Super 8

JJ Abrams' follow up to Star Trek is this creature feature throwback about a group of Midwest kids who find themselves in the middle of an Air Force research project cover-up that destroys their whole town and turns their lives upside down.

Kudos to Abrams and Spielberg for keeping this project shrouded in mystery virtually up until the release. Teased for months, there was little in terms of Internet leaks that would spoil the plot. Unfortunately, there wasn't a whole lot to the plot, or anything magical, which is what I was kind of expecting.

A group of middle school kids who are hellbent on filming a zombie movie and submitting it for an amateur contest are filming a critical scene when a tremendous train crash rocks their worlds. This particular scene was extremely well done, and having seen it in IMAX, this scene alone makes the additional investment worthwhile. The kids are scared, but return to their normal lives until strange things start happening. They realize that they have captured something out of this world on their Super 8 camera, and become a part of the evil military quarantine of their town.

Where it goes from there is mostly predictable, taking cues from such classics as ET, Explorers, Stand By Me, and Signs (that's right, I went there). The kids mature throughout the process and grow closer together, and endure an experience that shatters their innocence all at once.

This film is a fresh departure from the safe superhero genre, and carves a deeper grove in Abrams' niche as a master monster filmmaker. He captured the essence that he was going for, a nostalgic trip back in time to the 70's, and with the focus on the kids, it was a deliberate success.

Abrams excels at explosions and special effects. Not in the way that Michael Bay does, but in a more clever and intriguing way. There is a mystical sense to his craft that lures the viewer with movie magic that has been missing for a long time. His teaming with Steven Spielberg is brilliant, and I imagine that they will produce more successful sci-fi flicks together in the future.

I really liked the ambition of the project, and the simplicity of how it turned out, but I think there was a bit of a misstep in the target audience. I love the boldness of bringing a group of kids in the middle of a monster movie. It is what embodied the beauty of ET, and is what I was expecting to see a bit more of in Super 8. What Abrams did though, was up the ante just a bit too much with foul language throughout and quite a bit of violence that didn't seem to mesh entirely with the mood. They could have easily done this movie with a hard PG or soft PG-13 rating, and it would have been much more true to the genre it is reviving, and I think it would have been better received.

That being my only complaint, it was a pretty cool movie, and the scenes with the creature were extremely well-done. The cast of unknown kids carried the movie nicely and it did evoke a sense of nostalgia for a simpler time with muscle cars, no technology, and bad fashion. Kids riding bikes to each others houses, being trusted to stay out late in their communities, and getting outside and playing. No Facebook, iPods, or texting. It's a refreshing thing to see. 7/10.

Super 8

Special Guest Reviewer Today!

An outstanding collaboration between J.J. Abrams (director) and Steven Spielberg (producer). I am still pumped and wish all movies could be made by these two geniuses. Yes, it is reminiscent at times of ET, Close Encounters, or Stand by Me, and the problem with drawing from these great films that is what exactly?

It combines realism and fantasy, small town life and aliens, plus quiet teenage angst and blockbuster explosions. In short, something for everyone. The one glaring cliché was that the government was working against everyone as usual.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the flavor of a simpler time in 1979 Americana (pre computers or cell phones and little parent involvement). The unknown young actors held their own nicely with the older familiar character actors. I remembered during the movie that I have read of Spielberg spending his teenage summers making home movies like the kids in this movie and hope there are young future filmmakers out there doing the same instead of sitting glued in front of a computer or TV.

This was an enjoyable experience, and I look forward to more projects from this team. Oh, and don’t leave too soon. There is a treat during the credits. 9/10.

X-Men: First Class

In the first film of the summer to tackle pivotal American historical events with a fictional twist (superheroes, giant robots, aliens), X-Men: First Class takes us to the heart of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The second of the Origins storylines, this one shows the beginning of the X-Men, and the evolution of their cause to the backdrop of the sixties.

Director Matthew Vaughn follows up Kick Ass with a foray into Marvel territory, and he does a very nice job. This is probably the best of the X-Men series for a number of reasons, which I will mention later. Vaughn carries the torch of unorthodox director choices by Marvel, but it works in their favor. Each of the films has a distinctly unique flavor, and that keeps it fresh and watchable. Vaughn does a great job of capturing the setting, particularly through the props and the costumes (January Jones makes a great 60's bombshell). It never waivers from its X-Men roots too far though.

The first reason that this is the best film of the franchise is Michael Fassbender. He plays Magneto with a cool attitude, and is just plain fun to watch. Given an opportunity again to use his native German language, he plays Erik Lehnsherr, the scarred, scornful survivor of Nazi death camps beautifully. His counterpart, James McAvoy, who is a wonderful actor in his own right, just didn't seem to fit the character to me, but the interaction between the two was entertaining and genuine.

