Movie Review: "Begin Again"

Starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Levine, Hailee Steinfeld, Catherine Keener, James Corden, Cee Lo Green
Directed by John Carney

While not quite a musical, the perfectly pleasant comedy-drama “Begin Again” certainly is packed full of music. But that’s no surprise when you consider the writer-director is John Carney, who made a splash with audiences and critics with 2006’s wonderful “Once.” That film focused on a singer-songwriter who falls in love with a working-class girl as he hopes to land a music contract.

“Begin Again” involves a singer-songwriter and a music executive who is determined to help the musician make a mark in the industry. So see, totally different movies, right? Actually, the prevalence of the music in both films is one of the few elements they share in common, as “Once” is mostly a two-person love story set in Dublin. “Begin Again” paints its tableau in New York City (used to great effect by Carney and cinematographer Yaron Orbach), and uses a much bigger cast filled with notable names carrying connections in music (Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green) and out (Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley).

Ruffalo plays Dan, a disillusioned music executive who is fired from the very record label he founded. By that night, he drunkenly stumbles into a bar and hears Gretta (Knightley, who proves she can sing quite nicely) performing a song about heartbreak. Dan is impressed, and in her sees a chance to recapture a long dormant love for his job. Gretta, meanwhile, is ready to go back to her home in England after a bad breakup with her boyfriend (Levine). She tells Dan she has no aspirations for stardom, and is much more comfortable as a writer than a performer.

Naturally, Dan is able to woo her into working with him (otherwise there’d be no story), and sets out to record an album using the great outdoors as their studio. There are a lot of great sequences of the two, along with their assembled band, performing in various locales (Central Park, a subway platform, building rooftop) that capture a sense of creativity and fun in making music.

Although hardly an in-depth character study of two troubled souls, Carney’s screenplay gives his actors room to explore and emote, and Ruffalo and Knightley carry the material very well, with the always dependable Catherine Keener (as Dan’s ex-wife) offering solid support. Sure, the film’s ultimately a bit of a trifle, but it sure sounds good while it plays — and it’s not too shabby of a travelogue for NYC, either.

Grade: B+

(Rated R for language.)

What's New in Blu? (Week of Oct. 20)

“Earth to Echo” (PG)
Starring Teo Halm, Brian “Astro” Bradley, Reese Hartwig, Ella Wahlestedt, Jason Gray-Stanford
Directed by Dave Green


“The Purge: Anarchy” (R)
Starring Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford, Kiele Sanchez, Zoe Soul, Justina Machado
Directed by James DeMonaco


“Sex Tape” (R)
Starring Jason Segel, Cameron Diaz, Rob Corddry, Ellie Kemper, Rob Lowe, Jack Black
Directed by Jake Kasdan

What's New in Blu? (Week of Oct. 13)

“Mr. Peabody and Sherman” (PG)
Starring the voices of Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Allison Janney, Ellie Kemper, Ariel Winter, Leslie Mann, Stanley Tucci
Directed by Rob Minkoff


“X-Men: Days of Future Past” (PG-13)
Starring Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Nicholas Hoult, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage
Directed by Bryan Singer

What's New in Blu? (Week of Oct. 6)

“Edge of Tomorrow” (PG-13)
Starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson
Directed by Doug Liman


Science fiction gets a kind of "Groundhog Day" treatment in "Edge of Tomorrow," an action-packed tale of a military officer (Tom Cruise) forced into combat who becomes the key to unlocking the strategy to kill a seemingly unstoppable alien species that has invaded Earth. As Maj. William Cage, Cruise is in fine form, playing a bit against type as a soldier who knows how to sell the public and press on going to war, but not actually fighting in it himself. In fact, when his superior, Gen. Brigham (Brendan Gleeson), orders him to the front lines, Cage doesn't react well and tries to flee. It only gets worse for him from there, as he is later killed almost instantly upon coming face to face with the alien opponents. But then he wakes up, and is right back on base with his new platoon, confused and kind of horrified to realize he has to relive the whole day again.

