21 Jump Street

Oh. My. Lord. How in the world did I forget to review "21 Jump Street"? The film that looked so bad that I vowed never to see it only to watch its tomatometer skyrocket. 'Well, damn,' I thought, 'I guess I have to see it now' and that was one of the greatest decisions I've made this year. If we aren't including that late night Taco Bell run of course.

"21 Jump Street" is based off the '80s tv show of the same name starring the perpetually good/rapey looking Johnny Depp. In the show, Depp was a cop who looked "young" so they sent him to high school to stop drug rings and other crimes that teenagers like to commit. Somehow they made it into an hour long drama. Lord knows how much crime had to be committed at that high school to make that show interesting enough for a tv show.

Well, Jonah Hill decided to re-create the show into the most hilarious movie of the year.

Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) are two under-performing buddy cops. Jenko is just dumb and doesn't know the Miranda Rights: "You have the right to uh...the right to suck my dick!" Schmidt just isn't very athletic. After they mess up on the job, their captain sends them to 21 Jump Street. A division run by a very sassy ice cube in which young-looking police officers go undercover at local high schools to, you guessed it, stop crimes. Schmidt and Jenko are sent to a local high school that is having a problem with a new synthetic drug that has been implicated in the overdose death of one student.

The writers have captured the change in high school so well and at the same time making the buddy cop routine seem fresh. Jenko walks around the school identifying different groups: jocks, nerds, goths, and then he gets to hipsters. Despite being in high school just 5ish years before, hipster is a new fad for him. And anyone who is in college or high school now can instantly identify the faux-50's style and increased emphasis on social awareness.

The movie is hilarious. And not dumb hilarious. It is actually hilarious. It is smart, it is clever and it keeps your attention from start to finish. I found myself doubled over trying to stop the giraffe noises coming out of my throat lest my friends judge me even more. This is one of the few movie that I actually enjoy Jonah Hill in and Channing Tatum should do comedy more often because it is right in his wheelhouse.

There are few R-rated comedies that I would show my parents. This may be one of them because I know they appreciate smart comedy. If you want to laugh, you won't be disappointed. Prepare to quote it for the rest of the day.

4 out of 4 stars

-Christopher O'Connell

P.S. Johnny Depp is in it.

P.S. #@$% YOU SCIENCE!

12 Monkeys: A Quick Review

I love a good sci-fi. There's something about the worlds they create that look so different, yet feel so familiar at the same time. They are like dreams that you had as a child put on screen. Nightmares included.

12 Monkeys is a movie that I have wanted to see for a while. It has two great actors, Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, and a simple yet potentially deep premise. In the future, 5 billion of the worlds population was wiped out by an airborne disease. The survivors went underground and are currently looking for a potential cure. The surface is ruled by the beats of the Earth. Bruce Willis is a prisoner that is forced to explore the surface gathering animal specimens for study. In exchange for a pardon, Bruce Willis is sent back in time to trace the origins of the virus and the people behind it. But they send him back to the wrong year and things get all screwy.

The film works off another premise described by a psychologist. I forget the name but the basic gist goes like this: The foreknowledge that something is going to happen and the agony of not being able to do anything about it. Willis' character is living in a world that he knows will die no matter what he does. And everyone thinks he is crazy because he talks about the future. It is heartbreaking watching him struggle to explain something that others could never understand. As he is pulled back and forth between time periods his grip on reality is shaken and the audience is left wondering if perhaps he really is insane and it is all in his head.

It is quite depressing but very well done. Any weird or unnecessary scenes can be quickly forgiven. It ranks high on my list of good sci-fi movies and I would encourage film fans to see it.

"I am insane. And you are my insanity."

3.5 out of 4 stars

-Christopher O'Connell

Training Day: A Quick Review

So I haven't reviewed anything in a while. Hopefully that will change. But let's start it off with a movie I've wanted to see for a while but it took forever to actually get around to.

For some reason, whenever someone mentions the film "the Graduate" I go, oh the Denzel movie? And they go, uh no? And give me a look like I'm dangerously stupid. If I ever talk about "The Graduate" odds are I am actually referring to this film because I am a fool.

Anyways, Ethan Hawke, everyone's "favorite" white actor is starting his new job in the narcotics division of the LAPD. His commanding officer is Denzel Washington. The entire movie takes place in one single day, where Ethan is meant to learn the ropes so to speak. Like a day of training if you will, to prepare him for multiple days on the job. He's kind of skittish but he's eager. He learns quickly that being a narcotics agent is a little different than being a beat cop. Denzel likes to work more closely to what is known as street justice. He lets things slide, like minor drug use in order to nab the big fish, the dealers and suppliers. But like any movie made after 1990, there's a twist and Denzel Washington is actually a pretty big douchebag instead of just being a tough cop.

