Law Abiding Citizen

PLOT (spoiler alert!!!):

In a 1999 Philadelphia home invasion, Clarence James Darby (Christian Stolte) and his accomplice Rupert Ames (Josh Stewart) kill the wife and daughter of Clyde Alexander Shelton (Gerard Butler) before his eyes. Prosecutor Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) is unable to use DNA hard evidence to securely convict both accused and unwilling to take a chance on lowering his high conviction rate. He makes a deal with Darby, letting him plead guilty to a lesser charge and receive a reduced sentence in return for testifying against Ames. Ames is found guilty and is sentenced to death. Darby is released after a few years. Shelton feels betrayed by Rice’s actions and by the justice system in general.

Ten years later, Ames’s time on death row is up. Unknown to the prosecutors and the witnesses, the cardiotoxic drug usually used in executions has been replaced with an anticonvulsant, causing Ames to die an extremely painful death. Evidence relating to tampering with the drug implicates Darby. An anonymous caller alerts Darby as the police draw near, and directs him to a remote location. Shelton, disguised as a cop, reveals himself as the caller and paralyzes Darby with puffer fish poison. He straps Darby to a table and slowly dismembers him, videorecording the gory proceedings. When Darby’s remains are found, evidence ties his death to Shelton. Shelton willingly gives himself up and goes to jail.

Rice learns his wife and daughter were sent the dismemberment video and were traumatized by it, and initially refuses to bargain with Shelton to make a confession. But District Attorney Jonas Cantrell (Bruce McGill) orders Rice to make a deal. In court, Shelton represents himself. He successfully argues that he should be granted bail, then berates the judge for accepting the “bullshit” legal precedents he himself cited and for being too eager to let madmen and murderers back on the street. The judge jails Shelton for contempt of court.

Shelton demands a steak dinner be delivered to his cell by a specific time, in return for telling where to find Darby’s lawyer, who was reported missing three days earlier. Rice agrees, though the dinner is delayed by a few minutes due to the warden’s security measures. Once he has his meal, Shelton provides a set of coordinates, where Rice and the others find Darby’s lawyer, buried alive but suffocated when his air supply ran out while Shelton’s dinner was being delayed. Shelton kills his cellmate, forcing the warden to secure him in solitary confinement.

Cantrell arranges a meeting with a CIA contact and brings Rice. They learn that Shelton has previously worked with the agency, creating devices to assassinate people in imaginative ways. Further, they are warned that Shelton is capable of killing anyone he wishes. During a meeting with Rice and Cantrell, the judge is killed when she answers her cell phone and it explodes. A number of Rice’s assistants are killed by car bombs, one of them Sarah Lowell (Leslie Bibb). As Rice and Cantrell leave the funeral of one of Rice’s assistants, Cantrell is killed by a weaponized bomb disposal robot. The mayor (Viola Davis) puts the city under lockdown and promotes Rice to acting District Attorney.

Rice learns that Shelton owns an auto garage next to the prison. A tunnel from the garage leads to a cache of guns, disguises, and other equipment below the solitary confinement cells, and secret entrances to each cell. He realizes Shelton wanted to be in solitary, allowing him to easily leave the prison without detection and commit the murders. Evidence in the tunnel points Rice to Shelton’s next target, city hall, where the mayor is holding an emergency meeting with city officials. Rice and his men cannot find Shelton, but discover evidence pointing to a cell-phone-activated suitcase bomb in the room directly below the meeting.

Shelton returns to his garage after planting the city hall bomb, then returns to his cell. He is surprised to find Rice waiting for him. Rice berates Shelton for taking revenge because of the pain he suffered. Shelton suggests another deal, but Rice refuses this time, saying that he does not make deals with murderers anymore, and thanks Shelton for teaching him that. Rice secures Shelton in the cell and flees. Despite being pleased that Rice had finally learned his lesson, Shelton dials the cell phone on the city hall bomb. Shelton realizes too late that Rice has moved the bomb to his cell and the cell’s entrance to the tunnel has been sealed. Shelton looks upon his daughter’s bracelet with a sense of sadness, accepting his fate as the bomb explodes

REVIEW:

What happens when a man has nothing to lose? Does he remain a Law Abiding Citizen? Or does revenge consume every waking moment of his life? That is the something you will find yourself asking while you’re watching this film, though I’m not sure it ever truly gets answered.

What is this about?

Traumatized by the atrocious murders of his wife and daughter — and the flawed justice system that set the killers free — Clyde Shelton gives in to his rage and sets out on a course of vengeance.

What did I like?

Sunday, bloody Sunday. This is not a film for the squeamish! Before you ask…no, there aren’t any Saw type murders, but there are some bloody scenes. Best comparison I can think of is to think of something like Shoot ‘Em Up. Yes it is violent, and perhaps a bit over the top, but still believable, to a point. Blood is spilled, and you should be ready for it. After having to sit through a long and boring banquet last night, I needed some release and watching this did it for me!

Leading men. Two of my bst friends must be loving the fact that the actors they love are starring in this. I’m sure plenty of women (and some men) feel the same way. Hell, there is even a scene where Gerard Butler gets naked (you only see his backside, sorry ladies). I’m not really sure what that was about, but whatever. I have to admit, though, the chemistry between these two was better than I would have expected. Then again, given Gerard’s recent string of movies, I think we have all forgotten than he is a very, very, VERY capable action star and knows how to act in those films, as opposed to romantic comedies.

Good or evil. Something that I felt this film did a great job of doing was convincing us that Butler’s characters was still a good guy at heart, even if his methods for getting back at the system didn’t seem to be ideal for a “law-abiding citizen”. It would have been so easy for them to just have him go off the deep end and become a serial killer or terrorist, but he uses his military training to his advantage and creates quite the body count from beginning to end.

What didn’t I like?

