Film Review- "Oz The Great & Powerful"

Oz The Great & Powerful
Directed By Sam Rami
Starring James Franco as Oscar Diggs, Mila Kunis as Theodora, Rachel Weisz as Evanora, and Michelle Williams as Glinda

If you’re going to take a favorite, well-known story and do a new take on it, you’ve got to give it some fresh new edge. Once Upon A Time does it every Sunday night on ABC. Countless films like Alice In Wonderland, and the multiple adaptions of Snow White like Snow White & The Huntsman and Mirror Mirror, have tried and didn’t really succeed for one reason or another (Kirsten Stewart, aside). Disney’s Oz The Great & Powerful offers some of the familiar, in an appealing new packaging, making it a very enjoyable film.

Before Dorothy’s time, Oscar “Oz” Diggs (James Franco) is a carnival magician in Kansas, striving for more than what he is. Unfortunate circumstances and an all too convenient tornado send him off to the Land of Oz. There he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams). The witches believe him to be the wizard prophesized to will bring peace to their land after destroying the Wicked Witch. Seeing this as his opportunity for a better life, Oz plays along and sets out on a journey that will put him to the ultimate test as the fate of Oz (the land) rests on his hands. But not everything in Oz is as it seems…

There’s not much to the plot than that. There are some of the classic screenplay clichés thrown in there, such as will the liar be exposed, and is the bad guy really the bad guy. But they’re not the problems you expect them to be. You really get invested in the story and this world. For one thing, it’s Oz, one of the most successful and well-known cinematic universes of all time. Second, the effects in this movie are awesome. It’s exactly how you’d expect Oz to look like if the original were made today. Third, the performances in this movie are terrific.

Michelle Williams is spot-on as Glinda, and brings the same love and charm Billie Burke did to the character in The Wizard of Oz, but in a fresh, modern way. She may have been my favorite performance of the film. Rachel Weisz is so convincing and alluring as the wicked Evanora, and Mila Kunis gives a performance that I didn’t know she had in her. Seriously she should show her more serious acting side more often. One question though, wasn’t there four witches in the land of Oz (North, South, East, West), or am I missing something?

James Franco however as our lead…God bless him he’s doing his best. There are moments when he really shines. But when he really has to show the suave, charismatic side of this character, the cracks in his performance form. You just can’t help but see that creepy, weird James Franco face behind it, trying to be charismatic. Overall he did a fine job, but I wish Robert Downey Jr. didn’t turn down the role. Meanwhile, Zac Braff may steal the show as the adorable comic relief, Finley the Monkey.

Oz The Great & Powerful is a truly enjoyable film. It offers something slightly new, yet slightly familiar, and I recommend it to any filmgoer. And also keep an eye out for little references to The Wizard of Oz throughout the film.

Film Review- "Les Miserables"

Les Miserables

Directed By Tom Hooper

Starring Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crow as Inspector Javert, Anne Hathaway as Fantine

I had never seen the musical and I had never read the novel. All I knew is that almost everyone declared Les Miserables as "the best musical ever". Now I have seen the film, and I can see why people love it so much. You can officially add me in to the Les Miserables Fan Club. I can't stop singing the songs to myself or listening to the soundtrack on Youtube. So the only thing left to do is review the film.

Set in France during The Revolution, Jean Valjean (Jackman), is finally released from prison on parole after nineteen hard years. Marked as a convict by his papers and ostracized by society, Valjean turns to stealing priceless silver from a convent. When he is caught, The Bishop convinces the officers he gave him the silver as a gift, and then tells Valjean he has saved his soul for God. Touched by the Bishop's actions, Valjean breaks parole and assumes a new identity.

Years later he has become a wealthy mayor and factory owner. At said factory, a young woman Fantine (Hathaway) is fired after it is discovered she is sending money to her daughter Cosette. Fantine is forced to sell her hair and teeth, and become a prostitute. Feeling responsible, Valjean promises her on her deathbed he will care for Cosette as his own. Meanwhile, Javert discovers Valjean's true identity and seeks to return him to prison.

