Review: "DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE" Brings the Friends and Family Vibe Back to Marvel

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 34 of 2024 (No. 1978) by Leroy Douresseaux

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Running time:  127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)

MPA – R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, gore and sexual references

DIRECTOR:  Shawn Levy

WRITERS:  Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick, Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy, and Zeb Wells (based on Marvel Comics characters)

PRODUCERS:  Kevin Feige, Shawn Levy, Ryan Reynolds, and Lauren Shuler Donner

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  George Richmond (D.o.P.)

EDITORS:  Shawn Reid and Dean Zimmerman

COMPOSER:  Rob Simonsen

SUPERHERO/COMEDY/ACTION

Starring:  Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfayden, Jon Favreau, Rob Delaney, Morena Baccarin, Karan Soni, Brianna Hildebrand, Shioli Kutsuna, Aaron Stanford, and Leslie Uggams with Chris Evans, Jennifer Garner, Dafne Keen, Ray Parks, Channing Tatum, Blake Lively, Matthew McConaughey, and Wesley Snipes

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

--Once again, Ryan Reynolds' comic talent shines as Wade Wilson/Deadpool, making Deadpool & Wolverine the best Deadpool film.

--Hugh Jackman brings dramatic balance and heft to the wackiness of Deadpool & Wolverine, but Jackman also adds a deft comic touch to the strong bloody violence and rapid-fire coarse language.

--There are multiple cameos and short appearances, but the surprise appearances of four particular characters from earlier Marvel films make Deadpool & Wolverine a winner

Deadpool & Wolverine is a 2024 American superhero film and action-comedy directed by Shawn Levy and produced by Marvel Studios.  It is the 34th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  It is also the third entry in the Deadpool movie franchise.

The film is based on two Marvel Comics characters.  The first is Deadpool, a character created by artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, and that first appeared in New Mutants #98 (cover dated: December 1990).  The second is Wolverine, a character created by writer Len Wein and artists John Romita and Herb Trimpe and that first fully appeared in the comic book, The Incredible Hulk #181 (cover dated: November 1974).  In Deadpool & Wolverine the movie, a space-time organization has set Deadpool on a mission to save his own universe, so he brings in Wolverine to help him.

Deadpool & Wolverine basically begins on March 14, 2018.  That is the day that Wade Wilson/Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), the smart-mouthed mutant mercenary, approaches the Avengers organization about becoming a member of the Avengers.  It doesn't work, and Wade falls into a deep depression that takes a toll on his relationship with his beloved Vanessa Carlysle (Morena Baccarin).  It's also time to celebrate Wade's birthday, and his friends gather at the apartment he shares with Blind Al (Leslie Uggams).

In the middle of the revelry, agents of the “Time Variance Authority” (TVA) arrive to take Wade into custody.  At TVA headquarters, project head, Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfayden), informs Deadpool that his own Earth/universe, Earth-10005, is scheduled for destruction, but that he can live in another universe.  Determined to save his world, Deadpool rejects the offer and goes rogue.  He travels throughout the multiverse searching for a version of Wolverine that can help him save his Earth.  Eventually, Deadpool finds a variant of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) with a tragic past.

Deadpool and Wolverine spend more time cursing, fighting, and stabbing each other than they do world-saving.  However, they end up in a place called the “Void,” where they face its leader, the murderous and ultra-powerful mutant, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin).  Now,  Deadpool and Wolverine are forced together to save a universe, but luckily, they will find themselves joined by an unexpected, but familiar quartet of heroes.

In preparation for Deadpool & Wolverine, I decided to watch the earlier films:  Deadpool (2016), Logan (2017), and Deadpool 2 (2018), that lead up to the new film, to one extent or another.  However, viewers may find such films as Blade (1998), X-Men (2000), Elektra (2005), and Fantastic Four (2005) to be of most use, although Deadpool & Wolverine also references other films and television series based on Marvel Comics characters.

Deadpool & Wolverine is very much an R-rated comedy like the earlier Deadpool films, but there is more harshly explicit language and profanity galore.  There seems to be more gross sexual language in Deadpool & Wolverine than there has been in any other film ever distributed by the Walt Disney Company.  At times, it is a bit too much, but only a bit.

As he does in the other Deadpool films, Ryan Reynolds makes the comedy in Deadpool & Wolverine work, via his schtick.  Still, one must say that Reynolds' repertoire of clowning, buffoonery, and jestering have become a refined work of comic performance art.  I can honestly say that I never feel as if I have had too much of Reynolds as Deadpool.

On the other hand, in Deadpool & Wolverine, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine is the dramatic balance to Ryan as Deadpool.  Without spoiling anything, Jackman has some deep, emotional moments that require tears in his eyes.  Jackman also gets to be powerful, dark, edgy, and grieving as Wolverine without treading on the mournful Logan/Wolverine he gave us in the film, Logan.

There are some excellent supporting performances in Deadpool & Wolverine.  Emma Corrin is maniacally, gleefully wicked and evil as Cassandra Nova, and Matthew Macfayden is perfectly sleazy as the sinfully ambitious TVA functionary, Mr. Paradox.  The actors that comprise the quartet which assists Deadpool and Wolverine in their crucial assault on Nova's base are a delight, and one of them proves that his is the defining version of the superhero for whom he is most famous.  Many of us want to see him again, Disney.

Deadpool & Wolverine is Marvel Studios' funniest “Multiverse Saga” entry.  It is not without its faults, and it isn't the best Marvel multiverse film because that belongs to Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).  However, Marvel does with Deadpool & Wolverine what it should have done with some of its post-pandemic films:  have more substantial guest appearances from classic MCU characters and stars.  Most of the heroic things that Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman do in Deadpool & Wolverine are done better with friends. 

8 of 10

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Friday, July 26, 2024

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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Nickelodeon Announces Star Appearances for "Kids' Choics Awards '21"

Kim Kardashian, Gal Gadot, Robert Downey Jr., Millie Bobby Brown, Charli D’Amelio, BTS, Hailey Bieber, Addison Rae, Sofia Vergara, David Dobrik, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tiffany Haddish and More Scheduled to Appear at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards ’21

Share It: @Nickelodeon #KCA

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2021, an epic celebration of fan-favorite stars across the worlds of film, television, music, sports and more, will feature appearances from today’s most popular stars including: Kim Kardashian, Gal Gadot, Robert Downey Jr., Millie Bobby Brown, Charli D’Amelio, BTS, Hailey Bieber, Addison Rae, Sofía Vergara, David Dobrik, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tiffany Haddish, Anna Kendrick, Liza Koshy, Jennifer Garner, Heidi Klum, Terry Crews, Tyler Perry, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Marsai Martin, Joshua Bassett, Anthony Anderson, Dani & Dannah Lane and Iain Armitage.