Death. I may have liked the violence and killings in this picture, but I was not a fan of the killing of the wife and little girl. Call me a softy, but there is just something not right about mindlessly slaughtering a child. Had they left her alive, this film could have gone in a totally different story arc, while keeping the same tone and plot. I realize that her death was for a reason, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it!

Women. The actresses in the picture seemed to have gotten the short end of the stick, as every one of them, with the exception of Regina Hall ended up dead, and Hall only had a couple of scenes, so it isn’t like she was a major character. Could it be some thinly veiled misogynistic ideal from this director, pure coincidence, or is there something bigger here? I don’t know the true reason, but they could have done more with these fabulous females.

Too perfect. The ending was perfect…maybe too much so. Not to spoil anything, but let’s just say the good guy finally catches the bad guy without him even knowing it. I don’t know, it just felt like that was something we all expected to happen, rather than a more inspired ending that this film probably deserved.

It was good to have the chance to see Gerard Butler in his element again. This is the kind of stuff that he was made for. I am not sure that this would have been as enjoyable a film without him, as anyone else would have surely just played any other Law Abiding Citizen. Do I think you should see this? Yes, I mean it has its issues and is far from a perfect film, but this is the kind of flick that you can check out and enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars

Kingpin

PLOT (spoiler alert!!!):

Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson) is a bowling prodigy who wins the 1979 Iowa state amateur championship and plans to leave his tiny (fictional) hometown of Ocelot, Iowa, to go on the Professional Bowlers Tour. He wins his first tournament, defeating an established pro named Ernie McCracken (Bill Murray). Soon after, McCracken convinces Roy to help him hustle some bowlers. The con goes badly, and McCracken flees while the bowlers they swindled cut off Roy’s hand in revenge.

In present day, a down-and-out Munson sports a prosthetic hook covered with a fake rubber hand and sells bowling alley supplies for a living, with little success. Roy resides in a seedy apartment building in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where an unpleasant landlady (Lin Shaye) is constantly after him to pay overdue rent. On a sales call, Roy catches sight of an Amish man, Ishmael Boorg (Randy Quaid), rolling a respectable game. Roy tries to convince Ishmael to turn pro, with him acting as manager. Ishmael declines the offer as he has little interest in worldly affairs – bowling is his only vice. After having unwanted sex with his repulsive landlady in lieu of rent, Roy sees a headline on a bowling magazine advertising a $1,000,000 winner-take-all tournament in Reno, Nevada. Posing as an Amish man, Roy visits the Boorg family home to try and convince Ishmael to enter the tournament. Ishmael reluctantly agrees when he receives news that the Amish community will lose their land unless a $500,000 payment can be raised. Roy discovers that Ishmael is not as skilled as he first thought, as Ishmael’s self-proclaimed 270 average is based on a 15-frame game, instead of the standard 10 frames – based on the notion that the Amish are obligated by tradition to do everything “half-again” as much as everyone else. A disgruntled Roy decides to take Ishmael home, but Ishmael refuses and decides to go to Reno alone. Roy decides to give Ishmel another chance rather than return home to his landlady, and after some coaching along the way Ishmael’s game steadily improves.

During the road trip, Roy introduces Ishmael to worldly vices. The pair wind up at a mansion owned by a hoodlum named Stanley (Rob Moran) whom they plan to hustle. When Stanley discovers their ploy, he threatens them with violence, but his girlfriend Claudia (Vanessa Angel), tired of Stanley’s abuse, helps the pair escape and they all continue on the road to Reno. When Claudia disapproves of Roy’s exploitation of Ishmael, Roy tries to abandon her but she thwarts his plan and they begin to fight, at which point Ishmael abandons them both. As they search for him, they make a stop in Ocelot, and Claudia’s attitude towards Roy softens when she learns that he was too ashamed of his failure to return home even for his father’s funeral. They finally reunite with Ishmael and make their way to Reno. At a Reno hotel, Roy runs into McCracken, who is now a bowling celebrity entered in the $1,000,000 tournament. McCracken insults Roy, and infuriates Ishmael to the point where he takes a swing at him. McCracken ducks and Ishmael hits a wall and breaks his hand, leaving him unable to bowl. To make matters worse, Stanley tracks Claudia to Reno, steals the trio’s bankroll and forces Claudia to leave with him. Hurt and confused by Claudia’s apparent abandonment, Ishmael tries to convince Roy that they still have a chance to win the $1,000,000 – if Roy will bowl.

Roy finally agrees and enters the tournament, rolling the ball with his prosthetic rubber hand. Despite all odds, Roy has a Cinderella run through the tournament, defeating both pro bowlers Mark Roth and Randy Pedersen on his way to face McCracken in the final. The two competitors are closely matched heading into the final frame, until Ishmael’s brother arrives and orders Ishmael to return home with him immediately. Distracted by his friend’s sudden absence, Roy rolls the most difficult of splits (7-10 split) but is miraculously able to convert it, thereby forcing McCracken to roll three strikes to beat him. McCracken ultimately does so, and wins the tournament. Roy sits silently in his chair as McCracken celebrates in an extremely obnoxious fashion, and remains there as the cleaning crew sweep the seats around him. Absorbing all that has happened, with his friends ditching him and frustrated at how close he came to defeating his rival, Roy lets out a loud yell, startling the cleaning crews. The next day, Stanley violently approaches Roy, accusing him of stealing his gambling winnings. Roy tells him that he does not have the money, but reluctantly blames McCracken for his hand mishap. Ultimately, the blame switches to McCracken, with Stanley seeking to find and kill him for stealing his bankroll.

