Rated R for some violence, sexual content and language, 119 minutes
"The Lincoln Lawyer" is slick, guilty-pleasure entertainment
"The Lincoln Lawyer" is guilty, guilty of being a slick, entertaining and well-acted crime thriller, one of the best of recent memory. This crowd-pleaser predictably hits all the right notes but you'll find yourself enjoying it far more than you think. It becomes a bit redundant and draggy in the last act before it regains its footing for a nice, twisty ending.
Based on the 2005 best-selling novel of the same name, "The Lincoln Lawyer" concerns Los Angeles defense attorney Mickey Haller (Matthew McConaughey), a slick, smooth-talking attorney who conducts most of his work out of his 1990's-era Lincoln Town Car; he's defended lots of questionable folks, including his current client, Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe), a rich young real-estate agent who comes from a powerful, very wealthy L.A. family. Roulet claims to have been set up, but things don't appear to be adding up for Roulet as Haller and his assistance Frank (William H. Macy) start digging around. Now Haller is stuck defending someone he doesn't like, putting his career and his family, including ex-wife Maggie (Marisa Tomei) in danger.
"The Lincoln Lawyer" is a standard, but handsome by-the-numbers crime thriller that you've seen before but is still vastly entertaining, thanks to a superb cast headlined by McConaughey, who make this thing worth watching. McConaughey, who gained fame playing a lawyer in John Grisham's "A Time to Kill," gives his most engaging, least self-aware performance in years as the lawyer who does his business in the back of a Lincoln. Even better is the stellar supporting cast, including Phillippe as a slimeball client, Tomei, Macy, along with Josh Lucas, Frances Fisher, Bryan Cranston, Michael Pena, John Leguizamo and even country singer Trace Adkins, nearly unrecognizable in a brief but key role.
With newcomer Brad Furman's direction, you have a sense of where the stylish, smooth production is going, even down to a mildly surprising ending that has a decent emotional payoff. Some of it lacks efficiency, especially in the draggy second act, until it reawakens for a decent climax. With wavy hair, Southern accent and a swagger most would envy, McConaughey seems born to play this smooth-talking type, but one thing's for sure, you won't be looking away.
McConaughey needs a hit (commercial, critical or otherwise), and "The Lincoln Lawyer" could be his ticket out of the mediocre rom-coms he's been plagued with the last few years. "The Lincoln Lawyer" is guilty of being guilty-pleasure entertainment that could find repeat business with the lack of decent cinematic choices lately, and I would have no objections to that. A crime thriller worth a look.
Wes's Grade: B
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Paul - B
Rated R for language including sexual references, and some drug use, 104 minutes
“Paul” is a bawdy, delightful alien adventure
Yes, “Paul” concerns a small CG alien, but “E.T.” he’s not and this isn’t an adventure the whole family would enjoy. From the director of “Superbad” and starring the guys from “Shaun of the Dead,” Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, it’s a profane, uneven but often inspired sci-fi road-buddy comedy with energy and heart, though it’s not one of Pegg and Frost’s best outings.
Pegg and Frost are two British sci-fi geeks, Graeme and Clive, who come to America to San Diego’s Comic Con and then trek across the American West UFO Heartland in an old rented RV. Along the way, they encounter an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen), who’s been here for over 60 years but is trying to escape before he must undergo more harsh experiments. They also pick up a devout religious girl from an RV park named Ruth (Kristin Wiig) on their unusual adventure to save Paul, who is being tracked by some federal agents led by Lorenzo (Jason Bateman).
Bawdy, delightful and predictable, “Paul” is a sci-fi comedy that’s more comedy than sci-fi, and will likely be most enjoyed by devout Pegg-Frost fans. There are a handful of laugh-out loud moments and the cast is great, though down the stretch in the second act it gets a bit uneven and messy. Pegg, Frost and even the usually annoying Rogen are all engaging, though “Saturday Night Live’s” Wiig (the T-shirt she’s wearing at the first is a hoot) and a few other cameos nearly steal the movie, including a very brief, hilarious turn by “Glee’s” Jane Lynch as a big-haired truck-stop waitress.
Director Greg Mottola of “Superbad” and “Adventureland” handles the proceedings well with the profane script by Pegg and Frost, who incorporate a lot of cheeky sci-fi and other movie references you’ll have to listen closely for (my favorite is one to a 1990’s Susan Sarandon film, “Lorenzo’s Oil”). Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor, David Koechner, Blythe Danner, Bill Hader and Sigourney Weaver (an inspired, brief turn) round out the talented cast.