It's tough to explain the rest of the story without going into too much detail. The plot is not as straight forward in the second half as it is in the first, as we witness, in addition to all this, a love triangle and the perils of the French Revolution. Les Miserables is something of a character study, but a damn good one nonetheless. You fall in love with these characters and you understand their pain, from Valjean's quest to become a better man, to Fantine's futile struggle for a better life. I must admit I did get  antsy when the focus of the film turned to the love story of Marius and Cosette and away from Valjean. It sort of slows the film down, and their romance seemed rushed and underdeveloped (They do fall in love rather quickly, like the leads in a Disney movie).

Hugh Jackman is on his A-Game, brining to life one of the greatest characters ever known, and he makes the role his own. Anne Hathaway will break your heart as Fantine. Both actors are serious contenders for this upcoming awards season, and should bring home some gold. Russell Crowe as Javert is great, and the chemistry he has with Jackman is perfect. The supporting cast is spectacular. Everyone hits their marks.

The singing is just as wonderful as the acting. Anne Hathaway's rendition of "I Dreamed A Dream" will move you to tears. Russell Crowe, who was the only one I was concerned about, surprised me. There are a few moments where he appears shaky, but he's giving it his all here. Director Tom Hooper's decision to have the cast sing live gives the film such raw power audiences have never seen in film musicals. When we see the actors sing, it's real vocals, and real emotions that makes the film itself more real and the audience heavily invested. Dare I say it, the genre of film musical has been redefined.

Many have had mixed emotions with Hooper's choice of cinematography. There are many long-takes of close ups on actors as they sing. I myself am torn over this aspect. On one hand it gives us a better glimpse into the performances were watching, while on the other it somewhat robs the film of its production value (There's only so much of Revolutionary France you can see in a close-up). I admire Hooper's decisions as a filmmaker, and I do find that for most of the film, they pay off.

Les Miserables is probably one of, if not the best musical-to-film adaptions ever done. A well-assembled cast and director make it so. There are aspects of the film that may not be for everyone, but it is definitely worth seeing, as it will be a force to be reckoned with come awards season.

Film Review- "The Dark Knight Rises"

The Dark Knight Rises
Directed By Christopher Nolan
Starring Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Tom Hardy as Bane, Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle, Joseph Gordon Levitt as John Blake


How rare is it do we find a "threequel" that does justice to its predecessors, if not perform better than them? There are those rare films, like Toy Story 3, Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade, and now The Dark Knight Rises, which brings Christopher Nolan's Batman film series to a close, in a spectacular, dignified, and more than satisfying way.

Taking place eight years after The Dark Knight, we find Bruce Wayne a shut-in, having hung up his cape and mask, and Commissioner Gordon tired of carrying the guilt of what truly happened to Harvey Dent. When Bruce Wayne catches cat burglar Selina Kyle (you may know her better as Catwoman) stealing his fingerprints for the criminal mastermind Bane, he comes out of retirement to uncover and stop Bane's master plan, much to his faitful butler Alfred's dismay. Batman soon faces his greatest challenge, as Bane threatens to literally destory Gotham.

That's the basic storyline, but once again Christopher Nolan has brought to the screen a story filled with so much depth and emotion that concludes the legend that began with Batman Begins beautifully, as both Bruce Wayne and Batman are pushed to the very limit, as the character must confront the question Can he both Bruce Wayne and Batman? Will there ever be a time when Gotham no longer needs Batman, or when he no longer needs Batman? Can he find a life beyond the Batman? That is the emotional core of the film, and the stellar performances by Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and Joseph Gordon Levitt emphasize that. Bale and Caine are at their usual best. Ask for Levitt, I can say this is his finest performance, and I can't wait to see where his career goes after this film.

Tom Hardy as Bane is perfect. There are moments when it is difficult to understand him, but the moments are so minimal it can be overlooked (I'm sure if you really can't figure it out there'll be subtitles on the DVD). Bane's prescence, motivation, and drive, God forgive me, make him so much more intimidating The Joker. The stakes are so much higher with Bane.