Hosted by actor, comedian and Saturday Night Live legend, Kenan Thompson (Kenan, All That), and featuring show-stopping performances from Grammy® Award-winning global superstar Justin Bieber, Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2021 will air live on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

As Nickelodeon’s Orange Blimp takes fans on a virtual ride around the world and beyond, Nickelodeon’s iCarly cast members Miranda Cosgrove (Carly Shay), Jerry Trainor (Spencer Shay) and Nathan Kress (Freddie Benson) will reunite to present this year’s KCA for “Favorite Movie.” The hit show, which ran on Nickelodeon for six seasons, will be returning as a revival series on ViacomCBS’ rebranded streaming service Paramount+.

Stars from the worlds of TV, music, film and social media will be joined by Nickelodeon talent: JoJo Siwa; That Girl Lay Lay; Jules LeBlanc and Jayden Bartels (Side Hustle); Gabrielle Nevaeh Green and Darci Lynne (Unfiltered); and Young Dylan (Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan).

This year’s show will also feature live and interactive fan walls that bring celebrities and families at home to the main stage; second screen live voting all night long where fans stay in control; a KCA award presented by one lucky family chosen during the show; and an exclusive sneak peek clip from PAW Patrol: The Movie. Additionally, Nickelodeon is harnessing the power of augmented reality (AR) to bring the gooey green slime of the Kids’ Choice Awards into fans’ worlds in a brand-new way. In the Do Not Touch app, viewers can fly the iconic KCA blimp and dump slime all over their homes. The app creates the interactive experience by using a mobile device’s camera to detect real world objects.

Fans can currently cast votes on the official Kids’ Choice Awards website, www.KidsChoiceAwards.com, and on the Screens Up app on supported iPad, iPhone and Android devices in the U.S. International fans can cast votes through the Nick Play app in regions where it is available. Fans will also be able to cast their votes through social media on Twitter. Fans can also stay up to date on all the news by liking Nickelodeon on Facebook and following @Nickelodeon on Twitter and Instagram.

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2021 is sponsored by Barbie®, Goldfish® Flavor Blasted® crackers, got milk?, LEGO® VIDIYO™, Olive Garden®, and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury.

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2021 is produced by Nickelodeon Productions and overseen by Rob Bagshaw, Executive Vice President, Unscripted Content. Michael Dempsey serves as executive producer, with Amy Johnson and Magda Liolis serving as co-executive producers. Nickelodeon’s Unscripted Content executives Rob Bagshaw and Paul J Medford also serve as executive producers. The ceremony is directed by Glenn Weiss.

Nickelodeon, now in its 41st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 7th to 13th, 2018 - Update #19

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MOVIES - From Variety:  James Emswiller, an Emmy-winning sound mixer, died after a fall on the set on Tom Hank's Mr. Rogers' biopic, "You Are My Friend."  Emswiller was 61 years old, and won his Emmy for his work on Queen Latifah's "Bessie."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  HBO has acquired the Jeffrey Wright prison drama, "O.G."

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TELEVISION - From TVGuide:  Jennifer Garner confirms that a reboot of her early 2000s ABC series, "Alias," is happening, but that it is still in the early stages.

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DISNEY - From Variety:  Fox will be ready to close the Disney deal January 1, 2019.

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COMICS-FILM - From YahooET:  Maggie Gyllenhaal remembers her "The Dark Knight" co-star, the late Heath Ledger, for being "on a whole other level" on the set of Chris Nolan's 2008 film.

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AWARDS-MUSIC - From PopSugar:  Here is a list winners from the 2018 American Movie Awards.

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STAR TREK - From Deadline:  First look at Rebecca Romijn as "Number One" on CBS All Access' "Star Trek: Discovery" Season 2.

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COMICS-TV - From YahooEntertainment:  First look at actress Ruby Red as "Batwoman" has been released.  Batwoman will appear in The CW's "Arrowverse" event that crossover through episodes of "Arrow," "The Flash," and "Supergirl."

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  James Gunn is in talks to writer "Suicide Squad 2" for Warner Bros./DC Comics, with the possibility of directing the film also.

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MUSIC - From RockHall:  Janet Jackson, LL Cool J, Radiohead among 15 nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. The acts that win induction for the Class of 2019 will be announced in December (2018).

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TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct:  Fox is developing a late-night talk show featuring Nick Cannon.

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Michael Pena of Marvel's "Ant-Man" franchise, is to play "Mr. Roarke" in a film based on the classic TV series, "Fantasy Island."  The late Ricardo Montalban originated the role on the ABC series.

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MUSIC - From RollingStone:  Foo Fighters stage Nirvana reunion.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/5 to 10/7/2018 weekend box office is "Venom" with an estimated take of $80 million.  That is the largest box office opening weekend for October.

From TheWrap:  "The Hate U Give" and "Free Solo" lead indie box office.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker, Alex Gibney, talks about how his film, "No Stone Unturned" could cause him to be arrested.

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JAMES BOND - From IndieWire:  Don't expect a female James Bond, says Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.

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BUSINESS - From QZ:  Did you know that Amazon has its own private brands?

OBITS:

From ESPN:  Basketball coach and innovator, Fred "Tex" Winter, has died at the age of 96, Wednesday, October 10, 2018.  Winter pioneered the "triangle offense," which helped propel the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls to multiple NBA championships.

From Variety:  Movie producer, Arnold Kopelson, has died at the age of 83, Monday, October 8, 2018.  Kopelson won a "Best Picture" Oscar for producing Oliver Stone's film, "Platoon."   He earned a "Best Picture" Oscar nomination for producing "The Fugitive."

From Variety:   The actor, Scott Wilson, has died at the age of 76; it was announced Saturday, October 6, 2018.  Wilson was best known for playing the farmer, "Hershel Green," on AMC's "The Walking Dead" from 2011 to 2014.

From Deadline:  The actress, Celeste Yarnell, has died at the age of 74, Sunday, October 7, 2018.  "Star Trek" fans remember her for playing "Yeomen Martha London" in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" second season episode, "The Apple."  She appeared in a number of episodes of TV series in the 1960s and 1970s and in the 1968 Elvis Presley film, "Live a Little, Love a Little."

Third Wave of 2016 Oscar Presenters Announced; Daisy Ridley Among New Names

STARS TO LIGHT UP OSCAR NIGHT

Six Oscar Winners Join Presenter Line Up

Oscars producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today a third slate of presenters for the 88th Oscars telecast. The Oscars, hosted by Chris Rock, will air live Oscar® Sunday, February 28, 2016 on ABC. 

The presenters, including several Oscar winners, are:

Patricia Arquette

Abraham Attah

Cate Blanchett

Emily Blunt

Louis C.K.

Common

Russell Crowe

Chris Evans

Jennifer Garner

Louis Gossett, Jr.

Michael B. Jordan

Rachel McAdams

Dev Patel

Eddie Redmayne

Daisy Ridley

Sarah Silverman

Sofia Vergara

"Through their work, these artists have shown us the unique, transformative power of cinema,” said Hill and Hudlin. “We are delighted they will be joining us on the Oscars stage this year.”   

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.    

