Reviews

It pains me greatly to tell my dear readers the following, but "The Smurfs 2" does not reach the cinematic heights reached by the first film in this storied franchise (and I'm quite certain the other attendees of the exclusive screening felt the same).

In this outing, critical darling Raja Gosnell has consciously moved away from the blend of South Korean revenge saga and Bollywood sentimentality, which so strongly epitomized "The Smurfs." Here we are presented with a deeply symbolic and nonlinear narrative with little regard for pacing (think European artistry). Thematically, this film is more akin to Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven" than to Gosnell's own "Beverly Hills Chihuahua." To its detriment, of course.

Some of my disappointment is perhaps due to the surprise at the change of direction Gosnell has taken with our favorite little blue creatures. I feel critics will too easily dismiss the film as they were expecting something different, but unlike most film critics working today, I can put my expectations aside and judge the film objectively.

Fans of the first will be glad to hear that acting powerhouse Katy Perry makes a return to voice Smurfette. She is simply sensational and steals scene after scene. Neil Patrick Harris gives a rather subtle performance and it's perhaps a bit too quiet and nuanced. There are new additions to this all-star cast, including the wildly inconsistent and unstable Brendan Gleeson. On his day, Gleeson makes for a phenomenal extra, but he is given too big a role. His performance is entirely too physical and he simply does not possess the acting talent to carry scenes emotionally.

The plot is marginally improved over the first, as the kidnapping of Smurfette adds a dash of pathos that was sorely lacking in the first tale. The stakes are higher than ever and despite some blunders and missteps along the way, "The Smurfs 2" ultimately delivers. While many critics will undoubtedly be off-put by the abstract and heavily metaphorical direction the sequel has taken, it is clear that Gosnell has coherent and meaningful creative goals here that he successfully meets.

Additionally, the film is meticulously shot by Phil Meheux and gorgeously scored by Heitor Pereira — your eyes and ears are guaranteed to get off sexually. I sure did, and the family next to me certainly seemed to enjoy themselves as well.

"Taxi Driver" is a prime example of a director who quite simply doesn't have the talent to meet his ambitions. "Taxi Driver" is bland, boring, and careless filmmaking at its finest and represents the many problems that plague all Scorsese films.

The most disappointing aspect is the writing, which fails to give the characters any depth or dimension. The story is chock-full of clichés, and doesn't even attempt a logical or coherent narrative. Not only does this frustrate the audience, but it leaves the movie with some awful performances from De Niro and Foster respectively. It's truly remarkable how either one of these actors received any offers after the release of this movie.

But that is not to say that the writing and acting is the only thing to blame. Scorsese's direction is often sporadic and doesn't quite fit the tone this kind of movie needs. Thanks to his careless directing, the film drifts into melodrama a few times too many.

At the hands of another director and a rewrite or two, Taxi Driver could have been an enjoyable film. Unfortunately, that is not the case and we're left with an awful movie that fails to meet any of its potential.

From the prestigious film studio "The Asylum," comes an awe-inspiring and breathtaking film titled "Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus." The movies revolves around two prehistoric sea monsters that are now back in action after many years of being frozen in combat. Although that might sound a bit far-fetched on paper, the movie does a phenomenal job making it believable thanks to the great attention to detail given by legendary director Ace Hannah.

The performances here are lively and energetic, and are displayed with great charisma. Vic Chao gives the performance of his life, and the chemistry between him and Deborah Gibson really make the movie work. There is a controversial sex scene between the two, but in my eyes, the sex scene really serves to advance the plot in an artsy yet non- pretentious manner. Not to mention the always great Lorenzo Lamas, who adds an extra dimension to his supporting role that I could not envision any other actor pulling off.

Despite its limited budget, the movie's visual effects are outstanding. The visual effects are sharp and the cinematography really helps show it off. The highlight of this movie visually is the scene involving a confrontation between a plane and mega shark. Really powerful stuff.

