With a script just one step up from grunting and spectacular fight scenes and explosions, this movie is a fun throw back to the actions movies of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Welcome to testosterone on film.

Sylvester Stallone gets the band back together (except they never were together) of some of the biggest names in action movies, either as stars or in cameos. This is as much about turn your brain off and enjoying as it is hanging out with old friends and remembering when “I’ll be back” and “I will end you” meant something.

THE SETUP:
Barney and his crew of Expendables (Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Terry Crewes, Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture) have taken a long, soul-crushing road of mercenary work. When an evil businessman (Eric Roberts) and a local dictator take over a South American country, oppressing its people, the mercs see this as an opportunity to make some money but also finally do some good…and maybe save a bit of their souls as well.

THE THOUGHTS:
Oh this was fun. Take a bunch of action stars that haven’t really done much in a long time, mix in stars from mixed martial arts and pro wrestling, add a couple of surprise big names that normally wouldn’t be caught dead doing this, spinkle over the top explosions and violence and you have a movie. My favourite comment on The Expendables came from ComingSoon.net:

Is it a good movie? Not hardly. But is it a good movie? Absolutely.

I have to give Stallone credit for going with the R-rating. He could have wussed out and made it PG but that’s not the place most of these guys got famous. Sly stuck with what his audience wanted to see – blood, brutal action and swear words. You get them all here. (Though no inappropriate, gratuitous nudity which was surprising)

Every one of the actors gets a moment to shine. Whether it’s matchups you never thought you’d see or actual acting (I’m looking at you Mickey Rourke), it was great to see these guys do their thing.

What’s bad? The script. Like really bad. Painful, “nails on a chalkboard” bad. It was like Stallone turned his brain to 1983 and wrote from there. No really, it’s bad. But are you really going to see this by what Dolph Lundgren says? Or by what he does to people? Exactly.

The Expendables Rating:

Two Tickets

2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. It’s not Academy Award-worthy but it’s not intended to be. It’s a fun way to spend a couple hours, hanging out with old friends and watching things blow up “real good.” FYI – This was meant to be seen in the theatre, so if you’re going to see it…see it how it’s suppose to be.

Rating system:

½ ticket – rip up your ticket.
1 ticket – go, but don’t tell anyone.
2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. 
3 tickets – tell everyone you know.

Random Recommendations
Cobra (1986) – “You’re the disease. I’m the cure.” And we’re off! Stallone takes bad acting and crazy violence to an artform here. And did I mention the love interest is Bridgette Nielsen? There was even an homage to Cobra in the Expendables when Stallone is driving his truck. A guilty pleasure.

Commando (1985) – I like to think this is where it all began. Arnold Schwarzeneger has 8 hours to save his daughter from bad guys. What more do you want? Bad one-liners. Lots of guns. Lots of explosions.  Crazy violence. This movie set up the formula for the parade of testosterone that permeated the decades to follow.

Epic in its epic epicness…and stuff. Hipsters, comic geeks, ‘80s video game nerds, movie fans…you’ve got your movie. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is one of the more original and funny films to come out in ages, and does great justice to its source comic book material.

Edgar Wright does it again (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), taking the “go to” movie slacker Michael Cera and making him the most interesting he’s been since Arrested Development. Add power ups, extra lives, pee metres, great music, Kung Fu Hustle fight scenes and you’ve got a damn fine movie.

THE SETUP:
Scott Pilgrim (Cera) doesn’t really have a lot going on besides his band. He’s between jobs, he’s sponging off his roommate (Kieran Culkin) and he’s dating a high schooler (Ellen Chong) that he knows is too young for him. Hello, girl of his dreams Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Now if only Scott can win the battle of the bands, dump his high schooler girlfriend…oh and defeat Ramona’s 7 evil ex-boyfriends (sorry, I mean 7 evil exes), he’ll be happy. Game on!

