After two months of fairly solid action movies (okay, so two months of "The Avengers" and...everything else), it's about time for the other staple of Summer Movie Season -- the R-rated comedy. Don't believe me? "The Hangover" (2009), "The Hangover Part 2", "Bridesmaids", and "Bad Teacher" (2011) all have had exquisite success during the Summer season.
"Ted" manages to do what "The Dictator" and "That's My Boy" failed to do earlier in the year and fill the void simply being original.
It's a story as old as time. Little John Bennett, having no friends of his own, gets a large plush bear John names Teddy and instantly becomes his best friend. After wishing Teddy could really talk, in classic 80s movie tradition, Teddy comes to life!
Here's where it gets interesting...we see what happens when both John (played by Mark Wahlberg) and Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) grow up. John, now 35, has a great girlfriend Lori (Mila Kunis) while Ted lives with them, freeloading, smoking weed, guzzling beer, and ordering hookers while John and Lori are out. Fed up with Ted's shenanigans, Lori gives John an ultimatum -- either her or Ted.
From the brilliant of "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane comes "Ted". MacFarlane, who directed this movie from a script he co-wrote with fellow "Family Guy" scribes Alec Sulkin and Wesley Wild, makes an acerbic, crass, and surprisingly intelligent movie about a talking stuffed animal that quickly turns into a movie about friendship and maturity. I know maturity is never the word you think about when you think about "Family Guy", but this is lightyears ahead of where "Family Guy" is.
Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis are wonderful together on screen. Wahlberg has completely found his calling as a comedy actor, and Mila Kunis shines like she does in everything. And with Kunis comes many of the other "Family Guy" cast members with her -- Patrick Warburton, Alex Borstein, and Mike Henry all have minor roles here. But how can you ignore Seth MacFarlane as Ted? Foul-mouthed, sexually extroverted, and perpetually stoned or drunk, Ted is fluffy little nightmare that will go straight to your heart.
"Ted" is not only hilarious (by far the funniest movie of the year), but poignant and heartfelt -- something that you would never expect from the trailers. Perfectly narrated by Patrick Stewart (yes...THAT Patrick Stewart), skewering many celebrities we either love or hate (or love to hate), and making you laugh until you hurt, "Ted" is the comedy this year has desperately needed.
Oh yeah, and if you're a parent and take your 9-year old to see this, you're an awful person. Period.
FINAL VERDICT: Fan of "Family Guy" or not, "Ted" is Seth MacFarlane's finest hour by far. Funny and poignant, crude and romantic, the movie will make you laugh, touch your heart, and give you something to laugh about long after the credits have rolled.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Two Cent Review: "John Carter"
I tried, folks. I gave it more than the old college try. But after about thirty minutes or so, I had to turn off "John Carter". It was just too much.
Looking like a bizarre mixture of "Cowboys and Aliens" (perhaps a fitting analogy seeing this was on Jon Favreau's slot before doing "Iron Man" and the previous aforementioned movie), "Star Wars", and Sam Raimi's first "Spider-Man", "John Carter" is (or at least as much as I could glean from the plot) about Captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) who gets mysteriously whisked away to Mars (or as they call it, Barsoom), where he is caught between a war between Jeddak ("king") Tars Tarkas (voiced by Willem Dafoe) and Jeddak Sab Than (Dominic West). Sab Than proposes a cease fire and end of the war by marrying the Princess of Helium Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins), daughter of Jeddak Tardos Mors (Ciaran Hinds). When Dejah meets Carter, she believes him to be a savior, and, of course, everyone wants to kill him after that.
Director Andrew Stanton ("Wall-E", "Finding Nemo"), who co-wrote the script with Mark Andrews ("Brave") and Michael Chambon ("Spider-Man 2"), has honestly done the the film justice...and by that, I mean make a movie so bad the book "John Carter From Mars" has to be better by default. The action is forced, the dialogue contrived, and the special effects were impressive about a decade ago.
