Geek For E!

Geek For E!

Creators of the TwitView! Reviews in 140 characters or less.

Movie Review: Oblivion

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Oh please, let this not be Vanilla Sky.  

That was the thought that ricocheted through my brain at the start of Oblivion.  With it’s sleek, hip visuals and promise of Deep Dark Secrets, I worried that it would be an echo of that head-scratcher.  I needn’t have worried.  Oblivion isn’t a retread of Vanilla Sky, it’s a retread of just about every other Sci-Fi movie you’ve seen lately.  It’s also a lovely way to waste a few hours.  Like a chocolate-covered pill from Miracle Max, damn if it doesn’t go down smooth.

In 2017, the Earth gets a smackdown from an alien race.  But all ended well, sorta; the humans won, but in order to do so we had to unleash the nukes.  So now the bulk of surviving humanity lives on Titan, the largest of Saturn’s moons.  A small handful of survivors are the “clean-up crew”, extracting what little viable resources earth has left for use in our new planetary digs.  How does war veteran Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) know that’s true?  Because that’s what he was told after a “mandatory memory wipe” a few years back.  Does anyone else think that’s kinda fishy?  That’s an affirmative, y’all.

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Movie Review: 42

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For me, 42 is the answer to the universe.  But for baseball fans, 42 is the answer to their personal universe, one where amazing athletes run around a grassy field and whack white balls with sticks of wood.  It references a man who took a giant leap into Major League Baseball and changed the way the game was played.  The man is Jackie Robinson, and besides being a poster boy for positive change, he happened to be a damn fine ballplayer too.  42 the movie is the story of Jackie Robinson’s rise from the Negro leagues into the Major Leagues.  It’s a fitting tribute that’s entertaining, and even when it seems a bit too spitshined, it manages to shine a little light onto the real man that has become so legendary that his jersey number alone is enough.

Not like it was easy.  After World War II, the start of what we all now know as Modern American Life came on at full throttle.  And it was all about mom, apple pie and baseball.  But our national pastime had a shameful side; the “color line” that kept minority players out of Major League Baseball (and the Minor League affiliates).  It’s incredible to me in this day and age that so many people didn’t seem to care about the whole “separate but equal” way of life.  Well, at least not if you were white, it seemed.  One white guy did care though; Dodgers exec  Branch Rickey (played with teriffic “you kids get off my lawn!” orneriness by Harrison Ford).  That sounds like a completely made up name, but back then you apparently needed a cool name to work in baseball (see: Kenesaw Mountain Landis,  Happy Chandler, and — I’m not making this up y’all — Urban Shocker.)

Rickey decided that in order to move baseball forward (and get a tasty bit of the African American dollars spent on leisure activities) he needed to hire an African American player.  After doing a bit of scouting, he decided upon Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman).  “I’m Methodist.  He’s Methodist.  God’s Methodist.”  Hey, sounds good to me too Rickey.  Robinson has some understandable hesitation at first, but decides to take the leap into MLB by playing for the Dodgers’ minor league team the Montreal Royals.  Before too long he was upped to the Dodgers.  Yaaay!  But not everyone loved the idea.  Robinson came up against all sorts of opposition, from fans, other teams and even his own teammates.  And 42 chronicles the struggles Robinson went through to change opinions and play his game.

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Movie Review: Trance

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I hadn’t heard much about this film before I saw it.  Just a tidbit here and there from various fests, but nothing that stuck in my head.  Which is apt, considering Trance is a tale about the twisty-turney ways our minds can play tricks on us, and how easy it can be to manipulate what’s in your head.  Or what you think is in your head.

Simon (James McAvoy, X Men: First Class) is a high-class auctioneer.  His job — outside of trying to sell really, really expensive stuff — is to make sure that the most expensive item on offer during an auction gets dropped off into safe storage if there’s ever a robbery attempt.  The number one rule?  “No painting is worth a human life.  Don’t be a hero.”  So when suave art thief Franck (Vincent Cassel, Black Swan) comes for an extremely expensive Goya, what does Simon do?  Yeah, you guessed it.

Simon gets a severe bang on the noggin for his trouble, and he goes to hypnotherapist Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson, Rent) but that’s only the start of this story.  To discuss more would ruin the crazy Inception-meets-Memento storyline.  Who’s really the bad guy, why are characters doing what they’re doing, and are they in fact even doing them; that’s the meat of this tale.  Director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) gets off to a choppy start — it’s hard at the beginning to continue caring about what’s going on when the story begins to shivers and spiral — but it pays off at the end.  Remember when M. Night Shamalan was fantastic?  Trance harkens back to the payoff of Unbreakable.  No superheroes here; McAvoy doesn’t turn into Professor X (though that’d be awesome).  But that same sense of wonder and pleasure at being let in on the final secret rings true here.