THE THOUGHTS:
The blend of video game sound effects and visuals amazingly work really well in this movie. Does it make any sense? No, not really. But who cares. You’ll have to watch the movie a couple of times to get every gamer reference but there’s a lot in there, from Super Mario Bros. to Legend of Zelda to Street Fighter. Unfortunately, if you didn’t grow up in the 80s with a Super Nintendo, or at least have a pretty good knowledge of the culture, you probably won’t be as invested in this movie. Sorry old(er) people.

Michael Cera has built a career out of being an awkward man-child and I’m not saying it’s much different here. What really stands out though is he’s not a pushover and he’s kind of a jerk when it comes to girls. The fact that he has no problem kicking ass was a nice touch to. I should mention the fight scenes were great. Very visual, very kinetic and very fun to watch.

The supporting cast really added to the movie. All seven evil exes, especially Chris Evans as the movie star and Brandon “Superman” Routh as the vegan, all had great scenes. Actually, thinking about it, not a single member of the cast wasn’t fantastic.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Rating:

Three Tickets

3 tickets – tell everyone you know. This is one of those movies that unfortunately won’t get the attention it deserves because it doesn’t fit within a specific genre. A little too nichey. And that’s a shame because along with Inception, this is a movie that shows you can do amazing things with original concepts.

Rating system:

½ ticket – rip up your ticket.
1 ticket – go, but don’t tell anyone.
2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. 
3 tickets – tell everyone you know.

Random Recommendations
The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys (2002) – A fitting recommendation off of Scott Pilgrim. Kieran Culkin and his friends are so immersed in comic books to help deal with their own lives that things get really complicated when they try to plan a heist to shake things up.

Ghost World (2001) – One of the first movies to prove you can make a compelling, character driven movie based on a comic book with no capes or spandex. Two girls have just graduated high school and, to cover for little direction or ambition, decide to play a prank on a local middle-aged nerd. The movie also introduced us to an actress known as Scarlett Johansson. Yay us.

It’s been a good long while since we’ve been treated to a decent buddy cop movie. Well, now we have, and even a little more than decent.

Adam McKay and Will Ferrell, who previously did Anchorman, Talladega Nights and Step Brothers, try their best at the buddy cop formula…succeeding a lot and failing at a little. But as a child of the Lethal Weapon and Beverley Hills Cop movies, it’s been a long time coming.

THE SETUP:
Highsmith and Danson (Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) are action heroes and everything cops want to be: reckless, explosive, funny and sexy to the ladies. And then, there are the other guys, Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz (Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg), who are the butt of office pranks while never seeming to catch a break. When there is suddenly an opportunity to step up, it’s the department, special forces, and Ferrell’s and Hoitz’s pasts that stand in the way. Can they get along long enough to do something about it?

THE THOUGHTS:
Adam McKay can do comedy (look at what he’s done) so it’s interesting to see him take what he’s great at and infuse it into such a traditional genre. It works. As random as some things are, especially with Ferrell’s character, it just endears the audience to him more.

The two leads are great. We expect this from Ferrell but Wahlberg stands out as actually quite funny. His angry, frustrated cop and absolute exasperation at dealing with his partner is hilarious, especially trying to understand how Eva Mendes is married to the guy. A buddy cop movie is made or broken by the that relationship and in that, they succeed.

The rest of the cast has their moments. It’s always good to see Michael Keaton, even when he’s done such crap over the last few years. He plays the police chief as the usual cliché but I don’t think we really want more than that. The competing cop team of Ron Riggle and Damon Wayans Jr. pop in for the obvious ridicule but they never really have much to do beyond make fun of the leads. Would have been nice for a bit more of the competition between the teams to show.

Funny? Yes. Really funny? Sometimes. Not every joke hits and there was never a point where I was laughing out loud but the story is interesting, the characters are likeable and there a bit of action thrown in. I liked it fine.