Perhaps there was a reason the film got buried into the dregs of box office scraps and bombed as bad as it did. The sad thing is that, in a year that showed wonderful human-vs-alien battles in "The Avengers" and "Men In Black 3", "John Carter" falls incredibly short in comparison.
The biggest tragedy is Taylor Kitsch's movie career. First this movie drops a bomb, then "Battleship" almost makes the box office charts look like Hiroshima in comparison. Both featuring the "True Blood" star. I would say there could be hope for him yet, but he just passed on a key part in "The Hunger Games" sequel "Catching Fire". Oops.
MY TWO CENTS: I know I didn't watch the whole thing, but, in the end "John Carter" wasn't worth finishing. Perhaps if you're curious to see how this movie ends, do yourself a favor and pick up the book. Sure, finding time to read the book will be taxing, but getting your time back from watching the movie will be fruitless.
Looking like a bizarre mixture of "Cowboys and Aliens" (perhaps a fitting analogy seeing this was on Jon Favreau's slot before doing "Iron Man" and the previous aforementioned movie), "Star Wars", and Sam Raimi's first "Spider-Man", "John Carter" is (or at least as much as I could glean from the plot) about Captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) who gets mysteriously whisked away to Mars (or as they call it, Barsoom), where he is caught between a war between Jeddak ("king") Tars Tarkas (voiced by Willem Dafoe) and Jeddak Sab Than (Dominic West). Sab Than proposes a cease fire and end of the war by marrying the Princess of Helium Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins), daughter of Jeddak Tardos Mors (Ciaran Hinds). When Dejah meets Carter, she believes him to be a savior, and, of course, everyone wants to kill him after that.
Director Andrew Stanton ("Wall-E", "Finding Nemo"), who co-wrote the script with Mark Andrews ("Brave") and Michael Chambon ("Spider-Man 2"), has honestly done the the film justice...and by that, I mean make a movie so bad the book "John Carter From Mars" has to be better by default. The action is forced, the dialogue contrived, and the special effects were impressive about a decade ago.
Perhaps there was a reason the film got buried into the dregs of box office scraps and bombed as bad as it did. The sad thing is that, in a year that showed wonderful human-vs-alien battles in "The Avengers" and "Men In Black 3", "John Carter" falls incredibly short in comparison.
The biggest tragedy is Taylor Kitsch's movie career. First this movie drops a bomb, then "Battleship" almost makes the box office charts look like Hiroshima in comparison. Both featuring the "True Blood" star. I would say there could be hope for him yet, but he just passed on a key part in "The Hunger Games" sequel "Catching Fire". Oops.
MY TWO CENTS: I know I didn't watch the whole thing, but, in the end "John Carter" wasn't worth finishing. Perhaps if you're curious to see how this movie ends, do yourself a favor and pick up the book. Sure, finding time to read the book will be taxing, but getting your time back from watching the movie will be fruitless.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
In Memoriam: Nora Ephron (1941-2012)
Last night, we lost one of the great filmmakers of my generation. Though not as well-known now as she was in the late 80's or early 90's, Nora Ephron made simple movies that were honest, funny, and touching.
I remember growing up with her films "When Harry Met Sally..." (1989), "My Blue Heaven" (1990) and "Sleepless In Seattle" (1993). While other kids were fussing over Jim Carrey and "Star Wars", I was watching these movies. Okay, so it was mainly due to my mother being obsessed with these movies and never varying them for weeks at a time, but it doesn't matter.
"When Harry Met Sally..." and "Sleepless In Seattle" are two timeless movies about relationships in the modern age, are still hailed today as the best romantic comedies out there.
Also making such movies as "Michael" (1996), "Mixed Nuts" (1994), "Hanging Up" (2000), and her final movie "Julie & Julia" (2009), Nora Ephron showed a different side, providing honest looks at family, religion, our own obsessions and simply how crazy life can get.