 
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Baltimore Screening: Pain & Gain, 4/23

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Y’know, I applaud the “no pain, no gain” attitude; it shows that someone wants to get healthier.  But for me?  If there’s no pain, there’s definitely gain.  Probably because of my love of Oreos.  But we’ve got Pain & Gain for y’all today, and since these screening passes are free, there’s no pain required!  And that folks is the last of my horrible puns.  For the day.

Here’s the synopsis of the film:

From acclaimed director Michael Bay comes “Pain and Gain,” a new action comedy starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie. Based on the unbelievable true story of a group of personal trainers in 1990s Miami who, in pursuit of the American Dream, get caught up in a criminal enterprise that goes horribly wrong.

Check out the trailer for a closer look.  Oh, and this movie’s rated R, in case you’re wondering.  Sounds good to me.  Sound good to you?  Then read on for how to score….

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Movie Review: Jurassic Park 3D

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Yes.  I know what you’re thinking.  “Why, Denise?  Why?”  I’m guessing that Universal Pictures wanted to add a little dino action to the ever-growing list of films that are being re-done in 3D.  After the likes of 3D/IMAX showstoppers like Avatar, Final Destination 5 and Life of Pi, it’s true that Jurassic Park doesn’t have the visual chops that current CGI-laden cinematography have to offer.  But damn if Jurassic Park doesn’t give us something else; heart.  Try as they might, the 21st Century films can’t quite put their fingers on the pulse of a movie.  It’s lovely to remember a time when action films had characters you truly cared for, and a plot beyond showing you Kewl Stuff.

Harken back to 1993.  Western Europe begins the EC, Bill Clinton starts his second term, a gallon of gas was just over a dollar (and we were all still bitching about it), and two guys — Stephen Spielberg and Michael Crichton — brought us dinosaurs on the big screen.  The story about a man who wanted everyone to see real, live dinosaurs (and who had more dollars than sense) was a sensation, with special effects so spectacular they still stand up today.  And when those dinos break free of their enclosures?  Everyone felt a chill.

But how many trips to Isla Nublar does one need to take?  For me it’s innumerable, as I have the Blu-Ray box set of all three JP films.   It’s definitely worth it to see Jurassic Park up on the big screen again.  And, it’s been 20 years; there’s a whole new generation that haven’t had the pleasure of seeing humongous dinos in the dark of a multiplex.  Fancy that.  Jurassic Park may be every bit the dinosaur that it’s characters encounter, but it’s still every bit as fascinating.  All in all it’s glorious to see this movie back on the big screen, and it’s a treat for those able to head out and give it a look.

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Movie Review: Evil Dead

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Evil Dead is here y’all!  Horror fans everywhere are nerd-gasaming all over the place.  It’s an ugly sight, because we don’t do quiet very well.  But I’m here to tell you that all that jumping around, panting and drooling is totally justified.  Evil Dead brings it, rocking old-school 80s horror and 21st Century savviness in equal measure.

 For moviegoers who aren’t up on their horror film history, here’s a list of the films in the Evil Dead franchise:

 * The Evil Dead (1981) — scary with bits of humor.

* Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn (1987) — an even mix of humor and horror.

* Army of Darkness (1992) — more humor than horror, but it gave us the classic line “This… is my boomstick!”  For which the nerd world is eternally grateful.

* Evil Dead (2013) — today’s primary topic of discussion.

 There’s also a short film, Within The Woods, that Sam Raimi made in 1978 that got the ball rolling.

 Okay, with me?  Then let’s get to the task at hand.  Which is me saying that if you’re into horror films, you’ve gotta see this.  Seriously.  Run out now, see it, and then come back.  I’ll be here waiting.

 Why am I so amped about this film?  Because it does what 99% of all  remakes/re-imaginings/shameless ripoff films fail to do; it gives the old-school fans a wink and a smile while keeping newbies entertained.  That’s the stuff right there.

