THE COBBLER Review AKA The Interesting Case of Adam Sandler's Career

The case of Adam Sandler is a continuing saga of fascination for me. It is hard to pinpoint what exactly his motivations are whether they be in the realm of making movies because he genuinely loves movies or simply in making money. Unfortunately, at this point in his career many wouldn't even consider his movies to be comedies anymore as it's apparent his domination over his little part of the box office has been slightly waning as he's continued to repeat himself as the same guy in Grown Ups (10%), Just Go With It (19%), Jack & Jill (a mere 3%, which only slightly better than the 0% Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star scored which Sandler helped write and produce), That's My Boy (his only deviation in character and highest ranking tomatometer score at 20%) Grown Ups 2 (7%) and last years Blended (14%). That, in his mainstream films, Sandler has had to resort to sequels and a third reunion with Drew Barrymore let us know he's running on fumes to preserve the lifestyle he and his family have grown accustomed to. Jack & Jill was the turning point that shifted the atmosphere around his movies from always being dismissed by critics yet typically having a strong enough following of fans who showed up to watch him do his thing to an all-around frustration. It became evident the ever-reliant audience was shrinking and might one day be no more and so Sandler has turned both to the ever-profitable family film market in the form of two Hotel Transylvania films and this summers Pixels as well as trying to return to more subtle, dramatic work that might not only reaffirm to all of his haters that he can actually do good work, but that he actually cares about the craft and art of making movies. The bad news is that in his effort to subvert public expectations he has delved into two independent, inherently more artistic pictures that have consequently been ravaged by critics. On paper both Men, Women & Children and The Cobbler should be home runs in terms of critical darlings: credible directors, one relevant to todays issues and one with a rather interesting premise, both with stellar supporting casts and yet it still seems the Sand Man can do no right.

First Trailer for HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2

I rather enjoyed the first Hotel Transylvania when it premiered back in September of 2012 though I expected that was likely because I didn't expect much going in. Regardless, I still feel like one of the few who still roots for Adam Sandler to make the hard left turn into doing something interesting and not just barely scraping by on the reputation he's built over the years. At least with this animated series he will see the returns he is accustomed to as his live action outings continue to decrease. Joined by his regular gang of pals that includes Andy Samberg, Kevin James, David Spade and Steve Buscemi the sequel to Transylvania will follow Sandler's Dracula and his new grandson that is half-human and half-vampire courtesy of his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez, also returning) and Samberg's Jonathan. While the teaser hints how this dynamic might play out and is rather funny in terms of seeing Dracula and his friends attempting to convince themselves that their new addition will be more in line with their side of the family than the humans they once forbid in their presence. While the original was of course nothing groundbreaking it was solid family fun and one I actually wouldn't mind re-watching when my daughter gets a little older and in need of distracting Halloween fun. It seems Sony is intent on keeping this sequel very much in line with the original as Hotel Transylvania 2 hits theaters on September 25th and also features the voice talents of  Fran Drescher, Molly Shannon, Keegan-Michael Key, and Mel Brooks.

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY Review

Leave it to Pixar to deliver a movie that is not only fun, but honest in a way most films for kids tend to avoid. When movies aimed at the younger set skew the truth in order to make everything turn out in the best of ways for the main characters it is hard to sometimes take the lessons it is trying to teach with more than a grain of salt. Now, given the fact we know where the story of Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sully (John Goodman) eventually ends up it is not without surprise it was an adventure getting to that point, but what is slightly surprising is the way in which they so effortlessly stumble upon their careers in a world that's been completely imagined and realized through technology. This authenticity of the world created for these movies lends itself well to the lesson here that you aren't always going to get what you want no matter how hard you work, but instead the cold truth has to be accepted and in some ways you come out stronger and more proud having admitted and come to terms with your own weaknesses. Though the idea of hard work always paying off is a nice sentiment and in a perfect world might be true, the real world doesn't always allow our dreams to pan out the way we hoped and so we have to adjust to fulfill the potential of the hand in which we were dealt. That all may sound somewhat insightful given the fact the point of discussion here is an animated film, but that is what continues to set Pixar so much further ahead of the pack. Sure, they've had their missteps over the past few years as no one was asking for a sequel to Cars and despite the fact I found it gorgeous and engaging the majority of audiences and critics weren't too pleased with Brave. Monsters University may not be the return to top form the majority of people are hoping it will be, but by this point the bar is so ridiculously high for Pixar it is almost unattainable. On the plus side, this prequel to 2001's Monster's Inc. is a hilarious and colorful adventure that will have the kiddies in stitches and the parents chuckling at all the references and college humor their children are too young to even comprehend.  

THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE Review

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is a stupid movie, but that does not mean it isn't endearing. That waft of stupidity that floats off the screen isn't necessarily a stench, but instead there is that certain something to be liked about it. This is mainly due to the inability to dislike the principal cast members. As lead by Steve Carell the film evolves from a satire on the world of magicians to a tale of redemption within a man who has forgotten what it is like to find something truly inspiring and worth putting their effort into. From the opening moments of the film it is clear what kind of film this is going to be. It is comedy comfort food in its highest form and in many ways there is nothing wrong with that except for when it fails to meet the simple standards this category upholds. I went into the film with fair expectations as the trailer the studio put together wasn't particularly impressive and even gave off the tone of a movie that fell apart after the initial idea was thought to be something of a great joke. Whether this was for the purposes of making the audience not as disappointed in the film or because they were in fact unsure of what exactly they had on their hands here, the final product is better than the marketing material hinted at, but it doesn't ever go far enough or become weird enough to be that highly ridiculous comedy I so badly wanted it to be. Carell is always appealing, though I wonder how some will take his characters personality that goes against everything usually attributed to Carell as a man, and it is nice to see Jim Carrey returning to what he does best even if his time is limited here. I wanted to like The Incredible Burt Wonderstone more than I actually did, but it wasn't horrible and that's probably the best thing you can say about it.

Full Trailer for MONSTERS UNIVERSITY

This summer Pixar drops its yearly treat in the form of a sequel that will hopefully prove more satisfying than its previous follow-up. Though I had no desire for a Cars 2 and feel in the minority when it comes to last years original effort, Brave, I am seriously looking forward to the long awaited sequel, or should I say prequel, to Monsters Inc. Being only the fourth Disney/Pixar film back in 2001 Monsters Inc. has remained one of my favorite films from the studio and the idea of seeing MikeWazowski (Billy Crystal) and James P. “Sulley” Sullivan (John Goodman) as college kids trying to become the trained "scarers" they are in the original film is a promising premise for a couple of characters impossible not to love. We have been served plenty of teaser trailers and mock university commercials for the film but now we finally have a full length trailer that gives a good impression for what the final film might deliver. There are plenty of laughs here and Pixar seems to have found its humor comfort zone in these familiar faces as well. The animation looks flawless and the story looks to be a rollicking adventure that kids will no doubt have fun with and one parents and those who grew up on the original film and are now experiencing college themselves will find plenty to laugh at and relate to. The film also features the voices of Steve Buscemi, Dave Foley, Julia Sweeney, Joel Murray, and Peter Sohn. Monsters University opens in 3D on June 21st. Hit the jump to watch the trailer.

First Trailer for THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE

Upon first hearing about The Incredible Burt Wonderstone I was nothing short of thrilled to see the pairing of Steve Carell and Jim Carrey. Carrey has had a rough go of it lately but he is still the guy, "THE" comic that my generation grew up with and I can guarantee any single person in my age bracket would love to see the guy make a solid comeback instead of watching his career continue to dwindle. Carell is the everyman with the ability to be amazingly versatile as a comic. The combination of these guys on screen together, as battling magicians no less, sounds completely absurd yet completely amazing at the same time. Needless to say, I had high hopes for this one, but am starting to have a few reservations based on this first trailer. It looks to be a little too much of a safe, standard comedy that follows a 90's formula for a simple, but fun time. As much as I embrace those films for nostalgia I'd like to embrace this film for different reasons. I will of course reserve judgement until seeing the final film, but I hope they haven't put all of the best jokes here because there aren't many. Carell and Steve Buscemi play partners very much a model on Siegfried and Roy whose relationship has become strained and whose ticket sales have dipped dramatically. They are challenged by Carrey's cooler, edgier illusionist not so unlike Criss Angel and funny stuff ensues. This world is ripe with opportunity for comedy and the cast has more than enough clout to pull off something truly funny not to mention it was directed by 30 Rock vet Don Scardino. I'm not overly confident yet, but I hope I am proved wrong. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone also stars Alan Arkin, Olivia Wilde, James Gandolfini, and Jay Mohr and opens March 15, 2013.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA Review

