Willis and Morgan an Unusual Duo in "Cop Out"

On one hand, there's something very familiar about this movie. We've all seen the "buddy cop" movies (i.e. Lethal Weapon and Rush Hour franchises). We've all seen the story line as well. Two cops end up chasing a drug dealer, an arms dealer, or a kidnapper. What's NOT familiar about this film is the pairing of tough guy Bruce Willis and Saturday Night Live alum Tracy Morgan.

Kevin Smith (Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob) directs Willis and Morgan. They play a veteran cop "couple". After Jimmy's (Willis) valuable baseball card is stolen (his only means to pay for his only daughter's impending wedding) he and his partner Paul (Morgan) go after it's captor, Poh Boy (Guillermo Diaz) a gangster, kidnapper and murderer obsessed with sports memorabilia. With the help of a robber (Seann William Scott) who tasers Jimmy en route to selling his card, the partners embark on their case, having just been suspended from the NYPD. What starts as a mission to get back a valuable card becomes a mission to take down Poh Boy and his murderous group of thugs. Jimmy and Paul also become the keepers of Poh Boy's kidnapping victim, the beautiful Gabriela (relative newcomer Ana de la Reguera). And to top everything off, Paul suspects his wife of having an affair. He installs a "nanny-cam" which is hidden inside a teddy bear.

It's unknown to me as to how these two came to be. The two have very different styles. Jimmy (as Willis is in most of his films) is soft spoken, but forceful. Paul incites lines from the cliche and formulaic "good cop, bad cop" routines of film, much to his partner's chagrin. Bruce Willis is an actor who has the gift of a film being able to adapt to him. Much as fellow actor Christopher Walken, Willis is a one-dimensional actor. But in a good way. He only shows his range of emotion within that one dimension. Tracy Morgan is also a one dimensional actor. But unfortunately, his acting is just that. It can be so comically outrageous that he almost becomes unbearable. The most range of emotion shown by Morgan is in his scenes with the teddy bear. Somehow, the pairing works though. Willis plays the straight man to Morgan's outlandish character, but not without getting in a few one liners and zingers of his own.

As in the "Lethal Weapon" and "Rush Hour" franchises before it, this movie has an unusual partnership. And as with these films, this one, for the most part, works. It's funny, action packed, raunchy and violent. But, strangely, all of these factors work.

"Kick-Ass" kicks some ass

Every young comic book reader has lost themselves within the colorful pages of the adventures of their favorite superhero. Personally, I don't typically read comic books, but I liken it to losing oneself in a good book, or putting oneself in the place of one's favorite action hero on the big screen. Who wouldn't like to be James Bond, or Superman? In this film, we see a different type of superhero. He may not possess the ability to stop a bullet, but, nonetheless, his "powers" are just as fantastic.

Aaron Johnson stars as Dave Lizewski, a geeky, comic book loving unnoticed high school student. He lives alone with his widowed father, and one day, becomes inspired to become a superhero, albeit one with no powers and no fathomable reason to do so. And so, his alter-ego, Kick-Ass, is born. In an attempt to end the high crime, and to end the bullying of him and his friends, Dave joins forces with three other people with superhero personas. Among them is a father and daughter team, Damon and Mindy Macready (A.K.A Big Daddy and Hit Girl), played by Nicholas Cage and Chloe Moretz, and the spoiled brat rich kid Chris D'Amico (A.K.A Red Mist) played by Chris Mintz-Plasse. The principal antagonist is, strangely enough, the father of one of the heros, Frank D'Amico, one of the largest drug kingpins in the city, played by Andy Garcia look-alike, Mark Strong. The younger D'Amico joins forces with Kick-Ass to impress his father in hopes to one day take over his empire. Along the journey of this rag tag group, Dave becomes anamored with a classmate Katie. They begin their relationship under the false pretense of him being gay. Eventually he comes clean to the woman he loves, and their relationship blossoms. In the end, his ultimate goal is to give up the superhero/vigilante life.

The bar has been set high for the comic book turned film in recent years. Most notably, we've had the Spiderman franchise, as well as the Batman films which culminated with the amazing performance by the late Heath Ledger as the caped crusader's diabolical nemesis, the Joker. This film is extremely well done, and brings together veteran actors, such as Cage, and newcomers, such as the young lady playing Cage's daughter. Moretz's performance as Hit Girl was one of the best parts of the film. The training that must have been involved with some of the stunts she performed was likely extensive. The visual affects are absolutely stunning as well. While his performance in this film was decent, I will forever see Christopher Mintz-Plasse as the nerdy loser "McLovin" in Superbad. As far as I'm concerned, no matter what role he plays, his early roles have typecast him.

This is a good, imaginative and visually stunning film. If you're looking for a family friendly film, this is NOT the one for you. Despite it's comic book persona, it's more like a graphic novel. Nonetheless, it's very entertaining, and highly recommended.

