The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Tony’s Review:
Attention Movie Fans: "The Cabin in the Woods" is the equivalent to what a bear does in the woods! I don't know what happened in the theater, but I feel violated. When I go to a steakhouse, I expect steak; an ice cream parlor, I expect ice cream. So when I go to a movie called the "Cabin in the Woods" I expect to see an edge of your seat horror flick that is worthy of the hard earned money I spent. That is not what I got in return. This movie was no more than a B-movie, and not a very good one at that. I have nothing against B-movies, but if that's what I am going to see let me know up front rather than playing the old switch-a-roo and wasting my time and hard earned dollars.

The premise of the movie is that ancient demons are always one step away from destroying the world, and the only thing that holds them back is the regular sacrifice of specific types of young adults. If that alone doesn’t set off the corny alarm I don’t know what does! However, none of this came across in the trailer. The movie had a few popular stars, which again covered its stinky tracks, and lured me into seeing it. This added to my feelings of being mislead. Now I will admit on those rainy Saturday nights or if your just hanging with friends and feeling stupid, then this movie will more than do the job; so it’s not totally useless. Just don’t put too much into it because like a bad relationship it doesn’t give back. It just takes and
stares back at you after the final credits roll and says…”What?!?” I give this one a heartfelt 1 bullet!

Will’s Review:
The previews for The Cabin in the Woods made it look like a suspense horror of the Hellraiser or Silent Hill variety. Well as it turns out, I was both right and horribly wrong. The movie actually had knockoff characters from both movies. As it turns out it had knockoff characters from just about every horror movie I have ever watched. This is one of the most confusing major motion pictures I’ve ever watched. Not because the storyline was complex; but because I wasn’t sure what kind of movie I was watching.

At times, it was intentionally comical like a spoof; at others suspenseful like a true horror movie; and others ludicrous like a bad sci-fi movie. The special effects were good, the cinematography excellent; yet nothing quite fit. When the movie ended, Tony and I looked at each other confused. It wasn’t until I was in the parking lot that it dawned on me. This was an amazing intentional B-movie. Now I like B-movies, but they are very taste specific. If you enjoy B-movies it is worth catching on Netflix (3 bullets), but since most people don’t, I rate it 2 bullets.

21 Jump Street (2012)

Two rookie cops who went to school together find themselves assigned to flesh out the ranks of the recently revived 21 Jump Street unit.  Their mission is to pose as high school students and infiltrate and expose a drug ring.  When they start school they find that the social dynamics of high school are not as they remember them.  Hilarity ensues as they struggle to adapt to their new identities, their roles in the school and to track down the drug ring.

When I first saw a trailer that siad they were remaking 21 Jump Street and it was going to be a buddy comedy, I looked at Tony and told him "Some things should not be remade."  I had no intentions of watching the movie and frankly figured it was going to suck.  I was very wrong.

This movie is hilarious.  I haven't laughed this hard since The Hangover (although The Hangover has this movie beat).  Now this movie plays on all sorts of stereotypes so some might get offended.  The dialog is what makes this movie so hilarious.  While Channing Tatum gives a good performance, Jonah Hill really carries the movie.  His comedic timing, and body language are spot on.

Naturally the law enforcement aspect is incredibly unrealistic and weak, but the movie is funny enough that even cops can overlook it.  21 Jump Street is rated R for numerous reasons.  I would say it could probably pull off a PG-13 rating if it weren't for the drug usage in the movie.  This movie is one you really need to watch.  I give it 9 / 10.  (KopOut Magazine score 5 / 5.  Go see in the Theater)

Wanderlust (2012)

George (Paul Rudd) and Linda (Jennifer Aniston) live in New York and finally buy a tiny apartment in the West Village.  Murphy steps in and their finances dry up.  They find themselves unable to afford their home, and unable to sell.  They decide to move to Atlanta to live with George’s jerk brother.  On the way they stay the night at a bed and breakfast that turns out to be a hippie commune.  The next day, they leave and move in with George’s brother.  It doesn’t take long before living with his brother becomes unbearable and they decide to give life on the commune a try.