Supporting players from the previous films like Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman are given less to do with Rises, as we spend more time with new additions to the Nolan/Batman universe like Levitt, Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle, and Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate, a business woman looking to revitalize Bruce and Wayne Enterprises. These three give us some of their best work. If you ever had doubt that Hathaway could pull of Catwoman, you will be proven wrong. She is one of the highlights of the film. On a side note with Levitt and Cotillard, and I will put this next section in white to avoid spoilers: there was a great deal of speculation about the true identities of their characters, and there were alot of theories out there. Let me just say, somebody got it right.



One apsect of this film I really enjoyed was that it is very much an esemble film. Every actor, character plays a major part in the story. What's at stake in this film is the very exisistence of Gotham City, and it's not just Batman fighting to save it. He becomes very much a symbol for the other characters, and the citizens to rally behind. It's a war for the city, and it's an epic one with incredible players. This is one of the finest casts put together for a film I've ever seen.

I'll say this right now, if you're expecting an action-heavy film, you're not going to get it, at least right off the bat (no pun intended). Act 1 and 2 spend a great deal of time helping build up to an EXPLOSIVE, MAGNIFICENT Act 3, which, and again, to avoid spoilers: contains one of the best chase scenes I've ever seen in film. It works though, so don't let my words sway you away from this film. There is plenty in the first two-thirds of the film that will keep you on the edge of your seat regardless, as you wait for the $#!T to hit the fan in Act 3.

I don't want to say The Dark Knight Rises is better than The Dark Knight, because I feel it's like a sense of betrayl...but damn I think it really is. I don't know I'm probably going to have to see this one again to be absolutely sure. This is a spectacular trilogy that will go down in film history, and The Dark Knight Rises is the perfect way to end. To the person who has to reboot Batman for film I truly feel sorry for you, but I also wish you the best of luck. Lord knows you're going to need it...

Film Review- "The Lorax"

Considering the critical success rate of films based on Dr. Seuss's classic works, where both the live-action How The Grinch Stole Christmas and The Cat in The Hat failed, and the animated Horton Hears A Who succeeded, I was willing to bet that this film would succeed. The odds seemed in its favor, with the only successful Suess movie before it also being animated. According to the mainstream critics of sites like Rotten Tomatoes, one could I say I bet on the wrong horse...or did I?

The Lorax

Directed By Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda

Starring Zac Efron as Ted, Ed Helms as The Once-ler, Taylor Swift as Audrey, and Danny DeVito as The Lorax

I understand that there's a certain difficulty in adapting something like a children's book into a 90 minute feature film. The original source material may not provide enough to meet the run-time, so you may have to "pad" the story or fill time. So in a way what The Lorax does can be justified, but it doesn't really do it all that well.

The nameless child from the book who asks The Once-ler what happened to the trees is given the name of Ted, and a drive in the film, and the voice of Zac Efron. He ventures out of his futuristic, plastic town to discover trees to impress this girl Audrey (Taylor Swift). Once out in the desolate wastelands of yesteryear he meets The Once-ler (Ed Helms) who tells him the story of his encounter with The Lorax (Danny DeVito) and how he eventually caused the destruction of the Trufula Trees.

While all this is happening, the head of town O'Hare (Rob Riggle), keeps a close eye on Ted, determined to make him fail in his mission, and ensure his business of bottled air will continue to thrive. Now if you remember from the book, The Once-ler wasn't exactly the nicest guy. In the film, he's a bit of a goof, and instead of doing things on his own, he's persuaded into chopping down more trees by his greedy family. The film makes him a more sympathetic character. The filmmakers might have been afraid to make him a bit unlikable, but they should have taken a page from the classic Disney films of old, where the villains can be just as well liked as the heroes.

There is a clear and real conflict between The Once-ler and The Lorax in the book, but in the film it's more of an unlikely brotherhood, and how The Once-ler betrays it, and because of this, and the dumming down of The Once-ler's character, is where O'Hare comes in as the film's main villain. The Once-ler could have still have served the purpose of the villain, if the filmmakers were brave enough. O'Hare is kind of there to help shove the whole environmental message down the viewer's throat, which also hurts the film. Had he not been in the film, perhaps the movie would have had a stronger impact, like say that of Wall-E.