Having entered into some kind of time loop (don't worry, the movie makes an effort to offer a reasoning behind it that's not quite completely absurd), Cage is forced to live the day over and over in an attempt to finally defeat the aliens. He's assisted by Sgt. Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt, who, like Cruise, goes against her previous image with good results), a tough-as-nails soldier who happens to understand what is happening to Cage and agrees to help train and ultimately fight alongside him.

A good measure of humor is sprinkled throughout the movie, particularly in the early resets (of which there are many) for Cage, as he slowly realizes what's happening to him. For example, he begins to memorize people's conversations with him, as if he's heard them dozens of times (because he has). It's a good counterpoint to the frequent action sequences that, thanks to strong direction from Doug Liman ("The Bourne Identity"), refrain from getting excessively redundant — a real challenge in a film such as this.
Grade: B+

“Million Dollar Arm” (PG)
Starring Jon Hamm, Aasif Mandvi, Bill Paxton, Suraj Sharma, Lake Bell and Alan Arkin
Directed by Craig Gillispie


“A Million Ways to Die in the West” (R)
Starring Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Neil Patrick Harris, Sarah Silverman and Liam Neeson
Directed by Seth MacFarlane

What's New in Blu? (Week of Sept. 29)

“Chef” (R)
Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman and Robert Downey Jr.
Directed by Jon Favreau


“Transformers: Age of Extinction” (PG-13)
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammar, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor
Directed by Michael Bay

What's New in Blu? (Week of Sept. 22)

“Neighbors” (R)
Starring Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Dave Franco
Directed by Nicholas Stoller


A couple somewhat grudgingly moving forward in adulthood and parenthood is faced with a temptation that turns into trouble after a college fraternity moves next door to them in "Neighbors," a frequently funny, occasionally raucous comedy. Someday, perhaps a movie will depict the value and meaningful experiences of being in a fraternity. This is not that movie. But it does take a good concept and has fun with it, even though it overloads on the raunch a bit. Seeing Rogen and Efron face off is pretty much what the movie trailer promises, but Byrne is a real standout in her portrayal as a loving wife and new mom who has no problem mixing it up with the boys. Normally, the wife/girlfriend role in movies like this is left on the sideline to complain and be the voice of reason. The movie does lose steam down the stretch, but delivers the laughs often enough to forgive its shortcomings.
Grade: B+

“The Rover” (R)
Starring Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson, Scoot McNairy
Directed by David Michod

Movie Review: "They Came Together"

Starring Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Cobie Smulders, Christopher Meloni, Max Greenfield, Bill Hader, Ellie Kemper, Jason Mantzoukas, Melanie Lynskey and Ed Helms
Directed by David Wain

There are some movie genres that seem to be setting themselves up to be skewered — probably none more so than the romantic comedy. That’s the goal of “They Came Together,” which also serves as a practical reunion of the cast of “Wet Hot American Summer,” the 2001 comedy that marked the feature film directorial debut of David Wain.

Here, Wain teams up with longtime friend and collaborator Michael Showalter on a script that is riddled with cliches and occupied with broadly and poorly developed characters. However, that was the filmmakers’ intent, and while the movie definitely generates some legitimate laughs, it never hits the manic, anything-for-a-laugh spirit of spoofs like “Airplane” and “The Naked Gun.” At times, the movie clearly has an aim at ridiculous sight gags and literal interpretation of dialogue that those popular 1980s-era films did, but with sporadic success. It tries to wink at its audience a bit too much, as you practically expect the characters to look into the camera every few minutes.

The cast certainly does all it can to move the very slender story along, with Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler portraying the romantic leads, Joel and Molly, who meet on the way to a Halloween party (where both are dressed as Ben Franklin, naturally), and instantly hate each other. But as the genre dictates, that hate turns to love in fairly quick succession, even as a corporate candy company for which Joel works looks to open up a candy superstore and close down Molly’s little candy shop (Upper Sweet Side) in the process. Will their love survive?

