Just one year after the release of the first "Hunger Games" film, Jennifer Lawrence and company are back in "Catching Fire." This second installment is a much more polished and sure-handed film than the original, with improved story-telling, cinematography and special effects. Lawrence is terrific again in the lead role and continues to cement her place among the elite actresses in the industry. The movie ends with a maddening cliff-hanger but keeps you enthralled until the final frame. Despite falling just short of greatness, this second "Hunger Games" film manages to live up to the hype just the same.
The second installment of Peter Jackson's "Hobbit" trilogy has hit theaters and it's something of a mixed bag. It has become apparent just how Jackson intends to extend the story from a relatively short adventure tale to a three film epic. The second movie introduces even more offshoot plot threads than the first entry which sometime add to the overall story but are often just a distraction. It's still very well made and moves at a much more brisk pace than its predecessor. Smaug himself is brought to life with tremendous visual effects and voice work and his one-on-one scene with Bilbo is the highlight of the film. Unlike the previous film, "The Desolation of Smaug" has a very unsatisfying cliff-hanger conclusion to go along with its typical case of middle-chapteritis. There's a lot to like here, but one can't help but wonder if the originally planned two-part story would have been better.
Marvel has officially moved into "Phase 2" of their multi-film "Avengers" saga with "Iron Man 3". This is the fourth time Robert Downy Jr. has portrayed billionaire philanthropist turned superhero Tony Stark and he's as good here as he's ever been. The humor and charm of the character hasn't worn off but it's really starting to feel like he's spinning his wheels in terms of story arc. There's only so many of these stories that can be told about this character before he becomes stale and it's starting to get to that point. These movies are feeling more and more like the comic books that inspire them - a never-ending series of meandering installments with no over-arching story structure. That being said, this is a decent action movie with enough entertainment value to justify a rental. However, Marvel needs to find a way to keep these stories fresh or audiences may check out sooner than expected.
One of Pixar's most beloved films gets a prequel in "Monsters University", a follow-up to the hit 2001 film "Monsters, Inc." While not quite as fresh as its predecessor, Mike and Sully's new adventure is still wildly creative despite its pretty cliche and formulaic story structure. The Pixar charm is here in spades and there are plenty of laughs to be had by all. The new supporting cast of misfits in Mike and Sully's oddball fraternity really steal the show and provide most of the humor. The film's message about hard work and not taking short cuts in life is as refreshing as it is profound. It may not break a whole lot of new ground, but "Monsters University" is definitely worthy of the Pixar brand.
One of the most beloved sci-fi novels of all time finally gets a big screen adaptation in "Ender's Game". Director Gavin Hood nails the look of the film and basically hits all the major story points, but unfortunately fails to capture the spirit of Orson Scott Card's groundbreaking novel. Asa Butterfield ("Hugo") is good as Ender but is limited by a shallow screenplay that only scratches the surface of the story's brutal themes. Those unfamiliar with the source material won't know the difference, but this is not a great film any way you slice it. Overall, a decent effort, but fans of the novel will inevitably pine for what might've been.
It is baffling that it has taken so long for someone to make a major Hollywood film about Jackie Robinson. The baseball great breaking the color barrier in the major leagues is one of the greatest stories in the history of sport in America. This film treatment is pretty standard unfortunately. Bolstered by really good performances from Chadwick Boseman in the leading role and Harrison Ford as Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey, "42" nevertheless falls into many of the old sports movie cliches that we are all familiar with. Even in its rough portrayal of the hardships and racism Robinson encountered, the film maintains a glossy feel and generic narrative that take the sting and realism out of those scenes and out of the film in general. It's not bad at all but this story definitely deserves more.
Very rarely does a film come along that enthralls from start to finish quite like "Mud". Director Jeff Nichols masterfully constructs a Tom Sawyer-like adventure story set on the Mississippi River with beautiful imagery and fascinating characters. Ty Sheridan is especially good as Ellis, the young protagonist of the film, while Matthew McConaughey continues his career renaissance as the title character. The film begins as a mystery-thriller and develops into a poignant coming-of-age story about family and relationships as seen through the eyes of a young teenager. It's pretty long and may be a little slow for the casual observer, but film lovers everywhere won't be able to look away. "Mud" is a great American film.
