Red Riding Hood

Catherine Hardwicke ("Thirteen") directs this reimagining of the classic fairy tale.  Amanda Seyfried ("Chloe") plays Valerie, a grown-up version of the titular heroine. Valerie and her family live in a medieval village bordering woods inhabited by a ferocious werewolf, and for years a peaceful pact has kept the evil creature at bay.  But now, the monster is thirsty for blood and the townsfolk are being picked off one by one.  Meanwhile, Valerie has been betrothed to the blacksmith's son, but is secretly in love with the poor, lowly woodcutter boy she grew up with.  Valerie must now choose who to give her heart to, but will she survive long enough to get her happily ever after?  This film so shamelessly tries to cash in on the “Twilight” phenomenon that it’s embarrassing.  From the hokey love triangle (complete with sincere good boy on one side and dangerous bad boy on the other), to the werewolves, to the wide sweeping shots of gorgeous, mountainous tree lines, it’s like Hardwicke followed her own template for creating an angsty-romantic-horror movie for the tween set.  The similarities end there, though, and without a decent plot or characters to rely on, the story goes nowhere fast.  Seyfried does her best naive-beauty-with-a-dark-side act, but comes across as insipid and prosaic.  Then there’s the boys: Max Irons (son of Jeremy) is adequate as the unrequited (read: Jacob) side of the love triangle; Shiloh Fernandez, on the other hand, is so irritatingly surly all the time that it’s impossible to take him seriously.  Lastly, I had to scratch my head at why the great Gary Oldman makes an appearance here… it seems he has developed a penchant recently for bad scary movies with supernatural forces at hand that only he has the power to stop.  Or maybe he just likes to show up for quick scenes where he gets to make grand entrances in mechanical elephants and yell at everyone for being far less intelligent than he is.  Who knows.  Either way, this unimaginative and trite retelling is one bedtime story worth skipping.


2 out of 5 stars

Insidious

From director James Wan ("Dead Silence") comes this gripping horror starring Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson.  Josh (Wilson) and Renai (Byrne) are new homeowners, and at first it seems that their dream home promises a better life for them and their three young children.  But soon after they move in, their son Dalton mysteriously falls into a deep coma that no one can seem to explain.  Then, Renai starts noticing strange happenings in the house and wonders if she's going crazy from stress... or is it possible that a sinister presence is wreaking havoc on their family and threatens to keep Dalton away forever?  Before I comment, let it be known that as a huge horror film buff, I've seen my fair share of scary movies (both good and bad) and I don't scare easily.  That being said, I cannot recall the last time I was this terrified from watching events unfold on my television screen.  Wan, a master of suspense who directed the original "Saw" (in my opinion, the only good "Saw" in the franchise) expertly sets the dark tone of the story from the very first frame where we see an indelible image of a grotesquely disfigured old woman.  The pace is perfect as the spooky events start off small and dismissible, and gradually build to panic-inducing occurrences that even a rational person can no longer ignore.  Byrne is terrific here as the haggard, stay-at-home mom who is forced to deal with keeping the household and caring for Dalton almost single-handedly while her husband goes off to work everyday.  Meanwhile, Wilson (who has experience playing men trying to break free of suburban life, see "Little Children") is the dad who copes by ignoring the problem and leaving all the heavy-lifting to his overburdened wife; Wilson does this so well that you want to yell at the screen for him to man up and do something already.  The imagery is thoroughly creepy and the score elegantly done - you won't find any cheap scares here that resort to a cat jumping out from behind a curtain while a loud violin tries to startle you.  "Insidious" is unsettling to watch and will have you squirming with anxiety - a rare feat of a horror film that will not easily be forgotten.