The Other Guys Rating:

Two Tickets

2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. Wahlberg is funny, Ferrell is hilarious, and they play great off each other, but with a run-time of 107 minutes, it still felt long.  It definitely had a lot more hits than misses and with such a lame parade of summer movies, you should spend some time with the other guys.

Rating system:

½ ticket – rip up your ticket.
1 ticket – go, but don’t tell anyone.
2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. 
3 tickets – tell everyone you know.

Random Recommendations
Johnny Dangerously (1984) – Who doesn’t love a dark, slapstick gangster comedy? Over the top and hilarious, this movie remind us how great Michael Keaton can be, Marilu Henner was hot and Joe Piscopo use to be a comedic actor. Quote: “My mother slapped me once…once.” Turn the brain off, especially the part for political correctness, and enjoy.

Three Kings (1999) – Wahlberg did a couple of great movies that cemented him as a more serious actor, A Perfect Storm and Three Kings. Put George Clooney, Ice Cube and Wahlberg in the middle of the Gulf War, add stolen Iraqi gold and the crazy-ass director of I Heart Huckabees (there’s a great YouTube video with Lily Tomlin you should see) and you have a surprisingly funny, thought-provoking movie.

I’m a movie geek. There’s no denying that. Why do I write about movies? Because it saves my friends valuable time from having to listen to me talk to them about movies. As a lover of film, I’m always looking to fill the gaps of ones I may have missed. Either because I wasn’t aware of how great they were when they came out or they were released before my time. I’ve started a list that I’ve included a large section of below:

My shame, performed by an emo

Last Days
Nowhere to Hide (Korean)
I heart Huckabees
Lake of Fire (Doc)
Time of the Wolf (Fr.)
Time Out
Tsotsi
Mulholland Drive
My Left Foot
Red Lights (Fr)
Memories of Murder (Korean)
Good Bye Dragon Inn
Everyone Else
When the Levee’s Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts
Songs from the Second Floor
What Time is it There
Dogville
You Can Count on Me
Afterschool
Yi Yi
In the Mood for Love
Irreversible
Moon
The Messenger
Sugar
An Education
Gone with the Wind
True Believer – Ryan Gosling
The Warriors
Seven Samurai
Hard Boiled – Woo
Not Quite Hollywood (doc)
Amadeus
Ran
A Christmas Story
Sex, Lies and Videotape
Ordinary People
Terms of Endearment
The Right Stuff
Chariots of Fire
Salvador
Missing
Places in the Heart
Prizzi’s Honor
Driving Miss Daisy
The Vanishing (French)
Wet Hot American Summer

Yes, Gone with the Wind is on the list. I told you it was full of shame. Here’s the funny part: I want it to be longer. I write down any suggestion I get for movies to see (except horror…hate horror). It makes its home on this list until I have the time. Can you help with my shame?

Angelina Jolie does her best James Bond impression to bring us a serviceable spy thriller that brings the action with a few twists and turns along the way.

My expectations were a little low for Salt and I was pleasantly surprised to find a fun summer movie that kept me engaged, impressed me with some of the fight scenes and left me, not necessarily wanting a sequel but interested to see the next chapter for Evelyn Salt.

THE SETUP:
Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is a CIA operative who has been fingered by a mysterious Russian defector as a Russian sleeper agent. The chase begins as her co-workers and government agents hunt her down while she tries to clear her name, uncover the conspiracy to kill high-ranking officials, escape Russian spies and keep her husband safe from those trying to kill her. Salt’s a busy girl.

THE THOUGHTS:
I promised when I first started this blog that I would be spoiler-free. That is going to make writing this review very difficult as most of the movie involves a “did she or didn’t she” premise.  I’ll do what I can.

The key players (Angelina Jolie, Live Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor,) all bring something to the table.  Jolie has always been good at throwing herself into action scenes, even doing a lot of the stunts herself, and this is no different. We also feel her desperation in finding her husband and the reaction as she slowly reveals more of the Russian conspiracy and her role in it. One thing Angelina – You could make a drinking game out of her “looking one way, closing her eyes, she’s looking another way.” I swear she did it 5 times here. Schreiber brings some credibility to his role while Ejiofor is a great addition to any movie.