The little kid in all of us probably had a heart attack in excitement upon seeing the trailer for "Pacific Rim" but does the final product fill that Power Ranger / Thundercats void in our lives? Visionary filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro sure tries by bringing to life some pretty epic brawls between giant robots and city crushing monsters with some jaw-dropping special effects and character designs. Unfortunately, the human characters are about as flat, and in some cases as obnoxious, as the visuals are astounding. The premise, of course, is pretty ridiculous from the outset but the story would have greatly benefited from a slightly more serious and realistic tone. If the audience can tell the filmmaker isn't taking the material seriously, it's hard when he then asks them to invest in the film's characters. The action is mostly phenomenal but it's not worth wading through all the stupidity to get to it.
The last time Superman graced the silver screen was in Brian Singer's "Superman Returns" in 2006. That film suffered from too much talk and not enough action. Zack Snyder's new take on the character, "Man of Steel" suffers from the opposite problem. The action starts early and often with grand special effects and a heart-pounding score. It all looks and sounds great but somewhere along the line the story and characters takes a back seat to all the explosions and elaborate fight sequences. Henry Cavill is good in the title role and the star-studded cast surrounding him is great, it just would've been nice if the movie had slowed down and let us get to know them better. The film has one action set piece after another from the opening sequence to the final credits, only occasionally giving us moments of true emotional resonance and connection with the characters. Not a bad effort, but not the home run it could have been.
"Star Trek Into Darkness" accomplishes what few sequels are able to accomplish: it completely lives up to the original. This second entry in the rebooted franchise is every bit as imaginative, funny, emotional and dazzling as the terrific first film. Director J.J. Abrams shows a tremendous understanding of the need to balance CGI with practical effects which makes for a great looking film and allows the performances and story to take center stage. Benedict Cumberbatch is a terrific addition to the cast as the film's antagonist and the returning performers are as good as they've ever been. Fans of the franchise may be weary of some recycled ideas and plot points from the older films but there's no denying the quality of filmmaking and high entertainment value on display. This is among the best of the big budget Hollywood blockbusters and must not be missed. Bryce ***1/2 Chase ***1/2 Landon **** Logan ***1/2 BANGERANG SCORE: ***1/2
Here we are at the conclusion of our fourth year of writing reviews on this blog and it's once again time to count down our favorites from the year that was. While there weren't a lot of great movies released this year, there were quite a few really good ones. That proved to make things a little difficult in narrowing down our top five, but against all odds, we were able to get it done. Here are our picks:
5. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Peter Jackson takes us back to Tolkien's Middle-earth in this first chapter of his film adaptation of one of our favorite books growing up, and it's good to be back. Many have quibbled about the movie's slow pace and overuse of CGI, and while they have a point in many respects, Jackson absolutely nailed it where it counted: depth of character and a tremendous sense of wonder.
4. The Dark Knight Rises
The conclusion of Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy is next on the list. These films have always been about Bruce Wayne and his personal story arc and "The Dark Knight Rises" provides an extremely fitting conclusion to that iconic character.
3. Life of Pi
"Star Wars", "Jurassic Park", "Avatar", "Life of Pi". That's the type of company this ground-breaking film finds itself in from a visual standpoint. This is a beautiful looking film about faith (rare in today's Hollywood) and it has secured a spot on our list.
2. Les Miserables
One of the most beloved musicals of all time gets a first class film treatment in "Les Miserables". Hugh Jackman is phenomenal in the lead role and Anne Hathaway brings us one of the most heart-wrenching musical numbers in movie history in this adaptation. Their performances make this the best movie musical in many years.
1. Lincoln
Our pick for the best film of the year is Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln". This is an understated and compelling look into the presidency and character of one of the most influential leaders in American history. Daniel Day-Lewis gives one of the best performances we've ever seen on film and simultaneously humanizes the man while making us admire him more than ever. This is a terrific film.
