Talking Pictures

Movie Reviews

Tony Toscano reviews “Sanctum”

Anytime a script calls for 3 or more people to be trapped somewhere trying to escape, you enter the cliché zone. And “Sanctum” is no exception.

The film revolves around a group of cave divers, financed (of course) by an eccentric billionaire who get trapped in a massive cave they are exploring. As their expensive equipment begins to fail, they struggle to stay alive and find a way out.

Ok, sounds like a good plot but what the film does is boil everything down to its basic stereotype and the film becomes predictable, formulaic and boring. So boring most of the audience was looking for a way out long before the actors on the screen.

On the bright side, the 3-D effects in the film were done remarkably well, but that doesn’t erase the fact that bad is even worse in 3-D.

When all is said and done, “Sanctum” is a forgettable film with paper-thin characters and a lackluster script they tried selling to James Cameron fans by attaching his name (as Executive Producer) to the poster art and TV ads.

It gets a D and is rated R

Tony Toscano reviews “The Green Hornet”

Based on a 30’s radio show, newspaper publisher Britt Reid’s alter ego “The Green Hornet” was a kind of anti-hero hero. Seemingly a criminal, the masked Hornet and his trusted sidekick, Kato, battled criminals (and sometimes the law) to make sure justice was served.

If the plot is a bit familiar to you (especially anyone older than 50) you’re right, as The Green Hornet takes its plot line from “The Lone Ranger” legend.

In fact, Britt Reid is the grand nephew of John Reid, the Lone Ranger himself.

In the new film “The Green Hornet,” Britt Reid is a spoiled rich kid with daddy issues who is board with his life. After his father dies and leaves his media empire to Britt, the young man begins to find some purpose in helping those who can’t help themselves.

Seth Rogen (who also co-wrote the screenplay) takes on the challenge of playing the masked vigilante with Jay Chou as Kato, a car mechanic who has a knack of invention and making coffee.

The script is smart and action filled with just enough tongue-in-cheek humorous dialogue to give the film a sense of itself as both Britt and Kato discover they may have bitten off more than they can chew.

I do have a couple of minor problems beginning with the fact this update of the Green Hornet should have been released in the summer, as I think it would fare better to a summer audience. And the 3-D was choppy, hindering and actually was unnecessary as it did not add to the film in the least.

But despite those drawbacks, “The Green Hornet” is worth the ticket in.

It gets a B and is rated PG-13 for sequences of violent action, language, sensuality and drug content.

Rich Bonaduce reviews “The Dilemma”

Rich’s Quickie: I’ll tell you MY dilemma; I love Ron Howard, but not his movie.

The REAL Dilemma: Remember when Ron Howard used to make these funny little films? Now he makes barely funny, but bigger films. His latest has been sold as comedy. It isn’t. At best, it’s a drama with some funny parts; and even those are not THAT funny, and they are too few and far between. Too much of the movie relies on Vince Vaughn’s machine-gun delivery alone, or on the interplay between him and chunky sidekick Kevin James (what – was John Favereau unavailable?). But Vaughn’s welcome is soon worn out, as the movie soon falls into the same old Vaughn rut and not enough genuine laughs, most of which are provided by Channing Tatum, surprisingly. A pretty forgettable film.

Movie Grade: C-

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements involving sexual content.
Director: Ron Howard
Writer: Allan Loeb

Rich Bonaduce reviews “The Green Hornet”

Rich’s Quickie: Not much to think about, but a lot to enjoy.

I don’t know much about the original 30’s radio serial, so I don’t know if I should be annoyed or not at this remake. But Seth Rogan is credited as one of the writers, and his signature mannerisms are all over it, and I think that’s a good thing. It’s funny and hip, with a lot going for it, most importantly, a sense of itself that allows for scenes of utter implausibility to slide down easily. The setup is a little weak, admittedly, as well as the 3D. But the action sequences, banter, and fast pace more than make up for it. In fact, some of the action sequences, although stylish in an over-the-top comic book way, are surprisingly excessive and somewhat violent. But they also make for a winter movie that feels more like a blow `em up summer blockbuster. The Green Hornet still has some problems, but it also doesn’t disappoint as a good time at the movies.

Movie Grade: B

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violent action, language, sensuality and drug content.
Director: Michel Gondry
Writers: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen

Tony Toscano reviews “The Dilemma”

Vince Vaughn is back on the big screen playing Ronny, a fast-talking big lug who cares deeply about his pal Nick (who is also his business partner). Kevin James is Nick, a genius when it comes to automobiles and engines.

When Ronny discovers Nick’s wife (Winona Ryder) is cheating, he faces the problem of telling Nick or stepping back.