It's hard to sometimes put a finger on how one can gauge an Adam Sandler production. This is especially true when it comes to the comedian pushing out children's movies rather than his standard PG-13 fare. You hate to bash the guy because he genuinely seems invested in putting out fun, enjoyable films for parents to take their young ones to. It is clear his current life situation inclines him to know what youngsters might want to see in a film (he has a four and a six year old) and despite his current lack of both critical and commercial success he still has the clout to concoct pretty much anything he would like. Thus, we have a cute if not predictable movie that follows the pattern of pretty much any Sandler movie where we learn generic lessons of love and life. There is nothing really wrong with what the guy is doing and I wonder if there is even a point in complaining anymore and so I wiped Jack & Jill from my mind and walked into Hotel Transylvania with a renewed sense of hope and trust in Sandler and his gang that provide the voice work here. While that trust didn't extend to giving the comedian more credit than he is due it should also be taken into consideration that this film will be overshadowed as one of three Halloween-inspired kid flicks this year. This was the biggest deterrent for the feature as having just witnessed Paranorman and its fantastical quirks I was hoping this more light-hearted fare might provide some wonderfully clever bits while subliminally teaching the tykes of today that discrimination and bullying aren't cool. Rest assured, there are some creative and inspired sequences here while the story focuses more on the father/daughter relationship, but what is truly refreshing is that I didn't come out of a Sandler produced film having cringed multiple times throughout. I'll take it.

Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) tries to persuade his
daughter that the outside world is nothing but hateful.

We begin with a re-introduction to the famous Count Dracula who we see as the curtain's pulled back is a Dad who cares above all for his brand new baby girl, Mavis. We get no explanation of where Mom is but we can guess as is typical with animated films that something tragic has happened and it will greatly affect the relationship of the father and daughter. Whatever happened to the Count's precious wife it has made him decide to build a place where no humans will ever find him or his daughter and will also provide a place of refuge for fellow monsters who just need a few days off. Naturally, this safe haven ends up being the title of our film and all things accounted for, its a pretty good premise. I know it's hard to give Sandler any ounce of credit and he likely doesn't deserve much in coming up with the story for this thing as it was written by Peter Baynham who had a hand in last years wonderful Arthur Christmas and Robert Smigel who is known for the animated TV Funhouse shorts that were an SNL staple a few years ago. Still, it is Sandler's gang that likely got this thing to the big screen and provide the voices for the array of monsters that show up for Mavis's 118th birthday. This is an annual event at the hotel, but this year is something special as Mavis (innocently and sweetly brought to life by Selena Gomez) wants to know what lies outside the castle walls. It is her time to discover her own self. The arrival of guests such as her Uncle Frankenstein (Kevin James) and his wife Eunice (Fran Drescher), the Big Bad Wolf who is here known as Wayne (Steve Buscemi) his wife Wanda (Molly Shannon) and their litter of little ones, as well as Griffin the Invisible Man (David Spade) and Murray the Mummy (Cee Lo Green) likely don't help in easing the stress of always having to please her father and meet his expectations. Mavis gets her taste of the outside world when a free-spirited adolescent kid named Jonathan (Andy Samberg) happens upon her dads hotel and they share an instant connection.

Mavis (Selena Gomez) does end up getting a taste of the
outside world when Jonathan (Andy Samberg) shows up.