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New Trailer and Poster for Jason Reitman's "Men, Women, and Children"

Watch the new trailer for Jason Reitman's MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN:
http://www.mtv.com/news/1934090/men-women-children-trailer-ansel-elgort/

Share your thoughts and reactions to the trailer with the Whisper App using #MWC

Synopsis:  MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN follows the story of a group of high school teenagers and their parents as they attempt to navigate the many ways the internet has changed their relationships, their communication, their self-image, and their love lives. The film attempts to stare down social issues such as video game culture, anorexia, infidelity, fame hunting, and the proliferation of illicit material on the internet. As each character and each relationship is tested, we are shown the variety of roads people choose - some tragic, some hopeful - as it becomes clear that no one is immune to this enormous social change that has come through our phones, our tablets, and our computers.

Official site: http://www.menwomenchildrenmovie.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/MWCmovie
Twitter: Twitter.com/MWCmovie
Instagram: Instagram.com/MWCmovie

#MWC

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Teaser Trailer for Jason Reitman's "Men, Women and Children" Released

Discover how little you know about the people you know.

Watch the teaser trailer for Jason Reitman's MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN

http://www.menwomenchildrenmovie.com

Share your thoughts and reactions to the trailer with the Whisper App using #MWC

Starring: Kaitlyn Dever, Rosemarie DeWitt, Ansel Elgort, Jennifer Garner, Judy Greer, Dean Norris, Adam Sandler
Based on the Novel by Chad Kultgen
Screenplay by Jason Reitman & Erin Cressida Wilson
Directed by Jason Reitman

Synopsis:
MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN follows the story of a group of high school teenagers and their parents as they attempt to navigate the many ways the internet has changed their relationships, their communication, their self-image, and their love lives. The film attempts to stare down social issues such as video game culture, anorexia, infidelity, fame hunting, and the proliferation of illicit material on the internet. As each character and each relationship is tested, we are shown the variety of roads people choose - some tragic, some hopeful - as it becomes clear that no one is immune to this enormous social change that has come through our phones, our tablets, and our computers.

About Whisper:
Whisper is the best place to express yourself online. Connect with likeminded individuals, and discover the unseen world around you. With Whisper, you’re free to anonymously share your thoughts with the world, and build lasting, meaningful relationships in a community built around trust and honesty.

MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN will make its world premiere during the Toronto International Film Festival

#MWC
Official site: http://www.menwomenchildrenmovie.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/MWCmovie
Twitter: Twitter.com/MWCmovie
Instagram: Instagram.com/MWCmovie

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Review: McConaughey Super Sells "Dallas Buyers Club"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 36 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Running time:  117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)
MPAA – R for pervasive language, some strong sexual content, nudity and drug use
DIRECTOR:  Jean-Marc Vallée
WRITERS:  Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack
PRODUCERS:  Robbie Brenner and Rachel Winter
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Yves Bélanger (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Martin Pensa and John Mac McMurphy (Jean-Marc Vallée)
Academy Award winner

DRAMA/BIOPIC with elements of a historical

Starring:  Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto, Denis O’Hare, Steve Zahn, Michael O’Neill, Dallas Roberts, Griffin Dunne, Kevin Rankin, Donna Duplantier, Deneen D. Tyler, J.D. Evermore, and Bradford Cox

Dallas Buyers Club is a 2013 biographical drama from director Jean-Marc Vallée.  The film is a dramatization about real-life AIDS patient, Ron Woodroof.  He discovered unapproved pharmaceutical drugs that would help his disease symptoms and then, later smuggled those drugs into Texas to help fellow AIDS patients.  The film was critically acclaimed and won three Oscars, including a best actor win for Matthew McConaughey and a best supporting actor win for Jared Leto.

Dallas Buyers Club opens in 1985 in Dallas.  Electrician, hustler, and rodeo cowboy, Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) falls ill and is diagnosed with HIV.  He is given 30 days to live.  Ron initially refuses to accept the diagnosis, but quickly finds himself ostracized by friends and coworkers.  Ron learns from the kindly Dr. Eve Saks (Jennifer Garner) about the experimental drug AZT, which is supposed to help with symptoms of AIDS.  Ron is able to obtain some without having a prescription.  However, he not only abuses AZT, but he also continues to abuse illegal narcotics.

Ron develops full-blown AIDS.  As he fights to live, he begins to study and research AIDS and learns that outside the United States there are pharmaceutical drugs used to fight the symptoms of AIDS.  However, they are unapproved for use in the U.S. by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).  Ron begins to smuggle large quantities of these drugs into Dallas.  With the help of Rayon (Jared Leto), a sassy cross-dressing man/transgender, Ron opens the “Dallas Buyers Club” to sell these unapproved drugs to HIV-positive and AIDS patients, but Ron’s efforts draw the attention of people who want to shut him down.

I have seen many films that are elevated by a great performance.  Raging Bull is memorable for Robert De Niro’s legendary turn as boxer Jake La Motta.  Russell Crowe gives the most nuanced performance of his career in A Beautiful Mind.  Helen Mirren rules The Queen.  In fact, all three of these movies would be little more than made-for-television films without the celebrated performances given by their respective lead actors.

Dallas Buyers Club tells a story that needed to be told and needs to be remembered, but without Matthew McConaughey’s performance, this film would be a well-meaning TV movie or an indie film that would have been lost in the art film ghetto.  McConaughey risked his health in order to lose weight to play the emaciated Ron Woodroof, but what really makes his performance so distinguished is that McConaughey takes on Woodruff’s cause and suffering as if his own life depended upon it.

McConaughey is a good actor and has given some excellent performance.  However, in recent years, he has finally showcased his talent and skill in character study films that require putting out the effort to create fully-realized fictional characters.  Anyone who is a fan of McConaughey or has seen some of his films must see Dallas Buyers Club.

Both Jared Leto’s transformation into Rayon and his performance are impressive.  Leto was indeed Oscar worthy, but Rayon is mostly unnecessary to this story.  Although Rayon was not a real-life figure and was created specifically for this movie, he could have been replaced with just about any other character.  Leto is magnificent in a film in which the filmmakers didn’t seem to know what to do with his character other than to play him as a stereotype – the tragic mulatto version of drag queen.  Jennifer Garner’s Dr. Saks is also wasted, although not nearly as badly as Rayon is.

However, Matthew McConaughey is so good that he makes you overlook Dallas Buyers Club’s warts.  His character, Ron Woodroof, is a charming rogue with electrifying swagger.  It is as if McConaughey and Woodroof are two separate beings occupying the same space, and they are why Dallas Buyers Club earned a best picture Oscar nomination.  And that best picture Oscar nod made what would have been just an AIDS movie into something special.

