Talking Pictures

Rich’s Quickie: Go see it; but bring earplugs

Say What? Firstly, let me say that I am obviously so NOT the demo for Justin Bieber; I knew nothing of him or his music going in, and fully expected to be bored out of my skull. But not only do the folks at MTV know how to make a music documentary (or is it a concert video? How about Concertmentary? Docucert?), but they also have great subject matter in Justin Bieber.
Virtually unknown just over a year ago, the flick follows Justin from his early days (and I mean REALLY early days; like in diapers), as small kid from a broken home in Canada, whose religious mother struggles to raise him on her own, with the help of loving grandparents. Through their love and attention, they end up raising quite a nice young man, who is hard NOT to like.
Early on they see him gravitate towards percussion and that he has a good sense of rhythm (we get to see it too, as Justin grew up in the age of Instant Documentation, and footage abounds of his nearly every move). They encourage him and he responds VERY well, and by the age of 12 his is asking permission to sing out front of a local building that attracts street muses of all stripes. By now he is also playing guitar and some piano, as well as singing and writing his own songs. Someone on the street has a camera phone, posts the resulting video on the Internet, and the viral Fever is off and running. He creates more homemade videos, and soon a record producer in Atlanta finds and believes in him, even against the wishes of some of his skeptical fellow colleagues. Through hard work, determination, and a very supportive system of friends and employees around him, Bieber Fever spreads throughout the land, and he eventually sells out Madison Square Garden.
The story is amazing enough, but the filmmakers also do a lot right, here, allowing the fans who catapulted him to fame to also take center stage (sometimes literally). You really get a sense of not only what Bieber is like (respectful, playful, and self-deprecating), but also what it’s like to be a fan at his concert. Although the 3D seems unnecessary most of the time, it’s well used (and abused, here and there) during the concert footage, allowing the movie-going audience to feel like they are actually at his concert.
There are also some surprises thrown in for those familiar with his story, as Usher, Miley Cyrus and even Jaden Smith share the stage with Bieber on occasion. But the movie takes the time to center not only on Bieber and his fans, but even on his family, staff and and friends.

Never! Probably the only downsides to the movie were all the screaming fans the movie theater; nearly perpetual banshees screaming at every little thing (even the frigging “Recycle your 3D Glasses” slate – I guess because that meant the movie was about to start). Who knew going green would elicit so much fun? Also, what would it a film be without a little bit of drama? Bieber’s voice takes a beating being so young, and performing some 86 shows prior to his MSG date, that he has to cancel a concert or two otherwise risk his historic gig. Will he make it? Will the show go as scheduled? Duh; that’s what the title refers to – his playing Madison Square Garden at such a young age, and under quite the self-imposed deadline. But even in this pseudo-drama there is much to be learned about Mr. Bieber, and how a teenager has to come to grips with some rather adult decisions to follow his dream. Not bad for a 16 year old kid from Canada.

Rich’s Movie Grade: A-

Director: Jon Chu

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’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

But not just ANY year end review, wherein we talk about the same, basic Top Ten movies pretty much everyone else does. No, we’ll be discussing the ones that got away; the unappreciated films that – although maybe not box-office gold – were nonetheless some of our favorite movies of the year, and that are certainly worth seeing. You know, some things are just great no matter whether or not whole lot of people know about them – like Quisp cereal.

After a hard days’ work at the computing machine my thoughts turn to… movies? Yes, but it’s movie stuff that may not necessarily be a review, but just something (hopefully) nifty relating to movies, so hence – the BLOG!

Now both Tony and I will have a space in which to wax (hopefully) poetic about all things movies; so WATCH THIS SPACE!

