Four Christmases (2008)

"What was the safe word?"

Rating: ****½

Review by Justin Smith

February 4, 2010

Critics are seldom fond of romantic comedies, but add a dysfunctional family during the holidays theme and your chances of survival run close to zero. This is what I expected going into Four Christmases. Most critics claim it has a good cast, but poor script.  I don’t know what movie they were watching, but Four Christmases has a great cast and a great script.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)

"I'm talking about giant food rain, and you're stairing at my hair."

Rating: ****

Review by Justin Smith

January 21, 2010

Through a slew of animated family films released in 2009, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs may not stand out as exceptional, but its colorful pallet, upbeat nature and entertaining characters make it enjoyable and worth seeing.

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

Ask yourself, "Is it worth it?"

Rating: ****

Review by Justin Smith

January, 21, 2010

AUTHOR’S NOTE: The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Especially you Jenny Beckman.

Bitch.

And so begins (500) Days of Summer (2009), a low-key film about a boy, Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who falls in love, and a girl, Summer (Zooey Deschanel), who does not. But, as the narrator makes clear, this is not a love story. From the opening sequence it’s clear the writers have an axe to grind, and grind they do. But this isn’t a 95 minute revenge film. It’s an honest look at a difficult relationship. Tom is at fault as much as, or perhaps more than, Summer. Tom pushes Summer to make the relationship something more, something official, but Summer doesn’t use terms like boyfriend, girlfriend, or relationship. Summer prefers ‘friends’, even when they are sleeping together. During the 500 days, things get so good for Tom that he breaks into song and dance with passersby to the sound of You Make My Dreams by Hall and Oates, animated blue birds even join the scene. But things get so bad for Tom that he breaks plates, with his head.

Avatar (2009)

Being a 12' tall blue cat person on another planet isn't all that bad.

Rating: *****

Review by Justin Smith

January 14, 2010

Early in his career writer/director James Cameron sought to entertain us, which he did. Now he’s educating us as well. With Avatar Cameron breathes new life into an old story with breathtaking visuals and characters we care about in a land worth fighting for.

A Christmas Carol (2009)

It's more than a bit of undigested beef.

Rating: ***½

Review by Justin Smith

December 28, 2009

Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009) is a new take on an old story. Charles Dickens’ classic novel has seen many film adaptations, but none compare visually with director Robert Zemeckis’ motion capture animated version. With the exception a few moments of comic relief, which are out-of-place and unforgivable, the film remains true to the novel.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)

"They're kissing again. Do we have to read the kissing parts?"

Rating: *½

Review by Justin Smith

November 30, 2009

Although I was not a fan of Twilight (2008), it was tolerable. The Twilight Saga: New Moon, however, is not. With the exception of a few moments, the film is one long scene full of sappy dialogue, amateur acting, and more slow-push-in-close-ups than I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s difficult to know where to pin the blame. Granted, the actors can only do so much with terrible dialogue, so does that put the blame on the screenwriter? But then again, a screenwriter can only do so much with poor source material. So this takes us back to the original writer of the novels, Stephenie Meyer. But that’s only half the problem. The acting and effects are poor as well (if you thought the CGI in New Moon was good, watch J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek (2009) then get back with me). Although many of the actors in New Moon are not as skilled as we’d like to think, this is only part of the problem. The poor acting combined with the lackluster CGI and many poor choices in cinematography and editing, lead me to blame the director (Chris Weitz).

House (1986)

He's not here to help with the novel.

Rating: ***½

Review by Justin Smith

November 3, 2009

Before the film even starts, and we see the New World Films logo, we know we’re in for a treat. An entertaining, campy, low-budget treat. Roger Corman has become legend in the world of low-budget independent cinema, and films like House are why we come back again and again to dine from Corman’s cheese filled table. What started out as a script for an episode of The Twilight Zone (1985-1989), ended up becoming a classic example of 1980s horror campiness, complete with fake looking rubber monsters, average-to-sub-par acting, and a few cheap scares, all of which scared the crap out of me as a child. Today the film seems tame and feels more like a predecessor to Sam Raimi’s masterful Evil Dead II (1987) instead of the genuinely terrorizing horror film I thought it to be as a child.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

He may be able to save the Earth, but he can't save this sequel.

Rating: **½

Review by Justin Smith

November 3, 2009

I wasn’t expecting much when I popped in the DVD of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The film grossed over $400 million at the box office, but had been (almost) unanimously panned by critics. The first Transformers film was better than expected, but I had a sinking feeling the sequel was going to fall short. The sequel did fall short, but not as much as anticipated. What Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen needs more than anything is an edit from it’s yawn-inducing 150 minutes to a bearable 90 minutes. Here’s a few places where edits should have been made. First, edit out the ridiculous and irritating comic relief which peppers and defaces the film like buckshot on the screen. Next, shorten the battle sequences, not only do they go on to the point of boredom, but it’s near impossible to tell what is happening when the transformers battle on-screen, it becomes a mesh of CGI metal (It’s a shame to think of all the time and effort that went into getting those battle scenes just right, only to find that the audience can’t tell what’s happening). Lastly, cut the number of explosions at least by half. Most film goers like a good explosion, but when the film is two-thirds explosions, with little-to-no plot, it gets boring.

The Proposal (2009)

"I thought you brought the ring."

Rating: ***½

Review by Justin Smith

October 28, 2009

Before it even begins, we know how The Proposal is going to end. The charm of this film is not in it’s story, but in the on screen chemistry of Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds (as well as the presence of Betty White, which is good for any film), who managed to breathe a semblance of life into an otherwise tired plot.

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is the boss from hell. Employees avoid her at all costs and even send instant messages to warn eachother of her arrival. Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) is Margaret’s assistant who orders his coffee the same as hers so he can replace it if he spills hers, which he does. However, the tides turn when the Canadian Margaret learns her work visa is not being renewed, causing her to be deported and lose her editing job in the process. In a moment of desperation, she elects Andrew to marry her, therefore allowing her to stay in the country. One problem though, INS smells fraud, so to prove their sincerity they head off to spend a few days with Andrew’s family, who happen to live in Sitka, Alaska, where Paxton is, as Margaret puts it, “An Alaskan Kennedy”. I won’t bore you with the rest of the plot, as you’ve surely already guessed what happens from here on out.

Land of the Lost (2009)

"Beware of Sleestak!"

Rating: ****

Review by Justin Smith

October 28, 2009

Full of pop culture references, rubber suited sleestaks, and adult languange, Land of the Lost provides a new take on the original Sid and Marty Kroft series from the 1970s.

After being humiliated by Matt Lauer on Today for his quack theories on time travel, paralell universes, and tachyons, Dr. Rick Marshall (Will Ferrell) gives up on his theories.That is until he meets Holly (Anna Friel), a fan and follower of his theories, who brings him proof in the way of a fossil. Equipped with a functional tachyon amplifier, that plays showtunes, Rick and Holly head off to a sideshow cave ride, which happens to be on a river (those of you who have seen the series know where I’m going with this), and provides a portal to a paralell universe.