Hey all, took a break
from the weekly, but that means you all get two week’s worth of films in one!
Movies Seen In Theatres This Week: The Amazing Burt Wonderstone, The Great and
Powerful Oz, Admission, Tyler Perry’s Temptation
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| We like the one on the right. |
Lesson 5. Somehow
Michael Bay is More Marketable then M. Night
Appropriately enough, we start this week with trailers. With summer just around the corner, it’s time for studios to throw a bunch of money into marketing. Two of the first big budget studio films with major marking campaigns are Pain & Gain and After Earth. The first directed by the master of torture, Michael Bay, and the second by the master of boringly predicable twists, M. Night Sham… Shymaya… Shyamalan. Yet you would never know it from the trailers. The entire marketing stagey of After Earth is based on its familial stars, Will and Jaden Smith, and M. Night’s name is never once mentioned (he’s becoming more and more of a liability to be attached to a film, and the studio must have some faith if they are releasing it in the summer). Conversely, Pain & Gain has Bay’s name plastered all over it. Bay somehow, someway, still has credibility. You won’t ever catch me defending M. Night as good director, but I will give him an A for effort, at least he tries to make something new a different every time. He usually fails, but an that effort goes a farther then the CG animated, no-story, stereotypical, blow-em up crap we get from Bay (Jeff's Note: Also Shyamalan has written every one of his projects, something Bay has done ZERO times. Like them or leave them, M. Night puts everything he has into his flicks).
Appropriately enough, we start this week with trailers. With summer just around the corner, it’s time for studios to throw a bunch of money into marketing. Two of the first big budget studio films with major marking campaigns are Pain & Gain and After Earth. The first directed by the master of torture, Michael Bay, and the second by the master of boringly predicable twists, M. Night Sham… Shymaya… Shyamalan. Yet you would never know it from the trailers. The entire marketing stagey of After Earth is based on its familial stars, Will and Jaden Smith, and M. Night’s name is never once mentioned (he’s becoming more and more of a liability to be attached to a film, and the studio must have some faith if they are releasing it in the summer). Conversely, Pain & Gain has Bay’s name plastered all over it. Bay somehow, someway, still has credibility. You won’t ever catch me defending M. Night as good director, but I will give him an A for effort, at least he tries to make something new a different every time. He usually fails, but an that effort goes a farther then the CG animated, no-story, stereotypical, blow-em up crap we get from Bay (Jeff's Note: Also Shyamalan has written every one of his projects, something Bay has done ZERO times. Like them or leave them, M. Night puts everything he has into his flicks).
Lesson 4. All Problems in the World are Jim Carrey’s
Fault
At least all problems in Burt Wonderstone’s world are. The Amazing Burt Wonderstone doesn’t know what it wants to be, it straddles the line between a broad comedy and something with a little more heart. But it’s real failure is with Carrey. Carrey is playing a Criss Angel type character who is… a douchebag… there’s no nicer way to say that. But Carrey is just going through the motions and is far too big of a name to believable in the part. Carrey’s role as the “villain” of the movie is nothing but a one joke wonder, but if this part was given to a lesser known comedian who actually would have tried, it could have been the missing ingredient this film needed to make it watchable. As it stands Burt Wonderstone is mediocre at best.
At least all problems in Burt Wonderstone’s world are. The Amazing Burt Wonderstone doesn’t know what it wants to be, it straddles the line between a broad comedy and something with a little more heart. But it’s real failure is with Carrey. Carrey is playing a Criss Angel type character who is… a douchebag… there’s no nicer way to say that. But Carrey is just going through the motions and is far too big of a name to believable in the part. Carrey’s role as the “villain” of the movie is nothing but a one joke wonder, but if this part was given to a lesser known comedian who actually would have tried, it could have been the missing ingredient this film needed to make it watchable. As it stands Burt Wonderstone is mediocre at best.