As a writer and director, Nora Ephron showed us the world, not only how she saw it, but as it truly is -- how beautifully screwed up it can be and how it's somehow perfect the way it is. Her movies were never about the stories, but about people and being human. How neurotic we all are at our core, but how wonderful we are at the same time just by being who we are.
Nora Ephron will truly be missed as a filmmaker, and will more than likely never be replaced.
I remember growing up with her films "When Harry Met Sally..." (1989), "My Blue Heaven" (1990) and "Sleepless In Seattle" (1993). While other kids were fussing over Jim Carrey and "Star Wars", I was watching these movies. Okay, so it was mainly due to my mother being obsessed with these movies and never varying them for weeks at a time, but it doesn't matter.
"When Harry Met Sally..." and "Sleepless In Seattle" are two timeless movies about relationships in the modern age, are still hailed today as the best romantic comedies out there.
Also making such movies as "Michael" (1996), "Mixed Nuts" (1994), "Hanging Up" (2000), and her final movie "Julie & Julia" (2009), Nora Ephron showed a different side, providing honest looks at family, religion, our own obsessions and simply how crazy life can get.
As a writer and director, Nora Ephron showed us the world, not only how she saw it, but as it truly is -- how beautifully screwed up it can be and how it's somehow perfect the way it is. Her movies were never about the stories, but about people and being human. How neurotic we all are at our core, but how wonderful we are at the same time just by being who we are.
Nora Ephron will truly be missed as a filmmaker, and will more than likely never be replaced.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Shameless Self-Promotion: I'm on Facebook!
Hey everybody!
I've been getting a lot of traffic on the page here, and I figured...what the hell?!? I want more views! So I created a Facebook page!
Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/WillAndTheMovies!
Also, I created my own email address special for this site. Feel free to email me at willandthemovies@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or requests!
I've been getting a lot of traffic on the page here, and I figured...what the hell?!? I want more views! So I created a Facebook page!
Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/WillAndTheMovies!
Also, I created my own email address special for this site. Feel free to email me at willandthemovies@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or requests!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Movie Review: "Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World"
What's a Summer Movie Season without a film about the Apocalypse? Sure, it's been about thirteen years since "Deep Impact" and "Armageddon" duked it out for box office supremacy, but the end of humanity has been touched on by many Summer blockbusters in recent memory, such as "The Avengers", "War of the Worlds" and every "Men In Black" movie.
"Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World" is definitely an unconventional movie that covers this topic, going the route of dark romantic comedy/drama than big budget action, but, seeing that we've already had more than our fair share of big budget explosions and Hollywood glam this season, a little change is more than welcome.
An asteroid, nicknamed Matilda, is on a collision course towards the Earth, and all attempts by the world's top scientists and astronauts have failed (think of it as the alternate universe where Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis didn't succeed). Here we find Dodge (Steve Carell). Upon the breaking news that the world is going to end, his wife leaves him, his friends start acting crazy (swingers parties, illegal drug use, etc), his coworkers start killing themselves, and Dodge is left feeling empty and apathetic, with only a dog that is abruptly left in his care.
Suddenly, his eccentric neighbor Penny (Keira Knightley) shows up on his fire escape in tears about missing the final plane to England to visit her parents. When a riot breaks out in the middle of their street, Dodge makes a deal with Penny that he will get her to her parents in England (he knows a man with his own plane) if he will come with her to track down the girl that got away from him. Along the way, they encounter looters, assassination attemptees, an orgy at an Applebee's knock-off, and, somehow, find the beauty that surrounds us when there's nothing left to lose.
Writer/director Lorene Scafaria (feature directorial debut, while previously having written the under-rated "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist") knocks it out of the park with this arthouse take on the end of the world. Playing down the asteroid angle and focusing on the human interactions, Scafaria shows the wit, wisdom, fear, loneliness and catharsis that can come when the chips are stacked against us, and how it's okay to let go.
