When a beautiful, smart, suburban 40-year-old mother discovers her husband is cheating, she takes her two children to New York City to start over. A demanding new job forces her to hire a nanny, and she chooses 25-year-old Aram, who is still trying to figure out what he wants in life. Aram increasingly becomes attached to her kids, which further prompts Aram and Sandy to become aware of their own undeniable chemistry.

The Rebound is a romantic comedy directed by Bart Freundlich, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Justin Bartha. The film was originally slated for North American release back on December 25, 2010, while its international release was handled earlier in 2009. However, its domestic theatrical release was canceled when the film’s distributor closed down, stalling it in a virtual limbo. Eventually, the film was optioned by The Film Department for a direct to home video release on February 7, 2012.

Review

You’ve seen this film a hundred times before. You know the story. While The Rebound still carries the predictable clichés you would expect, its straightforward realistic nature is refreshingly honest. The story revolves around Sandy (Catherine Zeta-Jones), a 40-year-old mother of two and 25-year-old Aram (Justin Bartha) and follows the unexpected certainties of life and love. Sandy is a seemingly happily married housewife, playing the role of a dutiful wife and caring mother. In her spare time she obsesses over sports analytics making sure her trades are in order with her fantasy sports league. Aram is a college graduate and recent divorcee due to a French woman using him for a green card. He’s a foolish romantic of life, mature for his age and remains ever hopeful to follow a life doing what makes him happy despite his parent’s wishes. Their worlds collide when Sandy soon discovers that her husband has been cheating on her. After a hasty divorce, she finds herself uprooting her once suburban life into New York City’s downtown jungle. With her kids, Sadie (Kelly Gould) and Frank Jr. (Andrew Cherry) in tow, she’s determined to give them and herself a fresh start.

Sandy soon finds herself at the coffee shop where Aram works, inquiring about the rental apartment above allowing for their first chance encounter. There second encounter is an indirect result of Aram’s parents setting him up with a job at a women’s counsel centre. Where he soon finds himself as the assistant for whom women vent their frustrations both verbally and physically. Sandy happens to be in the class and with Aram’s help she allows the pent up aggression and anger of her recent divorce overwhelm her. The moment is therapeutic to say the least and soon after Sandy and Aram become friends. When Sandy’s girlfriend sets her up on a blind date she asks for Aram’s help to babysit her kids for an evening. Eventually he’s hired as a full-time nanny and their constant time together leads to an unexpected romance. Or perhaps in both of their cases, their inherent ‘rebound’ relationship.

Without going to the plot any further, The Rebound proves to be a light-hearted affair with a surprising comedic vulgarity. The laugh-out-loud moments are unexpected in an inappropriate context that allows the film to set a specific tone. The comedy isn’t necessarily crude in its delivery. It’s more so smart in its reference to pop-culture and appropriateness that allows a good balance with the realistic dramatic sensibilities of the film.

The Rebound despite its convincingly apparent low-budget also shows us what happens when actors are correctly cast. Zeta-Jones plays a 40-year-old mother of two well, perhaps simply because that’s who she is. Bartha has a naturally aloof appeal, yet is down to earth realistic enough to relate to. Together they carry a hopeful honesty in chemistry which is matched exceedingly well with Gould and Cherry who play Sandy’s children. The scenes with the children are fun and ridiculous moments that allow the film to breathe in manner that makes sense. They’re smarter than they look, retaining information in ways we expect and comically in ways parents naturally have no control over.

Overall the film is paced well during its 95 minute runtime and remains consistent from start to finish. While it does play to the genre of romantic comedies, it doesn’t play to the clichés of the genre as one would expect. There is a progression in the film that keeps it in line with more realistic and honest notions. So yes, while you may have seen this film a hundred times before and yes you might know the story. The Rebound still manages to prove different enough in its capacity to play to the heart. While the Blu-ray transfer maintains the expected sharp details of high definition, giving a nice visual quality. The disc proves to barebones however, aside from the film itself, the only extras available is a cast and crew commentary.

We don’t have all the answers. While we might pretend we do, we know better. The Rebound shows us that as much life is about knowing what you want. You also have to know where you want to go and how you’ll eventually get there, even if it means taking a few unexpected detours along the way. The patience, uncertainty and fear we all experience individually is simply life carrying you along. And in the end, sometimes it’s just about timing and the romantic undertones of whom you want beside you to hold hands with.

The Grey released on January 27, 2012 and is survival thriller/drama directed by Joe Carnahan. The film has a runtime of 117 minutes and stars Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts, Joe Anderson, Nonso Anozie and James Badge Dale. The film is based on the short story “Ghost Walker” by Ian MacKenzie Jeffers. It describes the struggle of an Alaskan oil drilling team to survive after a plane crash strands them in the wild. Hunting the humans is a pack of wolves that see them as intruders.

Review

There is something unexpectedly poignant about The Grey. Yet in truth, you wouldn’t be able to tell it was purposeful until after you’ve watched the film. The trailers and apparent marketing would have you believe it’s a survival action thriller starring Liam Neeson. And while that’s not wrong, it’s definitely not the type of movie I would’ve expected from director Joe Carnahan. There is a scene in the trailer which depicts Neeson clenching broken mini-bottles in his hand, ready to literally fist-fight a wolf in a bid for his survival. If you reflectively think about it, depending on your stance it’s either ridiculous or ridiculously awesome.

That scene from a marketing standpoint is exceedingly deceiving. But it’s also a distinctive choice to get audiences to sit down in the theatre. It’s as deliberate as the expectations you might have of hoping for another outing like Neeson’s previous lead actor films of Taken (2008) and Unknown (2011). Coupling that with Carnahan’s last film of The A-Team (2010) and an added dose of the violent absurdity of Smokin’ Aces (2007), The Grey has all the blueprints for just another survival film where a group of people meet their end, one at a time, on their hope to find safety. In the many ways that notion is both simplistic and predicable, The Grey is not that. It finds itself unexpectedly capable in its delivery about a story of bonding men, their survival, their own self-actualizations, their fears and their acceptance of death’s warm embrace.

Based on the short story “Ghost Walker” by Ian MacKenzie Jeffers, The Grey follows an oil drilling team as they make a routine flight back home. Where warmer climates await and the photos in wallets aren’t just reminders of where they would rather be. However the flight is short-lived as the Alaskan weather torments both the living and machine equally crashing the plane in the white desert of snow. The cold is personified effectively in The Grey and because of it there is an unexpected characterization throughout the film. Carnahan works deliberately to show the cold breath of air to set a tone. It’s not just weather, it’s alive and unremorseful. So when the plane goes down, its loud transition of what is happening becomes brutally apparent through the film’s excellent sound editing. In the same sense, the contrast of the film is frightening in an exact manner. Neeson’s character Ottway is used to transition the harshness of where he now is, like a blanket being torn away from a pleasant slumber. It’s these moments where Carnahan also laces an unexpected and succinct calm throughout The Grey. In the same stead, he isn’t scared to completely rip that false security away from both its characters and the audience. The Grey is merciless to its characters, they get no break and there is no real solace or rest.

If the cold doesn’t kill them, the wolves will.

