Jun 18, 2011
Neil LaBute directs this over-the-top comedy that takes place at one of the two times in life when emotions run the highest… Funerals. (the other one is weddings.) In this, Aaron (Chris Rock) tries to juggle the emotions of everyone at his father’s funeral. First there’s his wanna-be-pregnant wife (Loretta Devine), his younger brother the famous author, Ryan (Martin Lawrence) who upstages him while at the same time chasing around 18 year old Martina (Regine Nehy.) Norman (Tracey Morgan) just wants to feel like part of the family and so does Oscar (James Marsden) who accidentally swallows some acid that eventually infuriates his girlfriend Elaine (Zoe Saldana) who according to her father, should be dating Derek (Luke Wilson.) If this isn’t enough to exhaust you there’s one more cat in the bag…daddy had a lover that shows up in the size of a four foot, white man (Peter Dinklage.) The movie is ridiculously “out there” but it has to be said that the performances and the plot never derail, staying right on track until the credits roll. Chris Rock takes a backseat as the other characters revolve around him. Marsden and Lawrence steal the show. Three tiaras
Jun 18, 2011
King of Action films, producer, Jerry Bruckheimer tackles the story of a weekend retreat for marines, at Mardi Gras, in New Orleans. Enter Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) a special ATF agent who investigates the ship after it blows up, killing 500 passengers. An FBI agent (Val Kilmer) decides that Denzel’s smarts are exactly what his team needs. Soon the two merge minds and forensic abilities, to somehow time-travel a la “Back ToThe Future” to save an about-to-be murdered girl Claire (Paula Patton) – a direct link to the ship bombing – that will take place at 10:50 a.m. If you can see past the silly, imaginary, high-tech plot in crime solving, you’ll suspend to the belief that anything is possible, including walking away from the theatre satisfied and entertained. Director Tony Scott does a fantastic job juggling the big, blow ‘em up effects, with gentle close-up touches, like a doll falling overboard or a cell phone ringing in a dead man’s pocket. Newcomer Paula Patton, Denzel’s love interest, steals the show even when she’s bleeding and submerged in hundreds of gallons of ocean water.
Jun 18, 2011
The first thing the audience will think is ‘what took so long?’ for two NBC veteran/Emmy winners – duo Steve Carell and Tina Fey – to hook up as a married couple in a movie. The second thing you’ll think about is how much chemistry they share and how adorable they are together. The premise is very believable and disarming right from its opening of small kids jumping on the bed at 5 a.m. Life is nothing but work, the office and homelife, with little pocket for passion between couples these days. This could be our neighbors. Or worse…it could be us. Phil (Carell) and Claire (Fey) Foster are a bored married couple in mundane jobs with two demanding kids. They barely kiss, let alone stay awake long enough to order dessert on ‘datenight’ at the local Jersey steak house. Until Phil gets a brainstorm…he’ll take his wife to a very uber-chic Manhattan restaurant where it’s impossible to get a reservation. So they pretend they’re “The Tripplehorns” and take the Tripplehorns’ table when they’re a no-show for reasons the Fosters are yet to understand. They’re hoping for a hot night out and maybe some hot sex to follow. But what they get is the ‘wrong table’ intended for some blackmailers who have evidence of the District Attorney doing naughty political things on a flashdrive. A mad chase and wild night ensue – almost too unbelievable – that includes a shirtless Mark Wahlberg as a special security guy and even James Franco as some Bohemian village dude. The whole thing is ridiculously far-fetched, over the top and hilarious fun, but Fey and Carell are true pros handling their roles amidst the chaos and managing to stay in character. There will undoubtedly be a Date Night 2 and probably a 3. This is this summer’s “The Hangover” pick for your own date night. Stay long enough as the credits role for the Franco outtakes with Carell. Three and a half tiaras
Jun 18, 2011
(rated R, 118 mins.)
When the LAPD’s elite Special Investigations Squad is assigned a high-profile homicide, veteran detective Eldon Perry (Kurt Russell) takes the case. He also chooses to tutor Bobby (Scott Speedman), a junior cop, in the grim realities of police intimidation and corruption. And so it becomes a story of two cops, two missions, facing their own inner demons while trying to face the demons of the city. A gritty cop thriller with a strong cast that even somewhere in the mix credits James Ellroy on screen (he originated this in a short story back in 1997) and that would make sense since this movie could be perfectly described as “LA Confidential” meets “Training Day”. But unfortunately, (and it’s not Russell’s fault), it’s not. Now if somebody else had directed instead of sports director Ron Shelton, that too, would have been another story. He’s done “Tin Cup” – Costner and golf. “Bull Durham” – Costner and baseball. Why didn’t he do Costner and football instead of this?
Jun 18, 2011
(Rated PG-13, 96 mins.)
Bored attorney by day, vigilante by night, Daredevil Matt Murdoch (Ben Affleck) stars in the next Marvel Comic Strip to sweep the nation post “Spiderman.” The problem with this superhero is he’s blind, thus relying on his other remaining senses to help him avenge justice against the likes of reputed mob boss Kingpin (Michael Clark Duncan) and Bullseye (Collin Farrell) a nut-job assassin. As always there is the lethal love interest, Electra (TV’s “Alias” star, Jennifer Garner) to distract him. Like “Spiderman” this character has his powers from a radioactive accident that allow him to cruise the city skyscrapers. While this movie is right-on with its action scenes, unlike “Spiderman” it’s almost campy B-movie appeal with bad dialog and not much story. Darker like “Batman” rather than kid-friendly “Spiderman,” the movie’s stars are Farrell and Duncan who make Affleck seem more the secondary character to the villains. And Garner, does for this role what Angelina Jolie did in “Tomb Raider.”