Wanderlust mixes banter, situational comedy and slapstick into a hilarious comedy. It is crude and has a fair amount of nudity in it, but unfortunately, it isn’t anyone you would actually want to see nude.  “That which has been seen, cannot be unseen.”  One incredibly long scene is not very funny and drags on far too long.  It really kills the flow of the movie and I am not sure what the director was trying to accomplish with it.  The casting was great and everyone really fit his or her character.  Costume and set design were awesome as well. 

In all, I really enjoyed Wanderlust.  It is rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, drug usage and language.  The rating is more than appropriate.  I would discourage letting kids watch this movie, at all.  I give it a 7 / 10.  (KopOut Magazine score 3 / 5  - Watch it on DVD/Netflix)

John Carter: IMAX 3D (2012)

Captain John Carter is a treasure hunting cowboy in the West not long after the Civil War.  Thanks to an amulet, Carter suddenly finds himself on Mars.  Due to the low gravity (about 37% of Earth's) he has superior strength and jumping ability. The planet is dying and there are only two great human-like cities and a few scattered tribes of indian-like aliens.  The cities have been fighting for 1000 years, but the evil city has just obtained a weapon that threatens to end the millennium long stalemate.


Will's Review:
The first thing that surprised me is that this movie is exceptionally violent for a Disney film.  The second thing is that the movie has a unique plot element, but it's implementation feels like a rehash of other movies, especially Star Wars The Clone Wars and Superman.  There is even a gladiator arena execution complete with giant beasts and a massive final battle.  I noticed a couple of continuity issues, but considering the scale of the special effects, and number of people (characters, CG and extras) it could have been much worse.


That being said, the movie is very entertaining and as visually stunning as one of the main characters played by Lynn Collins.  I really enjoyed watching the movie despite its flaws.  If you have read many of my reviews, you know that I don't approve of the trend of making every movie in 3D just to wrest more money from the pockets of movie goers; especially since many movies are not improved by being in 3D.  That being said, I watched John Carter in IMAX 3D, and the 3D effect is done amazingly well and actually improves the visual experience of the film.


The acting is okay, but nothing special in my opinion.  The fight choreography is good and the CG is beautiful.  The overall experience is one worth watching.  The PG-13 rating (for intense violence and action) is appropriate, so don't equate 'Disney' with kid friendly for this film.  I give it 8 / 10. (KopOut Magazine score 4 / 5.  Worth Going to See in the Theater)

Gone (2012)

In Gone, Jill (Amanda Seyfried) was kidnapped from her home by a stranger and thrown into a pit in the forest.  In the bottom of the pit Jill found human bones.  When the kidnapper climbed down to kill her, Jill fought back and managed to escape.  The police initiated a search but never located the killer or the pit into which he had thrown Jill.  The police eventually decided Jill was crazy and began to ignore her.  A year later, Jill’s sister Molly disappears in the middle of the night from Jill’s home.  Believing the kidnapper had come back, Jill sets out to save her sister before it is too late.

This movie was better than I expected.  It is suspenseful, engaging and has a few red herrings that keep you guessing.   The acting is good but not Oscar worthy.  My only real complaint about the movie is that the suspense builds the entire movie, but the final climax is a bit anticlimactic.  

The movie is worth seeing but definitely not kid friendly.  I give it 7 / 10.

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.

Nominees for the 84th Academy Awards | Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

Nominees for the 84th Academy Awards | Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

The nominations are out and The Help, The Artist and The Descendants have walked away with the lion's share. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Hugo and Warhorse also walk away with a generous helping of nominations. I haven't been able to watch every film nominated, but I managed to see many of them. The nice thing about the Academy Awards, is it encourages you go to watch a film, that you wouldn't have otherwise. I had not seen The King's Speech until after it dominated the awards. I am happy to have taken the time to watch it. While the Oscar's can be solely political (eg. Hurt Locker win over Avatar) and does not always mean a film is the best in its category, it does give you an idea of which movies are worth watching.