The movie doesn't come without its flaws, though. The movie has a somewhat slow pace, and focuses too much in building the foundation for the relationship between Emma and Dr. Seiji Shimada. Not to mention the scenes involving lab work are bogged down with scientific jargon that may be a bit much for most viewers.

If you are willing to look past these flaws, a great and true masterpiece lies underneath "Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus." I recommend you check it out.

From the always reliable and brilliant Roger Kumbles (College Road Trip, The Sweetest Thing), comes "Furry Vengeance" which might just be his masterpiece. Hilarious and laugh out loud funny from the first frame to the very last, "Furry Vengeance" provides the brand of intelligent comedy that has been lacking for the past few decades.

While the plot may seem simple on paper, it truly is an intricate story that unfolds with great pace and flow. Not once did I glance at my watch or take my eyes off of the screen. Simply put, this is very effective storytelling that blends in comedy very well with its engaging storyline.

And as we all know, a comedy cannot be truly great without a funny lead. Brendan Fraser provides just that. He adds a whole new dimension to his character that I can't imagine any other actor pulling off. But that's not to say there are no standout performances from the supporting cast. Mega-star Matt Prokop proves once more why he has become such a bankable star.

The other main component of the film is the visual effects, which is one of the best to date, if not THE best. You thought Avatar was great? Think again. Words cannot describe the achievement in visual effects this movie has managed to pull off. So I'll simply state: they're f**king amazing.

To say the least, I'm very content with my decision to attend the exclusive premier of one of the best comedies of all time. I recommend you check it out once it arrives at a theater near you.

Scott Cooper makes his directorial debut with Crazy Heart, a movie about a faded country music musician. If there was any justice in this world, Crazy Heart would be his last job involving the movie industry.

Not only does this movie bore the audience, but it pains the audience to the point where everybody in the audience would be willing to take part in a mass suicide.

When the casts consists of former stars such as Jeff Bridges and Robert Duvall along with the always inconsistent Maggie Gyllenhaal and Colin Farrell, you know the movie will be mediocre at best.

Where the movie really fails at besides the questionable acting would be the cliché ridden plot, which is simple at best. Characters merely show up to advance the plot and offer no depth. And what should have been the highlight of this movie, the music, is stale and poorly performed.

To put it lightly, I'd rather cut off my manhood and proceed to shove it down my throat until I begin choking and eventually die. At least then I wouldn't have to endure the pain of watching this movie again.

Simply put, this movie delivers. Where Jaws failed, and in many areas it did, this movie prevailed. Thrill after thrill, this movie will keep you on the edge of your seats for its entire running time.

The ensemble cast is extremely effective, but the strongest performances comes from newcomer Jessica Szohr. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see her transform into a Hollywood star very very soon.

As for the plot of the movie, it's done well enough that it doesn't detract from the overall feel and tone that the director is going for here. While it's not the most sophisticated movie ever made, it does offer enough to where it requires a little bit of thinking on the viewer's side. Just a perfectly balanced movie.

And how could I end this review without mentioning the 3D? I could describe it with 5 words: f***ing amazing. You might have thought Avatar was great... this is even better. I'll leave it at that.

Boy, am I glad I took part in the exclusive screening. You will not be disappointed; I promise you that.

To be honest I came into this movie thinking it was going to be decent at best. And boy was I wrong! All the ingredients of an animated classic are evident in "Yu-Gi-Oh: The Movie", a technically impressive and heartfelt film from director Ryusoke Takahashi.

There are no complaints in the voice acting department, and that's mainly due to the movie's cast which features stars Dan Green, Wayne Grayson, Eric Stuart, and Darren Dunstan. As a supplement to the wonderful voice acting, the score (provided by Gil Talmi) effectively sets the mood throughout the entire film.

