Category Archives: Film Fodder

“Man on a Ledge” leaps… into theaters

I don’t normally like to spoil a movie’s ending, but I’m going to go ahead and tell you that in Man on a Ledge, the guy on the ledge jumps! But in a movie that has as many twists and turns as this one, that’s not really much of a spoiler.

Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) tries to talk Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) down in "Man on a Ledge."

You can’t really blame Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) for wanting to go out like that. Especially when you consider that it wasn’t long ago that he was a respected police officer who now finds himself in prison for supposedly stealing a nearly priceless diamond from the Donald Trump-like David Englander (played with voracious villainy by Ed Harris). Cassidy’s reputation is further tarnished when he uses his father’s funeral as a means of escaping from prison, embarrassing his brother Joey (Jamie Bell) and other friends and family in the process.

Knowing he will eventually be captured, Cassidy has no choice but to check in to a fancy New York City hotel, have room service deliver a hearty last meal and climb out onto the ledge to proclaim his innocence. Having recently dealt with a similar suicide situation, fellow cop Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) is called to the scene to talk him down. It doesn’t take long for her to suspect there’s more to this story than Cassidy (or anyone else) is revealing.

Angie (Génesis Rodríguez) wears a really tight black body suit. I think she's also trying to break into a vault or something.

As Cassidy’s story unravels (along with the nerves of pretty much everyone else involved), some strange occurrences begin to develop across the street – in Englander’s headquarters. There we find Joey and his beautiful girlfriend Angie (Génesis Rodríguez, who looks like one of those incredibly hot women from Telemundo soap operas because she is one of those incredibly hot women from Telemundo soap operas) clumsily attempting to pull off a Mission: Impossible-like heist without the secret agent expertise.

As the pieces fall into place, we begin to see that Cassidy may actually be innocent, while Englander is as despicable as they come despite a public perception that portrays him as a businessman who has weathered the storm of a tough economy. And just as Cassidy and Englander are not who we first think they are, Joey and Angie’s elaborate scheme is also not motivated purely by the desire to obtain a piece of Englander’s wealth. But pretty much nothing is as it appears to be in Man on a Ledge, which gradually becomes more apparent as police, news reporters (even an uber-Caucasian reporter played by Kyra Sedgwick has the comically ethnic name Suzie Morales) and anyone close to Cassidy get closer and closer to the truth of what’s actually at hand.

So by the time Cassidy finally takes the plunge, the result is not as morbid as you (or the ever-growing group of curious onlookers) might expect. And once the proverbial smoke clears, we see that Cassidy’s prison break plot was even more thoroughly planned than it first seems, with yet another huge twist before the credits role.

Man on a Ledge. Directed by Asger Leth. Starring Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie, Génesis Rodríguez and Ed Harris. Rated PG-13. www.manonaledge.com.

Review by Jonathan Williams

Carano takes her MMA skills to the big screen in “Haywire”

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With the release of Contraband last week and Man on a Ledge next week (not to mention last month’s Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), a dominating movie trend for 2012 so far is covert ops and big heists. No stranger to the genre, Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire is a spy film with a B movie feel and a Euro-thriller style.

Channing Tatum's usually the one kicking ass. But in "Haywire," it's Gina Carano who does all the ass kicking. Photo by Claudette Barius

From the opening scenes of the mysterious Mallory Kane (Gina Carano) entering a rural New York diner with subtle battle wounds on her face, Carano is a captivating presence in her first starring role. For those not familiar with Carano, she’s not only a badass mixed martial arts fighter, but she was also known as Crush on the most recent incarnation of American Gladiators (hosted by wrestling legend Hulk Hogan and also featuring Total Nonstop Action Wrestling‘s Matt Morgan).

As a spy-for-hire globetrotting from a Barcelona mission to a hastily planned Dublin duty, Carano’s athletic background clearly prepared her for the many fight scenes that dominate Haywire from its onset, through its flashbacks all the way to it’s current-day climax. But Carano also proves to be a charismatic actress, holding her own alongside Hollywood heavyweights like Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Bill Paxton and Michael Douglas.

With Haywire, Soderbergh’s cinematography is fast-paced, yet fluid, and is complemented by the spy film score of longtime collaborator David Holmes, giving the film a retro James Bond feel. And in many ways Kane is like a female Bond, with Carano giving the character depth that is simultaneously sexy, sophisticated and strong.

When she's not kicking ass, Gina Carano likes to jump across rooftops and stuff. Photo by Claudette Barius

As she begins to realize things are not going according to plan (or more importantly, that there may be an entirely different plan at play), Carano portrays Kane with confidence, charm and the inventiveness of a survivor. Plus, watching her chase bad guys and evade capture Run Lola Run style through European streets and rooftops, put people into submission holds (with her legs) or showcase her abilities to drive really fast (sometimes backwards), outwit her would-be assassins and generally kick everyone’s ass (while making it look easy) is, for some odd reason, really entertaining. But as she goes about exacting revenge on those who have betrayed her, Kane proves that she’s able to think on her feet just as well as she can kick with them.

