Drive Angry 3D (2011)

Career criminal Milton (Nicolas Cage) breaks out of prison to pursue the cult members who killed his daughter and kidnapped her baby. Milton is in turn chased by a serial killer (William Fichtner) who's determined to catch him before he can find redemption. Aiding Milton in his quest is Piper (Amber Heard), a comely waitress who supplies him with a muscle car that he uses to outrace the police that are hot on his trail.

To put it as simply as I can, Drive Angry will be seen as a terrible movie by 80-90% of anyone who sees it. It will be at the bottom of many lists at the end of the year for them. That other 10-20% of people will have a really good time with this because it thrives in the ridiculousness and doesn’t want its audience to be bored. For the most part is accomplishes just that.

At the beginning, you are given the pleasure of watching Nic Cage break out of hell to avenge the death of his daughter and retrieve the his granddaughter from an apocalyptic cult. Along the way he sorta meets a damsel in distress who helps him in his journey for no other reason for the film to have a slut always in the screen. The man they are after is a preacher of an upcoming epidemic who believes he will be king once it arrives. All the while the devils bounty hunter is chasing Cage down to bring in back to Hell to suffer for eternity.  Everything that comes in between is absurd, awesome, stupid, laudable, and exciting.

Cage has been on a stretch to find the most hideious wigs to lay upon his head, but most of the time its distracting because the movie doesn’t call for it, but here it fits in perfectly with his character, John Milton. Cage  spews out over the top gunfights and dialogue that you cannot help but smile at. This is the second time this year he’s managed to pull this off. Amber Heard as I said earlier is there for eye candy, but boy does she look better than ever. If the movie was just her walking in slow motion down a long highway road, I’d be there. Billy Burke as the villain Jonah King is a little bit too over the top and has a bad accent and is the worst in a bunch of awful performances. The stand out and guaranteed crowd favorite goes to William Fitchtner as the Devils accountant. He kills people just to kill them, and throws out the best dialogue the film has to offer. He’s an underrated actor that deserves more work. Combine these characters with a slew of over the top action and you’ve got yourself a true cult classic in the making.

Drive Angry is one of many in a long history of terrible yet enjoyable films in the bizarre career of Nicolas Cage. It’s a film that has nothing good about it but still manages to give you a fun time with it. Sometimes these types of film over do things or feature an unlikeable cast, but the fans of this genre know, when they can get creative enough, you’re in from something special. Drive Angry never reaches that level of greatness but it’s a nice solid addition into the genre. You should already know if this was your type of movie already, but I simply suggest you watch it.

Overall Score: 7/10

Blue Score Bumps It up 2 Points for Being So Awesome.

The Next Three Days (2010)

When his wife is sent to jail on murder charges she fervidly denies, college professor John Brennan comes up with a plan to break her out by meticulously plotting the ultimate escape -- despite the fact that he's never committed a crime in his life.

The Next Three Days feels as if Hollywood took a great idea and flipped it into a film where everyone comes out a winner in a good ole fashion happy ending. Had it dared to take a few more risks, it could have been something great, maybe even special, but instead the film came and went without very much attention. It is almost as if the film doesn’t exist at all. That is a pretty good accomplishment when you consider Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde and Liam Neeson all turned up in front of the camera.

The safest decision they decided came in regard on whether or not his wife actually committed the crime.  Instead of playing with the ambiguity of it, I guess they felt it necessary to show her innocence so you could root for her and the mess that the characters make to break her out of prison. I think if they were to make her guilty or rather make it appear she was guilty, would have made the escape and aftermath to feel different in tone and make it a more rewarding payoff. It’d essentially be asking what you would be willing to do to help a loved one rather than freeing her from the injustice the system did to her. The reward would have been worth the risk for this film.

The escape is a little different from your standard breakout film because majority of the film is setting it up and allowing the audience to get a good understanding of how exactly he is going to breakout his wife. It’s interesting, but it all feels a bit too cheesy. Liam Neeson just happens to be readily available in a bar and gives exact instructions on how to break someone out of prison. Just too much of a coincidence to me.  It helps a bit though when you see Crowe fail a few times at what he’s doing and seeing him struggle with putting together enough money to make this work. It helps keep the film from steering too far off into the unbelievable.

All of the action is saved for the film ending escape and it is well-done. The plan has to have precise timing to work, and for the most part it pulls that off. There are a few minor kinks in the plan that the film avoids to make the movie work, but I think they once again played it too safe so that the audience wouldn’t dare question that what this couple is doing is the right thing to do. I just keep seeing the missed potential.

