This Means War (2012)

Just about all of us have one; the friend you have known for years, that is like a brother.  One for whom you would do anything.  Now imagine that you and your friend both separately meet the girl of your dreams, only to find out you are both dating the same girl.  This is the premise for “This Means War.”   Tuck (Tom Hardy) and FDR (Chris Pine) are both CIA agents who fall for the same girl, Lauren (Reese Witherspoon).  They decide to not let her know that they know each other, and to let her date them both and may the best man win.  Their gentlemen’s agreement breaks down and they each bring the power of the US intelligence agency to bear on each other in an effort to sabotage their rival.  Hilarity ensues.

This Means War is hilarious.  I was laughing through half the movie.  The dialog is funny, and the physical comedy is top notch.  Now the plot is obviously unrealistic, but it works for this movie.  This is the kind of movie critics hate but audiences love.  It is just a comedy, with no real depth or message.

It is not going to win any of the major awards but it is worth watching.  The film is rated PG-13 for sexual content, violence and action.  It was originally rated R and they edited to get the PG-13 rating.  I’m guessing they barely got it because there is a bit too much sexual innuendo, etc for younger audiences.  I give it 8 / 10.

One for the Money (2012)

One for the Money is the film adaptation of the first book in an 18 book series by Janet Evanovich.  I’ve never read the series myself but I’m told the movie does not stick to the book.  With that said, I’m pretty sure that there won’t be a film adaptation for “Two for the Dough.”

The movie is the story of Stephanie Plum, an unemployed lingerie store manager who, desperate for a job, goes to her sleazy cousin Vinnie who is a bail bondsman.  Instead an office job, she becomes a bounty hunter.  When she tries to bring in a cop wanted for murder, she ends up investigating the murder instead.

The movie stars the beautiful Katherine Heigl (Knocked Up) alongside Jason O’Mara (Terra Nova).  The two have some witty banter back and forth that carries the movie.  The law enforcement investigations side will leave any police officer sighing at the absurdity.  Joe Six Pack may not have problems with it, but this movie will frustrate police officers to no end.

The movie has a PG-13 rating that I think is appropriate.  However, I wouldn’t waste your money at the theater watching it.  It might be worth watching on Netflix or Redbox though.  I give it 6 / 10.

Puss in Boots (2011)

DreamWorks Animation usually puts out great kid friendly movies that parents can enjoy too.  I loved watching movies like Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, etc with my kids.  The movies are geared toward kids, but have subtle double entendre jokes for the adults.  Puss in Boots, a spinoff of the Shrek franchise, is no exception.

The movie is the back story for one of the main characters in the Shrek movies, Puss.  For those who don’t know, Puss is a “Zoro” like cat voiced by Antonio Banderas. When Puss runs into his childhood best friend turned enemy, he sets out on an epic quest to capture the goose-that-lays-the-golden-eggs, and to clear his own name.

The story is very entertaining, and the banter is first rate.  I took my daughter to watch it and she laughed the whole time and actually stayed in her seat (a major feat.)  The movie is paced well, and, at about 90 minutes long, is a good length for a kid’s movie.

The movie is still playing in the discount theaters, but should be out on DVD on February 24, 2012.  It is well worth seeing or getting for the kids.  I give it 9 / 10.

Rubber (2010)

Rubber is the story of a car tire named Robert who somehow comes to life and has psychokinetic abilities.  Robert is sociopathic and kills just about everything he sees.

The movie starts out with a monologue by the sheriff explaining that the movie is an homage to 'no reason'. As in "Why did they do that?... No reason." this is  something the film fully exploits.  There is pretty much no reason for anything in the movie.  It is totally nonsensical and random.

The cinematography is done well, but that is about the only positive thing I can say about it.  It is so bad that on some levels it is cult classic good.  I am glad it is less than 90 minutes long, because any longer than that and it would go from being mildly entertaining, to a total waste of time.