The movie is well made, well-shot and pretty entertaining. Denzel Washington was awarded a best actor oscar for his work as detective Alonzo Harris. I'd highly recommend the film, if you can get over Ethan Hawke's character who for some reason basically does anything everyone tells him. But it's his first day! No, he's been a cop for a while he's not an idiot. You'll see what I mean.

3.5 out of 4 stars

-Christopher O'Connell

The Avengers

Oh finally, a new Marvel trilogy that isn't Spiderman has reached its successful conclusion. After 4 long years Iron Man 3 is finally gracing theaters..

Nope, wait. Sorry. Iron Man 3 doesn't come out until next year. I actually saw the Avengers, the superhero superorgy that was hinted at after the credits of Iron Man. The movie that spawned two prequels (Thor and Captain America) just so they could explain all the superhero back stories in time for the shmorgashboard of comic glory. And the product which has generated a ludicrous amount of money for a company that hasn't created a new, exciting superhero in at least 20 years. But that doesn't matter because all the favorites are here to play for our enjoyment.

The basic storyline is pretty simple. Loki (Tom Hiddleston, the bad guy from Thor) somehow gets sent to Earth by an alien race that wants to take over the planet. He steals the tesseract (an all powerful cube from Captain America that has unlimited power) and goes about making some people his zombie mind slaves. He turns Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) into one of them. Nick Fury, (Sam Jackson) realizing that the world is probably going to end, assembles the Avengers. Well, only some of them because there's actually like 543 superheros on the Avengers team. So Fury assembles the most famous ones, Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America, Thor and I guess Hawkeye and Black Widow are famous too? Anyways, they all get assembled. Loki summons an alien army from outer space that absolutely rapes New York City and the Avengers come save the day. Wait, did you really expect anything else to happen?

Since everyone has already seen the movie, this is all basically just recap and I'm just going to try to convince you to think differently than the millions of fanboys that are currently curled up in their rooms watching a pirated copy for the fifth time with a box of kleenex and some vasoline next to them. Because they like this movie, a lot. And they have some good reasons to like it.

It's fun. It is just plain fun. There is action galore. The special effects are very impressive (just look at that huge flying aircraft carrier!). The superheroes are flashy, they break things, they break everything and there is very little in New York that doesn't get destroyed.

It's funny. Especially any scene with the Hulk. And Iron Man. His witty awesome banter is back and his many quips about other characters (talking to Thor: "hey, Point Break", I was the only one in the theater that laughed) are hilarious. It just adds to the fun.

Joss Whedon has crafted a cohesive narrative. Look at all those famous actors fighting for screen time. Obviously Robert Downey Jr. wins but I felt as if everyone got the ample amount of screen time they deserved to really develop them and help the audience actually care about them.

But there are also reasons why you shouldn't like the Avengers. Some of them are just personal preference, others should be obvious to all.

Who the #@$% is Loki? And who cares? What a sucky bad guy. He is terrible. Not only is he a complete wuss, all he does is whine about how his dad loved his brother and that Earth is rightfully his and even more crap. Shutup, grow some balls and find a better bad guy. Find someone that actually strikes fear in everyone's heart. And get a better actor to do it.

Really that's it? The whole tagline of the film was "if we can't save the Earth, you can be damn sure we will avenge it." But they did save it. They saved everything except New York City and part of Germany. That's pretty good if you ask me. Where's the sense of doom? The hopelessness? The "this is our last hope because we literally have tried everything else"? The Avengers are now our first and last lines of defense.

Someone needed to die. But Chris, someone did die! Someone we care about very much! Yeah, well....no. The person who died is a beloved regular but he was only human. A superhero should die in at least one of the future films. And then using his playing cards to push them over the edge? They were already sad Nick Fury, you jerk.

There really is only 3 superheroes in this movie. Iron Man, Hulk and Thor. Captain America is just like 10 guys in one but a bullet could still kill him easily. And where is his gun? I remember him having a gun in the comics. No, I'd rather throw my shield around like a frisbee/boomerang. Hawkeye is just accurate with a bow an arrow, a weapon system that was rendered obsolete in oh I don't know 100 years ago? More? And Black Widow. She carries two 9mm glocks. Pistols that can take multiple rounds to bring down a regular person. Thor is a freaking god and they put him on a team with an assassin? The Hulk's basically immortal and Iron Man is Iron Man! This is all very nitpicky but it annoyed me anyways.