But where this movie really shines is in its visually breathtaking and poetic narrative that provides so much depth and insight on basic human nature that it almost seems as it's never even trying. The story simply unfolds magically in front of your eyes. Unlike many movies in recent history, this movie doesn't substitute excitement over pacing and plot. It takes it's time setting up the characters and setting, and then unleashes you in this new and unfamiliar world. But that's not to say it doesn't have its fair share of excitement.

But I wouldn't dare spoil this movie for you any further, and will leave you with this final note: It's time to dudududududu... duuuueeeellll!

Regardless of the horrendous movies that Stanley Kubrick has made during his disappointing career, such as "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "A Clockwork Orange", I still gave "Dr. Strangelove" an honest chance. And unfortunately, Kubrick failed to deliver once again.

My main problem with the film was that it's far too monotonous to be truly funny. I'm not exaggerating when I say this: every single attempt at humor in this movie fails. Every single one. Most of the blame goes to the poor script, and some of it falls on the actors on portrayal here. Peter Sellers fails to deliver his lines with wit or charisma, and it doesn't help that he plays three characters. It's bad enough he does poorly in one of the roles, but all three? Truly disastrous work. How he was offered roles following this movie is truly a wonder.

Moving on, I feel that the visual effects in this movie are a bit dated. Some of the sequences seemed totally unrealistic, and drew me out of the scene. If they had spent a little more time on the visual effects, and added some wit and humor to the script, they might have had something to work with. But there's truly nothing going on here. The narrative is a mess, and there's no sense of coherency or reason behind any of the choices that the characters make.

There's no reason to see this movie, and it's painfully sad to see a movie that could have potentially succeeded in the ways that "All About Steve" did, but unfortunately I don't think we can expect anything better than this at the hands of Kubrick.

Coming off the disappointment of the first "Godfather," Coppola continues his overrated trilogy with the weak and incoherent Part II. The story outlines the earlier life of Vito Corleone in the early 20s and follows Michael Corleone in the 50s, but does so with very little coherency or flow.

Francis Ford Coppola has shown very limited improvement from the first "Godfather", failing to realize the weaknesses of the first. The dialogue is still lacking authenticity, and the crypto-fascist undertones are still ever present. It doesn't help when any of the actors, in particular Al Pacino and Robert de Niro, fail to deliver any of their lines with any real conviction.

The story is fairly interesting, but the lack of quality in the script is hard to overcome, and especially so in the hands of Coppola, who has proved over and over again that he does not deserve to be in the company of such legendary directors like Paul W.S. Anderson, Michael Bay, and Wych Kaosayananda.

Watching the film, it's obvious the troubles Coppola had in handling the material. There are many inconsistencies in the mood and atmosphere, and he doesn't seem to hold a grasp of the material that was so masterfully outlined by Mario Puzo.

The film hasn't aged well at all, and the boring cinematography highlights that combined with all the weaknesses pointed out in my review. "The Godfather Part II" marginally improves upon the first "Godfather," but still contains many weaknesses that make it hard to enjoy or appreciate.

In René Clair's "A Nous la Liberté," Henri Marchand and Raymond Cordy are woefully miscast as two ex-convicts. I had high hopes for this picture, but ultimately the humor fails to produce laughs and the satire is misguided and disconnected from the truth.

The tone of the movie is sharply uneven and that's likely due to the fact that the movie had no shooting script and the actors were forced to improvise. This ultimately leads to the fragile and disjointed structure. I have no idea why René Clair trusted these actors to build the foundation for his movie - they simply do not have the screen presence or charisma to carry a film. On that basis alone, the movie is not effective and thus I cannot recommend it.

With that said, the score provided by Georges Auric is one of the positive aspects of this movie, as it attempts to match the movements of the assembly line. It almost makes up for the lack of chemistry between Marchand and Cordy.

René Clair shows glimpses of promise and with better actors he might have pulled this off, but his lack of vision is accentuated by the lack of truth in the messages he attempts to portray.

