Filim Review: Man on Wire (2008)

Grade: A

Man on Wire is without a doubt the best film of the year going unwatched. While unborn babies can already recite lines from The Dark Knight, this James Marsh masterpiece of a documentary has been left to the arthouses of America's cities. But for an hour less than TDK, you're going to get the same amount, if not more the suspense, the disappointment, and the glee. Sure, it's unfair to compare these drastically different films, but the only point I'm trying to make is that this film is a must-see, and is a guaranteed to leave you entertained.

The tagline reads like this: "1974. 1350 feet up. The artistic crime of the century." And honestly, that's all you really need to know. And through that tagline, Marsh and more importantly, our protagonist Philippe Petit relive and retell the beginnings, the struggles, and the stories to it's most detailed and wildly entertaining form. And from their memories forms a story that seems innate: it's the American dream to reach and conquer the impossible, or in this case, the World Trade Center.

You can say that this is one of the better post-9/11 pictures (next to 25th Hour), despite being a story of pre-9/11. By glorifying the towers and soon after, conquering the towers, the picture shows that the human spirit is in fact greater than those towers, that nothing could bring it or us down.

But if you receive none of these revelations, count on this: it's just flat out delightful. You'll find yourself squirming in your seat as our hero dances on a tightrope, sweat dripping down your palms while a Frenchman shows you how to be an American. All in all, Man on Wire is a wonderful work of art that shows not only the audacity and bravery of the American spirit, but the childlike beauty of the human spirit as well.

Film Review: Tropic Thunder (2008)

Grade: A-

Tropic Thunder is the funniest movie of the year, a refreshing comedy that surpasses the overdone Apatow and McKay projects of the past few years, as Stiller delivers again in his first directorial film since Zoolander.

It's the story of a bunch of pre-madonna actors making the most expensive war film of all time till the studio's pressure forces the director to lead his cast into Southeast Asia to encounter real villains, real guns, and real death. But unlike many comedies with an interesting premise, it's not ruined in the trailers, as everything I have just explained happens in the first 20 minutes or so. After that, you're not really sure what is happening, going on for the fun, ridiculous ride with the fake actors.

From the get go, you're already laughing -- with a commercial for Alpa Chino's Booty Sweat and three trailers that's highlighted by Robert Downey Jr. and surprise cameo Tobey McGuire's film with the tagline (I've been a very very bad boy). And after that, it's a non-stop laugh-out-loud film that's headlined by their three big stars (Stiller, Black, and Downey, Jr.), but much of the credit must be given to the supporting cast. The two other soldiers in the film -- played by Brandon T. Jackson and Jay Baruchel (from Knocked Up) -- are sensational and at times, outshining Stiller or Black (who is my only knock on the film, just plain annoying as opposed to adorably annoying).

The only performance better than Downey Jr.'s incredible portrayal of a dude playing another dude disguised as another dude is Tom Cruise, who is more than a cameo in his role as the studio executive. I don't remember the last time I've laughed that hard at a movie theater, as every body movement and line he says is delivered with such comedic force I'm not sure anyone can resist him.

Add to that former-G.I. played by Nick Nolte (yeah, Nick Nolte!), special effects man played by Danny McBride (this is the month of Mr. McBride), studio executives' right-hand-man played by the always dependable Bill Hader, first-time director Hamlet 2's Steve Coogan, and Stiller's agent played by Matthew McConaughey (he doesn't even take his shirt off!).

Tropic Thunder is a comedic stroke of genius, a satire at its best and not even close to a spoof. The difference is in its intelligent script only multiplied by its ridiculousness. It's in the same league as Thank You for Smoking, just masked in a different way. For the first time, you were having fun in a film that was obvious the actors were having a ton of fun as well.

After a summer of disappointing comedies that sell themselves as comedies but aren't very comedic, my hats off to you, Ben Stiller and the rest of the gang of Tropic Thunder, the funniest film since Hot Fuzz.

Film Review: Pineapple Express ( 2008)

Grade: B

It's hard to explain to the majority of people who love it -- still laughing hysterically hours after they've seen the movie -- why...well, how do i put this...not very funny. Pineapple Express is labeled Superbad: The Sequel because it reunites Seth Rogen with Evan Goldberg for another raunchy coming-of-age buddy-buddy film that sparks off from a wrong-place, wrong-time moment. But for me, the similarities end there.