The story is action-packed and, with enough plot twists to keep the plot moving, a fun experience. This director has done some great work (Clear and Present Danger, Dead Calm) and some not so great work (The Saint, Sliver) but his background proves the man can direct action even if the script doesn’t match up. Thankfully, Salt falls a little closer to his better movies.

For a movie so based on action, there’s one thing I had a huge problem with. In two scenes, it’s far too over-the-top cartoony and really takes away from the great moments through out the film. I’m sorry, Jolie is pretty kickass but even she can’t do that. (damn, it’s hard not to give away anything)

Salt Rating:

Two Tickets

2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. Salt walks a fine line between solid rental and OK theatre flick. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed either way but I’d probably suggest the rental. It’s got the action and story to keep you pretty entertained.

Rating system:

½ ticket – rip up your ticket.
1 ticket – go, but don’t tell anyone.
2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. 
3 tickets – tell everyone you know.

Random Recommendations
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) – I usually like to suggest the original over the remake but in this case, I have no problem making an exception. Pierce Brosnan isn’t James Bond here but he’s got all the smooth charm to make Thomas Crown awesome to watch. Rene Russo turns the sexy up while Dennis Leary brings the funny. Great caper movie.

Girl, Interrupted (1999) – I try never to recommend anything with Winona Ryder in it but thankfully doesn’t do any damage in this movie that brought Jolie her one and only Academy Award. Director James Mangold breathes life into Susanna Kaysen’s book on her stay in a mental institution with great performances from Whoopi Goldberg, Brittany Murphy, Jared Leto and Vanessa Redgrave. Yes, even with Winona. Title implies chick-flick but it’s just not.

If Michael Mann’s Heat and the Wachowski Brothers’ Matrix had a beautiful, intense, intelligent baby, I’d name him/her: Inception.

Finally. FINALLY. We get a summer movie worth talking about. Christopher Nolan is proving over and over, from Momento to The Dark Knight that he knows how to deliver a big-budget action flick that doesn’t spoon feed its audiences but rather takes them on a ride they can immerse themselves in. Um, yeah. I liked it.

THE SETUP:
Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) are mind thieves, taking valuable secrets from the minds of CEOs or other prominent business leaders for a price. The real draw for Cobb isn’t the money but rather trying to find a way back to the States to see his kids, both of whom he hasn’t seen since he was mysteriously forced to leave the U.S. Of course this leads to the “one last job” for an uber-powerful business magnate (Ken Watanabe) so he can set things right, he only needs the help of an elite team (Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao) to do an “Inception”, planting an idea, into the head of the mogul’s competitor (Cillian Murphy).

(See the movie and I dare you to try to sum it up in three sentences without spoilers).

THE THOUGHTS:
OK, I’m happy. The hype was huge for this movie. Coming off of The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan had pressure to deliver and well, he did.

The funny thing is that Inception, the best 2010 summer blockbuster by far, isn’t even a “summer blockbuster” – you have to pay attention and think. WHAT?! Yep, you read that right. The twists and multi-layered aspects of the film (both visual and mental) will have you deeply talking about the film long after it’s over. FYI – if you have a hard time following movies with multi-storylines, stay far, far away from this flick.

With the cast, there’s not a missed note in the bunch. Leonardo DiCaprio is firing them out of the park lately. His character here has a lot in common with that of his Shutter Island role, tortured and affected by his family, but here he’s taken about 4 levels beyond that. Joseph Gordon-Levitt…I won’t lie, I’m a little gay for him. He’s definitely an actor to pay attention to, whether he’s boldly balancing DiCaprio’s character or his zero-gravity fight scene, he does well in the big and small moments. Tom Hardy, Ellen Page, Michael Caine, Cillian Murphy…all took characters that could have been one notes and played a tune with them. I can’t forget Marion Cotillard, who may not have been on screen much but she was a force even when she wasn’t.