8 of 10
A

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

NOTES:
2014 Academy Awards, USA:  3 wins: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Matthew McConaughey), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Jared Leto), “Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling” (Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews); 3 nominations: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Robbie Brenner and Rachel Winter), “Best Achievement in Film Editing” (Jean-Marc Vallée and Martin Pensa), “Best Writing, Original Screenplay” (Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack)

2014 Golden Globes, USA:  2 wins: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Matthew McConaughey) and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Jared Leto)

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "The Kingdom" is a Thrill Ride (Happy B'day, Richard Jenkins)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 4 (of 2008) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Kingdom (2007)
Running time:  110 minutes (1 hour, 50 minutes)
MPAA – R for intense sequences of graphic brutal violence and for language
DIRECTOR:  Peter Berg
WRITER:  Matthew Michael Carnahan
PRODUCERS:  Peter Berg, Michael Mann, and Scott Stuber
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Mauro Fiore (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Colby Parker, Jr. and Kevin Stitt
COMPOSER:  Danny Elfman

ACTION/THRILLER/CRIME/DRAMA

Starring:  Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Ashraf Barhom, Ali Suliman, Jeremy Piven, Richard Jenkins, Kyle Chandler, Frances Fisher, Danny Huston, Kelly AuCoin, Anna Deavere Smith, and Minka Kelly

The subject of this movie review is The Kingdom, a 2007 action thriller and crime drama directed by Peter Berg.  The film follows a team of agents from the United States, investigating the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East.

When terrorists attack and kill over 100 people at the Al Rahmah Western Housing Compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, FBI Agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx) leads a small squad to investigate the bombing and find the culprits.  Once Fleury and the other U.S. agents – Grant Sykes (Chris Cooper), Janet Mayes (Jennifer Garner), and Adam Leavitt (Jason Bateman) – arrive, they learn that in Saudi Arabia, many consider them the true enemy.

Culture and the local bureaucracy hamper their investigation, but a local policeman, Col. Faris Al Ghazi (Ashraf Barhom), becomes sympathetic to Fleury’s predicament.  Soon, Fleury realizes that he and his team are the targets of the mysterious terrorist leader, Abu Hamza, but neither the threat of death or disgrace back home will stop Fleury’s mission.

With The Kingdom, director Peter Berg (The Rundown, Friday Night Lights) and writer Matthew Michael Carnahan (Lions for Lambs) dive headlong into the snake pit that movies about the “war on terrorism” and set in Middle East can be.  What Berg and Carnahan come up with is an imperfect, but entertaining and engaging action flick that doesn’t shy away from the fact that there are few if any easy answers when fighting the murderous criminals who are terrorists.

Berg doesn’t shy away from making a hardcore action movie.  There are intense car chases, with the requisite automobile flips and explosions, and there are sequences of manic gun battles that arrive in the kind of big slabs that keep an action movie junkie euphoric.  The screenplay even insists on being a police procedural, making The Kingdom something like Black Hawk Down meets Michael Mann’s Heat (Mann also co-produced The Kingdom), and TV’s “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”

Honestly, the movie drags when it focuses on the investigation, detective work, and forensics.  On the other hand, The Kingdom soars when it lays on the gun battles and car violence.  When the movie tries to be an FBI investigation flick, the narrative and indeed the performances get bogged down in detective work and the complications that can arise when different cultures meet.  The film does raise several issues – asking questions that complicate what many only want to see as black and white.  Are the FBI agents seeking justice or are they out for revenge?  Does the subsequent violence only make matters worse?  Does anyone gain anything or does everyone lose?  These are the kind of questions that get a movie like this in trouble in the current political/social climate.  An action movie requires that everything be in black and white, but the film’s setting and the issues it tackles just won’t be divided in two like that.

Ultimately, The Kingdom is a riveting action thriller that delivers.  It affirms that Jamie Foxx can carry an action flick (but is there room for more than one or two action “stars of color?”), that Jason Bateman is funny, and that Jeremy Piven is a great character actor.  However, the audience might have to take on some sticky issues to enjoy the thrill ride that is The Kingdom.

7 of 10
B+

Friday, January 18, 2008

Updated:  Sunday, May 04, 2014

The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Theatrical Pickpocket Consults on New Will Smith Movie

Apollo Robbins Brings His Expertise into “Focus”

Star Will Smith is Learning Tricks of the Trade From the Famed Sleight-of-Hand Artist

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apollo Robbins, nicknamed “The Gentleman Thief,” is serving as a consultant, conceiving and choreographing original sleight-of-hand maneuvers, for the production of Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Focus,” starring Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Gerald McRaney and Rodrigo Santoro.

Performing since 1998 in Las Vegas as a theatrical pickpocket, Apollo is renowned as the person who lifted the keys off a Secret Service agent who was driving former President Jimmy Carter, as well as Jennifer Garner’s engagement ring from Ben Affleck. In all instances, he always returns what he has lifted from his skeptical audience.

In “Focus,” Will Smith plays a con man who becomes romantically involved with a novice con artist (Margot Robbie), only to break up when she gets too close. Three years later, he is thrown off his game when his former flame shows up in Buenos Aires. Complicating matters even more, each of them is working separate—but equally elaborate—cons, both targeting the same billionaire international race car team owner (Rodrigo Santoro).

The film is being directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (“Crazy, Stupid, Love.”), from their own screenplay. Denise Di Novi (“The Lucky One,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love.”) is producing the film, with Stan Wlodkowski and Charlie Gogolak serving as executive producers.

Directors Ficarra and Requa stated, “Apollo is the foremost expert in his field and is an inspiration to us.”

Producer Di Novi added, “Apollo has been a tremendous resource both technically and creatively during this process. For ‘Focus,’ he has designed and choreographed sleight-of-hand moves that have never been seen before on film.”

Bringing his unique expertise to “Focus,” Robbins will help to enhance the authenticity of scenes involving legerdemain.

Review: Ben Affleck Miscast as a Superhero in "Daredevil"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 18 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Daredevil (2003)
Running time:  103 minutes (1 hour, 43 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for action/violence and some sensuality
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Mark Steven Johnson
PRODUCERS:  Avi Arad, Gary Foster, and Arnon Milchan
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Ericson Core
EDITORS:  Armen Minasian and Dennis Virkler
COMPOSER:  Graeme Revell

SUPERHERO/ACTION/CRIME

Starring:  Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Colin Farrell, Michael Clarke Duncan, Jon Favreau, Joe Pantoliano, Erick Avari, Scott Terra and David Keith

The subject of this movie review is Daredevil, a 2003 superhero film starring Ben Affleck in the title role.  The movie is based on the Marvel Comics character, Daredevil, created by Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett.

The movie’s plot also borrows heavily from elements Frank Miller introduced during his stint as writer-artist on Marvel Comics’ Daredevil comic book series and on several other Daredevil publications.  Stan Lee is one of this film’s executive producers.  Oscar-winning screenwriter Brian Helgeland apparently contributed to the screenplay, but did not receive a screen credit.

Before I get into the heart of the review, I want to start off by saying that Daredevil really ain’t nothing special, and that makes this pretty run of the mill, except for the subject matter.  If you just have to see it (and I can only imagine that comic book fans feel this way as the character originates from a long running Marvel comic of the same title), see it in a movie theatre; otherwise, it may not be worth the time, money, and effort of going to the movies.