Actually the movie is hardly concerned with the story as anything but a series of scenes in which to hang their jokes. More land than flop, but not by a large margin. Clearly, the cast is on board with the material, as Wain gets an immeasurable amount of help from a strong collection of comedy veterans. (Rudd, in particular, has brought a winning everyman quality to past Wain projects, including “Role Models” and “Wanderlust”).

“They Came Together” ultimately is a bit of a letdown, yet still funny through sheer force of will from its game cast. If it were a candy, you’d probably still eat it, but maybe not buy it again.

Grade: B-
(Rated R for language and sexual content.)

What's New in Blu? (Week of Sept. 15)

“The Fault in Our Stars” (PG-13)
Starring Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern,Willem Dafoe
Directed by Josh Boone


“Godzilla” (PG-13)
Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, David Strathairn, Juliette Binoche, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins
Directed by Gareth Edwards


“Think Like a Man Too” (PG-13)
Starring Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union, Michael Ealy, Taraji P. Henson, Meagan Good, Romany Malco
Directed by Tim Story

Movie Review: "Under the Skin"

Starring Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay
Directed by Jonathan Glazer

Aliens have long been a subject of fascination in movies — some lovable (“E.T.”), some hideous (the “Alien” series), but almost always interesting. However, as “Under the Skin” makes abundantly clear, they can also be boring. That’s not really meant to be a knock on Scarlett Johansson, who plays an alien inhabiting the body of a woman on the prowl for men in Scotland. She frankly doesn’t have a very dynamic character to portray here, which I’m sure is part of the point in the script by Walter Campbell and Jonathan Glazer (who also directs). But it sure doesn’t make for compelling viewing when long stretches of the film unfold in general silence with little to no action.

Glazer, who has been out of the movie scene for nearly a decade, made his very promising film directing debut in 2000 with the crime drama “Sexy Beast.” He’s not a filmmaker afraid to take chances, and with “Under the Skin,” an amalgamation of science fiction and horror, is able to occasionally generate a sense of uneasiness and dread. A scene involving a family at the beach with Johansson’s emotionally detached character watching a terrible series of events unfold is a perfect example of Glazer’s skill.

Bateman stars as Guy Trilby (who is employed as a proofreader), an admitted underachiever in education, having never advanced beyond the eighth grade. He uses that schooling deficiency to exploit a loophole in the rules of the National Quill Spelling Bee, allowing him to compete against children generally a quarter of his age. His participation doesn’t sit well with anyone, be it parents, the spelling bee officials or the competitors themselves. But Trilby doesn’t care. Instead, he responds to everyone with a sharp tongue and is exceptionally quick with insults. That acerbic wit is aimed at adults and children alike, with the script by Andrew Dodge generating laughter frequently, although you might feel a bit guilty along the way. Case in point: Trilby’s devious new use for a ketchup packet.

That said, the story’s driving action — as thin as it is — doesn’t generate much excitement and is too redundant. Much of the alien’s activities involve driving the Scottish countryside, picking up single men and taking them back to her place, where they meet their ultimate demise. How this happens is a creepily effective conceit in which nary a drop of blood is spilled, with the viewer left to speculate what exactly is the overall goal of the aliens. Johansson’s outer space visitor, like all characters in the film, is unnamed, but it seems clear she isn’t the lone alien in Scotland.

There are some memorable visuals and at times the film’s soundtrack is effectively haunting, which leads me to understand why Johansson would be attracted to being involved in a project that’s far away from the big-budget and high-profile “Avengers” world. Still, the movie’s rhythm is sometimes just off-putting, while the languid pace becomes a very difficult hurdle to overcome. Clearly, it’s a movie built much more on atmosphere than action. While that approach might work for an undisputed sci-fi masterpiece such as “2001,” “Under the Skin” is ultimately too bleak and cold around the heart to care much for what transpires.

Grade: C-
(Rated R for graphic nudity, sexual content, some violence and language.)

Movie Review: "Bad Words"

Starring Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Rohan Chand, Ben Falcone, Philip Baker Hall and Allison Janney
Directed by Jason Bateman

There’s a well known quote, “Dying is easy, comedy is hard.” That’s especially true when it comes to dark comedies, as they can easily push the limits of good taste right over a cliff. To the credit of Jason Bateman, making his directorial debut in “Bad Words,” he occasionally comes close to the edge but consistently finds a way to avert disaster.