For the wolves it’s nothing personal, it’s merely instinctual survival in their own regard. The white desert is territorial and the frigid weather cares little for them as well. So the real question of who the antagonists are doesn’t really matter. It’s the food chain at work, its natural selection and survival of the fittest. The Grey is unexpectedly poetic because of this as the transitioning of the film is done in a specific manner. Because within the lulls, the sudden violent moments of dread and methodically placed slow paced sequences is where the reality is placed. The transitions become just as much of a break for the audience as they are for the characters on screen. And it’s in these moments where you get to know the characters of the film, the characters that are treated as individuals.

It’s planted early on when a survivor from the crash lays erratic in the broken fuselage of the plane. His blood is spraying out uncontrollably from his abdomen, as an audience member you know it’s an internal wound. In any typical survival film, you half expect another character to come running in with the first aid box which has conveniently survived and has been located despite the vast wreckage. You then expect them to bandage the wound up and know full well, despite attempts to keep this particular character alive. He’ll die, at the expense of others and his own current incapability. So when this character asks his remaining crew of survivors “What’s happening to me?” You half expect someone to come in and say, “It’s going to be ok. You’re going to be alright.” Yet The Grey doesn’t do this, it just knows better. Instead Neeson comes in, rests his hand on the ailing survivor’s shoulder to calm him down and says, “You’re dying. That’s what’s happening.”

These are the moments the film presents, it cuts out the bullshit.

In any typical survival film, you expect each character to slowly be picked off one by one. Sometimes you can even guess who’s bound to die first or near the end due to casting. It becomes a numbers game and you begin to wonder how many survive at the end and or in fact how are they saved. You might also expect the stereotypical character to meet his timely demise in an appropriately gruesome manner. After all they deserve it. You never expect to see that character have the self-realization they require for the betterment of the group. In that same way, the annoying character will always hang around too long. So by the time that character is dealt with, you don’t care, in fact it’s something you cheer for. In all the ways The Grey still presents these typical cinematic clichés it doesn’t treat any of its characters with any less respect than Liam Neeson’s Ottway. The film gives balance to everything, allowing an appropriate levity and weight.

By the end of it, you’ll either relate or not. Because in all the ways the film is unexpectedly poignant, capable, characteristic, calm and poetic, there is also an unexpected finality. Defining how one might’ve lived their life, showing their beliefs and their own faith in religion. It might also depict how they starred death down in their own final moments. How they faced and accepted fear and anxiety. How they met a violent unfortunate end. Or found the sudden calm of a warm memory. The Grey plays out like a live eulogy, with someone saying out loud:

Once more into the fray.

Into the last good fight I’ll ever know.

Live and die on this day.

Live and die on this day.

Overall

After the plane crashed I wondered immediately what type of film The Grey was going to become. And right at the exact moment I thought this film looked like an updated version of Alive (1993), the film actually referenced that movie in its own dialogue. It was something small, but caught me by surprise and from then on, I didn’t know what to expect. I think there is always a point in a movie early on, where it’ll either hook you and you’re hooked. Or it’ll simply lull you along.

In regards to The Grey it’s probably more a love or hate type of film. It’s either black or white with no ‘grey’ area, pun intended. Simply because the title of the film ‘The Grey’ becomes more emblematic of what one does once they hit that limbo. I think we all can relate in that regard. You’ll either essentially head for the light or embrace the darkness of slumber. Or it’s vice versa depending on your view of the afterlife, religion and anything else related to that manner. For The Grey, there is no middle ground due to its open-ended nature, which is something some might not appreciate either. Perhaps due to someone’s own need for exact closure or being misled by the marketing with the trailer. After all, trailers are selling points. But it’s something which is seemingly becoming more and more common today within the movie industry. While I may have gone into the theatre wanting another ‘Taken’ or ‘Unknown’, I believe I watched something much better.

In regards to the ending which has warranted discussion amongst those that have seen the film. I remember when I first watched Good Will Hunting (1997). I wanted and needed to see Will embrace Skylar at the end. So I watched the credits roll and roll and I watched Matt Damon’s Will drive on and on, but I was never given that closure. It’s funny what cinema can do to you, in the same ways films are entertainment. If a film pulls on the right strings it’ll lead you emotionally as well. As foolish as it sounds, it took about two weeks to fully get over Good Will Hunting’s ending. But I realized soon after, for me, despite what I wanted that was the right ending. However for those who need to see the spinning top from Inception drop, be sure to stick around for a brief scene after the credits. But be prepared to accept if all you get is more of a wiggle.

I give The Grey 8 out of 10.

Review: Underworld: Awakening is the fourth installment in the franchise that began in 2003. Since then it has garnered both a healthy cult following and relative success. The first Underworld film debuted during a resurgence of the ‘monster’ genre. Theatres saw films with vampires, werewolves, zombies and the like on a relatively consistent basis. Welsey Snipes reprised his Daywalker role with sequels in both Blade II (2002) and Blade Trinity (2004). George A. Romero’s Living Dead franchise returned with a re-make of Dawn of the Dead (2004) and a follow up with Land of the Dead (2005). There were also supporting films like 28 Days Later (2002) and smaller scale films like Skinwalkers (2006) that lent itself to the genre. Then we had big budget films like Van Helsing (2004) trying to capitalize on it all.

And perhaps most importantly, in respect to Underworld’s own relevance today, we were introduced to the start of the Resident Evil (2002) franchise starring Milla Jovovich. Because in some ways or in most, both the Underworld and Resident Evil franchises, today, share relative similarities. Both star strong female leads. Both have generated multiple sequels and both leads are married to their director/producer. That last one is perhaps a coincidence, but the main point is that both of these franchises inherently come from a different era then what is familiar today. There was a constant search to create franchises with long-lasting appeal, but more than that create franchise characters. With the added push to adapt every comic book super-hero to film around the same time, costumed characters on the big screen weren’t an imagination anymore. These movies grossed big and gave audiences something atypical to the usual film genres, in some ways it blurred the genres themselves. Add a mix of the familiar or unfamiliar with perhaps say ‘monsters’ and it was a different recipe to success.

Hollywood is both a strange machine as much as it is a predictable one. In the forever search to fill theatres amongst its varied audience, it will continuously look to what is hot, simply re-use, reboot and re-sequel whatever is necessary to keep its engine running. So when Underworld: Evolution (2006) left the franchise open-ended, it was always a question how and when the next sequel would return. And even when Kate Beckinsale hung up the black leather for good in 2007, opting to return to smaller scale films and devote her time to raising her daughter. Hollywood still found a way as Underworld: Rise of the Lycans released in 2009. The third film continued the franchise as a prequel, describing the history of events which actually started the war between the vampires and lycans. The prequel also gave an opportunity to flesh out characters who were killed off to return, bringing back the familiar and allowing its fan base to associate more so. Underworld wouldn’t be Underworld without a female lead, so Rhona Mitra was cast as Bill Nighy’s Sonja. If you’re a fan of the series, you know the history.

The one proponent of the franchise has always been its stylistic gothic settings. Dark in tone and laced with heavy mythology, Underworld also lent itself well to those enamored by the folklore of both vampires and werewolves. The franchise earned its cult success in that manner, due to its added care to detail of placing old sensibilities in a modern world and how it related. It was an underworld. The fourth film Underworld: Awakening breaks all that down. As much as this film is a sequel to the franchise overall, it is also a continued sequel to Kate Beckinsale’s character Selene. However more than that, it is a reboot to the franchise itself.