Another note before getting into the review:  although he doesn’t get credit, renowned comic book writer/artist and cartoonist Frank Miller just might be the major contributor to this film.  Miller, wrote and drew, the comic book, Daredevil, for Marvel Comics from the late 1970’s to the early 80’s and again wrote the title in the late 80’s with sometime New Yorker cartoonist, David Mazzuchelli, as the comic’s illustrator.  Miller created the character Elektra Natchios (played in this film by Jennifer Garner of TV’s “Alias”), but he did not create all the characters used in this film.

However, the stylistic approach used for the characters comes almost exclusively from Frank’s work.  This movie wouldn’t exist without Frank’s legendary accomplishments; Frank’s Daredevil stories are available in book form as Daredevil Visionaries:  Frank Miller Vol.’s 1-3 and Daredevil: Born Again.  In fact, the 1989 film version of Batman owes very much to Frank’s work on the character in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, which is always in print.  Miller is also a screenwriter, having penned Robocop 2 and Robocop 3, and his original script (presumably the for second Robocop) will be adapted into a comic book by Avatar Comics.  Now, to the review.

Attorney Matt Murdock (Ben Affleck) was blinded as a child by a chemical that, though it robbed him of his sight, heightened his four remaining senses.  His hearing developed a kind of radar sense that allows him to “see” objects through the sound waves that bounce of those objects.  In the movie, we see the radar sense in operation as a rather cool looking visual effect.  After the accident that blinded him, young Murdock (Scott Terra) trains his body to be as superior as his heightened senses.  After criminals murder his father Jack (David Keith), young Matt grows up to be the costumed crime fighter, Daredevil, prowling the night in a tight, red leather uniform and pounding criminals into dust, literally.  Daredevil don’t play that; he’ll dispense justice to the extreme even if it means that a criminal might lose his life.

Matt meets Elektra, who is an ass kicking, martial arts hottie, and they have a brief romance, but when a crazed assassin named Bullseye (Colin Farrell) kills her father (Erick Avari, The Mummy), Elektra seeks revenge.  In her haste for revenge, she doesn’t realize how complicated matters are and that hanging over all their heads is master manipulator and super crime boss, Wilson Fisk - The Kingpin (Michael Clarke Duncan).

Daredevil is much darker than many super hero movies, almost as dark as Batman Returns, but the former does share the latter’s leather fetishistic theme.  There are lots of really good fight scenes mixing martial arts, boxing, and gymnastics.  Like Spider-Man, Daredevil uses quite a bit of CGI (computer generated imagery) to create human-like figures that can rapidly bounce off walls and scale ceilings while fighting.  In fact, in addition to the “bullet time” technique used so famously in The Matrix, CGI is the only other way live action film can mimic the impossible acrobatics of comic book fight scenes.  Daredevil’s fight scenes are exciting and even thrilling, but many times the CGI is so obviously fake, particularly in the jerky manner in which the CGI figures move.

The story has its moments.  Some of the romantic elements are genuinely sad and sentimental, and some of the drama is palatable.  However, like Spider-Man, the best stuff is during the fights are when Daredevil soars over the CGI New York skyline.

Director Mark Steven Johnson’s love for the material is evident.  He really tried to capture the feel of the comic book in his film.  However, some of the film is awkward, forced and clunky.  The movie drags, and sometimes it races headlong through the story without any substantial development.  There are too many characters, some who, if given more screen time, would have made a better movie.  Jon Favreau, as Matt’s law partner Foggy Nelson, is simply delightful, but Johnson uses him strictly for comic relief.  Farrell strains and overacts as Bullseye; by the time, Johnson reigns Farrell in enough to make Bullseye a good villain, the movie’s almost over.

Suffice to say, Daredevil is an average movie going experience, and might serve as a decent video rental.  It’s special only to comic book fans; most everyone else will find this to be just another movie, unless you’re into the strange and the unusual.  There is a really funk vibe going on with all those leather suits and the rest of the characters’ impressive wardrobe that’s worth experiencing on the big screen.

4 of 10
C

NOTES:
2004 Razzie Awards:  1 win: “Worst Actor” (Ben Affleck; also for Gigli-2003 and Paycheck-2003)

2010 Razzie Awards:  1 nomination: “Worst Actor of the Decade” (Ben Affleck; also for Gigli-2003, Jersey Girl-2004, Paycheck-2003, Pearl Harbor-2001, and Surviving Christmas-2004; Affleck nominated for 9 ‘achievements,” and “winner” of 2 Razzies)

Updated:  Friday, August 23, 2013

The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Review: "Elektra," Well, It's Better Than "Catwoman"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 10 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Elektra (2005)
Running time:  97 minutes (1 hour, 37 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for action violence
DIRECTOR:  Rob Bowman
WRITERS:  Raven Metzner, Stu Zicherman, and Zak Penn; from a story by Zak Penn (based on movie characters created by Mark Steven Johnson and comic book characters created by Frank Miller)
PRODUCERS:  Avi Arad, Gary Foster, and Mark Steven Johnson
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Bill Roe
EDITOR:  Kevin Stitt
COMPOSER:  Christophe Beck

SUPERHERO/ACTION/THRILLER

Starring:  Jennifer Garner, Goran Visnjic, Kirsten Prout, Will Yun Lee, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Terence Stamp, Natassia Malthe, Bob Sapp, and Colin Cunningham with Jason Isaacs

The subject of this movie review is Elektra, a 2005 superhero film starring Jennifer Garner in the title role.  The film is based on the Marvel Comics’ character, Elektra, created by Frank Miller.  Elektra is a spin-off of the 2003 superhero movie, Daredevil, and Stan Lee, co-creator of the Daredevil character, is an executive producer on this movie, as well.  The new movie focuses on Elektra as she tries to protect a single father and his young daughter after being hired to kill them.

After dying in the 2003 film Daredevil, Elektra Natchios (Jennifer Garner) is alive and kicking in her own comic book based film, Elektra.  Elektra ain’t by no means great, but it’s far better than the lumbering, big budget blunder that was Daredevil.  And while Elektra isn’t worth a trip to the theatre for most moviegoers other than comic book fans and admirers of Ms. Garner’s figure, it’s worth a view of DVD.

The sai (a martial arts weapon) enthusiast Elektra is now an assassin for hire, and The Hand, the order of dark ninjas who trained Elektra and revived her from death, have hired her to kill Mark Miller (Goran Visnjic) and his daughter Abby (Kirsten Prout).  Abby is the “current generation’s” treasure, a gifted martial artist who can change the balance between good and evil.  Elektra is drawn to Abby and refuses to killer her, choosing to protect her and her father from The Hand.  Elektra’s refusal of The Hand’s contract and her subsequent interference sets The Hand’s master assassin, Kirigi (Will Yun Lee), and his quartet of dark super ninja after the trio.  Elektra seeks help from her first teacher, the blind sensei Stick (Terence Stamp), in hopes that he will take Abby and Mark off her hands.  Stick, however, has other plans, and forces Elektra to defend the girl and discover her own better nature, including dealing with her mother’s death and Kirigi’s part in it.

