Yes Man
Jim Carrey returns to the big screen as Carl Allen, a bank loan officer who never quite learned how to say…yes. His job suits him, giving him plenty of opportunities to say no to quite a lot of people, the problem is, he says no to quite literally everything. When a friend tells him about being a yes man, Carl reluctantly agrees to go to a seminar that will help him say the magical word. Following the seminar, Carl has to say yes to everything, and initially it brings him very good fortune. When he starts saying yes to things he doesn’t want, the hilarity ensues. My analysis is below, here is the theatrical one-sheet from the film:
The Theatrical One-Sheet for Yes Man
This film was pretty hilarious based on the situations that Jim Carrey’s character was subjected to. I laughed the entire time, and the audience around me seemed to enjoy the film as well. The only degrading mark that I’d give this film is based on its originality. It struck me as extremely similar to Carrey’s 90’s hit Liar Liar. With that said, however, I’d give this film 4 out of 5 stars.
Twilight
The long awaited movie adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s novel “Twilight” hit theaters on November 21st to throngs of tweens, teens, and adults alike in what has quickly become a national phenomenon. Bella Swan (Kristin Stewart) is new to the small town for Forks, Washington, and doesn’t know many people. Her father Charlie (Billy Burke) seems to have a very detached relationship with Bella, and lets her keep to herself. One day, while she’s at school, she meets Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a mysterious boy who, at first, seems to want nothing to do with her. The worst part is, in Bella’s eyes, Edward is extremely attractive. His odd habits, however, such as absences from school for “personal” reasons, and his increasingly hot and cold weather, frustrate Bella. It eventually comes out that Edward is a 107 year old vampire who wants Bella’s blood, so natural he’s extremely attracted to her. Thus begins a passionate relationship that tests both Edward’s ability to restrain himself from sucking Bella’s blood; as well as Bella’s ability to maintain a stable relationship with Edward, knowing full well that there is a part of Edward that wants to eat her. Keeping in mind that this film was shot with a limited budget, I thought the film stayed true to the novel (yes, I read it), and was extremely well done. My analysis is below, here is the theatrical one-sheet from the film:
The Theatrical One-Sheet for Twilight
Keeping in mind that this film did not have the budget to support much of the green screen effects seen in many of the films today, I thought director Catherine Hardwicke did well with what she had. When it was all said and done, Twilight fans will be happy to know that Hardwicke and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg stayed true to the novel, including some of the novels best known lines, sometimes verbatim. Knowing how hard the cast and crew worked, I give this film a solid 4 out of 5 stars.
New Upcoming Movie: The International
Head on over to the upcoming movie page to check out the plot synopsis and trailer for the upcoming action film The International, starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts. The film is set to hit theaters on February 13th, 2009, and looks to be a very satisfying thriller about an Interpol Agent and a Manhattan Assistant DA who try to take down a high profile bank with corrupt intentions.
Transporter 3
Jason Statham returns as Frank Martin, The Transporter who has a fairly tough assignment when he’s forced to transport the daughter of a Ukranian government official across Europe. This time, Valentina (Natalya Rudakova) is the cargo, and with a bomb attached to the car and the detonator attached to Martin’s wrist, he has little option or opinion in the matter. What ensues is a high octane ride through the European back country in which both characters continually learn more about each other as the ride goes on. This action thriller is a great popcorn flick that caters to guys, (I will admit), but also packs a punch. The martial arts action in this film is pretty amazing, and it didn’t hurt that Statham has some UFC background. My analysis is below, here is the theatrical one-sheet from the film:
The theatrical one-sheet for The Transporter 3
Overall I thought the film delivered fairly well. I really enjoyed the martial arts action in the show and the car stunts were also pretty cool. Like I said, this film is a pretty good popcorn flick. I wouldn’t necessarily spend full price on the film, but I still think it’s worth going to see in the theaters. I give this film 3.8 out of 5 stars.