Superbad was about a couple of innocent high school kids who could only fantasize about a life better than their own, the one that's marketed on MTV and by Freddie Prince Jr. -- girls, booze, parties, sex, rebellion. And not so much the opposite -- nerds, porn, and family parties. The rauchiness and the language is in almost every way excusable because they're kids and they don't know any better. But best of all about Superbad, it was relatable. We've all been there, part of the reject crowd or at least not in the incrowd through our puberty-filled childhoods. And for boys/men, the relationship with another boy/man where you show your love but never say your love is a day-to-day affair for us.

Compare that with Pineapple Express, where childhood innocence is more or less replaced by adult stupidity. Substitute puberty with weed, and you've got the pair of Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) and Saul Silver (James Franco). There's the same coming-of-age male love story that happens once again, except this time it's between a drug dealer and his client. I don't relate to that because I'm neither of them and most people wont either. But the difference between me and others is I prefer something real whereas you may prefer the absurdity of this concept and relish in it. If so, my hats off to you.

The funniest parts in the action-comedy (dryhumping, Craig Robinson's lines, foot out the car windshield, hit-and-run, and the dumpster) were already shown during the trailer. And the most action-filled parts were simply not that well...action-filled. If the duo were cops, this film would fit more under Starsky and Hutch (Ben Stiller version) rather than Bad Boys.

Perhaps what is most disturbing to me is the realization that I have been Seth Rogened out. And by that, I mean he plays the same character in every movie, a character that started out brash and funny, but now is just overused and annoying. He's always profanity-laced, yelling on behalf of common sense everywhere while lighting one up. Even though the rest of the world hasn't caught on yet, mark my words: there will be a major backlash on Seth Rogen in the next year or two in the same way that Will Farrell is feeling it now. He may feel like he's on top of the world, but comedy masters fall from the mountain top very quickly unless they reinvent themselves. That's the difference between Jim Carrey and Mike Myers.

I sound much harsher than I really should, though. There were still a few enjoyable aspects to Pineapple Express, the main one being James Franco's performance. I haven't really followed his career though others have told me to keep a close eye. And I'm starting to see what they're talking about. Compared to Rogen's shouts, Franco's high-all-the-time character is brilliantly charming and induces a smile on your face whenever he's onscreen.

This is a film that I desperately wanted to like and even love. But it was one of those films where after half an hour of forcing laughter, it gets draining. And instead of fitting in with the rest of the comedy-induced crowd surrounding me, I just had to admit -- I don't think it's funny. I said it -- go ahead, sue me.

Film Review; Be Kind Rewind (2008)

Grade: B-

Be Kind Rewind is a sweet, easily-lovable indie film about Mike and Jerry who must remake their old versions of popular titles after Jerry's magnetized body erases the tapes. From Ghosbusters to The Lion King to Driving Miss Daisy, we get the treat of seeing Michael Gondry's rendition of Mike and Jerry's rendition of everybody's favorite movies.

It's chuckled-filled, but never hysterically funny. It's amiable, but hard to fall in love with. Mos Def and Jack Black are cute (the others look like they're trying too hard to be cute) and though the film is a one-joke premise with a predictable conflict, Gondry proves once again that he's a visionary director, using his quirkiness to his own advantage. He gives us a refreshing break from the run-and-bust Hollywood-style filmmaking in a much greater way that Mike and Jerry ever could.

Be Kind Rewind is a nice way to spend 90 minutes of your time, but luckily for me and for you -- you've left this off for DVD or VHS, whatever is your thing.

Film Review: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)

Grade: C-

There are movies like The Mummy 1 and 2 and the National Treasure series that are so dumb you start to enjoy them. The more ludicrous the plot, the better. Bask me in your corny lines and predictable endings, just take me along on an adventure ride through an imaginary real world Disney asked us to dream.

And then there is The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, which is actually dumber, cornier, and more predictable than any of the predecessors. But there's no sense of excitement, no laugh-out-loud or wow moments to cloud the terrible film you're watching. Just don't go blaming Brendan Frasier though. He seems to have a knack and a curse for using terrible material and running with it -- carrying the likes of Blast from the Past and Bedazzled with his broad shoulders. He could not save George of the Jungle. No one is that good.