Roy returns to his seedy apartment where he is surprised by an unexpected visitor at his door. Claudia has returned with the bankroll she had taken from Stanley, now doubled since Stanley bet against Roy in the final. She proposes the cash be split three-ways between Roy, Ishmael and herself, but instead Roy produces a $500,000 check he has received from Trojan condoms for an endorsement deal – thanks to his fake hand which earned him the nickname “Rubber Man” during the ESPN-televised tournament. Roy pointedly states that the money is going to be split “one-way”. The story ends with Roy sitting together with Claudia in the Boorg household after giving the $500,000 to the Amish so their community can be saved. Roy has also covered for Ishmael’s indiscretions on the road and portrays him as a hero to his family. As the credits roll, Roy and Claudia happily drive away together.

REVIEW:

Even though I can’t bowl a lick, I’ve been wanting to go to the lanes and see what I can do. Who knows, maybe after all these years I’ve actually gotten better. Surely, I couldn’t get worse! Watching Kingpin has definitely fanned the flames of that fire!

What is this about?

The Farrelly brothers dumb down and goof up pro bowling — and gross us out in the process. After bowler Roy Munsen (Woody Harrelson) swindles the wrong crowd and is left with a hook for a hand, he settles into impoverished obscurity. That is, until he uncovers the next big thing: an Amish kid named Ishmael (Randy Quaid). So, the corrupt and the hopelessly naïve hit the circuit intent on settling an old score with Big Ern (Bill Murray).

What did I like?

Professional bowling. There are a few films about bowling out there, but none that really take on the pro bowling circuit. If you’re like me, then the most you know about the PBA is that it comes on after Sunday NFL Countdown on ESPN. I don’t think many of us know anything about the association, but ut nice to see that someone has taken the time to lampoon it.

Irony. I find it a bit ironic that Woody Harrelson, who at this time was still best known as the simple, slow bartender from Cheers and here he is being a mentor to a simple and slow Amish bumpkin. There are obvious similarities between the two and the mentorship he provides is something to see, in the moments when he isn’t berating the poor guy.

What didn’t I like?

Eye candy. Just like any other red-blooded male, I’m all for looking at a beautiful woman. However, if you’re going to put one in a film like this, then she has to be believable. This Vanessa Angel chick was obviously cast for her looks and not her talent…just like a few of today’s actresses. I felt that her role could have been more believable if she would have just given more care to it, and not just more or less read the lines.

Big Ern. Obviously, in a film such as this, the rival is going to play a major role, even if he disappears for a good chunk of the picture. Bill Murray’s Big Ern is obviously the film’s antagonist, but considering how he isn’t the one who causes the loss of Harrelson’s hand, it doesn’t feel like it. He comes off more as just a rival rather than someone who has to be beaten.

Kingpin is listed as one of the greatest comedies of 1996. That may be the case, as I can’t remember the comedies that came out that year, but in 2013, I wasn’t impressed. As with other Farrelly Brothers movie, the gross out humor sort of takes over. If you’re not of these kind of jokes, or not in the mood, then this will not be something you should be watching. Do I recommend it, though? It is hard for me to give this a glowing recommendation, but I see no reason to avoid it, so give it a shot sometime, but don’t go out of your way to do so.

3 1/3 out of 5 stars

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted

PLOT (spoiler alert!!!):

After four years since bidding the penguins goodbye, Alex the lion has a nightmare about himself and his friends still stranded in Africa and finding they have all gotten old. He then wakes from his nightmare on his birthday, and the animals present him with a miniature model of New York City out of mud. Alex suggests to Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe, and Gloria the hippopotamus that they should go to Monte Carlo to get the penguins to fly them back to New York City, which they agree to.

In Monte Carlo, Alex and his gang’s attempt to reach the penguins and King Julien blunders and sparks chaos in the Monte Carlo Casino, where its security calls the captain of Monaco’s animal control, Chantel Dubois, to deal with the animals. A high-speed chase around the streets of Monaco ensues between the relentless Dubois and the animals in a truck driven by the penguins to reach their aircraft and they depart on the plane, barely escaping Dubois.

In the skies of France, the plane’s gear assembly fails and the plane crashes into a suburban rail yard as the authorities close in. They come across a circus train and knocked on it, desperately trying to get in. Seeing their only chance of escape is on the circus train, they desperately claim that they are circus animals themselves, which convinces Stefano the sea lion and Gia the jaguar to let them in despite the protests of Vitaly the tiger. The animals soon learn from Stefano that they are performing in Rome and London, where they plan to impress a promoter to get them on their first American tour. Before the zoo animals’ claim is discredited, the penguins suddenly appear with a deal to purchase the circus themselves, resulting in the pleased departure of all the humans. Afterwards, Julien finds himself falling in love wth a tricycle-riding bear name Sonya. Meanwhile the others prepare for the performance at the Colosseum in Rome. Unfortunately, to the zoo animals’ horror, the show proves to be a disaster. The angered audience demands refunds, right to going to the point of chasing the circus to the departing train to London.

En route to London, Stefano soon reveals to Alex that Vitaly was once their inspiration. Once a professional ring jumper who used to leap through incrementally smaller hoops to excite crowds and was always pushing himself to the limit, his attempt at an impossible jump through a flaming pinkie ring ended in disaster when he burned his fur, which he had coated in extra virgin olive oil in order to slip through the narrow opening, destroying his confidence in his talent and the whole circus suffered by his example. An inspired Alex then has the train make a stop in the Alps and convinces the performers to rework their act to become the opposite of the world-famous human-only Cirque du Soleil as an animal-only lights and acrobatic show. Heartened by Alex’s vision, the zoo animals and the circus animals develop sophisticated acts together and become closer friends in the process, especially Alex and Gia who find themselves falling in love.