Though not one of Pegg and Frost’s better efforts (“Shaun of the Dead” is still the best), it’s still crowd-pleasing and engaging enough to hold the audience’s interest until the “E.T.”-inspired climax. Also, you’ll want to stay over through the credits for an amusing epilogue. “Paul” isn’t as out-of-this-world original as it wants to be (or thinks it is) but it’s an above-average sci-fi comedy entry and worth a look.
Wes’s Grade: B
Limitless - B-
Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving a drug, violence including disturbing images, sexuality and language, 105 minutes
Slick, fast-paced “Limitless” is mostly eye candy“Limitless” explores the question, what if you had a drug that made you rich and famous? Many of us would like to have that drug, though we don’t realize the consequences of what our new life brings us. “Limitless” is slick fun for the senses, just don’t think about the plot holes or contrivances that threaten the film, particularly in the film’s fast-paced last act.
Bradley Cooper (“The Hangover”) is Eddie Morra, an unemployed New York City thirty-something writer who hits snags both professionally and personally, when his stable girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish) leaves him. He meets an old friend who introduces him to a top-secret new drug called NZT, which changes a person’s mental capabilities to make them sharper and brighter in every aspect of their lives. Soon Eddie finds himself at the top of his game, living a lavish lifestyle and working for some powerful Wall-Street financiers, including Carl Van Loon (Robert DeNiro), though Eddie’s life may be in danger with a limited stock of the drug and with some bad guys who are also in pursuit of him and the drug.
“Limitless” is an energetic, well-acted action-thriller of drug-fueled success and the dangers that come with it. Most of it works well, and Cooper’s engaging performances enlivens and grounds the film well. Based on a 2001 novel “The Dark Fields” by Alan Glynn, the story is a little murky and it becomes bogged down in criminal exercises near the end, but there’s enough to keep you interested throughout.
Cornish and DeNiro both have minimal footage, so don’t go into this thinking it’s an ensemble piece, but DeNiro is used wisely by director Neil Burger (“The Illusionist”) and the final exchange between DeNiro and Cooper is a treat to watch. Burger wisely steers the film away from any anti-drug preachiness and uses it strictly for entertainment value.
“Limitless” lacks emotional depth but makes up for it with slick, fun entertainment value and eye candy that the cast becomes early on. It’s filled with some fun scenes though you may not remember much of it after it’s over.
Wes’s Grade: B-
Saturday, March 5, 2011
The Last Lions - B
Rated PG for some violent images involving animal life, 88 minutes
"The Last Lions" a fascinating look at the big kitty
"The Last Lions" is a sublimely compelling look at the African lion, produced by National Geographic and narrated by actor Jeremy Irons. The absorbing new documentary is a beautiful portrait of a one lion's survival and ability to care for her cubs. The lush photography is the highlight of the film, and the film is suitable for the entire family, though younger kids may be frightened by a few intense scenes of animal life.
The film documentary focuses on a lioness named Ma di Tau ("Mother of Lions") as she battles to protect her cubs against the daunting onslaught of enemies to ensure their survival. The underlying message of the film is on the low population of large cats in the world and whether or not Ma di Tau and her cubs are among the last lions.
"The Last Lions" is a mesmerizing, entertaining look at big cat life on another continent; the film is a great study on animal instincts and survival, though largely unrevealing given that National Geographic has been doing this awhile, with other big cat docs such as "Eye of the Leopard." If "The Last Lions" feels familiar to that film, it's because the film's directors Dereck and Beverly Joubert, also made that film (and also with Irons narrating).
Along with the handsome photography, it also helps that the first-rate narration, told with great inflection by Oscar-winner Irons, helps move the film along and actually adds insight and a dramatic feel to ordinary animal life. Even with the familiar story, all of it's engaging, insightful and a treat to watch, whether Ma di Tau is protecting her cubs (always cute when they're babies) or searching for food, you won't be able to look away.
"The Last Lions" is a worthwhile, enjoyable documentary that's worth a look, especially for animal lovers.
Wes's Grade: B
"The Last Lions" a fascinating look at the big kitty
"The Last Lions" is a sublimely compelling look at the African lion, produced by National Geographic and narrated by actor Jeremy Irons. The absorbing new documentary is a beautiful portrait of a one lion's survival and ability to care for her cubs. The lush photography is the highlight of the film, and the film is suitable for the entire family, though younger kids may be frightened by a few intense scenes of animal life.
The film documentary focuses on a lioness named Ma di Tau ("Mother of Lions") as she battles to protect her cubs against the daunting onslaught of enemies to ensure their survival. The underlying message of the film is on the low population of large cats in the world and whether or not Ma di Tau and her cubs are among the last lions.
