Big
Screen
Edition
RISE
OF
THE
APES,
THOR,
CAPTAIN
AMERICA
and
More
Reviewed Plus:
RIO
on
Blu-Ray
It seems like Hollywood’s major offerings this summer have basically
fallen into three camps: sequels, super-hero films and raunchy R-rated
comedies stockpiled with bodily fluid jokes. That roster hasn’t made
for one of the more diverse summers in recent memory, though there have
been some entertaining films at least along the way.
At the very top of the list, unquestionably, is RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (****,
105 mins., PG-13), a movie which months ago sounded like
a bad joke – perhaps understandably given its premise of “James Franco
starring with CGI monkeys” and a series still trying to shake off the
general disappointment that greeted Tim Burton’s quirky but uneven
version a decade ago.
This genuine reworking of the
franchise does what Burton’s remake failed to accomplish: take the
series’ original concept, alter it for modern sensibilities, update it
with cutting-edge special effects and infuse it with an emotional range
no prior “Apes” film offered beyond the ‘68 original. Briskly paced at
barely 90-minutes plus (minus its lengthy end credits), exciting and
decidedly different than its predecessors, “Rise” isn’t just the
surprise film of the season but one of the best films of 2011
altogether.
Franco plays a genetic scientist trying to find a cure for Alzheimer's
(he’s personally invested because his father, played by John Lithgow,
suffers from it), and thinks he’s found it after testing on a primate
named Bright Eyes who shows enhanced intelligence. Unfortunately the
ape goes berserk in front of the corporate board members funding the
research, leaving Franco to reluctantly take home her infant after his
boss tells him to euthanize all the remaining chimps.
The baby simian, who Lithgow names Caesar, displays the same level of
intelligence as his late parent, but as he grows, Caesar becomes aware
that he’s not like the humans who raised him. After Lithgow ends up in
a confrontation with a hothead neighbor, Caesar rushes to his defense
and is subsequently forced to live in a primate facility overseen by
Brian Cox and his unsympathetic, cruel assistant (Tom Felton from the
“Harry Potter” films). Caesar also doesn’t get along with his fellow
apes at first, but soon learns to turn the tables on his captors...
Rupert Wyatt, a British director with only a couple of credits behind
him, helmed “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and Amanda Silver and Rick
Jaffa penned the movie’s screenplay. All of them, along with WETA
Digital which produced the special effects and Andy Serkis who
performed Caesar in motion-capture form, deserve an enormous amount of
credit for making one of the best science-fiction films in recent
memory. Serkis’ articulation as Caesar is moving and sympathetic,
enhanced by a photo-realistic design of the primates that could’ve
never been duplicated by having men in monkey suits act out these
particular roles.
The film taps into modern science and establishes a Frankenstein-like
premise, yet never becomes preachy; it chronicles Caesar’s rebellion
and cruel treatment at the hands of Cox and Felton, but refrains from
becoming overly violent or depressing; it culminates in a big action
climax (one of the finest set-pieces I’ve seen on-screen in years), but
accentuates character development – especially Caesar’s relationship
with his fellow apes – instead of just a litany of haphazardly edited
action scenes like most modern blockbusters. This refreshing tone
carries the picture through its lean running time splendidly, and the
ending is a big surprise as well – instead of being foreboding and
downbeat, it’s inspiring and downright poignant, two feelings none of
its series predecessors instilled in viewers.
Fans of the old films will enjoy the mostly subtle references to the
originals (from character names to quick on-screen allusions), but the
filmmakers wisely follow the reprise of one of Charlton Heston’s
legendary lines with a big dramatic moment that’s tremendously well
executed. Patrick Doyle’s score lacks the primal, percussive drive of
Danny Elfman’s 2001 soundtrack, yet still works well, particularly in
its concluding moments.
“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is by far the best of all of the
recent remakes/reboots/reimaginings Hollywood has thrown our way, and
sets the stage for a series of movies free to tell its own story
instead of merely recycling what’s come before it. Regardless of what’s
to come, this is likely to be the one film from the summer of ‘11 fans
will still be talking about years from now.
No less than four super-hero
films have also been released since the beginning of May – two meeting
with solid box-office approval, one fairing moderately in lieu of
expectations, and another biting the dust as one of the major
disappointments of its kind. The most satisfying have been Marvel’s
in-house adaptations of heroes known to comic book fans but not
particularly household names by any other definition.
THOR (***, 115
mins., PG-13) is what my idea of what a comic book movie should
be – big, colorful, loud, a little bit corny at times, but hugely
entertaining throughout.
