Search
Search results
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
How many times have you seen this premise played out in film or other forms of entertainment: The world is going to end and there’s one last ditch plan or effort to save it (It inevitably succeeds, of course!); alternatively, the world has ended already and we’re left with post-apocalyptic society picking up the pieces. The premise is everywhere; the fascination with the end of days has been evident throughout our popular culture for decades. Yet, the thing about these two premises is that it avoids a (quite large) important question about the nature of the situation. What if our last ditch effort doesn’t succeed? What if there is no post-apocalyptic setting giving us hope for a re-built future. “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World”, a brand new film directed and written by Lorene Scafaria (“Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist”) attempts to focus on that gap often glossed over by apocalyptic fiction. It assumes there is no hope, there is a conclusion, and how do we deal with that?
It’s a comedy drama that pokes fun of the absurdity of a monotonous society coping with the conclusion of all civilization, while interweaving a touching romance between two people with broken pasts and deep regrets. Yet, it is a movie with some notable flaws, mainly in how it focuses its attention.
The premise is fairly simple, and rightly so. There is a large asteroid named “Matilda” barreling towards Earth and its impact will wipe out all life on our beloved planet. The film starts with the announcement that the last chance for Earth’s survival, a space mission to destroy the asteroid, has failed due to a fire on board the vessel. With only three weeks left to live, insurance salesman Dodge Peterson (Steve Carell) must decide how to spend the rest of his life. He decides to chase down an old highschool sweetheart and is accompanied by his neighbor, Penny (Keira Knightley) who wishes to return home to see her family one last time. They meet several characters in their roadtrip journey through pre-apocalyptica, including characters played by Rob Corddry and Martin Sheen.
The simple premise seems familiar due to its subject matter (C’mon, it’s 2012. I’m surprised there hasn’t been even more apocalypse movies flooding the theaters). Yet, strangely it feels fresh simply in how it handles itself. As said, most movies focus on the last daring mission to save mankind from certain destruction, or assumes that certain destruction really isn’t the end. People like to see hope, they don’t want to be confined by fate. This movie takes a different approach. Right off the bat it basically tells you there is zero hope, zero chance of getting out of this mess. Now what do you do? This particular premise lets comedy shine for the first two acts of the movie. There are subtle jokes, like the absurdity of naming a rock about to destroy all of mankind “Matilda”.
There are more traditional joke set-ups, favoring quick joke-punchline material that is mostly laugh-out-loud funny. And there is a fair amount of dark humor, simple funniness in the absurdity of how people treat the end of days. People mowing their lawns, still cleaning houses, even cops who continue to pull people over all poke fun of how people cannot let go of even the most monotonous of tasks that define their lift – regardless of how pointless they are due to the situation. Or the people who just let go and want to spend their last days without care, throwing themselves into orgies, drugs or riots. However, the tone of the drama limits the humor of the movie, favoring those kinds of moderate laughs over hysterical or hilarious moments. That’s the underlying issue of the film: that it feels like the humor is constrained due to fear of it undermining its drama.
Those who expect a comedy movie will only get two-thirds of one. And those who expect a drama movie will get mostly one. By no means does it fail at comedy or drama, but it just does not strike that delicate balance to be both in the same setting. The last act of the movie almost completely drops the comedy in favor of a dramatic and romantic conclusion. It’s not a huge fault, because the writing, and well-paced relationship development between the two main protagonists (Dodge and Penny), means that their inevitable romance seems natural, honest, and believable. The comedy is really only around in the first two thirds of the movie to try and keep your attention away from the obvious conclusion to their story – the fact that they end up together (and, perhaps, another conclusion entirely). So, when it does eventually happen, even though it was obvious from the start that it would, it does feel very endearing. The natural chemistry between Steve Carell and Keira Knightley is quite good, so buying their romance is not difficult in the slightest.
Yet, even still, that underlying issue keeps coming back. The fact that the comedy feels like a tool to facilitate a good dramatic ending ,instead of natural focus of the movie, undermines the experience for those who want to get some laughs. If there was a more natural balance between the romantic elements and comedy elements throughout the whole movie and not just the first two thirds, it could bring forth much more powerful comedy and/or drama. That way those who desire comedy or romance would be delighted to get a good deal of both intertwined.
I commend the film for how it handles the subject matter of inevitability. Even though it pokes fun at absurdity and really garners good laughs, it always has this underlying sense of regret, sadness and dread. You’re always reminded in the back of your mind that the world is going to end, but it does a good enough job pulling you into the characters’ last struggle to piece together their lives after decades of failure and regret that you end up really wanting to see them pull through somehow. Its last act is especially poignant, and definitely emotionally strong. Even though the themes of throwing away your past in favor of a happier future (despite it being such a short future) are not well concealed, they still end up being particularly strong. A film that can really make you appreciate what you have outside the film and the limited time you have left to enjoy it has to be commended for making you think.
“Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” is a fairly powerful romance drama that focuses on how people deal with loss, regret and the prospect of inevitable fate. More importantly, though, is that it focuses on how people can build something profoundly beautiful even in the last moments of their lives – regardless of their pasts or (lack) of future prospects. It has comedy in the movie, but it never really shines nor intertwines with the drama. They almost feel like two separate elements that struggle to mix together. Yet, the comedy is mostly laugh-out-loud funny and the drama is quite poignant and endearing. It definitely had the potential to make us laugh to tears or even bring us to tears through drama, but instead it settles for simply making us laugh and reflect.
It’s a comedy drama that pokes fun of the absurdity of a monotonous society coping with the conclusion of all civilization, while interweaving a touching romance between two people with broken pasts and deep regrets. Yet, it is a movie with some notable flaws, mainly in how it focuses its attention.
The premise is fairly simple, and rightly so. There is a large asteroid named “Matilda” barreling towards Earth and its impact will wipe out all life on our beloved planet. The film starts with the announcement that the last chance for Earth’s survival, a space mission to destroy the asteroid, has failed due to a fire on board the vessel. With only three weeks left to live, insurance salesman Dodge Peterson (Steve Carell) must decide how to spend the rest of his life. He decides to chase down an old highschool sweetheart and is accompanied by his neighbor, Penny (Keira Knightley) who wishes to return home to see her family one last time. They meet several characters in their roadtrip journey through pre-apocalyptica, including characters played by Rob Corddry and Martin Sheen.