"**" indicates my prediction for the winner.

Actor in a Leading Role

• Demián Bichir in "A Better Life"
• George Clooney in "The Descendants" **
• Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"
• Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
• Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn"
• Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"
• Nick Nolte in "Warrior"
• Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"
• Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"  **

Actress in a Leading Role

• Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs"
• Viola Davis in "The Help" **
• Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
• Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"
• Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist"
• Jessica Chastain in "The Help"
• Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"
• Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs"
• Octavia Spencer in "The Help" **

Animated Feature Film

• "A Cat in Paris" Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
• "Chico & Rita" Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
• "Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson
• "Puss in Boots" Chris Miller
• "Rango" Gore Verbinski

Art Direction

• "The Artist"
  Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould
• "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
  Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
• "Hugo"
  Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
• "Midnight in Paris"
  Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
• "War Horse"
  Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales
  

Cinematography

• "The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman
• "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Jeff Cronenweth
• "Hugo" Robert Richardson
• "The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki
• "War Horse" Janusz Kaminski

Costume Design

• "Anonymous" Lisy Christl **
• "The Artist" Mark Bridges
• "Hugo" Sandy Powell
• "Jane Eyre" Michael O'Connor
• "W.E." Arianne Phillips

Directing

• "The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius
• "The Descendants" Alexander Payne **
• "Hugo" Martin Scorsese
• "Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen
• "The Tree of Life" Terrence Malick

Documentary (Feature)

• "Hell and Back Again"
  Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
• "If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front"
  Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
• "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory"
  Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
• "Pina"
  Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
• "Undefeated"
  TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

Documentary (Short Subject)

• "The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement"
  Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
• "God Is the Bigger Elvis"
  Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
• "Incident in New Baghdad"
  James Spione
• "Saving Face"
  Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
• "The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom"
  Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

Film Editing

• "The Artist" Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
• "The Descendants" Kevin Tent
• "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
• "Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker
• "Moneyball" Christopher Tellefsen

Foreign Language Film

• "Bullhead" Belgium
• "Footnote" Israel
• "In Darkness" Poland
• "Monsieur Lazhar" Canada
• "A Separation" Iran

Makeup

• "Albert Nobbs"
  Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
• "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
  Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
• "The Iron Lady"
  Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Music (Original Score)

• "The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
• "The Artist" Ludovic Bource
• "Hugo" Howard Shore
• "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
• "War Horse" John Williams

Music (Original Song)

• "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
• "Real in Rio" from "Rio" Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Best Picture

• "The Artist" Thomas Langmann, Producer
• "The Descendants" Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
• "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Scott Rudin, Producer
• "The Help" Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers **
• "Hugo" Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
• "Midnight in Paris" Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
• "Moneyball" Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
• "The Tree of Life" Nominees to be determined
• "War Horse" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Short Film (Animated)

• "Dimanche/Sunday" Patrick Doyon
• "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
• "La Luna" Enrico Casarosa
• "A Morning Stroll" Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
• "Wild Life" Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Short Film (Live Action)

• "Pentecost" Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane
• "Raju" Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
• "The Shore" Terry George and Oorlagh George
• "Time Freak" Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
• "Tuba Atlantic" Hallvar Witzø

Sound Editing

• "Drive" Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
• "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Ren Klyce
• "Hugo" Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
• "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
• "War Horse" Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Sound Mixing

• "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
  David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
• "Hugo"
  Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
• "Moneyball"
  Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
• "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
  Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
• "War Horse"
  Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

Visual Effects

• "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
  Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
• "Hugo"
  Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
• "Real Steel" **
  Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
• "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
  Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
• "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
  Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

• "The Descendants" Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
• "Hugo" Screenplay by John Logan
• "The Ides of March" Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
• "Moneyball" Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin Story by Stan Chervin
• "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan **

Writing (Original Screenplay)

• "The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius
• "Bridesmaids" Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
• "Margin Call" Written by J.C. Chandor
• "Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen
• "A Separation" Written by Asghar Farhadi