'Paul' Review

'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz' are two of the premier satire films of the past decade, both hilarious, heartfelt and spawned from the collective minds of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. These clever Brits are at it again in 2011 with the extra-terrestrial comedy, 'Paul,' however this outta-this-world comedy falls flat on its premise and brings those with high hopes back down to Earth. Ultimately it is a charming movie that doesn't offer enough laughs.

What did the alien say to the garden gnome?
Take me to your weeder.

Graeme (Pegg) and Clive (Frost) are two sci-fi nerds who have travelled to San Diego, CA for the annual Comic Con convention, ogling at almost everything. Clive writes graphic novels and hopes that meeting his idol, Adam Shadowchild (Jeffrey Tambor) will help him on his path to success, but this doesn't work out the way Clive would have hoped. On their way back across the country they discover Paul (Seth Rogen), an alien who disputes every perceived stereotype of himself. Paul is being hunted by the government, most notably the hardcore Agent Zoil (Jason Bateman) and the incompetent Haggard (Bill Hader) and O'Reilly (Joe Lo Truglio). This central conflict sets the scene for a race across the dessert in order for Paul to return to his mother ship and take him back home.

The film is sweet and sentimental but it lacks in gags- and clearly that is the most important aspect to any comedy film. Most of the films attempted jokes are spawned from the misunderstanding people have for Paul, and aliens in general; a joke that is dragged endlessly through the entirety of the film, and, while it may have been funny the first time, by the end it was terribly hard to bear witness. The major problem here is that there is just not enough going on: there is the central conflict and chase, a love angle between Graeme and Kristen Wiig's character, and thats about it. The film is a very lightly pack hour and a half, not going to the lengths that would be expected from a Pegg- Frost film.

Whereas in many comedies the films supporting cast steal the show and often offer many of the films most memorable lines, it was not the case with 'Paul.' Bateman's character was remarkably uninspired and Hader/ Truglio's characters were so much less than their incompetent ways demanded.

Chalk this films failure up to one thing- the poor writing. Lack of gags, references to TV shows that aired in 1992, zero interesting characters, this film is a veritable failure no matter which way it is sliced. If taken seriously this film is 'E.T.' if taken as a comedy this film is a waste of time. And while not terrible, 'Paul' has to be the most disappointing film of the year so far.

4/10 - Spend your money elsewhere.

'Battle: Los Angeles' Review

Here is a film that flashes moments of competence and several relatively exciting battle sequences, just not any other substance. The film fails in almost every aspect of the construction process: story, characters, dialogue, directing and the acting, resulting in a shell of a film. While naming all of these might be a bit excessive, I assure you it is not, this film is really not a cinematic achievement on any level and is not a movie I would recommend to anyone.

So sick? You bet.

Battle: LA stars Aaron Eckhart as a Staff Sergeant in the US Marine Corps, a miscast if there ever was one.  Eckhart is known more for being a smooth talking, good looking guy, not a foul mouthed, intimidating authority figure, and to me it is in the foremost as to why this film fails. His character is flat and uninteresting, with absolutely zero character development, leaving me to wonder what a script like this (besides the aliens invading) drew him into this role. Besides Eckhart, there were several other recognizable faces. Michelle Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan and Ne-Yo play various other parts in the film- cementing my dislike for Rodriguez as an actress but showing me what kind of talent Ne-Yo has as an actor (seriously).

After sitting through a 2 hour headache of a film I had trouble identifying a main plot line- or story. Yes, the planet is overrun by aliens and obviously the humans want to get rid of them but all the main characters seem to do is run around and shoot at 'em with no real plan. It is not until the beginning of act 3 that any of the characters make a decision as to what they are going to do to stop the aliens, and by that point I really didn't care. Built out of the same mold as story, is the unrealistic situations these characters find themselves facing. There are several instances when the marines stand around and watch CNN or other news networks and learn the news that way instead of being briefed by the commanding officers; and other times it seems as though the world stops for minutes at a time while these characters talk or interact with others.

In this film there is evidence of an inordinate amount of cliche, stealing pages out of the scripts of films like Black Hawk Down and District 9. I tried to keep track but after the Lieutenant yelled, "Marines, wooooh-haaaaah!" I mentally checked out.

This film also featured an abundance of 'shaky cam,' a style of directing that is in no way becoming to a film. It is usually this style of camera work that give films a gritty, realistic feel- helping the audience to see themselves as an extension of the actors. In this case it does not fit with the rest of the film. The film is an event film ( as evidenced by the thousands of commercials promoting it) and not as artsy as it tries to be. This is not The Hurt Locker, this is supposed to be a popcorn flick that doesn't have to take itself seriously, and while parts of the film do this successfully, others do not, making a very up and down film going experience.