Quantum of Solace
Daniel Craig reprises his role as the James Bond in the latest installment of the franchise. Along for the ride is new Bond girl Camille (Olga Kurylenko), and villain Dominic Green (Mathieu Amalric). Quantum of Solace begins where the last Bond film, Casino Royal, left off. Bond interrogates Mr. White (Jesper Christensen) in an attempt to track down whoever killed Bond’s lover Vesper. What he finds is an organization that’s hell bent on controlling the worlds water supply, and Greene is at the top of the company’s chain. This begins a chase around the world to such exotic locations as Haiti, Italy, and Austria. Along the way, Bond is restricted by M (Judi Dench) who’s lost faith and trust in her “double 0″ and thinks that he’s only out to avenge is former lover. To get to the bottom of the vicious worldwide operation, Bond must align himself with men who were once enimies. And perhaps the hardest thing Bond must do, is forgive himself for loving Vesper. My analysis is below, here is the theatrical one-sheet from the film:
The Theatrical One-Sheet for Quantum of Solace
Overall I thought this Bond film was pretty good, and I think that Daniel Craig brings Bond in to the 21st century with his youth and athleticism prominently displayed throughout the film. Amalric does a great job portraying a villain who is truly off his rocker (he wields an axe and starts swinging at one point in the film), while Kurylenko plays an ever-sexy Bond girl. There were a few things that I think that this Bond film lacked however, as it put the car chase before the opening credits. Whatever happened to Bond having to use all the cool gadgets in his car during the chase scene. Personally, I don’t like seeing a beautiful Aston Martin get destroyed without having seen it deal out some of it’s own destruction first. Secondly, Bond and Camille share one kiss. One. Period. I think that directors are starting to stray away from basic Bond elements that we are all accustomed to seeing, simply to put their own mark on the film. I’d look for the next film to bring back “R,” the new techno genius who introduces Bond to his car, I also look for the next Bond girl to actually have relations with Bond the next time around. Overall, I give this film 3 out of 5 stars.
Role Models
2008’s Role Models pairs The 40 Year-Old Virgin’s Paul Rudd with American Pie’s Sean William Scott. Wheeler (Scott) and Danny (Rudd) are two guys struggling through life in a dead end job trying to sell teens their energy drink. When Danny makes a mistake by cursing out a group of middle schoolers and driving his truck into a statue, Wheeler and Danny get sentenced to 150 hours of community service. They are assigned to mentor two kids named Ronnie (Bobb’e J. Thompson) and Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Superbad). Ronnie is a hellion with bad language and an even worse attitude, while Augie is a confused teenager who lives most of his life in a fantasy world. At first, the foursome don’t get along with each other. As the movie progresses, however, the comedic situations that these four characters face force them to learn about each other, while learning life lessons in the process.
This movie was a pretty funny comedy that utilized a lot of big names, both from the past, as well as the present. I would, however, caution parents, because the Ronnie’s language is a bit questionable, and you mgiht want to think twice before taking the kids. Overall, however, this movie delivered in a big way, and is one of the funniest movies to hit theaters this fall. I give the film a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Pride and Glory
After watching director Gavin O’Conner’s new film Pride and Glory, I can now positively say that my favorite genre of film is the crime drama. Pride and Glory centers around a multi-generational family of cops who work the 31st precinct of the NYPD; the gritty Washington Heights. Ray Tierney (Edward Norton) is a good cop who caught some flack some time ago for protecting his family as opposed to doing the right thing. Jimmy Egan (Colin Ferrall), Ray’s brother-in-law, however, is motivated by what some would call the root of all evil, money. Ray’s brother Francis Tierney Jr (Noah Emmerich), is somewhere between the gradient of Jimmy and Ray, not a good cop, but a bad one who takes responsibility for his actions. The film centers around Ray and his effort to try to find the perpetrator who killed four cops. As the story unfolds, the evidence continually points to Ray’s brother Francis, and Ray’s brother-in-law Jimmy. To make matters worse, Ray is under pressure from his father Francis Tierney Sr. (John Voight) to keep the incriminating evidence under wraps. Ray must find a way to appease his father, yet still feel the satisfaction of doing the right thing. As the tension builds, a shocking conclusion unfolds. My analysis is below, here is the theatrical one-sheet from the film:
The Theatrical One-Sheet for Pride and Glory
I really thought this film was excellent. Edward Norton and Colin Ferrall did a great job portraying the moral dilemma of family vs. the truth, which is what this film was really all about. A word of caution though, the script for this film tries in the best way possible to depict the gritty day’s work of an NYPD cop in Washington Heights. To put it bluntly, there are only a handful of lines without the f-bomb inserted at some point in the line. If you’re thinking about taking the kids, you probably don’t want to, and I would even caution the parents of tweeners who want to see the film. The film is rated R for a good reason, and language is not the only reason. Still, this film really delivers, and it’s one that I’ll be looking to own it when it arrives on DVD. I give this film a 4.7 out of 5 stars, a must see this fall.