Here's how I rank the Marvel films:
Iron Man 1
Iron Man 2
Hulk (Edward Norton, don't judge me)
The Avengers
Thor
Captain America

Compared to the crapfests that were Thor and Captain America, The Avengers is amazing. But it could have been better. You want explosions? Go see it. You want to laugh a little bit? Go see it.You want something better than Iron Man? Tough luck kiddo. Hopefully, Joss Whedon sticks with future projects or else this series could easily die in the water.

2.5 out of 4 stars

-Christopher O'Connell

The Hunger Games

   “Happy Hunger Games!”

   

With those words the dreams of millions of book fans were fulfilled. Suzanne Collins best-selling book series “The Hunger Games” has finally been brought to life on the big screen. And unlike “Twilight” it’s actually pretty good.

   

In the world of Panem, the dystopian future of the United States, twelve districts are forced to send a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to compete in a gladiatorial style game. Out of 24 children, only one can win. When her sister is chosen, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers in her place for District 12. Her childhood friend Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) is also chosen.

   

With most books adapted into movies, a wrongly cast actor can break an otherwise good film. Fortunately “The Hunger Games” has a strong cast. Jennifer Lawrence is the perfect fit for Katniss. Stanley Tucci as the vivacious Caesar Flickerman, Donald Sutherland as President Snow and Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy. What I see on screen is what I imagined when reading the book.

   

And that isn’t restricted to the cast. The world of Panem is wonderfully detailed and the game arena is as beautiful as it is deadly. The scenes they include from the book are fully realized with visual flair. Because of the book’s length and the difficulty of translating to the big screen, the filmmakers chose to ignore some things while focusing on others from the book. It allows the film to be its own entity. It is quite obviously “The Hunger Games” but the film could stand alone without a book to prop it up.

   

But what makes the film good isn’t the cast, it isn’t the loyalty to its source material, it is the content of the movie. The plot, the moral choices that characters make and pay for. As terrifying as it was reading it, seeing it is ten times worse. The rousing music that accompanies the players to the beginning of the games cuts out when the slaughter begins and we are treated to the horror of children killing children for sport. It is visceral, it is gut-wrenching and it is powerful. In other films this sort of unnecessary killing is celebrated, expected even. The residents of the Capitol watch the Hunger Games like we watch the latest “Die Hard” film. “The Hunger Games” treats death like “Saving Private Ryan” did. It wasn’t death; it was the stealing of a life. A life that should have been lived, that deserved to be lived.

   

Book fans will be pleased and new fans will be pleased as well. The few cheesy moments and poor dialogue can be easily overlooked. Just like the book, “The Hunger Games” is an entertaining film with a spattering of social commentary. With the third best domestic opening of any movie ever, “The Hunger Games” is well worth the trial. May the odds be ever in your favor.

3 out of 4 stars

-Christopher O'Connell

The Artist: Best Picture?

   On February 26, “The Artist” took home five awards and three of Hollywood’s biggest: Best Actor, Best Director and of course Best Picture. If you haven’t heard about it, “The Artist” is a silent film and the first to win an Oscar since “Wings” in 1929. But while “The Artist” is technically impressive and most certainly an achievement in filmmaking, we ask the question, does it really deserve the awards it got?

   

 “The Artist” is the story of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin). Valentin is the biggest star in Hollywoodland, the “fictional” town where all of his movies are produced. After a well-received movie, Valentin is photographed with a fan, Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) who uses the exposure to make her way into the movie business. But Valentin is only a star of silent movies. When his director Al Zimmer (John Goodman) decides to produce strictly “talkies” Valentin refuses to take any part, choosing instead to make his own silent films.

  

 But no one wants to watch silent films anymore. Peppy’s star continues to rise as she takes on more and more talking roles while Valentin descends into a washed up has-been.

  

 For those planning on seeing “The Artist,” think long and hard about whether or not you can sit through 100 minutes of no talking. I didn’t think it would be too weird, but it is. It’s disconcerting seeing mouths moving without any sound coming out. Once you get used to it though, “The Artist” becomes a great movie.

  

 Without dialogue, every actor has to exaggerate their movements and expressions to convey what they would be saying. They do this fantastically and never once is the audience confused about what is happening or what the characters are feeling. Valentin is a very charming lead, and while Bejo’s character is a little creepy at times, their budding attraction is fun to watch. Add to that Valentin’s sidekick, a cute terrier that knows every trick in the book, and you have a very watchable silent film.

