RATING:** (2 stars)
Tim (Paul Rudd) is an executive at a firm that is just barely treading water and looking for the next big money maker. He finds it, but before his promotion becomes official he has to attend a dinner held by the owner of the firm. At this special dinner each of the members is supposed to bring along an idiot. Tim is ready to call of the whole thing until he meets Barry (Steve Carrell).
Dinner for Schmucks is a comedy looking to give you some laughs and little more. The story is pretty simple when you break it down and not very thought-provoking by itself. Really, the concept itself is even a little off-putting. Thankfully the presentation works well enough, perhaps in part to the cast being so chock-full of comedians that it's hard to gauge how much of the hilarity was written and how much was improvised on set.
From beginning to end the film is stuffed with one-liners and tongue-in-cheek jokes that are sure to catch on and get tossed around in conversation over the next few weeks. I wasn't lying about the cast either, aside from Paul Rudd and Steve Carrell, you can expect to see Jemaine Clement, Zack Galifianakis, Jeff Dunham, Ron Livingston, and Larry Wilmore. Hands down the show-stealer is Jemaine Clement, of "Flight of the Conchords" fame, portraying the wildly outrageous artists Kieran.
Beyond the one-liners however, there really isn't much to Dinner for Schmucks. It is very much a film that you can see once and then forget about, though some of those one-liners might stick with you for a little while. Nothing spectacular here, and really a film better saved for a movie rental on a slow weekend... if you can't find something better.
Trailer
30 July 2010
23 July 2010
Salt (2010)
RATING: *** (3 stars)
Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is a CIA officer who has served her country faithfully for years. When a Russian intelligence officer defects and names her as a Russian spy, it becomes a race against time to prove her innocence.
In a summer loaded to the brim with action movies, Salt adds another one to the mix. Really nothing fancy or noteworthy about it save for a few choice bits that really make it stand out--the first of which is the story itself. Reminiscent of a Cold War-era spy movie, the film captures that element of suspense in not knowing for certain which side each of the players is on until the grand reveal at the end. You will get hints along the way and savvy movie-goers might pick up on clues along the way, but most people will enjoy the ride.
The other particularly noteworthy element about the film is the lack of gratuitous violence. Particularly of interest for parents and other concerned with the amount of blood in Hollywood these days, there is surprising little in Salt. Hand-to-hand combat and gunfights, yes. Blood... not so much. Something to keep in mind if that worries you, but mostly noteworthy because that obviously is not the norm in a Hollywood action movie nowadays.
Overall Salt is a fun little action movie that moves along at a brisk pace so you shouldn't ever feel like the movie is dragging. I would call this a straight-up "popcorn flick", one that you may or may not go to see in theaters, but certainly worth a look when it hits DVD.
Trailer #1 Trailer #2
Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is a CIA officer who has served her country faithfully for years. When a Russian intelligence officer defects and names her as a Russian spy, it becomes a race against time to prove her innocence.
In a summer loaded to the brim with action movies, Salt adds another one to the mix. Really nothing fancy or noteworthy about it save for a few choice bits that really make it stand out--the first of which is the story itself. Reminiscent of a Cold War-era spy movie, the film captures that element of suspense in not knowing for certain which side each of the players is on until the grand reveal at the end. You will get hints along the way and savvy movie-goers might pick up on clues along the way, but most people will enjoy the ride.
The other particularly noteworthy element about the film is the lack of gratuitous violence. Particularly of interest for parents and other concerned with the amount of blood in Hollywood these days, there is surprising little in Salt. Hand-to-hand combat and gunfights, yes. Blood... not so much. Something to keep in mind if that worries you, but mostly noteworthy because that obviously is not the norm in a Hollywood action movie nowadays.
Overall Salt is a fun little action movie that moves along at a brisk pace so you shouldn't ever feel like the movie is dragging. I would call this a straight-up "popcorn flick", one that you may or may not go to see in theaters, but certainly worth a look when it hits DVD.
Trailer #1 Trailer #2
20 July 2010
Inception (2010)
RATING:***** (5 stars)
In a future where technology allows people to enter other's dreams, Dom Cobb has made a mercenary living all over the world doing extraction--using this shared dreaming to steal information. When a potential employer offers Dom the opportunity to return to the children he has not seen in years, he is eager to hear what the job is. It is a job assumed to be impossible--planting an idea in someone else and making them believe it to be their own.
Everything you've heard about Inception so far is true. It has an all-star cast in Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe and more. The acting is top-notch from a group that you would expect nothing less from, and they deliver outstandingly. Definitely keep this in mind when Oscar season starts up again; we will likely see at least one or two acting nods coming this way.
The special effects are equally well done. Particularly during one action sequence, I felt like I did the first time I saw The Matrix. It was exhilirating watching it all, even when you know the behind-the-scenes details of how they did it. Beautifully rendered backgrounds and striking scenes help to make the many layers of the film stand out and make the rather complex story a little easier to follow. Nothing particularly exceptional about the soundtrack, but it helps to move the story along and does much more for emotional cues and one notable story element than it does to stand out by itself.
Considering how deep and complex the story is, Christopher Nolan did a good job of directing on Inception. Particularly during the third act--when you are literally bouncing between four different dream worlds--things are about as visually distict as they could possibly be. As some people have already been saying, you may need to see this film twice (or more) just to wrap your head completely around everything that is going on on-screen. Plain and simple, Inception should be considered a must-see film for summer 2010.
Trailer
In a future where technology allows people to enter other's dreams, Dom Cobb has made a mercenary living all over the world doing extraction--using this shared dreaming to steal information. When a potential employer offers Dom the opportunity to return to the children he has not seen in years, he is eager to hear what the job is. It is a job assumed to be impossible--planting an idea in someone else and making them believe it to be their own.
Everything you've heard about Inception so far is true. It has an all-star cast in Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe and more. The acting is top-notch from a group that you would expect nothing less from, and they deliver outstandingly. Definitely keep this in mind when Oscar season starts up again; we will likely see at least one or two acting nods coming this way.
The special effects are equally well done. Particularly during one action sequence, I felt like I did the first time I saw The Matrix. It was exhilirating watching it all, even when you know the behind-the-scenes details of how they did it. Beautifully rendered backgrounds and striking scenes help to make the many layers of the film stand out and make the rather complex story a little easier to follow. Nothing particularly exceptional about the soundtrack, but it helps to move the story along and does much more for emotional cues and one notable story element than it does to stand out by itself.
Considering how deep and complex the story is, Christopher Nolan did a good job of directing on Inception. Particularly during the third act--when you are literally bouncing between four different dream worlds--things are about as visually distict as they could possibly be. As some people have already been saying, you may need to see this film twice (or more) just to wrap your head completely around everything that is going on on-screen. Plain and simple, Inception should be considered a must-see film for summer 2010.
Trailer
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)