 If you’re interested in watching a good but too cautious prison break film, look no further than this. It plays out a little different than most and the payoff is probably not worth the buildup, but it’s different and you have to give it credit for that. Put in a little more daring plot points and it might not have been passed over as if it never existed. Walk in expecting something better then Takers, but not too much better.

Overall Score: 5.5/10

Midnight in Paris (2011)

A romantic comedy about a family traveling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.

Before I walked into Midnight in Paris I was excited for two reasons. The first simply being the reviews have been phenomenal and touting it as Woody Allen’s best film in years. The second came as a surprise to me; looking over Allen’s work, I realized that despite having directed over 40+ films, this would be the first one that I will have watched.  It amazes me that I have somehow never come across one of his films before. It is a shame then that the first look into his work is one I had a hard time enjoying.

It is not that it wasn’t a bad movie it’s just one that I don’t understand. Apparently because our protagonist Gil yearns to feel alive, he ends up traveling back into a time in Paris where all of his greatest idles flocked around parties and invite him along. Seeing these characters of history on screen were said to be great performances, but the problem was I have no idea how these characters acted. I know most of them by name and some of their work, but I am ignorant on everything but the basics. Maybe if I had known more about them I would have enjoyed it considerably more?

Even if you don’t understand the films characters, you will have no problem with Gil and his troubled outlook on life.  Owen Wilson here plays his typical fast talking character, but it seems to flow with the films style. Everything is constantly moving and changing that Wilson is given a chance to thrive in the role. He kept me from feeling as if I completely wasted my time on this film. I can’t say the same for the Rachael McAdams. I love her too death and will watch anything she is in, but I have no idea how they can turn her into such a bitch that you want to physically slap her. Michael Sheen in his brief moments on screen almost made up for her character.  

The film asks its audience to take a look in the past and really look hard because usually only the good things are remember making it seem like a better time in your life. It wants you to realize that living in the now is where you are and will always be so let the past influence you enough while you move forward instead of stopping to look back. If that question interests you enough you and you are a Woody Allen fan, this may garner your interest more than I. My first trip into the work of Woody Allen is disappointingly a forgettable one.

Overall Score: 5/10

Green Lantern (2011)

Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), a brash, talented test pilot, is chosen by an alien force of warriors to become their representative on Earth and use his new powers as the Green Lantern to promote order and justice before conflict destroys his world. Despite being the first human to wear the ring that bestows his abilities, Hal must combat villain Parallax.

The superhero hype train is at an all-time high right now X-Men First Class rejuvenating a dead franchise and Thor being an unexpected hit, but to say Green Lantern crashes that train and lets it burn would be an understatement. It is terrible in nearly every way imaginable. This would have easily been sitting at the very bottom of my 2011 films list, but some of the scenes were so unintentionally hilarious it gets a mini boost for the laughs.

As far as origin stories go for any superhero, this one does a poor job at a lot of things. The character Hal Jordan when not in costume is a cocky unlikeable cry baby who runs at the first sign of trouble. That is not the type of person you want to be the star of your movie. When he is a Green Lantern, he feels like much of the same except nobody realizes who he is because of his Zorro mask. That is one of the many laughable responses the film has to offer.  The transition his character goes through to become this leader who can overcome fear feels forced. Most of the film he’s afraid and literally when the film needs him to become strong, he suddenly has a revelation on who he needs to be. It just never felt natural to me.

Maybe the transition would’ve gone smoother if they didn’t handle the villain(s) so poorly. The big bad Parallax looks like a giant piece of poop that wants to suck the very life out of earth so he can overtake the Lanterns. The problem with him is they briefly show him. He’s talked about in the background but never focused on until the very end. Instead all of the attention is shifted onto Dr. Hector Hammond. Now I don’t know what the hell they were thinking but his big headed appearance doesn’t translate well to the big screen. Every moment he was on the screen, I couldn’t help but crack up laughing. It didn’t help that when the character was trying to be serious, his big ole head combined with awkward movements and a high voice got in the way. He may have been the films downfall, but he also was also its biggest star. Quite a feat I must say. The film spent too much time trying to develop this character and connect him with the film’s other characters, but he simply was not an intriguing character that you wanted to know. I would have much rather they focus the screen on Hal Jordan since this is his origin story and everything.

