Real Movie Review-Movie Reviews, Movie Quotes, Movie Trivia

Director: George Clooney

Starring: George Clooney, Rene Zellweger, John Krasinski, Jonathan Pryce, Stephen Root, Keith Loneker

Is George Clooney going through some kind of middle-aged nostalgia craze? Like The Good German, Leatherheads is a semi-successful attempt to re-capture the charm of a movie-making era long past. This time out, Clooney takes a shot at old-fashioned romantic comedies with one set at the dawn of the modern age of pro football, in 1925. There is plenty of spiffy dialog that loses a little in it’s overly-quick, too polished delivery, and usually results in a smile rather than a laugh. Clooney is, well exactly as Clooney is in most of his films. He is glib and charming and always seems to have a half smile on his face. Rene Zellweger overacts, as she often does and her unnaturally thin frame is really starting to look disturbingly mismatched with her round face. Her friends and family really need to dispatch an ambulance and rush her to the nearest White Castle for a bag of burgers. The story is mediocre formula work, that seems rushed and doesn’t always make sense, but isn’t too bad. Clooney’s direction does a commendable job of creating an idealized, stereotypical 1920s ‘aw shucks’ kind of setting, and is aided by Randy Newman‘s jazzy score. However the pace here is a trifle too fast and the characters don‘t always work, leaving me with the final impression that something was missing.

George Clooney is Dodge Connelly, an aging athlete, as well as some kind of manager/investor, who seems broke at one point, but somehow sells a watch or something and suddenly seems to have enough cash to run a team in the struggling young sport of pro football. His plan for success in this venture hinges on recruiting a college star, war hero named Carter ‘Bullet” Rutherford (John Krasinski), who is represented by a cliched snake of an agent, CC Frazier (Jonathan Pryce). Swishing into the picture, as well is an all too cocky, smirking female reporter named Lexie Littleton (Rene Zellweger) who is out to investigate Carter’s war hero claim. Oh yeah, Dodge also has some kind of issue with the growing number of rules in his evolving game. Leatherheads also offers up some trying-to-be-zany football scenes, but it’s been done before and done better.

Imagine Bull Durham set in the 1920s with a less-effective story revolving around football instead of baseball, and you have the closest comparison I can make for Leatherheads. Its interesting, but not interesting enough and tries to be funny, but isn’t funny enough. In the end, this seems like a film that I should like more than I did, but I don’t so I won’t be likely to see it again and I’m already forgetting it faster than Bullet’s legs and Dodge’s dialog.

Director: Robert Luketic

Starring: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts,

All right! Finally, a way to make some money in Vegas! Let’s grab some tickets. I’ll learn to count cards during the flight, and I should be rich by dinner! Director, Robert Luketic (Monster-In-Law)takes us to Sin City in this loud, flashy heist-style true story about a group of M.I.T. students who descend on Nevada’s most profitable Oasis to use their math skills like a blunt weapon to beat the dollars out of Vegas. The story is fast paced but predictable, though it does manage a tricky, if somewhat unconvincing ending.

Jim Sturgess (Across The Universe) seems a little uncomfortable as a smooth M.I.T nerd turned Vegas high roller, as a member of a group of card counting students led by Professor Rosa (Kevin Spacey). At first, it all seems like a never-ending party with money falling from the sky, but soon some dark clouds emerge in that sky in the form of dissension on the team and a surly security specialist, played by Laurence Fishburne.

21 is long on style, but a little short on substance and viewers without an interest in the subject matter will find it repetitious and may not be drawn in by the uneven story. Those who enjoy gambling films, will find this to be an imperfect, but enjoyable distraction for a couple of hours.

Director: Kimberly Peirce

Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rob Brown, Channing Tatum, Victor Rasuk, Timothy Olyphant

Director, Kimberly Pierce, who has been conspicuously absent from Hollywood movie credits since her auspicious debut with Boys Don’t Cry, returns with a motion picture that gives us yet another reason to hate the war in Iraq: the back-door drafting of soldiers who have finished their tour. This controversial practice is called ‘stop loss’ and little question remains as to what side of the argument this film falls onto. The tone gets preachy from time to time, and the story never quite manages to turn the heat up to the boiling level. The acting is strong, as is the direction, but neither manages to distinguish itself beyond that, leaving the film mired in mediocrity.

