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Men in Black 3: A Return to (Alien Life) Form

Becky Kirsch — Sat, 26 May 2012 10:29:01 PDT

I saw the original Men in Black movie so long ago that my memories of the film might as well have been zapped with a neuralyzer (that's the memory-erasing device the guys use in the movie, for those of you who are also having trouble recalling the original). What I did retain is that the film was funny, fresh, and silly and that it didn't hold up very well for the 2002 sequel. With that in mind, I had low expectations for Men in Black 3, but the newest installment is just as much fun as the original, and it actually benefits from the 15-year time lapse.

The script for the film is one of its biggest assets and truly sets Men in Black 3 apart from its predecessors. The aliens are still alive and ickier than ever now that they're in 3D, but the story is more focused on the friendship between J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) and how it has evolved over the years. We learn early on that K has been keeping a secret from J all these years, and the mystery drives a wedge between the partners. Meanwhile, a treacherous alien named Boris the Animal (played to hilarious perfection by Flight of the Conchords's Jemaine Clement) breaks out of maximum-security prison and goes back in time to get revenge on K, who arrested him back in the '60s. The day that K had Boris locked up is the key to K's secret, so J heads on a mission back in time to save K and learn the truth.

To see why Men in Black 3 is so much fun, just

Will Smith hasn't been in a movie since 2008's Seven Pounds, and I didn't realize I missed him until I found myself giggling all the way through Men in Black 3. His shtick is still the same (he's one-liners still consistent of dialogue like "Where did you come from? Planet damn?"), but you can't help but love Agent J as he bumbles through the '60s, desperately trying to sell his story to people who don't recognize him - or believe him. You can tell that Smith feels completely comfortable in the role, and in the signature suit, which still looks perfect on him, as he hasn't aged a day.

Tommy Lee Jones is ever the reliable curmudgeon, but the film mines extra laughs when J travels to the '60s and meets a much younger version of his partner, played by Josh Brolin. Brolin looks enough like Jones to pass for him, but it's really his studied delivery and mannerisms that sell the performance. We also get some insight into how K has evolved over the years (he's always had a penchant for cowboy music, but he also used to be a bit of a dreamer), giving the film an extra layer to the enjoyable banter between J and K.

I'm not usually one to gush about 3D, but the special effects really come to life in Men in Black 3 in a way they never did in the first two movies. Not only do the aliens look creepier than ever, but the cartoonish feel of the film is taken to the next level with the 3D aspect, especially with the time-travel thrill-ride element. Much like with the 3D movies from my youth, I found myself shrinking in my seat just to avoid being too close to the alien goo, blood, breath, and beyond. Combined with the welcome return of Will Smith, you've got yourself a fun, mindless blockbuster.

Photos courtesy of Sony

Moonrise Kingdom: A Retro Delight

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:00:00 PDT

Everything about Moonrise Kingdom is unmistakably Wes Anderson: the hazy cinematography, the clever dialogue, and even the use of the director's favorite actors. Indeed, Anderson isn't leaving his comfort zone as a filmmaker, but Moonrise Kingdom is still a pleasure to watch. Set in 1965, the movie tells the story of Sam and Suzy (newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward), preteen pen pals who conspire to run away together. As they set up camp all over an island off the coast of New England, they're being pursued by Sam's scout troop (led by camp counselor Edward Norton), Suzy's parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), and different authorities (Bruce Willis and Tilda Swinton). Sam and Suzy's experience with young love is sweet and complicated, and made all the more dreamy through Anderson's lens.

The elements might be familiar, but Anderson proves why he's such an admired director with a film like this. It's surprisingly romantic, but there's also a real threat to Sam and Suzy in the wild. Their compelling journey paired with the optical treat of Anderson's style makes Moonrise Kingdom a must-watch for fans of the distinctive director. To find out what else I liked about the film, just keep reading.

The Dictator: Ruled by Tasteless but Funny Jokes

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:00:23 PDT

Full disclosure: I laughed out loud many times during The Dictator, knowing full well that I should have been offended instead. But what you see is what you get when it comes to Sacha Baron Cohen, and after movies like Bruno and Borat, you already know whether you'll be able to find humor in film about a horrifyingly ignorant world leader who's as naive, racist, and prejudiced as they come.