Lesson 3. Tyler
Perry’s take on Jedi Masters
One of this week’s lessons is to never pay money for a Tyler Perry film. I saw Tyler Perry’s Temptation this week (the things we do for our girlfriends). Needless to say this was a terrible movie that only saves itself by being so bad it’s hilarious at times. I would not recommend seeing Temptation, however if for some reason you have to I suggest that you look at all male characters as either Jedi Masters or Sith Lords. Brice is the Jedi and Harley is the Sith. They stage an epic battle for a woman’s heart using nothing but Jedi mind tricks. Harley is a particularly skilled Sith Lord and can get all women to fall in love with him with nothing but a simple raise of his creepy eye brows; whereas Brice, the up and coming Jedi, needs more time to craft his skill. This might sound ridiculous but every woman in this film does whatever a man tells her to… it’s annoying. Just avoid Tyler Perry’s Temptation at all costs
One of this week’s lessons is to never pay money for a Tyler Perry film. I saw Tyler Perry’s Temptation this week (the things we do for our girlfriends). Needless to say this was a terrible movie that only saves itself by being so bad it’s hilarious at times. I would not recommend seeing Temptation, however if for some reason you have to I suggest that you look at all male characters as either Jedi Masters or Sith Lords. Brice is the Jedi and Harley is the Sith. They stage an epic battle for a woman’s heart using nothing but Jedi mind tricks. Harley is a particularly skilled Sith Lord and can get all women to fall in love with him with nothing but a simple raise of his creepy eye brows; whereas Brice, the up and coming Jedi, needs more time to craft his skill. This might sound ridiculous but every woman in this film does whatever a man tells her to… it’s annoying. Just avoid Tyler Perry’s Temptation at all costs
Lesson 2. Killing us with Cuteness
There is nothing overtly wrong with Admission, but there is nothing noticeably right either. Paul Rudd and Tina Fey are cute, the kids in the film are cute, it gives a cute portal of college, and even the shlub ex-boyfriend has cute tendencies. Admission will be overlooked by most audiences because it’s nothing special, but truth be told, it’s going to be one of the better rom-coms of 2013. Don’t go out of your way to see this film but don’t avoid either. Sometimes you need an afternoon full of cute.
There is nothing overtly wrong with Admission, but there is nothing noticeably right either. Paul Rudd and Tina Fey are cute, the kids in the film are cute, it gives a cute portal of college, and even the shlub ex-boyfriend has cute tendencies. Admission will be overlooked by most audiences because it’s nothing special, but truth be told, it’s going to be one of the better rom-coms of 2013. Don’t go out of your way to see this film but don’t avoid either. Sometimes you need an afternoon full of cute.
Lesson 1. Take a trip to Oz
Yes, that’s right! Right now, go. Take. A. Trip. To. Oz. Pop your popcorn, get your candy, fill up on soda, get comfy on couch and pop in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. It’s the only Oz film you’ll ever need. The Great and Powerful Oz comes in a long line of films (The Wiz, Return to Oz) that try to recapture the magic of the original film, but nothing comes close. Nothing ever will. This is a great occasion to revisit the classic film and remember what made it great. The new film is beautiful to look at, but that’s where it stops. Poor casting choices, lackluster performances, and an overall muddy point of view make The Great and Powerful Oz a waste of time, and a great reminder of what we love about the original.
Yes, that’s right! Right now, go. Take. A. Trip. To. Oz. Pop your popcorn, get your candy, fill up on soda, get comfy on couch and pop in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. It’s the only Oz film you’ll ever need. The Great and Powerful Oz comes in a long line of films (The Wiz, Return to Oz) that try to recapture the magic of the original film, but nothing comes close. Nothing ever will. This is a great occasion to revisit the classic film and remember what made it great. The new film is beautiful to look at, but that’s where it stops. Poor casting choices, lackluster performances, and an overall muddy point of view make The Great and Powerful Oz a waste of time, and a great reminder of what we love about the original.
PLUS: Jeff’s Netflix Picks of the
Week
If
you’re unable to enjoy a week in the theatre, check these out at home. They’re
not new, but you get to wear your PJ’s…
Death
at a Funeral (The Original)
– Neill Labute is a great playwright, but he makes nothing but lousy movies. Do
yourself a favor and watch the original 2007 Brit version of this black farce.
Plus it’s directed by Frank Oz with American treasure Alan Tudyk, who is naked. Enjoy.
Kids
With Friends – It’s amazing
what a Judd Apatow cast can do when they get away from Judd Apatow. Though the
plot is totally predictable, Adam Scott gives a great performance, and
writer/director Jennifer Westfeldt is my new celebrity crush. Too bad she’s
already with Jon Hamm.
Bernie
– This movie snuck by
most of us in theatre’s, but is perfect for home viewing. Plus if it’s popular
enough online, we might get a sequel! Bernie
– With a Vengeance!
Archer Season 3 – It’s finally here!
And what not to watch: Take This Waltz. Yeesh… Don’t get suckered in like I was.
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