The simple premise seems familiar due to its subject matter (C’mon, it’s 2012. I’m surprised there hasn’t been even more apocalypse movies flooding the theaters). Yet, strangely it feels fresh simply in how it handles itself. As said, most movies focus on the last daring mission to save mankind from certain destruction, or assumes that certain destruction really isn’t the end. People like to see hope, they don’t want to be confined by fate. This movie takes a different approach. Right off the bat it basically tells you there is zero hope, zero chance of getting out of this mess. Now what do you do? This particular premise lets comedy shine for the first two acts of the movie. There are subtle jokes, like the absurdity of naming a rock about to destroy all of mankind “Matilda”.
There are more traditional joke set-ups, favoring quick joke-punchline material that is mostly laugh-out-loud funny. And there is a fair amount of dark humor, simple funniness in the absurdity of how people treat the end of days. People mowing their lawns, still cleaning houses, even cops who continue to pull people over all poke fun of how people cannot let go of even the most monotonous of tasks that define their lift – regardless of how pointless they are due to the situation. Or the people who just let go and want to spend their last days without care, throwing themselves into orgies, drugs or riots. However, the tone of the drama limits the humor of the movie, favoring those kinds of moderate laughs over hysterical or hilarious moments. That’s the underlying issue of the film: that it feels like the humor is constrained due to fear of it undermining its drama.
Those who expect a comedy movie will only get two-thirds of one. And those who expect a drama movie will get mostly one. By no means does it fail at comedy or drama, but it just does not strike that delicate balance to be both in the same setting. The last act of the movie almost completely drops the comedy in favor of a dramatic and romantic conclusion. It’s not a huge fault, because the writing, and well-paced relationship development between the two main protagonists (Dodge and Penny), means that their inevitable romance seems natural, honest, and believable. The comedy is really only around in the first two thirds of the movie to try and keep your attention away from the obvious conclusion to their story – the fact that they end up together (and, perhaps, another conclusion entirely). So, when it does eventually happen, even though it was obvious from the start that it would, it does feel very endearing. The natural chemistry between Steve Carell and Keira Knightley is quite good, so buying their romance is not difficult in the slightest.
Yet, even still, that underlying issue keeps coming back. The fact that the comedy feels like a tool to facilitate a good dramatic ending ,instead of natural focus of the movie, undermines the experience for those who want to get some laughs. If there was a more natural balance between the romantic elements and comedy elements throughout the whole movie and not just the first two thirds, it could bring forth much more powerful comedy and/or drama. That way those who desire comedy or romance would be delighted to get a good deal of both intertwined.
I commend the film for how it handles the subject matter of inevitability. Even though it pokes fun at absurdity and really garners good laughs, it always has this underlying sense of regret, sadness and dread. You’re always reminded in the back of your mind that the world is going to end, but it does a good enough job pulling you into the characters’ last struggle to piece together their lives after decades of failure and regret that you end up really wanting to see them pull through somehow. Its last act is especially poignant, and definitely emotionally strong. Even though the themes of throwing away your past in favor of a happier future (despite it being such a short future) are not well concealed, they still end up being particularly strong. A film that can really make you appreciate what you have outside the film and the limited time you have left to enjoy it has to be commended for making you think.
“Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” is a fairly powerful romance drama that focuses on how people deal with loss, regret and the prospect of inevitable fate. More importantly, though, is that it focuses on how people can build something profoundly beautiful even in the last moments of their lives – regardless of their pasts or (lack) of future prospects. It has comedy in the movie, but it never really shines nor intertwines with the drama. They almost feel like two separate elements that struggle to mix together. Yet, the comedy is mostly laugh-out-loud funny and the drama is quite poignant and endearing. It definitely had the potential to make us laugh to tears or even bring us to tears through drama, but instead it settles for simply making us laugh and reflect.
5 Minute Movie Guy (379 KP) rated 22 Jump Street (2014) in Movies
Jun 26, 2019 (Updated Jun 29, 2019)
22 Jump Street is ingeniously self-aware. (3 more)
It's a fun film with lots of laughs and good action.
Channing Tatum and Ice Cube are both hilarious.
It ends with an unforgettably awesome credits sequence.
22 Jump Street may be a familiar foray, but this summer bromance still manages to be loads of fun and is without a doubt one of the funniest movies of the year.
Officers Schmidt and Jenko are back again for the biggest bromance of the summer. Previously on the film 21 Jump Street, this pair of police officers went undercover, disguised as high school students, to stop the spread of a new drug that was being distributed throughout the campus. Their mission was a success, and now the buddy cop duo returns with a new assignment – or actually the same assignment – but this time they’re going to college! 22 Jump Street has essentially the same exact premise as its predecessor and shamelessly spares no expense in letting you know it. It’s a running joke throughout the film with characters blatantly reminding you of the similarities. It may be a familiar foray, but 22 Jump Street still manages to be loads of fun and is without a doubt one of the funniest movies of the year.
One of the strengths of 22 Jump Street is that it never takes itself too seriously. Right off the bat, it sarcastically sets the stage through a cheesy and overly-dramatic recap of the first film that feels like it’s straight out of a ‘90s TV series. The movie continues to poke fun at itself every step of the way, reminding you that the creators are very much in on the joke. Rather than coming off as a lazy rehash, 22 Jump Street’s self-awareness makes it feel fresh and inviting. The whole movie plays out like a fourth-wall-breaking inside-joke between the actors and the audience. It openly acknowledges that it’s silly and redundant, but in doing so, it encourages us to put that aside and just sit back and have a good time. All in all, I most certainly did have a good time, and 22 Jump Street ended up being far more funny and enjoyable than I ever expected.
As much as I liked the movie, I have to say that it’s awfully heavy on the bromance. Many of the jokes revolve around the relationship between Jonah Hill’s Schmidt and Channing Tatum’s Jenko, and it gets to be pretty excessive and overdone. While Schmidt struggles to fit in at college, Jenko is accepted with open arms and quickly befriends the star quarterback Zook, played by Wyatt Russell, who recruits him to join the university football team. This puts a serious strain on Schmidt and Jenko’s friendship, and the film revels in their troubled relationship, portraying them like a bickering couple. The problem, however, is that it continuously stresses this bromance to the point where it becomes more awkward than funny. Additionally, as Schmidt feels more and more out of place without Jenko, I think Jonah Hill similarly falls more and more out of place in this film.
Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum make for an adequate comedic pair, however I find that Hill struggles in scenes without his co-star. While I respect Hill as an actor, it’s Tatum that truly carries the film, further establishing himself as a Hollywood star. He’s not only the funnier of the two, but he’s also highly entertaining and a perfect fit for an action star. He’s a natural in the movie’s comical action sequences, which include car chases, shootouts, and a well-choreographed fight scene on the beaches of Cancun. The movie drags on through Hill’s mopey solo scenes, only to be reinvigorated by Tatum’s humor and enthusiasm. Though the two of them play well together, I can’t help but feel like perhaps Hill should consider sticking to more dramatic roles.
While some of Hill’s attempts at humor fall flat, most of the comedy in the movie does work. Ice Cube is a stand-out in his return as police captain Dickson and his short temper creates some of the movie’s more memorable scenes. Meanwhile Tatum’s Jenko makes for a perfectly lovable and amusing airhead. The movie is chock-full of clever self-referential jokes and has an elaborate credits scene that expertly basks in its own egotism. 22 Jump Street is a movie that knows full well what it is and is proud of it.
22 Jump Street may be more of the same, but it’s completely content with that and wagers that you will be too. It’s a fun and comical adventure through college, and is coincidentally one of the best comedies of the year.
(This review was originally posted at 5mmg.com on 12.2.14.)
One of the strengths of 22 Jump Street is that it never takes itself too seriously. Right off the bat, it sarcastically sets the stage through a cheesy and overly-dramatic recap of the first film that feels like it’s straight out of a ‘90s TV series. The movie continues to poke fun at itself every step of the way, reminding you that the creators are very much in on the joke. Rather than coming off as a lazy rehash, 22 Jump Street’s self-awareness makes it feel fresh and inviting. The whole movie plays out like a fourth-wall-breaking inside-joke between the actors and the audience. It openly acknowledges that it’s silly and redundant, but in doing so, it encourages us to put that aside and just sit back and have a good time. All in all, I most certainly did have a good time, and 22 Jump Street ended up being far more funny and enjoyable than I ever expected.
As much as I liked the movie, I have to say that it’s awfully heavy on the bromance. Many of the jokes revolve around the relationship between Jonah Hill’s Schmidt and Channing Tatum’s Jenko, and it gets to be pretty excessive and overdone. While Schmidt struggles to fit in at college, Jenko is accepted with open arms and quickly befriends the star quarterback Zook, played by Wyatt Russell, who recruits him to join the university football team. This puts a serious strain on Schmidt and Jenko’s friendship, and the film revels in their troubled relationship, portraying them like a bickering couple. The problem, however, is that it continuously stresses this bromance to the point where it becomes more awkward than funny. Additionally, as Schmidt feels more and more out of place without Jenko, I think Jonah Hill similarly falls more and more out of place in this film.
Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum make for an adequate comedic pair, however I find that Hill struggles in scenes without his co-star. While I respect Hill as an actor, it’s Tatum that truly carries the film, further establishing himself as a Hollywood star. He’s not only the funnier of the two, but he’s also highly entertaining and a perfect fit for an action star. He’s a natural in the movie’s comical action sequences, which include car chases, shootouts, and a well-choreographed fight scene on the beaches of Cancun. The movie drags on through Hill’s mopey solo scenes, only to be reinvigorated by Tatum’s humor and enthusiasm. Though the two of them play well together, I can’t help but feel like perhaps Hill should consider sticking to more dramatic roles.
While some of Hill’s attempts at humor fall flat, most of the comedy in the movie does work. Ice Cube is a stand-out in his return as police captain Dickson and his short temper creates some of the movie’s more memorable scenes. Meanwhile Tatum’s Jenko makes for a perfectly lovable and amusing airhead. The movie is chock-full of clever self-referential jokes and has an elaborate credits scene that expertly basks in its own egotism. 22 Jump Street is a movie that knows full well what it is and is proud of it.
22 Jump Street may be more of the same, but it’s completely content with that and wagers that you will be too. It’s a fun and comical adventure through college, and is coincidentally one of the best comedies of the year.
(This review was originally posted at 5mmg.com on 12.2.14.)
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Black Adam (2022) in Movies
Oct 25, 2022
About As Middle-Of-The-Road As You Can Get
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has been criticized by many (including the BankofMarquis) for being too dark, dour and somber. The powers-that-be at DC clearly have heard that criticism and with their latest installment - BLACK ADAM - they ditched that grim tone.
If only they would have spent time on character and plot development instead of blowing things up and dispatching nameless/faceless henchmen.
Based on a DC Comics character the BankofMarquis knew nothing about - and featuring SOME characters from DC that the BankofMarquis had heard of (o’k, one character, Hawkman), BLACK ADAM stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the titular anti-hero who comes out of hibernation after about 5,000 years to exact vengeance on those who wronged him.
It’s a tricky line to walk when you are working with an anti-hero bent on death and destruction, but it can be done if you bring some humanity and humility to the character and have this anti-hero character go on some sort of journey of discovery along the way.
While this film succeeds for the most part in bringing a lighter tone and some fun to the proceedings, it seems that Director Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan) and the trio of writers that penned this weak script opted to play it safe and didn’t go too dark (at the beginning) or too “Super-Heroey” (if that is a word) at the end, so what you get is a safe, middle-of-the-road entertainment that is “good enough” and (this is damning with faint praise), one of the better offerings in the DCEU.
Let’s start with the Johnson in the titular role. The film (and film-makers) play down Johnson’s inherent charm throughout the film - to the detriment of all. Johnson plays Black Adam with a focus of purpose and a lack of awareness and humor. While this could have been played with great effect neither Johnson nor Director Collet-Serra leans into this enough to make it a strong part of the offering. True, Johnson’s inherent charisma and screen presence shines through no matter how much it is attempted to be tamped down, but the character just comes off as plain vanilla.
Of course, Johnson’s physical form has never looked better and he excels in the action sequences - which are plentiful and full of explosions and destruction (destruction that is never commented on). These scenes overwhelm the story and the plot - and is one of the reasons that this film doesn’t rise above decent. It has lots of blowing things up and SuperHeroes going “smashy-smashy” with no real emotional resonance or consequence to them.
As for the other actors in this film, Aldis Hodge (ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI) is strong as the only DC Character previous known to the BankofMarquis - Hawkman. He is a welcome addition to this universe and it would be great if he showed up in more DCEU films - including adding him to any Justice League films.
Sarah Shahi (PERSON OF INTEREST on TV) is always a welcome sight in a film - and she more than capably fills in as the representative of the filmgoing audience as the human who is wrapped up the proceedings of these SuperHeroes while Mohammed Amer (the TV series RAMY) provides strong comic relief as Shahi’s brother.