Elektra is a mildly entertaining action, superhero fantasy film with some nice fight sequences.  But even those action scenes ultimately seem forced and overdone; maybe it’s because only the fight scenes can save what is otherwise an exceedingly dry faux drama.  The acting is poor.  Terence Stamp is woefully miscast as Stick, and Goran Visnjic barely seems alive as Mark Miller.  Kirsten Prout’s Abby only elicits sympathy when the script places her in extreme danger.

A star on the hit television series, “Alias,” Jennifer Garner’s film career is mostly miss, except for a nice turn in 13 Going on 30.  There are moments in this movie when she assumes a pose as Elektra and looks like a clumsy, wall-eyed poseur.  Ms. Garner even walks as if she just learned that she has a nice ass, but still hasn’t quite got the rhythm using it in a provocative walk down pat.

Still, this film has some nice moments, and the fight scenes (which feature lots of wire-fu) are pretty good for an American film production.  To bad one of the (over extended) fight scenes uses CGI bed sheets as an obstacle for the hero.  It makes you wonder what the filmmakers were thinking.  It’s the eye-rolling stuff like this that ultimately hamstrings Elektra.

5 of 10
C+

Updated:  Friday, August 23, 2013

The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Review: "13 Going on 30" is a Pleasant Star Vehicle (Happy B'day, Jennifer Garner)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 189 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

13 Going on 30 (2004)
Running time: 98 minutes (1 hour, 38 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some sexual content and brief drug references
DIRECTOR: Gary Winick
WRITERS: Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa
PRODUCERS: Susan Arnold, Gina Matthews, and Donna Arkoff Roth
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Don Burgess (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Susan Littenberg
COMPOSER: Theodore Shapiro

FANTASY/COMEDY/DRAMA/ROMANCE

Starring: Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer, Andy Serkis, Kathy Baker, Phil Reeves, Samuel Ball, Marcia DeBonis, Christa B. Allen, Sean Marquette, Jim Gaffigan, and Swoop Whitebear

The subject of this movie review is 13 Going on 30, a 2004 romantic comedy and fantasy film from director Gary Winick (Letters to Juliet). The film stars Jennifer Garner as a 13-year-old girl who wakes up as a 30-year-old woman.

Thirteen-year old Jenna Rink (Christa B. Allen) hates her life and hates everybody, so on her 13th birthday, she makes a wish that she was grown up. After playing a game in her closet that came to an unhappy conclusion, she falls asleep as magic dust falls on her head, and later awakens to find that she is a 30-year old, hotshot magazine editor. However, there is a lot about her life that the 30-year old Jenna (Jennifer Garner) doesn’t like. She ignores her parents, steals other people’s magazine ideas, and in one tragic instance with a co-worker’s spouse, she is “the other woman.”

Having a hard time, catching onto her adult life, she turns to the one friend she remembers, Matt Flamhaff (Mark Ruffalo), but in the 17 years since her magical 13th birthday party, she’s ignored Matt. Jenna is as cool and as popular as she wanted to be when she was a kid, and she has lots of expensive clothes and a swanky NYC Fifth Avenue apartment. She is, however, forced to realize that she’s been living the high life of which she has no idea and can’t remember, and that her and Matt went their separate ways long ago. Now, she needs him and wants to be the girl she was when 13-year old Matt (Sean Marquette) was her best friend, but can she rebuild that close relationship in the fortnight before Matt’s impending marriage?

I have not been a fan of Jennifer Garner’s work, neither her body of small film roles nor of the popular TV series, “Alias,” in which she has starred since 2001. That was until I saw 13 Going on 30. The film is a puff piece, a re-imagining of the Tom Hanks favorite, Big (1988), in which Hanks plays a boy who gets his wish (sort of) and his body is transformed to adulthood while his personality and mind remain that of a boy. Plot and concept holes fill 13 Going on 30, such as Jenna forgetting the last 17 years of her life, but pretty much remembering how to edit a magazine. Still, it’s Ms. Garner’s charm and her ability to both summon the personality of a child and to expertly portray the child dealing with adult interpersonal relationships: professional, personal, and intimate. 13 Going on 30 may be a flimsy star vehicle (the kind of soft films in which a studio places a rising star in hopes of raising his star power or testing his star potential), but it’s Jennifer Garner who makes this clunky bucket an attractive program model.

7 of 10
B+

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Review: DiCaprio, Hanks Catch Fire in "Catch Me if You Can" (Happy B'day, Steven Spielberg)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 96 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Catch Me if You Can (2002)
Running time: 141 minutes (2 hours, 21 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some sexual content and brief language
DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
WRITER: Jeff Nathanson (based upon the book Catch Me If You Can: The Amazing True Story of the Youngest and Most Daring Con Man in the History of Fun and Profit by Frank W. Abagnale and Stan Redding
PRODUCERS: Walter F. Parkes and Steven Spielberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Janusz Kaminski
EDITOR: Michael Kahn
COMPOSER: John Williams
Academy Award nominee

COMEDY/CRIME/DRAMA

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye, James Brolin, Amy Adams, Nancy Lenehan, Ellen Pompeo, and Jennifer Garner

Steven Spielberg had two directorial works theatrically released in 2002. The first was the fantastic Minority Report (ahead of its time, perhaps), and the second was a box office smash that didn’t really feature any obvious directorial flourishes, Catch Me if You Can. It was as if Spielberg backed off a little (he wasn’t even among the top choices to direct this film), and let the film take a life of its own. Though plagued by a few scenes that could have been excluded (including one by the overrated and unattractive Jennifer Garner), it’s a very good film that relies not so much on the director or even on the intriguing tale (which is based upon a true story), but rather on the talents of its cast, in particular Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, and Christopher Walken.

When his parents’ financial security evaporates and causes their marriage to go kaput, 17-year old Frank Abagnale, Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) comes up with a way to get his father Frank, Sr. (Christopher Walken) flush in paper again. He becomes a successful con artist, managing to pass himself off as several identities, in particular as an airline pilot, a physician, and an attorney. However, it is his ingenious check fraud schemes that draw the attention of a relentless FBI agent, Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), who begins a cross-country and trans-Atlantic chase to catch Frank, Jr.

Walken gives a very deep and heartfelt performance as Frank Sr., a man beset by the Internal Revenue Service and marital woes. Tom Hanks is dead on as the determined and stoic G-Man, Hanratty, whose dogged search belies his simple need to bring order where fraud creates chaos. Hank plays the agent as a persistent and by the book official who actually has a wry sense of humor; you have to watch carefully to catch the humor. DiCaprio’s Frank, Jr. is, on the surface, a one-note character, but the actor plays much of the young con beneath the surface. Frank succeeds as a confidence man simply because of his measured self-control. A con survives by not breaking each time he encounters something that threatens to spoil the con game. DiCaprio’s Frank is the legal opposite of Hank’s Hanratty, but, otherwise, they’re about the same in personality. Their insistence to do what they have to do keeps them going. A viewer can’t read that in the script. He has to read that in the actors’ performances: physical and facial and subtly verbal. This is the work of two artists.