"The Last Lions" is a mesmerizing, entertaining look at big cat life on another continent; the film is a great study on animal instincts and survival, though largely unrevealing given that National Geographic has been doing this awhile, with other big cat docs such as "Eye of the Leopard." If "The Last Lions" feels familiar to that film, it's because the film's directors Dereck and Beverly Joubert, also made that film (and also with Irons narrating).
Along with the handsome photography, it also helps that the first-rate narration, told with great inflection by Oscar-winner Irons, helps move the film along and actually adds insight and a dramatic feel to ordinary animal life. Even with the familiar story, all of it's engaging, insightful and a treat to watch, whether Ma di Tau is protecting her cubs (always cute when they're babies) or searching for food, you won't be able to look away.
"The Last Lions" is a worthwhile, enjoyable documentary that's worth a look, especially for animal lovers.
Wes's Grade: B
Mars Needs Moms - B
Rated PG for sci-fi action and peril, 88 minutes
Loopy fun in familiar "Mars Needs Moms"
The new Disney animated/motion capture movie "Mars Needs Moms" mixes a perfect amount of silly fun with simple sci-fi fun and a few heartwarming messages thrown in for good measure. The story emotes a "been there done that" type of feel, combining a lot of different sci-fi elements from different films ranging from "Aliens" to "Star Wars" to "2001: A Space Odyssey" but there's enough wistful energy to keep the young ones entertained for roughly 90 minutes.
Nine-year old Milo (voice of Seth Dusky/body of Seth Green) is a normal precocious boy on Earth who doesn't appreciate his Mom (Joan Cusack) much until she is kidnapped by Martians with plans to strip her of her "mom-ness" for their own young. Milo's quest to save his mom involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader, the Supervisior (Mindy Sterling). With the help of a tech-savvy, underground earthman named Gribble (Dan Fogler) and his bionic underground pet named Two-Cat (Dee Bradley Baker) and a rebellious Martian girl called Ki (Elisabeth Harnois), Milo just might find his way back to his mom — in more ways than one.
"Mars Needs Moms" is a colorful, loopy and entertaining adventure perfect for kids of all ages, especially ones who must appreciate their Mom's more. Produced by Robert Zemeckis and directed by Simon Wells ("The Prince of Egypt"), the film utilizes the same stop motion capture used on some of Zemeckis' earlier films including "A Christmas Carol" and "The Polar Express" and the film continues to show how this technology evolves to produce smoother, more fluid human movements that look remarkably like animation. Unlike those earlier films, "Mars Needs Moms" has a lighter tone to appeal to a younger, wider audience, which could work in the film's favor.
The story is predictable but energetic, light fun and you have a sense of where the story is going, but it's still fun to get there. Zemeckis and company add some nice sci-fi touches (women in charge, the men are doofuses), and while the film seems overly familiar, it's actually based on a Berkeley Breathed (of "Bloom County" fame) children's picture book of the same name. The film is well-acted and voiced, even with the limited taste of an annoying comedian like Fogler, who gives the film's most touching performance as someone who's had similar experiences to Milo.
The film's target audience, the younger set, should enjoy this outing more than the slightly creepy "Polar Express" or the dark "Christmas Carol," both of which have found taken time to find audiences. Kids should have no problem enjoying the warm, heartfelt "Mars Needs Moms," which could be a treat for the whole family, especially Moms.
Wes's Grade: B
Loopy fun in familiar "Mars Needs Moms"
The new Disney animated/motion capture movie "Mars Needs Moms" mixes a perfect amount of silly fun with simple sci-fi fun and a few heartwarming messages thrown in for good measure. The story emotes a "been there done that" type of feel, combining a lot of different sci-fi elements from different films ranging from "Aliens" to "Star Wars" to "2001: A Space Odyssey" but there's enough wistful energy to keep the young ones entertained for roughly 90 minutes.
Nine-year old Milo (voice of Seth Dusky/body of Seth Green) is a normal precocious boy on Earth who doesn't appreciate his Mom (Joan Cusack) much until she is kidnapped by Martians with plans to strip her of her "mom-ness" for their own young. Milo's quest to save his mom involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader, the Supervisior (Mindy Sterling). With the help of a tech-savvy, underground earthman named Gribble (Dan Fogler) and his bionic underground pet named Two-Cat (Dee Bradley Baker) and a rebellious Martian girl called Ki (Elisabeth Harnois), Milo just might find his way back to his mom — in more ways than one.