Unfortunately, the film felt the need to put in 2 teenage Superheroes (I guess to appeal to their target audience) in the guise of Atom Smasher, Noah Centineo (THE PERFECT DATE) and Cyclone, Quintessa Swindell (the TV Series IN TREATMENT). These are both decent enough - and good looking enough - performers to put on screen, and they both would look good in a CW TV Series like THE FLASH, but their characters are pointless in this film. They are add-ons that don’t really add anything to the events.
And then there is good ol’ former James Bond Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate, a character the BankofMarquis knew nothing about before this film, but now am clamoring for a standalone movie for Brosnan and this character. He was the best thing in this move and this veteran actor understood the assignment, bringing humor and gravitas when needed while doling out sage advice - Obi-Wan style - to both Hawkman and Black Adam throughout the film.
All-in-all, a decent time at the theater (the DCEU has certainly done worse), but, in the end, BLACK ADAM is as disposable as Cotton Candy, fun while it lasts, but not anything that will stay with you for any length of time.
Letter Grade: B (the most solid “B” that a film can have).
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
If only they would have spent time on character and plot development instead of blowing things up and dispatching nameless/faceless henchmen.
Based on a DC Comics character the BankofMarquis knew nothing about - and featuring SOME characters from DC that the BankofMarquis had heard of (o’k, one character, Hawkman), BLACK ADAM stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the titular anti-hero who comes out of hibernation after about 5,000 years to exact vengeance on those who wronged him.
It’s a tricky line to walk when you are working with an anti-hero bent on death and destruction, but it can be done if you bring some humanity and humility to the character and have this anti-hero character go on some sort of journey of discovery along the way.
While this film succeeds for the most part in bringing a lighter tone and some fun to the proceedings, it seems that Director Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan) and the trio of writers that penned this weak script opted to play it safe and didn’t go too dark (at the beginning) or too “Super-Heroey” (if that is a word) at the end, so what you get is a safe, middle-of-the-road entertainment that is “good enough” and (this is damning with faint praise), one of the better offerings in the DCEU.
Let’s start with the Johnson in the titular role. The film (and film-makers) play down Johnson’s inherent charm throughout the film - to the detriment of all. Johnson plays Black Adam with a focus of purpose and a lack of awareness and humor. While this could have been played with great effect neither Johnson nor Director Collet-Serra leans into this enough to make it a strong part of the offering. True, Johnson’s inherent charisma and screen presence shines through no matter how much it is attempted to be tamped down, but the character just comes off as plain vanilla.
Of course, Johnson’s physical form has never looked better and he excels in the action sequences - which are plentiful and full of explosions and destruction (destruction that is never commented on). These scenes overwhelm the story and the plot - and is one of the reasons that this film doesn’t rise above decent. It has lots of blowing things up and SuperHeroes going “smashy-smashy” with no real emotional resonance or consequence to them.
As for the other actors in this film, Aldis Hodge (ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI) is strong as the only DC Character previous known to the BankofMarquis - Hawkman. He is a welcome addition to this universe and it would be great if he showed up in more DCEU films - including adding him to any Justice League films.
Sarah Shahi (PERSON OF INTEREST on TV) is always a welcome sight in a film - and she more than capably fills in as the representative of the filmgoing audience as the human who is wrapped up the proceedings of these SuperHeroes while Mohammed Amer (the TV series RAMY) provides strong comic relief as Shahi’s brother.
Unfortunately, the film felt the need to put in 2 teenage Superheroes (I guess to appeal to their target audience) in the guise of Atom Smasher, Noah Centineo (THE PERFECT DATE) and Cyclone, Quintessa Swindell (the TV Series IN TREATMENT). These are both decent enough - and good looking enough - performers to put on screen, and they both would look good in a CW TV Series like THE FLASH, but their characters are pointless in this film. They are add-ons that don’t really add anything to the events.
And then there is good ol’ former James Bond Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate, a character the BankofMarquis knew nothing about before this film, but now am clamoring for a standalone movie for Brosnan and this character. He was the best thing in this move and this veteran actor understood the assignment, bringing humor and gravitas when needed while doling out sage advice - Obi-Wan style - to both Hawkman and Black Adam throughout the film.
All-in-all, a decent time at the theater (the DCEU has certainly done worse), but, in the end, BLACK ADAM is as disposable as Cotton Candy, fun while it lasts, but not anything that will stay with you for any length of time.
Letter Grade: B (the most solid “B” that a film can have).
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Ambulance (2022) in Movies
Apr 18, 2022
Repetitive drone camera work (2 more)
Cringey humor and dialogue
An outdated and juvenile screenplay
Ambulance Review: Action At Its Dumbest And Gaudiest
Ambulance is a remake of a 2005 Danish film of the same name. Michael Bay’s version of the film follows former Marine Will Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) as he struggles to find a job and support his family; his wife requires an experimental surgery that their health insurance won’t pay for.
Will turns to his estranged yet wealthy adopted brother Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal). Danny wants Will to participate in a bank heist worth $32 million. Will takes the job out of desperation, but when the heist goes sideways the two brothers hijack an ambulance and take a wounded cop along with a paramedic named Cam (Elza Gonzalez) as hostages.
The performances from Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Jake Gyllenhall save Ambulance from being nothing more than an explosive, gyrating mess of a film. You don’t necessarily walk out of the theater feeling sympathy for Will, but you understand why the character turns to robbing a bank after serving his country through the heartfelt actions of Abdul-Mateen’s performance.
Jake Gyllenhaal is a memorable psychopath as Danny Sharp. Gyllenhaal has a ton of charisma as the character and can be incredibly likeable at times, but he has a temper that ignites without warning. Gyllenhaal is able to become intense and unhinged whenever Danny loses control of the situation, which is quite often over the course of 136-minutes.
The action thriller is dripping with what has either made you a fan of Michael Bay’s work or made you despise the Los Angeles born filmmaker for the majority of his career. The editing of the film is spastic and frenetic. There doesn’t seem to be a single sequence that lasts longer than eight seconds before cutting to another angle.
There are several references to other Michael Bay films in Ambulance; The Rock, 13 Hours, Armageddon, and Pearl Harbor. There’s also stuff you’d expect to find in a Michael Bay film like countless explosions and extravagant car wrecks. The film also seems to recycle the rotating camera Bay utilized in Bad Boys to highlight intense conversations between Will and Danny when they’re not confined to being inside the ambulance.