I know that sounds hard to swallow, but there is a big difference between The Dictator and Cohen's previous work: this time, it doesn't even feel remotely real. Whereas Borat and Bruno are made to taunt and embarrass what appear to be unsuspecting, everyday people, there's no mistaking The Dictator for what it is: a total farce that comes complete with actors you've seen before. It may sound obvious, but having Cohen's Aladeen interact with the likes of Ben Kingsley, Anna Faris, and John C. Reilly makes the whole story easier to digest - and much easier to laugh at in spite of yourself.

To see what else I enjoyed about The Dictator, just

At the core, The Dictator is really a fish-out-of water comedy, just taken to staggeringly inappropriate levels. Aladeen has ruled his North African country, Wadiya, since he was a small child, and in many ways, he's never grown up. While he's busy ordering execution for anyone that rubs him the wrong way (including the engineer that couldn't make his nuclear weapon pointy enough), his uncle Tamir (Kingsley) is the one that's really making the decisions about how the country should be run. Predictably, Tamir turns on Aladeen and seizes power during a trip to NYC, leaving Aladeen lost, penniless, and unrecognizable on the streets of the Big Apple.

The Dictator then turns into a bizarre romantic comedy, as Aladeen befriends a crunchy protester named Chloe (Anna Faris), who he initially mistakes for a boy. Chloe gives Aladeen his first job in her organic whole foods store, which opens a Pandora's box of jokes about the irony of a world leader wearing a hairnet. Meanwhile, Aladeen hatches a plan to bring down his uncle, and somewhere along the way, you start rooting for the same guy that suggests aborting a baby because it's not a boy.

I'm not saying that The Dictator is sophisticated by any means, or even groundbreaking as a comedy. Cohen spares us no expense of crude humor that pushes the envelope (and literally takes us inside a woman's birth canal), and if you're not a fan for Cohen's brand of humor, you'll probably walk out of the theater before you even get there. But if you've ever found his antics to be funny before, chances are you will again - even if you're slightly embarrassed to admit it when the credits roll.

Photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Battleship: Needs a Lifesaver

Maggie Pehanick — Fri, 18 May 2012 06:00:00 PDT

I don't remember aliens making an appearance in my own childhood sessions with Battleship, but I suppose when you try to make a toy into a feature-length film, you're afforded a few liberties. Unfortunately, the producers of Battleship may have spent too much time finding creative ways to explode things and not enough time on a plot, ending up with underutilized actors, in a wishy-washy destruction story.

Battleship starts out in 2005, when the US establishes the Beacon Project, an effort to reach out to potential life forms on a planet that has a similar climate as the Earth. The government sets up a powerful signal on Hawaii capable of sending transmissions to the foreign territory. Little do they know the frequencies are being received, and not by friendly folks. Enter brothers Alex (Taylor Kitsch) and Stone (Alexander Skarsgard). Stone is clean-cut and responsible while Alex is generally a mess. We first meet them in a bar scene that turns to Alex breaking into a convenience store to steal a chicken burrito for his future girlfriend, Sam (Brooklyn Decker). Thanks to Kitsch's surprising physical comedy skills, the scene is the highlight of the movie. It all goes to the aliens after that.

Read the rest of my thoughts on Battleship after the break.

What to Expect When You're Expecting: Brings a Surprising Amount of Belly Laughs

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 18 May 2012 02:00:00 PDT

Ever since Love Actually captured hearts and audiences with its huge cast and sweet intersecting story lines, there's been an overflow of ensemble comedies, and fatigue has officially set in. There are usually too many characters and subplots, and while What to Expect When You're Expecting does have a star-studded cast and a lot going on, it's funnier and more engrossing than most of the movies in the genre.

The characters are all dealing with some aspect of parenthood: there's Cameron Diaz as Jules, a trainer on a Biggest Loser-like show who gets pregnant by her dancing partner (Matthew Morrison) from a Dancing With the Stars-like show. There's Holly and Alex (Jennifer Lopez and Rodrigo Santoro), a couple who resorts to adoption, while Rosie and Marco (Anna Kendrick and Chace Crawford) have a fling that leads to her pregnancy. Elizabeth Banks plays Wendy, a woman who's grateful to finally be expecting but is disappointed when she feels more gross than glowy, and in contrast, her younger mother-in-law (Brooklyn Decker) is having the most effortless pregnancy in history. Sure, it's way too perfect that everyone conceives their children around the same time, but the movie is filled with enough humor and warmth to compensate. To find out what else I thought about What to Expect When You're Expecting, just keep reading.