Sure the absence of Rachel Weisz from this film hurt and newcomer Luke Ford as Frasier's son doesn't help at all. Probably the greatest flaw was a guy who's last few films included XXX, Stealth, and The Fast and The Furious -- all films capable of making you hurl.

Explorer Rick O'Connel and his wife are back from an uneasy retirement, only to find themselves saving the rogue like-father-like-son Alex in China. With the help of money-hungry backstabbers, the O'Connels find themselves in the middle of an ancient Chinese emperor with mystic powers awakening (Jet Li). Now the race is off before he awakes his army. In essence, the script has the same skeleton as Hellboy II, except Guillermo Del Toro's fantasy world is replaced with story ideas and special effects that should have been left for dead.

There's a scene when the heroes have no way of fighting the dragon emperor, and to their rescue comes abominable snowmen. To which everyone in the audience and Brandon Frasier scream out, "ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN!?!!?!?!?" That was the greatest part of the movie, when Frasier said the same thing everyone else was thinking -- maybe at that point, he was telling us that everyone involved in the picture knew how bad this film is going to be.

Maybe it's a film that had to be done -- just to satisfy the What Ifs of a popular movie franchise. This stamps The Mummy series as dead, to be left in the coffin and never to be resurrected again. And for that, I'm thankful at least.

Step Brothers (2008)

Grade: C

Okay, so part of me did not want to give up on Will Farrell. And there were plenty of reasons not to. The trailer alone is funnier, the premise is funnier, the supporting cast is funnier, and it's a summer movie as opposed to the not-so-beloved January movies. And what I got was a replay of most boys' lives between the ages of 5 and 10, except you threw some violence and a couple of curses...okay a lot of curses....okay a shitload of fucking curses.

If you laughed at the last sentence (and imagined Will Farrell saying it), then Step Brothers is the movie for you. Hell, it might be the best movie you've seen all year, if not the decade. But for the others, that's about all you can look forward to. A sad fact considering Richard Jenkins and Mary Steenburgen play the parents, and random cameos are made from Seth Rogen, Ken Jeong, and Horatio Sanz.

It's one of those comedies where it looks like the actors are having more fun than the audience, hoping that they can evoke some sort of jealousy for you all who aren't having as much fun. As for Farrell and John C. Reilly, the film feels like they're riding off of a wave of Talledega momentum that has already passed over a year late.

And while most of the funny parts are not ruined in the trailer, a good amount is. You will be guaranteed a few hearty laughs, but none in succession or none so loud that you'd fall off the seat. You'll leave the theater emotionless, without a grin on your face (and really, isn't that the whole point of these comedies), and you'll say to yourself, "I could've probably waited for the DVD."

The search for a Will Farrell masterpiece continues, one that can relive his fleeting moments as Chazz Reinhold. At least he's headed in the right direction after Semi-Pro. Though that's not saying much.

Film Review: Semi-Pro (2008)

Grade: D+

I'm not sure why I watched it months after it was torn to pieces from critics and viewers alike. But there's a part of me that will always go see a Will Farrell movie, almost as a sign of respect for the decade of laughter he provided me on SNL. I don't want to believe that his comedic genius is dropping, don't want to admit that maybe he wasn't that funny to begin with, don't want to admit that I'd rather see him in dramas even though I thoroughly enjoyed Stranger Than Fiction. So like a Jets fan convincing himself they have a chance to win the Super Bowl this year just because they have Favre, I convince myself that this Will Farrell movie will be good just because another year has passed. And the final verdict was that...no...no it was not.

Granted, I laughed loudly a couple of times during the film, but I also did that in The Departed, American Beauty, and Braveheart. That doesn't make those films comedies. But Semi-Pro sells itself as one and past the couple of laughs that total of to a minute of screentime, we're left with a story I don't care about, another wasted performance from Woody Harrelson, and more proof that Farrell should cut his work by at least half, so he actually cares about honing the characters he plays. Whereas 6 hours worth of character development was enough for Craig Buchanan or Tom Wilkins, it's just not enough for a feature length film.

Semi-Pro feels like one of those unfunny SNL skits -- you know the ones that feel painful to watch, as forced giggles make their way to the screen for a skit that everyone knew should have been cut. Except this skit lasts 90 minutes without a laugh track, a commercial break, or even Jimmy Fallon's laughter as an extra. Seriously, where is Jimmy Fallon when you need him?