Yes, this is a visual movie but much like his previous work, Nolan doesn’t rest on the eye candy but rather makes everything mean something. It also means you have to take this ride with him…and no, answers won’t be revealed right away. They will come and they will hit you like a train. This is one of the most kinetic movies I’ve ever seen, for your mind and for your action addiction, and I dare you to not have that soundtrack in your head after you leave. Inception is worth the money and the investment.

Inception Rating:

Three Tickets

3 tickets – tell everyone you know. Christopher Nolan may not have the body of work of a Scorsese or a Coppolla, but with another amazing effort, he’ll be at that level fast. Run, don’t walk, to Inception. Don’t let the 2 ½ hour run time scare you, it’ll be over before you know it…and want it to be.

Rating system:

½ ticket – rip up your ticket.
1 ticket – go, but don’t tell anyone.
2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. 
3 tickets – tell everyone you know.

Random Recommendations
The Lookout (2007) – I mentioned earlier that Gordon-Levitt is doing some pretty impressive stuff so I was looking forward to recommending this. It is billed as a crime thriller but it’s also about overcoming who you are and who you could have been. Great dialogue and pretty damn intense.

The Shipping News (2001) – I like this more than sum. Maybe it’s a stab at the Newfoundland accent, or maybe it’s Kevin Spacey. I have yet to read the book (which I’m sure is better, stop telling me) but this “fish out of water” story may have a bleak visual, but it’s the hope and humour that make it a good movie. And add Judi Dench, Julianne Moore and Cate Blanchett and you’re sold. (it’s better than the trailer)

Dark, fun, jaw-dropping animation eye-candy that may be evil and despicable but it also provides a warm, action-filled 90 minutes at the movie theatre…I just would have liked a little more connection to the characters, but just a little.

First-time directors (at least I’m calling them that because they really haven’t done much) make a hell of an impression making us love to be evil. Hey, it’s been a while since I could recommend a Steve Carell movie.

THE SETUP:
Gru (Steve Carell) is the world’s best super villain, or rather he was. His schemes aren’t what they use to be and now young upstarts like Vector (Jason Segel) are taking over the spotlight. So Gru decides, with the help of his minions and evil scientist Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand), to get a loan from the Bank of Evil in order to execute the biggest crime in history – stealing the Moon. Unfortunately, Gru’s scheme involves three orphans, Margo, Edith and Agnes, who aren’t so easily removed from his life. How’s a super villain suppose to reach maximum evilness with a pack of cute kids? That’s the movie.

THE THOUGHTS:
It’s dark. It’s eye-popping in its vivid detail. It’s fun. It’s definitely worth watching.

You can tell all the lead actors had a blast voicing the characters of Despicable Me because all were against type. Russell Brand as an ancient evil scientist? Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins dammit!) as a disapproving, karate-loving old crone? Jason Segel as a nerdy, tracksuit-wearing villain with a love of firearms that shoot sea life? Good times. The voicing was great, especially from Carell who really took Gru and ran with it…a voicing combination of what he calls a cross between Ricardo Montalban and Bela Lugosi. Each character was distinct and you did feel for Gru and his connection with the three orphans.

Since Avatar, there have been a lot of movies jumping on the 3-D bandwagon, for better or for worse (worse being Clash of the Titans and Alice in Wonderland). This movie was definitely in the “for better” category. Not only did the computer graphics look amazing but they really took advantage of the 3-D technology. Please sit through the credits or you’ll miss the minions stretch that 3-D barrier. I have to mention again how vivid the detail was. I must have remarked 2 or 3 times at how impressed I was. (I remarked to myself because it would be annoying if I kept saying it to someone else).