4 out of 5 stars

Tron: Legacy

Picking up 20 years after the last "Tron" film left off, we follow Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), son of computer genius Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), who mysteriously disappeared when Sam was just a boy.  Cut to present day, where Sam is all grown-up and and causing mischief for his dad's corporation, which is now run by greedy suits lacking the vision that Kevin Flynn had when he first started the company.  Until one night, Sam receives a cryptic page from the closed-down arcade that once belonged to his father, and gets sucked into the same cyber-world where Kevin has been trapped for the last 20 years - a dangerous place where computer programs are forced against their will to participate in death matches for the pleasure of their despot, Clu.  Will Sam survive long enough to find his father and make it back to the human world?  Much like its 1982 predecessor, this movie primarily relies on glittery special effects to weave its tale.  However, this modern update improves greatly on the now dated pre-CGI imagery of the original film.  Director Joseph Kosinski creates a dazzling landscape of neon colors and sleek grids, where programs speed around on virtual motorcycles and hovercrafts that leave bright trails of light in their wake (all set to a seductive, pulsating electronica score by Daft Punk).  Everything is a computer-generated marvel here, including Clu - a program that Kevin created to help him build a new utopian society - who is actually a digitized version of a young Bridges circa the 80's.  Clu is now a power-hungry, vengeful perfectionist who hates his maker, and Bridges does a good job of humanizing him through his voice-acting - despite the limitations of CGI, which result in a rubbery-looking Clu with a finite range of facial expressions.  On the other hand, Bridges lends some kitschy fun to the role of Kevin by playing him as a Zen, techie version of the Dude himself (Bridges un-ironically utters "Radical, man" in awe as he watches Sam perform a death-defying escape).  The film is pure popcorn pleasure, but also tries to deliver a powerful message, eschewing the pursuit of perfection and instead focusing on learning to appreciate beauty in the world around you (a little cheesy in its naivete, but hey, it works for the story).  Overall, this eye-candy paradise is geek heaven for the sci-fi lover and gamer alike.

3 out of 5 stars

Horrible Bosses

In this black comedy from director Seth Gordon ("Four Christmases"), three friends are driven to madness by their bullying bosses who cross every line imaginable.  Nick's (Jason Bateman) manager is an insane tyrant who works him to the bone while holding an elusive promotion over his head.  Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) loves his job... until the company's benevolent owner passes away and leaves his cokehead son in charge.  Then there's Dale (Charlie Day), a dental assistant who can't work anywhere else because of an unfortunate incident that branded him a sex offender, so he's forced to put up with his employer's incessant sexual advances.  Given the poor economy, Nick, Kurt, and Dale decide it may be easier to kill their bosses rather than start over again at other jobs.  But as they attempt to execute their scheme and their respective superiors, things start to go haywire and the friends realize that their half-baked plans could land them in prison.  It's been awhile since I can remember a film this dark and raunchy be this hysterical.  The story hooks you right from the get-go as the so-called horrible bosses are introduced: first, we meet Nick's boss, played by a superbly despicable Kevin Spacey, who Nick succinctly and hilariously describes as a Total Fucking Asshole (with those 3 words emblazoned on the screen in all caps).  It's from that early scene that you know you're in for something good.  Likewise, Colin Farrell - in a prosthetic gut and bald head rendering him almost unrecognizable - plays an equally detestable human being, with a proclivity for drugs, prostitutes, and karate.  But I was most delightfully surprised by Jennifer Aniston, who was clearly relishing her role as Dale's dirty dentist boss.  The things that came out of this lady's mouth were shocking, and I couldn't help but look forward to the next time she was on screen to hear what crazy thing she would say next.  The movie's premise is decidedly silly, but ultimately it's just a device to get these characters into absurdly laugh-inducing situations.  Perhaps in less capable actors' hands, the bosses would come off as too over-the-top to be enjoyable, but as played by Spacey, Farrell, and Aniston, I just couldn't get enough of these wackjobs.  Bateman, Sudeikis, and Day garner plenty of hearty chuckles, too, but the show truly belongs to the villains and these guys are just along for the crazy ride.  We've all at some point fantasized about terrible misfortunes befalling our own awful managers, and this movie allows us to vicariously experience our darkest fantasies played out on screen.  And when "Horrible Bosses" finally serves up its comeuppance, it's deliciously satisfying.