Kenneth Branagh’s unabashedly colorful and fun take on the material
offers memorable production design from Bo Welch, with sets and
costumes that look like they just flew off the Marvel pages (I don't
think I've seen anything like the Asgard scenes since "Flash Gordon").
Chris Hemsworth is undeniably charismatic as Odin’s son, who is
banished to Earth by his father (Anthony Hopkins) after putting the
kingdom of Asgard in trouble with his callous actions. Unlike some
other, pre-fab Aussie leading men we’ve seen of late (Sam Worthington,
anyone?), Hemsworth is the real deal, effortlessly navigating his way
through the material with the right dash of arrogance and empathy (like
many of the Marvel films, there’s ultimately a moral to this story).
Action, humor, and fantasy all come together as Thor falls for a mere
mortal grad student (Natalie Portman, so much more appealing than she
was in the Star Wars prequels) who becomes infatuated with our
muscle-bound hero, while Hopkins doesn't just cash the check as Odin
and other roles are satisfyingly filled by the likes of Stellan
Skaarsgard (Portman’s professor boss), Kat Dennings (her friend), Idris
Elba (Asgard’s gatekeeper) and Tom Hiddelston as Loki, Thor’s troubled
brother who we’re about to see a good deal more of in next summer’s
“The Avengers.”
Speaking of that much-anticipated super-hero team mash-up, the lead-in
material to that picture is incorporated into the story here far more
organically than “Iron Man 2" – Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye makes a very
brief appearance but people who don't know who he is won't be sitting
there, thinking that the movie has stopped dead to incorporate
references to next year's big film.
The pacing is a little bit odd at times as the movie flips between the
Asgard and Earth sequences, and if anything, could have used more
character development (it's cut lean under 2 hours), but overall I was
very much entertained. This is colorful, romantic genre entertainment
with a dynamic Patrick Doyle score that’s the most satisfying work I’ve
heard from the composer since his Halcyon days of the mid ‘90s.
“Thor” did well at the box-office, grossing nearly a half-billion
worldwide, but between that film, “X-Men: First Class” (reviewed below)
and the spectacularly unimpressive returns for Warner’s expensive
“Green Lantern” (likely to become one of the genre’s biggest
underperformers when all is said and done), there was a feeling that
super-heroes might’ve played themselves out by the time “Captain
America” was released on July 22nd.
Thankfully, audiences didn’t seem to have been exhausted by the genre,
which was good news since they’d have otherwise bypassed CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
(***, 124 mins., PG-13),which in many ways ranks with
the most satisfying adaptations of a comic book on the big-screen yet.
Joe Johnston, who did such a fine job helming Disney’s underrated
WWII-period genre film “The Rocketeer” some 20 years ago, was the right
choice to bring Marvel’s patriotic hero to the screen in a confident,
satisfying film that hits every note from its first frame to nearly its
last.
Chris Evans makes for a perfect Steve Rogers, the tough kid from
Brooklyn whose motivation and courage are unfortunately not matched by
his scrawny, weak body – one that prevents him from serving Uncle Sam
in WWII. Rogers is continually rejected for service until his
determination is noted by scientist Stanley Tucci, working for the U.S.
military and who sees in Rogers the perfect candidate for their new
Super Soldier program, spearheaded in part by brilliant Howard Stark
(Dominic Cooper, playing none other than Tony “Iron Man” Stark’s
father).
Rogers’ transformation, though, at first applies mostly off the field
of battle, with Captain America serving as a USO salesman for war bonds
(there’s a wonderful musical montage set to an original Alan
Menken-David Zippel song). Much to the consternation of gruff colonel
Tommy Lee Jones, Rogers eventually presses his way into service, saving
an Allied troop from certain death at the hands of HYDRA, a Nazi
off-shoot presided over by the evil Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving).
Schmidt has not only been previously transformed by Tucci’s doctor into
the vile Red Skull, but has also corralled one of Odin’s energy cubes
and created a new destructive weapon that threatens the future of the
entire world.
“Captain America” does dial down the particulars of its war-time
setting so as to not feel like too much of an “all-American” story,
replacing any overt feelings of rah-rah patriotism with an overriding
message that Rogers is a hero not because of his nationality so much as
his courage and heart instead (as he tells Tucci’s scientist at the
beginning, Cap “doesn’t want to kill anyone” but can’t stand
“bullies”). It’s a decision that ultimately works, managing to make the
picture more appealing to foreign markets while not turning the
material into a completely toothless, “Politically Corrected” portrayal
of the character either.
Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely’s script confidently profiles
Cap’s dogged pursuit of the Skull with just a hint of romance (British
newcomer Hayley Atwell is fetching as Peggy Carter), though supporting
roles for the likes of Sebastian Stan (as Cap’s sidekick Bucky) and
Neal McDonough (one of the “Howling Commandos”) come off as if they’ve
been reduced in the editing room. Johnston’s fondness for the material,
though, is always evident, marked by crisply-edited action scenes that
bring the vintage Marvel comics to life. Technically the movie is
graced by an occasionally rousing Alan Silvestri score (his end credits
“March” is just great) and cinematography by Shelly Johnson that was
done no favors by the movie’s 3-D exhibitions, which darkened an
already limited visual pallet that overly accentuated green-screen.
If there’s one disappointment with “Captain America,” it’s that the
film works so well, it’s a letdown when the material moves into the
present day for its inevitable “Avengers” set-up in its concluding
moments – making one surmise that if there is a sequel, it’s not going
to involve the period setting and supporting characters from this
exciting “Cap” to the year’s super-hero efforts.
Sandwiched between Marvel’s own productions was Fox’s relaunch of the
“X-Men” franchise, X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
(**½, 132 mins., PG-13), a perfectly serviceable,
occasionally inspired prequel from director Matthew Vaughn and
co-writer Jane Goldman, who previously collaborated on “Stardust” and
last year’s wild “Kick-Ass.”
“First Class” establishes the first meeting of Professor X (James
McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender), back when they were just
Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr – mutants who find one another
working on the same side of a top-secret U.S. government project.
There, Xavier recruits a number of young people with special abilities
– including the shape-shifting Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) – as the
early, not-quite “X-Men” go up against Kevin Bacon’s villainous
Sebastian Shaw, a mutant trying to steer the Cuban missile crisis
through to its intended end.
With its ‘60s setting and Maurice Binder-like end titles, “X-Men: First
Class” does come off like a breath of fresh air after the stale
“Wolverine” spin-off with Hugh Jackman and friends. Vaughn’s visual
flair and a good array of performances keep the film entertaining and
compelling throughout, though truth be told I ended up feeling like
something was missing from the film in the days after I saw it. The
film moves so quickly at times that there’s never proper time to digest
what’s happening, not enough character beats to satisfy the film’s
large ensemble roster of heroes. This especially costs the film at its
climax when the “lines have been drawn” between Xavier and Magneto, and
characters like Mystique make their ultimate decision as to where their
allegiances lie – there’s been so little development on this end of
things that the resolution comes off as weakly developed at best.
The movie also misses having an “everyman” like Wolverine – much like
the Star Wars prequels where Han Solo’s levity was sorely missed,
“First Class” has no central hero for the audience to identify with,
and the absence of someone like Jackman is especially evident once the
sideburn-adorned, grumpy protagonist chips in a brief but funny cameo.
I have yet to see “Green Lantern,” but from all accounts I missed
precious little; after watching its awful trailers for several months,
it seemed like the one super-hero film to miss this summer. So far,
judging from its scant box-office returns (it’s likely to lose a good
chunk of money, and it was the most expensive film of all four
comic-book efforts), it seems like audiences were likewise
disinterested.
The spectacularly-budgeted “Lantern” was even bested at the summer
box-office by the more economical JJ Abrams “Spielberg homage” SUPER 8 (**½,
112 mins., PG-13), a “nice” movie that’s easier to admire for
its intent than its execution.
Abrams’ original script – while offering a few obvious references to
early Spielberg classics like “Close Encounters” in particular –
actually plays out like more of a 1950s monster movie than it does one
of his producing mentor’s genre works, with a group of young teens in
late ‘70s Ohio becoming involved in a government train accident that
houses something not-of-this-world that escapes and begins causing all
kinds of mysterious happenings around town.
One of the film’s shortcomings is that, while the movie begins like an
overt Spielberg tribute, when it veers into “Cloverfield” in its second
half the effect is a jarring one, especially because you go in
expecting the emotion of a Spielberg fantasy and end up with something
more detached and perfunctory. There's not much of a connection between
the film’s young protagonist (Joel Courtney) and his single-parent,
police deputy dad (Kyle Chandler), so there's no emotional investment
that’s really built up between them. More over, the government guys are
so purely “bad” here that I snickered a few times when they'd show up
on screen and Michael Giacchino's CE3K copycat motif would accompany
them each and every time. There’s no Peter Coyote type to off-set the
lack of depth in the movie’s characterizations, and why there needed to
be a bit of an "edge" with an older pot-smoking teen and an f-bomb was
also kind of odd (if anything, the latter felt like it came out of Judd
Apatow’s “Freaks and Geeks” series as opposed to a Spielberg project).
