Year: 2011
Genre: Action
Director: John Singleton
Plot: A teenager discovers that the couple who raised him aren't his real parents, right before they are gunned down by mysterious folks, who plan on using him to get to his real father.
The gist: Abduction is basically an attempt to create a younger version of Jason Bourne, minus the amnesia stuff. Taylor Lautner plays Nathan, a kid who has to figure out who is after him and what they want with him, while dragging the lovely Lily Collins along.
This film on a whole is a strict, by the numbers thriller where nearly everything is stuff you've already seen someplace else, and executed better elsewhere too.
The good: Lautner, to his credit, actually does better here than being Jacob Black in the Twilight films, even though Nathan is almost a carbon copy of Jacob. What makes him better here is that he isn't so annoying. And Lily Collins is always nice to look at, so that's a plus.
The bad: The other more established actors like Sigourney Weaver, Jason Isaacs, Alfred Molina and Maria Bello are stuck being the supporting cast, which is a huge waste of their talent. This film is probably a paycheck gig for them. The action sequences are mostly dull, though the fight scene between Lautner and a bad guy in a train cabin isn't too bad. The climax is non existent and the plot too predictable.
Verdict: I probably tolerated this film better than most people, but I still wouldn't recommend it. You're better off watching the Bourne films. (2.5/5)
Year: 2000
Genre: Mystery / Drama
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Plot: The only survivor of a horrific train crash tries to figure out why he survived with the help of an eccentric comic book collector.
The gist: This film is M Night Shyamalan's tribute to comic book heroes, and it's clear he went to great lengths to make it stand out. Like most of his work, Unbreakable is mostly quiet and deliberately slow, but it never really gets dull, which is commendable.
Bruce Willis and Samuel L Jackson play off each other very well, the former as a security guard with marriage problems and the latter as a strange man with a rare condition revolving around brittle bones. Together they lead the story on discovering each other's identities, the answer to that being the obligatory Shyamalan twist.
The good: The cast perform very well. Besides Willis and Jackson, special mention goes to Robin Wright and Spencer Treat Clark as Willis' wife and son respectively. Credit must also be given to Eduardo Serra for his great camerawork, like using reflections every now and then to focus on his performers, as well as using contrasting colors to differentiate between certain people.
The bad: If you attempt to compare this to The Sixth Sense, you'll find this film a bit wanting. It is well made, but falls a bit short to that pioneering Shyamalan classic.
Verdict: Unbreakable is a solid film that will keep you engaged if you let it do so. (3.5/5)
Year: 2011
Genre: Drama
Director: George Clooney
Plot: A young assistant campaign manager for a potentially promising presidential candidate gets into serious trouble after one mistake sinks him deep into the world of dirty politics.
The gist: In general I hate politics because of what it represents and how it is run. But even so, I found The Ides Of March a brilliant film that focuses on how low political backstabbing can get, and how some people would do anything to nail a victory in an election.
George Clooney stars and directs this film, which sees him in a supporting role to Ryan Gosling's character. Gosling plays an ambitious assistant to Clooney's campaign manager, who finds his world turned upside down when he makes an error that questions his loyalty to his bosses. It then follows how he has to go as low as his opponents to regain his position.
Clooney does a great job keeping the pace tight and making sure everything flows smoothly. It may be a drama but there is nary a dull moment here.
The good: The cast is awesome. Gosling and Clooney are great, so are Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti in their roles as opposing campaign managers. Evan Rachel Wood has great chemistry with Gosling as a junior staffer who gets involved with him, which plays into the center plot. Clooney also deserves credit for his firm direction and making the film seem authentic, like it really is election season.
The bad: Marisa Tomei and Jeffrey Wright are underused, but they play their parts well enough. Other than that, I can't think of anything else.
Verdict: It's a solid film about politics and it is entertaining enough even for those who don't like politics or elections. (4/5)
Year: 2011
Genre: Horror
Director: Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman
Plot: The origins of Katie & Kristi's encounters with demons in the first two films are revealed.
The gist: If you've seen the Paranormal Activity films, then you'll know what to expect here. The filmmakers take a step back in time as the footage are shown to be VHS style, complete with overlapping lines as the tape gets old etc. Though it probably was recorded digitally and the VHS effects added later.
The story follows young Katie & Kristi as they play with a supposedly imaginary friend that turns out to be something more sinister. As usual, the male characters are the ones with the cameras and there will be one person in the family that doesn't believe in the happenings until it's too late.
What's good: There's a part where they install a camera on a table fan so that it can capture a wider area as it turns, thereby not only making it innovative, but also a tad scarier as the audience anticipates what the lens might pick up as it moves. The acting is quite solid too, and the ending is pretty good, even though it's a lot like its predecessors.
What's bad: I still don't get why they have to keep recording everything, it just doesn't make sense. Even when things go bad, they still keep the camera running, and the camera is always pointing in the right direction when the shit hits the fan. It's strange.
Verdict: It's basically the same as before, with a few added twists. It answers a few questions, but creates even more questions. And they'll make more PA films for sure. It's just okay for me. (3/5)
Year: 2011
Genre: Comedy
Director: Seth Gordon
Plot: Three men tormented by their bosses hatch a plan to kill them. But since they're amateurs and clumsy, things don't go according to plan.
The gist: The subject matter is something we can all relate to, especially if you work for someone higher than you. Director Seth Gordon uses this to his advantage and lets us follow three good natured but at times silly guys who plan on doing away each other's bosses.
If you're familiar with The Hangover and slapstick style comedy, then you should know what you're in for. Some of it works, some other jokes just fall flat.