Two things I hate when it comes to animated movies: overly cute kids and forced dance numbers. For this movie, the former wasn’t a problem but the later could have done with out. Sorry, it’s just annoying.

There are a few dark moments…well dark for a G-rated movie. I enjoyed them but they might be a bit much for little ones. The scene with the kid in the iron maiden comes to mind.

Despicable Me Rating:

2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. Like or hate Steve Carell, I though he was fantastic in this as were all the voice talent. The only reason I’m not giving it a higher rating is the emotional connection wasn’t as much there as you find with a lot of Pixar films. But, funny writing, over-the-top visuals and kickass 3-D makes it a recommendation.

Rating system:

½ ticket – rip up your ticket.
1 ticket – go, but don’t tell anyone.
2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. 
3 tickets – tell everyone you know.

Random Recommendations
Dan in Real Life (2007) – This movie didn’t get the chance it deserved and was overshadowed by Carell’s two previous huge hits: Little Miss Sunshine and 40-Year Old Virgin. This is a much smaller film about a widower who is awkward in his own skin only to find the one girl he is able to connect with again… is his brother’s girlfriend. The movie is like Carell’s character: funny, awkward, heartfelt.

The Incredibles (2004) – If you haven’t seen this yet, how dare you call yourself a lover of cinema! I’m joking…but no really…why haven’t you seen this?! First off, it’s Pixar, which is an automatic “must see.” It also happens to be one of the more dynamic, fun, action-packed films released in the last 10 years. I wish more summer blockbusters had the heart and adventure this movie lays down.

Is it better than the previous two? Yes. Is that saying much? Not really. The story of Bella, Edward and Jacob continues as painfully as you remember but thanks to the action sequences and focus on the Cullen family members, at least the franchise is finally more tolerable.

A director with a short but decent resume (David Slade, who did Hard Candy and 30 Days of Night) is able to bring a semblance of personality out of Kirstin Stewart, an almost believable emoting from Tyler Lautner and a slightly dialed-downed but still emotionally-retarded Robert Pattinson to bring us the best he could provide with what he had to work with: a decent Twilight movie.

THE SETUP:
(big breath) It’s only a month until graduation and Edward (Robert Pattinson) has begrudgingly agreed to turn Bella (Kirstin Stewart) into a vampire at that time. While Edward tries to talk her out of it, part three of their love triangle, Jacob (Tyler Lautner), is doing his darndest to make Bella accept that she loves him too. While all this is going on, Victoria is targeting Bella for execution to avenge her former lover and an army of newborn vampires is creating havoc in nearby Seattle. The Cullen family mounts an investigation into how the two incidents are linked while members of the ancient vampire coven Volturi prepare to make their presence felt. (I just made the movie sound better).

THE THOUGHTS:
This is the second Twilight movie I’ve had to review since starting Good Film Hunting. After watching this, I think I’d have to go back to my previous review and demote it to a half a ticket. Sorry, it wasn’t even worth a rent. This one however…surprisingly OK.

If you’re looking for Academy-level performances, you’re looking to the wrong place. The acting really isn’t much better than it’s been but I can say there feels like more of a purpose. The weakest link has always been Kirstin Stewart’s Bella. She always felt weak and insubstantial…which makes it harder to believe a vampire and werewolf are fighting over her. This time around, the idea of her turning into a vampire in a few weeks and the challenges she will face gave her character weight. Well a light weight.

One thing I really liked was the fleshing out of the Cullen family. We really never had any sense of them previously. But, with Jasper and Rosalie ‘s backstories on how they became vampires did more for me in 5 minutes than Edward’s has in 3 movies. I want to see a Cullen movie.

Why they replaced Rachelle Lefevre with Bryce Dallas Howard as Victoria, I have no idea. Rachelle did a fine job in the last two movies and the role of Victoria certainly wasn’t so substantial that they needed a high-caliber actor (if that’s what Howard is).