Despite working with a screenwriter whose first screenwriting credit is this film, Ambulance has writing that feels like it was something Bay produced over a decade ago. The dialogue feels extremely outdated and juvenile as characters walk this thin line between cringey humor and being downright sexist or racist. It feels like Bay was trying to feature a strong, independent woman in Ambulance with Cam. She's a competent single woman who is good at her job and doesn’t have to rely on anyone for anything. But the reveal of why she’s cold and remorseless is entirely cliché. The male characters have no real character development either though as their defining quality is that they all want to fight each other any chance they possibly get.
The Will character is also written in a way that is insulting and kind of offensive. So because he served his country he can get away with robbing a bank, shooting a cop, and participating in and driving the getaway vehicle during a massive car chase? He has a wife and daughter and his wife needs “experimental surgery” for an undisclosed illness and we’re supposed to root for this guy? Are we really this dumb?
It couldn’t be a film set in Los Angeles without someone making a reference to how terrible drivers are in LA. The secondary storylines don’t make sense or are just a complete waste of time. That conversation Danny has with his assistant about futbol/soccer and the lawn flamingos was obviously something extremely relevant to the overall story of the film. A cop also tries to ask out a bank teller while the bank is being robbed and literally doesn’t notice. We also have these other massively relevant and not pointless at all story points; bringing a dog to a car chase, Danny joking about walking around with herpes, and performing surgery in the back of an ambulance while stopping the bleeding with a hair clip.
Revoke Michael Bay’s license to utilize drones in his films. Every outside sequence seemed to have the same establishing shot of the camera flying up into the air turning around and zooming back down towards the ground. The camera in this film never stops moving. That combined with the film’s brutal rapid fire editing style will have you wanting to barf long before Danny calls upon the cartel for back up.
Buried deep within Ambulance’s loud, flashy action, sickening editing, overstimulated filming techniques, and a screenplay that seems like it was fished out of a port-a-potty is a somewhat thrilling action film. Jake Gyllenhaal is a cashmere obsessed lunatic that you can’t help but love, but Ambulance is a gaudy and sloppy excuse of an action film otherwise.
Will turns to his estranged yet wealthy adopted brother Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal). Danny wants Will to participate in a bank heist worth $32 million. Will takes the job out of desperation, but when the heist goes sideways the two brothers hijack an ambulance and take a wounded cop along with a paramedic named Cam (Elza Gonzalez) as hostages.
The performances from Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Jake Gyllenhall save Ambulance from being nothing more than an explosive, gyrating mess of a film. You don’t necessarily walk out of the theater feeling sympathy for Will, but you understand why the character turns to robbing a bank after serving his country through the heartfelt actions of Abdul-Mateen’s performance.
Jake Gyllenhaal is a memorable psychopath as Danny Sharp. Gyllenhaal has a ton of charisma as the character and can be incredibly likeable at times, but he has a temper that ignites without warning. Gyllenhaal is able to become intense and unhinged whenever Danny loses control of the situation, which is quite often over the course of 136-minutes.
The action thriller is dripping with what has either made you a fan of Michael Bay’s work or made you despise the Los Angeles born filmmaker for the majority of his career. The editing of the film is spastic and frenetic. There doesn’t seem to be a single sequence that lasts longer than eight seconds before cutting to another angle.
There are several references to other Michael Bay films in Ambulance; The Rock, 13 Hours, Armageddon, and Pearl Harbor. There’s also stuff you’d expect to find in a Michael Bay film like countless explosions and extravagant car wrecks. The film also seems to recycle the rotating camera Bay utilized in Bad Boys to highlight intense conversations between Will and Danny when they’re not confined to being inside the ambulance.
Despite working with a screenwriter whose first screenwriting credit is this film, Ambulance has writing that feels like it was something Bay produced over a decade ago. The dialogue feels extremely outdated and juvenile as characters walk this thin line between cringey humor and being downright sexist or racist. It feels like Bay was trying to feature a strong, independent woman in Ambulance with Cam. She's a competent single woman who is good at her job and doesn’t have to rely on anyone for anything. But the reveal of why she’s cold and remorseless is entirely cliché. The male characters have no real character development either though as their defining quality is that they all want to fight each other any chance they possibly get.
The Will character is also written in a way that is insulting and kind of offensive. So because he served his country he can get away with robbing a bank, shooting a cop, and participating in and driving the getaway vehicle during a massive car chase? He has a wife and daughter and his wife needs “experimental surgery” for an undisclosed illness and we’re supposed to root for this guy? Are we really this dumb?
It couldn’t be a film set in Los Angeles without someone making a reference to how terrible drivers are in LA. The secondary storylines don’t make sense or are just a complete waste of time. That conversation Danny has with his assistant about futbol/soccer and the lawn flamingos was obviously something extremely relevant to the overall story of the film. A cop also tries to ask out a bank teller while the bank is being robbed and literally doesn’t notice. We also have these other massively relevant and not pointless at all story points; bringing a dog to a car chase, Danny joking about walking around with herpes, and performing surgery in the back of an ambulance while stopping the bleeding with a hair clip.
Revoke Michael Bay’s license to utilize drones in his films. Every outside sequence seemed to have the same establishing shot of the camera flying up into the air turning around and zooming back down towards the ground. The camera in this film never stops moving. That combined with the film’s brutal rapid fire editing style will have you wanting to barf long before Danny calls upon the cartel for back up.
Buried deep within Ambulance’s loud, flashy action, sickening editing, overstimulated filming techniques, and a screenplay that seems like it was fished out of a port-a-potty is a somewhat thrilling action film. Jake Gyllenhaal is a cashmere obsessed lunatic that you can’t help but love, but Ambulance is a gaudy and sloppy excuse of an action film otherwise.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in Movies
May 5, 2018
Very good "culmination" of the last 10 years of Marvel Films
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR is the best film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Said to be the culmination of 10 years worth of Marvel films - and Marvel heroes - INFINITY WAR lives up to it's bill, bringing all the Marvel Universe heroes together to fight a "big bad" that is worthy of this sort of thing - THANOS.
Voiced by Josh Brolin, the CGI Thanos is powerful, destructive, razor-focused on his one purpose with moments of "humanity" that makes him an interesting villain. The filmmakers kept his motivation and machinations simple so you are never confused by this bad guy or what he is trying to do. What surprised me is that the filmmakers added another layer to this character that was a nice layer that really added to the character, his motivations and his personality.
