Movie Review: Beastly

Beastly stars Alex Pettyfer and Vanessa Hudgens in this modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, picture from prlog.org

Some movies aren’t trying to set the bar or redefine the genre, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored, chalked up to being pointless. Beastly does not try to be something special, it’s simple a good bit of fun. Daniel Barnz both directed the film and adapted the screen play from the book of the same name written by Alex Flinn, he’s crafted a film that puts a fair amount of cheese and romance into it’s story but for the right audience, that’s just perfect.

Beastly is a modern twist on the classic tale of  Beauty and the Beast. Rather than a prince, we have the spoiled son of a big time news anchor, Kyle, played by Alex Pettyfer, who is also the school’s most popular student. Our modern Belle is Lindy, played by Vanessa Hudgens, she’s the oft ignored activist, whose father is not a quirky inventor but instead an addict. When the school’s outcast, an interesting turn by Mary-Kate Olsen, curses him for his vanity Kyle hides himself away. It’s in this hermitude that we meet two of the films best characters, his house keeper Zola, played by Lisa Gay Hamilton, and the scene stealing Neil Patrick Harris as his in home tutor, Will.

As the dreamy prince Alex Pettyfer certainly fits the bill. With his curly blonde locks and his great bone structure it’s not hard to understand that he’s become one of those fantastically popular pretty boys we see in movies. As our leading man Pettyfer is an actor that intrigues me, we could be seeing the start of a long career for him. He has some talent, we see his character grow in the film and he has a few shining moments. His acting may not take your breath away, but he’s young, give him some time and he may develop into another fine actor.

The films female lead, Vanessa Hudgens, takes a more mature roll than the High School Musical films she’s become known for. Her character has had to take over the parenting in the house, after her mother died Lindy’s father turned to drugs, forcing her to become the adult in the home. There’s a lot I’ll buy from Hudgens in this film, she slides into the person of a poetry loving young activist believably, but I have to admit, I’m not sure I’ll buy she’s a girl who gets over looked. Luckily, thats not the point.

The two most interesting performances come not from our leads but two of the films supporting characters. Neil Patrick Harris is a delight in the film, doing a brilliant job balancing a character that is both comic relief and a dispenser of wisdom for Pettyfer. Mary-Kate Olsen, in her first film in three years, plays the witch who curses Pettyfer. She makes good use of her limited screen time capturing our attention and doing a fine job keeping it. It makes me wonder what we’ll see her do next.

This is Daniel Barnz second feature film, both writing and directing. His script may leave a little to be desired, we watched the film unfold without many surprises and a fair amount of cliche. That being said, Barnz gives his actors a few nice spots to run with, and has some fun playing with those cliches. His job behind the camera impressed a little more than his job writing the script. Barnz ability as a director really shines when Pettyfer is cursed and our film becomes as disoriented as Pettyfer does. Considering how new to the scene Barnz is I think he may be on the start of a solid film career.

Beastly won’t blow anyone away, and for those of us looking for something truly intense or dramatic this won’t do the trick. However, if you’d like to see a sappy romance, a movie that’s not going to bring the viewer twists and surprises, then Beastly is a film for you. If nothing less I can tell you for sure, the teenage girls in the audience certainly enjoyed the film.

Trailer: Super 8 (Video)

J.J. Abrams has kept details on his new film Super 8 to the minimum, photo from collider.com

J.J. Abrams has proven to be very adept at one thing; fascinating viewers. Between his television series Lost and the film Cloverfield we have seen the way he can capture our attention. With his new film Super 8, he’s on track to do it again.

Just like his monster movie Cloverfield, Abrams has kept much of this movie under wraps, even in the interview he gave the L.A. Times he refuses to give up details on his new film. From the trailer we meet a few key characters, without learning names and figure out it takes place some time ago. We know there is a father and son, there’s a train that’s derailed and unleashed something very powerful, and we know the government has sent in the army but will tell the towns people nothing.