It takes a Town: If “Gone Baby Gone” wasn’t enough to dispel the cracks about being the weaker of the Good Will Hunting twins, “The Town” should finally put all of that to bed for Ben Affleck. He directs, stars in and contributes to the writing of this engrossing flick, breathing new life into the heist genre by incorporating elements of Romance and Buddy pics. Affleck doesn’t hog the screen and allows a well-chosen cast to shine alongside a script that turns the criminals into the folks you root for, and the cops into guys you hope blow it big. Rebecca Hall is perfect as Claire Keesey, having a smile and demeanor that truly pulls you in; we can all see why Affleck’s Doug MacRay falls for her once away from his tortured life. Jon Hamm’s FBI agent Adam Frawley is in many ways just as intense as Jeremy Renner’s loose cannon James Coughlin; just on the side of the law. However, Hamm’s Frawley is pushed to toe the thin blue line in pursuit of these criminals, particularly playing some pretty heavy mind-games with Coughlin’s sister (and wannabe girlfriend of Affleck’s MacRay), Krista, played by Blake Lively. With the likes of Chris Cooper and Pete Postlethwaite providing both the pathos and the power of the old boy network in The Town, you have all the element s of a great film.

Gone, baby, gone: Although there are a few weak directorial decisions here and there (such as the showing of MacRay leaving a little post-robbery “gift” for Claire in her garden), there are so many good ones (like contrasting the loud and violent burglary scenes with the sterile and silent view of a security cam, and the deft use of comedy), that even though the outcome may never be in doubt, it’s a satisfying ending that doesn’t pander.

Movie Grade: A-

Director: Ben Affleck
Writers: Peter Craig (screenplay), Ben Affleck (screenplay), Aaron Stockard (screenplay), Chuck Hogan (novel “Prince of Thieves”)

Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and drug use.

A: With a great twist on the whole “losing your virginity” plotline to many teen films, “Easy A” combines elements of classical literature as well as elements of classic 80’s teen movies into a wonderful package; paying homage to some of our most beloved teen flicks without blatantly ripping them off. Clever dialogue, witty writing, a great cast, and subtle comedic touches along with flat-out hilarity combine to make “Easy A” easily one of the best of its type.

B: I would say the only thing that brought it down at all for me was when it did get a bit serious with some of its subplots; I so WISH Hollywood would just keep a comedy a comedy, sometimes. But at least even those more serious elements were dealt with in a satisfying way, especially given the great cast delivering all of these well-written lines. Even so, I think it may have also ducked a chance to mention another serious issue – how sexual activity makes studs of guys and tramps of girls – but it didn’t go there much.

Movie Grade: B+

Director: Will Gluck
Writer: Bert V. Royal

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements involving teen sexuality, language and some drug material.

Rich’s Quickie: If you’ve had enough of Michael Cera, you’ll get more than you bargained for, here; but you might end up liking that double dose.

Michael Cera is Revolting! Allowing possible one-note actor Michael Cera to stretch a little, Gustin Nash’s screenplay (based on C.D. Payne’s novel), tells the story of young, naive nerd Nick Twisp, who is so hell-bent on winning the rebellious daddy’s little girl of his dreams (well-played by Portia Doubleday), that he creates an alter ego of himself – Francois Dillinger – who just may help Nick seal the deal.  Both Cera and Doubleday are great, as is the Juno-esque dialog delivered by them.  A funny script is supported by the likes of Jean Smart, Zach Galifianakis, Steve Buscemi, Fred Willard, Ray Liotta and Justin Long (among others).  And even with such a large and obvious supporting cast, they don’t feel like stunts; seamlessly working themselves in and out of the main story, which is a quick and enjoyable 90 minutes.

Revolution! I’ve heard this movie doesn’t quite do the novel justice, but since I haven’t read it, that didn’t keep me from enjoying the film, so there. Though a bit absurd in places, it generally keeps its cheek and tone throughout.  The effect of two Ceras onscreen is done so well it doesn’t distract from the story itself.

Rich’s Movie Grade:  B

MPAA: Rated Rated R for sexual content, language and drug use.

Runtime: 90 min

Director: Miguel Arteta

Writers Gustin Nash (screenplay), and C.D. Payne (novel)