 Plus, there’s blood.  Lots of it.  TONS of it.  It literally rains down from the sky during the climax.  It’s so over the top that it becomes another awesome bit of FX to enjoy.  I’m not saying that you should drag your nearest 10-year-old out to see this, unless you want to scar that puppy for life.  But for those of you that ook out on the red stuff, think of this as Dead Alive…but in the woods, and much creepier.  (And I’m sure Peter Jackson won’t hate me for saying so, because let’s face it; Dead Alive is awesome because it goes from gore-tastic to hilarious.  On purpose.)

 On to the hardcore critic-ness.  I’ll discuss the movie, and talk about how it compares to the original.  Then I’ll tell you all the stuff I like about this film, and the very few things that didn’t rate superawesome.  Let’s get started.

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Free Baltimore screening: “42”, April 8th

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How many of y’all have managed to grab tickets for the O’s opening day? Oh, not very many. I feel you. But how about going to see 42, a movie about the legendary Jackie Robinson instead? Yeah, I think that’s an awesome instead-of option too.

Here’s the synopsis from the studio:

Hero is a word we hear often in sports, but heroism is not always about achievements on the field of play. “42” tells the story of two men—the great Jackie Robinson and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey—whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball.

In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) put himself at the forefront of history when he signed Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the team, breaking Major League Baseball’s infamous color line. But the deal also put both Robinson and Rickey in the firing line of the public, the press and even other players. Facing unabashed racism from every side, Robinson was forced to demonstrate tremendous courage and restraint by not reacting in kind, knowing that any incident could destroy his and Rickey’s hopes. Instead, Number 42 let his talent on the field do the talking—ultimately winning over fans and his teammates, silencing his critics, and paving the way for others to follow.

In 1997, Major League Baseball retired the number 42 for all teams, making it the first number in sports to be universally retired. The only exception is April 15th—Jackie Robinson Day—commemorating the date of his first game as a Brooklyn Dodger. On that day alone, players from every team proudly wear Number 42 to honor the man who altered the course of history.

If you’re loving this like I think you are, read on for how to grab an Admit Two pass for you and your lucky aisle buddy!

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Free Baltimore Screening: The Place Beyond The Pines, 4/10

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UPDATE: ALL PASSES HAVE BEEN HANDED OUT.  Congrats to the winners!

It’s icky and snowy today, so why not think about next month?  More specifically, going to a free screening next month?  Yay, right?  Right!

We’ve got 50 “Admit Two” passes for the new film The Place Beyond The Pines. For the longest time (read: until about 5 minutes ago) I thought this was going to be a horror film.  C’mon, the title sounds spooky.  But it’s a drama that has some serious star power.  Plus Ryan Gosling with a neck tattoo.  Gosling really does seem to like working with Derek “Blue Valentine” Cianfrance.

What’s it about, and how can I grab some passes?  Glad you asked.  Check out the trailer, then read on for the deets….

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Movie Review: Olympus Has Fallen

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“When our flag falls, our nation will rise.”  Even the tag line is made to pump (clap) you up.  And Olympus Has Fallen delivers the goods for anyone who wants to fist-pump and shout “ooh-RAH!” at a movie screen.  Well, you can shout that anytime, but here it’s actually appropriate.  Probably not so much during Silver Linings Playbook.

Director Antoine Fuqua brings the tension and realism he brought to Training Day and the shoot-em-up coolness from The Replacement Killers (an underrated gem).  First time writers Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt are great at cool Sorkin-esque dialogue but do get mired in cliches.  However, an action flick without cliches is like a horror movie without a surprise twist.  Sure, it can be done.  But nowadays it’s a comfortable groove we all come to expect.  And if you let Olympus Has Fallen wash over you, you’ll get that same comfy feeling.  Maybe not the catharsis the filmmakers were aiming for, but damn it it’s not an enjoyable ride.

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Free passes to the Balitmore screening of Evil Dead, 4/2!

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Anyone else a huge horror buff?  Sweet!  Because we have GOFOBO passes for the April 2nd Baltimore area screening of Evil Dead!

I have to admit that I was a little iffy on the idea of remaking this classic.  But after I saw the trailer?  I’m all in.  Join me!

Here’s the deets on the film:

EVIL DEAD
In Theatres April 5, 2013
Genre: Horror
Cast: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas, Elizabeth Blackmore
Director: Fede Alvarez
Rated: R

www.evildead-movie.com

In the much anticipated remake of the 1981 cult-hit horror film, five twenty-something friends become holed up in a remote cabin. When they discover a Book of the Dead, they unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival.

 

And here’s the info on how to score passes to see it with me! Okay, to see it for free. That sounds cooler….

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