity. Yes, it does cover some of the same ground as Raimi's movie but as a comic book fan I am used to seeing countless new takes of the origin story so it didn't bother me. That being said, I never felt like I was watching the same movie. First and foremost I thought Garfield was great as Peter/Spidey. I also thought that he and Emma Stone had wonderful chemistry. And I felt the supporting cast was more developed and I loved Peter and Uncle Ben's relationship. The fact that Flash Thompson was shown as more than just a bully, even for a little while, was great. Another thing that I loved was that they seemed to be taking at least some cue from the Ultimate Spider Man comics. The movie had a lot of emotion without it feeling forced, at least for the most part. And the action was great. Spider-Man kicked ASS!
David Mumpower: I liked Ted well enough as I consider the concept to be pure genius. It suffers from the same issue as all of Seth MacFarlane's shows, though. The signal to noise ratio is deplorable. Only one out of every ten jokes works. The difference here is that the ones that work are uproarious. I don't claim to understand the physics of how a stuffed animal come to life is capable of getting high and achieving orgasm, but it's funny nonetheless.
Wes Anderson is a divisive figure to a lot of film lovers and I frequently find myself conflicted over his work. He has created masterpieces such as The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Royal Tenenbaums, but movies like Rushmore and The Darjeeling Limited didn't do a damn thing for me. I had read the glowing comments from others here about Moonrise Kingdom. I had largely avoided any and all details about the actual story of the film, though. For the first 30 minutes or so, I was restless about the tone of the film. This has been an issue for me in the past as I find Anderson's tendency toward specificity too compulsive in many instances. Then, I quite suddenly fell head over heels in love with Moonrise Kingdom. It's a refreshingly earnest tale told wonderfully. And the last shot before the closing credits is breathtaking. It reinforces every moment of the film.
Rock of Ages is a mess of a movie with a plot so poorly thought out that it would be a disappointment as a middle school play. I cannot say in honesty that I liked it yet there are several entertaining moments. For example, the out of nowhere assault on 1990s boy bands is magnificent. The cover of I Can't Fight This Feeling is quite funny. And Julianne Hough is irresistible as the female lead. This is counteracted by the fact that Diego Boneta has the natural charisma of liquid paper. So, the entire movie is a mixed bag teetering toward awful that I expect to become a guilty pleasure because - and this is really all that matters here - the music is great.
I had been beguiled by the Safety Not Guaranteed trailer, and we rushed out to see it the moment it was screened here. Aubrey Plaza is a true delight and I'm confident I will have her on my Calvins ballot for Best Actress. Mark Duplass is someone with whom I am largely unfamiliar (I tried The League but didn't find it funny). He is having a smaller scale version of Jessica Chastain in 2011 in that he is featured/involved with four movies currently in release and while none of these is a blockbuster, he has become a factor on the indie scene beyond his mumblecore following. I was dazzled by his fearlessness in this role. Also, I love the enigmatic nature of the plot as well as the ambiguity of several key moments toward the end. This is a movie I highly recommend and I look forward to discussing with people over time.
The lesson I learned with 21 Jump Street is that Clone High creators Phil Lord and Christopher Miller can do no wrong. On paper, this project is dreck, a tired reboot of a story nobody was missing. In execution, it's absolutely hysterical. That final 15 minutes is so over-the-top hilarious. That's the most fun I've had watching a movie in ages. 21 Jump Street isn't perfect by any stretch but the little build-ups like the disappointing lack of explosions during car chases are exactly what I want in a spoof like this.
I also finally got around to watching Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, a movie we had tickets to see on opening weekend but wound up having to miss. Then, we traveled over the holidays, Oscars season heated up and we never caught it in the theater. I wish we had now, because I was hooked within ten minutes. Something quite shocking happens at the start, and that feeds into mystique of Moriarty as a worthy foe. Jared Harris has been quietly excellent for his entire career. I was thrilled to see him finally given a role like this in a major tentpole film. And I also believe that the debate about which Robert Downey Jr. role is better between Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes is fascinating. As an aside, just to reinforce how huge The Avengers is, the two Sherlock Holmes films are both mega-blockbusters that have combined to earn $396 million domestically. The Avengers alone has beaten them both by over 50%.
Wanderlust's primary selling point for me is that it's the folks from The State creating a follow-up to their very to the nth degree funny 2008 release, Role Models. Alas, they did not capture lightning in a bottle for a second time. I mentioned the signal to noise ratio of Ted above. Wanderlust doesn't even get close to that type of laugh output. If not for Justin Theroux bringing the funny, this would be a complete bust. As it is, I found myself thinking what a wasted opportunity Wanderlust is given the tremendous depth of the cast. So many people I find amusing stand side by side while nothing funny happens. That's aggravating.
Wrath of the Titans is every bit as bad as Max indicates. And I too noticed the unintentionally hilarious moments where Rosamund Pike awkwardly yells at the top of her lungs. This "franchise" has gone so far astray that I find myself wondering if any of them ever had a mythology class in the first place. At least Bill Nighy showed up for a bit.
Project X fails to learn the most important lesson from the John Hughes library. Teen characters have to be identifiable in order for a teen comedy to engage. Instead, this is mostly about jackasses acting jackass-y to other jackasses. Also, there are these odd moments in the film where it suddenly switches into an extended beer commercial sans the product placement. I guess that's the career the cinematographer wants to have rather than make teen sex romps. Still, I have to say that once the movie goes truly over the top, the payoff is pretty great. I enjoyed the last 20 minutes quite a bit.
