Talking Pictures

Movie Reviews

Warrior

Although “Warrior” is a sports film, it’s also a character study mostly focusing on the relationships between father and sons.

The film boasts, possibly, Nick Nolte’s best work in recent years as a recovering alcoholic whose drinking and abuse has alienated his family. But when his estranged son (Tom Hardy) re-enters his life, his uses the opportunity to begin to build back his relationship by training his son in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.

“Warrior” also gets the audience up close and personal with Mixed Martial Arts, a brutal high-bred of boxing, kick-boxing and martial arts. The sequences are well filmed and well acted.

“Warrior” is well worth the ticket price in. It gets a B- and is rated PG-13

Shark Night 3-D

Shark Night 3-D is an uncomplicated film involving a group of college students on a weekend retreat to a secluded island summer home on a lake.

And there’s this shark.

See, that’s pretty much it, other than the fact there’s absolutely no fun in this film or sense of itself. The film is played straight, which is exactly where the movie goes wrong.

Shark Night 3-D needed to be that roller coaster ride with a little tongue in cheek wink to the audience that a great schlock movie always has. (See “Zombieland,” “Piranha” or “Drag Me To Hell” for good examples)

Anyway don’t waste your time or money it gets a D and is rated PG-13.

Seven Days in Utopia

It’s the end of the summer and as expected it’s the time of year when there is a flood of “shelved” films being released in theaters.

“Seven Days in Utopia” is one such film.

The film focuses on a young hot-tempered golfer (Lucas Black) who gets stranded in the small Texas town of Utopia while his car is repaired. While waiting he befriends and old codger (Robert Duvall), who just happens to be a retired professional golfer.

Then, quicker than Aunt Thelma can bake an apple pie, the film begins to spin cracker barrel philosophies and sage-like wisdom designed to get you to thinkin’ ‘bout how blessed your life is.

Sound a bit familiar?

It’s as if the two writers who did “Doc Hollywood” and “Bagger Vance” collided in a hallway somewhere and instead of mixing the peanut butter with the chocolate, mixed these two stories together.

Except the outcome was a predictable and shallow “find yourself” film.

Frankly, I’d rather have the peanut butter cup.

Now I am not saying there isn’t room for “feel good” films. There is. Check out “Follow Me Boys,” “Miracle” or “Pay It Forward.”

But one’s like this, with plot points that are too convenient and so sugary sweet you can get a cavity just watching it, don’t do anybody any good.

Robert Duvall plays the aging golf pro who is never at a loss for just the right thing to say. And he says it with a twinkle in his eye and a wisp of a smile on his face. The beauty of a Duvall performance is you actually do believe he believes what he’s saying.

That’s acting!

Everyone else in the film is barely adequate including Melissa Leo, who has almost no screen time.

Look, I like films that show growth and overcoming adversity and all but they have to meet me half way. This film didn’t try.

It gets a C- and is rated PG.

The Debt

“The Debt” centers around three Mossad agents on the hunt for an escaped Nazi war criminal and the events surrounding his capture.

The film, starring Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington and Tom Wilkinson, is a slow moving character piece that is just too manipulative and formulaic.

That’s not to say there aren’t good performances in the film, there are. Helen Mirren never disappoints and in “The Debt” she manages to perfectly convey an emotionally scarred and broken woman who’s secret past is coming to light.

But Mirren’s performance is marred by the script’s multiple plots and detours.

In the end “The Debt” is only an average spy drama with no surprises.

It gets a C and is rated R.

“Conan the Barbarian”

The remake of “Conan the Barbarian” has little resemblance to the 1982 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the title character. The original film had more of a sense of humor and was a bit more “cartoonish.”

This go-round seems to be a bit more serious and stiff as “Game of Thrones” hunk Jason Momoa takes the lead role as a less talkative and more focused Conan.

Although both films carry an R rating, I feel the original was “lighter” on violence while the new version is darker and brutal. You can just about hear each tendon tearing as Conan cuts his enemies with his sword. Special attention is also given to the amount of blood and carnage the audience will experience.

As far as the acting goes, Rachel Nichols (G.I. Joe and Star Trek) shows off her athletic side as a not-so-helpless damsel in distress. Nichols is a very watchable performer with a wide range of skills. I hope these “sword and fantasy” films won’t pigeonhole her.

Rose McGowan is delightfully evil as a wizardess who is trying to please her equally evil father (Stephen Lang). McGowan, who allows her character a little humor, actually may have the best role in the film.

I think the weakest link is Jason Momoa as Conan. Momoa just needs to get comfortable with the role and relax as he is signed to do 2 more films if the first one does well.

All in all, Conan will please the graphic novel crowd but not win the general audience vote. “Conan the Barbarian” gets an average C and is rated R.