While there are notable bit parts from the likes of Martin Sheen, Rob Corddry, Adam Brody, and Patton Oswalt (not to mention a cameo by Steve Carell's real-life wife Nancy Carell as his estranged wife Linda), Steve Carell and Keira Knightley dominate the screen for the most of the movie. And it should not come as a shock that they're wonderful. Carell's subtle charm is perfect for Dodge, and Knightley hasn't been better in recent memory. While Carell has been taking on slightly more serious roles such as in "Dan in Real Life" and "Little Miss Sunshine", Knightley lightens up here and is vastly more bubbly than in her other recent movies such as "Atonement". And while both Carell and Knightley are great on their own, their chemistry lights up the screen despite the dark subject matter.
There's always a scene stealer in movies like this, and it comes from actor Mark Moses (TV's "Mad Men" and "Desperate Housewives") as the TV anchorman covering the asteroid. His calm poise and assuring tone sets the mood and keeps going until his final broadcast where he gives an Edward Murrow-like monologue. Perhaps only a bit player at best, Moses officially steals the show here.
For a long time now, distributor Focus Features has been a favorite imprint of mine, releasing many of my favorite films like "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and the aforementioned "Dan in Real Life". What makes "Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World" so special is how low key it is. We never see the asteroid. We never see the failed NASA attempt to stop it. It's not about survival. It's about the human condition. The film shows an answer to the age-old question "What would you do if you knew the world was going to end?". Consequences aside, we see not just what our protagonists would do, but what many people would do throughout the film, and it's often beautiful and disturbing, but it's overall human.
I fear many audiences will not understand this film (at least not American audiences). Granted, I base this statement on the young woman who sat in back of me in the theater who blurted out "That was sooo awful!" once the credits started rolling, but I fear she may not be the only one. And it all goes back to my previous statements -- this is low key. This isn't Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis destroying an asteroid. This isn't Elijah Wood and Morgan Freeman frantically trying to survive the blast and fallout. This is two people making one final journey together to get the last out of life. If you need more than that, this film is not for you. But, for those of us who love a good story for the story's sake, this film more than fits the bill, making it the best movie of the year thus far.
FINAL VERDICT: While the cineplexes are chocked full of big budget action films, "Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World" is not only a wonderful alternative, but, by far, the best movie of Summer 2012 (at least by this point). True, it's probably one of the darkest comedies I've seen in a long time, the sweet, beautiful story -- along with wonderful performances from Steve Carell and Keira Knightley -- make this film timeless.
"Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World" is definitely an unconventional movie that covers this topic, going the route of dark romantic comedy/drama than big budget action, but, seeing that we've already had more than our fair share of big budget explosions and Hollywood glam this season, a little change is more than welcome.
An asteroid, nicknamed Matilda, is on a collision course towards the Earth, and all attempts by the world's top scientists and astronauts have failed (think of it as the alternate universe where Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis didn't succeed). Here we find Dodge (Steve Carell). Upon the breaking news that the world is going to end, his wife leaves him, his friends start acting crazy (swingers parties, illegal drug use, etc), his coworkers start killing themselves, and Dodge is left feeling empty and apathetic, with only a dog that is abruptly left in his care.
Suddenly, his eccentric neighbor Penny (Keira Knightley) shows up on his fire escape in tears about missing the final plane to England to visit her parents. When a riot breaks out in the middle of their street, Dodge makes a deal with Penny that he will get her to her parents in England (he knows a man with his own plane) if he will come with her to track down the girl that got away from him. Along the way, they encounter looters, assassination attemptees, an orgy at an Applebee's knock-off, and, somehow, find the beauty that surrounds us when there's nothing left to lose.
Writer/director Lorene Scafaria (feature directorial debut, while previously having written the under-rated "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist") knocks it out of the park with this arthouse take on the end of the world. Playing down the asteroid angle and focusing on the human interactions, Scafaria shows the wit, wisdom, fear, loneliness and catharsis that can come when the chips are stacked against us, and how it's okay to let go.