There are, however, some great moments, and a few affecting ones as
well. As much as I didn't care for Giacchino's score at times, the
movie’s beautifully done final shot is matched with an emotive (if
thematically unmemorable) concluding cue from the composer, and Abrams’
overriding style at least makes for a movie that, well, feels like a
movie the way they used to be made. “Super 8" may not have delivered
what it promised, but it’s not just a two-hour movie trailer with ADD
editing either. The early Spielberg salutes are obvious (the kid at the
dining room table beating the doll just like in CE3K; the overhead shot
of the town from E.T. and CE3K; the juxtaposition of a character in the
background with a foreground object on the other end of the widescreen
frame, seen in many of his earlier films; overpouring the dog food into
the dish from “Jaws,” etc.) but still fun.
If you like that type of film or grew up on them, “Super 8" is a
pleasant throwback – of sorts – to those genre films, and after a whole
summer of super-heroes, sequels and 3-D releases, this one was at least
worthy of support.
On the comedy front, CRAZY STUPID LOVE
(**) was a bit of a mess for directors Glenn Ficarra and John
Requa, the “Bad Santa” guys who previously helmed the ill-fated Jim
Carrey comedy “I Love You Phillip Morris.”
This ensemble rom-com examines the crumbling relationship between
married couple Steve Carell and Julianne Moore, leading to Carell
moving out and finding friendship with a young, upstart ladies man
(Ryan Gosling) – who proceeds to give him a makeover in order to make
him attractive to the field. That includes oversexed teacher Marisa
Tomei (regrettably forced into another worthless supporting role as a
“crazy cougar”), while Gosling himself falls for a perky law student
(Emma Stone) who wants more than just sex.
It’s funny how Ficarra and Requa are often billed in publicity
materials as this “cutting edge comedy” tandem, when in fact their past
credits (the ones that nobody talks about) include the feeble “Cats and
Dogs” as well as “Looney Tunes: Back in Action.” This time the duo
worked from a screenplay by Dan Fogelman, whose past credits include a
group of animated Disney films (“Cars,” “Bolt” and “Tangled”) as well
as the Christmas movie flop “Fred Claus.”
It wouldn’t seem like any of these folks were necessarily cut out for
the kind of poignant romantic-comedy-drama that “Crazy, Stupid Love”
aspires to, and the film ultimately feels like it was several rewrites
shy of coming together. The picture is almost fatally overlong, stuffed
to the gills with unappealing subplots (I could’ve lived without Carell
and Moore’s son’s infatuation with the family babysitter) and
characters with no pay off (I’m looking at you, Kevin Bacon!). The
actors try their best and there are some sporadically effective
moments, but they ultimately don’t add up to very much: there was a
good movie in “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” somewhere, but the directors were
ultimately unable to find it.
Meanwhile, several R-rated comedies also vied for the attention of
audiences this summer.
BRIDESMAIDS
(**½, 125 mins., R) has been one of the summer’s biggest
surprises – a low-budget Universal comedy that has generated nearly
$160 million in domestic returns so far.
A movie at war with itself, this agreeable comedy from SNL's Kristen
Wiig and company has some mild laughs and a few nice scenes. They also,
unfortunately, alternate with brief bursts of producer Judd Apatow's
R-rated "raunch" -- like a ridiculous, unfunny gross-out scene where
the ladies get food poisoning and end up relieving themselves in a
dress shop. It made me wonder -- when did comedy take the sudden right
turn to bodily fluid jokes of embarrassment? I'm guessing “There’s
Something About Mary” and “American Pie” are the films to blame for the
"modern trend" in R rated comedy, and with this film it's unfortunate
since the tone of the film is a bit more mature than the norm and Wiig
is quite sympathetic here. Also funny is the terrific Melissa McCarthy
from "Mike & Molly" who steals most of her scenes.
Overall, the movie isn’t great – just decent – in spite of its
inexplicably "90% fresh" rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
HORRIBLE BOSSES
(**½, 98 mins., R), meanwhile, is another not-bad comedy
from director Seth Gordon, who previously helmed the wonderful
documentary “The King of Quarters.”
Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis play three buddies sick
of their current, thankless working situations, leading to the trio
hatching a plan to eliminate their respective bosses – Kevin Spacey,
Jennifer Aniston and a barely-recognizable Colin Farrell.
“Horrible Bosses” takes a long time to get going but, once it does,
provides some occasionally inspired laughs. Bateman, Day and Sudeikis
have good chemistry with one another, Spacey is quite amusing and even
Aniston generates a few laughs (Farrell’s role seems to have hit the
cutting room floor by comparison). Jamie Foxx also manages a couple of
yucks as a tough guy the boys recruit to make a hit on their bosses –
and any film that includes a “Snow Falling On Cedars” joke is worth a
special commendation.