Meanwhile, Dubois is arrested in Rome after causing problems with the local police officers while chasing the animals out of her jurisdiction, but escapes and discovers that Alex was the missing lion from the zoo in New York. Once free, Dubois recruits her injured men and they head toward the Alps, forcing the animals to proceed to London despite incomplete rehearsals. In London, the troupe prepares for the promoter in the audience, but Vitaly is discovered packing to leave. Alex convinces Vitaly to stay by reminding him of how he enjoys performing the impossible and suggests that he uses hair conditioner as a safer lubricant to perform his flaming ring jump. As a result, Vitaly’s stunt is performed perfectly, which proves to be the opening of a spectacularly successful show and Alex and Gia grew closer to each other. After the impressed promoter arranges for an American tour, Dubois shows up with a paper showing that Alex was missing. Though the penguins are able to foil Dubois’ plan, Alex is forced to confess that the four of them are just zoo animals trying to get home, disappointing the others who feel used and lied from the four of them. Also, Julien breaks up with Sonya, telling her that he can’t be a part of the circus.

Finally, both the zoo animals and the circus arrive in New York City. Likewise, the zoo group and Julien finally arrive at the gates of the closed Central Park Zoo, only to realize that their adventure has changed them too much to return to captivity and that they were “home” when they joined the circus. The zoo animals resolve to return to the circus and reconcile with their new friends, but they are then tranquilized and captured by Dubois. The zoo staff, delighted by Alex’s reappearance, thank Dubois, incorrectly believing that she was returning the missing animals. Unnoticed, Julien manages to reach the circus (despite being darted by Dubois) and the penguins realize that the group had been ambushed. Upon learning about the zoo animals’ plight, Gia and Vitaly convince the circus animals to rescue their friends and they set out for the zoo, performing aboard a flying circus.

Meanwhile at the zoo, Alex awakens to find that he along with Marty, Melman, and Gloria are in their enclosures, surrounded by tall chain-link fences. Dubois steps on stage to receive a million-dollar check of appreciation from the zoo, which she rejects, and secretly loads a poison-filled dart into a gun which she hides inside a foam finger in preparation to kill Alex. The circus animals arrive in time to stop her and a massive brawl occurs where the circus uses all of what they had developed as part of their revamped act. As the group tries to leave, DuBois attempts to kill Stefano, who is stranded at the zoo. However, Alex saves Stefano by performing a performance he describes as the “Trapeze Americano”, proving that it is real, and all the animals then defeat the insane DuBois, and escape.

Heartened by this valiant demonstration of their new friends’ love, Alex and his friends decide to join the circus permanently to start their American tours across the country. Meanwhile, DuBois and her men find themselves inside shipping crates on a cargo ship bound for Madagascar, thanks to Skipper (just like in the first film).

REVIEW:

There comes a point with films like Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted that you truly must sit back and wonder if it was made to tell a good story or just grab a few $$$ from kids and their parents. I happen to believe this is more of the latter, but I could be totally wrong.

What is this about?

Having ended their African adventures, Alex and his friends set their sights for New York City — this time, hitching a ride with a traveling circus. But as they make their way through Europe, they run into their fair share of roadblocks.

What did I like?

Animal control. In both previous films, it seems as if the humans just let the animals rum amok with little to no effort to control them. Yes, they did make an attempt to capture them, but that was obviously just to have a villain or two. This time around, we meet Chantal Dubois, a French animal control officer who is apparently very competent, as she has never not captured her target. It is about time we got someone like this to give them a run for their money!

No king. I found the character of King Julien to be a bit over the top and too much. Then again, he is voiced by Sacha Baron Cohen, so I really shouldn’t be surprised. In this film, he and his “subjects” get very little screentime. I guess focus groups felt the same way and the filmmakers decided to scale him back.

Circus and balance. I must say that the circus scene was quite impressive. I’m not quite sure that I loved it, but there was a definitive entertainment factor there. A note must be made about the balance in the film’s tone. Make no mistake that this is a kid’s film, but there are moments in there that adults can enjoy as well, without having to lower their IQ to understand something.

What didn’t I like?

Character design. In the first Madagascar, there was a look to the characters. It was almost as if they were crude cut outs or something. That look is still here, but they’ve smoothed it out so much, that you can barely tell. They might as well just have been animated normally. When you have something that makes you unique, then why change it?

3D. I didn’t see this in theaters, but it was obvious some of the scenes they wanted to utilize the technology with. The circus was one, but also there is a scene with Melman, the giraffe, where he extends his neck directly toward the audience. Some people may eat this stuff up, but not me. 3D is supposed to be for special, grand things, not just whatever you can throw at the screen.

Afro circus. I’m sure we all saw the commercials for this thing over the summer with that annoying “Afro circus” song. While it isn’t featured as heavily as you would imagine, it is in here a few times and just as annoying. I guess if I were about 8 yrs old, I might feel different, but good lord was I about ready to puncture my eardrums just so I would never have to hear that thing again!

There has been some debate as to whether Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted is the best of the franchise. I think it has the best plot of the 3, but the first seems to be more my cup of tea. That is a personal preference, though. Do I recommend this? Yes, as a matter of fact I do. It is one of the better family films that was released last year (note I said better, not the best). You can sit the whole family down and watch this one, so enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars

That’s the Way of the World

PLOT:

Coleman Buckmaster (Harvey Keitel) also known as “the Golden Ear” is a producer extraordinaire for A-Chord Records. In the midst of working slavishly to complete the debut album of “the Group” (Earth, Wind and Fire), Buckmaster is forced to put their project on the back-burner in favor of a new signing to A-Chord, “the Pages,” Velour (Cynthia Bostick), Gary (Jimmy Boyd) and Franklin (Bert Parks). According to label head Carlton James (Ed Nelson), the Pages represent good, ol’ fashioned, wholesome family values. According to Buckmaster, they represent everything wrong with the music business: a soulless pastiche of cheese-on-white-bread, and he wants nothing to do with them. However, due to his contract, he is forced to turn the flat song of their demo, “Joy, Joy, Joy” into a workable hit. In the meantime, he ends up in a relationship with Velour, seemingly also against his will, but he is able to use the relationship to his and the Group’s advantage.