As a film, Underworld: Awakening is self-aware. It knows where it is in relation to films today, it knows why fans of the franchise will come see this sequel but it’s also smart enough to know that it needs to self-perpetuate itself. So it contains a story simple enough, providing an exact amount of answers and leaves the rest both ambiguous and assumptive. In some cases, it doesn’t even explain the logical, for the sake of entertainment and to keep the characters moving, you just go with it. In the same vein Awakening doesn’t try to win over everyone as that would be pointless. It feeds the fans of the franchise first but also starts with a fresh enough slate that is enough for newcomers. Yet in that same sense it undoes and unfortunately confuses a lot of what it has already been created. Retconning parts of the detailed mythology perhaps accidentally for the sake of story. An honest mistake, ignored continuity or something left to be answered? This sequel, at least, doesn’t provide you with these answers.

The film opens up with a montage of important events from the previous films in the franchise. Kate Beckinsale’s Selene provides a monologue to the scenes, as it’s an invariable ‘catch-up’ to how the events have passed and what they’ve essentially culminated into. The secret war between vampires and lycans is somehow made public and humanity begins its attempt to rid itself of both species. They are regarded as a disease to society and the cure for humans is simply eradication. Awakening quickly works to establish the months that followed its previous sequel Evolution. With both Selene and Michael on the run as hybrids, they decide to seek solace by fleeing their countless pursuers. Yet before they can escape, both are separated by an explosion that results in Selene’s capture. Selene finds herself awakening from cryogenic suspension twelve years into the future, into a familiar but unknown world. Vampires and lycans have reached points of mass extinction, Michael is presumably dead and somehow Selene has a hybrid daughter. Awakening has the shortest runtime of any of its predecessors at 88 minutes. It’s methodically paced because of this and probably has the most consistent action of all the films in the franchise due to its length.

However its runtime is also a testament to how Underworld has changed. While the first two films starring Beckinsale worked to provide both a balance of answers and action, Awakening is setup to become a part of a new trilogy and purposefully withholds more than it should. The setup perhaps for now is two more sequels or one final sequel and another prequel to explain the lost twelve years. At this point, it’s just unknown.

I won’t delve into the story anymore than that, as the film simply paces its own events to answer this small arc of a new story. The name of the film is also an association at this point, as the ‘underworld’ no longer exists. It’s a disappointing notion mainly because if you’re a fan of the franchise the same inherent care of what is established previously are remnants now. However in that same guise, perhaps it does play credence to this whole new world that the franchise presents. With certainty though, Underworld: Awakening allows the franchise to now fall under the same tent pole as the Resident Evil franchise. While the latter is definitely ‘more campy’ both franchises do not pretend to be something they are not. It’s rare to see a franchise get a fourth iteration and still have that franchise be warranted, sustainable and let alone be entertaining. Arguing which is the better franchise is a moot point – they are both simply guilty pleasures.

For some Awakening might be that matinee movie experience, to others it might be the inherent jumping of the shark, cult fans might eat it up and undoubtedly there are those who are just driven to see Kate Beckinsale don the Death Dealer outfit again. There is a varied enjoyment and disappointment overall and perhaps that’s Awakening’s own balance. The film was shot in 3D and not post-processed and because of this there is a more natural sense to the depth of field which appears on screen. Although given the choice, I’d say the 2D version would suffice as it’s always been an argument of mine that there is a big difference when something is simply shot in 3D versus something that actually conceived and filmed in 3D. There aren’t any or enough moments that warrant the 3D visually other than the increase in price of a movie ticket. Tonally it’s an interesting thought, as the Underworld franchises have always been dark in nature. So the visuals do have an interesting pitch to them in regards to what wearing the glasses will do.

In any event, I am guilty of enjoying this franchise as much as the Resident Evil movies. However, I take exactly what I get from them and don’t inherently expect too much or anything at all. So with Underworld: Awakening simply watch, enjoy and forget.

I give Underworld: Awakening 6 out of 10.

Review: I often start a review by explaining my expectations for a film. I typically begin with what I’d like to see from the film and then go into what I actually received. Red Tails, simply, exceeded a lot of my expectations. I expected to go into a theater that reflected George Lucas’ apprehension about the box office performance of a film led by an African American cast. Surprisingly, I was pretty damn wrong as I caught one of the few shows in the theater that wasn’t already sold out prior to arrival. In fact I actually had a pretty difficult time finding an appreciable seat due to the sell through of tickets for the my show and sellouts of all other shows that day. Shortly after finding a decent seat the lighting began to dim and the film began.

George Lucas had made the film ‘Red Tails’ something of a passion project for himself. I wasn’t always aware of the movie but when I first caught wind of it I was stunned that a movie that Lucas had been working on for over 20 years was having difficulty finding distribution. I’ve seen a bunch of obscure films from Lucas over the years and, for the life of me, couldn’t understand why something of his was so radical that it had trouble making its way to theaters. I just did not understand. The story of the Tuskegee Airmen is inspirational, to say the least, as equal rights and opportunities in North America was still well within the ‘refinement’ stage. The idea of these men risking their lives for those that fear and/or hate them is nothing less than heroic. Who wouldn’t want to find out more or see George ‘Star Wars’ Lucas’ vision about the feats performed by these men?

To put it mildly: the film begins with a whimper and a tinge of disappointment. Footage began rolling and the audience is presented with a perfectly blue sky followed by some fighter planes flying in the most tepid manner that you can imagine. I actually had to do a double take as I wasn’t sure as to whether the film began or if I was still watching previews for an upcoming movie. I only accepted that I didn’t have time for a bathroom break because the films’ logo passively appeared on screen and then quickly faded away. To say that my initial reaction to the start of the film was disappointing was an understatement. The introduction didn’t deliver the impact or the emphasis that I expected of a film that was trying to tell the tale of unsung heroes of World War II. There was no spectacle to behold, no orchestra of music or gunfire blaring, no crazy immediate aerial dog fight at the beginning of the film. Instead the opening moments were of a very subdued style. Yet without realizing, I found myself immersed by some unexpectedly amazing, interesting, and engaging characters as they performed more than a few breathtaking feats. I found myself having child-like fun while watching a good old fashioned aerial dogfight and I was excited by the onscreen action.

The film tends to echo themes throughout the 2hrs in which you are watching and at times is intentionally misleading. One misleading concept is right within the marketing of the movie and how the film itself introduces you to the world you explore. A lot of the materials I’ve seen for this movie have both Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard as the lead actors, which isn’t completely true. Red Tails is an ensemble film.

The film starts off by introducing you to its major players shortly after the opening scene with Cuba Gooding Jr., Nate Parker, David Oyelowo, Elijah Kelly, and Ne-Yo being a few of the first characters you meet. The true stars of this film are found in David Oyelowo and Nate Parker. The movie spends a good portion of time devoted to the development and observation of the relationship of their characters ‘Martin “Easy” Julian’ and Joe “Lightning” Little. The performances of the principle actors were surprisingly well executed and they seemed to have a chemistry that cradles you throughout the film. You care for what they think about each other, and how they grow as individuals. You share in their excitement and disappointment and sense a real bond on kindness between them, as with all the other members of their squadron.