Having built up a filmography in recent years of playing generally decent and well-intentioned guys on TV in “Arrested Development” and in movies such as “Identity Thief” and “Horrible Bosses,” it’s a little bit of a shock to see Bateman portray such a jerk in “Bad Words.” He is a funny jerk, though, so he’s got that going for him. That actually helps keep the audience on his side, which is imperative when your character is a 40-year-old man looking to defeat young children in spelling bees — by any means necessary. As the movie slowly reveals, that dogged and seemingly misguided determination in his character is more driven by hurt, rather than mean-spiritedness.

Bateman stars as Guy Trilby (who is employed as a proofreader), an admitted underachiever in education, having never advanced beyond the eighth grade. He uses that schooling deficiency to exploit a loophole in the rules of the National Quill Spelling Bee, allowing him to compete against children generally a quarter of his age. His participation doesn’t sit well with anyone, be it parents, the spelling bee officials or the competitors themselves. But Trilby doesn’t care. Instead, he responds to everyone with a sharp tongue and is exceptionally quick with insults. That acerbic wit is aimed at adults and children alike, with the script by Andrew Dodge generating laughter frequently, although you might feel a bit guilty along the way. Case in point: Trilby’s devious new use for a ketchup packet.

One reporter (Kathryn Hahn) serves as a media sponsor for Trilby as he makes his way through the regional bees to reach the national competition, with the hopes of getting a story as to why he’s so determined to win. He even grudgingly — actually, make that very grudgingly — befriends a lonely 10-year-old competitor (Rohan Chand, in a winning performance), who is exceedingly cheerful and in desperate need of a friend.

Setting much of the action in the world of competitive spelling bees filled with overbearing parents and stuffy, egotistical competition officials makes for some easy and predictable comedic targets. The movie does a better job of setting up the pins than knocking them down, with the story’s seemingly black heart lightening up down the stretch. Still, it never turns into a maudlin affair that tries to make its lead character learn the error of his ways. In Trilby’s world, there’s no time for apologies, even if it means crushing a bunch of middle schoolers’ dreams.

Grade: B+
(Rated R for crude and sexual content, language and brief nudity.)

What's New in Blu? (Week of Sept. 8)

“Brick Mansions” (R)
Starring Paul Walker, David Belle, RZA, Gouchy Boy, Catalina Denis
Directed by Camille Delamarre


“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (PG-13)
Starring Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Robert Redford and Samuel L. Jackson
Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo


“Words and Pictures” (PG-13)
Starring Clive Owen, Juliette Binoche, Bruce Davison, Navid Negahban, Amy Brenneman
Directed by Fred Schepisi

Movie Review: "Boyhood"

Starring Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater and Ethan Hawke
Directed by Richard Linklater

Richard Linklater has never been a filmmaker afraid to take chances, be it using rotoscoping animation techniques throughout entire movies (“Waking Life” and “A Scanner Darkly”) or crafting a romantic drama that’s played out over three productions and nearly 20 years (the “Before” trilogy). In fact, the latter movies likely were a precursor to his decision to film his latest creation, “Boyhood,” over a 12-year period.

Focused on a young boy named Mason (Ellar Coltrane) between the ages of 6-18, Linklater’s family drama — which he also wrote — demonstrates the power of a story simply told. It’s a film devoid of car chases, explosions, tearjerking tragedies or credibility-straining situations. It’s life played out over the passage of time, and how a family develops, changes and learns about one another.

That’s not saying that it’s all love and happiness in this family’s household. By the time the film opens, the parents (Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke — a frequent Linklater collaborator) have already divorced, with Mom forced to provide for herself, 6-year-old Mason and 8-year-old Samantha (Lorelei Linklater). Her struggles in navigating single parenthood are played out in a number of early telling scenes (arguing with a boyfriend about putting her kids before him, and the need to move to further her education).