The IMDB plot summary says:

In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth – something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

What I can tell you is that the film has caught my attention; I’ve been waiting for it since the original teaser trailer over a year ago. And try as you might, it’s hard not to get caught up in the mystery of what is Super 8?

We see a familiar face in Kyle Chandler, you probably know him from his role as Coach Eric Taylor on television’s Friday Night Lights. The man is an interesting actor to watch and I think a film like this could be a good step in his career, but I don’t think he’ll actually be the films leading man. I believe the leads of this film may actually be that group of kids. The sheriff’s son, Joel Courtney, seems to be our main focus, and Elle Fanning (a young but familiar face and name) will probably be his counterpart in the film.

Abrams has put is faith into little-knowns before (see the cast of Cloverfield) but to put his faith in children to lead a dramatic film should be interesting.

Abrams has proven before that he knows how to craft a compelling story and he’ll have put those skills to the test having written and directed Super 8. It also helps me to know that Steven Spielberg has put his name on the product, producing the film, and I can’t name too many movies Spielberg’s attached his name to that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed.

Super 8 is another movie I’ll be impatiently waiting for.

Trailer: Super (Video)

In the film Super Rainn Wilson becomes a new hero The Crimson Bolt, photo from buzzsugar.com

The 2000s have brought us some amazing things: super hero movies. Super seems to be a continuation of that trend, with none other than Rainn Wilson becoming our newest hero, The Crimson Bolt! If this hasn’t caught your attention, hell I don’t know what will…

The films official site thecrimsonbolt.com describes the film as this:

After his wife falls under the influence of a drug dealer, an everyday guy transforms himself into Crimson Bolt, a superhero with the best intentions, though he lacks for heroic skills.

From what I can see in the trailer there’s a lot to look forward to in this movie, like…

1. Dwight K. Schrute as a super hero. To see him as a super hero who’s catch phrase is “Shut-up Crime!”? Rainn Wilson is actually a more talented actor than people may realize and his ability to make things over the top should come out brilliantly once he dons the uniform of The Crimson Bolt.
2. Juno as a super hero. That right there is reason to giggle, and have you seen a bad movie with Ellen Page? I haven’t…
3. Kevin Bacon as a drug dealer and bad guy. I think we all get a little excited to see Kevin Bacon, and have you seen a bad movie with Kevin Bacon? Wait… don’t answer that…. just… keep reading…

But in all seriousness. This looks like a very fun movie coming out of IFC Midnight that looks like it will have just the right balance of playing it seriously while giving us some over the top moments. James Gunn wrote and directed the film, Gunn rose to fame after penning the script for 2004’s Dawn of the Dead and writing and directing the film Slither.

Coming from the horror genre I believe this will be an easy transition for Gunn, few genre’s allow for the tongue-in-cheek-poke-fun-at-ourselves style that horror does, and putting that twist into a super hero movie should be great. I’m imagining something akin to Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, both were films that poked fun of and yet paid tribute to their genre. I’m not sure we can hold out for some Edgar Wright level brilliance in Super (he wrote both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz with Simon Pegg), but one can hope.

This will be one movie I’ll be eagerly waiting for.

Movie Review: Unknown

Unknown stars Liam Neeson as a man trying to get his identity back, photo from collider.com

“Unknown” is to its core a thriller. Director Jaume Collet-Serra guides a heavyweight cast through the twists and turns of this story. Watching the film it’s easy to be brought along for the ride as Liam Neeson has the rug pulled out from under him and tries to put back together the puzzle his life’s become. There are classic thriller elements in “Unknown,” elements that often become clichéd, but this film uses and executes them well.