I’ll always be a stickler for appreciable performances from the talent in a film. I know well enough that Oyelowo, Terrence Howard, and Cuba Gooding Jr. have chops. My apprehension hit a high point when I became aware of the participation of the likes of ‘Ne-Yo’ and ‘Method Man’ in a World War II film. I typically don’t appreciate the idea of musicians foraying into the world of acting but thankfully the film was anchored by others who were more capable and their participation was kept to a minimum. In fact, I think Method Man may have only been on screen for a total of 2 minutes and Ne-Yo was given a role in which he could climb into a character that exercised, and largely relied upon, his musical talents. Their involvement wasn’t an overall detriment to the film as I eventually found myself enjoying Ne-Yo’s character of ‘Andrew “Smoky” Salem’. In all honesty their roles could have been cast to others who were more capable.

I wasn’t entirely thrilled with the casting of Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding and how they were being billed as the main draws, but that is mainly due to the “blemishes” on their careers. This film was familiar stomping grounds for both men as Cuba Gooding Jr. appeared in “The Tuskeegee Airmen” with Laurence Fishburne and Terrence Howard in Hart’s War with Bruce Willis. These two men are not the main players in this movie, but their presence resolves to be appreciated and welcome as being the elder, experienced officers within the ranks. They make key appearances by providing their subsequent generation with the wisdom and leadership they need. There were some scenes that you know could have been cast to someone else, but you appreciate that the words are spoken with the experience and conviction of the likes of Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr.

An issue I often had with the film was found in the dialogue and some of the cliché ideas used for storytelling. Sub-par writing for the film was noticeable throughout the film with scenes seeming to end far too abruptly, dialogue that could make you wince upon listening, and standard plot devices were used throughout. There’s a scene in which Oyelowo’s character “Lightning” was being disciplined and was given a bit of a ‘pep speech’ from Cuba Gooding’s character “Major Emanuel Stance” that emphasized this issue. As a viewer I know that Gooding can give a good speech and could fill the role of a disciplinary, fatherly instructor. When his speech of responsibility that each soldier adopts for his brothers in arms was forcibly ended abruptly it actually made my heart ache. I’d become so immersed in the speech he was delivering, and the lesson he was teaching, that I wanted to receive that satisfaction of watching that scene come to a natural conclusion. It didn’t. It was a tease and it hurt like hell.

Another overused cliché sprinkled throughout the film was right at the center of a love story that’s far too predictable for most viewers. More than once I outright rested my head in my hand and wondered “What the fu…” as I predicted the “boy meets girl”, “girl meets boy”, “boy and girl want to marry” followed by…(fill in the rest) and it happened. I won’t spoil it entirely for those who would rather I don’t, but it’s these moments that are peppered throughout the film that make you feel that the writing is a bit dated and it makes these scenes a little painful to watch. Red Tails tends to distract you from these moments by helping you get immersed back into the overall story of heroism, friendship, and the heart pounding excitement of aerial combat. They don’t completely make up for the scenes that suffer, but they do try to help you forget them and move the film along.

It’s hard to reflect on this movie without feeling awe at the sense of history portrayed by the men in this film. My first knee jerk reaction when I left the theater was that I really enjoyed this movie and felt really good about it. It was a little corny at times, cliché, but the overall film had a lot of heart and made me walk away feeling inspired. My only apprehension with the film was that, like the fighter pilots themselves, this main players within and the film itself would be overlooked and under-appreciated due to it’s entirely African-American cast of lead actors. Bryan Cranston and Lee Allen Tergesen only have very brief roles in the film, which under normal circumstances would be considered a crime, but the rest of the cast carry this film so well that you hardly miss them. As such the film may not draw the audiences that the enjoyment of the film warrants.

George Lucas went to the Daily Show on January 9th, 2012 and expressed his difficulties with getting this film distributed into theaters. He explained that studios argued that a big budget movie with an entirely African American cast couldn’t be marketed internationally. It made me think back to the Star Wars saga and how Lucas often ‘echoed’ themes throughout his films. I felt that same sense of ‘echo’ with the underrating of the actual Red Tail pilots as being inferior and incapable without being given an opportunity to prove themselves. Say what you want about Lucas but he is consistent with his storytelling mechanics and some of his sales tactics. He’s subliminal but with a purpose and is one of the best out there with regard to promotion.

Lucas went on to cite Tyler Perry movies. Although they are viewed as successful the truth is that they aren’t distributed by the major studio and are instead released by their subsidiaries or just smaller studios in general. I hadn’t considered this notion until he mentioned this on the show and it made me look at the budget and performance of “Madea’s Big Happy Family”. That film had a budget of $25 Million and grossed $53 million at the box office. To put in perspective Red Tails had a budget of $58 million, not including marketing, that Lucas had to finance out of his own pocket due to lack of interest from studios. I began to have doubts about this film and it’s performance. I’m unsure if this is something that is acceptable in today’s market especially when you do take into consideration the international markets. George Lucas feels that if this movie doesn’t do well in the box office then it may not be until another 20 to 30 yrs for studios to try again with an big budget movie led by African Americans. Spike lee retorted by saying that he doesn’t feel any single movie can affect the situation either way. Personally, I have no clue but I understand both sides of the argument.

Overall: I feel that this film is worthy of a viewing in theaters. The aerial combat and the ‘Lucas sound’ are incredibly fun to watch on the big screen. If you can’t catch it in theaters then I could also see myself recommending owning or renting on Blu-Ray or DVD when time for the eventual release. It’s a fun movie.It’s corny but it’s fun and I ask could you, and should you, expect anything less from the imagination of George Lucas?

Review: There is a scene about midway through the film where Michael Fassbender’s character Paul while sitting across a table from Gina Carano’s character Mallory, noticing her slight awkwardness states, “A bit out of your element?” Carano doesn’t answer, she just simply smiles. Fassbender asks the question again in the form of an observation and once again Carano gives no answer, but instead this time smiles while taking a sip of wine. Instead of furthering the conversation along, Fassbender finishes his drink, says “I’m running dry” begins to stand up and Carano follows him to the bar to refresh his drink.

Haywire plays out somewhat like that scene. The pacing is not methodical but slow in it’s own awkwardness, smiles at you in a flirtatious manner through its action and stirs you along just enough with its supporting cast. The story is like a half empty glass waiting to be filled, it never reaches the top, at times has enough potential but more often heads towards the emptiness of that glass. So in that sense you want the refill because you have to stay for approximately 90 minutes. By going to the bar it’s your way to escape both the soon to be dryness of your drink and the dryness of the dialogue at hand. Your company is new and you give it the benefit of the doubt. So how the evening plays out is the camera lens looking on through its own perspective. Capturing every moment as it happens, in retrospect, in memory or in hints at how things will turn out with your own observations and perhaps expectations in tow.

For me, this film oddly enough starts and ends with Soderbergh’s decision to alter Gina Carano’s voice in Haywire. That’s not quite Gina you hear, but a digitized representation of perhaps what Mallory Kane sounds like in Soderbergh’s head. It is anomalous to his own decision to create Haywire which was developed around and for Gina Carano. Not necessarily to make a star out of her, but for Soderbergh to do the action film he had in mind, something which promoted a sense of realism. With Gina he saw someone who could bring that idea to life, carry it through from a physical reality standpoint and represent it well. However, the decision to alter Carano’s voice was a really distracting one. Simply due to the fact it carries throughout the entire film and it’s never really her we see on screen, or in this case actually hear. She’s a muse to the role of Soderbergh’s character of Mallory Kane.