Now the CGI in the film was one if its biggest risks. Most superhero films today attempt to set it up without our reality, but they couldn’t do that with Green Lantern. He travels the vastness of space, interacts with aliens, and has powers from a ring that allows him to create anything his mind allows him. When the film shows these parts on screen, they are its shining moments. The world of Oa looks great, the action scenes flow good, and even the suit never is the bother it looked to be in the trailers. The problem is that there simply isn’t enough of this. Most of the film takes place on Earth and they were not creative enough to incorporate it into those spots. You have to wonder how the hell they needed a $300 million dollar budget for this film.

Green lantern fails at most of the things it tries to accomplish but that may have been because it was trying to introduce us to a character we’ve never seen on screen before. With a little more effort, they could run off with something special in a sequel. But as a film trying to become a franchise starter, it simply wasn’t good. Even comic books fans might have a hard time taking a liking to this interpretation. Watch this if you must, but if given the choice, give this a pass. I’ll leave you with this:

In brightest day, In blackest night;

No evil shall escape my sight.

let those who worships evils might,

Beware my power;

Green Lanterns Light.

Overall Score: 3/10

The Tree of Life (2011)

Brad Pitt and Sean Penn star in Terrence Malick's 1950s adventure about a confused man named Jack, who sets off on a journey to understand the true nature of the world. Growing up in the Midwest with two brothers, Jack has always been torn between his mother's guidance to approach everything he encounters with an open heart and his father's advice to look after his own interests. Now, Jack must find a way to regain purpose and perspective.

The Tree of Life is a film that should have been easy to fall in love with. One part hardcore family drama and the other filled with beautiful shots of the universe and how it evolved into what it has become. Individually, both were stellar to watch, but when combined, you feel a bit lost at what you’re watching. They both showcase similar themes, but the giant scale the film jumps feels too big a gap to feel like a natural flow. If handled a little better, it might have been the masterpiece some have touted it to be.

The O’Brien family is where the film spends its focus upon, specifically from the point of view of the eldest son Jack. We witness how a child can be formed through rules and punishment and through love and kindness. The latter given a lot less attention. The sons live in fear and hatred of their father. He is a man of discipline. Brad Pitt turns in a dynamite performance. He can flip a switch and go from gentle to disastrous in a second.

The relationship he shares with his son feels like the real deal of one that was considered “normal” back in the 1950s. The mother, given little screen time compared to the father, is supposed to represent the soft spoken portion of the boys lives, but feels to have far less of an impact on their lives than their father. I want to say it’s an entertaining watch just to see this family interact with one another, but that wouldn’t be the right word. It’s slow, quiet, and sometimes boring, but you cannot help but keep your eyes focused upon them; almost as if it has you in a trance. It all seems lost toward its finale though, as it passes on multiple spots to end it and eventually overlies its stay.  

When we jump away from the family we are taken to shots of the universe and how it can to be in existence. Are these scenes beautiful? Yes. Would I want to watch them again? No. I found myself wanting to get back to the family because it was easier to follow and contained a flow that seemed be much smoother than these portions of the film. If I wanted to watch great shots of the universe I’d go to actual science documentaries for that.  These sections nearly ruined what was a great film otherwise. I don’t mind artsy material, but Malick seemed to get lost in himself a bit and went overboard.

It may seem as if I didn’t enjoy The Tree of Life, but I really did, just it seemed to be a tale of two stories. On one hand this could be easy to recommend to someone, but on the other, I know for a fact the dialogue free shots of the universe will instantly turn away most of its viewers that are not die hard film fans. So despite its score, I am telling you to pass on this film. It most likely isn’t in your area of comfort. That may be the only time you ever hear me say that, but it remains to be true. 

Overall Score: 7/10

Super 8 (2011)

After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon.

Super 8 is not the monster fueled mystery film its marketing seemed to force down upon us. Is there a monster? Yes, but there was simply not enough time spent on “it” once the revelation occurred for the audience to be satisfied; It seemed just content to leave you with only bits on information about it that match the films theme of letting go so you can move forward. In contrast, because they didn’t spend very much time on the monster, the characters themselves were allowed to thrive in the spotlight. We watched as they went on an adventure to help themselves find what they were looking for in a time when they needed it most.