Stop Loss opens win some intense war scenes, but quickly shifts gears from a war film into a drama about a group of gung ho soldiers that include Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe- that guy you’ve heard of and know from something, but have no idea what), and his best friend Steve (Channing Tatum, who you don’t know from anything). Both of these guys have put in their time and are glad to have done their duty, but are even more glad to be done. Steve is all set to marry Michelle (Abbie Cornish), and Brandon, well I can’t remember what Brandon’s plans are, but it doesn’t matter because he is informed that due to a clause in his contract, the army is allowed to keep him and send him back to Iraq. This is called Stop Loss and is exactly what they intend to do. Brandon feels betrayed and angry over this and has to decide what to do, while all of his army buddies have struggles of their own, as well.

If you are not tired of films that show us yet another problem with the whole Iraq, post 9-11, Bush situation, yet, then here is another related issue. This subject area has already been saturated by the CNN, news magazine television shows, and several Hollywood releases. It’s point is valid, but perhaps using a true story might have managed to give it the interest and impact that it lacked. Stop Loss is a good film that will vanish into obscurity as quickly as a presidential address.

Director: Michael Haneke

Starring: Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet, Devon Gearhart

Writer/director Michael Haneke did a scene by scene exact remake of his 1997 Austrian feature to create this English language version of the thought provoking film that questions the movie industry’s perceptions of violence and reality, unlike any film since 1971’s Clockwork Orange. The performances are superb and delivery of the natural dialog is impressive. The story moves forward slowly, and turns the usual Hollywood formula on its ear time, and time again, but to say more about how it does so, would reveal too much.

Ann, George (Naomi Watts, Tim Roth) and their son, Georgie (Devon Gearhart) are a rich, young family off to spend some time at their summer home. Things are busy, but pleasant, until a couple of polite and strange young men show up. When it turns out that their intentions include far more than borrowing a few eggs, things go downhill rapidly.

Imagine Desperate Hours (anyone remember that one?), with the home invaders being a couple of polite young men of obvious good breeding and cross with the cultural commentary of Clockwork Orange and you will have some idea of what to expect here, but really, in the end, this will really not be anything like what you have come to expect from a film.

Director: David Schwimmer

Starring: Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria, Dylan Moran, Harish Patel, Matthew Fenton

Writer/actor Simon Pegg split off from Edgar Wright, his partner from Shaun of The Dead and Hot Fuzz, to work with David Schwimmer from Friends, on this more mainstream romanatic comedy. There is a decent, but painfully predictable story to work with, and the talented cast pulls out some laughs, but in the end, there is little here to pull this romantic, race comedy ahead of the pack.

Simon Pegg is Dennis, and the story starts out five years earlier on his wedding day to the lovely, and pregnant, Libby, played by the lovely Thandie Newton. Poor Dennis feels overwhelmed, unfortunately, and instead of taking his vows, he takes the window and is last seen sprinting for safety. Fast forward five years and Dennis is prospering (not!) as a security guard at a woman’s lingerie store and has a relationship with his son, but regrets blowing things with Libby, who has hooked up with Whit, a handsome, successful hedge fund manager, who even runs marathons for charity. Who doesn’t feel awkward meeting their ex’s new bang boy? It is truly one of life’s most unpleasant moments, already, but what hope can Dennis have for winning back the woman he loves from a guy with such a cool name?

Run Fat Boy Run is a thoroughly entertaining, and completely forgettable British comedy. It should be good enough to get Schwimmer some more work, though, and it is nice to see a comedy that doesn’t come from the Apatow/Rogan Hollywood laugh machine.

Director: Steven Brill

Starring: Owen Wilson, Nate Hartley, Troy Gentile, Ian Roberts, David Dorman, Valerie Tien, Alex Frost, Josh Peck

Ahhh, the carefree, locker-slamming, change room-fearing days of high school. Really, for most of us, high school is the closest we will ever come to experiencing the violent, anything goes, prison environment. There is nothing more fun than seeing a bully take an ass whupping on film. True, they aren’t the bullies that I would like to see take an ass whupping, but still, it’s a start. Drillbit Taylor is the newest train car to be hooked up to the Judd Apatow comedy express. This guy puts out more video than You Tube. The uneven story that occasionally passes right by silly, on its way to stupid, is helped by some credible performances by the young cast, who actually look the age they’re playing, and by Owen Wilson’s usual entertaining work. Add this to some pretty funny scenes, including the best rap since 8 Mile, and you have a decent way to waste a Friday night.