Naturally, there is tension here as Dracula feels the pressure to hide the fact a human has made it into the hotel while keeping a good relationship with his daughter which he has already damaged by not telling her the truth one too many times. While the story plays out in exactly the fashion you know it will the screening I attended had plenty of young children enjoying themselves and laughing continuously at the creative little quips that are thrown in. This little facet is truly what saves Hotel Transylvania from disappearing quicker than it might have into the onslaught of family films hitting the cineplexes this fall. While it realizes its own simple premise and the fact they are conveying a universal message with monsters in place of people it is still nothing but good fun watching as these guys play up the exaggerated characteristics of each of these classic characters (especially Sandler as our protagonist Dracula). Whether it be the little skulls giving bingo numbers, the alarm clocks or do not disturb sign substitutes in the hotel, even the personalities assigned to the characters are funny if not a little expected. The real relief from the typical here though is the voice work of Andy Samberg. Love him or hate him in his second Sandler collaboration this year he livens up the movie as his character does the party going down at the hotel. Playing what was likely himself a few years back his character Jonathan is a youthful guy probably taking that year off between high school and college to travel the world for no specific reason other than to travel. Samberg plays the goofball with such an aloof sense of wonderment and privilege as he gets to visit a sweet castle filled with what looks to be the best costume party ever. There are a few scenes including Jonathan disguised as a Frankenstein that are designed to display the character arc of Dracula that do almost give off that classic childhood scene vibe that kids seeing it now will reference when they get older and reflect on this long forgotten film they will probably re-watch every October for the next few years. If that is any indication, its clear the film has something going for it.

Cee-Lo, Steve Buscemi, Kevin James, and Molly Shannon
all provide voices for the parade of monsters in
Hotel Transylvania.

In writing a review for any film involving Adam Sandler lately it feels one has to be on the extreme defensive if they indicate anything at all about it might be remotely enjoyable. This was the case going through the process of putting my thoughts down here, but I can honestly say that despite the cliches and standard quality of the overall story and even the character design and animation I had a fun enough time watching the movie to recommend it. Of course, it will appeal much more to an audience who haven't seen this story play out before (and likely in much better form) but it is the imaginative ways in which these monsters have been integrated into the casual day-to-day life that reflects our own proving that despite their evil-looking exterior they are just people as well; this allows the kids in the audience a way to kind of brave their fears of monsters while the film is smart enough to not go for genuine scares but instead to laugh at how silly it is to be scared of these characters. The movie especially gets going as the monsters exit their comfort zone after their leader experiences his epiphany and we actually get a chance to see the entire parade of monsters leap into action for the first time as the majority of the running time is dedicated to the Mavis/Dad/Jonathan storylines. While I was hoping for a bit more of the ensemble feel throughout It's hard to be that upset over an animated movie you weren't exactly holding out high hopes for in the first place. In this regard Hotel Transylvania succeeds in surpassing my expectations and it will probably yours as well.

  

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA Review

It's hard to sometimes put a finger on how one can gauge an Adam Sandler production. This is especially true when it comes to the comedian pushing out children's movies rather than his standard PG-13 fare. You hate to bash the guy because he genuinely seems invested in putting out fun, enjoyable films for parents to take their young ones to. It is clear his current life situation inclines him to know what youngsters might want to see in a film (he has a four and a six year old) and despite his current lack of both critical and commercial success he still has the clout to concoct pretty much anything he would like. Thus, we have a cute if not predictable movie that follows the pattern of pretty much any Sandler movie where we learn generic lessons of love and life. There is nothing really wrong with what the guy is doing and I wonder if there is even a point in complaining anymore and so I wiped Jack & Jill from my mind and walked into Hotel Transylvania with a renewed sense of hope and trust in Sandler and his gang that provide the voice work here. While that trust didn't extend to giving the comedian more credit than he is due it should also be taken into consideration that this film will be overshadowed as one of three Halloween-inspired kid flicks this year. This was the biggest deterrent for the feature as having just witnessed Paranorman and its fantastical quirks I was hoping this more light-hearted fare might provide some wonderfully clever bits while subliminally teaching the tykes of today that discrimination and bullying aren't cool. Rest assured, there are some creative and inspired sequences here while the story focuses more on the father/daughter relationship, but what is truly refreshing is that I didn't come out of a Sandler produced film having cringed multiple times throughout. I'll take it.