Haywire. Directed by Steven Soderbergh. Starring Gina Carano, Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton and Michael Douglas. Rated R. www.haywiremovie.com.

Review by Jonathan Williams

“War Horse” gallops into theaters on Christmas

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Just days after the release of his lighthearted animated feature The Adventures of Tintin, acclaimed director Steven Spielberg releases the more dramatic adventure War Horse on Christmas day. While Tintin (based on a long-running comic series by Belgian artist Hergé) is like a cross between Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean, representing Spielberg’s childlike fantastical side, War Horse (based on a children’s book by Michael Morpurgo) reflects the director’s more dramatic tendencies without losing the fun that comes with the suspension of disbelief.

Joey charges into battle as part of the British cavalry in "War Horse."

Set during the first World War, War Horse is the story or Joey, an unruly horse that appears to be untamable until he forms a bond and friendship with a young man named Albert (Jeremy Irvine). With Albert’s family on the verge of losing their farm, Albert miraculously trains Joey to plow the fields for turnip planting. But once British soldiers come to town looking for horses for the cavalry, Albert’s destitute family has no choice but to sell Joey to the army for whatever they can get.

From there Joey encounters another stubborn horse who becomes his companion in his upcoming adventures across European countrysides, forests and battlefields. Though he comes to be known by different names to different people, Joey unwittingly becomes a pivotal part of the lives of almost every person he encounters. From German siblings deserting their fellow soldiers to a French farmer and his spunky granddaughter to soldiers from opposing sides of the battle meeting in no man’s land to help untangle the horse from barbed wire, Joey tends to have a way of inspiring magnificent (and sometimes fleeting) moments of joy.

Joey gallops into his next adventure in "War Horse."

While Spielberg has long enjoyed showing us otherwise ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, the use of an animal protagonist is something new for the director. While Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan told the story of how one soldier’s fate affected many other lives, War Horse is able to tell multiple stories that intersect based on Joey’s whims and circumstances. Though the astonishing coincidences and fortunate serendipity that seem to follow Joey through his many adventures border on Michael Bay-like absurdity, Spielberg gives the story and its characters (including the horse) enough dimension to make you care about their fate, and never portrays anything that is completely out of the realm of possibility.

With some occasional Gone with the Wind-like visual splendor and the fanfare of John Williams’ score, War Horse is definitely a feel-good holiday flick. But as he has done before, Spielberg bucks that formula just enough to make War Horse more than just a sappy tale of triumph over tragedy.

War Horse. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Starring Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Peter Mullan and David Thewlis. Rated PG-13. www.warhorsemovie.com.

Review by Jonathan Williams

The Blu-ray/DVD release of “On Stranger Tides” includes a few extra treasures

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Captain Jack Sparrow is back in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth installment in the Pirates franchise. And now the swashbuckling adventure that was a hit on the big screen is available in this Blu-ray & DVD combo pack.

This entry in the saga takes Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and his lovable crew of miscreants on a journey to find the long lost Fountain of Youth. Along the way, Sparrow meets up with the dreaded Blackbeard (portayed wonderfully by Ian McShane), and becomes a prisoner of sorts aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge.

Penelope Cruz stars opposite Johnny Depp as Angelica, Jack Sparrow’s long lost love interest. While the chemistry between these two actors is undeniable, there’s still something missing that existed in the previous trilogy between Depp and his former co-star, Keira Knightley.

The rest of the film consists of everything you’d expect out of a Pirates film by this point: people being thrown into the water, people running in the jungle, sword fights in low lit areas, and Keith Richards portaying himself while dressed like a pirate (well, he’s technically playing Captain Teague) .

The standard Blu-ray/DVD release doesn’t really have a treasure chest of extras, but the extras (limited as they are) are still quite entertaining. The DVD features a traditional blooper reel, which does admittedly make one chuckle out loud a few times, while also showcasing just how talented many of these performers really are. There’s also a series of 3-D LEGO animated shorts, likely to promote the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game that was released earlier this year. But these are some of the funniest animated shorts I’ve ever seen as they portray key points from the film with humor, intelligence and silliness, making for an entertaining addition to this release.