REVIEW:

Anyone that knows will tell you that aside from the great Louis Armstrong, much of my favorite music comes from Earth, Wind, & Fire. I was listening to a podcast a few months back and it was mentioned that they had starred in a movie, That’s the Way of the World. Being na EWF fan, of course I was curious and had to check it out.

What is this about?

Featuring a soundtrack by Earth, Wind & Fire, this cult classic rock musical offers a behind-the-scenes look at the interworkings of the recording industry. Harvey Keitel stars as the record producer who turns his back on the white pop music world.

What did I like?

Soundtrack. The music of Earth, Wind, & Fire is heavily featured on this soundtrack and serves as a great backdrop for the transition scenes that it accompanies. Whether you’re a fan or not, you will find yourself grooving to the music, it may very well be the best thing about this picture.

Stand up guy. Harvey Keitel’s character goes through an apparent metamorphosis throughout the picture. He starts off as a hard-working producer, then becomes brainwashed by the “love” of a woman, and ends up as someone who knew what he was doing all along in a very pivotal and powerful scene close to the film’s end. Being the only real star in this film, I guess they needed to give him something to really sink his teeth into in order to keep him.

What didn’t I like?

False advertising. I don’t if this is how the film was actually advertised, but I was led to believe it was to heavily feature EWF in acting roles, as well as their music. It turns out that they are basically playing themselves, which I don’t mind, but they are in the film for probably a grand total of about 10 minutes or so. What is the reasoning for that? Sure, they may or may not have been the best thespians, but good grief! These filmmakers could have come up with a better way to work around that than to all but keep them out of the film altogether!

No joy. The Pages have this song that is about as cheesy and horrible as one can get. Keep in mind that they are supposed to be the wholesome, family group the studio wants to push rather than the Group (Earth, Wind, & Fire). As annoying as the song is, they keep playing it over and over in these long montage recording scenes, making matters worse. It was almost as if they were just filling up time.

Arguably one of Earth, Wind, & Fire’s greatest songs is “That’s the Way of the World”. However, That’s the Way of the World may very well tarnish the legacy of that song. I really wanted to like this film, but it just didn’t do anything for me. Another generic music film that has the token white group come in with an attractive female singer who wiggles her way into the pants of the star, and manages to keep the black group down until the final scenes. I guess you can say this is like The Mambo Kings in that it is best to watch just for the music, because the plot is really nothing that impressive. I want to recommend this, I really do, I just can’t. Download some EWF music, it’ll be much less of a hassle than sitting through this.

3 out of 5 stars

Silver Linings Playbook

PLOT (spoiler alert!!!):

In 2008, Pat Solitano Jr. (Bradley Cooper) is released from a mental health facility into the care of his parents after eight months of treatment for bipolar disorder. During his time there, he forms a close friendship with a fellow patient, Danny (Chris Tucker), who is having legal disputes with the hospital which constantly prevents him from leaving. Pat soon learns that his wife, Nikki (Brea Bee), has moved away and his father, Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro), is out of work and resorting to bookmaking to earn money to start a restaurant. Pat is determined to get his life back on track and reconcile with Nikki, who obtained a restraining order against him after the violent episode that led to his involuntary commitment.

While talking to his court-mandated therapist Dr. Patel (Anupam Kher), Pat recounts what led to his hospitalization: coming home early from his job, he finds Nikki with another man. Enraged, he nearly beat the man to death. Despite the violence, Pat doesn’t believe he needs medication to manage his disorder.

At dinner with his friend Ronnie (John Ortiz), he meets Ronnie’s sister-in-law, Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence), a recent widow who has just lost her job.

Pat and Tiffany develop a friendship, in part because Tiffany tells him he could get a letter to Nikki through her. Tiffany offers to deliver the letter if in return he becomes her dance partner in an upcoming competition. He agrees and the two begin an arduous practice regimen, with help from Danny, who is eventually released. Pat comes to believe the competition will be a good way to show Nikki he has changed and become a better man. Tiffany gives Pat a reply from Nikki which hints at a chance for reconciliation.

Things go well for Pat until his father asks him to attend a Philadelphia Eagles game he has bet virtually all of his money on, as a “good-luck charm”. Pat skips practice with Tiffany to attend the game, but is dragged into a fight with racist thugs attacking his psychiatrist and brother, and is hauled away by police. The Eagles lose the game and Pat Sr. is furious. Tiffany arrives, berates Pat, and points out that the way she “reads the signs”, the Eagles do better when she and Pat are together, as they won every game they played on occasions when Pat and Tiffany spent time together. Pat Sr., now convinced that Pat being with Tiffany is actually good luck, makes a parlay with his gambling friend that if the Eagles win their game against Dallas, and if Pat and Tiffany score at least a 5 out of 10 in their dance competition, he will win back all the money he lost on the first bet. Pat is reluctant to participate in the dance contest under those conditions; however, Tiffany and Pat’s father persuade Pat by lying to him, saying Nikki will be there. Meanwhile, Pat, who has isolated himself from everyone, begins to read the letter from Nikki again and notices that the phrase Tiffany had used earlier—”reading the signs”—appears in the letter.

Pat, Tiffany, and everyone else arrive at the competition on the night of the football game. Tiffany is horrified to discover that Nikki is in the audience. Pat finds Tiffany, who has been drinking with a man who was trying to pick her up, and manages to coax her onto the dance floor, where they perform their routine. As they dance, the Eagles win their game and at the conclusion of their set, they score the required five points.