“Fright Night”

“Fright Night” is a remake of the beloved 1985 film that starred William Ragsdale, Chris Sarandon and Roddy McDowall.

The new remake follows the story pretty well, a vampire moves in next door to high school student, Charlie Brewster. Charlie discovers his next door neighbor secret passion for drinking the “red” stuff and (with the help of a self-proclaimed occultist) tries stop the evil next door and save his mom and girlfriend.

Although I am a huge fan of the original film, (did you know there was a sequel – Fright Night Part 2 in 1988?) this revisit is very well done and steps up the horror aspects quite a bit. The update works very well as Charlie (played by Anton Yelchin) and Jerry the Vampire (Colin Farrell) lock horns.

Both actors put in solid performances and neither goes over the top, which I really appreciated as this kind of film can be overplayed both in acting and special effects.

Caught somewhere in the middle is David Tennant as “Peter Vincent,” a Chris Angel-type Las Vegas magician who’s bio claims to be the world’s leading authority on the occult.

Tennant (as Vincent) is at his comic best as his on stage persona is not quite what he is in real life.

“Fright Night” is good comic horror.

It gets a B – and is rated R.

“One Day”

“One Day” is the ultimate chick flick. A sappy, romantic tearjerker designed to make even the manliest of men cry like a baby.

This isn’t a bad thing, if you play your cards right.

See, since “she” is going to want to see this film and she is going to want to drag you along to hand her tissue after tissue. Which, (like the time you bought her all that chocolate) you’ll end up using them yourself.

I’d suggest since you’re gong to have to go to see “One Day” anyway, ask her FIRST to see it with you BEFORE she asks you. Then afterwards, when you’re blubbering like an evangelist who was just caught in a 3-way, she’ll see how “sensitive” you are and finally “ok” that new fishing gear, BBQ or truck nuts.

Guys, this type of film can work to your advantage, trust me.

Anyway the film gets a B and is rated PG-13.

30 Minutes or Less

“30 Minutes or Less” is a manic movie that equally balances humor and thrills.

Jesse Eisenberg is in terrific form as Nick, an unappreciated pizza delivery guy just trying to get by. One night he’s delivering a pizza and WHAM he’s kidnapped, a bomb is strapped to his chest and told to rob a bank by two unknown masked men. The clock begins to tick as Nick is off on the adventure of his life.

After he suckers his best friend Chet, played by Aziz Ansari to help him, the chase is on. All the while the duo are being followed by Nick’s kidnappers (Danny McBride and Nick Swardson) just make sure he doesn’t deviate from the plan.

“30 Minutes or Less” is a genuinely funny thrill-ride. If you are sensitive to harsh language you might want to stay away, otherwise go and enjoy.

It gets a sold B and is rated R.

Final Destination 5

Sometimes you got to throw up your hands and go with the ridiculous.

“Final Destination 5” is a great argument for just that. This bloody horror train-wreck of a movie is a lot of fun (provided you have a strong enough stomach).

Tony Todd returns as “Bludworth,” spewing one-liners in his trademark staccato style. “Death (long pause) doesn’t like to be (long pause) cheated.”
Having Todd in the film is all part of the “fun” Final Destination fans seem to really enjoy.

But the real roller coaster element comes when every gratuitous moment of this film is topped by the next one and the next one after that. So as each character gets picked off, the violence, blood and gore escalates to some very silly and startling crescendos.

“Final Destination 5” is the cinematic equivalent of going to a carnival haunted house, you go for the thrill and laugh it off afterwards.

Although not a perfect horror movie, in the end “Final Destination 5” delivers on its promise to make you squirm in your seat.

It gets a C+ and is rated R.

“The Help”

“The Help,” starring Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Bryce Dallas Howard is (at its core) an emotionally involving movie. Based on the best selling book, “The Help” is told through a series of stories on how some Southern families treat their hired “help.”

Each of these stories plays out with the same kind of formula as any “underdog” sports story ultimately ending up with triumph over adversity.

Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer are sure to have their names on the Oscar Nom lists this year, as both performances are well-deserving of a gold statue.

But, to be honest, Bryce Dallas Howard steals the film as “Hilly,” a self-involved debutante who can’t seem to understand that the times are a’ changing. Howard’s turn as this sugar-sweet socialite is villainous and conniving, all the while projecting the air of an aristocrat.

A delicate balance to maintain.

Emma Stone turns in a solid performance as “Skeeter,” who is the catalyst for the story. Although not a “break out” character like “Hilly,” Skeeter has the burden of being expository.

So as she learns about the plight of “the help,” we learn along with her.

All in all “The Help” is one of the year’s best films, so far.
It gets an A and is rated PG-13.