Wade and Ryan (Nate Hartley and Troy Gentile) are a couple youngsters setting off to get a good start in high school, but a wardrobe malfunction and a poorly-timed hero impulse combine to quickly make them and Emmit (David Dorfman), the primary targets of a couple of begging-for-a-beating bullies played by Alex Frost and Josh Peck. The young victims hit on the solution of hiring a bodyguard and begin interviews, including one with the guy who played the bodyguard in My Bodyguard (Adam Baldwin). That was classic! They settle on the only one they can afford, a bs’ing homeless guy with plans for relocation to Canada, played by Owen Wilson.

There are some pretty funny scenes here, but the story could have used quite a bit more work. Maybe if this crew wasn’t shoving out comedies like fries at a drive through window, the quality could be picked up a little. Drillbit Taylor isn’t bad. It is a combination of Superbad and My Bodyguard, but isn’t as good as either of those. Good enough not to dissappoint, but not good enough to impress.

Director: Roger Donaldson

Starring: Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows, Stephen Campbell Moore, Daniel Mays, James Faulkner, Michael Jibson, Richard Lintern

Director Roger Donaldson is on a roll. His last three films, The World’s Fastest Indian, The Recruit, and Thirteen Days, have all been fine efforts, but all are outdone by this captivating, true story of a 1970s bank robbery, where pulling off the caper was only the beginning of the robber’s challenges. The cool script moves at a brisk clip that swiftly ramps up the tension, and keeps it up the RPMs, all the way. Not all of the subplots seemed necessary and, although the dialog is sound, a few more slick quotable lines would have made this fine film even stronger.

Jason Statham (Snatch, Transporter series) must have been wondering what happened to the requisite scene where he leaps through the air in slow-motion with two pistols blazing. All of his projects since Snatch seem to find a way to fit that in. This isn’t that kind of film. Statham is Terry, owner of an unsuccessful car lot, with a shady background and the kind of debt that isn’t settled by declaring bankruptcy. An answer appears in the form of an old flame, Martine, who shows up with info and an offer of a lucrative robbery. What she fails to mention, is that she’s been recruited by black-op government types to get a hold of royal sex photos that are being used by a criminal as a stay out of jail free card. Terry puts together a team and this ambitious plan gets more complicated and dangerous as it goes on. And this is true? So they say. If there is a book about this (I looked. I couldn’t find one), I want to read it.

Today, sex photos of a prominent royal would likely lead to little more than a flurry of internet activity and a tearful apology. What a difference a quarter century makes! In the 1970s, the British government would apparently stop at nothing to keep those photos from becoming a front page scoop. The Bank Job is a jaw-dropping true story with top notch direction, and strong performances, that held me riveted to the end. If you loved films like Heat and Inside Man, then this is your first must-see motion picture of 2008.

Director: Martin McDonagh

Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleason, Clemence Poesy, Ralph Fiennes, Jordan Prentice,

First time feature film writer/director, Martin McDonagh gives viewers a bit of everything with this fresh, genre-bending, small-scale, character-driven action/comedy/drama. McDonagh showcases his writing skills here as well, with a smooth, entertaining script that also allows the performers to shine, and shine they do. Gleason and Farrell (where has this guy been the last few years?) are remarkable, and get plenty of help from an outstanding, supporting cast.

Ray and Ken (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleason) are a couple of likable mob hitmen, who are mysteriously ordered, by their boss, Harry, (Ralph Fiennes) to go hide out in the historical, but small, Dutch town of Bruges following a job. While Ken relaxes and enjoys the slow-paced sight-seeing vacation, Ray is bored and uneasy, both because of the small town isolation and his own issues. He passes time by finding a movie set where is mesmerized by a dwarf actor (Jordan Prentice), and enchanted by a pretty Dutch girl (Clemence Poesy), before being enraged by a couple in a restaurant. It’s safe to say that things in the demographically small, but historically huge, town of Bruges, don’t stay boring for long.

In Bruges is an unconventional film, that has something for everyone, from laugh out loud humor, to moving drama, to original action scenes. The acting is strong and the characters are interesting. It is still a small film, and could have used a little more originality in the story and some edgier dialog, but these are only minor observations about a motion picture film that will appeal to fans of light, European crime dramas. Check it out.