After an extended time away from his children, Mason Sr. comes back into the picture as the seemingly responsibility-eschewing father who gets to whisk the kids away every other weekend to have fun at the bowling alley and baseball games. In the early scenes with Mason Sr., you feel you have the character pegged. But much like Linklater does with many of the people populating the movie, you see how time can change perceptions.

Many movies have offered slice-of-life vignettes on growing up in certain time periods. Some have spent time with characters over a summer or fast forwarded their lives as youngsters to adults. But I can’t think of any that have demonstrated the patience and perception that “Boyhood” has documenting the mix of pleasure and pain of growing up. That doesn’t just apply to the kids in this one.

Clearly, a movie that doesn’t have action sequences or a big budget to rely on, is rather dependent on a great script and performances to match. To its credit, “Boyhood” is strong in both areas. So many scenes play out with a deft ear for dialogue and the way most people converse with one another, you begin to wonder if some of them were biographical. Both kids, who grow up on screen before your eyes, never make you think you’re watching actors playing siblings. You believe it, particularly with the focused gaze of Coltrane in the central role as Mason. His character is not a big talker, but is definitely taking in his surroundings at all times. Arquette, who many may know from her role on the former NBC drama “Medium,” hits new heights as a mother doing the best she can for her children. Hawke takes what could have been a potentially cliched role and adds real depth.

Even though the movie clocks in at 165 minutes, it’s time you’re glad to have spent with this family. And there's no doubt it will make you think about time with your own family in the process.

Grade: A
(Rated R for language including sexual references, and for teen drug and alcohol use.)

The long wait is over

First off, 2011? That was when I last made an update to this blog? Wow, that's awful! I promise I didn't swear off my love of movies during that time. Clearly, I just got forgetful (and lazy). Well, that's about to change, as I'm bringing the updates back — hopefully on a much more consistent basis. Of course, who are we kidding? Any updates would be better than a nearly three-year drought that is now coming to an end.

As before, I plan to get some reviews cranking up, along with Blu-ray release roundups. I add trailers to the list of notable releases, because frankly the trailers are effective means to determine the value of a movie. In many cases, they are better than the finished product. Some movies reviewed will be new and some will be old, with an emphasis on smaller flicks that have flown under the radar of most movie watchers. That said, I can promise you some will have deserved to be overlooked, while others are hidden gems that deserve your time and attention.

OK, enough yapping from me ... I've got some updates to tackle.

What's New in Blu? (Week of Dec. 20)

“Dolphin Tale” (PG)
Starring Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble, Kris Kristofferson, Cozi Zuehlsdorff and Morgan Freeman
Directed by Charles Martin Smith


“Margin Call” (R)
Starring Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore and Stanley Tucci
Directed by JC Chandor


“Midnight in Paris” (PG-13)
Starring Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Marion Cottilard, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Owen Wilson
Directed by Woody Allen


“Straw Dogs” (R)
Starring James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skaarsgard, Dominic Purcell, Laz Alonso, Willa Holland and James Woods
Directed by Rod Lurie


“Warrior” (PG-13)
Starring Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo and Nick Nolte
Directed by Gavin O’Connor

What's New in Blu? (Week of Dec. 13)

“City of God” (R)
Starring Alexandre Rodrigues, Matheus Nathergaele, Leandro Firmino
Directed by Fernando Meirelles
With the Olympics coming to Brazil in 2016, it’s safe to say this movie won’t be promoted by the country’s board of tourism, as it tells a tale of crime and poverty in a particularly violent suburb over parts of three decades. Adapted from a novel by Paulo Lins, director Fernando Meirelles’ crime drama pulsates with energy and eye-catching visuals.