Neeson plays Dr. Martin Harris; he’s flown to Berlin with his wife (January Jones) to attend a biotechnology conference. After accidentally leaving his briefcase at the airport, he leaves his wife to check into the hotel and our movie hi-jinks ensue. On the way back to the way back a traffic accident sends the taxi off the road and puts Neeson into a coma, it would have been worse had it not been for the help of the taxi driver, Gina (Diane Kruger) .   After four days Neeson wakes to find someone has taken his place and no one believes this new “Martin Harris” (Aidan Quinn) is actually an imposter, not even Neeson’s wife. Now he must find a way to prove his identity and reclaim his life.

Neeson is a proven veteran of film, and after movies like “Taken” we know he’s a great lead for thrillers. Here he turns in a great performance; he doesn’t need words to show his struggle with this reality of a second “Martin Harris,” and his grit, determination, and earnestness add to the believability of the role. And let’s give the man some kudos, at almost 60 we can still buy him as our leading man in an action movie, we never question the believability of what he does.

There’s more performance’s to point out than just Neeson’s. January Jones has a tricky role to play, she starts as Neeson’s loving wife only to become a woman who has never met him. Her skills as an actress are on display when Neeson returns to the hotel only to find himself replaced by an imposter. As our other leading lady, Diane Kruger plays the role of a woman caught in something far more dangerous than she could have planned well, but, unfortunately, isn’t given a real chance to shine in the role.

Jaume Collet-Serra is a director on the rise. “Unknown” is his fourth feature film after a career directing commercials and music videos. Similar to director Tony Scott, this background has brought an interesting visual eye to his films. Collet-Serra does a fantastic job of using his camera’s and special effects to heighten the disorienting events in the story without making things too over the top. Teamed with young screenwriters Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cornwell, Collet-Serra expertly brings this story to the screen.

Overall, “Unknown” is a film that constantly keeps you on your toes and off balance as you follow the cast of characters through the mystery that Martin Harris has become. Any fan of thrillers will enjoy “Unknown,” but with all the solid performances and the excellent execution, it’s a film that any movie fan can enjoy.

Trailer: Win Win (Video)

Win Win stars Paul Giamatti as a highschool wrestling coach he lands a talented athlete, photo from movingpicturesnetwork.com

This upcoming movie “Win Win“, starring Paul Giamatti, from Fox Searchlight strikes me as a movie to get excited about.

Fox Searchlight describes the films as:

Disheartened attorney Mike Flaherty (Giamatti), who moonlights as a high school wrestling coach, stumbles across a star athlete through some questionable business dealings while trying to support his family. Just as it looks like he will get a double payday, the boy’s mother shows up fresh from rehab and flat broke, threatening to derail everything.

Paul Giamatti is the film’s lead and it looks like a familiar role for him, a sort of sad sap that turns into someone who can be inspiring. When I say familiar I don’t mean it as a bad thing, Giamatti shines in this kind of role, he’s been recognized as a talented actor and deservingly so. He has a fantastic ability to bring a level of humor and emotion to make the characters he brings to life easy to love and unforgettable.

But the talented cast doesn’t end there, completing Giamatti’s wrestling coach trio is Bobby Cannavale and Jeffrey Tambor. Cannavale is a veteran of both movie and television acting, he’s got a good flair for comedy (certainly looks like he’ll get to use it here) but he’s proven he can carry his own weight in dramatic situations as well. Tambor is a more familiar face, he’s well-known for his comedic abilities, any fan of Arrested Development can tell you that. Rounding out our main group of Giamatti’s wife, played by Amy Ryan. She’s probably most familiar for her work on NBC’s The Office, but Ryan has proven her acting chops with dramatic roles in films like Green Zone and on HBO’s In Treatment.

Writer/director Thomas McCarthy may be more recognizable for his acting (37 Roles accounted for on IMDB) but he’s proven talented in the role he plays for “Win Win”, his two previous films have brought lots of critical acclaim. The Station Agent and The Visitor given their lead actor a chance to shine and I expect no different from McCarthy’s newest film.

All in all this looks like it will be a movie to look for when it hits theaters on March 18th.