Film Review: 27 Dresses (2008)

Grade: D+

Ah, how I long for a good chick flick, a genre that I will defend to its death or at least till a divorce do us part. But movies like 27 Dresses make that job awfully difficult. They conform to all the chick flick stereotypes with all the negative connotations.

Predictability is often welcome in a good chick flick, because it welcomes the commonplace, the settings and people and feelings we are used to. But when predictability meets absurdity (a woman who is not only a bridesmaid 27 times, but double stuffs the weddings too), it makes the head spin a little. The chemistry never works for Katherine Heigl and James Marsden, a shame after Heigl's hit performance in Knocked Up and Marsden's first role as leading man instead of charming man who gets dumped (Enchanted, X-Men (all three), Superman Returns, and The Notebook). Everything feels forced, trying to tell jokes that are never funny and relating a story that is never touching.

It doesn't even reach the chick flick status of being so dumb and stupid that you enjoy it. It's a chick flick in search of an identity, not knowing how to be unique and bankable at the same time. I'm not sure what this type of film appeals to, maybe if you were a girl that has dreamt about marriage since you were four...or maybe if you've felt like a girl who has always been neglected. If the former, then I feel sorry for you. If the latter, the film still shouldn't work for you because 9 out of 10 actual girls will choose James Marsden over Ed Burns (in the year 2008). Sad for me to say this, but maybe the movie would've been better if Marsden was the charming who gets dumped.

It's a film to leave at the altar, or else you'll feel cheated later on.

Film Review: 21 (2008)

Grade: C

I am a sucker for anything that involves Vegas, gambling, or college kids. Not just films that involve those aspects. Anything. So when 21 came along, satisfying all three genres, I was getting more excited than hitting a set on the river against bullets. Throw in one of my all-time favorites, Kevin Spacey, into the mix and you've got yourself a winner...right? But like many cheap thrills in Sin City, this one comes away as a disappointment.

What made this film so bad was not just because it was bad, but because it had such a great premise to work with and failed anyway. A bunch of genius college kids who bring down the house in Vegas. You could've went with any angle on this story, but 21 ditches the true account for a below-average thriller that comes off hardly believable. It substitutes thinking man techniques at the casino for silly MTV-style montages stolen from The Real World: Las Vegas. It substitutes built-in suspense for dissatisfying drama. It even substitutes a blackjack team comprised mainly of Asian men for snappy dressed, good-looking men and women stolen from Gossip Girl.

I think the actors even realized how ridiculous the film was becoming. They thought they had signed on to an intriguing storyline, but as it was clear the true story was being botched, Spacey's and Lawrence Fishburne's acting went down the tubes, working on autopilot to save this stinker from up-and-coming overpaid actors (Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth) flopping at roles every chances they get.

Unlike the great Rounders, 21 dumbs down its movies, never fully respecting the story or the audience that expects it. It cheapens everything down in an effort to achieve Hollywood blockbuster success, and for that, it fails to be a good movie or a Hollywood blockbuster success. The film is another example of why "based on true story" movies should be kept under close watch and only made when we have to, and also an example for why remakes are necessary...for at least the bad movies anyway.

Film Review: Jesus Camp (2006)

Grade: B+

As a Christian, I anticipate these types of movies (Saved! and Religulous) with an interesting blend of fear and excitement. Fear of the minute chance that its criticism of my faith will ultimately destroy one of it's foundations. And excitement that another perspective can stimulate my growth that exceeds the stereotypes and Sunday sermons.

And though I can say both with disappointment and relief, that I am still the same person now as I was before watching the film, Jesus Camp did deliver on what was expected of it: serving a thin slice of conservative Christian America. Filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady allow the people to a) make complete fools of themselves and b) express their passion for something they will believe to the grave. It's the type of refreshing documentary that understands how to always show, never tell.

Pastor Becky Fischer is the head of the Christian summer camp, trying to raise up an army of Christian soldiers from the ground up. Brainwashing or providing an anti-culture is up for you to decide while we enter the lives of three home-schooled Missouri children whose personalities are sometimes disturbing, and sometimes hysterical.

