Without having much knowledge about the Nickelodeon series on which this is based, and when I say not much I mean I watched the pilot episode the day before going to see this so I would have some type of background info as to what exactly was going on. Watching the pilot though only made it clear that Shyamalan had crammed alot into this hour and forty minute movie. Coming into this unfamiliar with the world of airbenders, I wasn't put off as much with all the exposition that seemed to take place within almost every line of the film. Though I did see what was being done as the pilot I'd watched was crammed into the first five minutes of the film. Besides the fact that we are getting alot of information, so much that even by the end of the film Shyamalan is still trying to explain things about this world. The originality is there and I like the premise and atmosphere that this story has, but this is all due to the creators of the animated series. Where Shyamalan could have taken this world and created a sweeping epic he tries to over-do it and ends up instead having a film that feels less like an epic and more like a film that could have been made by amateurs with deep pockets. The effects look great and some of the set pieces are impressive, but then there are some of the shot choices as well as the acting. Several shots look elementary, and we know that Shyamalan is a gifted filmmaker we saw this with at least his first four films before they began to get completely ridiculous. I'm still not sure what was going on with 'The Happening' but the acting here is quite similar to the acting in that film. It is awkward, but again this is probably due to Shyamalans dialogue. Jackson Rathbone and Dev Patel get the worst of it, Patel playing like a kid impersonating every bad guy he's ever seen while young Noah Ringer is thankfully able to anchor the film with his sweet and subtle performance as the Avatar. There were specific sequences that made me hopeful for this film, when our gang of heroes fights off some fire soldiers in one of the earth regions it was a nice piece of film making that I wish could have carried through the rest of the film and while the final battle sequences have some epic shots and cool special effects (I've always thought water was a cool medium to manipulate) the film just never reaches the level you want or expect it to. This is a PG movie, but it seems it should be much bigger and slightly more serious than this final product. Shyamalan has exhausted his clout and the only way we will get a sequel is if this makes money, lets just hope if it does we get a better film and dare I say it...a better director.
THE LAST AIRBENDER Review
Without having much knowledge about the Nickelodeon series on which this is based, and when I say not much I mean I watched the pilot episode the day before going to see this so I would have some type of background info as to what exactly was going on. Watching the pilot though only made it clear that Shyamalan had crammed alot into this hour and forty minute movie. Coming into this unfamiliar with the world of airbenders, I wasn't put off as much with all the exposition that seemed to take place within almost every line of the film. Though I did see what was being done as the pilot I'd watched was crammed into the first five minutes of the film. Besides the fact that we are getting alot of information, so much that even by the end of the film Shyamalan is still trying to explain things about this world. The originality is there and I like the premise and atmosphere that this story has, but this is all due to the creators of the animated series. Where Shyamalan could have taken this world and created a sweeping epic he tries to over-do it and ends up instead having a film that feels less like an epic and more like a film that could have been made by amateurs with deep pockets. The effects look great and some of the set pieces are impressive, but then there are some of the shot choices as well as the acting. Several shots look elementary, and we know that Shyamalan is a gifted filmmaker we saw this with at least his first four films before they began to get completely ridiculous. I'm still not sure what was going on with 'The Happening' but the acting here is quite similar to the acting in that film. It is awkward, but again this is probably due to Shyamalans dialogue. Jackson Rathbone and Dev Patel get the worst of it, Patel playing like a kid impersonating every bad guy he's ever seen while young Noah Ringer is thankfully able to anchor the film with his sweet and subtle performance as the Avatar. There were specific sequences that made me hopeful for this film, when our gang of heroes fights off some fire soldiers in one of the earth regions it was a nice piece of film making that I wish could have carried through the rest of the film and while the final battle sequences have some epic shots and cool special effects (I've always thought water was a cool medium to manipulate) the film just never reaches the level you want or expect it to. This is a PG movie, but it seems it should be much bigger and slightly more serious than this final product. Shyamalan has exhausted his clout and the only way we will get a sequel is if this makes money, lets just hope if it does we get a better film and dare I say it...a better director.