"Mars Needs Moms" is a colorful, loopy and entertaining adventure perfect for kids of all ages, especially ones who must appreciate their Mom's more. Produced by Robert Zemeckis and directed by Simon Wells ("The Prince of Egypt"), the film utilizes the same stop motion capture used on some of Zemeckis' earlier films including "A Christmas Carol" and "The Polar Express" and the film continues to show how this technology evolves to produce smoother, more fluid human movements that look remarkably like animation. Unlike those earlier films, "Mars Needs Moms" has a lighter tone to appeal to a younger, wider audience, which could work in the film's favor.
The story is predictable but energetic, light fun and you have a sense of where the story is going, but it's still fun to get there. Zemeckis and company add some nice sci-fi touches (women in charge, the men are doofuses), and while the film seems overly familiar, it's actually based on a Berkeley Breathed (of "Bloom County" fame) children's picture book of the same name. The film is well-acted and voiced, even with the limited taste of an annoying comedian like Fogler, who gives the film's most touching performance as someone who's had similar experiences to Milo.
The film's target audience, the younger set, should enjoy this outing more than the slightly creepy "Polar Express" or the dark "Christmas Carol," both of which have found taken time to find audiences. Kids should have no problem enjoying the warm, heartfelt "Mars Needs Moms," which could be a treat for the whole family, especially Moms.
Wes's Grade: B
Red Riding Hood - D+
Rated PG-13 for violence and creature terror, and some sensuality, 105 minutes
“Red Riding Hood”: One big, bad bore
Once upon a time in the land of Hollywood, they made a film based on a children’s fairy tale, with a lavish production, big stars, a noted director and in the end...it sucked. “Red Riding Hood” is the new thriller loosely based on the age-old folk tale “Little Red Riding Hood.” On the plus side, the production is stylish and handsome, and it has the terrific Gary Oldman, but this woefully misguided effort ends up a huge mess that only the big bad wolf could enjoy. Badly-acted, sloppily directed and not a bit scary, you may actually appreciate "Twilight," that mediocre vampire-werewolf story this movie is modeled on.
Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding woodcutter, Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Max Irons). Valerie and Peter plan to run away together when Valerie's older sister is killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. Under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life. Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon (Oldman), to help them kill the wolf. But Solomon's arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them.
“Red Riding Hood” is a lavish, intriguing interpretation of the gruesome fairy tale, but by and large it’s a lifeless failure with little spark or chills. Unfortunately, the movie rests in the hands of director Catherine Hardwicke, who helmed the first “Twilight” film and who tackles similar themes here with the same type of misguided banality.
The impressive sets and costumes (unsurprising, given Hardwicke’s set design background) are the highlight, with little else that’s memorable, especially the same type of cheap special effects Hardwicke used in “Twilight.” It doesn’t help that the most disappointing effect in the film is the werewolf itself, a cheap piece of fakery that provides more unintentional laughter than any genuine scares. Hardwicke, director of edgier fare like “Thirteen,” should stay away from films involving werewolves, or maybe just stay away from directing films.
“Red Riding Hood” wobbly leans a couple of factors for its success. The first is the “mystery” of the werewolf, which turns out to be a creepy disappointment, but good luck in staying awake to get that point. The other is the charisma of the handsome but wooden leads: “Big Love’s” Seyfried and newcomers Fernandez and Irons, all of whom lack chemistry or believability, while talented actors such as Julie Christie, Billy Burke (another “Twilight” fixture), Lukas Haas and Virginia Madsen are also wasted. Even the usually-watchable Oldman (“The Dark Knight”) is relegated to chewing on scenery as a big-name priest.
“Red Riding Hood” will likely attract some viewers seeking a “Twilight”-type of thrill the first week of release, until they realize that snoring doesn't exactly instill good buzz for a film.
Wes’s Grade: D+
Battle: Los Angeles - C+
Rated PG-13 for sustained and intense sequences of war violence and destruction, and for language, 110 minutes
"Battle: Los Angeles" is a loud but entertaining fight
Aliens are invading. Again. That's the simple new premise of the unoriginal new action sci-fi thriller "Battle: Los Angeles," a movie that will make you very, very thankful for earplugs. "Battle: L.A." is a turbulent, tiresome video-game package of a movie, slickly done to appeal to the senses in the gaudiest way. With that in mind, "Battle: L.A." packs a wallop visually, with stunning special effects and a pace that would leave Will Smith breathless, but its cornball storyline and redundant intensity are likely to leave you exhausted.