Pat and Tiffany are elated. Amid cheers from his family and confused looks from the crowd, Pat approaches Nikki and whispers in her ear. Tiffany sees this and storms off. Pat leaves Nikki after only a short conversation, intent on finding Tiffany. Pat Sr. informs him that Tiffany left, and tells him that she loves him right now and that it will be a sin if he doesn’t reach out to this moment that life has given him. Pat tells his father that he loves him, then chases after Tiffany and tells her he knows she forged Nikki’s letter. He confesses he has loved her from the moment he met her but has taken a long time to realize it and they kiss.

The film ends at Pat’s house, where Pat Sr. and his friend watching the football game and Pat’s brother and Ronnie are playing cards. We also see Danny and Pat’s mother cooking in the kitchen. We see Tiffany looking at Pat with a cup in her hand. She then slowly walks to him and sits on his lap.

REVIEW:

During awards season, one of the sleeper picks and surprise nominees was Silver Linings Playbook, a delightful dramedy that apparently has some truth to it, whether that is from the book or this director, I cannot tell you. I will say this, as a Dallas Cowboys fan, it was hard to watch these people gush over the Philadelphia Eagles the whole film!

What is this about?

After a four-year stay in a psychiatric institution, former teacher Pat Peoples has no choice but to move back in with his mother. While he’s trying in vain to reunite with his wife, Pat meets another woman fated to change his life.

What did I like?

Career high. For the past few films he’s been in, at least that I’ve seen, Robert De Niro has been wither phoning it in or picking bad roles tha are far beneath an actor of his calibre. Here, we get the chance to see and remember that De Niro is an extremely, competent actor. This is probably his best work since the days of Raging Bull. While we are on the subject of great performances, how about the job that Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence do with their roles. We are used to these intense performances from Lawrence (Winter’s Bone, anyone?), but Cooper for the most part isn’t necessarily the go to guy for layered performances as this. He’s much more of a “pretty boy” leading man, rather than one that actually has the acting chops to back it up. Watching him in this, I may be changing my opinion on him, though.

Story. I’m a fan of this story, though I think they need to find a better team than the Eagles *cough* Cowboys*cough*. Watching this guy go through hoops just to talk to his ex-wife really touched me. I was also a fan of the relationship he formed with Jennifer Lawrence’s character, though not so much the fact that they tried to recreate Dirty Dancing in that ballroom contest they were in. The strained father/son relationship reminds me of my own in certain respects. Perhaps that is why I was so on board with this picture.

He can be taught. Friday aside, nearly everything Chris Tucker has been in has made people want to jump in the screen and choke the living daylights out of him just to get some peace and quiet. That’s how it was for me in those Rush Hour films, especially the first one. Tucker has apparently learned some restraint. He’s still a bit funny here, but in a much more subdued way.

What didn’t I like?

Wager. Near the film’s end, a major bet is made, one that if it isn’t won, could spell disaster for the loser. As this wager was being made, I couldn’t help but wonder WTF?!? I mean, is there really a reason to make such an outrageous bet, especially based on the circumstances in which it was made. I get the sentiment and everything, but there comes a point when common sense has to take over.

Fear. I’m not sure why this was, but it seemed like when Bradley Cooper’s character returned from the institution, everyone was afraid of him. Now, given that he had just snapped and beaten his wife/fiancée (I forget what she was) and the history teacher she was having sex with in the shower, one can expect a little fear. On the other hand, this is a guy who went, got help, and is now trying to return to a normal life in society. It is kind of hard to do that when everyone is treating you like you have the plague.

“My Cherie Amour”. I hear that in the book, the song that triggered Cooper’s character was “Songbird” by Kenny G. Why was it changed to Stevie Wonder’s lovely ballad “My Cherie Amour”? My guess is something to do with copyright laws and legal mumbo jumbo, or it could be because Wonder is more universally recognizable than Kenny G. At any rate, I wasn’t a fan of them blaspheming one of Stevie’s best songs (and m first marching band solo in college).

All the praise this film is getting is warranted. Now, if you’re looking for a straight comedy or drama, this is not the place, I warn you now. This is a really well-made, entertaining film that is worth of all the praise, nominations, and accolades it has recieved…and probably some that it didn’t. I highly recommend this to any and everyone. There is a line in an old song that goes, “Look for the silver lining”. Perhaps you should look for the Silver Linings Playbook.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Return

PLOT (spoiler alert!!!):

Joanna Mills (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a travelling rep for a trucking company, is dedicated to her successful career but something of a loner. Since the age of 11 she has been a troubled person, with episodes of self-mutilation and menacing visions. Normally she avoids returning to her native Texas, but agrees to a trip there to secure an important client. During the trip her visions, which take the form of memories of events not from her life, increase in intensity. She sees a strange face staring back at her in the mirror. Her truck radio plays Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams” no matter what station she selects. She stops at the scene of an accident that, on the following day, seems not to have happened. Joanna cuts herself in a bar restroom and is narrowly rescued by a friend. She visits her father, who observes that from age 11 she was “a different girl”. The visions continue, becoming both more specific and more threatening, centering upon a menacing man she does not recognize and a bar she has never seen, but a picture of which is in one of her catalogs.

Drawn by the image to the Texas town where the bar is located, a place she has not been since childhood, Joanna meets a man named Terry Stahl, whose wife, Annie, was stalked, brutally assaulted, and left to die fifteen years before, a crime of which Terry was suspected but not convicted. Joanna continues to have visions of this crime and the events that led up to it, and to discover other links between Annie’s life and hers. She meets the real killer and is led by what she has seen in her visions to recover the knife he used from its hiding place. She is then stalked, herself. She finds herself drawn into a repetition of the crime, but this time she stabs her assailant with the recovered knife, using the original weapon to avenge the original crime.

The story ends with the revelation that Annie, clinging to life as Terry drove her to the hospital after the original assault, died when his car crashed into one driven by Joanna’s father, in which the eleven-year-old Joanna was a passenger. After momentary unconsciousness, the young Joanna seems to have survived the crash. A silent Joanna is seen reflecting on who she is and what has happened to her. She seems to reach an inner resolution of these questions.

