World War Z

 

When it comes to much-anticipated blockbusters, I have a tendency to get my hopes up too high. However, with all of the turmoil and rumor flying around the World War Z  project, I was able to go into this one with a fairly realistic expectation.  And I'm glad I did.  First, let me start by saying I did enjoy the movie. It's got good production value, solid SFX, a strong cast, a decent script, and more than a few terrific scenes. It's not the best zombie film ever, but it's good.

 

Considering the fact that the makers of WWZ re-shot a massive 40 minute section of the film, it's rather comically appropriate that Brad Pitt's production company is named Plan B.  Though I enjoyed it, I'm left feeling like I was slightly cheated out of something that could have been really fantastic.

 

WWZ feels a lot like the 2011 film Contagion, with a hint of 28 Days Later. While the film is well-paced and intense, it suffers from a lack of emotional punch. With a PG-13 rating, much of the film's potential power is neutered to suit a younger audience. With a PG-13 rating, the director could have focused on creating a more emotionally gripping story. Only once do we see any character show real visceral emotion regarding the fact that the entire world is in crisis. Only ONCE!  Considering the topic, I would expect to walk out of this film emotionally wrung out. That simply didn't happen.

 

One of the brightest spots of World War Z is Mireille Enos, whom you might recognize from AMC's The Killing. She's a flat-out star. Enos plays Pitt's wife in the film but unfortunately, doesn't really get the opportunity to demonstrate her superb acting chops. Again, in view of the fact that a deadly zombie plague has been unleashed upon the entire globe, one might expect a mother of two to have a bigger response. Sadly, we never see it.

 

While watching, if you think World War Z feels like it could be someone's first attempt at a legit blockbuster, you're pretty much right on the money. WWZ is directed by Marc Forster, best known for Monster's Ball and the much-maligned Quantum of Solace.  Bringing this behemoth of a project to the big screen might have been a little out of his depth.

 

Now, before you run out to the theater, here's a bit of advice to improve your WWZ experience. First, forget the book exists if you hope to enjoy this movie. Repeat after me, "What book?"  Seriously...if I hear one person say, "The book is better..." I might gouge my eyes out. (And theirs.)  Secondly, DO NOT spend the money to see this in 3D!  Period.  The frenetic pacing of the action sequences are quite enough on their own.

 

Whether World War Z will eclipse the $200+ million they spent to make it is yet to be seen. As for me, I was glad to contribute my fair share.  See you at the theater!

 

Promsied Land

I have always loved Matt Damon movies.  I vehemently disagree with him on numerous political issues, but as an actor, he's fantastic. Given the fact that I am an outspoken Conservative, I went into this film with quite a bit of caution and cynicism.

Promised Land  is a film about some seriously complex issues facing America: energy independence, environmental responsibility, public health, and the insane amounts of money that control it all.  To use a 2-hour film to bludgeon me with a political opinion I don't agree with would have been a colossal waste of time. However, Promised Land does a nice job of presenting the issue in a way that allows you to honestly and thoughtfully appreciate both viewpoints.

If nothing else, it has caused me to look deeper into natural gas exploration and more robustly consider its positives and negatives.  And I guess that was the point.


The cast of Promised Land is terrific with Matt Damon and John Krasinski in lead roles. Mick LaSalle from the San Fran Chronicle describes Damon like this: "He makes it seem as if everybody else is acting and he's just going through the movie being natural."  Perfect.  Frances McDormand (you'll remember her from Fargo) is wonderful in her supporting role, as is Hal Holbrook who manages to characterize all of the movie's tension into one voice.

Coming in at only 106 minutes, Promised Land manages to tell the story effectively without getting bogged down in a mountain of admittedly debatable scientific facts and figures. Director Gus Van Sant, known most notably for Good Will Hunting, leaves the research up to the audience, hoping this character-driven film will cause you to take a deeper look below the political talking points.

If you liked movies like The Rainmaker, The Lincoln Lawyer, or The Ides of March, this is right up your alley.  How do you like them apples?!

Total Recall (2012)

I have a marked propensity for lamenting the lack of creativity seen in the constant barrage of reboots in Hollywood. Why mess with the original, right? However, I generally relent and end up seeing the remake anyway, usually out of curiosity to see ways in which the update falls short of, or occasionally outshines, the original.


Len Wiseman, known most notably for writing the Underworld saga, directed the film and appears to be coming into his own career-wise. (He is also the writer for the upcoming Sleepy Hollow television series.) Although The Recall Redux is sadly lacking the humorous element of the first film, this is not a bad retelling of the 1990 Schwarzenegger classic. And though we didn’t get the epic “Consider that a divorce” line, we did get a couple of subtle nods to the original, most notably the 3-breasted prostitute.

Known for some solid action flicks, this latest version was written by Kurt Wimmer, who is currently working on the remake of Point Break. (Again, aren’t there any NEW stories out there??) Wimmer delivers a modern twist on the original but basically stays true to the story.

Colin Farrell appears to be in the best shape of his life and does a fine job as Doug McQuaid. This film also features Kate Beckinsale (go figure, with Len Wiseman at the helm) and Jessica Biel…enough said.

Underneath all of the special effects and gritty texture of the film, there are some weighty questions. Are you happy with how your life turned out? Do you long for more? What are you willing to go to change it? And…Is it worth the risk?

Obviously, Total Recall (2012) didn’t win any awards, but if you’re looking for a fun action flick to enjoy while you’re taking a break form the pool this summer, this is a decent choice.

Quickie DVD Reviews

Gangster Squad

Except for the cartoonish Mickey Cohen character, this is a pretty good 40’s era gangster film. The movie feels like you’re watching a graphic novel and the action unfolds fairly routinely with very few twists. The cast is awesome with Brolin, Gosling, and Stone in lead roles. As a bonus, you also get Giovanni Ribisi and Robert Patrick, who are always great. I liked it.

Mama

The first 15 minutes were very strong…Emotionally charged and frightening. But it goes off the rails in the final scenes. The ending is just plain ridiculous. Jessica Chastain is good, but not good enough to pull this one out of the ditch. Like many films of this genre, it possesses great potential, but for me just didn’t live up to my expectations. If you’re looking for some decent weekend couch-time, this will do the trick. Just don’t expect to be wowed.

Now You See Me

Who would have thought that Now You See Me would dramatically outpace the Will Smith blockbuster After Earth in theaters this summer? I did!! I did!!! I said months ago that After Earth looked like an expensive mistake. And at the time I didn’t even know that M. Night Shyamalan was involved!

Now, before you run out to buy your ticket, Now You See Me is not as stylish and slick as Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven, nor does it possess the panache and overall punch of Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige, but it is a fun summer movie that more than delivers on showmanship. (The film’s first sequence is particularly awesome!)

A terrific cast certainly helps this movie to succeed where some mildly confusing action sequences might have left you wondering what just happened or, more importantly, why. Of all the key players, only Isla Fisher delivers a stiff, unimpressive performance. On a brighter note, Dave Franco (yes, he’s James Franco’s brother) does a great job and may begin to see more important roles as a result. Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman, while not delivering their most magical performances, possess good chemistry.

Director Louis Leterrier, known for the Transporter films, is admittedly out of his element a little bit with the twists and turns of the glitzy heist film NYSM, but experimenting with a slightly different type of genre proves well within his capabilities.

Just when you thought this season of summer movies resembled a bad Las Vegas lounge act, Now You See Me pulls the rabbit out of the hat and reminds us that there is still quite a bit of magic in the movies.