THE LAST AIRBENDER Review
Without having much knowledge about the Nickelodeon series on which this is based, and when I say not much I mean I watched the pilot episode the day before going to see this so I would have some type of background info as to what exactly was going on. Watching the pilot though only made it clear that Shyamalan had crammed alot into this hour and forty minute movie. Coming into this unfamiliar with the world of airbenders, I wasn't put off as much with all the exposition that seemed to take place within almost every line of the film. Though I did see what was being done as the pilot I'd watched was crammed into the first five minutes of the film. Besides the fact that we are getting alot of information, so much that even by the end of the film Shyamalan is still trying to explain things about this world. The originality is there and I like the premise and atmosphere that this story has, but this is all due to the creators of the animated series. Where Shyamalan could have taken this world and created a sweeping epic he tries to over-do it and ends up instead having a film that feels less like an epic and more like a film that could have been made by amateurs with deep pockets. The effects look great and some of the set pieces are impressive, but then there are some of the shot choices as well as the acting. Several shots look elementary, and we know that Shyamalan is a gifted filmmaker we saw this with at least his first four films before they began to get completely ridiculous. I'm still not sure what was going on with 'The Happening' but the acting here is quite similar to the acting in that film. It is awkward, but again this is probably due to Shyamalans dialogue. Jackson Rathbone and Dev Patel get the worst of it, Patel playing like a kid impersonating every bad guy he's ever seen while young Noah Ringer is thankfully able to anchor the film with his sweet and subtle performance as the Avatar. There were specific sequences that made me hopeful for this film, when our gang of heroes fights off some fire soldiers in one of the earth regions it was a nice piece of film making that I wish could have carried through the rest of the film and while the final battle sequences have some epic shots and cool special effects (I've always thought water was a cool medium to manipulate) the film just never reaches the level you want or expect it to. This is a PG movie, but it seems it should be much bigger and slightly more serious than this final product. Shyamalan has exhausted his clout and the only way we will get a sequel is if this makes money, lets just hope if it does we get a better film and dare I say it...a better director.
KNIGHT AND DAY Review
I thought this looked good from the get-go. I was actually surprised to hear how many people thought this was going to be crap and were generally not interested in it.I feel like I saw the first trailer forever ago and even then thought Tom Cruise's performance looked interesting and really fun. It turns out the whole movie is pretty interesting if not a little predictable, but all the way, its a fun ride. It is easiest to sum 'Knight and Day' up as a great summer date movie. It has some serious action sequences and tons of exotic locations as well as having a "romantic story" at its center. The "love" aspect of the film doesn't really seem to come into play as often as it should, being sporadically hinted at in looks throughout the film until the moment Ms. Diaz realizes what all has been goin down. I have yet to see 'The Killers' and hate to think that this is a more expensive version of that film. I feel as if this was in production long before the Kutcher/Heigl vehicle and although I don't have a problem with either of those actors, I simply find Cruise and Diaz more fun to watch and in the end to be better at their skill than the other two. 'Knight and Day', for me, simply has more credibility as a film. It was directed by James Mangold who also directed 'Walk the Line' (one of my favorite movies ever) and the remake of '3:10 to Yuma'-and he is able to create this kind of throwback to action/romance pictures of the past with a flair for all that is new and current. It has a classic undercurrent to it, especially in one of the final scenes where Cruise walks up to Diaz, bullets blazing in the background, and simply lays one on her without regard to the war going on behind him. It is a tad cheesy, yes, but it sums up the balance of ridiculous action and romance Mangold was going for and almost accomplishes. The story is one you could have guessed the conclusion of after Cruise briefs Diaz of the situation about a half hour into the film. Before that we are as in the dark about whats going on as Diaz is and to be honest that was the most enjoyable part of the film. Mangold and the screenwriter should have held out on us longer, allowed us to try and figure out what was going on for once we found out the situation it was still fun to watch these two go through the actions, but the suspense simply wasn't as...suspenseful. Go and see 'Knight and Day' it probably isn't as bad as you've heard, who knows, it may even surprise you.