The movie is rated R and rightly so.  Unless you want your kids to be scared of every tire swing and tricycle they encounter, don't let them watch this train wreck of a film.  In fact, I wouldn't recommend anyone waste their time unless they are high or having a B movie marathon. I give it 3 / 10.

Red Tails (2012)

Like most boys, I watched many war movies like 'Memphis Belle', 'Iron Eagle', 'Top Gun', and of course the HBO movie 'The Tuskegee Airmen.' I grew up wanting to be a fighter pilot, a plan I kept to until I was 17 when the AirForce Academy application stated I would never be allowed to fly due to eyesight. I still love aviation  movies with dogfights in them.  When I heard that George Lucas was going to make a modern blockbuster movie about the Tuskegee airmen, I was excited. More accurately I was stoked.

The story of the Tuskegee Airmen is amazing.  A unit of African American and Haitian airmen, mechanics and support personnel , that overcame racism, prejudice and bigotry to become one of the most successful, decorated  and respected units of WWII.  The 332nd flew over 311 missions and only lost 25 bombers to enemy fire.  They shot down over 112 enemy planes, destroyed another 150 on the ground, 600 train cars, 40 boats and one destroyer.  A truly amazing record.

Red Tails has everything you would expect in a WWII aviation movie. Dog fights, explosions, planes flying past the camera, etc. It also has every cliche too.  The scarred German ace pilot, the grumpy aircraft mechanic, the maverick fighter pilot, the beautiful European love interest, etc.  The movie is a bit predictable and I don't to expect to see any Oscar nominations, but overall the story is enjoyable.

I read an article in the New York Times where Lucas said he wanted this movie to appeal to black teenagers.  He said he wasn't making it for grown-ups.  He wanted it to have a patriotic naiveté to it.  Now, in retrospect, I can see that intention.  So many of the movies I loved as a kid, I now find corny and predictable.  But they appealed to me and inspired me.  While Red Tails isn't as corny as Iron Eagle, it will definitely appeal to kids who see it.  It will instill pride in black teenagers who see it, and help drive home the point to all that it is the character and the drive of the man, not the color of his skin that determines ability.

Red Tails is envisioned as the middle movie in a trilogy.  Since Lucas had to foot the bill for the whole movie, I'm not sure if a studio will sign up to film the prequel, but if it does get filmed, I'll be in the theater to watch it.

Despite being a war movie, Red Tails does not have much blood in it. A few characters are shot and one gets burned, but by war movie standards it is very mild.  It is PG-13, but I think it would be fine for kids 10 and up.  I give it 8 / 10.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)

September 11, 2001 is a day that changed the world.  Thousands of lives ended, families were torn apart, and the course of nations changed.  Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is the fictional story of one family.  Oskar (Thomas Horn) is a 10 year old boy who probably has Asperger’s Syndrome.  His father, Thomas Schell (Tom Hanks), is a dedicated father, who uses puzzles, and a form of geo-questing to help his son overcome his fears.  When Thomas is killed on 9/11 Oskar’s disability only gets worse.  A year after his father died, Oskar finds a key among his father’s belongings.  Believing it was a quest his father had prepared for him, Oskar sets out to find the matching lock.

While aspects of the story are ludicrous, it is nonetheless a good story.  The real strength of the movie is in the performances by the cast.  Thomas Horn delivers a spectacularly emotional performance that is even more amazing when you consider his prior acting experience consisted of a grasshopper in a school play of James and the Giant Peach.  This kid has amazing talent and a lot of potential.  Max von Sydow manages to give a spectacular performance without ever speaking a word.  It takes a tremendous amount of talent as an actor to give that kind of performance with just body language and expressions.

This movie is a bit emotionally draining.  I would not recommend it for a date night, or for young kids.  It is however a great movie to watch purely for the enjoyment of film.  The PG-13 rating is quite appropriate.  I give it a 9 / 10.