Series and Movie Reviews

Movie Review: BAD TEACHER

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Category: New Series and Movie Reviews
Published: Friday, 24 June 2011 03:29
Written by Lupe Haas

Cameron Diaz, Jason Siegal, Justin Timberlake in BAD TEACHER

Has Cameron Diaz ever carried a movie before? This was the first thought that came to my mind when I exited the theatre and every title that I came up with had her in a supporting role or sharing the screen. But in BAD TEACHER, Cameron Diaz is definitely the star. The question is did she pull it off and if so, how did she do? Well after weighing the pros and cons I have to say she managed to hold her own and if I was going to grade the film overall, I think I would have to give it a C; a solid effort, but room for much improvement.

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Movie Review: Mr. Popper’s Penguins

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Category: New Series and Movie Reviews
Published: Thursday, 16 June 2011 17:36
Written by Lupe Haas

Mr. Popper's Penguins movie posterJim Carrey has returned to the comic silliness that made him a star in MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS. And if you are not already a fan of penguins, you will be.

Everyone loves finding a package on his or her doorstep, but for Tom Popper (Jim Carrey) that experience has lost its thrill. For years his globetrotting father has been sending him exotic gifts from all around the world. As a child Tom Junior loved his dad and was thrilled to follow him on his ham radio at night. But now a package means a missed birthday, Christmas, or other landmark occasion. For “Tippy Toes” Popper a package has become synonymous with disappointment.

As an adult Tom has created his own kind of adventure. He has become one of the premiere real estate developers in New York City and for him New York is the world. To match the prestige of his envious position Popper has traded in all the curios and souvenirs of his youth for a sterile, cold penthouse apartment. He is rich, successful, and at the top of his game, yet he is divorced, alone, and only sees his kids on alternate weekends.

One day Popper receives some devastating news. His father has died on an expedition to Antarctica and during the reading of his will it is revealed to him that Tippy Toes will be receiving one last gift. When it arrives Tom opens the crate with resignation and is surprised to find a frozen box containing a full size Gentoo penguin. Tom is less than thrilled with his father’s gift but admires the expert taxidermy. Little does he know that the penguin is alive and about to upend his life.

Due to a bad phone connection and a language barrier, Tom receives five more penguins. He’s called every agency in the book and no one will take them off his hands. Finally the zoo agrees to give them a home, but before they can pick them up his son mistakes them for his birthday present. Popper decides to go along and now his kids can’t wait to visit him. Enjoying his newfound status as the world’s coolest dad, he puts the zoo off for now and decides to enjoy this time with his kids.

As the needs of the penguins soon outweigh his own Popper begins missing work, changing his priorities and forges a new relationship with his kids (Madeline Carroll and Maxwell Perry Cotton). Even his ex-wife (Carla Gugino) is enamored of his new house guests. For the first time in a long time the family is together and happy.

If you are expecting this film to be similar to the Newbery Award children’s book, let me stop you right here. The original book Mr. Popper’s Penguins written in 1938 by Richard and Florence Atwater has a completely different story line. The only thing that this film shares with the classic tale is the title and a basic premise. But both stories have something to offer. This film just has a different emphasis. In Jim Carrey’s version it is about love, loyalty and a strong sense of family, qualities that penguins exhibit in the wild. You won’t be getting the Popper’s Penguins of your childhood, but you’ll be getting a new story to cherish and love.

Jim Carrey is delightful as Mr. Popper. Using live Gentoo penguins in the making of this film, all his comic skills come into play just to keep up with their chaos. Jim, who loves animals, thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but admits that working in a refrigerated environment was quite a challenge.

Another treat in this film is the return of Angela Lansbury. She plays the fictional owner of Tavern on the Green, Mrs. Van Gundy. This film is a real love letter to New York, and you will thoroughly enjoy visiting some of its most beloved sites.

MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS is a quality family film that everyone can enjoy together. With the mix of live animals, animatronics, and CGI you’ll be hard pressed to tell where the real penguins end and the animated ones begin. To quote Jim Carrey, “They’re like puppies times ten.” 

MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS is in movie theaters June 17, 2011.

 

Melanie Wilson  
Visit her blog at LAMelbox.blogspot.com

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Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda 2

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Category: New Series and Movie Reviews
Published: Friday, 27 May 2011 21:13
Written by Lupe Haas

Kung Fu Panda 2 Movie PosterJack Black brings back the charm of Po to KUNG FU PANDA 2 but Gary Oldman steals the show (as always) as the new villain.

