Review: Kick-Ass 2

The original Kick-Ass was a fun, sharp, self-aware play on the superhero genre punctuated by humor, sarcasm, and over-the-top violence.  While the movie was not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea, it was an anthem of sorts to anyone who has ever read a comic book, watched a Saturday morning cartoon, or plunked down cash at the cinema to witness caped vigilantes save the day.  Ultimately, because of its cult following (and of course its success in the home entertainment market), Universal decided to move forward with a sequel.  The result of this decision is a movie that hardly resembles (in look and feel) its predecessor, despite the fact that nearly every surviving character from the first movie reprises their respective role.

The plot of Kick-Ass 2 finds Kick-Ass ad Hit Girl moving forward with their leaves after the events of the first film and each is coping with the fallout in different ways.  With the increasing emergence of citizens taking up the role of costumed vigilantes, Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Dave feels compelled to once again put on his Kick-Ass costume and join a league dedicated to preserving justice, while Chlore Grace Moretz’s Mindy is convinced by her stepfather to leave behind that life.  Still thirsting for revenge, Christopher Mintz-Plasse's Chris D'Amico assembles a squad of super villains to hunt down and destroy Kick-Ass and his cohorts, thus setting up the ultimate faceoff between the two.

The first and foremost reason why this film fails is that unlike its predecessor, this film is not so much a self-aware tongue-in-cheek look at the superhero genre, but more a straight forward narrative.  Perhaps there is nothing left in the genre to be prodded or perhaps writer/director Jeff Wadlow’s script just isn’t as insightful, but the fact of the matter is that Kick-Ass would not have worked as a nuts-and-bolts credible narrative and neither does this one.  The plot is just too farcical and nonsensical to be played straight and needless to say that the absence of Matthew Vaughn behind the camera is glaring.

Another problem with Kick-Ass 2 is that it feels as though the film loses its way very early on in the plot.  Another strength of its predecessor is that even though it was set in New York City, there was a small intimate feeling to the story.  Everything felt very contained in a specific time and space and that kept the narrative taut and the pacing brisk.  With the expanded scope and scale of Kick-Ass 2, that sort of vibe and pacing that marked the first film gets lost and likewise, the plot holes and logic leaps feel that much bigger and much more egregious.

My last issue with this film has to do with the work of Aaron Taylor-Johnson.  Taylor-Johnson has turned in some good work in the past (Kick-Ass, Anna Karenina), but it doesn’t take too much screen time to realize he has outgrown this role.  The hair, the posture, his voice – it all seems so forced not unlike those last few years of Jaleel White as Urkel on Family Matter.  In fact, that is a perfect analogy.  It makes you feel like there is no credibility to his portrayal of the awkward teen protagonist and that breaks the “reality” of the film.

As for his precocious co-star, Chloe Grace Moretz, she continues to act beyond her years.  Unfortunately, the role is not up to snuff.  Her character’s assimilation into real-life seems so oddly detached from the film, playing out like scenes from Mean Girls 2 that were left on the cutting room floor.  It’s a story no one wants to see that does more harm to the pacing of the film than any good it might do for character development.  Since 500 Days of Summer, it’s been evident that Moretz can act, but with this and her upcoming turn in the Carrie remake, the question remains as to whether she (and her people) are choosing proper roles.

As for the rest of the cast, no one stands out from the collection of pedestrian performances.  Christopher Mintz-Plasse as super villain Chris D’Amico plays an iteration of pretty much every other character that he has ever played; ditto for Clark Duke and Donald Faison as Kick-Ass’ friend Marty and the likable but unremarkable Dr. Gravity respectively.  As for the more seasoned of the principle players, Morris Chestnut, John Leguizamo, and Jim Carrey do little more than go through the paces in limited screen time – presumably laughing all the way to the bank.  Ultimately, their performances fall in line with what looks and feels like a mediocre production from start to finish.

When you consider the film from top to bottom it’s impossible not to conclude that Kick-Ass 2 is a sequel that didn’t need to be made.  It’s slower and more violent than the first, but more importantly, not nearly as clever.  Only a small portion of the general public will mine some entertainment value from watching this film, so it is really difficult for me to recommend it.  At best, it’s a rental for fans of the action and/or superhero genre but even then it is not a slam dunk to entertain.  As for those of you who truly loved the first Kick-Ass, The Matrix rules should apply; meaning if you want to preserve your affinity for the first film, then avoid this sequel. 