2/10 - Wait for the DVD

'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past' Review

A decently constructed, tragically overlooked film, The Ghost of Girlfriends Past lacks originality but is charming and spurred on by a strong central lead and wonderful supporting characters. A reworking of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, this film is hardly original, in fact by all accounts it is terribly cliched, but the overall film does not suffer from its weak storytelling.

What's not for your own good
is for my entertainment.

Matthew McConaughey plays Conor Mead, a self absorbed ladies man who has trouble cultivating relationships with anyone other than himself. When he returns to the house where he grew up for his brothers wedding he must confront his old life, and his old girlfriend (Jennifer Garner), while still clowning around as his still crazed, Charlie Sheen-self. After having one too many drinks at the rehearsal dinner, Conner starts seeing dead people- notably his uncle, played by Michael Douglass, and his first high school lay, played by Emma Stone. In addition to these two, two more ghosts visit Conner throughout his night and try to help him see what an ass he is and that he is ment to be with Jennifer Garner's character.

First of all, McConaughey has absolutely no chemistry with Garner, a fact due more toward Garner's futility as an actress, making the mushy love scenes almost unbearable to watch and not nearly as sentimental as the writers probably thought they would be. For a love story it is remarkably uninspired and lacks any sort of sentimental value, resulting in a main story line that bores and does not create any sort of feeling.

However, as in most comedies, the redeeming quality of this film lies in the supporting cast that features the likes of  Michael Douglas, Emma Stone and Breckin Meyer. Douglas, who plays Conner Mead's playboy uncle, steals the show with what little screen time he is given, delivering the films best pieces of dialogue. Emma Stone plays The Ghost of Girlfriends Past and is a zany, bracefaced teen who really excels in her role.

Overall the film is flat and not as romantic as its Rom-Com premise would have one believe, but it offers mild entertainment value and some funny moments. A great date movie and a film that definitely deserves to be seen, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past may be run of the mill- but, then again, even that is better than half the shit Hollywood produces?

Final Grade: 5/10 -- Seen better, seen worse.

My Top Ten of 2010

With the Oscars only hours away I have done my best to compile this, however hastily done, top 10 list of 2010. As the weather starts changing again and the world warms a few degrees it can only mean two things in the movie world: we are in for a inordinate amount of sequels/ rushed comic book adaptations but we are also coming together to celebrate the best of the previous year in film- exciting stuff.

Obviously I didn't see every movie released this year, no matter how hard I may or may not have tried, so my list is confined by the films I actually did see. Feel free to disagree with me, as my top ten is probably different from yours... but without any further ado I present to you, My Top Ten of 2010:


Snubs: Not much can be said about these films other than they were not quite good enough to make my list. Great films, but just not the best of the best.

• Scott Pilgrim 
• Unstoppable
• Get Low 
• How to Train Your Dragon
• The Ghost Writer 
• The Kids are Alright

Top Ten:

• # 10. True Grit- The latest Cohen brothers piece of work. 'True Grit' suffers from poor pacing, writing that is not up to par with former Cohen projects and an ending (however similar to the novel) that does not adequately finish the story. What saves the film is its star power: Bridges, Steinfield, Brolin, Barry Pepper and even Damon give tremendous performances. This film has no 'wow' factor and offers little besides the name 'Cohen' on the movie poster. The picturesque locals, decent direction and wonderful acting are no match for the swiss cheese of a script and overall lack of polarity.

• # 9. Winter's Bone- The sleeper hit of the award season, 'Winter's Bone' is one of the more mesmerizing character studies of the year. Jennifer Lawrence give a really underrated performance as Ree, the absolutely facinating protagonist who struggles to keep her family together. What makes this particular film great is the script (winner of best script at Sundance) and how poetic and allegorical it was. A chilling and emotional tale that I would best describe as western, 'Winter's Bone' is a film, not packed with action sequences but tense enough to grip its audience and keep them interested until the very end.    

• # 8. Inception- One of the most significant films of the last 20 years if it can usher in an era of intelligent, yet entertaining popcorn films. This spectacle, spawned from the 17 year-old mind of Christopher Nolan, is not only beautiful to watch, it is a creative exposition the likes of which Hollywood has never seen nor comprehend. However its brilliance lies more in the direction of Nolan and the strong story than the actual execution of the script and the acting of the films premier players. What was an interesting idea was ultimately overshadowed by its own ambiguousness and inability to answer many of the bigger questions it poses. A great film by any measurable means, 'Inception' is an exciting mystery that doesn't satisfy.

