Trouble with the Curve (2012)

"I heard it.  She saw it.  That's all that matters." (Gus- Clint Eastwood)

Yeah, that's right.  I saw this.  I watched it.  All of it.  I am not ashamed.  (I probably should be..but)

Ugh...I hate it when movies with John Goodman are bad.  I want them to be good.

There was actually very little redeeming about Trouble with the Curve.  The script was blah.  The plot was utterly utterly utterly predictable.  (Baseball metaphor- Everyone knows Ricky Henderson is going to steal second.)  I know that most of the cast is capable, but no one was a star.  That is all.  Literally, That's my review.

Ratings:

Originators:  Skip it

Moneymakers:  Skip it

Baseball Scouts:  Skip it.  Watch Moneyball

Justin Timberlake lovers:  Skip it

Old men:  Skip it

On a scale of Dirty Harry to a chair with no one in it, I give Trouble with the Curve 2.0 out of 5 stars.

Omkara (2006)

"Jo ladki apne baap ko thug sakti hai, woh kisi aur ki sagi kya hogi" 
"The girl who can steal from (betray) her own father, how can she be trusted by anyone else" (Dolly's Father)

First Bollywood film on the blog!!  (Here's hoping to many more.)

Omkara is a Bollywood adaptation of Shakespear's Othello.  Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Omkara is exactly as dark and horrifying as Othello.  Yikes.  

While I was watching, I couldn't help deconstructing the differences I found between this example of Bollywood cinema and my understanding of current Western cinema.  Strangely, seeing this film and many other Bollywood films that by troupe or tradition must include a song and dance item number in addition to a proper theme song, I was reminded of American films from the 50s and 60s that always included a sweeping melody and score that was used in the film as part of its branding.  (The example in my head is "The Days of Wine and Roses".  Which had a better song than movie.)  I'm not sure what happened to Western cinema that it abandon the original song and score in favor of a soundtrack of tracks...but I think I prefer the original song branding methodology. A few days after watching the movie, I heard some Indians singing the theme song to Omkara while drinking.  Musical branding works.
In addition to the musical branding issues within Bollywood, I find the inclusion of dance numbers and song as a strong story telling element in an otherwise dry movie to refreshing and an interesting jolt to my cultural senses.  In the case of Omkara, the musical dance sequence serves to underscore the drunkenness of one of our main characters, foreshadow the method of Langda's betrayal, and introduce additional romantic tension.  Yes, it was strange for song and dance to serve these purposes within a generally dry film, from my perspective, but once I accepted this differing reality of storytelling, much of the movie made more sense.

Finally, I think I should watch Omkara a second time and try to be watchful of the directors use of camera motion and color.  There were several shots in the film that follow the characters through differing levels of a house both inside and out without cutting away.  This not only showcased the level of detail in the set design, but also the technical acumen of the director to move the camera and not :get caught" with unexpected objects or debris in the shot.  Secondly, I thought that the color yellow probably was meant to have some sort of significance in the overall theme of the movie.  I'm sure, I might better understand with a second viewing.

Ratings:

Shakespearians:  See it  

Enforcers:  See it

Newly Weds:  Wait a while before watching it

Cinematographers:  See it

Vengeful?:  See it

On a scale from The Taj Mahal to The planned but never constructed "Black Taj Mahal", I give Omkara 3.75 out of 4 stars.




    

The Bourne Legacy

"No, no we weened you off the pink ones." (Rachel Weisz)

I'm honestly glad that I watched this in an airport with nothing else to do because it might not have held my attention for the duration without it.

I'm going to preface by saying that I like Edward Norton, Jeremy Renner, and Albert Finny, but this movie was so blah and unimaginative that it would be best to forget about it.

I actually really enjoyed the Bourne Identity and the Bourne Supremecy.  The first one was imaginative and had mystique in addition to originality.  The Bourne Supremecy kept up the mystery charade while adding a truly epic and memorable chase scene through the streets of Moscow.  However, The Bourne Ultimatum missed the mark, and The Bourne Legacy (a not quite reboot) has shot wild of any sort of audience connection.  Shame really.

I will give that there was one scene that I actually enjoyed and that was the one where the psychologists turn out to be assassins.  The acting was perfect in this example of a switcheroo.

Ratings

Hacks: a must

Want to get paid?: See it

Care about what you watch:  Skip it

Dead horse floggers: See it

Assassins:  it's up to you really... the fighting is ok...but you're an assassin so I assume you have better things to do with your time.