While there are notable bit parts from the likes of Martin Sheen, Rob Corddry, Adam Brody, and Patton Oswalt (not to mention a cameo by Steve Carell's real-life wife Nancy Carell as his estranged wife Linda), Steve Carell and Keira Knightley dominate the screen for the most of the movie. And it should not come as a shock that they're wonderful. Carell's subtle charm is perfect for Dodge, and Knightley hasn't been better in recent memory. While Carell has been taking on slightly more serious roles such as in "Dan in Real Life" and "Little Miss Sunshine", Knightley lightens up here and is vastly more bubbly than in her other recent movies such as "Atonement". And while both Carell and Knightley are great on their own, their chemistry lights up the screen despite the dark subject matter.
There's always a scene stealer in movies like this, and it comes from actor Mark Moses (TV's "Mad Men" and "Desperate Housewives") as the TV anchorman covering the asteroid. His calm poise and assuring tone sets the mood and keeps going until his final broadcast where he gives an Edward Murrow-like monologue. Perhaps only a bit player at best, Moses officially steals the show here.
For a long time now, distributor Focus Features has been a favorite imprint of mine, releasing many of my favorite films like "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and the aforementioned "Dan in Real Life". What makes "Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World" so special is how low key it is. We never see the asteroid. We never see the failed NASA attempt to stop it. It's not about survival. It's about the human condition. The film shows an answer to the age-old question "What would you do if you knew the world was going to end?". Consequences aside, we see not just what our protagonists would do, but what many people would do throughout the film, and it's often beautiful and disturbing, but it's overall human.
I fear many audiences will not understand this film (at least not American audiences). Granted, I base this statement on the young woman who sat in back of me in the theater who blurted out "That was sooo awful!" once the credits started rolling, but I fear she may not be the only one. And it all goes back to my previous statements -- this is low key. This isn't Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis destroying an asteroid. This isn't Elijah Wood and Morgan Freeman frantically trying to survive the blast and fallout. This is two people making one final journey together to get the last out of life. If you need more than that, this film is not for you. But, for those of us who love a good story for the story's sake, this film more than fits the bill, making it the best movie of the year thus far.
FINAL VERDICT: While the cineplexes are chocked full of big budget action films, "Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World" is not only a wonderful alternative, but, by far, the best movie of Summer 2012 (at least by this point). True, it's probably one of the darkest comedies I've seen in a long time, the sweet, beautiful story -- along with wonderful performances from Steve Carell and Keira Knightley -- make this film timeless.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Movie Review: "Brave"
Another year, another Pixar film. It seems like clockwork really. The studio best known for "Toy Story", "Monsters Inc", and "Finding Nemo" -- some of the most original animated movies around fit for all audiences -- has lately faltered by releasing unnecessary sequels to their films and/or making films hell-bent on making their audiences cry while focusing on what they can do with computer animation rather than a compelling story. "Brave" is triumphant return to form for Pixar.
Set in the old Scottish Highlands, "Brave" tells the tale of Merida (Kelly MacDonald), a head-strong princess who would rather sharpen her skills as an archer than sharpen her etiquette. While this doesn't bother her father King Fergus (Billy Connolly), Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) does everything in her power to groom Merida for her betrothal. When Merida finds a way to change her fate with the help of a mysterious witch (Julie Walters) that goes completely awry, Merida is now faced with a race against time to make things better before an outright war with the other three clans -- led by Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane), Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd) and Lord MacIntosh (Craig Ferguson) -- destroys the land.
Directors Mark Andrews (feature film debut), Brenda Chapman ("The Prince of Egypt"), and Steve Purcell (creator of "Sam and Max Freelance Police"), who all had a hand in writing the script as well with Irene Mecchi ("The Lion King", 1996's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"), create a masterpiece blended with magic, laughs, suspense, and action. Making Pixar's first original movie since 2009's "Up" (and Pixar's first good movie since 2008's "Wall-E"), this team clearly knows how to win audiences of all ages over with a script that doesn't pander or go over anyone's head, beautiful landscapes and art direction, and a wonderful story that will make you laugh and touch your heart.