Dark Shadows: Should Have Stayed Buried

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 11 May 2012 03:05:00 PDT

Bringing back a 1960s TV series about a vampire sounds like a perfect job for director Tim Burton, who became a modern master of cinematic goth with movies like Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Sleepy Hollow. But even with star and frequent collaborator Johnny Depp, the film adaptation of Dark Shadows fails to live up to Burton's previous work. Sadly, it feels more like a lazy, scattered project from someone trying to imitate Burton's style.

Depp stars as Barnabus Collins, a man who is turned into a vampire in the late 1700s by Angelique (Eva Green), a witch whose heart he has broken. After his loved ones are killed by Angelique, Barnabus is buried for 200 years until he's accidentally dug up. Back in his mansion in the 1970s, he gets acquainted with the existing Collins clan (including Michelle Pfeiffer and Chloë Grace Moretz), and sets about building a relationship with them, reinvigorating the family business, and going head-to-head with Angelique - who's been thriving for centuries. There's certainly a lot going on in, but none of it is compelling enough to make a satisfying movie.

To find out what else I thought of the movie, just keep reading.

The Avengers: Assemble For Awesomeness

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:23:37 PDT

Ensemble romantic comedies are a dime a dozen these days, and let's face it: most of those star-studded flicks aren't even that good. But an ensemble superhero movie? Now that's an idea I can get behind. The Avengers rounds up an all-star group of comic book heroes who must get over their inflated egos and differences to take down a villain and save the world. It's a simple enough concept, and the combination of eye-popping special effects, humor, and a stellar cast makes for one hell of a blockbuster movie.

The cast of characters - and each one is very much a character in their own right - is mostly composed of people you've seen before and are happy to welcome back. There's Chris Evans as Captain America, whose situation as a '50s guy living in a 2012 world is funny to the audience, if not to him. Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as Iron Man, and his wisecracks and borderline obnoxious behavior carry the film and much of the dialogue; Chris Hemsworth is back as demigod Thor, though his role feels a bit downplayed in the midst of the rest of the hubbub. Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner return as Nick Fury, Black Widow and Hawkeye, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who kick butt but are never really as much fun as their power-wielding cohorts. The only guy who's new to the group is Mark Ruffalo, who takes on the role of Bruce Banner (aka The Hulk) for the first time, and Ruffalo's so quietly engaging that you won't even remember Eric Bana or Edward Norton in the role.

To see what else is great about The Avengers, just

Taking on this team of good guys is Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor's maniacal brother who's literally plotting world domination. His quick wit and completely deluded view of the world make him a layered villain who's incredibly fun to hate. The fun doesn't even stop there: the film is chock-full of cameos and appearances from characters from The Avengers prequels, which is an added bonus for fans that have been following The Avengers since the beginning. You don't need to be a fanatic to enjoy the movie though; the film has nods to the previous films but it still makes for a nice introduction to each of the characters as they're rounded up one by one.

Writer/director Joss Whedon goes from Buffy to the big leagues here, and he masterfully puts together a film that goes big, but doesn't let action overshadow the script. The dialogue is packed with so many one-liners that you'll likely miss half of them because the audience is still laughing at the most recent joke. Though the humor pretty much writes itself with characters like these, Whedon is wise to make it obvious that the film doesn't take itself too seriously.

The action sequences are also handled with care; the fight scenes don't linger too long, and most of the scenes showcase each of the Avengers, which helps keep the pace moving right along. I'm not usually one to gush over special effects, but I literally gasped when Mark Ruffalo transforms into The Hulk for the first time. The scene, in a way, is like the film's secret weapon. The first transformation is teased throughout most of the movie, and the suspense builds to a moment that feels perfectly constructed to grab the audience by the throat.

The only downside to The Avengers is that with so many characters, you just wish you could spend a little more time with each of your favorites. The good news is that we'll probably be hanging out with them in many sequels to come.

Photos courtesy of Disney

The Five-Year Engagement: Hold Off on the RSVP

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:30:25 PDT

I was looking forward to The Five-Year Engagement like a dear friend's wedding, but as promising as the movie is, it's not as funny or romantic as I was hoping. Jason Segel and Emily Blunt play Tom and Violet, a happy couple who gets engaged, but over the course of planning their wedding, they get sidetracked, and end up putting off the big day. As their wedding plans fall apart, so does their relationship. This is where The Five-Year Engagement differs most notably from other romantic comedies; instead of seeing a romance develop, we're watching one decline - and it's as depressing to watch as it sounds.