Finally, I know that Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a movie that most people are not going to see in theaters. I accept that. What I would suggest is that you rush to rent it the moment it is on home video. I was spellbound by its genteel nature in the face of Mayan-predicted chaos. Steve Carell and Keira Knightley are wonderful together and I love their journey to acceptance about this unlikely relationship. Plus, the scene at Friendly's restaurant is more giggle-inducing than anything from the ostensible comedies listed above. I felt enriched by Seeking a Friend and I expect to watch it 25 times over the years. Out of all the movies I list here, it's my favorite.
Kim Hollis: I have seen a *lot* of movies since the last time we talked about our recent films. So...
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - I enjoyed the first film, but I think I liked the sequel better. Admittedly, I'd probably watch Robert Downey Jr. in a movie called "Watching Paint Dry." I can see why Sherlock Holmes purists might not like the tone and style that Guy Ritchie uses in the films, but it works for me.
Project X - I feel like the only reason this movie exists is to sell soundtracks. The music was very transparently "ohmygodlookhowawesomeandnew!" I didn't care about any of the characters and I was turned off by the fact that it was blatantly ripping off Superbad in a lot of ways (but with only about 1/10th of the humor). Just yuck.
Wanderlust - This movie is only an hour and a half long, but it feels so much longer. Basically, it's a one-joke film that tries to extend to a full-length feature. I agree with David that Justin Theroux is very funny (and Alan Alda is endearing even with a joke that is repeated way too many times), but overall it felt like drudgery.
Wrath of the Titans - This is a murky-looking, terrible movie. I would have been livid if I'd paid money to see the film in theaters. It's nonsensical and just a complete and utter waste of time. I'm glad I was doing other things while I was watching it because it certainly didn't deserve my undivided attention.
21 Jump Street - I really don't like Channing Tatum. I say this because I thought he was truly enjoyable in 21 Jump Street, a movie that is hilarious from start to finish. I really appreciated that they went a little bit meta with the concept, poking fun at themselves for lacking an original idea. This may be the most quotable movie of the last few years.
Tremors - I had never seen Tremors before, which is a little surprising because it was my kind of movie when it was released in theaters. It's goofy and the effects are terrible (of course), but it's a whole lot of fun. Kevin Bacon is great, and I enjoyed Fred Ward as well. If I was scrolling through the channels and saw it was airing, I'd probably turn it on to watch again.
Rock of Ages - I fully acknowledge that Rock of Ages is not really a good film. With that said, I guarantee I will watch it about 2,000 times. The reasons why are pretty simple. I do like movie musicals. I really tend to like embarrassingly bad movie musicals, including such stuff as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (oh, it's terrible, I know) and Grease 2. I don't know that Rock of Ages is as terrible as they are, but its plot is ludicrous and David is correct that Diego Boneta is utterly lacking in appeal. With that said, I'm a child of the '80s and I loved the little touches such as Journey "Escape" t-shirts, buttons on jean vets, and Russell Brand wearing a Joe Elliott-type shirt. Also, Tom Cruise is really great. I'm not saying his singing is fabulous, but I think his voice actually fits the character pretty well. And there are a few fun hair band cameos in there, too.
Moonrise Kingdom - I'm a Wes Anderson mark, with The Darjeeling Limited being his only true "miss" for me. I was really excited by the great reviews for Moonrise Kingdom and I can say that I was not in any way disappointed. To the contrary, this is my favorite movie of the year so far. I thought Anderson injected a lot of wry humor into the film and as always, the detail was spectacular. He's created a fantasy world that is well worth the visit.
Brave - I think this is a movie that I will enjoy more upon repeated viewings. It is absolutely gorgeous, with lush animation that can be spellbinding at times (the horse in particular is *wonderful*.) I thought the mother-daughter focus was pretty touching and I also rather liked the fantasy aspects of the film. It felt sort of inspired by Miyazaki to me. I agree that it's not at the same level of such classics as Up and Ratatouille, but I found it to be satisfying.
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World - The subject matter is tough, because the title tells you what is going to happen. Don't doubt that for a moment. With that said, this is a sweet movie that takes full advantage of Steve Carell's talent at playing a good, decent everyman. His chemistry with Keira Knightley is surprisingly tender.
Safety Not Guaranteed - I love when I go into movies and have no idea what to expect. I knew who was in this film and that it involved time travel in some way, but that was all. It's a movie that I like more as I think about it more. Aubrey Plaza is indeed outstanding, and Mark Duplass is goofy as hell yet still manages to be completely engaging. I never was sure where the story was going - not even to the last moment. I love it when I can see a movie and be surprised and delighted.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - When I left the theater after seeing this, my comment was, "It was slow, but not bad." However, the more I thought about the movie, the more it annoyed me. I thought this premise had a lot of potential but instead of making a fun movie about a brilliant president who also happened to hunt vampires on the side, we got a pretty straight story. And in the end, the movie just wound up being boring and laborious. That's just not forgivable.
Ted -This movie does have a lot of big laughs, and I was pretty impressed with the animation/puppetry involved in bringing Ted to life. With that said, I'm not a big fan of Family Guy because I think the jokes fall flat more often than they hit, and Ted sometimes falls victim to the same problem. There are a lot of *very* funny jokes in the film. There is a cameo that is brilliant. Still, I found myself wondering why in the hell people were laughing at a number of things. Overall, I'd still recommend Ted. The high spots are so good that the less funny stuff is easy to overlook.