Both “Bridesmaids” and “Horrible Bosses” were infinitely more
entertaining than the pre-fab sequel THE HANGOVER PART II
(*½, 102 mins., R), one of those follow-ups that takes
you back to the ‘80s when studios would simply photocopy an original
script, change the setting and make a sequel expending the least amount
of effort possible.
Utterly by-the-numbers in every single aspect, “Hangover” Deux is
nothing but a virtual re-run of its predecessor, except instead of
Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifinakis’ buddy Justin Bartha
going missing, it’s Helms’ fiancee’s brother who disappears after a
wild night in...no, not Vegas...but Bangkok.
Director Todd Phillips seems more interested in establishing a gritty,
stylized look to the picture than cultivating a feeble screenplay that
simply adheres to the same narrative twists and turns as its
predecessor. There are a couple of funny lines and Ken Jeong is again
amusing as “Mr. Chow,” but everything else smacks of desperation. New on Blu-Ray
RIO
Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Copy (***, 96 mins., 2011, G; Fox): Blue Sky
Studios, who produced the "Ice Age" films, generated another big
box-office hit (nearly a half-billion worldwide) earlier this year with
“Rio," a quite-entertaining CGI animated film that ought to enchant
kids and keep adult viewers engaged with its vivid color pallet.
A cute little macaw named Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) is caged in
his warm South American homeland and sent to the cold confines of
Minnesota where he's raised, and loved, by a socially awkward girl
(voiced by Lesie Mann). A Brazilian scientist comes calling with the
news that Blu isn't the last of his kind and that there's a female
south of the border named Jewel (voice of Anne Hathaway) who can mate
with our hero and break him out of his funk.
As with many of Blue Sky's prior films, it's the character design
that's so appealing here, with likeable, distinctively animated figures
matched with absolutely gorgeous, warm primary colors. The musical
soundtrack is also a joy, John Powell's fine score being intertwined
with Latin-flavored tracks reflecting Brazil's musical heritage.
Even though I wished more of "Rio" hadn't taken place in a dark
warehouse where the villain captures our heroes, this is one of the
better CGI films I've seen recently, and comes absolutely recommended
on Blu-Ray where the movie's high-def transfer really sings. Both the
AVC encoded 1080p transfer and DTS MA soundtrack are marvelous, with
ample extras including deleted scenes and numerous featurettes, plus a
DVD and digital copy for portable media players.
STARGATE
ATLANTIS: The Complete Series Blu-Ray (2004-09; MGM/Fox):
Critics may not have paid much attention to this 2004 spin-off from the
popular “Stargate” TV franchise (itself derived from the Roland
Emmerich box-office hit of 1994), but fans lapped up this Syfy Channel
series, which ran from 2004-09 and offered a similar premise involving
a military/scientific expedition team exploring a lost world under
attack from the evil Wraith.
That MGM and Fox have collected all five seasons in a deluxe Blu-Ray
box-set also says something about the series’ popularity, and this
20-disc set is no slouch when it comes to its presentation. The AVC
encoded 1080p (1.78) transfers and 5.1 DTS MA soundtracks are all
first-rate, while extras have been brought over from the prior DVD
releases and include over 70 commentaries, 40 featurettes, deleted
scenes and other bonuses.
The slim packaging is also most welcome, making this a pricey though
not ridiculously expensive release (about $100) for “Atlantis” fans who
will find it to be well worth the upgrade from DVD.
OUTCASTS
Blu-Ray (470 mins., 2011, BBC): A group of survivors on a
post-apocalyptic Earth get the chance to build a new life on a planet
named Carpathia in this BBC series with Liam Cunningham and Eric
Maibus. “Outcasts” debuted to only mediocre interest earlier this year
and mostly tepid reviews – it was quickly canceled after only eight
episodes were produced, all of which are collected in this BBC Blu-Ray
set sporting 1080i transfers, stereo soundtracks and a pair of
featurettes.
TOP GEAR 16
Blu-Ray (417 mins., 2011; BBC): Jeremy, Richard and James
embark on a three-part USA road trip at the start of the 16th season of
“Top Gear,” which also finds the boys heading to Albania, meeting up
with Boris Becker, fellow mates Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and other
celebs (including Amber Heard). BBC’s Blu-Ray edition of “Top Gear”
season 16 includes 16:9 transfers and stereo soundtracks and a number
of extras including outtakes, featurettes, a behind-the-scenes doc and
other goodies for series fans. NEXT
TIME: A review of Matt Taylor's tremendous new book JAWS: MEMORIES FROM
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