You openly critique her voice because the decision to alter her voice is a conscious one. Half the time her voice feels heavily processed while the other half she sounds normal and even then that is unsure. Her tone is flat and heavy yet something real hides behind all the distortion. Was the voice behind the voice her? Is that how she sounds like? There is never enough to make it out and throughout the movie there never is. After the movie, I actually found myself looking up various videos on YouTube, from fight interviews to her genuine excitement in promoting Haywire. Just to hear, consistently, how her actual voice sounds like in a continuous dialogue manner. I can’t help but be reminded of ‘Hercules in New York’ (1969) when Arnold Schwarzenegger was dubbed due to this his thick accent. In that case it was a concern of audiences understanding Arnold and here it is definitely something different. In this case, it’s not how she sounds but how someone has deliberately decided to make her sound.

It’s almost like Soderbergh performed voice surgery to remove any notion of sex appeal purposefully. Perhaps he was more concerned about the portrayal of Mallory Kane as a character and didn’t want the confusion of a sexy military-esque operative. Which let’s say compare to films such as Salt (2010) or more recently with Columbiana (2011). There is a definite opportunity for Carano to break into the film industry, as a leading female actor in the action genre. Whether she can live up to that idea or if it’s an actual aspiration of hers, that’s something that is unknown. I know what she does in Haywire and she definitely has a presence. The opening scene of the movie is indicative of that as she makes her way into a roadside diner and Soderbergh does a close shot of her face, you see something there with her slight mannerisms and characterization of her role. Then there are the scenes where she kicks ass in a brutalizing manner, the physicality of the role and what she brings.

I don’t believe for a moment her tone is that emotionless even with who her character representation is in the movie. There are too many levels of inconsistency, especially with her interaction with everyone on screen. This isn’t specific to how Carano takes up the role, but the character of Mallory Kane herself and perhaps written. Is that how she reacts and talks to new people she’s never worked with before, her ex-boyfriend/still employer and especially her dad who she obviously holds a great deal of care for? It all sounds the same, the pitch, the tone and her delivery which has a disingenuous feeling due to the voice altering. It’s a character without real characteristics, it’s uncertain and off, which in some ways is consistent with the overall tone and pacing of the film.

Soderbergh explained the reasoning for the voice altering was to have audiences feel that Gina and her character were “two completely different entities.” So perhaps he really wanted to distinguish and sell the audience from something she already is with her beautiful looks and appeal in the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). And instead show us something she could be, as Haywire was in fact again designed and created with her in mind for the lead role. So as you can expect, the movie has these fight scenes where she’s more than capable of pulling them off, that’s what Carano does in real life. But if there is really a want for this contrast, why use Gina as ‘eye candy’ in a specific portion of the film? Why play up the obvious? Is it just by coincidence she’s a pretty operative? It’s this inconsistency which is present in not just how she’s used, but throughout the film itself, this notion of an uneven contrast that you’re left with.

The storyline plays out simple, she’s an agent gone rogue as Ewan McGregor’s character Kenneth claims but much like the other spy espionage films we know there is more to it. As such we follow Carano’s character throughout the film as she tries to solve the mystery of why her once employers are going after her. Revenge in this case isn’t enough, it’s more so about the answers. The action is what you expect. It’s hard hitting and visceral. It’s these scenes where Soderbergh puts down the camera and we have steady shots of the fights in slightly open areas to tight spaces where one must get creative and use their environment to gain the upper hand. It’s something I appreciated about Haywire in respect to all the other action movies we get where the fights are stylized, i.e. the ‘shaky cam’ to make things feel as they have more impact or the sense of real. Rather than just let choreograph speak for itself and let it be a fight unstylized from a cinematography standpoint.

It is one thing Soderbergh does well in this film. The movements, the punches, the kicks, everything is easy to follow due to the straight forward angles. Yet in some ways this cinematography feels almost experimental from him, perhaps in the sense because it’s his first ‘action’ movie. He knows what he sees, but at the same time doesn’t know what to fully do with it. So after the first couple fights, things get too consistent, there isn’t enough variety to make things feel more kinetic like in the ways he applies to the non-fighting scenes. The angles or aerial pans he decides to do for chases, the mundane conversations not so mundane because of how it’s visualized or the perspectives we see from a character standpoint. All of these scenes are done carefully versus the contrast of how the fight scenes are shot. The fights while engaging relate an uncertainty, hampered further at times by inconsistent sound effects to deliver the visceral nature which is present in some scenes but missing in others.

Haywire in some ways reminds me of his last film Contagion (2011) in respect to both its contrast and its cast. Contagion carried a very purposeful micro and macro contrast in its visualization. It’s played through consistently from start to finish. The film also has an ensemble cast where perhaps some people in the audience expected brilliant things. Instead what you got were really consistent and solid performances from experienced actors in a complete but average film. The storyline was enough and the characterizations were great which lent itself to acting that was balanced. With Haywire the storyline is simple, it plays out its explanation like that of Ocean’s Eleven (2001) and its two sequels. Things are told through perspective of where they are currently, how they began, where they’re going and ultimately how it ends.

The action while good becomes a red herring to the film, something you anticipate but also meant in some ways be there to satiate the audience. It’s not one specific thing, but more so a varied inconsistency which ultimately doesn’t become enough to carry Haywire as a whole. Despite the apparent globe-trotting, the pacing throughout the film never reaches a real consistency. Much like the various locales are scene by scene, Carano’s interaction with the cast is the same. The ensemble cast is supporting but the dialogue feels anemic which is masked by the start and stop of the film’s soundtrack to initiate transition. Simply put when the music plays, you know there is no dialogue and the film never allows you to really settle into things because it comes so unexpectedly or irregularly. In Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven (Twelve, Thirteen) movies the music is done in a manner that supports even the film itself. Its plot progressive, it’s cool and dresses those films up. Haywire attempts to do this, but doesn’t follow through in the same accord. The performances of the cast overall are good but we don’t get the same balance because of the inconsistency of Carano. Is it her acting or the voice altering done? It’s something that is uncertain because we don’t ever hear Carano’s actual voice and its own subtleties throughout the film. Maybe in this case it’s the fault of the over-direction of Soderbergh to actually direct how somehow should sound. Or perhaps not directing Carano to give more other than action? Was Carano’s actual characterization vocally better or worse? You never know truthfully. I give Carano the benefit of the doubt, she seems capable and perhaps it will take smaller roles to slowly build her experience up. I do expect her to be typecast to the action genre because of her capabilities. Or maybe this film was or is a one-off for her and in some ways another experiment by Soderbergh.

Haywire is an interesting outing, refreshing at moments, stylistic in others, enjoyable in its cast yet too plain in its delivery. So perhaps in the definitive sense, the title of the film says it all. Hay-wire (n), (1) Mentally confused or erratic; crazy: went haywire over the interminable delays. (2) Not functioning properly; broken.

“In the far distant future, when cars are giving up their wheels in the changeover to air-cars, there still exist fools… who carry on a vanishing spirit of racing…”

Redline is a science fiction racing anime film produced by Madhouse. It premiered back in August 2009 at the Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland. It would later see its Japanese theatrical release in October 2010. The film is the directorial debut of Takeshi Koike and has an original story written by Katsuhito Ishii. It also features the voices of Takuya Kimura, Yu Aoi and Tadanobu Asano.