Like every good Disney film and Pixar film, a good protagonist is key. And Merida makes not only the perfect protagonist, but the perfect heroine little girls can look up to. Many critics are likening Merida to "Twilight" heroine Bella Swan, but this is a horrible comparison, seeing that Merida chooses to fight for her own destiny rather than to fight to become part of someone else's. No, if you want a good comparison, look no further than Katniss Everdeen of "The Hunger Games". Not only do both have a strong proficiency with a bow and arrow, but both are girls who refuse to let society dictate how they act or make falling in love priority uno (Bella, we're glaring at you). Both Merida and Katniss take the reigns of their fates and ultimately come on top for doing so. Parents, think about it: wouldn't you rather have your daughter(s) looking up to a heroine like that rather than one who gives up friends, family, and personal choice all for a boy (Bella, we're scornfully glaring at you)?
Pixar truly returns to form here, not only by making an original movie, but one that doesn't only think about tugging at heart-strings. "Brave" lets the emotions flow naturally, allowing the audience to take in the beauty of the film without being reminded how depressing the film could be. Much like the aforementioned "Wall-E", "Brave" is a beautiful film, not just visually, but emotionally. This is not just another commercial animated film mainly used as a marketing tool to encourage your kids to want bright-colored toys ("Madagascar 3", we're glaring at you). A fine tribute to Steve Jobs, who was one of the head honchos of Pixar before dying last year.
FINAL VERDICT: Disney/Pixar's "Brave" is in line to become the next true masterpiece. Without forced emotion or a pandering script, "Brave" truly bridges the gap between young and adult audiences, and will more than likely become the next hit movie for both Disney and Pixar. But unlike other properties like "Cars" that seemed it was primarily a commercial marketing movie, "Brave" is true art. (Oh yeah, and bring tissues...you might need them.)
Set in the old Scottish Highlands, "Brave" tells the tale of Merida (Kelly MacDonald), a head-strong princess who would rather sharpen her skills as an archer than sharpen her etiquette. While this doesn't bother her father King Fergus (Billy Connolly), Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) does everything in her power to groom Merida for her betrothal. When Merida finds a way to change her fate with the help of a mysterious witch (Julie Walters) that goes completely awry, Merida is now faced with a race against time to make things better before an outright war with the other three clans -- led by Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane), Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd) and Lord MacIntosh (Craig Ferguson) -- destroys the land.
Directors Mark Andrews (feature film debut), Brenda Chapman ("The Prince of Egypt"), and Steve Purcell (creator of "Sam and Max Freelance Police"), who all had a hand in writing the script as well with Irene Mecchi ("The Lion King", 1996's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"), create a masterpiece blended with magic, laughs, suspense, and action. Making Pixar's first original movie since 2009's "Up" (and Pixar's first good movie since 2008's "Wall-E"), this team clearly knows how to win audiences of all ages over with a script that doesn't pander or go over anyone's head, beautiful landscapes and art direction, and a wonderful story that will make you laugh and touch your heart.
Like every good Disney film and Pixar film, a good protagonist is key. And Merida makes not only the perfect protagonist, but the perfect heroine little girls can look up to. Many critics are likening Merida to "Twilight" heroine Bella Swan, but this is a horrible comparison, seeing that Merida chooses to fight for her own destiny rather than to fight to become part of someone else's. No, if you want a good comparison, look no further than Katniss Everdeen of "The Hunger Games". Not only do both have a strong proficiency with a bow and arrow, but both are girls who refuse to let society dictate how they act or make falling in love priority uno (Bella, we're glaring at you). Both Merida and Katniss take the reigns of their fates and ultimately come on top for doing so. Parents, think about it: wouldn't you rather have your daughter(s) looking up to a heroine like that rather than one who gives up friends, family, and personal choice all for a boy (Bella, we're scornfully glaring at you)?
