Posts Tagged ‘movie reviews’

Adam McKay and Chris Henchy bring the funny once again for the latest revival of the “buddy cop” movie.  ‘The Other Guys’ is an over-the-top comedy about two New York City police officers that can’t seem to get anything right.  Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz, played by Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, are partnered up against their wishes and relentlessly teased by coworkers while trying to solve an impossible case.

Ferrell is completely hilarious with his usual straight-faced delivery.  His lines seem to come off the top of his head rather than from a script and since Will is a trained improviser, there’s a good chance that a lot of the words are his own.  Mark Wahlberg certainly doesn’t disappoint, either.  The veteran rapper turned actor finally got his star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood last week with co-star Ferrell by his side in support.

The entire movie is loaded with jokes, some of them even running jokes that will keep you laughing through to the end.  Car chases and shootouts are the norm in any movie, but especially entertaining in this one since Will’s character drives a Prius.

If you haven’t looked up the cast, I won’t spoil it for you.  I will say though, that halfway through the film I was starting to wonder who wasn’t in it.  If you’re heading to a movie with someone this summer and you can’t agree on what to see, you should absolutely pick ‘The Other Guys’.  With action, comedy and a PG-13 rating, it truly has something for everyone.

Be sure to check out more great movie reviews from Lisa Curry right here at Positively Celebrity!

Each year, more and more of Hollywood’s biggest names go to Comic-Con to confirm movie deal rumors.  My favorite one from this weekend comes from the people at Marvel Comics.  Mark Ruffalo officially confirmed his role in the upcoming comic book film ‘The Avengers’.  Ruffalo will be playing the role of ‘The Hulk’.

The Hulk was previously played by Edward Norton in the character’s title film.  Producers had originally offered the role to Norton once again before deciding on Ruffalo.  It has been rumored that Norton was offered a low salary after having been very difficult to work with on the ‘The Hulk’.  Norton and Marvel disputed both privately and publicly over the film’s final cut before Marvel ultimately won. Once the film was released, Marvel was disappointed by Norton’s lack of promotion.

One of the most likeable men in Hollywood, Ruffalo is sure to deliver on every level in ‘The Avengers’.  He is a notoriously nice guy with real acting chops.  The movie is sure to kill at the box office with its all-star cast including Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Chris Evans as Captain America and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow.  Don Cheadle replaced Terrence Howard in the role of War Machine for ‘Iron Man 2′, but it is not yet decided weather he will continue in the role for ‘The Avengers’.

If you loved Christian Bale in The Dark Knight, you’re not only in line with the everyone else that saw it, but you’re also in luck. The talented actor is one of the first people to officially sign on to the next Batman movie.

Yet to be titled, the newest installment will also include Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. Michael Caine will be returning for his perfectly type-cast role of Alfred.  Filming is set to begin in April 2011, with Christopher Nolan at the helm.

If you’re looking for guaranteed laughs this summer, look no further.  With an all-star comedy cast: Adam Sandler, David Spade, Chris Rock, Kevin James and Rob Schneider, “Grown Ups” will have you laughing out loud from the opening scene.

The movie follows the characters on a nostalgic trip back to their hometown where they reunite as adults to pay respects to their childhood basketball coach. Each character is well-rounded and very different from the next.  David Spade’s character, Marcus Higgins, is so spot-on, that it’ll make you wonder how much the other actors secretly have in common with their characters.

Known mostly for their roles in major films, each of the 5 main characters started his career as a stand up comedian. Real-life friends, they have a natural comfortability that comes through in the film.  A reliable part of any Happy Madison production, Steve Buscemi plays yet another quirky and insanely funny character. Adam Sandler’s fierce loyalty and kindness has paid off big time once again. The only downside of the movie is that it comes to an end.

Finally Christian Bale and Johnny Depp, two of today’s most talented actors, are in one movie together. Even though this amazing duo is seldom in the same scene, both add something special to a very sexy and dangerous crime film.

Michael Mann is the director and transports audiences back to an era when robbing banks was the choice money making scheme. “Enemies” is about Melvin Purvis (Bale) the head FBI agent responsible for bringing John Dillinger (Depp), Public Enemy #1, to justice. The accomplices of Depp and Bale are a remarkable cast of actors and really make this ‘cat and mouse chase’ movie complete. Whether you love a good crime film or not – “Public Enemies” is a great escape from summer movie sequels.

The Good: – The Ensemble – Making up an FBI department as well as a “gang” of bank robbers needs more than Depp and Bale. The support characters in “Enemies” are understated yet are key to filling out the atmosphere and feel of the movie. They are an impressive bunch and include: Marion Cotillard (Academy Award Winner for “La Vie en Rose”), David Wenham (“Australia”), Stephen Dorff, Channing Tatum (“Stop-Loss”), Rory Cochrane (“CSI: Miami”), Emilie de Ravin (“Lost”), Billy Crudup, Giovanni Ribisi (“Perfect Stranger”), Domenick Lombardozzi (“The Wire”), and Shawn Hatosy (“Southland”), are just a few of the immensely talented crew.