Like most animated films, The Lorax relies on some musical numbers to get the story moving along. But unlike Disney musicals, they really just don't fit, well most of them, the final number is quite catchy. The songs The Once-ler sings are just too "modern" for this story. Just because Ed Helms can sing and rock out on a guitar doesn't mean he should. That and the song "How Bad Can I Be?", which depicts his transformation into a greedy miser, enjoyable as it is, hurts the film. It would have been so much better to see his turn into this character, rather than flash through it in a two minute musical sequence. Also kind of ironic that the only member of the voice cast known for her singing (Taylor Swift), doesn't sing...

When I watched the clips and trailers online, I thought that the celebrity voices they picked were just too celebrity. I could not distinguish the voices from the character. Thankfully, that problem did not transition into my viewing of the film itself...well, except maybe Betty White's character of Granny. Ed Helms does get very close to playing the typical type of character we expect him to play. I would have liked to see him play the actual version of The Once-ler from the book. Finally, it felt like they were trying too hard to make the fish, bears, and birds do what The Minions did in Despicable Me.

I understand the creative decisions behind the making of The Lorax, but I do not completely stand by them, when there were better options. Nevertheless, I'd rank it 3rd out of the 4 Dr. Seuss films, and definitely think it's viewing at least once.

Film Reviews- "The Hangover Part 2" & "Kung Fu Panda 2"

Two sequels came out Memorial Day Weekend. One fell short of expectations, and the other skadooshed, at least my expectations out of the water...

The Hangover: Part 2
Directed By Todd Phillips
Starring Bradley Cooper as Phil, Ed Helms as Stu, Zach Galifanakis as Alan, and Ken Jeong as Leslie Chow


The sequel takes The Wolf Pack to Thailand, for Stu's wedding this time, and much like the last one a night of partying goes awry, and Phil, Stu, and Alan must retrace their steps to set things right before the wedding. Sounds a lot like the first one right? Well, The Hangover Part 2 is quite literally, a shot-for-shot remake of the original for about 70% of its viewing time.

Instead of a baby, there's a monkey. Instead of losing Doug, the groom, they lose Teddy, the younger brother of Stu's bride Laura. Instead of losing a tooth and marrying a whore, Stu gets a Mike Tyson-inspired tattoo and....I'll uh, leave this part for you to find out. A lot of the same gags and plot twists are reused, and that element of surprise from The Hangover is lost in a sense. There is some shock value to it, as the jokes in this movie are edgier, darker. Does that work? Meh. You will laugh during this movie, but not after so many repeat viewings like people did with the original.

Now I did enjoy this movie. The reason everyone out their is hating on it, I think, is because they were expecting a bit of surprise like they did in its predecessor. Instead Todd Phillips and his crew went by the "If it's not broke, don't fix it" philosophy, and I admire them for sticking to their guns, and giving us something like the original. But they will have to change the game for their third outing, which is happening.

Every cast member displays the talent they did in the first movie, but Zach Galifanakis I feel is starting to lose his appeal fast. Paul Giamatti does great as a mob boss for the little time we see him, just saying. Ken Jeong does well with the more screen-time he's given, but the same way I see him in Community as Senor Chang, a little too much of him can be, well too much.

Even if you're the most cynical of moviegoers, I recommend seeing this sequel at least once, even if its not the great instant classic its predecessor was. It still delivers an hour and a half worth of laughs.

Kung Fu Panda 2
Directed By Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Starring Jack Black as Po, Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu, Angelina Jolie as Tigress, and Gary Oldman as Lord Shen


Like any good sequel, Kung Fu Panda 2 addresses any questions left unanswered in the original, like "Why is Po's dad Mr. Ping a goose?". Oh boy does this movie answers that question. The movie begins by explaining how the young peacock prince of Gongmen City, Lord Shen, heard a soothsayer tell his parents if he continued down his path of using fireworks as weapon to take over China, he would be destroyed by a warrior of black and white. Determined to change his destiny, Shen set out with his army of wolves to the land of the pandas, and wiped them all out, and in response was banished by his parents. But one day Shen vowed he would return for revenge...