Once again universally acclaimed helmer Brian Levant, who brought upon us modern classics such as "Are We There Yet?" and "Jingle All the Way," does what he does best. And that's to deliver an intricate plot in a fun and jam-packed thrill ride that you'll likely to never forget.

The movie's lead, Jackie Chan, provides the charisma and on screen presence rarely seen these days, and I'm almost certain the academy will take notice. The supporting roles filled in by George Lopez, veteran Billy Ray Cyrus, and Amber Valletta are all wonderfully developed and fleshed out. The child actors on display here also do a fantastic job, and I see nothing but a bright future in front of them. I have never seen such true raw emotions evoked in a film before. Truly unprecedented work here.

I don't intent on overselling this film, since my review is written right after watching it at an exclusive premier in Canada, but this movie is truly a gem. From the very first lines to the last, the movie never lets up and doesn't get clogged up in any flat jokes (thanks to writers James Greer and Jonathan Bernstein who have previously collaborated on "Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector" and "Max Keeble's Big Move").

The transitions are smooth, and the pacing is unrelenting. Never before has a family comedy been this effective. The new year has barely begun, and we've already had our first masterpiece of the new decade.

Unimaginably inventive in its narrative, this movie provides a rather unique and laugh-out-loud experience worth taking in a theater near you.

Alongside Phil Traill's "All About Steve", "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" is quite possibly the second near-masterpiece romantic comedy of the year.

This movie would not have worked without the chemistry between its star- studded cast. Hugh Grant hasn't given out a performance much like this since "Nine Months," and Sarah Jessica Parker has never been better. The two supporting roles of Sam Elliott (Ghost Rider, Barnyard: The Original Party Animals) and Mary Steenburgen (Nobody's Baby, Four Christmases) provide laugh after laugh, without ever letting up.

Exceptional romantic comedies, or movies in general, usually tend to boast good scripts, and this movie is no exception. The movies flows from one plot point to the next, with remarkable ease.

I will not spoil the movie for you any further, and will leave my dear readers with one note: please do not hesitate to watch one of the top movies of 2009. You will surely NOT be disappointed.

Oh, Jesus, where to begin. Not only does this movie offer nothing we haven't seen before, but it inflicts so much pain on the audience that by the time the end credits start rolling, you'll be wondering why you hadn't gauged out your eyeballs with rusty spoons instead.

As is widely known, the acting in this movie is just flat-out atrocious. George Clooney hasn't been this dreadful since Michael Clayton, and Vera Farmiga hasn't skewed out something this awful since The Departed. Unfortunately, neither actor is capable of humanizing their rather one- dimensional character.

As the movie drags on, audiences will realize that Reitman's rather boring and unconvincing narrative provides little to no substance. The movie ultimately is a mess, transitioning with one incoherent scene after another.

Simply put, there are just too many cuts and transitions to make this movie effective. And that's not to mention the horrendous acting and the rather lackluster script. Huge disappointment.

From acclaimed auteur Roland Emmerich comes a dark, gritty take on Nietzschean philosophy masked under a tale of the White House under siege. Emmerich's critique of quasi-pseudo-antidisestablishmentarianism is relentless and incredibly convincing, with a hint of crypto- anarchism.

While the plot is quite layered and thematically heavy, Emmerich handles it with grace. This is visionary cinema at its finest - it is highly entertaining and deconstructs the world we live in. Emmerich is not only a master of action and suspense, as seen in masterpieces "10,000 BC" and "Godzilla," but he's a keen observer of the human experience in intense situations.

A good script is always important, but for a movie to truly succeed, you need actors to convincingly portray the characters. Thankfully, the ever charismatic Channing Tatum, the enigmatic Jamie Foxx, and teen sensation Maggie Gyllenhaal provide just that and more!

Not a single attendee of the exclusive screening left unsatisfied. Trust me, you don't want to miss this film. Check it out when it hits a theater near you.