Catch Me if You Can waffles between being a drama and comedy while really being neither. It’s not a great film; the set up to Frank’s life of crime is overly long and occasionally dull. Still, Catch Me if You Can is a very good and tremendously entertaining work in which the actors outplay all the other elements of the film. Nothing wrong with that – you can get a fine moving picture when great actors can get to do what they do so well and do it with relative ease.

7 of 10
A-

NOTES:
2003 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Christopher Walken) and “Best Music, Original Score” (John Williams)

2003 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Christopher Walken); 3 nominations: “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (John Williams), “Best Costume Design” (Mary Zophres), and “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (Jeff Nathanson)

2003 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Leonardo DiCaprio)

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"Dude, Where's My Car?" Makes Dumb Funnier Than it Should Be

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 66 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux


Dude, Where’s My Car? (2000)
Running time: 83 minutes (1 hour, 23 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for language and some sex and drug-related humor
DIRECTOR: Danny Leiner
WRITER: Philip Stark
PRODUCERS: Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove, Gil Netter, and Wayne Rice
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Robert Stevens (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Kimberly Ray

COMEDY/SCI-FI/FANTASY

Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Seann William Scott, Jennifer Garner, Marla Sokoloff, Kristy Swanson, David Herman, John Toles-Bey, and Hal Sparks

I planned never to see Dude, Where’s My Car?, figuring my initial curiosity to be a sign of intellectual weakness. After seeing Seann William Scott in Bulletproof Monk and really digging his performance, my intellect further weakened, I decided to seek out some of his other films and came across Dude, Where's My Car? again. Scott co-stars in this outlandish comedy with Ashton Kutcher, who came to prominence in the television series “That 70’s Show.” Whatta you know: this turned out to be one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen.

Jessie Richmond (Kutcher) and Chester Greenburg (Scott) wake up one morning to find Jessie’s car missing, and they have no memory of what happened the night before except for the wild and crazy things people tell them that they did. At first, Jessie and Chester are excited and proud of the calamity and craziness they allegedly committed, but in time they come to be frustrated that they got so wasted that they can’t remember anything. And they need their memory to find the car, which is the key to a lot of weird trouble for them. They owe a transvestite strip dancer a suitcase full of cash, and people claiming to be aliens are looking for an important, universe-endangering object. Losing the car was just the beginning; you have to see the film to believe how hilarious the adventure to find the car gets.

I’m sure this film was cynically conceived and produced to cash in on the youth movie craze. Film studios figure that if they make movies starring familiar young faces from TV and pad the story with jokes about sex, bodily fluids and functions, teenage jargon, twentysomething slang, and general crassness, they’re bound to make a mint, if not in theatres then in home video and television. It’s a can’t-lose option: marrying the lowbrow, the dumb, the rude, and a bit of cultural decay.

This time the studio got lucky and the movie turned out way funny. I’d rather believe that this was a happy accident, but regardless this is funny, in the vein of Dumb and Dumber, accept that Jessie and Chester, for all their dimwittedness, tend to be a little smarter than their adversaries. You can root for these guys, by awed by their occasional show of smarts, laugh at them, and with them. Dude, Where’s My Car? comes close to being the perfect dumb-but-funny movie. Don’t take it seriously, and you’ll laugh your proverbial ass off. Don’t be stuck in the mud; see it and laugh like a madman.

7 of 10
B+

Disney's D23 Expo Starts Friday, August 19th

THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS TAKES FANS BEHIND THE SCENES AT DISNEY’S D23 EXPO, AUGUST 19-21

Exclusively at Disney’s D23 Expo August 19-21 at the Anaheim Convention Center, Disney film fans will go behind the scenes to explore the exciting roster of projects on the horizon at The Walt Disney Studios, with a variety of panel discussions, sneak peeks and exhibits.

On Saturday, August 20, Rich Ross, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios; Sean Bailey, president, production, The Walt Disney Studios; John Lasseter, chief creative officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios; and Kevin Feige, producer and president, Marvel Studios, will present a not-to-be-missed look at The Walt Disney Studios’ upcoming film slate, which includes Disney’s The Muppets, John Carter, Disney•Pixar’s Brave, Marvel’s The Avengers, Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, Oz The Great and Powerful and more.

With projects from Disney, Pixar Animation Studios and Marvel Studios, this special presentation will feature never-before-seen footage and all-star appearances by Jason Segel, Kermit and Miss Piggy (Disney’s The Muppets), Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins and Willem Dafoe (John Carter), Kelly Macdonald and Kevin McKidd (Brave), Jennifer Garner (The Odd Life of Timothy Green), Jack McBrayer and Sarah Silverman (Wreck-It Ralph), cast members from Marvel’s The Avengers and other surprise guests.

In celebration of 25 years of moviemaking magic, five sessions will be devoted to the artistry and technical wizardry of Pixar:

* A Conversation with the Pixar Creative Team – Enjoy a rare opportunity to spend some time with the key figures responsible for Pixar’s unprecedented success, including John Lasseter (chief creative officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios), Jim Morris (general manager, Pixar Animation Studios), Pete Docter (director, Monsters, Inc., Up), Andrew Stanton (director, Finding Nemo, WALL-E), Bob Peterson (co-director, Up), Lee Unkrich (director, Toy Story 3), Mark Andrews (director, Brave) and Dan Scanlon (director, Monsters University).

* The Characters of Monsters University – Director Dan Scanlon and Production Designer Ricky Nierva discuss how they combine hair, horns and a lot of heart to bring the wonderful Monsters University characters to life.

* Michael Giacchino’s Music of Pixar – In this musical presentation, award-winning composer Michael Giacchino explores his early influences through the creation of modern-day classic scores from Ratatouille, Up and Cars 2.

* The Art of Brave – Production Designer Steve Pilcher and Shading Art Director Tia Kratter show how they and their team put paint to canvas and fingers to computer keys to create the stunning visuals of Scotland for Disney•Pixar’s upcoming film Brave.

* Pixar Shorts – This retrospective screening of the animation studio’s legendary short films will be followed by a panel discussion with several of the filmmakers, including Ralph Eggleston (director, For the Birds), Andy Jimenez (director, One Man Band), Angus MacLane (director, BURN-E), Pete Sohn (director, Partly Cloudy), Teddy Newton (director, Day & Night), and Enrico Casarosa (director, La Luna).

Expo attendees will also have access to advance screenings of an all-new 3D version of The Lion King, presented by RealD 3D, coming to theaters and homes this fall, and the upcoming ABC holiday special Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice from Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Out on the Expo floor, fans can explore the world of The Walt Disney Studios at their leisure with comprehensive exhibits, including:

* Walt Disney Studios Animation Pavilion – Experience the art, technology, culture and legacy of Walt Disney Animation Studios with filmmaker demonstrations, drawing classes, book signings, meet-and-greets and art exhibits.