On a scale from Andy Williams singing "Moon River" to Andy Williams singing "Moon River" as an encore to "Moon River", I give The Bourne Legacy 2.3 out of 5 stars.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

" You're calling in The Wolf! **}#^ that was all you had to say." ( Samuel Jackson)

" It's not a motorcycle baby. It's a chopper." (Bruce Willis)

I was getting sick and tired of everyone I know telling me I was weird for not having seen Pulp Fiction. I had always operated under the assumption that I would eventually see it without having to go out of my way. That's how I saw other Tarantino films. But, alas, I bit the bullet and put Pulp Fiction on my iPad and watched it in an airport on a long layover.

So, yeah it's good. But, more than that, I guess I have to give Pulp Fiction the moniker of groundbreaking cinema. I basically have to do that because, I realize now that I have been living in a post Pulp Fiction cinema world for the past 19 years. All credit where credit is due.

However, this does not mean that I found Pulp Fiction infallible or flawless. I kind of felt it was jarring to have Vincent die in the middle of film and then continue his story from before later in film. It makes sense and all, and I'm sure Quentin could tell me all the reasons for his choice, but I found the timeline jumping in this regard to be jarring and disruptive to my suspension of disbelief.

I also thought that just a little bit more continuity between when Butch wins the fight and when he escapes would have made my transition between stories easier.

But, yeah the story, the acting, the cinematography, the script, and the panache of Pulp Fiction were unparalleled.

50s diner dancing never looked so good.

Ratings:

Uneasy with realistic drug use?: skip it

Demand truly realistic scripts: skip it

Time travelers: See it

Film studies majors: see it

Fixers: see it

On a scale of the standard system to the metric system, I give Pulp Fiction 4.1 stars out of 5.

Master and Commander -The far side of the world (2003)

"One must always choose the lesser of two weevils." (Jack Aubrey)

A hidden gem. Master and Commander had always been one of those movies that I had always meant to see, but I never did. It just sorta got lost in my psyche to the pre deluge of Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King. Shame really.

Master and Commander is a fine movie that is serviced by fine acting and a very clever script. However, what sets this film apart from other naval battle films (I'm looking at you Captain Horatio Hornblower with Gregory Peck.) is that Master and Commander makes a commitment to its audience that the tactics and procedures of napoleonic naval war are genuine. I know nothing about how to fight a battle on the high seas in sailing times....but I was never confused as to the why of any battle plan. And the shot selection was superb in that it preserved the essentials of spacial relationships for the viewer. Bravo, director.

I would also like point out that an enemy that an audience can see and hear is one thing, an enemy that is absent, opaque, and generally unknown is another. (Way more challenging)

Ratings

Sailors: see it

The French: skip it

Billy Boyd: see it

Charles Darwin: skip it

Sequel cravers: skip it.

On a scale from 10-15 count shrimp to 26-30 count shrimp, I give Master and Commander- the far side of the world 3.7 out of 5 stars.

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

"C'mon, Flash, just take the ball." (Peter Parker)

So, this Spider-Man is ok. I love that they chose Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben, and it does feature a brand new (to screen) villain. One might find things to enjoy in this film. I didn't. But,that shouldn't be seen as a negative.

However, I do have a larger question for the Amazing Spider-Man. Why were you made? I don't get it. The "Original" came out a mere ten years ago...and was better. The script was better, the acting slightly better, and the villain was superior. The Amazing Spider-Man added no value over its predecessor. So why did the powers that be make this movie? How could they expect it to be amazing without the passage of more time?

Ratings:

Creatives: skip it

West Wingers: skip it

Super Villains: skip it

Under the age of 8?: see it I guess ( it is rated pg-13...so ask your parents)

Hacks: see it

On a scale of Leroy Brown to MJ, I give The Amazing Spider-Man 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Ted (2012)

"Yeah... That is a turd." (Ted)

"This is the theme song to Octopussy." (Mark Whalberg - character name already forgotten)

I generally find Family Guy funny. I was on a plane. Ted was made by Seth McFarland. He also made Family Guy. I said...por que no? I now wish I hadn't.
Either, I'm too young to truly appreciate the jokes, references, and wit of Ted or the whole movie is mostly unfunny. I fully admit that I have never seen the Flash Gordon movie. I didn't have aTeddy Rucksbin , and I've seen Octopussy only once. Basically, even the generally idiot proof madcap humor of McFarland requires a target audience. I am not it. I wonder who is?

Ratings:
Flash Gordon lovers: skip it. ( if you loved it, love it for what it was, not what it has become.)

Family Guy aficionados: See it or Skip it. (It's no chicken fight.)

Refrencers: skip it. ( It ain't no Rerun dance.)

Critics: skip it

Love to day dream about your early 80s late 70s childhood?: You don't need this movie's help to do that.

On a scale from a little red wagon to Pow-Pow Power wheels, I give Ted 2.3 out of 5 stars.