As for the band of heroes brought together for this film, it works well. The criticisms I have heard is that no ONE hero stands out, so EVERY hero is in the background. I couldn't disagree more. I thought the evenness of the "screen time" was one of the strengths of this film, not focusing too much on one hero (or heroes), giving all time to shine - and focus on what they do best. There were moments of humor, drama, action and heroism sprinkled across all. But what really thrilled me was the different combinations that were put together, for these heroes all had different missions and assignments and some odd and interesting cross-film dynamics took shape. I won't give any of these away, but I thought they ALL dynamics blended together nicely.
This is definitely a "fan-boy" film, giving service to fans of all these films, characters - and comics and credit for that should go to filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo (Directors of the previously best film in this series - CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER) who kept the action moving, the motivations of the participants simple and the effects dazzling.
One final note - this is the first part of a two part film, so it does end in a cliffhanger, one that works effectively well. As always with the Marvel films - but especially in this one - stay through to the end of the credits, the scene at the end of the credits sets up Part 2.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at this film and can't wait to see the next one.
Letter Grade: A
9 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Said to be the culmination of 10 years worth of Marvel films - and Marvel heroes - INFINITY WAR lives up to it's bill, bringing all the Marvel Universe heroes together to fight a "big bad" that is worthy of this sort of thing - THANOS.
Voiced by Josh Brolin, the CGI Thanos is powerful, destructive, razor-focused on his one purpose with moments of "humanity" that makes him an interesting villain. The filmmakers kept his motivation and machinations simple so you are never confused by this bad guy or what he is trying to do. What surprised me is that the filmmakers added another layer to this character that was a nice layer that really added to the character, his motivations and his personality.
As for the band of heroes brought together for this film, it works well. The criticisms I have heard is that no ONE hero stands out, so EVERY hero is in the background. I couldn't disagree more. I thought the evenness of the "screen time" was one of the strengths of this film, not focusing too much on one hero (or heroes), giving all time to shine - and focus on what they do best. There were moments of humor, drama, action and heroism sprinkled across all. But what really thrilled me was the different combinations that were put together, for these heroes all had different missions and assignments and some odd and interesting cross-film dynamics took shape. I won't give any of these away, but I thought they ALL dynamics blended together nicely.
This is definitely a "fan-boy" film, giving service to fans of all these films, characters - and comics and credit for that should go to filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo (Directors of the previously best film in this series - CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER) who kept the action moving, the motivations of the participants simple and the effects dazzling.
One final note - this is the first part of a two part film, so it does end in a cliffhanger, one that works effectively well. As always with the Marvel films - but especially in this one - stay through to the end of the credits, the scene at the end of the credits sets up Part 2.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at this film and can't wait to see the next one.
Letter Grade: A
9 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Fantasy (Includes: Leopard People, #0.5; Midnight, #0.5) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The fantasy theme was heavy with all four of the stories in the book. The first story is The Widow's Auction by Sabrina Jeffries. In this novella, a young widow is convinced that it is in her favor to auction off one night with her in return for a large sum of money that she can use to benefit her work with a all-boys' school. Of course, she secretly just wants to know what it's like to actually enjoy the bedtime act. In the realm of make-believe, this was quite the enjoyable mix of lust and romance with no negative consequences.
The second story is Luisa's Desire by Emma Holly. In this fascinating read, an immortal woman seeks an alternative to her need for blood to survive in a remote lamasery buried in the Himalayan mountains of Tibet. While she assumes that the answer is a particular form of meditation, what she instead gets is an aspiring monk who possesses a much more fleshly solution to her problem. Reincarnation takes on a whole new meaning in this short story, and I found the different take on vampires in fiction to be well-written.
The third story is Mr. Speedy by Elda Minger. In this plot, an ambitious young woman decides to make herself over into a man in order to sneak into and cover a male-only conference entirely about getting a woman to go to bed with the man. Her genius plan takes a left-turn when she discovers she is rooming with the city's most eligible bachelor coming off of a horrid divorce - whom she is overwhelmingly attracted to. The irony of this story is that the bachelor becomes increasingly interested in her before he is even aware she is in disguise. The humor of this story made it quite charming in a sexy sort of way.
The final story is The Awakening by Christine Feehan. The story begins her series, the Leopard People, with the tale of a young veterinarian lured deep into the jungle to track down her inheritance. Heavy lust and desire take over quite early in the story as the reader discovers that her presence there has been manipulated by a man of the leopard people who has already claimed her for his mate. The intensity and over-dramatization in the writing made this story less enjoyable for me than the others. I was also put off by the man's extreme obsession with the woman and his reluctance to tell her what was happening to her right from the beginning.
The second story is Luisa's Desire by Emma Holly. In this fascinating read, an immortal woman seeks an alternative to her need for blood to survive in a remote lamasery buried in the Himalayan mountains of Tibet. While she assumes that the answer is a particular form of meditation, what she instead gets is an aspiring monk who possesses a much more fleshly solution to her problem. Reincarnation takes on a whole new meaning in this short story, and I found the different take on vampires in fiction to be well-written.
The third story is Mr. Speedy by Elda Minger. In this plot, an ambitious young woman decides to make herself over into a man in order to sneak into and cover a male-only conference entirely about getting a woman to go to bed with the man. Her genius plan takes a left-turn when she discovers she is rooming with the city's most eligible bachelor coming off of a horrid divorce - whom she is overwhelmingly attracted to. The irony of this story is that the bachelor becomes increasingly interested in her before he is even aware she is in disguise. The humor of this story made it quite charming in a sexy sort of way.
The final story is The Awakening by Christine Feehan. The story begins her series, the Leopard People, with the tale of a young veterinarian lured deep into the jungle to track down her inheritance. Heavy lust and desire take over quite early in the story as the reader discovers that her presence there has been manipulated by a man of the leopard people who has already claimed her for his mate. The intensity and over-dramatization in the writing made this story less enjoyable for me than the others. I was also put off by the man's extreme obsession with the woman and his reluctance to tell her what was happening to her right from the beginning.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Be Frank With Me in Books
Feb 8, 2018
Alice has worked a string of dead-end jobs until she winds up as an assistant for a literary agent, Mr. Vargas. He is impressed with her work at a tech store (think Apple Genius Bar) and takes her under his wing. Eventually Mr. Vargas dispatches Alice to assist with one of his most famous, but reclusive, clients: M.M. "Mimi" Banning. Mimi wrote a famous bestseller book as a young woman and then basically disappeared off the grid. She's recently lost all her money in a Ponzi scheme, however, and she needs an assistant to help with delivery of a new manuscript. Enter Alice. However, when Alice arrives in California, she finds herself mainly acting as caretaker to Mimi's nine-year-old son, Frank: a quirky and unique boy who changes Alice's life.