And he does, and of course he didn't wipe out all the pandas, for we have Po, living out the kung fu lifestyle with The Furious Five and his master Shifu, who tells him he must achieve inner peace in the next phase of his training. To truly do this, he will have to face the mystery of his origins, which interlink his and Lord Shen's destinies, as Po and The Furious Five set out to stop him from taking all of China with his firework cannon arsenal.

Kung Fu Panda 2 boosts both the action and emotion of the first movie while tying together well with the original in all aspects. The voice actors from the original continue to do great work, Jack Black and Angelina Jolie stand out at the top of the pack. Dustin Hoffman as Shifu, who was so good in the first, isn't given much to do here unfortunately. James Hong as Mr. Ping continues to be very comical, but this time around very touching as well. Gary Oldman is perfect as Lord Shen, making him one of the best villains in a Dreamworks animated movie.

All the new characters are welcome additions, and the animation, is spectacular. It makes great use of three different styles: classic hand-drawn, modern computer generated, and stunning Chinese puppetry like animation, and all three forms motivate the storytelling aspect of this movie perfectly. The hand-drawn this time around isn't as nice to look at as the hand-drawn in the first Kung Fu Panda in my opinion. In 2, it looks, cheaper, dare I say. Hans Zimmer, with the help of John Powell, creates such a powerful score for the movie, and continues to show he is a musical force not be reckoned with. The action scenes are cool to watch, and the cliffhanger at the end...oh man, they got to get working on Kung Fu Panda 3 now.

Kung Fu Panda 2 is a rare animated sequel that exceeds its predecessor. There's four more coming, hopefully they will be just as enjoyable as the first two.

Film Reviews- "Thor" & "Pirates of The Caribbean 4"

Thor: 
Directed By Kenneth Branagh. 
Starring Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, and Anthony Hopkins as Odin...


Thor tells the story of the fourth, arguably lesser-known Avenger of Norse mythology. The film begins with a young Thor and his brother Loki learning from their father Odin of the history of Asgard, and how Odin prevented the Frost Giants from conquering The Nine Realms. We then learn only one of the two youngsters will ascend the throne after Odin. Obviously, it is Thor who is chosen.  


Before Thor can take the throne, The Frost Giants attack Asgard, and Thor leads a retaliation strike with his friends to their realm against his father's wishes. Odin finds out, strips Thor of his power and the throne and banishes him to Earth, where he's taken in by Jane Foster and her team of scientists. While adjusting to life on Earth, Thor gradually starts to mature, learn what it means to be a man and such. Meanwhile, his mischievous brother Loki plots to take the throne of Asgard for himself...

This was a very entertaining movie with a great script and great characters. Branagh gives this comic-book hero tale a level of Shakespearian tone. The action scenes and effects are phenomenal. All of the actors fit their roles perfectly. Kat Dennings as Darcy does too, but her character gets annoying, and seems unnecessary. She's there for comic relief, but Thor himself brings enough of the laughs. If there was one more thing I had to pick at is Thor's evolution through the movie. At times it feels rushed, or not given the proper attention it needs to movie the story along. But maybe it's just me. I found this to be a great movie and highly recommend it.

Pirates of the Caribbean 4- On Stranger Tides:
Directed By Rob Marshall
Starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Penelope Cruz as Angelica, Geoffrey Rush as Hector Barbossa, and Ian Mcshane as Blackbeard


Captain Jack Sparrow returns on his own adventure, sans Will Turner or Elizabeth Swan. While trying to save his first mate Gibbs from the gallows in London, Jack learns King George II has commissioned an expedition to find The Fountain of Youth before Spain does. The one leading the expedition? Captain Barbossa, now in service of the British Navy, having lost the Black Pearl to someone else on the hunt for the Fountain, the infamous Captain Blackbeard.