It features a cast mostly made up of local Brazilians, some from the very neighborhoods where the filming takes place. It could be seen, in part, as a Brazilian version of “Goodfellas.” But the locale itself differentiates it from that Oscar winner, producing a rare glimpse into making tough life choices when the options and opportunities are scarce.
Grade: A



“Fright Night” (R)
Starring Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, David Tennant and Toni Collette
Directed by Craig Gilespie


“Kung Fu Panda 2” (PG)
Starring the voices of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross
Directed by Jennifer Yuh


“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (PG-13)
Starring James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, Andy Serkis
Directed by Rupert Wyatt

Movie review: "The Descendants"

Starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer
Directed by Alexander Payne

First off, Alexander Payne should make movies more often. Seven years since winning an Oscar for co-writing the screenplay for “Sideways,” the writer-director has finally made his follow-up. And much like the great 2004 comedy-drama following a pair of men on a road trip into California’s wine country, “The Descendants” takes viewers on another journey of discovery that mixes laughs in with serious domestic upheaval.

Matt King (George Clooney), a workaholic lawyer in Hawaii, finds himself faced with some mighty big dilemmas as the story begins. His wife has fallen into a coma after a tragic speedboat crash, leaving him with the task of stepping up as a father to their two children: Scotti (Amara Miller), a 10-year-old with attitude to spare, and 17-year-old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley), who is just barely able to keep her anger and disappointment in her parents under the surface.

Learning early on from doctors that his wife’s condition will not improve, Matt goes to retrieve Alexandra from boarding school (finding her there drunk), and sets out with his children to break the bad news to family and friends. The painful process for Matt is unexpectedly complicated when he learns his wife was in the midst of an affair prior to her accident, setting him off on an obsessive hunt to discover who she was involved with.

As if his domestic drama wasn’t enough, a big decision was already weighing on Matt’s mind before his wife’s accident, involving the potential sale of 25,000 acres of prime real estate on one of the islands. As the primary beneficiary, Matt holds all the cards as to whether his family (including a large assortment of cousins) makes off like bandits by selling the pristine property to real estate developers. It’s a burden he probably could have done without at this exact point in his life.

Like Payne’s prior efforts, “The Descendants” moves at a relaxed pace, allowing time for the personalities and intentions of the characters to emerge. Clooney, leaving his almost trademarked charm at the door, strikes the right cord with a performance that could have easily veered off into scenery chewing, given the complexity of emotions required for his character. He’s matched consistently by Woodley (a newcomer to movies) as the eldest daughter, swimming through resentment at her mother and a wary skepticism of her father being able to keep their family unit together.

Balancing a steady dose of comedic moments with tragic drama isn’t easy to pull off. Most movies fail in this regard, lapsing into cheap sentiment and melodrama. But “The Descendants” finds a comfortable balance that manages to surprise at times, remaining effectively funny and moving, while staying true to the flawed nature of the characters.

Grade: A
(Rated R for language including some sexual references.)

What's New in Blu? (Week of Dec. 6)

“Cowboys and Aliens” (PG-13)
Starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Paul Dano, Noah Ringer
Directed by Jon Favreau


“The Debt” (R)
Starring Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain and Tom Wilkinson
Directed by John Madden


“The Hangover Part II” (R)
Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Jeffrey Tambor, Justin Bartha and Paul Giamatti
Directed by Todd Phillips


“The Help” (PG-13)
Starring Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone
Directed by Tate Taylor


“Mr. Popper’s Penguins” (PG)
Starring Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury, Ophelia Lovibond, Madeline Carroll, Clark Gregg, Jeffrey Tambor
Directed by Mark Watters

Back from hiatus

After a long hiatus, this site is back online and ready to get back into discussions of all things cinematic. Sorry for the absence, as movies were still a part of my life over these past few months. Just writing about them wasn’t. Can I use writer’s block as an excuse? (No? OK, fine.)

Anyway, for those of you who have visited here before, welcome back. I’m sure you’re noticing a different look to the presentation. Gone are the rather outdated links from the old site, and a more eye-catching look (at least I think so). Some more tweaks might be in the works once updates get rolling again.

And for those who’ve never graced me with your presence previously, welcome aboard. This site will try to fill that void in your life — you know, the one missing the guy telling you a bunch of stuff about movies you may or may not have ever seen or heard of before. Or telling you what things you can go rent or have streamed onto the electronic device of your choosing. You might not even know it’s a void in your life. But trust me, it is!