Review: The film was said to be impossible to make, as it saw various delays throughout its production. It shouldn’t be surprising though, as the movie took a total of seven years to be completed. Redline makes its official North American domestic release on Blu-ray and DVD today, January 17, 2012. It has a total runtime of 102 minutes.

Redline is hand-drawn.

In a day in age where computers have taken over once traditional animation methods, Redline takes that once tradition and quite possibly reinvents it. It’s highly kinetic, frenetic, unbelievably absurd, specifically stylized and just plain crazy. Takeshi Koike, the director of Redline probably said it best,

“It’s a living animation.”

Some 100,000 cels were created for this film, to be more specific, that is 100,000 hand-made drawings. Each cel was individually drawn, animated in sequence, digitized, colored, shaded and textured. After that was done, additional visuals effects were overlaid to add even more detail. Redline really gives a sense of ‘overload.’ It doesn’t mean to be complicated visually, it simply intentionally tries to overwhelm your eyes with more than you can handle. Yet in the same sense, as you adjust to its purposeful presentation, it does become visually clear (or you couldn’t take it and your eyes have experienced a visual seizure).

Because of the nature of the animation, the slight varied inconsistencies with the line work, Redline comes off as carrying a distortion in its imagery. It’s not by accident, it’s very much so controlled and gives the animation an over the top energy, or as the staff of the film would say, “Over the limit!” Again it’s all with purpose and intent, much like the vibrant color palette and how it’s contrasted heavily by dark black tones instead of tonal gradients to provide shadows. The transfer on Blu-ray is quite amazing to see and beyond worthwhile. With the visual complexities in place, the storyline was fine-tuned and simplified to fit within the appropriate runtime. Because of this, it gives the film an overall balance that works extremely well.

The film follows a race of the same name, the Redline, and the racers that participate. The race takes place every five years and involves the eight best racers in the known universe. Set in the future, Earth isn’t the only planet and various species make up the galactic populace. The character designs are just as interesting and crazy as you would expect given the film’s presentation. A series of other races leading up to the Redline take place, the Yellowline, the Blueline, etc. Each race providing a winner a slot in the final Redline race to determine whom is the best. The location of the Redline is always unknown, up until the final slot has been filled. With the entire universe as a playground, the Redline can take place wherever despite whether a planet approves or not. (Therein also lies some of the subtext to the storyline present in the film that I won’t spoil. The storyline is simple after all and it’s best to discover yourself!)

As the movie gears up towards the Redline race, it naturally wouldn’t be complete without a focus on its racers. The participants are just as important as their vehicles (crazy designs included) and the movie gives an interesting featurette within the film to the back-story of each racer. It’s cleverly done, never boring and is just enough. Avoiding any sense of heavy flashback, unless you’re one of the main characters, that of JP and Sonoshee McLaren. Their points of view become the focal point. Who they are in respective to their pasts, how their current lives intertwine and ultimately as they follow their shared dream of winning it all.

Redline is a Japanese anime film that has more of an international lore to it. While it maintains heritage it also breaks certain conventions along the way – it is both non-traditional and traditional at the same time. If racing has any romantic sensibilities, maybe it’s just the notion and sensation of exhilaration. Redline has that and at its core, doesn’t take itself too seriously. After you’re done with the film, check out the extras on the disc for a behind-the-scenes one-hour interview with Takeshi Koike and Katsuhito Ishii. Together they answer a Q&A about the production overall, the concept of the film, its difficulties and essentially if it was all worth it. It also documents the basic insanity and sheer dedication of everyone involved and it’s sadly funny watching interviews from staff that look sleep deprived. Yet it’s that same sense of character and soul, which is definitely present throughout the film.

If I have a minor complaint it’s that I would’ve liked more of an epilogue, a visual background to the rolling credits perhaps. Maybe it’s my own ‘completeness’ criticism, wanting something more on the traditional side ‘series’ wise, just being greedy and wanting more, or what would’ve been perfect in my own eyes. Or maybe, I’m wrong and that’s fine too. It doesn’t dissuade the film’s enjoyment, because Redline is at the very least a must-see and for some, a must-own.

I give Redline 9 out of 10.

1942 – The third year of the World War II, enslaved by the Nazis, continental Europe lies in ruins. But in the east, in Russia, the Red Army is putting up a violent resistance to the legions of the Third Reich.

Desperate fighting for every inch of land goes on along the entire, five-thousand-mile-long, front line. Both armies suffer severe losses every day. And neither will settle for anything but victory.

Victory at any cost!

Review: First Squad, The Moment of Truth is a joint animation project of Japan’s Studio 4°C and Russian-Canadian company Molot Entertainment. Studio 4°C is more prominently known for its work with Spriggan (1998), Steamboy (2005) and more recently their involvement with the reboot of ThunderCats (2011). The film’s production was originally announced in 2007. First Squad would make its debut at the Cannes Film Festival on May 13, 2009 and would see a Russian release later in the year during October. Its official domestic North American release on Blu-ray and DVD is today, January 17, 2012.

The movie begins and describes the opening days of World War II. The German army continues its Nazi march to the east, hoping to gain a further foothold into Mother Russia. The Soviets and their Red Army however resist and First Squad details ‘The Moment of Truth’ on the Eastern Front. In the background lurks a secret war of the occult and it’s up to the Soviet’s special and secretive Division Six to do what no one else can. Or in fact everyone else just doesn’t know about. With their best agent, a clairvoyant Nadya Ruslanova at the helm, it’s up to her as she travels to the world of the undead to reclaim her fallen comrades – the First Squad. It’s up to them to battle Germany’s own occult group, the Ahnenerbe and their attempt to raise Baron Von Wolf and fulfill the prophecy of his return 700 years later.

While the runtime for First Squad is listed at 73 minutes, that’s in fact a ‘long version’ of the movie. The anime film itself is actually only slightly over an hour in length, which is referred to as the ‘short version’ on disc. The differences are as follows.

The long version includes ‘mockumentary’ commentary in the form of present day sequences, where both Soviet and German war veterans retell portions of the film in relation to their own involvement. Added to this are various historians, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts and other ‘professionals’ giving further credence to the events, which happen throughout First Squad. The ideas of children wandering on the battlefield to help, the notions of secret wars, thousands of spies behind enemy lines and the moment of truth when a battle turns in your favor. All of it works to give the film more substance. A partial validity is prearranged to certain segments by historian commentary. And similarly it’s these same historians that comment on the unknown supernatural aspects, which play out in the film as well. I don’t doubt the relative history of the war and I don’t believe First Squad would have us think otherwise. The film is presented in a factual manner, but tells us beneath the true history of the war is the subtext of this unknown supernatural story. Whereby the Red Army was able to overturn the Nazi’s on the Eastern Front.