Another thing worth noting about this Blu-Ray is its compatibility with the Disney Second Screen iPad app, which enables you to watch the movie simultaneously on both your television and your iPad (or computer). While this may not seem very interesting, it allows you to interact with the film while watching it by giving you access to behind-the-scenes material in relation to what is playing at certain points in the movie. For example, there’s a gruesome scene where a mermaid is about to attack a hopeless pirate during which you’re able to see that scene without the special effects, and read a bit about what went into making the scene. So far this is one of the few titles for which Disney has added this feature, but it’s a fun feature that will likely be further explored in the future.

While it may not be the best entry in the Pirates series it’s always fun to watch Johnny Depp saunter around as Jack Sparrow. Plus, the action is thrilling, the special effects are engrossing and the story is predictably fun.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Directed by Rob Marshall. Starring Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush and Ian McShane. Rated PG-13. www.disney.go.com/pirates.

Review by Dan Kemp

Go to Wrestling with Pop Culture‘s Facebook page to find out how to enter to win a copy of the On Stranger Tides Blu-ray/DVD.

Scorsese explores childlike adventure and early cinema in “Hugo”

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In his new visually stunning film Hugo, Martin Scorsese has produced a movie that seamlessly incorporates 3-D technology with compelling storytelling in order to pay homage to childhood and the pioneers of special effects films. Part Harry Potter, part Little Orphan Annie, part Journey to the Center of the Earth, part A.I. Artificial Intelligence (including an appearance by Jude Law) and part film history lesson, Hugo (like the bestselling Brian Selznick book on which it’s based) creates a world where imagination, dreams and invention intertwine to tell the story of a young boy, left on his own after the death of his parents, trying to connect with his father through a shared love of clockwork and gears.

Hugo (Asa Butterfield) and Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz) have the coolest toy ever!

Left with his drunk uncle after his father’s death, Hugo (Asa Butterfield) lives in a Paris train station where he dutifully continues his uncle’s work of winding the station clocks after his uncle disappears. Afraid of being sent to an orphanage, Hugo hides in the walls and does his best to avoid being noticed by the station’s resident inspector, played by Sacha Baron Cohen. When he is caught stealing parts for an automaton left behind by his father from a toy shop in the station, Hugo becomes involved with the shop owner, Georges Méliès (Ben Kingsley) and his family, particularly goddaughter Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz). Together, Hugo and Isabelle uncover a connection between the two families that forces Georges to face his past. As it turns out, Papa Georges is the Georges Méliès, director of the ground-breaking French films of the early 20^th Century. One of the first directors to incorporate special effects into films, Méliès is known for creating dream-like cinemagraphic experiences, mirrored by Scorsese in Hugo. Through the innocent eyes of children, Méliès is able to recapture his own imagination and innocence that was destroyed, along with the majority of his films, by the first World War.

With scenes that reference other early films, such as the Lumiere brothers’ L’arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat and Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last!, Hugo is very self aware and a touch self indulgent, heralding the magic of film. It also features clips from other early films such as Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon and Edison Studios’ The Kiss.

Although the novelty of the groundbreaking 3-D may float this film at the box office, it may struggle to find an audience for its thoughtful and complex message. Theoretically a children’s film, it runs a little long for short attention spans (the two little girls sitting next to me were both asleep with more than an hour left in the film). Plus, an appreciation for this film requires a sense of nostalgia for childhood (and knowledge o cinema history) that is impossible for those with fewer than ten years under their belts.

Hugo. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Starring Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen and Chloë Grace Moretz. Rated PG. www.hugomovie.com.

Review by Jennifer Waller Sibley

The Muppets return to the big screen in “The Muppets”

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It’s been 12 years since the Muppets were last seen on the big screen, and apparently many people have forgotten all about the puppeteered music and comedy numbers that once made The Muppet Show a hit for children and adults alike in the late ’70s and early ’80s. At least that’s the case in The Muppets, the new movie that is (thankfully) not a revamping of any kind and mirrors reality in a slightly more surreal version of a world that has not seen the Muppets in all these years.

Kermit the Frog (Steve Whitmire), Mary (Amy Adams), Gary (Jason Segel) and Walter (Peter Linz) invite Rowlf the Dog (Bill Barretta) to rejoin the gang in “The Muppets.” Photo by Patrick Wymore

Their recent appearance on WWE Raw (and other promotional ploys) notwithstanding, it’s entirely plausible that there’s an entire generation or two that has completely missed out on the madcap mayhem that the Muppets were once known for. But in The Muppets, Gary (Jason Segel) is a small-town goodie-goodie who grew up watching The Muppet Show and continues watching old episodes with his little brother Walter (Peter Linz) into adulthood. Despite their lifelong brotherly bond, Walter, being a Muppet and all, is clearly adopted or something, which explains his undying fascination with the Muppets he watches on TV.