Pixar truly returns to form here, not only by making an original movie, but one that doesn't only think about tugging at heart-strings. "Brave" lets the emotions flow naturally, allowing the audience to take in the beauty of the film without being reminded how depressing the film could be. Much like the aforementioned "Wall-E", "Brave" is a beautiful film, not just visually, but emotionally. This is not just another commercial animated film mainly used as a marketing tool to encourage your kids to want bright-colored toys ("Madagascar 3", we're glaring at you). A fine tribute to Steve Jobs, who was one of the head honchos of Pixar before dying last year.
FINAL VERDICT: Disney/Pixar's "Brave" is in line to become the next true masterpiece. Without forced emotion or a pandering script, "Brave" truly bridges the gap between young and adult audiences, and will more than likely become the next hit movie for both Disney and Pixar. But unlike other properties like "Cars" that seemed it was primarily a commercial marketing movie, "Brave" is true art. (Oh yeah, and bring tissues...you might need them.)
Movie Review: "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"
Summer Blockbuster Season is the time of year for superheroes.
Iron Man.
Batman.
Lincoln...?
That's right! Who would have thought that Abraham Lincoln was a superhero? But in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" the liberator of the slaves becomes the secret bad-ass we always wanted a president to be, and the results couldn't be more explosive.
As a boy, young Abraham Lincoln watched as his mother die by the hands of vampire Jack Barts (Martin Csokas). Fueled by rage, Lincoln, now in his 20s (now played by Benjamin Walker) attempts to kill his mother's supernatural assassin, failing in the process, but succeeding in meeting Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper), a mysterious stranger who educates young Lincoln about vampires and how to kill them -- more importantly, how to wield an axe lethally against the fanged bastards. Years go by, Abe starts getting help by his friends Henry, Joshua Speed (Jimmi Simpson), Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie) and young wife Mary Todd Lincoln (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as Lincoln becomes more and more involved in politics and the eventual presidency, while fighting not only the Confederate nation, led by Stephen Douglas (Alan Tudyk) and the vampire leader Adam (Rufus Sewell).
Based on his New York Times Best-Selling novel of the same name, screenwriter/producer Seth Grahame- Smith ("Dark Shadows", best-selling novel "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"), along with producer Tim Burton and director Timur Bekmambetov ("Wanted") play fun with history and show the motivations behind imfamous parts of American history like the slave trade and the Civil War. Bekmambetov's visual style of shooting combined with Grahame-Smith's brilliant script make the Summer action film you never imagined. Whether it's the soaring speeches delivered by Walker's Lincoln or the sprawling bullet-time battle sequences, you'll be left breathless by the end.
Jimmi Simpson, Anthony Mackie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Rufus Sewell are all brilliant as always. When you can assemble a cast like this, you can always expect great things. But the true gems of this film are Benjamin Walker and Dominic Cooper. Cooper's Henry Sturgess is dark, spry and subtle in his urgency while aiding Lincoln to his ultimate goal. But, in the end, it's Benjamin Walker as the titular character that steals the show. It's not even the gradual transformation Walker goes through to eventually look like the iconic Lincoln, but each mannerism, facial twitch, and subtly delivered line and speech makes you think you're watching the actual Lincoln himself. Hell, even when Walker is dispatching hordes of the undead with his trusty axe, you, at one point or another, can't help but think "Wow! Lincoln is a bad-ass!"
Now, I read the actual book in preparation of seeing this movie. If you have done the same, do yourself a favor and DO NOT COMPARE THE TWO! There are so few elements from the book, it's almost like Seth Grahame-Smith spent less time adapting his book for the big screen and more time making a brand new film with the same concept. But, in the end, the author made the movie, so who cares? Because if you had read the book, you would realize how difficult it would have been to make this film to begin with if Grahame-Smith had tried to do a straight adaption.
The true beauty of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is how serious it takes itself. Yes, the concept of the film and book were very tongue and cheek (very much like "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"), but it's Grahame-Smith's brilliant screenplay that showed this is a film not to be reckoned with. Unlike his last film "Dark Shadows", Grahame-Smith left the goofiness and satire out in lieu of pulse-pounding suspense, beautifully crafted action sequences, and dialogue that flows smoother than most of the films I've seen this Summer thus far. And that is something you can vote for.