- The Camera Work – One of the characteristics that stands out the most in “Enemies” is the cinematography. The documentary style filming helps bring the audience into the story more – it isn’t simply watching a bank robber’s life develop, instead it’s getting to live Dillinger’s life with him. Purvis’ story benefits as well because when the camera focuses on him, no matter how much you’re cheering on Dillinger, you want Purvis to catch his man.

- The Look – Michael Mann and the creative team of “Enemies” bring back the distinct 1930’s aesthetics without having to actually recreate much. A lot of the movie was filmed at Dillinger historical spots that are still standing today. Many of the locations, such as the Little Bohemia Lodge where Dillinger and some of his cohorts were found by Purvis and the FBI and the local for one of the major gun battles featured in the movie, are real buildings that are still open.

- The Music – Elliot Goldenthal has created noteworthy scores for movies like “Across the Universe” and “Frida.” For “Enemies” he has combined bad-boy, bluegrass type tunes with music from the era as well as piano ballads to help complete the mood of this movie.

- Christian Bale – Bale’s “Purvis” is a serious guy. He doesn’t smile much during the movie (maybe once when he’s gunning down a famous gangster), but the seriousness works because it plays both to Bale’s assets as an actor as well as the tone of the Purvis character.

- Johnny Depp – Depp’s Dillinger combines sexiness with a sense of real danger. It’s subtle, but sometimes there is a sense that Dillinger truly fears for his life and is genuinely hurt at the loss of friends. I feel like I got to know John Dillinger a little better due to yet another exceptional performance by Depp.

The Bad: – The Time-Span – “Enemies” is over an hour and a half long and could have used a couple more edits in post production to cut down the time a bit.

- What is True – Scenes like Dillinger meandering through the “Dillinger” FBI Department without a soul identify him and scenes such as people on the street waving at Dillinger while being driven to prison as if he’s a celebrity yet he goes unrecognized in a lit movie theater makes me question how much of the film truly represents real events.

- Purvis Perspective – More glimpses into Purvis’ personal life and more of his point of view would have added symmetry and evenness to the movie.

In The End: “Public Enemies” is an exciting film about two Depression era legends – one – a bank robber and the other a bank robber hunter. The entire team who created “Enemies” should be very proud. The talent can be seen in every aspect of the film – from the camera work, to the score, to the costumes and best of all –  the actors.

Life derails for Walter Garber, a NYC transit worker, when a former prisoner hijacks a subway train, takes hostages, demands money and demands only to talk with Garber. Tony Scott’s version of the 1974 film with the same title, “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” is full of action and passionate performances.

Both Denzel Washington (Garber) and John Travolta (Ryder) are full of energy throughout the film. The movie also stars Luis Guzmán, John Turturro, James Gandolfini, Alex Kaluzhsky, and Gbenga Akinnagbe. “Pelham” won’t be nominated for any awards, but it’s a captivating movie and a terrific opportunity to finally see these veteran actors, Washington and Travolta, acting together.

 The Good: - Denzel Washington – Going from playing an obnoxious crime boss to an inspirational debate teacher – Washington’s “Garber” adds “everyday man” to his recent resume. But Garber isn’t perfect, which makes the character even more appealing. Only Washington could give this character the sincerity needed to not come off as hammy. Would we expect anything else from the classy actor?   - John Travolta – I think the last time Travolta was this fuming in a movie was in “Face/Off” (or was that Nicholas Cage?). Covered in tattoos as “Ryder,” Travolta plays the wisecracking, angry-at-the-world subway hijacker impressively. It’s great to see Travolta and his acting talents back on movie screens (only this time without a dress).

- The Movie’s Pace – The story’s timing is well done – it’s not too long or too short. The plot progresses steadily and doesn’t get caught up with irrelevant details. “Pelham” gets to the point, and sticks to the point – and I like that in a movie.

- It’s An Action Movie Too – “Pelham” isn’t all talk – it’s not continuous negotiations or argument with Ryder, it’s not solely “what can they say next to make him stop.” Those theatrical elements are covered, but Scott has also offered audiences great action sequences complete with flipping cars, cop shoot outs, and a standoff!

The Bad: - Background Characters – Roger Ebert makes a great point, “This version occupies a denatured action-movie landscape, with no time for local color and a transit system control room that humbles Mission Control. That also may explain the film’s lack of time to establish the supporting characters, even Travolta’s partners.” I agree because, the lack of focus on the secondary characters establishes a lack of caring for them. However, putting more emphasis on them may have interrupted the film’s pacing and if that’s the case then I’ll pass – keep the movie the way it is.

- Slightly Over the Top – The cars flipping during collisions are a little dramatic, but it sure does make for an entertaining movie.   In The End: “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” will definitely keep audiences’ attention. But now that it’s competing with “Transformers 2” I think we’ll see it disappearing from theaters soon. However, make sure to catch it on DVD because Washington and Travolta’s performances shouldn’t be missed!