The good: Kevin Spacey is perfect as the boss who stops at nothing to torment Jason Bateman, enough for you to despise the guy easily. Jennifer Aniston isn't half bad either as the boss who sexually harasses Charlie Day. Jamie Foxx is pretty good too as their murder consultant.
The bad: Charlie Day is all over the place for the most part. He's the resident dumb guy that Bateman & Sudeikis picks on, and he gets quite annoying at times. Colin Farrell is underused here unfortunately. And as mentioned, some of the jokes just didn't hit the mark. The ending is also much too convenient.
Verdict: It's a decent attempt at comedy featuring a subject everyone can relate to, but it could have been better. (2.5/5)
Year: 2011
Genre: Crime drama
Director: Ami Canaan Mann
Plot: A pair of detectives investigate the disappearance of a young girl at the notorious Killing Fields in Texas.
The gist: This film is the feature film debut of sorts for Ami Mann, daughter of Michael Mann. It follows two detectives investigating two cases, one is a death of a young girl, the other a disappearance of another girl.
The two cases overlap as the two guys put their heads together trying to solve both mysteries while another girl who is close to one of them becomes a potential target.
Authenticity of the happenings are solid. It sometimes feels like we're watching a dramatization of the stuff we see on the Crime & Investigation network. The Texas countryside is also an interesting location for such a film.
The good: Sam Worthington is excellent as Mike Souder, as the character is the cranky and hot tempered of the two, which allows him to move away from the usual heroic characters he's been playing in Avatar and Clash Of The Titans. He's perfectly contrasted by Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Brian Heigh, the 'good cop' who is more emotionally invested in the murders. Jessica Chastain is good as a fellow detective but doesn't get much air time. Chloe Moretz is also convincing as the potential victim of the killers.
The bad: Because the cases overlap, there are times when it's hard to determine which case they're working on at any given moment. Editing and lighting could use some tightening too.
Verdict: Overall it plays like a TV movie, and probably better that way. The subject matter is fascinating but its execution is average. (2.5/5)
Year: 2011
Genre: Drama
Director: Tate Taylor
Plot: Racial discrimination is high in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s. Aspiring writer Eugenia 'Skeeter' Phelan attempts to write a book about the plight of colored maids in her town. Assisting her on her quest are two maids: the kind Aibileen Clark and the spunky Minny Jackson.
The gist: The Help is based on the bestselling novel by Kathryn Stockett. Under the direction of Tate Taylor, this film is an entertaining piece of work. It convincingly displays the discrimination between white folks and their colored help during the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
Taylor is wise enough to mix an equal balance of drama and humour, thereby making the film interesting enough to hold the audience's attention, though it is not without flaws. His biggest asset is the cast, made up of the finest actresses you can find for a film such as this.
What's good: Everyone in the cast is spot on. Viola Davis rightfully earned her Oscar nomination as Aibileen, easily gaining the audience's sympathy with her performance as a maid with a tragic past. Octavia Spencer wins an Oscar for playing Minny Jackson, whose character isn't as nice as Aibileen, but has the same heart of gold and an attitude we all can relate to. Worthy mentions also go to Bryce Dallas Howard as the antagonist Hilly Holbrook, Jessica Chastain as the eccentric Celia Foote and a minor role by Cicely Tyson as Skeeter's former maid Constantine. Emma Stone is also solid as Skeeter Phelan, though she is outshone by Davis and Spencer.
What's bad: The film could use some editing, particularly the subplot about Skeeter's relationship with her boyfriend Stuart, which wasn't necessary to include here. The other thing is Stone's portrayal of Skeeter, which although was solid, comes off as being a tad too modern.
Verdict: The Help is a solid drama which everyone can enjoy, and truly worthy of all the attention it received at the Oscars. Recommended. (3.5/5)
Year: 2011
Genre: Historical drama
Director: Robert Redford
Plot: After the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, all of the conspirators are brought to trial, including Mary Surratt, the only woman among them. A Union soldier turned lawyer, Frederick Aiken is assigned to represent her.
Tidbits: The Conspirator is an interesting piece if you were ever interested in Abe Lincoln and his famed assassination. This film explores the trial of Mary Surratt, a woman who had given boarding to the assassin John Wilkes Booth and his friends on the night of the murder. Director Robert Redford makes it quite accurate in a historical sense, though I wouldn't want to speculate how true these events are, but Redford does make it feel authentic. What's also fascinating is the fact that Redford chooses to sympathize with Mary Surratt and depict the Union prosecutors and government as terribly one sided people who have already decided that she's guilty.
What's good: The casting is excellent, with a great ensemble putting in solid work all around. Robin Wright, Evan Rachel Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Colm Meaney, Danny Huston and Kevin Kline are all good in their roles, with James McAvoy doing an excellent job as Frederick Aiken. The pace of the film is surprisingly good too, as historical films like these tend to drag.
What's bad: Nothing really, but I do wish they had explored Aiken and Mary's relationship a bit further. There were glimpses of hope, but they were too brief.
Verdict: The film didn't do too well financially, but it is by no means bad. I think it's quite underrated, and movie fans ought to check it out. Even if you're not a fan of American history, the fine cast is reason enough to see it. (3.5/5)
N.B.: Look out for brief appearances by Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls), Jonathan Groff (Glee) and Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead).
I need an extra outlet.
Sure, FF has been a great place for film reviews, but there are times when I want to talk about a film without having to write an entire review for it. Perhaps a shorter, to the point way of doing things may work.
I say "may", because I'm not sure how long I can keep this up. You'll know if this place is still here every time you come back.
Note to all of you: the original FF will still exist and run. This is a just an extra place to talk about other films. As usual, please comment if you have something to share. Thanks.