FINAL VERDICT: Though completely nothing like the book, "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is the history lesson we've all been waiting for. With action sequences that are visual poetry and dialogue that is not only easy on the ears, but moving and inspiring, what could have been the tongue-and-cheek fest its premise puts out is, in actuality, one of the best films of the year by far. It's honest film-making you can sink your teeth into.
Iron Man.
Batman.
Lincoln...?
That's right! Who would have thought that Abraham Lincoln was a superhero? But in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" the liberator of the slaves becomes the secret bad-ass we always wanted a president to be, and the results couldn't be more explosive.
As a boy, young Abraham Lincoln watched as his mother die by the hands of vampire Jack Barts (Martin Csokas). Fueled by rage, Lincoln, now in his 20s (now played by Benjamin Walker) attempts to kill his mother's supernatural assassin, failing in the process, but succeeding in meeting Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper), a mysterious stranger who educates young Lincoln about vampires and how to kill them -- more importantly, how to wield an axe lethally against the fanged bastards. Years go by, Abe starts getting help by his friends Henry, Joshua Speed (Jimmi Simpson), Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie) and young wife Mary Todd Lincoln (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as Lincoln becomes more and more involved in politics and the eventual presidency, while fighting not only the Confederate nation, led by Stephen Douglas (Alan Tudyk) and the vampire leader Adam (Rufus Sewell).
Based on his New York Times Best-Selling novel of the same name, screenwriter/producer Seth Grahame- Smith ("Dark Shadows", best-selling novel "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"), along with producer Tim Burton and director Timur Bekmambetov ("Wanted") play fun with history and show the motivations behind imfamous parts of American history like the slave trade and the Civil War. Bekmambetov's visual style of shooting combined with Grahame-Smith's brilliant script make the Summer action film you never imagined. Whether it's the soaring speeches delivered by Walker's Lincoln or the sprawling bullet-time battle sequences, you'll be left breathless by the end.
Jimmi Simpson, Anthony Mackie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Rufus Sewell are all brilliant as always. When you can assemble a cast like this, you can always expect great things. But the true gems of this film are Benjamin Walker and Dominic Cooper. Cooper's Henry Sturgess is dark, spry and subtle in his urgency while aiding Lincoln to his ultimate goal. But, in the end, it's Benjamin Walker as the titular character that steals the show. It's not even the gradual transformation Walker goes through to eventually look like the iconic Lincoln, but each mannerism, facial twitch, and subtly delivered line and speech makes you think you're watching the actual Lincoln himself. Hell, even when Walker is dispatching hordes of the undead with his trusty axe, you, at one point or another, can't help but think "Wow! Lincoln is a bad-ass!"
Now, I read the actual book in preparation of seeing this movie. If you have done the same, do yourself a favor and DO NOT COMPARE THE TWO! There are so few elements from the book, it's almost like Seth Grahame-Smith spent less time adapting his book for the big screen and more time making a brand new film with the same concept. But, in the end, the author made the movie, so who cares? Because if you had read the book, you would realize how difficult it would have been to make this film to begin with if Grahame-Smith had tried to do a straight adaption.
The true beauty of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is how serious it takes itself. Yes, the concept of the film and book were very tongue and cheek (very much like "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"), but it's Grahame-Smith's brilliant screenplay that showed this is a film not to be reckoned with. Unlike his last film "Dark Shadows", Grahame-Smith left the goofiness and satire out in lieu of pulse-pounding suspense, beautifully crafted action sequences, and dialogue that flows smoother than most of the films I've seen this Summer thus far. And that is something you can vote for.
FINAL VERDICT: Though completely nothing like the book, "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is the history lesson we've all been waiting for. With action sequences that are visual poetry and dialogue that is not only easy on the ears, but moving and inspiring, what could have been the tongue-and-cheek fest its premise puts out is, in actuality, one of the best films of the year by far. It's honest film-making you can sink your teeth into.
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