Soon Jack runs into an old flame, Angelica, impersonating him hoping to get a crew together for an expedition to The Fountain. Jack finds himself prisoner aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, headed by Blackbeard himself, who turns out to be Angelica's father. The race to the fountain begins that includes vicious mermaids, haunted ships, and the Spanish armada.

Of all the Pirates sequels, this I found to be the most enjoyable. It was just a straight adventure in vein of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and it didn't get caught up in a complex mythology like Dead Man's Chest or At World's End did. Jack Sparrow the character isn't as enjoyable as he used to be, put he still is fun to watch, and Johnny Depp does a great job bringing the character to life again. Penelope Cruz is delightful as Angelica, Ian McShane is pure evil as Blackbeard, and Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa is a lot more "tame" in this film, but still a job well done. The romance between clergyman Sam and mermaid Serena wasn't what I thought it was going to be, a new version of Will and Elizabeth. It was interesting to watch unfold, and it didn't slow the movie down. My one issue is I wish the climax at the Fountain of Youth was put on a grander scale. The action seemed a bit mellow for my taste.

All in all I enjoyed this fun adventure movie, and it is my favorite of the Pirates of The Caribbean sequels.

Film Review- "Rio"

Rio
Directed By Carlos Saldana
Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, and Leslie Mann

Our story begins in the land of Rio De Janeiro, where a tiny orphan blue macaw named Blu (Played by Jesse Eisenberg) is poached and taken to Minnesota, where a young girl named Linda (Leslie Mann) promises to always take care of them. Years later, an older, flightless Blu is living happily in his owner's bookstore when an ornithologist named Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) arrives and informs them that Blu is the last male of his kind, and if he does not meet and mate with the last female of his kind, Jewel (Anne Hathaway), the species may become extinct.

At first reluctant, Linda and Blu decide to travel back to Rio with Tulio for our feathery friends to meet. Naturally, Blu and Jewel's first encounter does not go well, and it only goes downhill from there, when they are kidnapped by poachers, chained together, and lost in the Brazilian jungle. Blu and Jewel must work together to get free of their chains, and reunite with Linda, with the help of Rafael the toucan (George Lopez), Luiz the bulldog (Tracy Morgan), and two samba-loving birds named Nico and Pedro (Jamie Foxx and Will.I.Am.), all the while avoiding the poacher's pet cockatoo Nigel (Jermaine Clement) and his gang of monkey henchmen. Oh, and of course through all this Blu tries to learn how to fly, and win Jewel's heart (That's kind of important lol)

Rio runs short of the usual animated-feature time-length at 82 minutes, but it's an enjoyable 82 minutes nonetheless. The animation is beautiful and I think captures the scene of Rio, Brazil exceptionally, and every member of the voice cast is spot-on.

Rio also has some really great music in it, although some of the songs are too forgettable. The opening/closing number and Will.i.am and Jamie Foxx's duet in the bird's samba club are the greatest of the playlist. Anne Hathaway proves that she in fact can sing, and that her number(s) at the Oscars were no fluke, given the fact she sings for about 30 seconds the whole movie. I feel like if the producers put more emphasis into the musical aspect of this movie, given it more of a "Disney musical" edge, extended and had the characters sing more of the songs, this movie would have had a better lasting impact.

All in all, Rio is a beautiful film, just more mediocre than it should of been, due to the typical love-story (Even though it was still very touching), it's short run time, and the underplayed music. But despite all that, I still highly recommend it.

So next week I will DEFINITELY have a Weekly Episodes post, because there's a lot to look forward to, such as:
-A bachelor party episode of "Chuck", which will also reveal the mysterious Agent X we've been hearing about for awhile.
-A beloved character from "How I Met Your Mother"'s past returning.
-A mother's day episode of "Modern Family"
AND, the first of a two part "Community" Paintball War, which is sure to be just as epic as the "Modern Warfare" episode from last season, possibly even more epic.

So stick around, because May is upon us, and Season Finales are fast approaching!

-Chris