Po, the crime fighting Panda is back as the Dragon Warrior, in the sequel to Dreamworks
animated film. KUNG FU PANDA 2 tackles an issue unresolved from the first film. How did Mr. Ping the goose become a father to a panda? Po starts to doubt his origins with a recurring dream about his panda mother. The villaneous Lord Shen holds the key to his  past.  Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), a peacock with his own daddy issues, plans to conquer China with a secret, unstoppable weapon and destroy kung fu. Po, Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), Monkey (Jackie Chan), and Crane (David Cross) travel far to stop Lord Shen.  

While saving the world from domination premise is not at all original, the more engaging story is Po's eventual discover of Lord Shen's involvement with his parent's disappearance. That emotional connection is what makes the two Kung Fu Panda movies work. Apart from being relatable, the animated sequel is much funnier than the first one with more adult humor.

The character of Po, voiced by the always entertaining Jack Black, continues to warm his way into our hearts with his many insecurities and love of food.  He may be the Dragon Warrior but he is still vulnerable and that is the charm of the character.

Voicing the character of Lord Shen is Gary Oldman who once again creates a unique villain. Oldman never repeats a performance especially as a viilain which he's played many times in memorable roles such as in The Professional and the Fifth Element.  He brings a sophistication to the animated comedy as the peacock.  Rather than going for the typical evil voice, The Dark Night actor brought a vulnerability to Lord Shen. The new addition to the cast definitely proved to be the best part of the movie.

The other Furious Five's roles are reduced this time except for Angelina Jolie's Tigress who hasn't quite gotten used to the bumbling Panda.  Also missing from the majority of the film is Dustin Hoffman's Shifu. Shifu's dynamic with Po was so entertaining the first time around that you miss it here.  Most of the new voices were unrecognizable such as Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michelle Yeoh and Dennis Haysbart. Michelle Yeoh as the Soothsayer was hilarious with some of the best dialogue from the film.

KUNG FU PANDA 2 has a lot more action and fight sequences the second time around.  One particularly hilarious action scene involves the Furious Five and Po taking cover under a paper mâché dragon but when they are discovered, they take on Lord Shen's henchmen by scooping them up in the dragon's  mouth.  It looked like a game of centipede and it had the audience  rolling in the aisles.  Definitely the best scene in the movie.

With a different director at the helm for KUNG FU PANDA 2, Jennifer Yuh Nelson brings a different look to the film with a red color scheme where as the predecessor used a lot more yellows in the photography. Jennifer Yuh Nelson served as the head of story for the previous film so it's no surprise the story flows between the two films.

KUNG FU PANDA 2 is a film that all ages can enjoy. And  the finale of KUNG FU PANDA 2 suggests there may be a third Po story in the works.  

KUNG FU PANDA 2 is now playing in movie theaters.

RELATED LINKS:

PHOTOS: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Jack Black At 'Kung Fu Panda 2' Movie Premiere

VIDEO: Jack Black Meets Real Kung Fu Panda Named Po

PHOTOS & VIDEO: Angelina Jolie, Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman In Cannes For Kung Fu Panda 2

Kung Fu Panda Takes Flight

Exclusive Sneak Peek: Jack Black & Antonio Banderas Preview Dreamworks Film Add a comment

Movie Review: Earthwork

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Category: New Series and Movie Reviews
Created: Tuesday, 17 May 2011 10:48
Published: Tuesday, 17 May 2011 10:48
Written by Lupe Haas

Earthwork movie posterThe real life story of Stan Herd comes to the big screen in EARTHWORK, an inspirational tale of an artist played by Academy Award nominee John Hawk (Winter's Bones).

Some say that artists have their head in the clouds but for Stan Herd that would be quite the advantage. A third generation Kansas farmer, Stan has pioneered a new art form known as representational crop art, or Earthwork.

Using the tools that he grew up with Stan began manipulating the earth to create pictures that can only be viewed from the air. Struggling for years to bring attention to his art Stan put in a bid to do an Earthwork project on a vacant lot in New York City owned by Donald Trump. Not wanting to lose the opportunity to another artist Stan Herd agreed to do the project for free using his own funds and putting his family in tremendous debt.

The film EARTHWORK chronicles this monumental undertaking and the emotional toll it took on his family. It also shows how the community was impacted by this ambitious project.