4 out of 5 stars

Captain America: The First Avenger

In the latest superhero launch from Marvel, Chris Evans plays the noble Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America.  Set during World War II, Steve is a smaller-than-average guy who wants nothing more than to become a soldier and fight the good fight overseas.  But with his scrawny build and long list of health problems, Steve is not an ideal Army candidate and finds himself rejected from military service time and time again.  Until one day, a strange German scientist named Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) selects Steve for a dangerous experiment to create the ultimate soldier - and he is transformed from weakling to warrior with a perfect physique and superhuman strength, speed, and stamina.  Now, it's up to Steve to bring down the Nazis and the evil Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) - another genetically altered man who went mad in the process.  But will Captain America succeed without having to sacrifice himself to save his country?  Following last spring's "Thor", this movie is another superhero origin story leading up to the big "Avengers" release next summer.  While the production of this film was very impressive, it didn't quite measure up to "Thor" or the "Iron Man" series, and I attribute much of that to the character of Steve Rogers himself.  Where Thor and Tony Stark are both incredibly charismatic and powerful men - Thor, charmingly arrogant with his brawn and similarly Stark, with his brains - Steve Rogers is a bit of a bore.  He's lionhearted, sure, and extremely appealing due to his selflessness and steadfastness, but neither of these traits make for a very exciting person.  It's also surprising given that Evans is known for playing cocky and self-assured guys (see his previous superhero stint in "The Fantastic Four" films), and I kept wishing the writers could've given some of that attitude to Steve and taken the whole thing a little less seriously.  But fighting Nazis is serious business, and there was definitely no shortage of thrilling action sequences (one scene on a moving train was especially captivating and emotionally-stirring).  Steve's love interest, Peggy (played by fetching Brit, Hayley Atwell) is a fiery commanding officer who slowly falls for Steve's kind and humble heart, and their romance serves the story well in showing off the superhero's softer, more vulnerable side.  In the end, Steve wears you down into falling for him, too, because it's really hard not to like someone who's just so sincere and gosh-darn nice.  Sure, he may not be the funnest guy around, but you know that Captain America always has your back and won't rest until good triumphs over evil... and isn't that all we could ever hope for from our superheroes?

3 out of 5 stars

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II

In the much anticipated conclusion to the magical series, the action kicks right in.  Picking up just moments after the last film leaves off, we watch Harry and his friends gearing up for the ultimate battle of good vs. evil.  With Voldemort in possession of the Elderwand - not only the most powerful wand in existence, but also one-third of the fabled Deathly Hallows that together can make any wizard the master of death - it's up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione to locate and destroy the last remaining Horcruxes and vanquish the Dark Lord forever.  With the last film having perfectly set the stage for the final showdown between Harry and Voldemort, it allows the story to focus purely on the thrilling climax as one long third act which doesn't slow down for even a second.  One scene, where our brave trio narrowly evades death by taking flight on a fire-breathing dragon and busting through the roof of Gringott's, is especially exhilarating.  It's also great fun seeing Emma Watson as Hemione - who we've come to know and love for her extremely rational and logical judgement - throw caution to the wind by hatching their crazy escape plan in the first place.  Similarly, Daniel Radcliffe - an adorable little boy when the series first started, and now a confident young man - imbues Harry with all the courage and determination he can muster.  Seeing Harry tormented as he watches his friends sacrifice themselves for him, and coming to grips with the realization of what he must do to finally stop Voldemort left me both terrified and awestruck.  But no character arc was more saisfying than that of Severus Snape (played by one uber-talented Alan Rickman, who gives me goose bumps whenever he appears on screen) in an enlightening flashback that answers all questions about where Snape's heart and loyalties lie once and for all.  The stakes are higher here than ever before, and so is the death toll - watching key players get killed off makes the action all too real - resulting in the most emotional and gut-wrenching installment to date.  There was one scene that left me feeling a bit underwhelmed (and I think fans of the books will agree that the fight between Bellatrix and Molly Weasley was much too brief in the film and felt rushed), but that is a minor complaint.  Overall, the gifted filmmakers do a tremendous job of keeping faithful to the novels and appeasing book fans and film fans alike.  As we bid a bittersweet farewell to Harry, Hermione, Ron, and the rest of the wizardring world, we are sad but also filled with hope that their story lives on in the minds and hearts of all proud Potterphiles.  Goodbye, Harry, and thanks for the memories.