When Gary and his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) plan a romantic getaway to Los Angeles, Gary can’t help but let Walter tag along so they can visit the old Muppet Theater together. But it appears that that old Muppet magic is long gone as all the historic Muppet landmarks have fallen into disrepair and not a single Muppet is anywhere in sight. And when Walter unwittingly uncovers a plot to tear it all down so oil tycoon Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) can drill for oil, the news is so devastating to his innocent little mind that he vows to track down the old Muppet gang and stage a telethon to save the theater and get the show back on the air.

Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) and his henchmen, Uncle Deadly (Matt Vogel) and Bobo the Bear (Bill Barretta). Photo by Scott Garfield

From there, it’s one satirical song-and-dance number after another as the trio teams up with Kermit to drive cross country (and, in Miss Piggy‘s case, they even find a way to drive a station wagon to Paris) to track down the old gang and try to get them back together again. In keeping with Muppet tradition, the adventure is filled with celebrity cameos including Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters (as Animohl, the drummer for a Muppet tribute band called the Moopets), Jack Black (who is in an anger management program with the real Animal), Selena Gomez, Whoopi Goldberg, Mickey Rooney and Zach Galifianakis as a hobo.

As the Muppets rally more and more support, it appears that they just might overcome the odds and save the theater from the tyranical Tex, a hapless villain played to the hilarious hilt by Cooper, who even breaks out into a hip-hop number at one point. Once the Muppet gang is back together, everything seems to fall into place despite minimal rehearsal, ramshackle planning and other setbacks.

The Muppet gang is back in “The Muppets.” Photo by Scott Garfield

In the end, life lessons are learned, relationships are mended and the Muppets (as well as the rest of the world) realize that they are meant to be together. Whether or not the theater is saved becomes almost inconsequential, and it seems that the unique satire and cleverness of the Muppets is here to stay. Let’s just hope that such a fantasy carries over to the real world, because even those who are just being introduced to the silliniess of the Muppets will likely agree that the pop culture landscape is a better place with Jim Henson‘s felt-and-fur covered guys around.

The Muppets. Directed by James Bobin. Starring Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and the Muppets. Rated PG. www.disney.com/muppets.

Review by Jonathan Williams

“Happy Feet Two” spreads its wings for snow-covered fun

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Happy Feet Two has everything you likely loved about the original Happy Feet (singing and dancing penguins) and nothing you may have hated (environmentalist propaganda). After reading up on the first Happy Feet, I went into the sequel expecting a propaganda film in the tradition of pre-World War II German director Leni Riefenstahl. After all, my go-to children’s film experts (my sister and her 10-year-old daughter) described the first film as “preachy” and “long,” respectively. But it seems writer/director George Miller, who won an Academy Award for the first installment, learned from his heavy-handed mistakes and instead presented us with an inspiring tale of using your unique talents to contribute to society.

The Mighty Sven (Hank Azaria) teaches Erik (Ava Acres) life lessons in "Happy Feet Two." Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The hero of Happy Feet, Mumble (Elijah Wood), is back and this time he is struggling with helping his son, Erik (Ava Acres), find his place in the Emperor Penguin society. Unable to dance like his father, Erik feels out of place and seeks out his own path, meeting a cast of characters each with his own unique strength, including a penguin named Sven (Hank Azaria) who can fly! With elements of children’s fable Jonathan Livingston Seagull, the flying penguin encourages Erik to look within himself to find how he can find his place in penguin society. Sadly, it turns out that Sven is actually a con artist puffin, but the truth of his message is not lost on Erik, who eventually recognizes the strengths of his father and finds his inspiration there.

Will the Krill (Brad Pitt) and Bill the Krill (Matt Damon) in "Happy Feet Two." Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The main plot is mirrored in a subplot involving two krill, Will (Brad Pitt) and Bill (Matt Damon), who break away from their own swarm in order to become individuals. Ultimately, each character finds himself and returns back to the society from which he came, with a new understanding of his unique purpose. And all unite to save the penguins from a perilous situation, involving habitat destruction as a result of global warming (although I read that into the film and it wasn’t overtly stated). In fact, the humans in the film are portrayed as benefactors and although they aren’t able to save the penguins, the relationship between the two societies is portrayed as one of respect.

The 3-D gimmick is well done here, and if there’s any place for a gimmick, it’s a children’s film. It helps create a sense of immersion in the Antarctic world, but isn’t distracting. Strangely, if the film has a weakness, it’s the music. The original songs aren’t catchy or memorable and the songs go on a little too long. The audience clapped at the end of the film and while I, personally, didn’t feel that it was clap worthy, it’s a good way to spend an evening with the kids. Happy Feet Two is fun, clever, cute and has a positive message for the little ones.

Happy Feet Two. Directed by George Miller. Starring Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Alecia Moore (P!nk), Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. Rated PG. www.happyfeettwo.warnerbros.com.

Review by Jennifer Waller Sibley