* Walt Disney Studios In-Home Entertainment Pavilion – Dive into cutting-edge home entertainment technology and learn what the future holds for Disney movie fans, with sneak peeks of upcoming films in breathtaking high-definition Blu-ray 3D™ and more.

* Inside Tides: Pirates of the Caribbean Film Prop Collection – Get an up-close look at an exclusive collection of detailed set pieces, props and costumes from the billion-dollar blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Tickets to the D23 Expo are available at http://www.d23expo.com/. Admission includes access to all experiences and entertainment at the D23 Expo, including the Disney Legends Ceremony, and can be purchased for single days or for the full three days of festivities. Admission is $47 for a one-day adult ticket and $37 for children 3-12. Three-day passes are $136 for adults and $106 for children. Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club will receive a discount for up to four admissions, as well as early entry to each day of the D23 Expo for themselves and their guests.


About D23 Expo 2011
The D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Event for Fans and Families—brings the entire world of Disney under one roof at the Anaheim Convention Center, providing guests with unprecedented access to Disney films, television and theme parks.

About D23
The name "D23" pays homage to the wonder and excitement that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his fledgling studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official community for fans in Disney's 88-year history. D23 gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication Disney twenty-three; a rich website at www.Disney.com/D23; a collectibles line, The Walt Disney Archives Collection; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year, highlighted by the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, August 19-21, 2011.

Fans can join D23 at www.Disney.com/D23, select shops at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort and www.DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow us "DisneyD23" on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

Mark Ronson Contributes Songs to "Arthur" Remake; Theodore Shapiro Scores

Award-Winning Composer Theodore Shapiro’s Original Score to Complement the Comedy and Romance of the Upcoming Release “Arthur”

Film also Features New Songs by Mark Ronson and Ben Gibbard, Vocals by Daniel Merriweather

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Composer Theodore Shapiro is providing the original score for director Jason Winer’s contemporary re-imagining of the timeless romantic comedy “Arthur,” in theaters nationwide on April 8th.

“Arthur” stars Russell Brand as loveable billionaire Arthur Bach, and Helen Mirren as his lifelong nanny and best friend, Hobson.

Shapiro, a prolific composer and eight-time recipient of the BMI Film Music Award, says, “Arthur treats the world as a toy to be played with. He’s irresponsible, but also kind-hearted, generous and has a love of life, and Jason and I wanted the palette of the score to reflect that dichotomy and Arthur’s upbeat worldview.”

Also featured in the film will be several original songs contributed by Mark Ronson, with vocals by Daniel Merriweather; and by Ben Gibbard.

“I absolutely love Jason Winer’s new take on ‘Arthur,’” says Ronson. “I think the music will be a signature element of the film and I relish the prospect of being a part of that.”

“Arthur” is a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation of a Kevin McCormick / MBST Entertainment / Benderspink Production, starring Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Greta Gerwig, Luis Guzmán, Nick Nolte and Jennifer Garner. Directed by Jason Winer from a screenplay by Peter Baynham, story by Steve Gordon, the film is produced by Larry Brezner, Kevin McCormick, Chris Bender and Michael Tadross. Serving as executive producers are Scott Kroopf, J.C. Spink, Russell Brand and Nik Linnen. Uta Briesewitz is the director of photography; Sarah Knowles, the production designer; Brent White, the editor; and Juliet Polcsa, the costume designer.

“Arthur” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. http://www.arthurthemovie.com/

The Invention of Lying Tells the Truth

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 9 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Invention of Lying (2009)
Running time: 99 minutes
MPAA – PG-13 for language including some sexual material and a drug reference
WRITERS/DIRECTORS: Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson
PRODUCERS: Ricky Gervais, Dan Lin, Lynda Obst, and Oly Obst
CINEMATOGRAHER: Tim Suhrstedt (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Chris Gill

COMEDY/ROMANCE

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Louis C.K. Jeffrey Tambor, Fionnula Flanagan, Rob Lowe, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and Tina Fey

Last fall, Ricky Gervais made his directorial debut with the film, The Invention of Lying, co-directed with Matthew Robinson. The film is about a man who discovers lying in a world where everyone tells the truth – even the brutal truth. Those who saw the trailers (commercials) for this film may not realize that advertising for The Invention of Lying leaves out one important fact.

The Invention of Lying is not about lying; it is about religion.

The film takes place in an alternate reality where lying and even the concept of the lie do not even exist. People are always telling the truth, and everyone: politicians, advertisers, the man and woman on the street, neighbors, coworkers, employers, and even the person you’re dating speaks the truth and nothing but the truth. Such honesty does not come with a thought of the consequences. Seeing this, even in a movie, is pretty shocking. For instance, it is never cool to hear a coworker just flatly state how much she hates you and is glad to hear that you will be fired. Such blunt truth is the norm in this world.

Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais) is a down-on-his-luck loser. A failed screenwriter, Mark knows that he is about to be fired, and so do all his coworkers and colleagues. Mark also goes out on an arranged date with a perky young woman named Anna McDoogles (Jennifer Garner), who is brutally honest about her feelings for him. She thinks Mark is nice, but she doesn’t want to have children with a fat man who has a stubby nose.

When his life totally falls apart, Mark reaches the point of desperation when he suddenly says something that simply is not, and thus, he gives birth to the lie. Mark invents the ability to say things that are not true, and, as the only person in the world who can lie, he uses lying to make himself rich. When one of his lies spreads, the entire world starts to hang on Mark’s every word, even his beloved Anna.

Lying isn’t the only thing Mark Bellison’s world is missing. People have no concept of heaven, faith, or God. When Mark creates “the man in the sky,” people believe him because they don’t know he is lying, nor would they even understand the concept of lying. Ultimately, Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson use The Invention of Lying to make a few suggestions to the viewer. First, people should do the things that make them happy and not go along with the status quo if it makes them miserable. Also, a person shouldn’t wait to be told what to do, nor should others, even a divine other, make decisions for him.

The Invention of Lying is a great idea, even a wicked idea, but as the film goes on, Gervais and Robinson favor romance over the sharp social criticism about truth and about religion. This is a love story set in a parable and satire, and while the filmmakers handle both well, The Invention of Lying does lack a tangible antagonist. Much of the dramatic conflict is internal – Mark Bellison’s good side versus his selfish, greedy, petty nature. The script never really takes advantage of conflict outside of the lead character: Mark versus his job, society, and his rivals.

Still, this film is surprisingly radical, and the filmmakers mine much of the premise’s richness. Ricky Gervais is, as always, a brilliant, funny man, with a great sense of humor when it comes to poking fun at people and society. Jennifer Garner is surprisingly spry, (although she is a good comic actress), and her performance is pitch perfect for this story. I can forgive The Invention of Lying for its eventual transformation into a conventional romantic comedy, because for most of its hour and a half of story, this movie’s wit is startling. In a landscape of safe, conventional movies, that is worth a lot.

7 of 10
B+

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

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