Aaron Eckhart is Marine Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz, a veteran who's on his way out but is drawn back in when alien forces begin invading Earth. The mysterious alien forces are out to destroy mankind and take over Earth to use it for its natural resources, primarily the need for water. Los Angeles is one of the last major centers of the West still standing, and its up to Nantz and his troops, including Air Force Sgt. Santos (Michelle Rodriguez) and a pretty civilian (Bridget Moynihan) he meets along the way.
"Battle: Los Angeles" is a conventional, entertainingly headache-inducing action film that's peppered with some impressive visuals and a breathless pace. If you slow down long enough, you'll realize the predictability of the sappy plot and the cookie-cutter characters you'll find in just about every sci-film this side of "Avatar." Director Jonathan Liebesman, who's helmed mostly horror films such as "Darkness Falls" and the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" reboot, serviceably handles the visuals, but you'll quickly realize where most of the money in this expensive production went to.
Eckhart, along with Rodriguez, Moynihan and Micheal Pena and Ne-Yo, headline a bland cast that is clearly secondary to the excessively loud visuals (note: there are gazillions of explosions in this movie). The plot is borrowed and predictable, and you'll know instantly that these guys will find a way to win, a familiar formula seen in so many other sci-fi films such as "War of the Worlds," "Independence Day" and "Cloverfield." Still, there are a handful of intensely enjoyable moments including a showdown on a deserted piece of L.A. freeway and of course the climactic showdown with the mothership. As a side note, none of this was actually filmed in Los Angeles, but the much cheaper Louisiana.
"Battle: Los Angeles" isn't nearly as terrible as you might expect it to be, and as mindless, guilty-pleasure entertainment it actually works well. It's also miles ahead of last fall's "Skyline," a dreadful, depressing film that seemed to have ripped off the plot of this movie (not to mention its visuals). Those that enjoy this type of thing will go and likely go again; those who enjoy their entertainment without earplugs or a headache should stay home and watch "The Big Bang Theory" on DVR.
Wes's Grade: C+
"Battle: Los Angeles" is a loud but entertaining fight
Aliens are invading. Again. That's the simple new premise of the unoriginal new action sci-fi thriller "Battle: Los Angeles," a movie that will make you very, very thankful for earplugs. "Battle: L.A." is a turbulent, tiresome video-game package of a movie, slickly done to appeal to the senses in the gaudiest way. With that in mind, "Battle: L.A." packs a wallop visually, with stunning special effects and a pace that would leave Will Smith breathless, but its cornball storyline and redundant intensity are likely to leave you exhausted.
Aaron Eckhart is Marine Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz, a veteran who's on his way out but is drawn back in when alien forces begin invading Earth. The mysterious alien forces are out to destroy mankind and take over Earth to use it for its natural resources, primarily the need for water. Los Angeles is one of the last major centers of the West still standing, and its up to Nantz and his troops, including Air Force Sgt. Santos (Michelle Rodriguez) and a pretty civilian (Bridget Moynihan) he meets along the way.
"Battle: Los Angeles" is a conventional, entertainingly headache-inducing action film that's peppered with some impressive visuals and a breathless pace. If you slow down long enough, you'll realize the predictability of the sappy plot and the cookie-cutter characters you'll find in just about every sci-film this side of "Avatar." Director Jonathan Liebesman, who's helmed mostly horror films such as "Darkness Falls" and the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" reboot, serviceably handles the visuals, but you'll quickly realize where most of the money in this expensive production went to.
Eckhart, along with Rodriguez, Moynihan and Micheal Pena and Ne-Yo, headline a bland cast that is clearly secondary to the excessively loud visuals (note: there are gazillions of explosions in this movie). The plot is borrowed and predictable, and you'll know instantly that these guys will find a way to win, a familiar formula seen in so many other sci-fi films such as "War of the Worlds," "Independence Day" and "Cloverfield." Still, there are a handful of intensely enjoyable moments including a showdown on a deserted piece of L.A. freeway and of course the climactic showdown with the mothership. As a side note, none of this was actually filmed in Los Angeles, but the much cheaper Louisiana.
"Battle: Los Angeles" isn't nearly as terrible as you might expect it to be, and as mindless, guilty-pleasure entertainment it actually works well. It's also miles ahead of last fall's "Skyline," a dreadful, depressing film that seemed to have ripped off the plot of this movie (not to mention its visuals). Those that enjoy this type of thing will go and likely go again; those who enjoy their entertainment without earplugs or a headache should stay home and watch "The Big Bang Theory" on DVR.
Wes's Grade: C+
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