Standout Performance:  Lindy Booth, since I have noting bad to say.

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Review: The To Do List

Cheeky raucous sex romp comedies that pay homage to the past by brutally tearing them apart have been a staple of American cinema for the better part of the last four decades.  When they work, they have the dual effect of making you feel nostalgic and embarrassed by the dated pop culture phenomena that defined your hormonally driven past.  When they don’t work, the scenes feel like one of those forced conversation about things that no one really wants to talk about.  While I had low expectations for The To DoList, a sexual coming-of-age movie set in the 90’s, I am sorry to say that it was more the latter than the former.  At best it is a complete mixed bag of innuendo and sentiment adding up to one complete mess.

The plot of the movie follows Aubrey Plaza’s Brady Klark, the anal valedictorian of her high school class, as she embarks on the summer before starting college.  After an encounter with Rusty Waters (Scott Porter) - a twenty-something burnout/aspiring musician - sparks her sexual awakening, she with the help of her friends creates a checklist of sexual experiences she believes will prepare her for college. 

Fifteen minutes into the film, I felt like writer/director Maggie Carey had something going with her assault on the early 90’s.  Truth be told, it’s a time period that is just so rich in embarrassing pop culture phenomena.  About thirty-minute later, the jokes really started to get old; clearly the result of going to the well far too many times.  It felt like every time the plot stalled, a joke about hyper color t-shirts or the movie Beaches would find its way into the dialogue.  Does this make the movie a complete disaster?  No.  There are other elements far more damaging, but it is emblematic of just how thin this film runs on laughs after the first act.

Where things really go awry is when the plot twists becomes overly raunchy for no other reason than for the sake of being raunchy.  It’s at those moments where you feel like Carey has completely run out of jokes or plot threads.  It’s unfortunate, because there are some very good comedic moments and solid one-liners to build off of, but ultimately the flow of the narrative gets stifled by these forced scenes.  A bit more attention to both the overall arc and some character development would have gone a long way in remedying this issue.  Again, this film was never intended to be an Oscar nominee (obviously), so one would imagine that this would not have been an insurmountable fix.

One of the more positive aspects of the movie is the cast.  Protagonist Aubrey Plaza of Parks and Recreation is quirky and sarcastic with her signature dry delivery and more often than not she is able to pull off the uptight, nerdy, and  sexually uncomfortable vibe required for the role.  As the movie wears on though, it becomes increasingly evident that she isn’t quite up to the task of carrying a feature film, but it’s not for a lack of trying.  She goes for it and that is highly commendable.

Joining Plaza on this ride is Bill Hader as the degenerate boss of the local public pool.  As one would expect, Hader is very funny in his typical off beat moronic way, but also brings a nice touch of sentimentality to the film.  Connie Britton and Clark Gregg (as Mr. and Mrs. Klark) also do a good job in The To Do List, providing an unbalanced parental presence and generating laughter with their respective perspectives on sex.  Their scenes are especially funny when Rachel Bilson (as Plaza’s more vacuous and more sexually experienced older sister) joins in on the dysfunctional family hijinks. 

Not fairing quite as well is Bilson’s Heart of Dixie co-star, Scott Porter.  As Rusty Waters – the object of Plaza’s desire, Porter fails to really stand out.  His time on screen amounts to little more than flexing by the pool and strumming an acoustic guitar.  His shortcomings however are made up for by the trio of Johnny Simmons, Alia Skawkat, and Sarah Steele - the trio of friends orbiting around Plaza’s R-rated chicanery. 

There were a lot of reasons why I wanted to like this movie.  Its premise is set in a time and place that I can relate to; the cast features two of my favorite Friday Night Lights actors; and Plaza is without a doubt the best thing about Parks and Recreation.  Still, I didn’t walk out of the theater loving this one.  It should have been a rental anyway, but even under those circumstances I don’t know that my appreciation for this movie would have increased.  There are times when the film is really funny, but those scenes don’t outweigh the bad ones.  And without that brand of fun, it’s hard to overlook the movie’s many blemishes.  Save this one for a really really slow night when you are in desperate need for any kind of comedic relief with few other available options.  This gives you the best chance of finding great value in this project.

Standout Performance:  Bill Hader.  Not everything he does in this movie works, but he hits at a higher percentage than his cast mates.  

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Review: This is the End

I think we’ve all had a moment where we look at our friends sitting around the apartment drinking beers and talking smack about anything and everything and come to the brilliant realization that making a movie about our regular interactions would be pure cinematic gold.  Because of course every single thing we say is incredibly witty and every punch line completely hilarious.  Yet somehow, despite this obvious wealth of entertainment value, this never comes to fruition.  The reasons for this are threefold:

1.  Most of us are not nearly as funny or witty as we think.

2.  No one cares what kind of idiocy most strangers would spew during a drunken stupor or otherwise.

3.  Unlike writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, we don’t have a bunch of famous comedic actor friends to attach to the film in order to convince a studio like Columbia Pictures to distribute said movie.

Luckily for the writing tandem that brought you Superbad, Pineapple Express, and The Green Hornet (2011), they do have such friends.  The result then is one hundred and seven minutes of footage showing a group of mostly funny actors hanging out under the guise of making a movie.  The plot of said movie finds Seth Rogen and Jay Barauhel (as themselves) attending a party at James Franco’s house along with Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride, and a number of other celebrities that one would associate with this group.  When the end of the world seemingly strikes the Hollywood hills, the group must fight to survive the end of days while managing to keep their respective friendships intact. 

So when you take a bunch of actors who are adept at adlibbing and throw them in a confined space to film scenes that are loaded with comedic banter, most times the script gets thrown out the window.  And it’s evident that this is precisely what is going on in this film.  Portraying the worst caricatures of their respective public personas, it’s clear these actors are riffing on each other in very natural ways with no topic off limits.  The chemistry that they share really makes this the best aspect of the movie.  The jokes are cutting, incisive, and outlandish but then again, so is the premise (armageddon) and thus it all comes together in what can best be described as a frenetic hot mess.

Ironically, the very vehicle that allows for the over-the-top hilarity (specifically the end of the world as a backdrop) is ultimately what drags this movie to a screeching halt in the third act.  The first two thirds of the movie focus on establishing friendships and on comedic hijinks (the high point of the film), while the last third is dedicated to bringing some closure to all the fire and brimstone, and unfortunately that’s the least interesting aspect of the film.  The further you move away from the reckless banter, the more you become aware of how flimsy the whole narrative is.  That’s not to say that there aren’t some strong moments in the final act, but that by then, the movie’s sheen has definitely faded.

As for the work of the principle cast, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Danny McBride particularly stand out for their comedic timing, prowess with physical comedy, and overall screen presence.  If I had to take a guess, I would say that this trio provides the lion’s share of laughs attributed to the principle actors.  James Franco and Seth Rogen hold their own in this film though their work is a step down in the laughter department.  Seemingly not as adept at adlibbing as their peers, Franco and Rogen seem to rely more on the written script and thus many of their lines lack the natural spontaneity that the others project.  As for Jay Baruchel, he is the straight man of the group and thus responsible for setting up the jokes rather than delivering punch lines.  He plays the same character from She’s Out of My League and in this way he is perfectly adequate.

As for the celebrity cameos, the best of the bunch come from Michael Cera (hilarious), Emma Watson (because she’s Emma Watson), and one actor who surprisingly shows up in the third act (click here if you want to know), but there is no shortage of familiar faces (including Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Rihanna, Aziz Ansari, et al) parading across screen during the first act to add a bit of punch to the chicanery unfolding onscreen.

In its totality, the movie is really funny.  If you are an avid fan of the movie industry you will especially appreciate some of the verbal barbs tossed around in this film.  However, This is the End is not for everyone.  As I mentioned, the plot is soft and the jokes are incredibly crude so if either of these elements are absolute deterrents to you enjoying a movie, you may want to rent it on DVD or take a pass altogether.  But in all honesty, they don’t really make films like this and probably won’t ever again (unless it grosses $250M).  So that plus some genuinely hilarious moments make This is the End worth a look this weekend…just not before you check out Man of Steel (review coming on Friday).

Standout Performance:  Danny McBride.  He proves once again that he is incredibly underrated.