What’ll be coming in the next few weeks is still being tweaked, but count on previews (complete with trailers, which will be the best part of some of these movies) of coming releases both in theaters and on Blu-ray, occasional movie news items and reviews of films from yesterday and today. If you’ve got comments and suggestions for the site, feel free to drop me a line in the comments section at the end of the posts.

Oh, and for you social media lovers, you can also “tweet” and “like” the posts on Twitter and Facebook. Yes, that’s right, this site has stepped into the social media world, and only several years after it should have!

Well, that’s it for now. I’ve got some movies to watch and writing to do. So enjoy the show (and the new and improved site)!

Spring Movie Preview (April 2011)

Family-oriented fare mixes in with more adult-oriented sequels in a busy April release schedule. Several of the movies have the potential to become solid hits, but the crowded field could limit their box-office impact.

APRIL
“Source Code”
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright
Directed by Duncan Jones
A military airman finds himself part of a government experiment designed to allow him to briefly take over the identity of another person. He’s instructed to find a bomber on board a commuter train in the hopes of preventing an upcoming attack in Chicago. The science fiction slant on the material should work well with director Jones, who previously helmed the very good sci-fi drama “Moon.” (April 1)


“Hop”
Starring James Marsden, Russell Brand, Kaley Cuoco, Hank Azaria, Gary Cole, Elizabeth Perkins and Hugh Laurie
Directed by Tim Hill
The teenage son of the Easter Bunny decides to head to Hollywood to pursue his dream of becoming a drummer, only to be hit by a car driven by an unemployed slacker. He then takes the rabbit in, unaware of what he’s getting into. The live-action/CGI hybrid is certainly smart to capitalize on its pre-Easter release date. (April 1)


“Your Highness”
Starring Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Toby Jones, Damian Lewis
Directed by David Gordon Green
This comedy is a bit of a reunion between “Pineapple Express” director Green and two of that film’s stars (McBride and Franco), with the actors portraying brothers who embark on a quest to save their father’s kingdom. They are joined along the way by a warrior princess (Oscar-winner Portman), with very little likely to be historically accurate. Then again, that’s not really the point of a movie like this. (April 8)


“Arthur”
Starring Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Greta Gerwig, Geraldine James, Luis Guzman and Jennifer Garner
Directed by Jason Winer
While the initial thought of a remake of the excellent 1981 comedy starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli held little promise, perhaps some judgment should be reserved, as this film at least looks to be avoiding a scene-for-scene retread. Oscar-winner Mirren takes over the role of the billionaire playboy’s butler (for which John Gielgud won an Academy Award of his own). (April 8)


“Scream 4”
Starring David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere
Directed by Wes Craven
Picking up a decade after the last film’s action, the fourth film in the “Scream” franchise brings back the main trio of stars for another run-in with the Ghostface Killer. Killings start again in town when Sidney Prescott (Campbell) returns to promote a new book of hers. Filmmakers are reportedly looking at releasing another two films in the series if this one is successful. (April 15)


“Rio”
Starring the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Leslie Mann, Jamie Foxx, Jemaine Clement, George Lopez
Directed by Carlos Saldanha
The creators of the “Ice Age” franchise are back with more talking computer-animated animals, with this story focusing on a rare species of macaw who heads to Rio de Janiero to follow another macaw to win her heart. Having tapped into great success with the “Ice Age” films, its likely that these birds should be flying high at the box office throughout the rest of the spring movie season. (April 15)


“Water for Elephants”
Starring Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz, Hal Holbrook
Directed by Francis Lawrence
The popular historical novel of the same name by Sara Gruen gets adapated for the big screen with “Twilight” star Pattinson playing the part of a veterinary student who, after a personal tragedy, decides to work for a circus as a veterinarian. It’s there that he falls for an equestrian star (Witherspoon), the wife of a charismatic, yet cruel animal trainer (Waltz). The book has a passionate following which should equate to a strong audience turnout, provided it remains fairly faithful to its source material. That would probably sound like a familiar statement to Pattinson, who knows plenty of trying to please a ravenous fan base. (April 22)