An alternative ending included on the DVD release more straightforwardly supports the interpretation that Annie’s soul has been placed in Joanna’s body.

REVIEW:

Last year, or the year before, I can’t remember exactly which, Sarah Michelle Gellar starred in a drama about twins with an identity crisis…one was dead and the live one had taken on both personalities. I believe The Return may have had some influence in the creative process of that show and for Gellar’s earning of that role, due to a few similarities here and there.

What is this about?

After being plagued by horrific nightmares about the murder of a young woman she’s never met, successful sales representative Joanna Mills sets out on a determined quest to pinpoint the source of her fears.

What did I like?

Confusion. As I was watching this, I found myself confused as to what was going on. Normally, that would be a bad thing, but in a thriller full of twists and turns, it is more than acceptable, as it thrown the viewer for a loop and off the trail and makes the ending much more of a shock and awe moment.

Ending. On the DVD version of this, there is an alternate ending available to watch. I took the time to watch it and the ending that was actually used in the film and I must say tha the filmmakers chose wisely. Their ending makes sense, ties everything together, and still manages to leave a little bit of suspense there for the audience. The alternate ending is similar, but it has the look and feel of just a bunch of shots strewn together to make an ending.

What didn’t I like?

Pacing. Belive it or not, I didn’t totally hate the pacing. The slow crawl helped to set the tone of the picture. However, for such a short film (87 minutes), it made things seem like they would never get going. Truth be told, this isn’t that interesting of a film, so when you slow it down to a near stop it is next to unwatchable, especially for those of us with short attention spans and/or ADHD.

Switch. The way these two individuals deal with their situation (we’ll call it that so as to not spoil anything) could have been handled better, I felt. As a thriller, there could have been a bigger twist. I could also see this going the horror route, leaving a trail of blood, carnage, and bodies along the way until it was found out what really happened.

When the smoke clears, The Return suffered from not being that great of a film. The fact that it wasn’t particularly advertised, thanks to Gellar’s schedule and some other factors, didn’t really help its case, either, I would imagine. What did I ultimately think about it? Eh, it has a creepy, dark factor that people will eat up, but as a whole package, I wasn’t a fan. It almost feels as if this was made to bring the studios a quick buck while they prepare to release something bigger. Do I recommend it? Thriller/suspense and Sarah Michelle Gellar fans will enjoy it, I’m sure, but I’m not so sure about everyone else. This just doesn’t have mass appeal.

2 3/4 out of 5 stars

Iron Man 3

PLOT (spoiler alert!!!):

Tony Stark recalls a New Years Eve party in 1999 with scientist Maya Hansen, inventor of Extremis – an experimental regenerative treatment intended to allow recovery from crippling injuries. Disabled scientist Aldrich Killian offers them a place in his company Advanced Idea Mechanics, but is turned down.

Years later, Stark’s experiences during the alien invasion of New York are giving him panic attacks. Restless, he has built several Iron Man suits, creating friction with his girlfriend Pepper Potts. A string of bombings by terrorist the Mandarin has left intelligence agencies bewildered by lack of forensic evidence. When Stark Industries security chief Happy Hogan is badly injured in one such attack, Stark overcomes his stupor and issues a televised threat to the Mandarin, who responds by destroying Stark’s home with helicopter gunships. Potts and Hansen, who had come to warn them, survive the attack. Stark then finds himself in rural Tennessee after his artificial intelligence JARVIS followed a flight plan from Stark’s investigation into the Mandarin. Stark’s experimental armor lacks sufficient power to return to California, and the world believes him dead.

Teaming with Harley, a precocious 10-year-old boy, Stark investigates the remains of a local explosion bearing the hallmarks of a Mandarin attack. He discovers the “bombings” were triggered by soldiers subjected to Extremis, which at this stage of development can cause certain subjects to explosively reject it. After veterans started exploding, their deaths were used to cover up Extremis’ flaws by manufacturing a terrorist plot. Stark witnesses Extremis firsthand when Mandarin agents Ellen Brandt and Eric Savin attack him.

With Harley’s help, Stark traces the Mandarin to Miami and infiltrates his headquarters using improvised weapons. Inside he discovers the Mandarin is actually a British actor, Trevor Slattery, who says that he is oblivious to the actions carried out in his name. The Mandarin is a creation of Killian, who appropriated Hansen’s Extremis research as a cure for his own disability and expanded the program to include injured war veterans. After capturing Stark, Killian reveals he is the true Mandarin; he has kidnapped Potts and subjected her to Extremis, intending to infuse her with superhuman abilities and turn her against Stark as leverage to gain Stark’s aid in fixing Extremis’ flaws. Killian kills Maya when she has a change of heart about the plan.

Killian has also manipulated American intelligence agencies regarding the Mandarin’s location, luring James Rhodes — the former War Machine, now re-branded as the Iron Patriot — into a trap to steal the armor. Stark escapes and reunites with Rhodes, discovering that Killian intends to attack President Ellis aboard Air Force One. Remotely controlling his Iron Man armor, Stark saves some surviving passengers and crew but cannot stop Killian from abducting Ellis. They trace Killian to an impounded oil-drilling platform where Killian intends to kill Ellis on live television. The vice president will become a puppet leader, following Killian’s orders in exchange for Extremis to cure a little girl’s disability.

On the platform, Stark goes to save Potts, and Rhodes saves the president. Stark summons each of his Iron Man suits, controlled remotely by JARVIS, to provide air support. Rhodes secures the president and leads him to safety, while Stark discovers Potts has survived the Extremis procedure. However, before he can save her, a rig collapses around them and she falls to her apparent death. Stark confronts Killian and traps him in an Iron Man suit that self-destructs, but fails to kill him. Potts, whose Extremis powers allowed her to survive her fall, intervenes and kills Killian.