Thus is the basic plot of Ron Howard’s uninspired new comedy “The Dilemma.”

Unlike Howard’s previous comedies like “Splash,” “Night Shift” or even “Gung Ho,” “The Dilemma” keeps the audience at arm’s length and invites them to participate in liking the main characters. We are told about the two’s friendship but never really shown much.

The comedy’s humor is based on Vaughn’s nail biting and ranting over what he should do. Scene after scene is Vaughn trying to convince everyone around him that he’s ok all the while getting deeper in to the hell he is creating for himself.

Kevin James’ is restricted to playing a loveable teddy bear genius who breaks out into a stuttering, sweaty mess when having to present his ideas to clients. James, who like Vaughn’s “big lug” persona, seems to be typecast over and over in this kind of role, (The King of Queens) and unfortunately he just can’t do anything new here.

“The Dilemma,” just isn’t funny enough or different enough to be recommended. It gets a D and is rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements involving sexual content.

Rich Bonaduce reviews “Country Strong”

Rich’s Quickie: “Country WRONG!” Or maybe “Country Weak?” “Country Lame?” Or howabout “Most Of This Country Was Left On The Edit Room Floor?”

God’s Country: Only the most devoted of country fans will enjoy this predictable ode to virtually every country song and/or big star cliché you’ve ever heard. And although its cast does a fine enough job, they can’t save this script from itself.

CounTry, try again! What buzz exists around this movie has mostly to do with the actors singing convincingly; and they do. And although that may be fine for a music video, decent singing does not a movie make. Also, with pitch correction and all manner of studio tricks that abound nowadays, I’m sure I could get my dog to sound at least half as good. Which leaves us with the movie…
…and what a movie. It gives us virtually no one to identify with or cheer for, with a cast nearly void of any desirable attributes. Gwyneth Paltrow plays Kelly Canter, a spoiled alcoholic near has-been country star, who is having a rough time on the circuit after losing her developing baby after drunkenly falling off a stage. She sleeps around on her husband for reasons no more important than securing a tour date whilst suspecting her husband – played by real-life country star Tim McGraw – is cheating on her. Meanwhile, McGraw’s James Canter is a shell of man, both manipulative and submissive in his handling of his meal ticket wife while keeping his eye out for newer, fresher, greener and younger horizons without all the hassle in the form of newcomer Chiles Stanton (played by Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester). Meester’s Stanton is an airhead beauty pageant wannabe, who often freezes up on stage, which may keep her from fulfilling her dream of being the next bubble gum country star. She’s also gullible as to fall for the aw shucks manner of fellow country-crooner Beau Hutton (played by Garret Hedlund of TRON: Legacy), even after he treats her badly a bit. Meanwhile, Hedlund’s Hutton has also hitched his wagon to the Kelly Canter star by sleeping with her while she was good and vulnerable in rehab, but may have genuinely fallen for her; indeed, he’s one of the few people who seems to show concern for her in her delicate state. That is at least until Canter inexplicably breaks it off with him for some unknown reason, and then he finds solace rather quickly in Stanton’s bed… and equally inexplicably he falls for her, and eventually asks her to leave the circuit altogether and go with him to some Podunk town and sing to only a barful of people since he disdains the country bubble gum they’ve recently been chewing. Just as unbelievably, she eventually agrees.
All this, and I have yet to mention the bird-in-a-box as useless and incomplete metaphor, the undeveloped subplots, the motivations that turn on a dime with no explanation, that the only bona fide country star in the movie doesn’t sing a note, or that Paltrow’s character (or any of them, for that matter), don’t display anything like unto Strength — much less of the Country Strong variety, whatever THAT means. Just mosey on right by Country Strong.

Movie Grade: D

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements involving alcohol abuse and some sexual content.
Director: Shana Feste
Writer: Shana Feste

Rich Bonaduce reviews “Season of the Witch”

Rich’s Quickie: Not a great movie, but I’ve certainly seen worse this year – and it’s only January!

A Witch! Nicolas Cage plays a Behman, a wandering ex-crusader with a conscience (which only develops after killing one too-many innocents), with his trusty cohort Felson (played by Hellboy Ron Pearlman) in tow. They turn their backs on the Church and its crusades and wander aimlessly, until they get a chance to Set Things Right by delivering a suspected witch to a Monastary where she can be properly judged as the possible source of the Black Plauge. Ever the erstwhile do-gooder – or at least he is NOW – Behman wishes to make sure the girl is dealt with justly, and reluctantly agrees to deliver her. What follows is a bit of a throwaway movie, but it certainly delivers a good time; with plenty of action (after a bit of a slow middle), special effects and an ending that wraps things up neatly.