There's really no way to describe this book. It was an excellent way to round out 2015 - it's a lovely and touching novel. While in theory it describes a bit of time in Alice's life, with most of the story coming from her point of view, the true hero of this story is Frank - amazing, wonderful, funny Frank. Frank would probably be deemed autistic, or at least somewhere on the spectrum, in our society, as he clearly has issues with being touched, interacting with his peers, and many other things. But he's also this amazing, unique, and smart boy - he dresses like a movie star from the '30s, has an endless supply of facts in his brain about everything (but doesn't comprehend sarcasm or humor), loves old films, and has a fierce and deep devotion for his mother -- no matter what she does.
As Alice gets to know Frank, Mimi, and the small cast of characters around them - mainly, Xander, Frank's piano teacher, who flits in and out of his life - she is as drawn to the boy as the rest of us. But can she save Frank (and Mimi) from the harshness of the outside world and their past? It's an interesting thought and one that doesn't lend itself to a typical beginning/middle/end plot. In some ways, not a lot happens in this book (though in some ways, a lot does), but its story is propelled by Johnson's excellent character development and descriptions. Frank, Alice, Mimi, and Xander really come to life in her hands. It's a funny book, a sad book, but a beautiful book. Certainly a worthwhile read. You'll find yourself thinking about these characters long after you turn the last page.
(Note: I received an advance copy of this novel from Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review.)
There's really no way to describe this book. It was an excellent way to round out 2015 - it's a lovely and touching novel. While in theory it describes a bit of time in Alice's life, with most of the story coming from her point of view, the true hero of this story is Frank - amazing, wonderful, funny Frank. Frank would probably be deemed autistic, or at least somewhere on the spectrum, in our society, as he clearly has issues with being touched, interacting with his peers, and many other things. But he's also this amazing, unique, and smart boy - he dresses like a movie star from the '30s, has an endless supply of facts in his brain about everything (but doesn't comprehend sarcasm or humor), loves old films, and has a fierce and deep devotion for his mother -- no matter what she does.
As Alice gets to know Frank, Mimi, and the small cast of characters around them - mainly, Xander, Frank's piano teacher, who flits in and out of his life - she is as drawn to the boy as the rest of us. But can she save Frank (and Mimi) from the harshness of the outside world and their past? It's an interesting thought and one that doesn't lend itself to a typical beginning/middle/end plot. In some ways, not a lot happens in this book (though in some ways, a lot does), but its story is propelled by Johnson's excellent character development and descriptions. Frank, Alice, Mimi, and Xander really come to life in her hands. It's a funny book, a sad book, but a beautiful book. Certainly a worthwhile read. You'll find yourself thinking about these characters long after you turn the last page.
(Note: I received an advance copy of this novel from Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review.)
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Changes (The Dresden Files, #12) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
I do not give out many 5-star ratings, but for this book I couldn't do anything else. That is despite the fact that [a:Jim Butcher|10746|Jim Butcher|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1400640324p2/10746.jpg] did something I honestly didn't think he would do to his legions of loyal readers, something that I absolutely detest. Something that I will not tell you about, because I loathe spoilers.
If you know anything about me, though, it means a great deal to say that even though I would drop most authors who use that particular technique like not just hot, but rotten hot potatoes, I cannot even consider not getting the next Dresden Files book and devouring it the very first millisecond I am able to do so.
My family can attest to the fact that I didn't just laugh out loud while reading <i>Changes</i>. (Anybody who doesn't laugh out loud at least once while reading the Dresden Files should be checked for rigor mortis.) This time I laughed so loud and so long at one point that Sam got up and came into the room where I was to make sure that I was okay and getting enough air. There was absolutely no way for me to explain what was so funny, of course, without spoilers.
While there is a great deal of humor, there is also darkness. A lot of darkness. The blurb for the book makes that clear. Susan, the love of Harry's life, kidnapped years ago by a Red Court vampire and half-turned in a plot to get at Dresden, is back with big, bad news: she had a daughter by him, and the child has been kidnapped by someone. As usual, things go downhill from there.
Many series start out with a bang, have maybe two or three strong volumes, then devolve into more and more and more contract fulfillment books that I occasionally think might be written by clever shell scripts. The Dresden Files is one of the few, beautiful exceptions, as volume twelve proves. I honestly thought that Butcher was winding things up to move on to other projects, due to some of the events in the book, but I will say that he surprised the bejesus out of me. This is definitely not a series-ending book!
I anxiously await number thirteen. I might even do something I've never done before, and pre-order it. Yes, Jim, you've got me hooked, and how.
If you know anything about me, though, it means a great deal to say that even though I would drop most authors who use that particular technique like not just hot, but rotten hot potatoes, I cannot even consider not getting the next Dresden Files book and devouring it the very first millisecond I am able to do so.
My family can attest to the fact that I didn't just laugh out loud while reading <i>Changes</i>. (Anybody who doesn't laugh out loud at least once while reading the Dresden Files should be checked for rigor mortis.) This time I laughed so loud and so long at one point that Sam got up and came into the room where I was to make sure that I was okay and getting enough air. There was absolutely no way for me to explain what was so funny, of course, without spoilers.
While there is a great deal of humor, there is also darkness. A lot of darkness. The blurb for the book makes that clear. Susan, the love of Harry's life, kidnapped years ago by a Red Court vampire and half-turned in a plot to get at Dresden, is back with big, bad news: she had a daughter by him, and the child has been kidnapped by someone. As usual, things go downhill from there.
Many series start out with a bang, have maybe two or three strong volumes, then devolve into more and more and more contract fulfillment books that I occasionally think might be written by clever shell scripts. The Dresden Files is one of the few, beautiful exceptions, as volume twelve proves. I honestly thought that Butcher was winding things up to move on to other projects, due to some of the events in the book, but I will say that he surprised the bejesus out of me. This is definitely not a series-ending book!
I anxiously await number thirteen. I might even do something I've never done before, and pre-order it. Yes, Jim, you've got me hooked, and how.
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Biggest Poutine in the World in Books
Jun 18, 2018
The Biggest Poutine in the World by Andrée Poulin is a cute, enjoyable, surprisingly emotional book about poutine and a world record attempt. I wish that the book had not ended so abruptly but it has a fantastic message and sympathetic and well-developed characters.