The one scene that really stood out was the climactic action scene at the end. Far more violent, intense and far more with a sense of danger slick than anything we’ve seen from this franchise before. If the whole movie had had this tone, and the looooooooong (I could add more Os) schlocky melodrama had been minimal, I would have liked it a lot more.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Rating:

1 ticket – go, but don’t tell anyone. The best outing so far for Bella, Edward and Jacob…not to say that it’s a good movie but it finally moves the franchise forward and toward a conclusion. Sadly you have to slog through a lot of over the top melodrama, unnecessary voice-overs and minimalist acting to get to the great action scene in the end. If you love Twilight, it won’t matter what I say. If you don’t, barely worth the rent…but worth more than the previous two flicks.

Rating system:

½ ticket – rip up your ticket.
1 ticket – go, but don’t tell anyone.
2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. 
3 tickets – tell everyone you know.

Random Recommendations
I try to find movies that are some how linked to the main feature that I would recommend. Whether through the actors, the director, the genre… This was the hardest one I’ve ever done. Most of the actors in this have either done very little or mostly crap. I still stand by these recommendations but they were the best I could do.

30 Days of Night (2007) – I’ve already recommended David Slade’s Hard Candy so this movie about vampires taking over a small Alaskan town seemed far more appropriate. Intense, scary and a fresh visual of vampires makes it a recommendation…yes, even with Josh Hartnett. The ending isn’t as great as its source material graphic novel but Danny Huston pulls out a kickass performance that makes up for a lot.

Butterfly Effect (2004) – Ashton Kutcher in a good movie? Let’s say “interesting.” The premise of how one move in our lives can drastically change everything is played to full “effect” (get it) here. It’s a solid renter that you won’t be disappointed with.

A movie that delivers on its comedy while the action was so green-screened, it felt contrived and fake. It was like watching a film about a summer blockbuster (not a good thing for 10 bucks).

James Mangold has directing some fantastic, engaging character studies…whether through quiet moments or intense action. Some of those winners included 3:10 to Yuma, Walk the Line and Girl, Interrupted. You shouldn’t add Knight and Day to that list.

THE SETUP:
Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) is a spy on the run, framed for a crime he didn’t commit ( I wonder how many times I’ll write this?). While avoiding secret agents and crime lords, he pulls a ditzy mechanic (Cameron Diaz) into the action to help him clear his name. It should be mentioned that Roy is a little mentally unbalanced which is where most of the comedy comes from.

THE THOUGHTS:
If you’ve seen the trailer for this, you know there was some potential in a comedy spy movie with an action star known for normally taking intense movie roles. Yeah, I was misled too.

It is fun to see Tom Cruise act like we all think he’s like in real life (ala Oprah’s couch) and he plays it up well. On top of that, we all know he can handle action scenes and this is no exception. Whether he’s running along rooftops or taking out an entire airplane of hit men, he kicks ass convincingly. Cameron Diaz plays the usual “Cameron Diaz in a comedy” role. Ditzy, overwhelmed, sexy-cute. Basically Katherine Heigl…only likeable.

Where this movie really misses the mark is the action scenes which is what this movie is sold on. You know those old movies where the actor is sitting in a car but he’s really not driving, it’s just the scenery or screen behind them moving? This entire movie was like that. I’m sure there were stunts but all the exciting sets were so obviously computer generated it was distracting. Those aren’t bulls. They didn’t drive between those two trains, etc. etc.

The other sticking point was the painful setups. For example, I’m going to say this so you can reverse it and say it back to me later. I’m going to show you this move so you can use it in a fight 5 minutes later. I like my movies a little more intelligent…or at least ones that think I am.

Knight and Day Rating:

1 ticket – go, but don’t tell anyone. This is a solid renter due to the chemistry between Cruise and Diaz (can you name the other movie they did together?) Where I think you’ll run into some trouble is with Blu-Ray. There is so much CGI and green screen that a lot of the movie will come of as fake. Oh wait, you don’t need Blue-Ray for that.