From a documentary aspect it works, the interspersed dialogue from real life people in between the film itself adds to the subtle grainy-esque archival presentation of First Squad visually. Yet the overall cohesiveness of it feels half-baked. It doesn’t necessary try to be truthfully cheesy, First Squad with the documentary aspects tries to be truthful when we know it isn’t. It’s too unbelievable in respect to the storyline, which is incredibly slow to start, carries a weak exposition and underwhelming follow through to its end. In that same sense, it feels like the movie isn’t a one-off, it becomes open-ended enough to promote, yes there could be more. Perhaps in the tune of anime series complete with fillers that could’ve been or is still to come. In the end First Squad is a setup to its world, the mysteries behind World War II, as they would have us believe or more so question. It’s presented in an alternative factual manner, not ridiculous, but it’s still equally not engaging and really just not enough.

The short version is simply the film without all the interlaced commentary. Because of this the film is more fluid, but still has severe pacing issues as the runtime becomes shorter and you realize near the end not to expect much. However even by that point, it still seemingly disappoints because you wonder slightly ‘what was the point’ overall. First Squad lacks salability, just like it half commits, it half presents the film and the documentary aspects. It is still without a doubt an interesting concept, perhaps if it was more self-aware of what it was doing and fully embraced this fantastical reality that has been elaborately setup, then maybe. I’m in the camp if you’re going to invest in a crazy idea, be crazy. Especially considering that some of the characters including its lead are based on real prototypes. It becomes further disappointing in the sense the idea they present isn’t grounded completely.

I can’t fully recommend First Squad, The Moment of Truth. But if you’re interested in a different take on the occult interlaced with World War II history – then look no further. While the Blu-ray transfer quality is clean and visually sharp, the animation itself is simply consistent and adequate. The one thing that I did appreciate was the ‘Russian’ language dialogue being available, alongside the normal English and Japanese dialogue. It added to the presentation value of the film, given the setting and its characters. So if you do watch First Squad, I highly recommend giving that a go from the immersive standpoint. There were no extras or special features aside from trailers for the release of Redline, which is now available, and the upcoming Blu-ray release of Battle Royale in March 2012. Overall, First Squad was a curious collaborative effort, which I wish had followed through more whole-heartedly.

I give First Squad, The Moment of Truth: 5 out of 10.

Review: Review: I thought the movie was pretty entertaining but not perfect. I approached this movie with a bulls-eye on Justin Timberlake mainly because he falls into the “musician turned actor” crowd and I wanted to see if he’s experienced any growth. I was pleasantly surprised by his effort even if his performance fell a little flat for me. I can’t pinpoint it exactly but something made me feel that he wasn’t the best choice for the role of someone portraying someone from the ghetto. Timberlake gave a great effort which was reflected in his performance and you can see that he’s not the typical musician transitioning into this craft and was actually pretty entertaining throughout the film. I really did enjoy his input and look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

I was indifferent about the performance of Amanda Seyfried. I’ve seen her in other projects and she always seems to impress but this movie was definitely something different for her. I wasn’t very pleased with her character but it’s hard to fault her in the role as her character was intentionally one dimensional. She’s one of the up and coming actresses that I really enjoy to and certainly look forward to seeing more of her in the future.

Cillian Murphy is Cillian Murphy. He’s extremely talented, a wonder to watch, and usually provides a tone to a movie that’s hard to duplicate. With that said I wasn’t satisfied with his character but not at the fault of the actor. Murphy actually brought a lot of life and insight into his character and did the best he could with what he had. Poor concepts, dialogue, and cliche ideas really prevented this from being one of his more memorable performances. Seriously, how many sci-fi “cops” in goth attire does the film industry need anymore? I still don’t know why they even dressed that way. He was easily one of the highlights in this film.

I really had issues with the progression with the film as the story progressed. The first act was fine and began to setup an interesting world, characters, and featured Olvia Wilde, (as the hottest M.I.L.F. to hit the screen in recent memory), but somewhere around the second act everything just falls apart. The plot has serious holes throughout the film that are never answered which made me think that the script could have used a bit more polish throughout in order to really nail it. An example of a hole, without revealing too much, comes in the form of a border. The film setup a premise in which it was extremely costly to cross the border from the ghetto into the suburbs and set it up throughout the early stages of the first act as an obstacle. After paying the toll, and transitioning a few scenes, the issues with traversing back and forth through the ghetto and suburbs vanish. You then see the characters take some “back road”, that was never mentioned throughout the film, to travel back and forth freely at no-cost. It was a huge problem for me because if this back road always existed then why the hell would anyone pay the toll?

At times this movie hints at having more “substance” like this one scene where Will Salas jumped out of a 2nd story window to evade pursuers because people are very cautious about the risks they take with their lives. Most people refused to follow implying that they couldn’t afford the healthcare needed if they hurt themselves since “time” is the currency used for everything. It’s subliminal but noticeable and little nuances like this are used to provide some insight for the viewer into the world that Will Salas inhabits, but there’s so few of them that you don’t really get a fully realized idea.

The movie does have it’s commentary on real life society, and deals with some serious issues regarding life decisions and ramifications, but those threads never truly evolve and instead the movie transforms around the halfway point into a “Bonnie and Clyde” film. The story leads the viewer into believing that there’s a much larger scope to the film, and that there would be some great revelation to make the conclusion of the film seem satisfying that never really pans out. I just felt disappointed that the movie chose not to further exploit those themes and be something a little deeper and built on the great premise introduced in the first act.

Overall I did find myself enjoying this movie a lot more than I expected. I went in with a bulls-eye for Timberlake and walked away with better impressions than I expected. I would have liked for the movie to further explore the wondrous world that was established early on in the film but In Time for me failed to meet that hope. I don’t foresee a franchise out of this movie and wholly expect this film to be one of the “one-offs” that’s great to watch on cable or DVD.

In time will be out on DVD and Blu-ray everywhere on January 31st.

I give “In Time” a 6 out of 10.

Introduction: The Adventures of Tintin is performance captured and is also the very first animated movie from Spielberg, which is based on the comic book series of the same name by Belgain artist Hergé (Georges Remi). In the early 80’s both Hergé and Spielberg became fans of one another, from which Michael Farr the author of Tintin: The Complete Companion, cited Hergé in saying that he “thought Spielberg was the only person who could ever do Tintin justice” in respect to a proper film adaptation. Spielberg on the other hand discovered Tintin when a reviewer compared his Raiders of the Lost Ark to Tintin. After acquiring French editions of the comics, despite not being able to understand the dialogue he immediately fell in love with Tintin’s artwork. By 1983, Spielberg was scheduled to meet Hergé in London while filming Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. However, Hergé died that same week at the age of 75 after a long battle with a severe illness. Hergé’s widow in spite of his passing still gave Spielberg the rights to adapt and produce a film version of Tintin. So in 1984 a three year option was given with Universal Pictures attached as a distributor.

Two decades would pass, with unsatisfactory scripts coming and going, which lead to the rights to the film eventually going back to the Hergé Foundation. Although Warner Bros. negotiated long and hard for the rights, the ‘creative integrity’ seen with Spielberg could not be guaranteed. By 2001, Spielberg expressed his interest in using computer animation as a way to create the world of Tintin. Then in November 2002 Spielberg’s own studio DreamWorks managed to re-establish the rights for the film adaptation. Intended a trilogy based on several stories within the Tintin franchise, Spielberg looked to intertwine Tintin’s world and characters in a manner which suited the big screen. At this point, Spielberg consulted Peter Jackson in regards to creating a computer generated Snowy (or better known by his French name Milou). At this time Spielberg had also reverted back to his idea for a live-action adaptation.