KNIGHT AND DAY Review
I thought this looked good from the get-go. I was actually surprised to hear how many people thought this was going to be crap and were generally not interested in it.I feel like I saw the first trailer forever ago and even then thought Tom Cruise's performance looked interesting and really fun. It turns out the whole movie is pretty interesting if not a little predictable, but all the way, its a fun ride. It is easiest to sum 'Knight and Day' up as a great summer date movie. It has some serious action sequences and tons of exotic locations as well as having a "romantic story" at its center. The "love" aspect of the film doesn't really seem to come into play as often as it should, being sporadically hinted at in looks throughout the film until the moment Ms. Diaz realizes what all has been goin down. I have yet to see 'The Killers' and hate to think that this is a more expensive version of that film. I feel as if this was in production long before the Kutcher/Heigl vehicle and although I don't have a problem with either of those actors, I simply find Cruise and Diaz more fun to watch and in the end to be better at their skill than the other two. 'Knight and Day', for me, simply has more credibility as a film. It was directed by James Mangold who also directed 'Walk the Line' (one of my favorite movies ever) and the remake of '3:10 to Yuma'-and he is able to create this kind of throwback to action/romance pictures of the past with a flair for all that is new and current. It has a classic undercurrent to it, especially in one of the final scenes where Cruise walks up to Diaz, bullets blazing in the background, and simply lays one on her without regard to the war going on behind him. It is a tad cheesy, yes, but it sums up the balance of ridiculous action and romance Mangold was going for and almost accomplishes. The story is one you could have guessed the conclusion of after Cruise briefs Diaz of the situation about a half hour into the film. Before that we are as in the dark about whats going on as Diaz is and to be honest that was the most enjoyable part of the film. Mangold and the screenwriter should have held out on us longer, allowed us to try and figure out what was going on for once we found out the situation it was still fun to watch these two go through the actions, but the suspense simply wasn't as...suspenseful. Go and see 'Knight and Day' it probably isn't as bad as you've heard, who knows, it may even surprise you.
GROWN UPS Review
'Grown Ups' is probably exactly what you expect it to be. It was for me, and really, this isn't a bad thing. After so many years of retreating to Sandler-land at least once a year and we have become accustomed to the type of movie Sandler likes to make with his buddies and what kind of humor we will get when we purchase the ticket for it. 'Grown Ups' is a Sandler project that is a long-time coming. With three of his fellow SNL alumns joining him and recent collaborator Kevin James it is a feast of comedy heaven for anyone who loves any of these five guys. Given that Sandler is the most famous here, he gets the leader of the group role, which I sometimes wish had been switched up a bit. Rock being as popular as he is didn't get as much screen time (or as many funny things to say) as I expected him too. He did play against his usual character type though and that was rather interesting. His relationship with his wife played by the always funny Maya Rudolph was interesting and made for the best on-screen couple. James was also short on screen time, but garnered as many laughs as he could when given the opportunity. We know James is a funny guy even though most would say he is filling the Chris Farley role here. James is his own man though and with 'The King of Queens' he proved his funnyman status, there is no denying his chemistry with Sandler either. James is paired with Maria Bello, a bit of an odd combination but they make it work and certainly earn the cutest couple in the film. As for Schneider and Spade, they have had the least success after their prime days, but Spade stole the show for me here, his witty sarcasm was non-stop and without it the movie would not have been as funny or entertaining. Spade's character in general livens up the party this movie is supposed to be. On the other hand , Schneider is the weirdo friend that always gets picked on who also has two hot daughters. Its an odd bit of grouping as far as these friends go, but knowing the backstories of these actors we can all imagine how much fun they had making this film together and the best news is that most of that translates to the screen. This is standard Sandler, but he always delivers. It gives a slice of Americana in a time when iPhones and Wii's are more important than family time and the simple pleasures life brings, Sandler reminds us of how much fun we can have without all of that. We don't expect the greatest movie ever, we get the laughs, the cameos from others in Sandlers gang and we get a good moral-a story that doesn't break any molds, but tells us its okay to get back to what really made you smile. We can always count on Adam Sandler for a smile.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