   

 But why is this article titled Best Picture? Because when I see “The Artist” I see wasted potential. One scene in particular stands out. When Valentin first hears of talking films, he laughs them off and walks out. But he has a fever dream in which he starts to hear sounds. His dog barking, a glass clinking people laughing, but he cannot make a sound. No matter how loud he tries to yell. It was moving, heartbreaking and only five minutes long. The director should have explored that theme further, talking without being heard. Instead we have a movie that is about 20 minutes too long and a wasted exploration into the impact of sound.

   

 Fortunately, the movie ends on a high note with a catchy song and dance and Valentin’s first words of the entire film. Best musical score? Definitely. Best Actor? Sure. Best Director? Quite possibly. Best Picture? Not quite. There were better films this year and “The Artist” probably only won because everyone was surprised that it was still possible to make a good silent film.

3 out of 4 stars

-Christopher O'Connell

The 2012 84th Annual Academy Awards Predictions

Best Motion Picture of the Year

The Artist – Joe and ChrisO

The Descendants

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

The Help

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

Moneyball

The Tree of Life

War Horse

Joe: I think The Artist is going to win most of the 10 categories that it was nominated for, including Best Picture.  The film has won the equivalent of this award in other award shows over the past couple months.  The casting, directing, black and white cinematography, etc. are all superb.  It’s a great throwback to the early days of “talkies” and a seemingly unoriginal story was done in a tremendously effective way.  The only real competition for this film is The Descendants. 

ChrisO: The Artist obviously. It’s a silent film that’s good. The academy eats that up, all the other directors threw up their hands in defeat when they heard how good this movie was.

DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: The Descendants

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Demián Bichir for A Better Life

George Clooney for The Descendants

Jean Dujardin for The Artist – Joe and ChrisO

Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Brad Pitt for Moneyball

Joe: I think Jean Dujardin is going to win this award, mainly because he proved to be incredibly capable of mastering the lost art of silent cinema.  He only speaks two words in the entire film, so his body and facial expressions had to help move the plot along.  He proved to be up to the challenge.

ChrisO: Again, a good silent film trumps all. Dujardin could have been pulled off the street for all anyone cares. This is his to lose.

DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: George Clooney for The Descendants

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs

Viola Davis for The Help - ChrisO

Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady - Joe

Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

Joe: It has been 29 years since Meryl Streep, the greatest actress to work in Hollywood in the past three decades, has won an Oscar.  She has had a record 17 nominations, but has only won twice.  If she is going to end her losing streak, or if the Academy decides to stop taunting her, playing Margaret Thatcher would do the trick.  Just as with every role that she has tackled since the late 1970s she is brilliant in the Iron Lady.  Streep gets into costume, dons the appropriate accent and becomes immersed in the character.

ChrisO: Sorry Meryl, that spot on your awards shelf is going to get even dustier. It’s time another black woman won that trophy. This is a very unimpressive lineup and considering how highly rated The Help was in comparison to the other films. And how many less rape scenes it had than Dragon Tattoo. I’m all for Viola Davis on this one.

DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Meryl Streep. Never be surprised by Meryl Streep, she is a great actress.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:

Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn

Jonah Hill for Moneyball

Nick Nolte for Warrior - Joe

Christopher Plummer for Beginners - ChrisO

Max von Sydow for Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Joe: Warrior was the film that caused me to love Nick Nolte.  He has been nominated twice before, but did not win.  He is brilliant in Warrior, and is easily the best part of an already incredibly entertaining and well made film.  He is perfect as the recovering alcoholic, who has been a questionable father to his two sons and must try to redeem himself.  However, Max von Sydow and Christopher Plummer are brilliant actors, so it could be anyones guess. 

ChrisO: This is also a really sad lineup. But Christopher Plummer playing a gay father can’t be passed up. Especially since he is probably the best aged actor out there. Everyone loves Plummer and no one else pops in this category.

DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Max Von Sydow for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Bérénice Bejo for The Artist - Joe

Jessica Chastain for The Help - ChrisO

Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids

Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs

Octavia Spencer for The Help

Joe: I think Berenice Bejo will win this award, for basically the same reason as the lead actor.  She even takes things a step further, and does not utter a single word in the entire film.

ChrisO: If Viola doesn’t win it, the other black woman will. Jessica Chastain has my vote. But I really wouldn’t be surprised by Berenice Bejo at all.

BE SURPRISED BY: Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids. She won’t win but wouldn’t it be fantastic of the academy actually recognized a comedy?

Best Achievement in Directing

Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris

Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist – Joe and ChrisO

Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life

Alexander Payne for The Descendants

Martin Scorsese for Hugo

Joe’s Prediction: I’m not familiar with Payne’s other work, but Allen, Malick, and Scorsese are all brilliant film makers. With that being said I think The Artist will get this award, assuming a film dominates the Academy Awards this year.