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Review: Movie 43

The year was 1991.  I had hopped on the train to Boston to enjoy a saturday with friends.  After a fine meal, we decided to see a movie at the Loews Copley Plaza (gone but not forgotten).  Someone insisted on seeing a movie I had never heard of called Drop Dead Fred and we all acquiesced.  I was basking in the glow of a perfect day away from school and thought nothing could ruin the moment.  Twenty minutes into the movie, I realized that I was horribly wrong.  There was one thing that could do just that…and I was now watching it.  As I walked out of the cinema some ninety minutes later I uttered these three words: “worst movie ever.”  In the two decades since, I may have echoed that sentiment a few times, but no movie has truly been able to seize that moniker from Drop Dead Fred.  All of that changed yesterday when I watched Movie 43, because it is indeed the “worst movie ever.”

Movie 43 is a collection of self-contained sketches directed by a collection of individuals featuring casts that are accomplished to varying degrees.  The comedic (and I use that word lightly) skits are tied together by a plotline featuring Dennis Quaid as a deranged screenwriter who desperately and forcibly pitches script ideas to a film executive (Greg Kinnear).  What ensues is a litany of asinine juvenile sketches that wouldn’t even be good enough for the SNL cutting room floor. 

Let’s cut to the chase.  Yes, it really is the worst movie I have ever seen and were it not for extreme boredom I probably would not have made it past the first twenty minutes.  However, what is most surprising about this movie is some of the names attached to it.  Some of that can be explained away by the fact that each actor’s awareness of the production was contained to their own respective sketches.  While that nugget absolves absolutely no one, it makes things a bit more palatable.   Peter Farrelly (There's Something About Mary, Kingpin) however has no such excuse as he championed this project from start to finish as a writer/producer/director.

So what makes it so bad?  The skit about an eligible bachelor with testicles on his neck (Hugh Jackman) would in most cases mark the low point for any film, but not in this one.  With sketches about coprophilia (Anna Faris), female menstruation (Chloe Grace Moretz), and rowdy birthday leprechauns, the film manages to reach new lows every time you think it could not possibly get any worse.  The experience of watching Movie 43 is best likened to following the real life exploits of Lindsay Lohan on TMZ.  It’s repulsive and disgusting yet demands attention because you just can’t help but wonder how far the once mighty can fall.  Rest assured, this film will plummet beneath whatever depths of idiocy you can fathom.

If I absolutely had to pick out a bright spot or two in the movie, I would single out real life couple Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts for their portrayal of a married couple who has opted to home school their son.  Likewise, Terrence Howard as the coach of an all black high basketball team stands slightly above the other sketches.  Sure, those two skits have moments where they pander to the lowest denominator in society, but there are also some genuinely funny punch lines that almost make you forget the shame and regret that mounts the longer you watch this movie.

To spend any more time discussing Movie 43 would be a disservice to myself and to the rest of humanity.  Before you clicked on this post, you were probably not inclined to watch this movie and hopefully, nothing I have written will in any way change your opinion.  There’s bad; then there’s terrible; and then there’s another level that you should completely avoid and this is one of those movies you should never watch…ever…under any circumstances.  In fact, should this DVD ever find its way into your life, you should treat it as you would the VHS tape from The Ring.  Break it; burn it; throw it in a well; whatever you need to do to make sure your eyes never see a single frame.  You’ve been warned.

Standout Performance: Everyone who passed on this movie.  

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Review: Pitch Perfect

Before Pitch Perfect was released in theaters, I received invites to at least twelve different free screenings of this movie.  Depending on how you look at it, this was either a sign that the film had some issues so the creative team was looking for feedback or that the powers that be at Universal felt like they had a hit on their hands and were trying to generate word-of-mouth buzz.  Whatever the reason, the screenings and the marketing worked because the film earned a robust $76M against a $17M production budget.

Before renting this movie, I thought it would play like a glorified episode of Glee, but there was just enough of a Bring It On (vastly underrated movie) vibe to elevate it into something more.  The plot follows Anna Kendrick’s Beca – an aspiring DJ/producer with intimacy issues, who matriculates at Barton College and finds herself a member of The Bellas – an all female a cappella group.  Thrust into a national singing competition, Kendrick and her teammates must find the right formula to capture the coveted championship.

So as you might have guessed, we're not exactly dealing with Shakespeare or Milton here in regards to the subject matter and the plot asks for a bit too much suspension of disbelief, but one area where the film works is in the acting.  Don't get m wrong.  I am not implying that the acting is particularly great - in fact there are a few cringe-worthy moment - but what I do mean is that it is the right brand of acting to fit the film and its target audience.  Everyone not named Anna Kendrick needs only be perfectly one-dimensional to help fill the time between musical numbers (which are the nuts and bolts of the movie), and for the most part they are.