It's a shame that we don't get to see the prologue of Tom and Violet's relationship, because Segel and Blunt have fantastic chemistry, and they have each have such solid comedic timing. It's well suited for the humor of the script, which was penned by Segel and director Nicholas Stoller. The duo also wrote Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Muppets, two of my favorite comedies from the last few years, so my expectations were fairly high. Unfortunately, The Five-Year Engagement doesn't live up to those movies. The film's biggest laughs happen in the beginning of the movie, when the roadblocks to their wedding are far lighter than what the couple faces down the road. It's on that road that The Five-Year Engagement loses me - and its laughs. To find out what else I thought, just keep reading.

The Lucky One: Take This Schmaltz

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:30:28 PDT

The premise of The Lucky One is a little convoluted, but the basics of the story are not: boy meets girl, they fall for each other, and then must overcome some obstacle to be together. If that simple formula is enough for you, you'll enjoy watching the romantic drama, but if you're looking for more than a cheesy love story, you won't find it here.

Zac Efron stars as Logan, a former marine who avoids death a couple of times in combat, and attributes his survival to a good luck charm: a photograph he found in the rubble. When he returns home from overseas, he's determined to find the woman in the picture to thank her. After walking for days across several states, he reaches his destination and finds the woman, Beth (Taylor Schilling), a single mom who runs a dog kennel. Tongue-tied, Logan fails to tell Beth why he's there, and instead accepts a job working for her. As they get to know each other, Beth and Logan slowly fall for each other, but Logan keeps his secret under wraps, to the point that it threatens their relationship. The fact that a secret about a picture is what builds suspense in the film is more than a little silly, but Efron makes up for in eye candy what the movie lacks in substance.

To find out what else I thought about The Lucky One, just keep reading.

American Reunion: A Yearbook of Bad Memories

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 03:05:00 PDT

In 1999, a raunchy comedy called American Pie became an instant high school movie classic boasting the tagline "There's something about your first piece." That line feels truer than ever upon the release of American Reunion, the third sequel in the franchise. The film tries to capture the humor and spirit of the original film, but all it does is make you wish the Pie films had quit when they were ahead.

Thirteen years after graduation, we find Jim (Jason Biggs), settled down with former band geek Michelle (Alyson Hannigan). Their once-spicy sex life has dwindled following the birth of their first child, and he's mostly lost touch with his former BFFs Oz (Chris Klein), Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas). To remedy the situation, the foursome vows to have a boys' weekend back in their hometown for their high school reunion. Of course, the weekend becomes a disaster complete with binge drinking, surprise sexual encounters, awkward moments with former classmates, and a relentless amount of incredibly obnoxious one-liners from Stifler (Seann William Scott).

To find out what else feels stale about American Reunion, just

Getting caught up with Jim and the gang might have been more fun if there hadn't been two more Pie movies between the original and this one; we already have a good sense of where the characters have been and how they've evolved (or haven't, in most cases). Plus, you can garner what's happened to each of them in the first ten minutes, and after that you're just trying to watch a bunch of 30-somethings relive their glory days. We already saw this movie, and it was called Grown Ups.

The Pie movies have always relied on objectifying women for laughs, but American Reunion takes it to a new level. The guys ogle teenage girls at the lake, where they're wearing thong bikinis and making out with each other in front of their friends, because according to the movie, that's what all high school girls are like now. It's not just the teens either: there's a full-on catfight between two of the female leads, and the weight gain of one of Stifler's former hookups is played for gross-out laughs that's not just unfunny; it's downright mean.

The best part about American Reunion is that it incorporates some awesome '90s hits like "My Own Worst Enemy" and "The Freshman," but even that only happens in the final 20 minutes of the film, when you're already so burned out on sight gags that you barely have enough attention span to notice the soundtrack.

The same goes for all the cameos: it's fun to point out the throwbacks to the original, and I appreciated that John Cho (aka "the MILF guy") has a much bigger role this time around, but it's not enough to justify a film that's overlong and over the top. It made me realize that when it comes to the Pie franchise, I've had my fill.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures