Film Review “The Act of Killing”

Directed By: Joshua Oppenheimer
Rated: R
Running Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Cinephil

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

There have been books, movies, TV shows and news pieces about some of the darkest parts of life. Serial killers, mass murderers and rapists have all been documented in some medium when they’re alive and even in post-mortem. We loathe these people, but there’s a unique entertainment about them. Subconsciously, it delves into a dark primal part of our brain while consciously reassuring us that we would never do it and why we should never do it. “The Act of Killing” is a delicious, bitter treat. It’s a morbidly engrossing documentary that gives the viewer a rare insight into evil.

The movie tells us that, in the mid-60’s, there was a cleansing in Indonesia. After the army overthrew the government, it decided to purge, what it believed to be, communists. Death squads were formed and people were tortured and interrogated across the country. What followed was a personal form of execution through strangulation and throat slashing. As for the number of people killed…uncertain. The movie had it’s own figures, but my own research after the viewing have revealed an unbelievable and conservative number below 100,000 while some bleak numbers have stated the amount of dead could be well into the millions. This movie follows Anwar Congo a wanna-be gangster who went from scalping tickets outside movie theaters to murdering over 1,000 people.

With such a horrific event, there are plenty of angles director Joshua Oppenheimer could have taken. Instead he has approached Anwar with a simple proposition. Fictionalize the murders you committed. Re-imagine those terrifying events for our cameras. The movie follows this proposition as well as the making of the re-enactments. This method is actually quite brilliant. Instead of investigating through a series of questions and deciphering the truths and lies, Oppenheimer has played to one of Anwar’s loves: movies. By having Anwar be the star of his own movie about his life, he gets a more real approach and truly sees things through the monster’s eyes. It also allows Anwar to relive and reveal some buried truths through his visualizations.

Along the way we meet some of Anwar’s old buddies, who get together and act like a couple of old fraternity brothers, joking and laughing. But instead of reminiscing about parties and girls, it’s torture methods and cold-blooded murder. We see a gambit of different personalities. From men who feel a form of remorse for their actions to others who are obviously selfish and continually ignore what they’ve done and constantly justify their actions. Anwar is the perfect centerpiece for this movie because at times he represents both of those extremes. Through an aged grin he shows the director around an area where he squeezed the life out of hundreds. Then at times he’s quiet and unspoken with a regret lingering in his eyes. At one point you’ll even get a dirty feeling as you feel slightly sympathetic towards him in one instance towards the end. You might even find yourself wanting to smile or chuckle at some scenes because of how absurd they feel.

This is a soul crushing film. I found myself disheartened and unsure if I enjoyed it because it was such a bleak and unsettling experience. But the more I reflect on it, the more I see a silver lining. You’ll notice if you sit through the credits, there’s a lot of “Anonymous”. That’s because many of the people who helped work on this film live in Indonesia. They live in fear of repercussions from the paramilitary that still festers in the streets and in the government. But there’s a certain bravery behind wanting to speak out. Not because you feel it’s wrong, but because you’re willing to admit the mistakes your own government has made in the past. It’s also a small reassurance that some of the men we meet do feel remorse and realize what they’ve done is wrong. “The Act of Killing” is certain to invoke an array of emotions, stun many people into dead silence and raise plenty of ethical and moral questions. Everyone will take away something different, so I’ll go ahead and tell you the line that still sticks with me days later: “War crimes are defined by the winners.”

 

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Film Review “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters”

Starring: Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson and Alexandra Daddario
Directed By: Thor Fredenthal
Rated: PG
Running Time: 106 minutes
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars

*deep breath*

The demigod Percy Jackson (Lerman), the son of Poseidon, is back once again. He continues his training at Camp Half-Blood with his friends, Grover Underwood (Jackson), a satyr, and Annabeth Chase (Daddario), the daughter of Athena. The problem this time arises from the boundary around the camp that protects them. The magic boundary that sprung years ago from the deceased body of Thalia Grace (Paloma Kwiatkowski), the daughter of Zeus, has been poisoned. Now the only chance to restore the boundary and keep Thalia’s spirit alive is the Golden Fleece. But Luke Castellan (Jake Abel), the son of Hermes, also wants the Fleece for his own motivations. He hopes to resurrect an ancient evil and once again attempt to bring destruction to Mount Olympus. Things are even more complicated when Percy discovers he has a half brother, Tyson (Douglas Smith), who is part cyclops and tags along for their journey into the Sea of Monsters.

*exhales*

If you’re a little confused, you may need to watch the first movie or take some Cliff notes with you. However, the Cliff notes are probably a lot more entertaining than this movie. I myself had never seen the first “Percy Jackson” until literally hours before the screening of “Sea of Monsters”. This movie is an improvement upon the first, but that might be because the movie is shorter. We’re once again treated to a barrage of computer animated creatures and uninteresting action sequences. We’re not invested enough to be concerned about a character’s well being. It doesn’t help that there isn’t even the slightest sense of peril. Even when our heroes are fighting from being swallowed whole by a whirlpool sized creature in the middle of the ocean, I found myself fighting a yawn.

It’s been six years since the last “Harry Potter” book and just two since the last movie, but Percy Jackson is still creeping in its shadow. The movie has plenty of similar ideas, but that’s not the problem. Everyone borrows from everyone. I get that. The problem arises when the movie uses quirks as a crutch instead of building up this fantastic new world around its inhabitants. The characters aren’t given room to breathe with an ADHD script and smothering CGI. Instead of character driven scenes and diving into the why’s and how’s of the story, the actors are expected to just “ooh” and “ahh” at the newest monster or helpful item given to them by the Gods. I don’t fault any of the actors. They’ve managed to work well with the hollow script they were handed. I fault the studio for selecting Thor Freudenthal, who directed the forgettable “Hotel for Dogs”, to helm this flick. I fault the studio for thinking Marc Guggenheim, the man who helped pen the disaster-piece “Green Lantern”, would be able to bring life into this series. This shows a huge lack of trust in the books original content and the hope that people will be filling the theater for eye candy and tongue-in-cheek one liners. From what a book fan told me at the screening, the movies even changed major plot points.

Greek mythology and literature in its own respect has lived for thousands of years and still captivates people like any good soap opera. “Sea of Monsters” is automatically forgettable and another abusive adaptation of a beloved book series. However, younger audiences who probably haven’t read the books will eat up this newest adventure. Someone in Hollywood needs to go on a search. Find a screenwriter that truly loves these novels and characters. Someone who can’t wait to get their hands on a copy of the latest “Percy Jackson” book. It wouldn’t even hurt to have a huge input by the book’s author, Rick Riordan. With millions of copies sold and a rabid fan base that’s willing to put up with another poorly adapted movie, I think he knows what he’s doing. Not to sound like the end to a PBS show, but I think it’s time for me to learn more by going to my local library.

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Theatre Review “Footloose: The Musical” Starlight Theatre – Kansas City, Missouri

Footloose: The Musical
Starlight Theatre
Kansas City, Missouri
August 5th, 2013

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

On a muggy night in the Heartland, it seemed fitting that the production of “Footloose” would be sweat inducing and, for female attendees, steamy. As the title song belted out and a company of extras began to dance to the iconic pop-rock beat of the 80’s, my ears perked up. I’m well versed and cultured enough to know about previous generations, but I’ve never seen the movie “Footloose,” nor had I ever a care to. In that moment of cutting loose and kicking off the Sunday shoes, I found myself interested. I was ready for this glimpse into the 80’s. My expectations jumped up to the par with everyone else that night as the cast showed off their best moves during the opening number. Boy did those hopes fizzle out.

Ren McCormack (Max Clayton) and his single mom, Ethel (Paula Leggett Chase), are heading from the city lights of Chicago to the humble countryside of Beaummont. A stereotypical middle-American small country town. The kind that is drenched from hillside to hillside in golden wheat and pristine corn fields. The residents are set in their ways and are already weary and gossiping about Ren and his mom the morning they arrive at church. Despite the police and other community leaders, Reverend Shaw Moore (George Dvorsky) is the overriding moral, spiritual and political leader of this town. Years ago, a tragic accident took the life of four teens, including Shaw Moore’s son. Since then, the Reverend has imposed a strict no-dancing law in the town. As absurd as this sounds, this has actually happened in the U.S. (the town of Elmore City, Oklahoma banned dancing for over 100 years and was Dean Pitchford’s inspiration for his script for “Footloose”). For the energetic Ren, who expresses his emotions through dance, this is a nightmare. He manages, though, with the help of classmate and friend, Willard Hewitt (Matthew Dorsey Moore) and the pastor’s daughter, Ariel (Taylor Louderman).

For a musical called “Footloose”, it really seems like the big dance numbers are kept to a minimum and dancing in general through the middle part of this story is stifled. It seems like the dance choreographer is playing the part of Reverend Moore during half these songs. If there were more songs like “On Any Sunday”, “Footloose” and “Let’s Hear it for the Boy”, this would have been a grand dance and song musical on par with other greats. That doesn’t mean the other songs aren’t good. When you have Kenny Loggins, Sammy Hagar and Jim Steinman sharing the writing credits, you can’t go wrong with some rockin’ songs and love soaked ballads.

The show has a problem settling on a main idea. On one hand it could be a time capsule of an aging era. On another it’s the story of young vs. adult and traditional vs. new. It also tries to be a sexy, hip look at the lives of teenagers in a small town. Some of those ideas will grab hold and really stick with a viewer. But as for me, I was a bit overwhelmed by all three together and underwhelmed by each on their own. My personal preference would have been a time capsule. Every generation has the conflict of “parents just don’t understand” and very few stories actually have a whiff of creativity when it comes to exaggerated teen comedy/dramas. If these two ideas took a seat back to fun dance numbers and this musical’s catchy 80’s music, “Footloose” would have been a memorable evening at Starlight.

As I stated with Starlight’s previous iconic 80’s musical “Flashdance”, I may have been created in the 80’s, but I’m a product of the 90’s. I haven’t seen the 1984 movie, nor its 2011 remake. Some of the older people in the audience seemed to really dig it, but this is not my cup of tea. I loved the music, the dancing (when it happened) and the creative set pieces by Robert A. Kovach. My view of the 80’s is that it was the last generation with a true rebellious nature. The music struck a nerve in an era of growing morality and Reaganomics. Genres like punk rock, grunge and some sultry pop icons like Madonna festered and spoke to a confused and rambunctious generation. I wasn’t hoping for that style of music or any blatant liberal ideology. I was simply hoping for it to touch upon these ideas in a sentimental manner and sometime comical fashion.

“Footloose” will be at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City until August 11th.

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Theatre Review “The Little Mermaid: The Musical” Starlight Theater – Kansas City, MO

The Little Mermaid The Musical
Starlight Theater
Kansas City, Missouri
July 23, 2013

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Any time you’re hoping to replicate the success of a Disney production, you’re going to be automatically met with how well you stack up against the original. Even with a hazy memory of how the story to “The Little Mermaid” went, I still had a fairly good idea what to expect and I’m glad to report that not only does this Broadway-style production stays true to the 1989 classic, it is a delight to watch.

For those readers whose memory may be equally fuzzy, let me catch you up to speed. Ariel (Jessica Grove) is a mermaid and also the youngest daughter of King Triton (Edward Watts). Much to his dismay, she constantly visits the ocean’s surface and dreams of not only walking on the shore but living on dry land with the other humans. It doesn’t help when she rescues and falls in love with a Prince Eric (Nick Adams). Anymore information and I will have ruined the first half for those of you who haven’t seen the 1989 film or read the children’s story by Hans Christian Andersen.

The show gets off to a slow start with a song written for the production, but kicks into gear with the song everyone should know, “Part of Your World”. Grove is definitely talented and easily hits the high notes in the song. In fact everyone in the show is well cast in their roles. Still there are some low moments. The film’s most popular song, “Under the Sea”, doesn’t feel as epic or magical as it should in my opinion. My memory may have been blurry but I distinctly remember that song. I will add, in the show’s defense, that I’m sure it’s hard to create a sea alive with song and dance on stage. You could say it’s a tad villainous, but Ursula (Liz McCartney) almost steals the show. Any time she’s on stage, her presence is definitely felt and McCartney really belts out the lyrics in grand style, especially during the songs “Daddy’s Little Angel” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls”.

Major props to the men and women behind the scenes of this production. To add to the effect that they’re underwater and swimming the cast is literally whisked into the air and across the stage. One man who certainly deserves a lot of credit is John MacInnis, who choreographed the show. One of the best instances of perfectly matched movements is during “Sweet Child” when the eels, Flotsam and Jetsam (Scott Leiendecker and Sean Patrick Doyle), move as one entity. Though “The Little Mermaid” lacks a lot of big dance numbers, one thing that really impressed me was watching the the actors constantly “swimming” in place, even when they don’t speak a single word during the scene. On the negative side, someone should send a note to the sound guy. Often times the music was much louder than the singing and I often saw parents covering their children’s ears because of how loud the volume was. I even found myself wincing at the volume a couple of times.

I haven’t seen the animated film in almost 20 years but I may have to after seeing this show. There may be a few things from the film that the production didn’t do justice, but I can guarantee there are plenty they triumphed on. The cast of “The Little Mermaid” should be proud they did the original justice while creating new memories for children of all ages.

This production runs at Starlight Theater until July 28th. For tickets visit www.kcstarlight.com

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Film Review “Only God Forgives”

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vithaya Pansringarm
Directed By: Nicolas Winding Refn
Rated: R
Running Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Radius-TWC

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars

I’ve enjoyed my fair share of hyper violent movies and art house flicks. I enjoyed Nicolas Winding Refn’s last effort “Drive,” which you could say is a combination of both. So I should have enjoyed this movie. I’m sure everyone else in the sold out theater I was at had some reason as to why they thought they would enjoy this movie as well. Every eye was glued to the screen as the lights dimmed and the film started up. Thirty minutes in, they were rubbing those tired eyes in frustration.

The film has three main characters. Julian (Ryan Gosling) is a conflicted American who’s respected by a ring of Hong Kong thugs. Beneath his quiet demeanor is something perverse. He likes to watch, and fantasizes about, women pleasuring themselves. When he needs to climax, he brutalizes a nearby bystander or visualizes something violent. It’s not really comforting to know that part of him realizes he’s a monster. Lt. Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm) is not conflicted. He’s set in his ways and believes in an “eye for an eye” style of justice. He allows citizens to take vengeance. He also manages to squeeze in life lessons through dismemberment. The final piece to this trinity is Julian’s mom, Crystal (Kristin Scott Thomas). Her words are like poison and repugnant to the ears. They are a blunt weapon used to sway and control Julian. Everyone’s moral compass is wrapped around Billy, Julian’s hated brother and Crystal’s favorite. Billy has been beaten to death because he savagely raped and killed a teenage prostitute. Crystal blames Billy’s death on Chang and does her best to encourage Julian to carry out her bloodlust.

None of these characters are likeable. None of them have motives behind their unforgiving nature. It’s obvious that Chang and Crystal are allegories because they’re so simplistic in their actions and motions. The only one that has some potential depth is the near mute Julian. Apparently Gosling’s motivation throughout this movie was to nod and occasionally get angry. If there is a story line it seems that it’s expected to be told through the film’s visual style and occasional character facial movements. Almost every scene is drenched in neon red and ocean blue lights. Some scenes are beautiful enough to speak for themselves while others feel incredibly forced. There are long moments of silence, occasionally broken by a fantastic soundtrack. Of course if you’ve seen “Drive”, you know this is one of Refn’s strengths. You will also know he has a taste for blood that, surprisingly, this movie seems short on. In its place Refn tries to make up for it by making us squirm and feel uncomfortable in our seats. You could say that might be one the film’s anti-charms. An elegantly polished movie that’s doing everything in its power to make us hate it.

This film will have an audience, albeit a very small, niche crowd. They will certainly hail it as brilliant and visually stunning. They may even stick their nose up to those who walk out or say it’s terrible. They’ll say those people didn’t understand its true meaning. Even if you peel away the layers and find the meaning, you’ll know that, though the cinematography was right, someone other than Refn needed to pen the story. This is the kind of movie that doesn’t want to be loved or adored. It spits at your kindness and is unapologetic. At least that’s how the man in the seat next to me must have felt. As the credits rolled he said aloud, “Well that was a piece of ****.” He then looked towards his friend next to him and said, “I’m sorry I brought you to this.” Like an untrained puppy, the movie does not expect forgiveness, it’s happy with the mess it made.

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Film Review “R.I.P.D”

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Bacon
Directed By: Robert Schwentke
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hour 36 mins
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

As you watch this movie (and I recommend you don’t) you’re going to make a lot of connections between “R.I.P.D.” and the sci-fi action/comedy and summer hit of 1997, “Men in Black”. “R.I.P.D.” is not a comedy. You will most likely not be leaving your seat with a smile on your face and discussing how much you enjoyed the movie with your friends. You may instead want a neuralyzer to erase your memory.

Nick Walker (Reynolds) is a hardworking man for the Boston Police Department with a loving, adorable wife and cute home nestled in suburbia. Recently he’s felt guilty about some gold he and his partner Bobby (Bacon) have recently acquired during a raid. Nick tells Bobby his worries, which leads to Bobby shooting Nick to death amidst the chaos of a meth bust. This is where we meet the world of the R.I.P.D.: the Rest In Peace Department. Because Nick had some questionable ethics on Earth, he’s told he can face judgment now and risk damnation or put in some time with the R.I.P.D. and redeem himself. At least that’s how his new boss, Mildred (Mary-Louise Parker) describes it. His job is to find people who’ve escaped the afterlife (called a dead-o) and now wander the streets of Earth as normal looking people but are grotesque, dead creatures underneath. Some of them are really disgusting to look at. She pairs him with Roy (Jeff Bridges), who speaks like he’s in the Wild West and has been doing this for well over 100 years.

I haven’t read the comic this movie is based off of, so I can’t really shame whoever ruined the script. It feels like a bunch of stolen ideas were jammed together. Kind of like the person who’s putting together a jigsaw puzzle and instead of finding the right pieces, constantly pounds wrong pieces together in frustration. That’s not to say the actors don’t try really, really hard. The script has some bad dialogue, but a huge dose of credit goes to Bridges and Reynolds. They aren’t given much, but they make it work, even when it’s painfully unfunny. Since Nick and Roy can’t be seen as themselves, when they walk on Earth they have avatars which provide some great visual gags. Roy’s avatar is a stunning, golden curvy goddess (Marisa Miller) while Nick’s avatar is a frail looking Asian man (James Hong). It’s quite humorous when people whistle and flirt with Roy’s avatar or when they see the elderly avatar of Nick dust himself off after being hit by a car. I also got a really good giggle out of seeing the delightful James Hong holding a banana (it’s actually a gun). Besides that, the humor depends on Roy saying a swear word or one of the walking dead farting and burping. Yes, you read that right. The script thinks bad CGI looking creatures can be funny as long as they fart or burp.

This movie is directed by Robert Schwentke, who also worked on “RED” and definitely has a knack for slapping together some over the top and fun action scenes. The best parts of the movie come when they’re trying to capture a dead-o, but those scenes don’t last long enough and we’re back to seeing a couple more poorly done cues from “Men in Black”. The one thing this movie can be proud of is trumping “The Lone Ranger” as the biggest waste of potential this summer.

I could nitpick the finer details of this movie, like why the dead hate cumin or how a soul could even escape judgment once it’s dead, but you have to suspend some logic in a movie like this. If you’re willing to do that for every minute, you might find yourself enjoying the movie like some people at the screening were. By the time the credits started rolling, I’ll admit I found myself laughing a couple of times and enjoying Roy trying to lasso a dead-o. I just wish they could have let the comic’s short lived time from 1999-2000 rest in peace. But instead they slapped it awake and handed it a check for $130 million. Instead of breathing some life into it and letting it stand on its own feet without the crutch of other people’s ideas, they suited it up and sent off to the theaters for its own funeral.

 

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Film Review “Red 2”

Starring: Bruce Willis, John Malkovich and Mary-Louise Parker
Directed by: Dean Parisot
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hr 56 mins
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

The loveable sociopaths of the CIA retirement home are back with some fresh new villains and killing machines accompanying them for the ride. This sequel to 2010’s “RED” once again showcases the elderly handing out some ass kickings, though with less charm and wit than the original.

Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is trying out the normal life. Shopping at CostCo and trying to find the latest gadget to put in his home. His girlfriend Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker), who is still coming down from the adrenaline rush of the events in “RED”, is not as enthusiastic about settling down and making dinner. As the film starts, the paranoid Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich) springs up, trying to sway Frank back into the spy game. As much as Frank says no, he really doesn’t have much of a choice because, as in the first film, he’s a marked man. The cold war era has come back to haunt him. A recently released document shows a portable nuclear device is missing and everyone’s pointing their fingers at Frank and Marvin.

As in “RED,” the film is peppered with both well known and B-list actors to supply the excitement. Jack Horton (Neal MacDonough) is tasked with capturing Frank, but realizes even a squad of machine gun wielding men can’t stop an unarmed Bruce Willis. Also hot on the trail of Frank is Han Jo-Bae (Lee Byung-hun), who has a personal vendetta against him. During Frank and Marvin’s journey to find out more about this lost WMD, they track down a diabolical wine connoisseur who is known simply as The Frog (David Thewlis). The trio also accidentally bump into one of Frank’s former flames, Miranda (Catherine Zeta-Jones). We’re also treated to the best character in the movie, Edward Bradley (Anthony Hopkins). He’s a delusional former scientist who might just hold the whereabouts to the weapon.

During “RED” the characters traversed the United States. This sequel takes us first class on a wild trip around the world that touches down multiple times in three continents. It’s a visual step up, but our time in each city is short lived. Before we’re given enough time to chew on some of the scenery or digest any fresh details to the story, we’re back on the plane to another exotic location to have more exposition crammed in our gullets. When the flames die down and the guns run out of ammo, the movie hits the brakes hard.

The returning cast lack that spark of excitement and that innate taste of chaos they seemed to bathe in with “RED”. The first was obviously an introductory piece to this fantastic world of geriatric spies and assassins. Without any graphic novel to really fall back on, the writers (the Hoeber brothers) pretty much had free range to do whatever they want. So, they opted for a bland imitation of the first script. They had a chance to scratch away at the surface and find some nuggets of fun, smiling insanity. Instead the characters act out hollow versions of their previous selves when their guns are in their holsters. You’ll find yourself re-adjusting in your seat when Frank wonders aloud if he can keep Sarah safe from this horrible predicament. Yes you can. Now give her a gun.

Even though this isn’t a step-up from the original, it’s still great to see the trio of Frank, Martin and Sarah bicker and quip at each during a gun battle. It’s also still fun that every character introduction or entrance into a scene comes with screaming, bullet hole ridden furniture and shattered glass. It was a blast at the theater, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that these characters deserved better. So, if you’re looking for the same chuckles, violent eye candy and seeing some of your favorite aging actors embody James Bond or Rambo, give “RED 2” a look.

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Film Review “Turbo”

Starring the voices of: Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti and Michael Pena
Directed By: David Soren
Rated: PG
Running Time: 1 hour 36 minutes
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Dreamworks Animation has been nipping at the heels of Pixar for a while now. With 26 animated releases under their belt, they’ve come really close and even exceeded when pitted against the Willy Wonka’s of computer animation. Flicks like “Shrek”, “Kung Fu Panda” and “How to Train Your Dragon” have shown the creative pool at Dreamworks can hit a homerun in terms of both critical acclaim and box office numbers. “Turbo” will not be one of those.

Theo (Reynolds), who also goes by Turbo, is a garden snail who pounds energy drinks (as much as a snail can) and watches his hero, Indy 500 Champion Guy Gagne (Bill Hader) on TV at nights. Turbo is inspired by Gagne and wants to race just like his hero. The only thing stopping him is his mundane life spent sorting bad and good tomatoes in the garden. Also holding him back is his brother Chet (Giamatti) who aggressively tells him his dream of racing are ludicrous. And, of course, the obvious fact that he’s a snail. After a freak accident that melds his body with nitrous oxide, he goes from moving an inch a minute to well over 200 mph. Amidst the chaos of figuring out his newfound powers, Turbo and his brother are discovered by Tito (Pena). Tito runs a taco stand in a decaying strip mall with his brother. In his spare time he races snails with surrounding business owners. Just like Turbo, Tito has big dreams as well as ideas to promote the taco stand.

If this movie sounds a tad uneven, that’s because it is. I’m not saying that “Turbo” isn’t an entertaining kid’s flick. It is. The animation is quite gorgeous with some precise background detail. The first half of the movie is surprisingly creative as we see the daily life of snails, including their assembly line style of harvesting tomatoes. Ryan Reynolds is one of those actors that I believe does not get enough credit for the roles he does. He really brings a fun and youthful energy to Turbo and you can sense he’s giving his all every time he voices one of Turbo’s reactions. It took me almost forty-five minutes to realize Bill Hader was putting on his best suave French voice as the prideful Gagne. As for Paul Giamatti, you just can’t go wrong with him as the misguided voice of reason during times of chaos. The three leads deliver but there’s still one little problem. They’re buried beneath a slew of characters.

By the end of the movie, I wasn’t quite sure who the story was about anymore. Turbo meets five other snails, voiced by Snoop Dogg, Samuel L. Jackson, Maya Rudolph, Ben Schwartz and Michael Bell. They all seem to be fighting for attention when they’re on-screen. The same problem occurs when the business owners of the decrepit shopping area, voiced by Luis Guzman, Richard Jenkins, Ken Jeong and Michelle Rodriguez, make an appearance. By the time the Indy 500 rolls around, all that charm Reynolds channeled into Turbo is lost among too many obnoxious snail one-liners and monotonous store owners.

For kids, the whole “Never give up on your dreams” theme will be fresh, but their parents will see that theme coming within the first five minutes. This isn’t a memorable children’s movie, but that doesn’t mean it’s still not a decent film to take your kids to. Luckily there’s enough humor for adults and their wee ones to appreciate. Also, Jackson gleefully pays homage to an earlier movie role of his. That being said, if your child gets the joke, I might have to question your parenting skills. The writers do their best to show respect to the sport of racing, but they also manage to be in on the joke that, yes…you’re making one giant left turn 800 times. “Turbo” won’t take the checkered flag when put against some of the other kid-friendly films this summer but, even on a bad day, Dreamworks can still stay in the race.

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Theatre Review “Flashdance: The Musical” Starlight Theatre – Kansas City, Missouri

Flashdance: The Musical
Starlight Theatre
Kansas City, Missouri
July 9, 2013

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

I’ve never seen the 1983 film “Flashdance.” I wasn’t even sure what the story was about as I strolled to my seat to watch the musical production, appropriately titled, “Flashdance: The Musical”. The only thing I knew about the film was that it featured the song “Maniac” as well as the famous and steamy scene featuring a 20-year-old Jennifer Beals dousing herself in water. After watching “Flashdance: The Musical” I think I’ll stick with that sultry movie image and the few musical numbers from the stage show that really stuck out.

It’s not that the story is terrible. It’s that nothing feels spectacular about it. Alex Owens (Jillian Mueller) toughs it out with other men at a steel mill during the day, but at night she flashdances at Harry’s Bar. She works alongside some sassy ladies by the names of Kiki (Dequina Moore), Gloria (Kelly Felthous) and Tess (Katie Webber). One day at the steel mill she meets the boss’s grandson, Nick Hurley (Matthew Hydzik). He immediately takes a liking to her, but she’s not interested. She’s far more entranced by the Shipley Academy, where professional dancing dreams are fulfilled. The rest of the story is fairly predictable. That’s not necessarily a bad thing since the theme of the plot is about pursuing your dreams and at times realizing what’s most important in your life. The problem lies in some of the unnecessary side plots. One about the strip club owner, C.C. (Christian Whelan), who’s trying to lure Harry’s women to his establishment down the street. Another about the falling out between Gloria and her boyfriend Jimmy (David R. Gordon). Of course I get the impression people aren’t there for the supposed drama unfolding on stage. I assume they’re in attendance to relive the decade that brought us new wave, hip hop and the popularization of hard rock.

The music does a fantastic job at blending different genres of 80’s music, accompanied by some entertaining dance numbers. Sadly not all songs are like this. Some are just dry ballads or poorly written songs. The musical really succeeds when background sets are constantly changing, when an ensemble of dancers and singers flow in and burst with excitement. The fun is poured on when costume changes occur. They’re quick and incredibly sexy. It’s frustrating when songs like “Steeltown Sky”, “Manhunt” and “Chameleon Girls”, are followed with numbers that trip and fall flat like “Just Out of Reach”, “Remember Me” and “Where I Belong”. It’s not that the actors in this did a poor job; many were fantastic and showed great vocal range. It’s just that the lyrics were confining and didn’t give the performers room to grow. Veteran stage actress Jo Ann Cunningham, who plays Hannah, Alex’s mentor, is given her own song, but the balance between lyrics and music seemed incredibly wobbly.

All the right pieces are here, except a good script and solid set of songs. At one point I wondered if maybe this was a movie that never really needed a stage adaptation. But maybe I’m missing something. The 80’s was when female artists like Whitney Houston and Madonna shined and really helped pave the way for other musicians. Also it was a continuing and growing age of women in the workplace. I grew up in the 90’s. I watched the birth and death of music videos on TV. Grunge, punk rock and gangsta rap became mainstream. It’s hard for me to feel nostalgic or relate to the show being put on. So if you’re a Generation X child or enjoyed the 80’s, you’ll enjoy this musical. But if you’re a product of the 90’s like me, you’ll be dreading the day when they make “Spice World: The Musical”

The show is currently running in Kansas City through July 14th. The current tour continues into next year. The next three stops are:

Chicago — August 6th-18th
Memphis — September 17th-22nd
Indianapolis — October 1st-6th

A complete list of tour dates can be found at: www.flashdancethemusical.com

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Filed Under: Theatre Reviews Tagged With: city, flashdance, kansas, missouri, musical, review, ...

Film Review “The Lone Ranger”

Starring: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer and William Fichtner
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 149 minutes
Walt Disney Studios

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

My father grew up watching “The Lone Ranger”. Whether it was Clayton Moore or John Hart donning the bandit style mask, my dad sat in front of the TV watching the 221 televised adventures of “The Lone Ranger”. I even remember my dad trying to bestow upon me the same excitement he had watching it. He didn’t want to just relive the adventures, he wanted me to feel that same spark of joy he once had. It never caught. I grew up on animated shows like “Mighty Max” and was drawn by the bleak world of crime portrayed in “Batman: The Animated Series”. The black and white TV show just didn’t resonate with me. Now that I’m older and understand what my dad was trying to do all those years ago, I was hoping Disney could rejuvenate those feelings once felt by thousands upon thousands of children during the 50’s. Sadly they’ve let me down.

A lone train chugs across the barren desert. Aboard is John Reid (Armie Hammer), a clean shaven man who puts his faith in the law. Farther down in another train cart, chained to the floor is the gritty looking and notorious outlaw, Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner). Next to him is the odd Native American, Tonto (Johnny Depp). These are our three main players. After Butch escapes, John travels into the harsh and unforgiving wild with a group of Texas Rangers to track him down. Butch and his gang of thugs ambush and savagely murder the group. Tonto then comes across the grisly scene of seven bodies lifeless in the dry heat. He digs seven holes to bury the dead, but a white horse stands at John’s resting place. To Tonto, it represents a spirit, telling him that John may have died, but he is alive again and will help Tonto in his journey to rid the land of evil.

I’m not sure how the Lone Ranger is suppose to act or appear, but Armie Hammer has a commanding presence on screen. He’s very likeable as the rugged hero. Fichtner would have been a fantastic villain if there was more exposition, but he still gives off some pretty wicked vibes with his implied taste for human flesh. Seriously. Tonto in the original series was meant to be a spiritual guide, but in this movie the character comes off as the Native American version of Jack Sparrow. It’s easy to compare this movie to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series because of director Gore Verbinski. If that isn’t enough the writers of “Pirates” (Terry Rossio and Ted Elliot) are tagging along as well. They’re joined by Justin Haythe(“Snitch” and “Revolutionary Road”) who most likely added to the difficulty of updating a classic character.

There are a multitude of times during this movie you can tell these three were struggling to jam their ideas in. This leads to a long and unfocused flick. Concepts are barely fleshed out and some scenes serve no purpose. Instead of completing or simply removing them, every scene is glued to the next by an action set. The action sequences are fun to watch, but they’re not dripping with peril. We’re given plenty of “will he live?” scenarios where we know the outcome is yes. Yes they will live. When we’re finally able to take a breather, we’re treated to a gorgeous landscape and sets that have a fantasy twist on the old west. Vibrant colors cover the rustic feel of towns and businesses. One of my favorite scenes involves our heroes visiting a brothel. Some of the establishing shots are quite breathtaking. Towering rocks chiseled from years of weather and patches of vegetation bravely fighting the coarse sand surrounding it.

Even with it’s meandering, I will admit, the last half hour feels magical. William Tell’s Overture kicks into gear as explosions rock the ground and we’re finally watching the “Lone Ranger” deliver justice. The classical piece by Rossini, made famous during the Lone Ranger’s radio time, stills packs a youthful sense of excitement as gun smoke fills the air. In that moment I realized that somewhere in the early stages of this movie, when all three writers gathered and collaborated, there was a wonderful and enchanting story with memorable characters waiting to capture the wild west imagination. As well as delight the hearts and minds of both young and old viewers. Instead we’re left with a movie that has an identity crisis and expects puns on the classic TV show to cover it’s weaknesses.

 

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Film Review “White House Down”

Starring: Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, and Maggie Gyllenhaal
Directed by: Rolland Emmerich
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 131 minutes
Columbia Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rolland Emmerich has always been the man behind some of the summer’s biggest and most violent blockbusters. From aliens blowing up world landmarks, Mel Gibson massacring the British and the foaming at the mouth wrath of mother nature, Emmerich has a knack for getting butts in theater seats. He’s now set his sights on destroying and killing every little thing he can get his hands on inside the confines of the President’s home in “White House Down”.

Like any decent action flick, we need the customary character introductions before all hell breaks loose. That’s where we meet President James Sawyer (Jamie Foxx), who idolizes Abraham Lincoln and is hoping to ink one of the biggest Middle East peace deals. Heading up security and Presidential details is Martin Walker (James Woods), who is reaching retirement and seems less than happy with President Sawyer’s foreign policy. We then meet the character that all the women in the audience were gleefully looking forward to, D.C. police officer John Cale (Channing Tatum). He’s a former soldier who’s still trying to put his life together after his divorce. He’s keeping himself busy as security for the speaker of the house, Eli Ralphelson (Richard Jenkins), but this has put a strain on the relationship with his daughter, Emily (Joey King).

But today he’s got a surprise for his daughter, a pass to tour the White House. Which is very low on a lot of preteen girl’s lists, but Emily’s freakish love of politics makes this surprise seem like an early Christmas gift. Before that though, he has an interview for the Presidential secret service. That’s where the audience watches him get turned down and told “You’re just not secret service material”. Of course everyone knows we’re about to spend the next testosterone fueled hour and a half watching John prove his interviewer wrong. The beginning of the movie really dragged its feet trying to establish every single secondary and background character. Trust me, there are way too many to mention in this review. The secondary characters that get the least amount of screen time are actually the most pleasant and fun to watch. Though she’s the most prominent, as secret service agent Carol Finnerty, Maggie Gyllenhaal just kind of occupies the space she’s given. Luckily though, things pick up when a bomb detonates at the Capitol building. As smoke and flames pour out of the Capitol’s dome, a group of paramilitary mercenaries, led by Emil Stenz (Jason Clarke), take over the White House. They systematically go through every room in the place and kill every form of security with deadly precision.

Action movies like this rest on a very thin line. They can be incredibly silly and boring for the audience or they can be a highly entertaining movie that evokes plenty of emotion. Not necessarily tears, but rounds of laughter, applause and cheers. Since it takes place at the White House, there are plenty of light hearted jabs at politicians and pundits. The politics remain right in the middle so that both the red and blue moviegoers can get some laughs in. As an American, it’s more engrossing to watch a movie like this because we’re watching 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue turn from a beacon of national pride to an arcade style shoot em’ up. One of the best action sequences in the film includes the front lawn of the White House becoming host to a death race. The script, by James Vanderbilt, surprisingly keeps the action from being eye rollingly dull and predictable. But he also manages to keep it ridiculous enough to put a smile on theater goers faces, mine being one of them.

I have to admit, Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum may be one of the more interesting duos to hit the screens in a while. I wouldn’t have suspected it, but the chemistry between the two melds well.. Especially when Jamie Foxx realizes the peaceful commander-in-chief schtick isn’t gonna work and needs to operate a rocket launcher. If you’ve exhausted your other summer movie choices and are looking for a fun, cheesy movie, this is a good filler.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, house, review, white

Film Review “The Kings of Summer”

Starring: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Nick Offerman
Directed By: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Rated: R
Running Time: 93 minutes
CBS Films

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Rarely do I step out of the movie theater with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and calm. Coming of age movies can do that. It takes everyone in the theater back to a simpler time in life and helps them remember their age of innocence, their teenage angst and that rough transition into a growing adult. “The Kings of Summer” is the contemporary boys becoming men comedy that will have audiences reflecting upon their golden youth along with some hearty laughs.

Joe Toy (Nick Robinson) has a strained relationship with his father, Frank (Nick Offerman). Ever since Joe’s mom passed away, they’ve been at odds. Frank only speaks in a condescending tone and tries to keep Joe under his thumb. Joe’s friend, Patrick Keenan (Gabriel Basso), has an equally frustrating home life. His naive parents (Marc Evan Jackson and Megan Mullally) politely question him at every turn. Mr. and Mrs. Keenan are definitely smug up-to-date versions of the Cleaver folks, if not frighteningly more cheery. After they both have some frustrating dinners with their families, the two boys sneak out of their homes and head to a party to celebrate the end of the school year. Joe’s going in the hopes of flirting with the girl of his dreams, Kelly (Erin Moriarty). During the keg supplied, social gathering, they run across Biaggio (Moises Arias). He’s a peculiar boy who is small in stature and is a literal interpretation of the phrase, “out there”.

After an adult spoils the party for these high schoolers, Joe heads back home through the woods. Joining Joe on his way back is the consistently bizarre Biaggio. They stumble across an open space in the woods. It is there in the knee-high grass and weeds under the perfect view of the starry night sky, that’s Joe’s frustrations seem to melt away. That’s where an idea quickly grows and infests his mind. Build a home in the woods and runaway to it. After some convincing, Joe, Patrick and Biaggio are convinced that a home in the woods is where they will become men and live out their lives. The rest of the movie has the trio building the home and roaming in the surrounding woods. What’s refreshing about this movie is that it’s in a contemporary world, but they’re not texting away on a phone. They’re not hypnotized by television. They aren’t zombified by the latest gore drenched video game. It’s almost like a fairy tale that these teenagers would leave the electronic world and hideaway in the woods in a candlelit home. Also most kids running away steal their parents car and credit cards for a trek across the county. Not put together a home out of construction scraps.

The cast is well put together and the characters each offer something different to the story. Even the two police officers dealing with the parents have their moments. The movie has a delightful indie soundtrack that accompanies the serene shots of wildlife and the boys exploring the terrain. The comedy is refreshing because there’s no throw away sex jokes or fart gags. The two best character in this movie are Frank and Biaggio. They have some of the best one-liners and quips. Nick Offerman was definitely born to embody a bitter middle aged man who only speaks in sarcasm. Throughout the movie, Biaggio turns from freakishly quirky to charming by the end of the movie. If you’re looking for a grand deep meaning to this movie, you won’t get it, but what you will get it is an entertaining summer movie with delightful and sympathetic characters.

After the movie, I stepped outside into the mild evening air. I tried to reflect back on the movie, but my only thoughts and feelings I had were of reliving youth. Getting together with some friends, going out to camp for the weekend, sharing some beers around the campfire and remembering the “good ol’ days”. Alas, I have work to do and bills to pay, but as I drove home from the theater, I felt revitalized and peaceful. “The King of Summer” is exactly what I needed, just like diving into a cool pristine lake on a humid summer day.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, kings, review, summer

Film Review “The Bling Ring”

Starring: Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson
Directed By: Sofia Coppola
Rated: R
Running Time: 90 minutes
A24

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

Before I begin, I must say I’m not very well versed in the whole “Bling Ring” incident although I do remember when it happened. I also must point out that if you are well versed, the movie has changed the names of those apart of the the “Bling Ring”. I also have to admit, that as an avid movie fan, I have not seen a Sofia Coppola movie until I watched “The Bling Ring”. So here’s to hoping the rest of her movies are not like this. I guess you could say my expectations were high considering all the great things I’ve heard about the director/writer, especially “Lost in Translation”. During the movie, I could tell she definitely has an eye when it comes to unique shots and sequences that establish so much without the uttering of a single word. It’s just too bad the script dragged it down.