Director: Roland Emmerich

Starring: Steven Strait, Camilla Bell, Cliff Curtis, Joel Virgel, Affif Ben Badra, Mo Zinal, Marco Khan

Well, after creating an alien invasion in Independence Day and a giant monster in Godzilla, two things have become abundantly clear about writer/producer/director Roland Emmerich. He is very skilled at creating large-scale CGI spectacles, and he is the worst writer getting rich in Hollywood, today. It’s hard to believe that this is the same mind that brought us the shallow, but very entertaining, Stargate. At least in his previous projects, however, Emmerich was willing to lay out some cash to get his dumb lines delivered by professional stars with some skill and charisma. Not so here. The cast of 10,000 B.C. is largely made up of lost unknowns and untalented newcomers, with the exceptions of Cliff Curtis and narrator Omar Sharif (I‘ve heard of him). The fitful acting is worsened by soap opera quality dialog and a story that belongs on Saturday morning cartoons. Even Emmerich’s direction, which helped his earlier efforts seems tired and unimaginative, here.

The woeful, and historically-inaccurate, story (I won’t even get started with that) of 10,000 B.C. starts out with a clan of mammoth hunters, living a Native-American inspired lifestyle. Their little world, which includes perfect use of all language concepts except contractions, is upset when a young, blue-eyed girl (Evolet) stumbles into their village and prompts their magical mystic (“Old mother” – that’s original) to fire out a doomful prophecy. Aren’t all prophecies doomful? When was the last time anyone prophesized something bland, but pleasant? Anyway, the prophecy prompts the village’s main hunter, and holder of some ridiculously prominent white spear, to abandon his son, and his clan, to go…go…I don’t really know why he left, but he left. Some kind of plan to stop the prophecy, I guess. At any rate, he leaves his son, D’ Leh, who grows up, falls in love with Evolet and becomes a leader. His world is turned upside down when a group of technologically advanced raiders show up and take Evolet, and others, captive. Now, D’Leh and a few companions have to rescue them, which involves crossing the great mountains, meeting new groups, stopping for cappuccino, etc. Okay, I made up the last part, but if they had, it wouldn’t have made the story much more ridiculous than it already is.

The wonderful CGI effects in 10,000 B.C. could not save this sorry effort from the blunt force trauma of my keyboard. Imagine Apocalypto, crossed with Quest for Fire, mixed with Stargate, and drained of all logic, and you have 10,000 B.C., which is nowhere near as good as any of those films (and I didn’t even like Quest For Fire that much). The usual crowd of easily-pleased action fans will like this one, and spout off with typical “can’t you just enjoy the movie” kind of defense, but others should stay away from the shrapnel of this bomb. The CGI animals are cool to watch and they entertained me in a Jurassic Park 2, kind of way for awhile, but there wasn’t even enough of that, so I was left to endure a story that is on a par with the efforts of a motivated eighth grader, disappointing performances from a cast that may improve one day, but I doubt it, and action direction that had all the imagination of an infomercial. If you catch trailer for this one, you have seen the best it has to offer. It only gets worse from there. 10,000 B.C. is the first major cinematic disappointment of 2008.

Director: Michael Gondry

Starring: Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz,

Writer/ director Michael Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) is back with a so-so effort in this slow moving and one gag film. Jack Black is here, firing out all he can, but he runs out of zingers before Gondry runs out of film. The off-beat, story is far-fetched, even for a comedy, but did eventually draw me in a little, causing me to pull back, just a little, on the flame thrower that I was going to take to this one.

Mos Def is Mike, an earnest employee of a VHS tape only, rental store in a rundown building with a history, according to his boss, Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover). Business is about as bad as you would expect in a 21st century video store with no DVDs, so Fletcher leaves Mike in charge, while he goes on a trip to think things over. Unfortunately for Mike, his anarchist friend, Jerry (Jack Black), has somehow managed to magnetize himself by wrapping himself in tin foil (don’t ask), and erases every tape in the store just by being there. Desperate to not look bad his first time in charge, Mike and Jerry start filming quickie versions of prominent older films that make The Blair Witch Project look like a Martin Scorsese masterpiece. Nevertheless, in the true Hollywood fashion, these catch on and the guys set out to make more “sweded” classics, but I got tired of these gags about the low rent copies of film classics before their seemingly desperately bored neighborhood did.

Love it or hate it, this one already has the markings of an offbeat cult favorite for Jack Black fans, amateur movie makers (or copiers) and those who really think that less is more. I can’t recommend it to you, but someone probably will.