A Newt? What hampers Season of the Witch is mostly its tone; at times decidedly violent and creepy, and other times it’s a buddy-knight tale, with one-liners being bandied about during life-or-death experiences. Some movies balance the two, but this one doesn’t. It just feels like it wasn’t sure what it was supposed to be, and mixes the two genres in unequal and confusing ways. It’s also edited a bit strangely in spots, not showing us some action that would have been satisfying (like the suspected witch rescuing a captor is a tight spot), while showing others that seemed to undermine the threat (dead monks brought to life are shown using an effect taken straight from The Grudge or The Ring that makes them anything BUT scary or threatening). Even some of the actual language used is questionable, and I wondered if people really spoke that way in the 1300’s. But still, as an adventure film, I’ve certainly had worse times in the theater.

Movie Grade: C

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, violence and disturbing content.
Director: Dominic Sena
Writer: Bragi F. Schut

Tony Toscano reviews “Country Strong”

Despite the fact Gwyneth Paltrow can really, really sing, Country Strong isn’t interesting enough to hold an audience’s interest for long. This cliche-ridden soap opera plays out like the lyrics to a 3rd rate country song, which is too predictable and too shallow to be taken seriously.
The film focuses on a young man (Garrett Hedlund) who want’s to sing because he loves to share his songs with “the people.” He meets a recovering alcoholic country superstar (Gwyneth Paltrow) who takes a shine to him and
gives him the chance to perform on her come back tour, much to the concern of her manager / husband played by Tim McGraw. I can’t begin to explain the many pitfalls with this film, but my first problem is why have a film featuring country music and starring Tim McGraw where he doesn’t sing a note?
Then there’s the problem with Paltrow’s superstar character constantly canceling her performances on the “comeback tour,” but the opening acts still go on and the audience never seems to mind. However the concert promoters keep showing up and complaining, but it seems it’s “OK” because everyone “goes way back” and remembers “the old days.”
Also a secondary character, Chiles Stanton, played by Leighton Meester is hired by Tim McGraw’s character after she flubs an audition completely. She proves she just isn’t ready for performing on the road, yet is hired and
becomes a featured act.
Country Strong is a mess and despite decent performances by the cast, it just isn’t worth the ticket price in.
It gets a C- and is rated PG-13 for thematic elements involving alcohol abuse and some sexual content.

Rich Bonaduce reviews “Black Swan”

Rich’s Quickie: I friggin’ LOVE this movie!

Okay, I’m going to gush. If Natalie Portman doesn’t get at LEAST a best actor nomination, something is very WRONG out there. “Black Swan” has it all for me; the acting, the writing, and the direction is all first rate, but be warned – it is a nasty movie about the underside of, well nearly everyone IN the movie. It has an R rating and it earns it, and it is downright unnerving. It got under my skin while watching it, and it genuinely creeped me out. And that’s just what a psychological horror film is supposed to do, and don’t let all the pretty ballet moves deceive you – it is a psychological HORROR film… and a really GOOD one.

Movie Grade: A-

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Writers: Mark Heyman (screenplay) and Andres Heinz (screenplay) and John J. McLaughlin (screenplay) (as John McLaughlin), and Andres Heinz (story)

Rated R for strong sexual content, disturbing violent images, language and some drug use.

Rich Bonaduce reviews “The Fighter”

Rich’s Quickie: Not your grandfather’s feel-good sports drama; and that’s a good thing.

Probably a nominee for Movie Of The Year, “The Fighter” deals with rather serious issues for a sports drama, and as such (and given it’s R rating), it’s not in the same family-friendly area as “The Blind Side” or “Invictus.” And that’s fine by me.

Based on the true story of Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), and their struggles with each other, their family, and Dicky’s drug addiction, among other things. It turns out that for this fighter, the greatest fight he has is with his own family.

Although Wahlberg is in fine form, giving Ward an innocent air, and Amy Adams is surprisingly pitch-perfect in the role of his troubled girlfriend, it is Christian Bale’s Eklund who drives this movie, and who may get the Oscar nom, as well as the movie that surrounds him. Although the direction is done documentary style adding to the realism, it is also done so well that you barely notice it. The dialogue is believable, and brought home by its actors. And nicely, even the fight sequences are realistic, and overly violent to hyperactive. The Fighter also boasts one of the best “pep talks” of any sports drama. One of the best movies of the year.

Movie Grade: A-

Director: David O. Russell
Writers: Scott Silver (screenplay) and Paul Tamasy (screenplay) & Eric Johnson (screenplay); and Paul Tamasy (story) & Eric Johnson (story) & Keith Dorrington (story)

Rated R for language throughout, drug content, some violence and sexuality.