What was most enjoyable for me were the personal battles raging within during the film. Defense mechanisms fought off subtle claims that a radical love for Jesus was hurting our world. Meanwhile, I have to come to terms with how far insecure Christians will go while forgoing the message of Jesus. Despite all that, it's sad that the audience doesn't see that most of these children turn out okay; we do not become carbon copies of Pat Robertsons in America. Instead, the only adults we see in this film are camp counselors like Ms. Fischer and a weird (to say the least) scene involving the pre-shamed Ted Haggard.

Another fault of this film is voice of God credibility lent to radio talk show host Mike Papantonio. Every fifteen minutes or so, we hear his one-man commentary about the absurdity of neo-conservative Christians until he ultimately confronts Ms. Fischer on his program. But like all radio talk shows, the host always wins, always gets the last word, and always hangs up on the caller. Whatever he says goes, and the filmmakers almost wanted us to trust his commentary.

Not that a documentary should be unbiased, but it should strive to reveal deeper understandings for the motives or the reasons behind what see on the screen. Jesus Camp is interesting and entertaining for sure as an above-average film, but as a very good documentary, it falls just a tad short.

Film Review: Swing Vote (2008)

Grade: C

If Swing Vote was a person, he would be your typical collegiate student spewing out political cynicism on the quad, pretending to sound intelligent while offering nothing original. If only big names could save this drowning campaign, but they don't. Bland performances can't.

Some political comedies fail because they're not funny and they try to achieve too much. This political comedy fail because well, it's not funny and they don't really try to achieve anything at all. Bud Johnson, the all-American loser from Texas, gets a chance to have his vote really be counted for something. And predictably, the two presidential candidates sacrifice their opinions, values, and morals to win. By the end, we have a multitude of Full House realizations. The only thing missing was a Beach Boys cameo. It's okay though, Willie Nelson came through.

In my humble opinion, cynicism is almost never useful or proactive, just an immature, unsophisticalted, and lazy method to filter thoughts. But cynicism reigns king in this film, as their voice of God comes from Mr. Johnson's young daughter, Molly (fitting). Meanwhile, the adults play naive voters who are easily convinced by a politician's tricks.

At its essence, Swing Vote screams for a third political party that can relate to a common man's troubles. So if that was the point Kevin Costner and writer/director Joshua Michael Stern was trying to make, it's a conclusion/solution that's overwhelmingly archaic and simple in this year's political yarn. And if they weren't trying to make a point, just wanting to entertain in the midst of 20-plus debates this year, they didn't do a very good job of that either.

Film Review: In the Name of the Father (1993)

Grade: A-

In the Name of the Father is at its core, a father-son movie, a romantic masterpiece for men. I'm not usually a fan of anything with a "based on a true story tagline," but this is the rare exception when great acting carries a weak script and "true story" pitfalls.

Daniel Day Lewis plays Gerry Conlin, a petty thief who was wrongly accused for an act of terrorism in the UK. And in the same vein as Shawshank, he is imprisoned for life. Except this time, his father is one of the co-conspirators. It may not leave the same legacy as Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne, but it sure comes close. One could argue Lewis had a tougher role. Whereas Dufresne is a model citizen that is never broken down by a maximum security prison, Conlin is immature and young, passionate and honest, human. We see his growth from disobedient boy to a man carrying the burden and the joy of his father's name.

It never made me want to call my daddy and tell him that I love him. But a sense of Irish pride or male pride or family pride rises up in me, achieving almost the same thing as Braveheart -- the kind of movie men dream about but only get once every couple of years.

Film Review: Michael Clayton (2007)

Grade: B

Michael Clayton is everything that you've heard, well deserving of every accolade given to them. The entire cast is pitch perfect, pulling you to the edge of your seat into the world of law of all things. Clooney, Wilkinson, Swinton, O'Keefe, and Pollack all show you why they are some of most well-respected powerhouses on the big screen. Every change in inflection and volume, every glare and every twitch, they impact the audience and bring life to the script. The screenplay and directing itself is a new kind of a thriller, an intellectual one that questions what we all suspected: the morals of high-venture law.

So why the mediocre grade? Simple. I was bored. I admire those who are able to enjoy this work of art from beginning to the end. It's not a mass movie, and it's not like I'm a mass viewer: just need a little bit of both. Similar to a tree that falls down and no one is there to hear it, what good is a great movie that doesn't hold the attention of the average moviegoer?

I cannot pinpoint what Tony Gilroy could've done differently or how he could've written it differently. But at the end of the day, movies are for someone's enjoyment. And this one didn't enjoy it.