"The Impossible" is the most gut-wrenching movie I've seen in years. This retelling of the true story of a family caught in the turmoil of the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 is as heart-breaking as it is graphic. I can't believe they got away with a PG-13 rating. Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts give terrific performances as the parents of this family and really give the audience insight into the pain and fear that this couple experienced along with thousands of others. The film really takes the wind out of you which was the goal of the filmmakers I suppose. It's well made and definitely deserves the praise it's receiving but it is certainly not one that I'm dying to see again.
I don't get it. That pretty well sums up my thoughts on 2012's independent film darling "Beasts of the Southern Wild". The film looks good and the performances are really good (especially Quvenzhane Wallis in the starring role - one of the better child performances I've seen). It's not that the message of the film is overly obscure - it's essentially a coming-of-age story. It's how the story is told that really had me scratching my head. The narrative framework as well as much of the dialogue comes off as very self-indulgent and sometimes downright weird. Director Ben Zeitlin obviously has a lot of talent. He just needs to reign it in a little bit in his next effort.
One of the most beloved musicals of all-time gets the big screen treatment in Tom Hooper's "Les Miserables". Surprisingly, none of us had seen the play nor heard the majority of the songs going into this movie. We can now see why it's such a big deal. The music is terrific and the personal story of tragedy and redemption is timeless. The performances of this screen version are what really make it soar. Hugh Jackman gives a powerful portrayal of the protagonist, Jean Valjean, and Anne Hathaway's heart-breaking musical number almost single-handedly won her the oscar. A few pointless scenes make the movie unnecessarily long and, let's face it, the love story, while told with some terrific music, is pretty shallow. Those are minor complaints however. "Les Miserables" is the best musical in recent years and shouldn't be missed. Bryce ***1/2 Chase ***1/2 Landon ***1/2 Logan ***1/2 BANGERANG SCORE: ***1/2
"Life of Pi" is one of, if not the, most visually awe-inspiring films ever made. It's that simple. The special effects and cinematography are astounding in this tale of faith and hope. Like last year's "Rise of the Planet of the Apes", you will catch yourself thinking twice about whether you are watching a CGI animal or the real thing as you see Pi interact with the tiger Richard Parker as they try to survive together. While the visuals are incredible, the story isn't quite its equal. There are some riveting moments that will tear your heart out, and there are some scenes that don't quite pack the emotional punch they should. Suraj Sharma is terrific as the title character and is up to the task of being the only actor on screen for the majority of the film, even amidst the sometimes underwhelming script. That being said, this is a very good film with tremendous visuals that needs to be experienced. Bryce *** Chase *** Landon ***1/2 Logan ***1/2 BANGERANG SCORE: ***
"People Like Us" has a lot going for it. It's written and directed by Alex Kurtzman, who has penned the scripts of some very good movies including "Star Trek". It has a great ensemble cast headlined by Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks and Michelle Pfeiffer. The premise of the movie itself is intriguing (a brother and sister meeting for the first time after their father's death). All that adds up to make the final product all the more disappointing. This is an awkwardly put together film with flat characters who interact with each other in bizarre ways, alienating the audience while dragging us to its sappy conclusion. There's too much talent in front of and behind the camera to be content with a mess like this.
It has finally arrived. The 2012 film that we were most looking forward to has hit the big screen and it was worth the wait. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" tells the story of Bilbo Baggins and his adventures that take place prior to "The Lord of the Rings" films. While the story doesn't hold as much weight as that of the previous films, "The Hobbit" still has plenty of that Middle-Earth magic we've come to know and love. The performances are fantastic (especially Martin Freeman's turn as Bilbo) and the visuals are as stunning as ever. Peter Jackson has over-extended himself a bit this time around however, with too much CGI and a few unnecessary subplots. Even with those flaws, this is a welcome return to the world of Tolkien and is among the year's best. Bryce *** Chase *** Landon *** Logan *** BANGERANG SCORE: ***