Rebel Wilson works the same side of the street as she did in Bridesmaids and What to Expect When You are Expecting, and it still works.  She is consistently the only legitimate comic relief in the movie and steals the show with her unique delivery.  Skylar Astin is charged with playing Kendrick’s love interest Jesse, and the only thing I can say about him is he has a good voice and looks like a cross between Dane Cook and Ben Savage.  As for the rest of the crew, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins, Kelley Jakle, et al excel as vocalists and are mediocre as actors.  But really, that is all they need to be.

As for Kendrick, I have been a huge fan of hers in the past as I loved her work in Up in the Air, 50/50, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and End of Watch.  Her work in this film is not nearly on par with those other performances, but she does show herself to be a tremendous singer.  Those moments are when she shines best, while the character development scenes feel rather pedestrian.  This I suspect is the result of the lackluster script, but yes, Kendrick has seen better days as an actress.  Still, she is just charismatic enough to keep the viewer engaged for the duration of the film.

Much like my review, my opinion of this movie is all over the place.  There are things that worked and things that didn’t.  However, there are just enough positives to make this movie mildly entertaining.  If you like light hearted films, then this one will play for you.  But if you are looking for gravitas or fisticuffs, then this movie probably will be your Kryptonite.  It won’t leave you feeling pensive or thoughtful, but Perfect Pitch may leave you wanting to add a few tunes to one of your playlists.  At the very least, the vocals are top notch. 

Standout Performance: Rebel Wilson.  She provides good comic relief.

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Review: Fright Night (2011)

While watching Fright Night (2011), a punch line comes to mind that was uttered by Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, while he was speaking with Jon Bon Jovi about his participation in the movie Vampire: Los Muertos.  Specifically, he said to Bon Jovi: “Finally, a role that requires you to suck!”  That one line perfectly captures how I feel about Colin Farrell’s turn as a blood sucking fiend from beyond in a film that can best be described as Disturbia (which is a cheap man’s Rear Window) meets The Lost Boys.  However, I have to admit that despite some bad CG, for once Farrell is not terrible – and I think this is because for years casting directors have been trying to place him in leading roles that require the audience to like him.  To the contrary, this role works precisely because it capitalizes on the unlikeable qualities that seem to pervade his public persona.

So going into this movie, I really did not want to like it.  It had been sitting on my iPad unviewed for over a month.  Only a cross-country flight could bring me to watch it.  This movie has a lot in common with the aforementioned Disturbia, which was not a particularly good movie.  One major reason it surpasses its doppelganger is that it features a protagonist that the viewer can root for.  Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Like Crazy) is solid as a high school kid looking to maintain his perceived tenuous grasp on popularity and on his attractive girlfriend Amy, played by Imogen Poots.  You watch him on screen and find him believable as a sneaker-head/closet geek who is painfully aware that he is dating up and worried that some day his significant other is going to realize this.

Farrell's Jerry Dandridge is a good antagonist to Yelchin’s Charley.  While he may not be the most authentic vampire incarnation to make it on screen (actually far from it), Farrell smugness is so palpable that viewers can find themselves rooting against him regardless of the thirst-for-blood associated with his role.  Toni Collette is adequate as Charley’s single mom and David Tennant offers a nice tonal change of pace as the enigmatic illusionist Peter Vincent.  Of the group, Christoper Mintz-Plasse is the biggest miss as Evil Ed Thompson, though part of me wonders if it is because to most he will always be McLovin.

At the end of the day, we’re not dealing with Shakespeare here as there is nothing terribly original about a plot that involves a vampire terrorizing a semi-isolated small community – even when you throw the bright lights of Vegas into the mix.  But the movie is meant to put you on the edge of your seat and director Craig Gillespie does a fair job of building tension while intermittently opting for the cheap scare.  In a genre that is notorious for churning out low budget gore fests, Fright Night rates above average in regards to character development.

I do have to say that the film unravels a bit in the third act and that detracts from the overall tone of the movie, but I still consider Fright Night a fair horror rental - especially if you are looking for a moderate amount of suspense.  It may be a bit mild for hardcore enthusiast, but there is just enough there to keep everyone entertained.

Standout Performance: Imogen Poots does a nice job of channeling Sarah Roemer’s Ashley in Disturbia and Elisha Cuthbert’s Danielle from The Girl Next Door.

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