Saw V
Critics have said that the Saw franchise has been going on too long, that it should have stopped at the end of three, and that it’s lost its cult appeal because it’s gone too mainstream. I think the critics, however, are going to be surprised when they find out the numbers for Saw V’s opening weekend. The theater I went to was absolutely packed with people from all age groups. On one side of me I’ve got my girlfriend, and on the other side, I’ve got a father-daughter combo, (the daughter looks about 12 at the eldest).
Saw V didn’t disappoint fans either. This chapter of the saga does a nice job tying a little bow on things, wrapping the franchise up quite nicely. The film tells the story of Detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor), who is highly decorated by the police force for his work in cracking the case of the jigsaw murders. Across town, Agent Peter Strahm (Scott Patterson) finds himself too often “thinking inside the box.” Literally. Strahm is in one of jigsaw’s traps, while everyone else think that the jigsaw murders are over. Strahm, however, gets out of the trap alive, and begins a manhunt for whoever is continuing jigsaw’s dirty work. Little does Strahm know how deep run the secrets that Detective Hoffman holds. My analysis for the film is below, here is the theatrical one-sheet for the film:
The Theatrical One-Sheet for Saw V
The critics will be glad to know that this franchise is pretty much wrapped up with the current installment, and even I will be surprised if Saw VI is made. The reason why so many people love the Saw franchise is that it functions more as a psychological thriller than a gory slasher. Yes, there is quite a bit of blood, and although the father sitting next to me chose to bring his daughter, I wouldn’t recommend you take the kids to see this one. For the adult viewer, however, this film featured the most complex plot of the entire Saw franchise, but it was able to be followed. Overall, I give this film 4.5 out of 5 stars for its unique blend of gory slasher with complex “cat and mouse” crime drama.
Quarantine
Shot in a “Cloverfield-esq” manner, Quarantine attempted to make a horrifying flick with its “home video” format of directing. Jennifer Carpenter stars as Angela Vidal, a T.V. reporter doing a special piece on the firefighters of Los Angeles. Her cameraman Scott (Steve Harris) is also frequently heard in the film, and makes a short appearance, although most of his time is spent behind the lens, and not in front of it. The film starts off with Vidal going around meeting the firemen and seeing what their lives are like on a nightly basis. Secretly, however, Vidal is praying for a call, even if its just a cat stuck up in a tree. Well “the call” finally comes in, and in the middle of the night, Vidal, her cameraman Scott, and the L.A. fire department are dispatched to a local apartment complex where the residents seem frightened and confused as to what’s been going on. As it turns out, the residents are getting infected, one by one, with a highly contagious, highly potent form of rabies. The United States Government seals off the building, effectively trapping everyone, including Vidal, the firemen, and Scott, inside…sealing their fate. Here’s the theatrical one-sheet from the film, my analysis is below:
The Theatrical One-Sheet for Quarantine
When I ask myself if Quarantine delivered some scares, the answer is yes. I have one caveat, however, and that’s why I gave the ending away in this post. Quarantine was shot similarly to Cloverfield, with one main difference. Whenever an important part in Cloverfield was about to happen, the cameraman always held the camera steady, and there was enough light that the audience could see the subject. Quarantine, however, was much different, the camerawork was very shaky, and the entire movie was five shades too dark for anyone to be able to see the action. I gave the entire plot away because you really shouldn’t waste your money on this one. I give this film 2 out of 5 stars.
Appaloosa
If you like westerns, Appaloosa is right up your alley, and really helps to revive an entire genre of film. Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen star as Sheriff Virgil Cole and Deputy Everett Hitch, two no nonsense lawmen who are called to the town of Appaloosa to help them solve a bullying problem. The bullies are led by Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons) and are a crew of miscrits who terrorize the town, at least until Cole and Hitch despence their brand of justice on the men.
This film was fast paced and really focused on three or four main characters throughout the show, which made the show easy to understand, and fun to watch. Harris does a masterful job of writing, directing, producing, and starring in the film. Likewise, Mortensen also portrays a multi-faceted character, and along with Renee Zellweger playing Allison French, Cole’s love interest, the three main characters really do a bang up job on this film. It is a little violent and does get a bit bloody, but I saw this movie with my friend Bill, and he and I would both have to say that it is a good guy flick to go too, and if any ladies like action movies, this one is sure to deliver. I give this film 4.5 out 5 stars.