Our hero is twelve year old Thomas. His Mom disappeared on his fifth birthday. Dad has become withdrawn. Thomas feels abandoned. He develops a plan to put together the biggest poutine in the world in the hope that the attention that will draw will somehow lure his Mom back into his life. Three things gave me pause.
The book is loaded with sympathetic, supportive, decent real people who help and guide Thomas in the right direction. Thomas has a best friend, Sam, who is a real kid but is in fact a best friend. Thomas is extorted into taking on lonely Elie as a poutine project partner, and she turns out to be a lively, no-nonsense breath of fresh air. Sam's Mom, the city's mayor, Elie's Mom, and even the French Fry Guy are all adults who can see what's going on and provide gentle guidance and support. Finally, even Dad shows some spine. The effect of all of this is never sappy; it's upbeat and kind.
Thomas is insightful and the tale is told with great humor. As to Thomas, who narrates, we get a kid who may not be "real", but he feels real. I would suspect almost any middle grade reader would like and identify with this kid, which is most of the battle right there. Thomas has been dealt a bad hand, (his sense of abandonment, misplaced guilt, and anger is palpable, but he soldiers on pretty gamely and you root for him to get it together when his resolve wavers.
And, there is some very funny stuff that keeps us out of grim and depressing territory. The whole poutine project is a goof. Thomas and Sam have some great exchanges. Elie has a dry and deadpan style that keeps Thomas honest. A subplot involving the mayor's parrot, (don't ask), adds some slapstick. And behind it all you sense an author with a great command of the light and the dark and a good sense of how to ration them both out.
The upshot is that this is an honest, entertaining and very engaging story that I think would challenge, amuse and possibly touch a young reader. That's a nice combination.
I received this book from Annick Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Our hero is twelve year old Thomas. His Mom disappeared on his fifth birthday. Dad has become withdrawn. Thomas feels abandoned. He develops a plan to put together the biggest poutine in the world in the hope that the attention that will draw will somehow lure his Mom back into his life. Three things gave me pause.
The book is loaded with sympathetic, supportive, decent real people who help and guide Thomas in the right direction. Thomas has a best friend, Sam, who is a real kid but is in fact a best friend. Thomas is extorted into taking on lonely Elie as a poutine project partner, and she turns out to be a lively, no-nonsense breath of fresh air. Sam's Mom, the city's mayor, Elie's Mom, and even the French Fry Guy are all adults who can see what's going on and provide gentle guidance and support. Finally, even Dad shows some spine. The effect of all of this is never sappy; it's upbeat and kind.
Thomas is insightful and the tale is told with great humor. As to Thomas, who narrates, we get a kid who may not be "real", but he feels real. I would suspect almost any middle grade reader would like and identify with this kid, which is most of the battle right there. Thomas has been dealt a bad hand, (his sense of abandonment, misplaced guilt, and anger is palpable, but he soldiers on pretty gamely and you root for him to get it together when his resolve wavers.
And, there is some very funny stuff that keeps us out of grim and depressing territory. The whole poutine project is a goof. Thomas and Sam have some great exchanges. Elie has a dry and deadpan style that keeps Thomas honest. A subplot involving the mayor's parrot, (don't ask), adds some slapstick. And behind it all you sense an author with a great command of the light and the dark and a good sense of how to ration them both out.
The upshot is that this is an honest, entertaining and very engaging story that I think would challenge, amuse and possibly touch a young reader. That's a nice combination.
I received this book from Annick Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Wreck-It-Ralph (2012) in Movies
Nov 12, 2018
Deserves greater credit than it currently is getting
Not being a big video game guy, I was late to the party to the original WRECK-IT RALPH in 2012 and when I saw it, I thought "it's fine" and didn't really think more about it. Now that it's sequel is coming out, I thought it would be good time to revisit this film (and to also remind me of the characters of the first one). And I'm glad I did, for I enjoyed myself much more this go around with this film than I did in my initial experience.
Taking a page out of PIXAR, this WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS picture tells the "inside story" of what happens to Video Game characters when the lights go off. Following a "villain" in a game, WRECK-IT RALPH tells the story of Ralph's attempt to become a hero by winning a medal in another video game, only to become something more when he encounters a "glitch" in another game.
This is a well made, smart animation film that has enough action, suspense and silliness to appeal to children, but enough "adult content" (read: smart humor that goes over the heads of the kids) to appeal to the adults that have taken the kids to the movies. It pays great homage to video games - many of which went over my head, but (I am assured) were well played (at least according to the video gamers that I am acquainted).
Like all animated movies, a good percentage of the joy of this film is in the voice work - and this picture has very good ones from Sarah Silverman's Vanellope to Jack McBrayer's Fix-It Felix and Jane Lynch's kick-butt Calhoun, the voices strongly portray the character - and character types - quickly and easily. Special mention should be made of Allan Tudyk's King Candy (an homage to the the great Vaudeville and early film comedian Ed Wynn) and, especially, John C. Reilly in the title role. He is perfectly cast as Ralph, showing the weight of the size of the character in his voice with a sweetness and vulnerability that shows the size of the character's heart.
This is a wonderful and winning film, one that deserves greater praise than it is currently given, and I, for one, am looking forward to the sequel coming out.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
Taking a page out of PIXAR, this WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS picture tells the "inside story" of what happens to Video Game characters when the lights go off. Following a "villain" in a game, WRECK-IT RALPH tells the story of Ralph's attempt to become a hero by winning a medal in another video game, only to become something more when he encounters a "glitch" in another game.
This is a well made, smart animation film that has enough action, suspense and silliness to appeal to children, but enough "adult content" (read: smart humor that goes over the heads of the kids) to appeal to the adults that have taken the kids to the movies. It pays great homage to video games - many of which went over my head, but (I am assured) were well played (at least according to the video gamers that I am acquainted).
Like all animated movies, a good percentage of the joy of this film is in the voice work - and this picture has very good ones from Sarah Silverman's Vanellope to Jack McBrayer's Fix-It Felix and Jane Lynch's kick-butt Calhoun, the voices strongly portray the character - and character types - quickly and easily. Special mention should be made of Allan Tudyk's King Candy (an homage to the the great Vaudeville and early film comedian Ed Wynn) and, especially, John C. Reilly in the title role. He is perfectly cast as Ralph, showing the weight of the size of the character in his voice with a sweetness and vulnerability that shows the size of the character's heart.
This is a wonderful and winning film, one that deserves greater praise than it is currently given, and I, for one, am looking forward to the sequel coming out.
Letter Grade: A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)