In the past year I’ve seen several movies that centered on non-traditional artists such as Wasteland and Exit Through The Gift Shop. But as great as these films are, by making Stan Herd’s story a dramatic film rather than a documentary you are able to experience his emotional journey as well as his artistic one. EARTHWORK not only documents John’s struggle, but it shows us the impact that his work had on the street people who squatted on the land and lived in the tunnels near-by. This is something that would not have been possible in a straightforward documentary. I believe that telling Stan’s story in this way was the best choice, and Oscar nominated actor John Hawkes is wonderful in the role.

When Stan produces his art he tills, rakes and plows the soil to create texture and then adds plants, rocks and other natural materials for color and shade. From the ground you cannot see the result, but from the air everything takes form. In the telling of this story we are right there with Stan in this vacant lot scratching and digging to achieve some distant goal. With every set back we feel his pain, and with every friend he makes we feel his humanity. But like the people of New York we have to wait until the end to see the final result. The reveal is breath taking and I am now very much a fan of his art. I hope one day to meet Stan Herd or better yet fly over his work.

What a phenomenal inspirational man he is and what a tremendous awe-inspiring concept. I highly recommend this film.

Melanie Wilson  
Vvisit her blog at LAMelbox.blogspot.com

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Movie Review: Bridesmaids Is No Chick Flick

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Category: New Series and Movie Reviews
Published: Friday, 13 May 2011 14:33
Written by Lupe Haas
Bridesmaids movie posterDon't let the name fool you.  BRIDESMAIDS is not a chick flick about a wedding.  Instead it's a woman's version of a bromance and a counterpart to The Hangover.

BRIDESMAIDS stars "Saturday Night Live" alums Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph as Lillian and Annie,  best friends whose friendship begins to crumble over one of Lilian's bridesmaids vying for best friend status.  Helen, played by X-Mens: First Class' Rose Byrne, is a socialite outdoing Annie, the maid of honor, in planning the wedding and bachelorette party.  Annie has lost her bakery, and is living with two annoying roommates, scraping by with the little money she has while Helen flaunts her wealth and influence.  Melissa McCarthy ("Mike & Molly"), Ellie Kemper ("The Office"), and Wendi McLendon-Covey round out the bridesmaids watching the disaster unfold in front of their very eyes.

There have been plenty of romantic comedies or dramas about women's relationship but it's always centered on a man.  In BRIDESMAIDS, men do not figure into the picture which was refreshing.  The characters come off as very real and down to earth people which makes it all the more relatable. The relationships are real but the situations are outrageous, hilarious, and often raunchy much like The Hangover but that's where the similarities end.  The characters in Bridesmaids are much more developed and in real life dilemmas.

It's no surprise BRIDESMAIDS is a strong comedy about women since the two writers are women.  Written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, and produced by bromance movie expert Judd Apatow (Superbad, The 40-Year Virgin, Knocked Up), BRIDESMAIDS works on all levels-- storywise and the humor aspect.  It's not a very girly film as most would expect, thanks to director Paul Fieg, and the raunchiness and gross-out humor is fitting with no over the top action.  

One film that comes to mind that failed terribly as a gross-out comedy for women was The Sweetest Thing (2002) starring Cameron Diaz and Christina Applegate. It didn't work because the female characters behaved like men and no one could relate to that.  In BRIDESMAIDS, the women come off as true to life characters  that happen to be in situations that leads to toilet humor.  

While the women in BRIDESMAIDS are front and center in BRIDESMAIDS, the men are relegated to the background. The normally sauve Jon Hamm is no gentleman in BRIDESMAIDS, as Annie's friend with benefits. He calls on her only for sex and she falls for it everytime. Kristen Wiig doesn't waste any time bedding Jon Hamm at the beginning of the movie in a hilarious wham bam thank you ma'am moment that sets up Jon's character as a total douche bag. Later in the film, Annie gets a love interest played by Chris O'Dowd but the story doesn't focus on that relationship as much as friendship that is falling apart.

Funny women Kristen doesn't disappoint in the film in her first leading role and surrounds herself with an array of strong women including Maya Rudolph and the hateable Helen (Byrne).  However, Melissa McCarthy steals every scene as the butchy pearl necklace wearing bridesmaid who is very confident and sexually aggressive. She is the Kramer (from Seinfeld) of this bunch.  It is so refreshing to see an actress given a plum role, and do something that is very original,  and not look like a Barbie Doll.  Kudos to Melissa for not being afraid to go without make-up and look the worst on film for the laughs.

BRIDESMAIDS is a fun time at the movies. This is one comedy everyone can enjoy and should be a sleeper hit this summer. 

BRIDESMAIDS would make a good double feature with another release later this month - The Hangover II.

BRIDESMAIDS is now playing in theaters. Add a comment

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