“Fast Five”
Starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and Dwayne Johnson
Directed by Justin Lin
Proving there may be no end to an action movie franchise that already had a thin premise to start with, “Fast Five” marks the fifth entry in what started as “The Fast and the Furious.” The central stars, Diesel and Walker, are joined by another tough action star (Johnson, portraying an FBI agent) on the trail of the street racing crew. Fair warning: A sixth film in the series is already under development. (April 29)

Winter movie preview (February 2011)

With the Academy Awards looming later in the month, February releases don’t have terribly high box office expectations. Still, there are occasional breakout hits that emerge from the month, particularly around Valentine’s Day.

FEBRUARY
“Sanctum”
Starring Richard Roxburgh, Rhys Wakefield, Alice Parkinson, Dan Wyllie and Ioan Gruffudd
Directed by Alister Grierson
An action-thriller focusing on a group of underwater cave divers is heavily promoting the involvement of filmmaker James Cameron (“Avatar”), who is one of the film’s producers. The story, which mostly has a cast of unknowns, will likely not appeal to claustrophobic people, as much of the action takes place in cramped caverns, as the divers struggle to find their way out after their original exit is cut off by a flash flood. (Feb. 4)


“Just Go With It”
Starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker, Nick Swardson, Nicole Kidman and Dave Matthews
Directed by Dennis Dugan
The frequent collaborating team of star (Sandler) and director (Dugan) are together again in a romantic comedy that involves a single guy looking to land a beautiful schoolteacher (Decker). He enlists the aid of his office assistant (Aniston) and her two children to pose as his ex-wife and kids to cover a lie of his. Ignoring the unrealistic aspects of the story (of which there would seem to be many), can the movie deliver laughs, and end a disappointing box office skid for Aniston? (Feb. 11)


“Justin Bieber: Never Say Never”
Directed by Jon Chu
Bieber fever looks to invade movie theaters, as the teenage music star gets his own documentary, with plenty of footage from his 2010 concert tour. It also includes reflections from the star on his relatively young career. For those of you who’ve been eagerly anticipating seeing Bieber in 3D (and you know who you are), now’s your chance. (Feb. 11)


“I Am Number Four”
Starring Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron, Callan McAlliffe, Kevin Durand
Directed by D.J. Caruso
A highly exceptional teen takes refuge from a deadly alien enemy in a small town in an action-packed science fiction film that has Michael Bay (“Transfomers”) as one of its producers. So with Bay on board, you can expect things will blow up real good, but will a good story follow? (Feb. 18)


“Unknown”
Starring Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn and Frank Langella
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
A couple of years ago, Neeson starred in an unexpected box-office hit, “Taken,” that reinvented the actor in an action hero. Clearly, filmmakers are hoping for the same result here, with the star in another action-thriller as a man who goes into a coma following a car wreck. He awakens to find his identity stolen by another man (Quinn) and his own wife (Jones) not even recognizing him. This sets him out on a desperate search to find out why. (Feb. 18)


“Drive Angry”
Starring Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, William Fichtner, Billy Burke, Charlotte Ross, Christa Campbell and David Morse
Directed by Patrick Lusser
The constantly working Nicolas Cage is back playing another intense character looking for revenge. He plays Milton, a felon on the hunt for a cult who murdered his daughter and kidnapped his granddaughter. Needless to say, he’s in a foul mood, and will stop at nothing to catch them. Maybe not the best family flick of the season, but action fans looking for a “Mad Max” kind of film might get some satisfaction. (Feb. 25)


“Hall Pass”
Starring Owen Wilson, Jason Sudekis, Jenna Fischer, Richard Jenkins and Christina Applegate
Directed by Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly
A pair of best friends (Wilson and Sudekis) who feel their marriages have become a little stagnant are given an unexpected gift by their wives – a “hall pass,” allowing them a week of freedom to do whatever they want in a comedy from the directors of “There’s Something About Mary.” The Farrelly brothers certainly have familiarity with this kind of humor and the cast is appealing, which could produce a late winter hit. (Feb. 25)