Rating system:

½ ticket – rip up your ticket.
1 ticket – go, but don’t tell anyone.
2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. 
3 tickets – tell everyone you know.

Random Recommendations
3:10 to Yuma (2007) – There’s not a lot of “meh” westerns. You either get it or you don’t. This one gets it. Russell Crowe, Ben Foster and Christian Bale in a story about escorting a criminal to the train to get him to trial/prison. Funny in moments, intense in the rest…a movie you should really check out.

Pleasantville (1998) – This movie sort of snuck on me. I had no expectations. I mean it is about a couple of teenagers (Toby MacGuire & Reese Witherspoon) who get sucked into a 1950’s black and white sitcom where teens go to malt shops, women only cook and clean, and men…well I’m not really sure what the men do. Regardless it is a beautiful, sweet…and fantastic movie.

You’re immersed in a dreary and disgusting world of crime and chaos, where the only hope is a pensioner with a pistol. Michael Caine’s Harry Brown may be an old formula but it’s a welcome ride.

Cain and newbie director Daniel Barber take us to a very bleak British suburb that we know exists but, if we’re lucky, have never been to. From the opening quiet moments to the explosive ending, you will be a fan of Harry Brown.

THE SETUP:
Pensioner Harry Brown lives a quiet life. He lives alone. He goes to the pub for a pint and a game of chess with his best and only friend Lenny. He visits his dying wife. He watches the world crumble outside his window, full of drugs and violence. One day, that world crashes through that window. With tragedy upon tragedy heaped upon him, Harry takes matters into his own hands…if “matters” were a wide variety of high-calibre weapons. The police are on to him but do they really want to stop him?

THE THOUGHTS:
This is not an original concept. Long before Charles Bronson’s Death Wish or Michael Douglas’ Falling Down and as recently as Mel Gibson’s Heart of Darkness, the idea of a lone man taking more than he can stand and lashing out… is always a crowd-pleaser. We may not have had such a terrible life but we have been in situations or seen things we wish we could take control of. Harry Brown does that for us.

Michael Caine is awesome in this. From the quiet moments, the heart break and loss, to the commanding presence and violent behavior, it’s all believable that he could do it. We want to root for him (barrack for you Aussies reading). We want him to get away with it. How could you ask for anything more in a revenge flick?

The rest of the cast are fine additions. Emily Mortimer is the only other “name” actor and her officer Frampton brings a balance of order but understanding to the situation. The actors playing the kids are just the right level of asshole…which is good because we want them to get their comeuppance.

The other real star of this is London, or whatever non-descript British city this is. It’s a sad, sad place. You can actually feel the filth and the grime. The depressing mood is almost palpable. That’s from great scenery and great direction on the part of the director and cinematographer. I look forward to their next work but for now I’m happy with Harry.

Harry Brown Rating:

2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. He’s British. He’s pissed. He’s doing what we all wish we could. Michael Caine delivers in one of his best roles. Whether as a sad, lonely old man with no one to talk to or as a vigilante describing gut-shots to a gun dealer, Michael Caine breathes life in to a dated genre.

Rating system:

½ ticket – rip up your ticket.
1 ticket – go, but don’t tell anyone.
2 tickets – good movie, take a friend. 
3 tickets – tell everyone you know.

Random Recommendations
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) – I don’t know if you know this or not but Steve Martin used to be funny. The Jerk. Plains, Trains and Automobiles.  And this. A battle between con-men, one big-time (Caine) and one small-time (Martin). It is great watching these two play off each other and sabotaging each effort.

Death Wish (1974) – How could I watch Harry Brown and not recommend this “I can’ts stands no more” epic story. Charles Bronson’s family is destroyed by violence, but nothing a Smith & Wesson can’t cure. And you might enjoy Jeff Goldblum’s humbling performance as “Freak #1″

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