A longtime fan of the comic series himself, Jackson suggested that a live-action adaptation would not do the comics justice. Referencing his own work with the motion capture used in his The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong, he explained that motion capture’s expressiveness would allow for a better representation. In 2006, Spielberg and Jackson ventured to Playa Vista, Los Angeles, California, on the stage where James Cameron’s Avatar was shot and filmed. At this time Andy Serkis had been cast and with the aid of Weta Digital, a twenty minute test reel was produced. Finally in 2007 a collaborative effort between Spielberg and Jackson was announced which would eventually lead to filming in 2009, with the eventual release of the movie in 2011.

Review: I thought it was important to note the relative history of this film before giving my impressions on it. While those initial paragraphs might read like a research script off of Wikipedia, that’s exactly what it is. Tintin is an interesting film because it depends what generation you are coming from. It’s also easily the smartest family film to come out this year, so if you’re having trouble deciding which movie to take the kids to over the holidays then I strongly suggest that you choose Tintin over that second squeakquel. It’s not saying that Alvin, Simon and Theodore aren’t fun, (I grew up to their Saturday morning cartoon much more than I did Tintin), it just seems more appropriate to support a movie which has been given more foresight and care. (But I wouldn’t hold it against you either way!)

Tintin is not without its faults and I think it’s strictly based on how generational this movie can be as a whole. It plays out like a simplified version of say Indiana Jones or a less immersive version of Uncharted if you dabble in video games. However as a child watching the film it’s suitable because it doesn’t over complicate things. Instead the complexity and detail are found in the visuals of the film itself.

Simply put there is something downright eerie about Tintin. How eerily real it looks.
This is Hergé’s world encapsulated and made real. Slowly but surely that uncanny valley is being filled. Since this film was done strictly on motion capture outside of Tintin’s dog Snowy, there is a more natural feel to the cinematography for an animated film. Even the inclusion of 3D is natural with the depth of field applied in a way only to imply and create rather than anything forcibly gimmicky. There is an advantage I find with computer animated films and 3D and I’m reminded of Kung Fu Panda 2 as well, in that both that movie and Tintin play in a world of layers. However Tintin’s ‘realness’ is what differentiates itself visually.

Spielberg also does a great job of blending a sense of his traditional style with the more unconventional shots, bordering that uniqueness we see in animated films. Here we get an almost Tarsem Singh-esque scene transition from a close-up hand to a desert. We’re also allowed to watch the film from Snowy’s perspective and are able to realize his character is more than just a dog. He’s Tintin’s sidekick as he accompanies his master on his adventures. The casting overall for the film I found was solid. Jamie Bell is identifiable as Hergé’s everyman ‘Tintin’ and Andy Serkis is unmatched in his annotated expressions as Captain Haddock. Daniel Craig is stern, rigid and unscrupulous as needed in his portrayal of Ivan Ivanovitch Sakharine. Then we have Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as the bumbling detectives, who always work well together. The voice acting in this film provide ‘character’, and the movements of the characters themselves are pronounced due to the motion capture and it works handedly.

For myself in the end, while I did enjoy Tintin, I wanted more complexity in the adventure deep down. So in effect some parts of the movie felt hollow to some degree. I was surprised at how much more ‘action’ there was in this movie versus the reporter/detective work. It’s not an outright complaint, but more of a wonder when a gunplay scene goes probably a couple minutes longer than it should. Again it goes back to who this movie is aimed at in respect to the audience. But perhaps this could be mired by my own expectations in the adventure genre in what I want versus what is right in the world of Tintin. I will say that there is so much detail (even in a subtle sense) going on screen visually however, that effectively makes this movie a must-see on visuals alone. Spielberg simply put looks like he had fun making this movie, it has a bit of the grown up childhood magic present in his early work.

The next sequel for this movie has Peter Jackson set to direct, while Spielberg would produce. (Their roles were reversed in this first film.) While its domestic tallies aren’t that impressive thus far, the worldwide figures hopefully allow the complete vision of Tintin to be realized. With all the reboots, remakes, sequels out there, for a film adaptation the 107 minutes of Tintin I found was indeed refreshing.

I give The Adventures of Tintin 8 out of 10.

At the same time, Popper is given the task of buying Tavern on the Green, an old restaurant where he used to eat with his father as a child, with the intent of tearing it down and building a new development in its place. However, its elderly owner, Selma Van Gundy (Angela Lansbury), will only sell it to someone who she deems a person of true value.

Review: The picture quality of the BluRay was really bright, vivid, and sharp. Something I recently discovered with my Rise of the Planet of the Apes Blu Ray is that not all home releases will fill the screen on your home TV unless you find the specific aspect ration included on the back of the box. Mr. Popper’s Penguins thankfully filled every pixel of my 40 inch that I use, and was stunning upon first sight. The sound and picture help immerse a person in the film so that you can really take in and enjoy the performances of those on screen. I have a hard time watching movies that have bars on the top and bottom of the TV and feel that they are a detriment to the overall experience so I was relieved that this wouldn’t be an issue here.

A sticking point for me is always the performances of the lead cast members. The performances weren’t really disappointing but weren’t exceptional either and wound up being merely serviceable. Jim Carrey is as sharp and witty as ever but I was apprehensive that he may have lost some of his edge over the years. While watching this film you realize that not only does he still have ‘it’ but his punch line delivery, physical timing, and overall performance is as razor sharp. I saw plenty of shades of the old Carrey that I enjoyed and how he was able to transition that into a family film environment. No, I wasn’t wholly convinced that the man was a salesman but I was convinced that he was a father with daddy issues and it reminded me that Carrey can incorporate some decent levels of drama into his performances as needed and in this story it was fairly appropriate.

The story and dialogue in the film was entertaining if not overly simple and straightforward. There’s very little left to the imagination as far as the characters, their relationships, or where the story is heading as it seems the writers decided to spoon feed a simple plot in order to allow for easy ingestion. It works in this film, but there were a few times I had hoped that I couldn’t predict how the movie would proceed, especially upon the first site of Clark Gregg’s character Nat Jones.

Seeing Clark Gregg do his routine was a surprisingly enjoyable moment but makes me apprehensive that he may have been typecast. In his first appearance he does his exact introduction that he uses in the Marvel movies and it’s as if he was doing one of his cameo roles, but was given a new wardrobe and more screen time. Aside from that Nat Jones somewhat sets himself as the antagonist in this film pretty early on and I really enjoyed his role, even if it was ripped right out of the house of Marvel. Nat Jones isn’t an inherently ‘bad’ person just a little devious and is ultimately good natured and well intentioned. He has his own motives and feels that Popper’s penguins belong in a zoo rather than an apartment, and therein lies the conflict between him and Mr. Popper.

Overall: I enjoyed this movie more than I expected but I am a little relieved it wasn’t something I went out of my way to see in theaters. This movie is much better suited for home viewing. The story was pretty predictable but that didn’t affect my overall impression of this movie. The pacing was good, the acting serviceable, and more importantly the film was fun and funny as needed. This isn’t a breakout ‘Jim Carrey’ comedy but if you do intend to watch a family friendly movie and want it to include Jim Carrey you should certainly look out for Mr. Popper’s Penguins once it hits cable or network TV. If you have to own, then you might want to look at other offerings.

I give Mr. Popper’s Penguins a 6 out of 10.