The second reason is Kevin Bacon in the surprise performance of the blockbuster season thus far. He plays the bad guy, Shaw, with swagger and arrogance, showing the dark side of Bacon that we haven't seen successfully since Sleepers or Murder in the First. He shows off both German and Russian, and is just plain cool. Add another film with a deep cast to the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game, it just got easier.

The third reason that this is the best X yet is that it is driven by character development and slow pacing rather than explosions and action, which adds to the credibility, unlike Brett Ratner's orgy of special effects in X3. There is plenty of action, and cool mutant superpower demonstrations, but it is not overdone. Bryan Singer did nicely with the first two, but they jumped into action without much explanation.

A couple of well-placed and timed cameos by Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Romjin remind us that there is a whole Marvel connection that all of Hollywood is embracing. There is an excitement around the superhero genre, and audiences are clearly not getting tired anytime soon. As I've said before, Marvel has something special, and they are making this universal connection in a way that has never been done before. The passion shown by everyone involved (except maybe Terrence Howard and Ed Norton) shows a lighter side of action movies that is electric. The culmination of these films next year with the Avengers, which is going to be massive will open up endless possibilities.

People love superheroes. The reboots of Spiderman and Superman, the third Batman, and all of these originals and sequels proves it. Stan Lee had better be a rich man because of all of this, because he has created some amazing stories.

X-Men is a fun ride, and worth the price of admission to see Fassbender and Bacon. January Jones isn't bad to look at either. 8/10.

Hangover Part II

the wolf pack is back, this time in Thailand for Stu's second wedding (planned this time). His future in-laws are traditionally Thai, and her dad makes Meet the Parents' DeNiro seem almost friendly with his scathing analogy of Stu to a bowl of soft, soggy rice. Stu is a very conservative man, reticent to have any kind of pre-marital celebration with his friends due to his wild experiences at Doug's bachelor party in Vegas. Totally understandable. Enter Phil and Alan, both pushing for a good time, but each with their separate motives.

Alan (Galifinakis) is truly the catalyst of the shenanigans and mostly uncomfortable situations. Burning buildings, gunfire, animals, hermaphrodites, and criminal dealings are just a part of the 24 hour endurance of hell that Stu, Phil, and Alan go through while searching for Teddy, the missing little brother of Stu's fiance.

The film picks up right where the last leaves off, but there is a lingering sense of deja vu that never quite goes away. The reason for this is that the story is an exact retelling of the first film. The formula changes venue and in some cases characters, but the plot mimics like a remake.

That can be overlooked for the simple fact that Ed Helms and Zack Galifinakis are hilarious. Stu hates Alan, but reluctantly invites him on the trip to satisfy Doug's wife's request. Immediately, the story shows multiple angles that create foreshadowing, and before we know, the gang is waking up in a dingy Bankok motel room with a tattoo, a severed finger, and a monkey.

The crude meter is pushed up a notch with more gratuitous male nudity, finding itself in Sacha Baron Cohen territory. I suppose in this day and age, R rated comedies can't succeed without that little envelope push, and this film although not entirely surprising, is a bit refreshing with some of the jokes.

Todd Phillips continues his comedy success with this no-brainer. After grossing as much money as the original did, the studio would be stupid not to pursue a sequel. The only problem is that they played it a little too safe. A little too easy. The outlandish jokes were set up like an intentional walk, and knocked out of the park with predictable grace by the funnymen.

Helms takes more of a lead role in this one, and is hilarious doing a rendition of Billy Joel. Galifinakis owns as well. He was born to play Alan, and a likely third installment will focus on his nuptials, which will certainly be the best of the trilogy. Bradley Cooper is another story. Not entirely funny, he's given some good lines, but plays the pretty boy, the frat boy who wants to party, but who doesn't feel the bane of poor decisions as much as the others. He fits though as the leader of the wolfpack, and seems like he is having a great deal of fun along the way.

The wild rumors of Bill Clinton, Mel Gibson, and Liam Neeson turned out to be nothing more than a tease, but the bar was set so high that it is impossible to please the audiences.

To be honest, I was expecting a bit more originality, but what I wanted to see was Zack Galifinakis, and I got a lot of uncomfortable laughs, and a few unexpected ones. The plot dragged on a bit too long, and the resolution was quick and unsatisfying. There will be a third one if the film breaks the $200 million mark, which it is well on its way to doing. It is already the 4th highest grossing R comedy of all time, so you can expect another if the cast is agreeable and a good script is written.

My advice for what it's worth, take a leap of faith on a new storyline, give me a call Warner Bros, I'll write something up for a very small back end percentage.

Funny movie, but not as good as the first. 7/10.