5 out of 5 stars

The Tourist

Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp star in this twisty caper directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (Oscar-winning "The Lives of Others").  Set amongst the gorgeous backdrop of Venice, the story centers around the beautiful and enigmatic Elise - a woman whose every move is being monitored by Interpol in hopes of catching her thieving ex-lover.  To try to elude the authorities, Elise and her boyfriend hatch a scheme which involves lonely schoolteacher, Frank (Depp), passing himself off as the man everyone is looking for.  Soon Frank and Elise are running from not just the police, but the even more dangerous criminals they swindled in the first place... but will Elise's new feelings for Frank get in the way of the love she still harbors for her ex-lover?  The plot is cleverly laid out and unfolds in an entertaining manner, and the action scenes help make up for the lazily written characters.  Elise is all smoke and mirrors to the point that we never get a glimpse of what she's really about, which leaves the gifted Jolie little to do but stand there and look pretty (which she does very well, of course, but I'd rather see her acting chops put to better use).  Depp's Frank is similarly fuzzy, and half the time I got the impression that Frank was half-asleep... an unusual quality given the dangerous circumstances.  The locale cannot be beat: with its sun-kissed buildings and sparkling waters, the city of Venice almost seems like another character in the story (and is, at times, more captivating than the two leads).  But there's definitely plenty of thrills and some interesting twists that keep you guessing almost to the very end - with a very satisfying denouement wrapping everything up nicely into a tidy little package - which makes this enticing european excursion worth checking out.

3 out of 5 stars

No Strings Attached

Ivan Reitman directs this sexy romantic comedy, starring Ashton Kutcher and  Natalie Portman.  Kutcher plays Adam, a serial monogamist who is just getting over a particularly bad break-up and isn't interested in getting serious with anyone.  Portman plays Emma, a successful doctor who isn't interested in relationships period.  The two meet at different intervals in their lives (at summer camp as young teens, as college students later on, etc.) and keep each other at a distance, despite their obvious mutual attraction.  That all changes when they serendipitously find themselves living in the same city and at each other's disposal.  Adam and Emma form a pact to have an open relationship based solely on sex and unencumbered by emotional ties.  Which is all fine and good until they start feeling something more.  In this utterly predictable story, practically every character is written as a caricature of themselves: Adam (as a charming but goofy stud) and Emma (as a driven and beautiful ice-queen) are familiar stereotypes in the rom-com repertoire.  But somehow the actors pull off making these characters likable.  Kutcher is, in fact, charming as Adam, balancing his usual overgrown frat boy shtick with an unexpected warmth and vulnerability.  And once Emma finally starts letting her guard down - there's a funny scene where a very drunk Emma tells off a couple of Adam's dates - Portman hits her stride and lets loose with a winsome zaniness not seen since her performance in "Garden State".  The other saving grace for this movie is the witty dialogue, with sharp zingers and observations (Greta Gerwig, as one of Emma's roommates, delivers a particularly funny line while the girls are commiserating about their monthly cycles). "No Strings Attached" is fluff in every sense of the word - you can't survive on the sugary substance alone, but it still succeeds in satisfying that sweet tooth craving.

3 out of 5 stars