• # 7. The Fighter- A tense, emotional, and realistic portrayal of life in the slums of Boston. 'The Fighter' benefits from excellent acting, understated direction and a realism that could only come from an intense understanding of the characters and their environment. What pushes this film out of my top ten is the overall level of cliche this film exhibits. Not unlike any other boxing film before it, 'The Fighter' provides the audience with cinema's ultimate underdog and the film's ending, just like Ewan McGreggor's junk, has been on screen too many times before.

• # 6. The King's Speech- My favorite to win Best Picture this coming Sunday (although not totally deserving), 'The King's Speech is a virtual duplicate of 'The Fighter' albeit featuring worse direction and less cliche. Which apparently adds up to a higher ranking on my prestigious list. The script and the acting are both excellent and result in one of the better films of the season. Quite honestly Roland Emmerich probably could have directed this film and it still would have been OK, but what Tom Hooper does is admirable- though I'm not sure he was more deserving than Christopher Nolan for an Oscar nod. The film's cliche is more subdued than 'The Fighter' (although those of you who point out that the films tagline is "Find Your Voice" have a valid opposition). This is one of those film's that I enjoy after the first viewing but would probably never want to watch again- which is why its at 6 and not 3, 2, or 1.

• # 5. 127 Hours- When I first had the pleasure of seeing this film I was blown away by the performance of James Franco. 2 month's ago I did not want to wake up after the Oscars on Monday knowing that Franco didn't have an Oscar. After seeing King's Speech my mind has changed, but it doesn't change the fact that this performance is Oscar winning material. Danny Boyle does a fantastic job with a very unusual film and creates an atmosphere of powerful emotion and empathy for Franco's character Aron Ralston, despite the fact that we all know how it was going to end for him. Clearly one of the best films of the year, but ultimately too indie to be in real consideration for Best Picture.

• # 4. The Town- Wait, a Ben Affleck film in the top ten? Let alone even in the top five? Yes. Yes it is. 'The Town' is probably the most unexpected sleeper hit of the year (Social Network right there for number 2) that practically shocked life back into Affleck's fluctuating career. Much like 'Inception,' this film combines action with substance and great directing- Ben Affleck will win a directing Oscar at some point in his career. What separates this film from others this year is the dramatic, suspenseful scenes that offer the best white knuckle moments of 2010. Jeremy Renner is great, Ben Affleck is underrated, the story is kept fresh despite its cliched genre, this film has unfortunately been dismissed by much of the cinema world but it is easily the best heist film of the year, an one of the better all around films. Plus it has THE BEST trailer ever:  

• # 3. Twilight Saga: Eclipse- JUST KIDDING.

• # 3. The Social Network- The rightful winner of 2010's Best Picture, 'The Social Network' is a movie that defines this year, if not the current generation of teens and young adults. Combining the best direction of the year with the best screenplay of the year (even if it is not original), the film features one of the most interesting, if not despicable, characters in all of cinema. Years later we will all be looking back at this film seeing how it launched the careers of Jesse Eisenberg (even though he was already known), Justin Timberlake (a future perennial EGOT threat), Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer and Rooney Mara. I do not want to live in an America where this film doesn't win Best Picture, but I would be okay if any of the below films pulled a 'Crash' and came out of nowhere and stole the show.

• # 2. Black Swan- Ok, I wrote the screenplay for 'Black Swan' (not really) and someone needs to produce it. How good does this pitch sound to a production company?-- "Here's the deal, it is a reworking of the famous ballet of the same name. It is a psychological thriller that blends fact and fiction, reality and fantasy, and follows main character Nina Sayers as she transforms from white swan to black swan, slowly loosing grip on her life and drifting dangerously into a projection of her fantasy. Oh, and there is a super hot lesbian scene. If you're into that sort of thing..."-- Ok so maybe it didn't go like that, but would that not be a great conversation? 'Black Swan' is fantastic, it is tense, well acted, well directed and ambiguous- blurring the lines of reality. What seperates this blurred reality from 'Inception' is the closure that 'Black Swan' offers. We learn what is real and what is not, and knowledge is power.

• # 1. Toy Story 3- What other film this year made audiences laugh, cry, recall childhood memories, cry, entertain, cry and get us thinking? Joaquin Phoenix's documentary, which could have easily been here (sarcasm...) and 'Toy Story 3.' Besides being the end to one of the greatest 'trilogies' ever, TS3 asks and answers the big questions in life. Despite what will, and can, be said about 'Inception,' TS3 was THE EVENT FILM of 2010, racking in about a billion dollars foreign and domestic. Featuring impressive animation, the same great voice acting, nice direction and tear-jerking  storytelling, this film succeeds on all levels and, based on formula, is the best film of the year. Because the Academy cannot create a precedent for animated films winning Best Picture Oscar gold, otherwise the acting profession would suffer, TS3 will not be rewarded as highly as it deserves. However, that is what's great about the Oscar's and lists like this, there is never a definitive answer.