Having just one child actor star in your film can be a disaster waiting to happen, but imagine what could happen with six of them. Abrams though managed to pull the unbelievable and found some hidden gems to stand in front of the camera. They are shared some great chemistry and when by themselves managed to naturally act like children rather than being forced into awkward situations and dialogue. The cast of misfits seemed to be ripped right from the screens from similar films such as The Goonies and Stand by Me. Leading the impressive ensemble cast is the up and comer Elle Fanning playing Alice and the completely unknown Joel Courtney playing Joe. These two are thrown at each other for most of the movie and succeed at creating a meaningful relationship that never comes across as fake or forced. Fanning in particular, turns in a performance that tops anything her much more popular sister has done (Dakota if you’re wondering).

The downside of focusing so much attention onto the child characters is that only one adult has a substantial role in the film, played by the always wonderful Coach Taylor……I mean Kyle Chandler, seems to become quickly forgotten about within the story and never gets a chance to develop. It is a shame because he demands the audience full attention in scenes of him simply talking with his boy, imagine what would happen if he was given more time.  

Super 8 is a film that we will all come to appreciate even if you don’t necessarily enjoy it. Its themes of letting go so you can move forward is one that will live on forever, and even if the monster aspect of the film is a letdown, that theme was handled incredibly well. This film will be hard to dislike and easy to recommend. So enjoy.

Overall Score: 8/10

X-Men: First Class (2011)

In this exciting prequel to the X-Men series, Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) -- the future Professor X and Magneto -- are best friends dedicated to harnessing their powers and promoting the education of fellow mutants during the turbulent 1960s. The duo works together to stop a powerful adversary that threatens mankind, but their ideological differences drive them apart and turn them into ferocious enemies.

The X-Men franchise started with an incredible bang. The first two films in the series were great with the second one being one of the best comic book adaptions to date. Once Bryan Singer left for Superman, the franchise quickly came crashing down critically. They still made money, but it was all pretty much agreed that the last two entries weren’t very good. Despite the tremendous trailers, there was reasonable doubt about this prequel of sorts. You can rest assured though, not only is this a great comic book adaption, but is simply a great standalone film in itself.

Since this takes place years before the originals, the sense of already knowing where these characters are heading may seem anticlimactic, but it’s presented in such a well-conceived matter that some of the rehashed information you know is coming still feels fresh. It also has an interesting take on alternating history, specifically the Cuban Missile Crisis. They effectively take advantage of the setting of the film to develop the characters and also setup the plot of mutants living with the human population that the original trilogy focused on so much. It seemed to work out great for the film.

The heart of the film though, focuses on the relationship between Charles Xavier and Eric Lehnsherr. From the minute these two interact, you just cannot get enough of them. Each lived a completely different childhood that affected the men they would become and merely switching places would have turned each other into the other. You understand these clashing personalities will be the flaw that breaks their bond, but you actually want them tough it out and become the friends they were always supposed to be, but the anger and distrust inside Eric corrupts him into becoming the nemesis we know as Magneto. It was done really well and never felt liked a forced conclusion. I t wouldn’t have worked so well without the acting of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. McAvoy plays a far more playful Xavier then were used to but in moments of fear, he shows the leadership skills that will eventually earn him the respect of mutants of all. Fassbender has always been said to be a talented actor, but it wasn’t until I saw him showing the struggles of Eric trying to get revenge did he finally win me over. His transformation isn’t very different in the beginning compared to the end, but it’s the roller-coaster of emotions he goes through in the middle that will impress you the most.

The other side-characters all add small tidbits to the story but one it comes to do it, they are unimportant compared to Eric and Charles. It was cool seeing how old faces like Beast and Mystique struggled with their appearance so much that they allowed it to consume the choices they make, but nothing about it felt like it was worthy of your time. The new team of X-Men was at their best when they were just using their powers in training or during battle. Pertaining to the villains, Kevin Bacon started off brilliant as a Nazi Officer Shaw and continued the momentum he established, but he was overshadowed by his crannies Riptide and  Azazel; they provided some great looking kill shots that would have been absolutely dope had this been rated R, but still effective none the less. They seemed to be worthy adversaries for a change.

X-Men First Class injects a whole new life into a dying franchise. It may have been a prequel based off the original trilogy, but definitely established itself as its own separate franchise. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the first two and the cameos and references to them are fun and all, but I sort of wished they hadn’t existed because then this interpretation of the franchise wouldn’t be limited on the plot points of the other two. As you can tell I don’t even mention the last two entries into the franchise because in my book they don’t even exist. First Class isn’t better than the second installment, but it just about matches it in every way. Mathew Vaughn has earned himself a spot on the must watch list with yet another great piece of work. This is a film that all should watch, not just the comic book audience it heavily targeted.

Overall Score: 9/10