ChrisO: 90% of the time the film that wins best director also wins best picture. So this is a really safe bet.

DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Any of the other’s really. All solid directors.

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

The Artist : Michel Hazanavicius – Joe and ChrisO

Bridesmaids : Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo

Margin Call : J.C. Chandor

Midnight in Paris : Woody Allen

A Separation : Asghar Farhadi

Joe: The Artist for this as well, even though Woody Allen is a wonderful writer and Bridesmaids was indeed hilariously funny.

ChrisO: This is a real hard one. Is it really good writing if there is no dialogue? Who knows, I vote for The Artist yet again.

DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Midnight in Paris : Woody Allen

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

The Descendants : Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash – Joe and ChrisO

Hugo : John Logan

The Ides of March : George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon

Moneyball : Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy : Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan

Joe:  I never saw Moneyball or Hugo, was confused by Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy, and saw the other two films several months ago.  With that being said I will go with The Descendants, since it seems to be immensely popular with stuffy critics and normal movie goers alike, and the story was realistic and emotional, brought to life by George Clooney, et al. 

ChrisO: I’m going to have to go with The Descendants as well. The buzz coming off this film has made it a major contender, and the one most likely to knock out The Artist.

DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Moneyball : Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin

Best Achievement in Cinematography

The Artist : Guillaume Schiffman

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo : Jeff Cronenweth

Hugo : Robert Richardson

The Tree of Life : Emmanuel Lubezki - ChrisO

War Horse : Janusz Kaminski – Joe­

Joe’s Prediction: The four films I saw from this list were visually stunning in every regard.  However, I’m going to War Horse on this one.  Janusz Kaminski is a genius cinematographer and every single film he shoots for people, primarily Steven Spielberg, look beautiful.  He even makes crappy movies at least look attractive.  The outdoor shots, lighting, composition, and everything else looks beautiful in War Horse, and is one of the main reasons why it kept my attention, despite being relatively long. 

ChrisO: All of these films are beautifully filmed but the one that takes it to a new level is Tree of Life. Terrence Malick has always had an eye for the surreal. Even if every one of his films is a confusing mash of images, they are the most beautiful images you’ve ever seen, somehow evoking emotions you never thought you had. His cinematographer has to be a very patient man.

DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Any of the others except Dragon Tattoo.

Best Achievement in Editing

The Artist : Anne-Sophie Bion, Michel Hazanavicius

The Descendants : Kevin Tent

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo : Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter

Hugo : Thelma Schoonmaker - Joe

Moneyball : Christopher Tellefsen - ChrisO

Joe: Didn’t see it, but I’m going to go with Hugo.  I hear it is incredible and it bound to win a couple awards out of its 11 nominations.  

ChrisO: I never get this one right. Kind of assumed Tree of Life would be in here but guess not. So I am going to have to go with Moneyball.

Best Achievement in Art Direction

The Artist : Laurence Bennett, Robert Gould

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 : Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan

Hugo : Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo

Midnight in Paris: Anne Seibel, Hélène Dubreuil – ChrisO

War Horse: Rick Carter, Lee Sandales - Joe

Joe: I will go with War Horse for this as well.  It was indeed a joy to look at. 

ChrisO: Midnight in Paris should win something.

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

The Adventures of Tintin: John Williams

The Artist: Ludovic Bource – ChrisO

Hugo: Howard Shore

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: Alberto Iglesias

War Horse: John Williams - Joe

Joe: John Williams is probably the greatest film composer currently living.  I suppose that is why he has two nominations this year.  He and his orchestra are simply unbelievable and it is hard to image Spielberg’s films without the emotion, drama, and intensity that come from a Williams score.  War Horse has got this for me as well.  Janusz Kaminski and John Williams were responsible for my favorite parts of the film. 

ChrisO: John William’s has two shots to win here. But I don’t think he will get it. The Artist is only a “silent” film because there is very little dialogue. Which means the rest is all music. But don’t be surprised if Williams wins.

Best Animated Feature Film

A Cat in Paris

Chico and Rita

Kung Fu Panda 2

Puss in Boots

Rango – ChrisO

ChrisO: With its very creative and quirky visual style, not to mention some very impressive voice acting, Rango is the only real contender in this category. Of course I haven’t seen three of them but Rango  has my vote.

These are all the categories that we care about. Or that we have enough knowledge to actually make an educated guess on. Because seriously sound mixing and editing? What is that? And obviously The Muppets is going to win best song. Sorry for no documentary, we haven’t seen that or any of the shorts otherwise we would at least hazard a guess.