The movie begins by introducing us to the characters, albeit a short simple to the point introduction. Marc (Israel Broussard) is the new kid at school. He’s scoffed as he walks through the school doors, making him the quiet, loner. He then meets Rebecca (Katie Chang), an avid TMZ viewer and pop-culture, rap junkie. Through their odd, mutual fascination of celebrities, drug use and fashion sense, they become like brother and sister as the movie progresses. Through Rebecca, Marc meets the other crime partners to the “Bling Ring”, Nicki (Emma Watson), Sam (Taissa Farmiga) and Chloe (Claire Julien). They also talk like self-absorbed rich kids who’ve watched one too many reality shows. There are others who eventually become ensnared into their web of misdeeds, but when the movie doesn’t focus on developing the main characters, it’s very hard to care about the secondary ones. The one side character I really enjoyed was Laurie (Leslie Mann), who played the oblivious parent to Nick and Sam. She believes them to be inherently good and capable of great and powerful things through her spiritual teachings and connection to the book, “The Secret”(yes you read that right). That did provide some great comical relief.

The first two-thirds of the movie are spent showing the perverse construction of Marc and Rebecca’s friendship through petty thievery. Eventually that leads to the two of them looking up Paris Hilton’s home address and musing “Do you think it’s unlocked?” After the Paris Hilton break-in, the “Bling Ring” grows. Moving up to the break-ins of Megan Fox, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bilson and others. For good measure the also rob Paris Hilton a couple more times. They steal jewelry, clothes, money and anything they find suitable for the fabulous lifestyle they wish to live. At a certain point I wrote down on my notepad, “Drugs, Stealing, Facebook, Partying.” Are we simply suppose to despise these characters and not see any redeeming qualities about them?

As they browse through lavish clothes and flips through wads of hundreds, you can tell they see themselves in the right. They name drop fashion designs and discuss what house they wish to break into next. They drink and drive, snort cocaine and then dance the night away. I get it, they’re trying to emulate the celebrities they obsess over. There’s no need to repeat the message. At no point are we offered an explanation as to why Marc would crave the acceptance of his new friends. To the point where he’s researching where Orlando Bloom’s home is so they can plunder it. It’s never explained where Rebecca’s gang leader mentality comes from. We’re never shown why the others are blindly following the lead of Rebecca as they stomp through celebrities home celebrating their burglary. We don’t even know why Marc has a conscience, as he nervously walks from room to room saying “We need to go, we’re gonna get caught.”

The saving grace for this movie comes in the last third of the movie when everything begins to crumble. Police are beginning to catch on, celebrities are are noticing their stolen goods and Rebecca’s arrogance barrels her forward to being more audacious with the ransacking of the rich and famous. If you don’t remember this scandal, you might find this villainous look into the “Bling Ring” beginnings and ending, interesting. But if you’re like me, you’ll be slouched in your theater chair watching people you don’t like stealing from celebrities you don’t like.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: bling, film, review, ring

Film Review “The Purge”

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Rhys Wakefield
Directed by: James Demanaco
Rated: R
Running time: 85 minutes
Universal

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

It sounds like a sweet deal…unemployment is at 1% and crime is at its lowest ever. As long as you exclude the Purge, 12 hours of the year where mayhem reigns supreme. The year is 2022 and the only significant differences are that we have new founding fathers who’ve lead America on a new path of enlightenment; one that is gleefully coated with blood. For half a day in the month of March, starting at 7 p.m., all emergency services are suspended and all crimes are made legal, including murder. This begs multiple questions in the first couple minutes of the movie. What happened in America for the solution of our problems to be a murder-thon? Can a night of carnage really be worth 364 days of peace and prosperity? Is the Purge just a huge excuse to eradicate those deemed poor and useless by society? Well, we’re just gonna have to ignore those questions.

After a very simplistic explanation of the Purge, we meet James Sandin (Ethan Hawke). He lives in the largest house in his upper middle class neighborhood. We then meet his lovely wife Mary (Lena Headey), his teenage, school girl outfit wearing daughter, Zoey (Adelaide Kane) and his loner oddball son Charlie (Max Burkholder). I’m surprised there wasn’t a golden retriever named Max to complete this family. After the introduction of our soon to be victims, we go through the motions of a dinner and conversation. Even when the family locks down the home and the Purge begins, the family just goes through the motions. Of course this would be a boring movie if everything went according to plan. The young Charlie watches in horror on the home’s security cameras as a ragged bleeding man pleads for his life (Edwin Hodge). As the only character with a conscience, it’s up to Charlie to let the unknown man in and give the movie some excitement. A mob of masked people arrive outside the home. Only one of the mysterious assailants takes off his mask to talk directly to the family. This polite and well-spoken lunatic (Rhys Wakefield) tells the family to hand over the “filthy homeless pig” and be spared. Or suffer the consequences when they rip the protective metal sheets off the house.

Before this movie began, it had two paths to choose from. A futuristic movie that went over the social ideas of class warfare and America’s obsession with violence or it could have been a violent fist pumping good time. I give credit to writer/director James Demanaco for going straight down the middle of these two paths. He drops little hints of problems within our own society, but not enough to nauseate us. He also manages to sprinkle in some suspense before giving us the blood splattering good time we know is coming. The acting by the two leads isn’t anything spectacular, but it isn’t terrible. There are plenty of things that prevent this movie from becoming the fantastic thriller I know it could have been. Our main characters aren’t fleshed out and lack sufficient background to care about their plight. It’s amazing how the first half of this movie has no character development. There’s also the questionable motives by the family, the crazed intruders and even the bloody stranger. My review could have easily been a list of questions directed at each character’s actions.

But as the film wound down and I realized those nagging questions weren’t going to be answered, I turned off the thought processes in my brain and enjoyed the flick. With false scares and jump out of your seat moments, it’s a fun little movie. Even though the pacing at the beginning is a bit off, the final 30 minutes of this movie had every eye in the audience glued to the screen. I have to admit though that one final question popped into my head as the crowd cheered on the suburban family fighting back against their intruders. How many people are watching this and thinking the Purge actually wouldn’t be a bad idea? Is it really that far-fetched to assume citizens would approve of a concept like the Purge? These questions were solidified as applause arose from the crowd as an axe was violently driven into someone’s spine. Considering I’ll never be able to afford the security system in this movie or last in a dystopian future like this, I don’t think these are questions I want answered.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, purge, review
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