After the battle, Stark orders JARVIS to destroy each Iron Man suit as a sign of his intention to devote more time to Potts. The vice president and Slattery are arrested. With Stark’s help, Potts’ Extremis effects are stablized, and Stark undergoes surgery to remove the shrapnel embedded near his heart. He pitches his obsolete chest arc reactor into the sea, musing he will always be Iron Man, even without his armor.

In a present day post-credits scene, Stark wakes up Dr. Bruce Banner, who fell asleep listening at the beginning of Stark’s story.

REVIEW:

Last summer, The Avengers was the film everyone was looking forward to and talking about. This year, we are starting what Marvel Studios is calling Phase II leading up the second Avengers film with Iron Man 3. As you can imagine, there is a tremendous amount of pressure on this film, not only to not drop the ball, but also because this is the first big blockbuster of the year.

What is this about?

Marvel’s “Iron Man 3″ pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

What did I like?

Tony, Tony, Tony. The last film was so focused on the Iron Man suit that we forgot there was a man inside, Tony Stark. Here we get back to basics with him, as he is without his suits and JARVIS for a good portion of the film. Yes, that is not necessarily a good thing for a summer blockbuster, but it just makes the final payoff that much better. Not to mention, Stark is a genius! Seeing his brilliant mind come up with innovative ways to escape and do things is something we haven’t seen since the first Iron Man. Say what you will, but Iron Man is ultimately nothing without the man behind him.

Stand alone. We all loved The Avengers and that is great, but what I really appreciated is how this stayed an Iron Man film. Yes, there were references to the events that happened in New York, and Stark has a bit of trauma from it, but that isn’t a major plot point. Admittedly, I was sort of afraid it would. Looking at the trailer for the new Thor movie, it doesn’t seem to be a problem in that one either. So, Marvel is doing things right. I don’t think we would have minded seeing Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, and the others, I just felt that Stark needed some time to himself.

Comedy. Contrary to what some out there may want him to be, Iron Man has never been the dark, brooding type like Batman. The only dark thing about Stark is his alcoholism, which will never be covered on-screen as long as Downey is portraying him…for issues that would hit too close to home. So, getting moments of levity thrown in here and there are an absolute delight for me. It is what I know Iron Man to be and the cast seems to be having fun with these jokes, so how can you complain?

Kid. I’m not a fan of this kid they brought in, but for the purpose he serves, I suppose he works. It seems like they just wanted him to be a foil for Tony Stark and to remind the audience that while Stark is all about saving the world, he is still a total selfish douchebag, lest we forget.

What didn’t I like?

Final battle. In Transformers, one of the complaints was that you couldn’t tell who was who with all those gears and stuff clashing. In a way, that is how I felt watching this final scene. You’ve seen the trailer where all the Iron Man suits show up, right? Well, they all join in the fight, but it is very hard to tell who is who and what is going on. Part of that may be related to watching this in 3D and wearing those rented sunglasses, but it would have been nice to have a better sense of what was happening.

Yes, you have abs. Normally, I’m the last one to complain about seeing a woman in her sports bra, but when Gwyneth Paltrow is kidnapped, they strip her down to a sports bra. To me, it seemed like this was done for no other reason than for her to show her abs, especially since not long before that, we see another woman, but she was in her miliary gear.

Color scheme. This is a personal complaint, but who the hell told these people Iron Man is yellow and red instead of red and yellow?!? That just doesn’t look right! For me, it was distracting, I couldn’t wait for him to get out of that crappy paint job he calls a suit!

Imma call him War Machine. I would say this was done just for the movie, but there actually is an Iron Patriot. The armor is best associated with Norman Osborn, you know Green Goblin from Spider-Man. As far as I can tell, they changed it here for marketing reasons. Parents are so squeamish these days. Last thing they would want to do is buy a kid a toy called War Machine, but Iron Patriot? Not a problem. Isn’t that just sickening?

Botanist. This is a very small thing…hardly worth mentioning. You may remember Batman & Robin where a botanist was responsible for much of the evil that was happening. Well, this botanist doesn’t turn into a mad supervillain, but the idea did put me in mind of that film. I couldn’t help but think back to it, but that might just me overanalyzing things.

Mandarin. Let me tell you about the first Iron Man comic I read…It was the end of some storyline,  Stark came hom, poured a drink, took his armor off and got shot in the back. This would leave him paralyzed for quite some time. I keep hope that they’ll actually use this storyline in a future film. While he didn’t commit that heinous act, the Mandarin was the villain Iron Man had defeated before heading home. A sinister being of unspeakable power, thanks to his 10 rings. At first, the Mandarin here seems to be just as menacing a figure, then the proverbial curtain is pulled back. I’m not going to spoil anything about how they handled this interpretation, but I will say it pissed me off to no end to know that this is what they did to a great villain such as the Mandarin. Making matters even worse, they got Sir Ben Kingsley, who I felt would have been great as a true Mandarin, to do this. WTF?!? For a franchise that even through the changes it has made to the source material has had a pretty good track record of pleasing the fans, this was like a big F— you! All I can do is hope that he gets a true Mandarin-izing (yes, I just coined that phrase) before the next film. Prison has ways of changing a man, after all, and dammit does it need to do it quickly!

Iron Man 3 is sure to make a ton of $$$, but did you honestly think it wouldn’t? The new elements added to the already familiar story are hit and miss, but they work well enough when all is said and done. This new director, Shane Black, gave the film a darker tone which I am not sure I liked, but to each their own. I question what his obsession with Christmas time is, though. Ultimately, though, I had a good time with this film. It has some issues here and there, but still a really solid flick that you need to rush out and see ASAP. Yes, people, the summer movie season has officially arrived!

4 1/4 out of 5 stars