Cagney and Company Deliver Great Performances in "City for Conquest"

I have become enthralled with James Cagney films. He was a great and gifted actor, perhaps made most famous by his portrayal of gangsters. One of my favorite movies is his 1949 film "White Heat" in which he plays a psychopathic killer. In this film, made in 1940, he plays a truck driver turned boxer who eventually falls on hard times, and who tries to retain the heart of his childhood sweetheart, and help his baby brother realize and accomplish his dream.

Cagney plays Danny Kenny, a New York City truck driver who has grown up on the rough streets. He begins to parlay his natural fighting ability into a means to help his younger brother Eddie (played by Arthur Kennedy)with his budding music composition career. Meanwhile, he and his childhood girlfriend, Peggy, played by Ann Sheridan, have a deep love for each other. Since they were children, Peggy always loved to dance. After attending numerous dance classes, she is spotted in a local club by a professional dancer (played by Anthony Quinn). He promises her a life of fame, her name in lights, and she is quickly swept off her feet. However, she stays grounded, knowing that the man she loves is there waiting for her, and that he supports her decision to realize her dream. She, in turn, supports his decision to make money as a Welter-Weight boxer. After a particular brutal match in which Danny becomes nearly blind, Peggy leaves the fame and fortune behind to pursue her real dream, a life with Danny.

There are many stories taking place in this film, but not one that over shadows another. At the heart of the film is a love story. There's the one between Danny and Peggy, and also a brotherly love shared between Danny and Eddie. Danny becomes a fighter in the ring to help his brother fund his composing and eventually his rise to his own fame. Peggy eventually gives up a dancing career so that she may be with the man she loves. It's also a story of greed. As Danny's popularity as a fighter rises, so does the number of people in his entourage who want to make a quick buck off of Danny's talent. And finally there are splashes of a more familiar theme in Cagney movies. The gangster. Amidst the need to make money are men loaning other men money in which to make their bets. In one dramatic scene, another childhood friend of Danny's, known to his friends as "Googi", played by Elia Kazan, has become such a man. Under the false pretense of going to a club to celebrate Danny's win in the ring, Googi takes another loan shark to a deserted dock, only to dump his lifeless body into the river.

I want to acknowledge some very strong performances in the film. First and foremost is Cagney's. Whether he plays a gangster or a man experiencing the peaks and valleys of life, he's equally strong and brilliant. I can't help but to be entranced on the screen while he delivers his lines. The next role I want to speak of is Quinn's role of Murray Burns, the professional dancer who spots Peggy. His role is as close to the antagonist of the film as any. However, his character is not one that one would love to hate. One would simply despise Murray. There were a couple of scenes in the film in which Danny and Murray were in the same room, and in both scenes, Murray ends up saying something that gets him a gift from Danny, a nice fist in the jaw. It's well deserved. Quinn went on to become an excellent actor in his own right.

I enjoyed this film very much. In comparison to the aforementioned Cagney film, it's not quite of that caliber, but still excellent. I recommend it!!

Scorsese's Latest Film is Fantastic

Martin Scorsese is easily one of my favorite filmmakers. He's made such classics as "Goodfellas" "Raging Bull" and "Gangs of New York". Many of his films, such as two of the films previously mentioned, center around mafia and/or gang activities. Finally, several of his films portray realistic, gritty and unabashed violence. While "Shutter Island" certainly has it's share of violence, it does not center around the story of mobsters or gang members. It is, however, an excellent film, full of twists, turns and surprises.

The film is set in 1954, at Shutter Island's Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Boston investigator Teddy Daniels. He finally gets an assignment he's been yearning for, one investigating the disappearance of a patient from the infamous hospital. He and his partner Chuck Aule, played excellently by Mark Ruffalo, arrive on the island to the seemingly cooperative head of the hospital, Dr. Cawley, played by the equally excellent Sir Ben Kingsley. Teddy and Chuck begin their shrewed investigating, examining file after file, and begin to uncover clues that lead to some very unsettling activities and practices by the staff. After being stranded on the island for days by a storm, things of Teddy and Chuck's lives begin to present themselves in such a way that keeps the viewer riveted to their seats. The excitement culminates into a series of twists that will keep the viewer watching in awe.

Typically, I'm not a fan of DiCaprio's roles. Frankly, I think, at times, he can go somewhat overboard in a role, and it comes off as forced and overacted. However, this was a much more subdued role. At times, there were moments of overacting that made me a little less impressed, but it would quickly redeem itself. Two of the many bright spots in the film were the excellent acting by Ruffalo and Kingsley. Having never seen Ruffalo in many roles, I really didn't have his other roles to which to compare this one. But his acting is not contrived, as DiCaprio is sometimes guilty of. His acting is somewhat one-dimensional, but in a good way. While Teddy has many layers of his persona that unveil themselves throughout the film, Chuck's personality helps to reel in the sometimes outlandish antics of his partner. Secondly, Kingsley's performance, while technically being one of the antagonist, is so subtle that the viewer is not led to believe that this is a bad man, but simply the head physician of a hospital for the insane. Kingsley is so good that he doesn't need to act. He can simply memorize his lines, and the rest comes naturally. He's also an actor that will lose himself in a role, as evidenced by his Oscar winning role as the title character in "Gandhi".

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The acting, writing, and the twists and turns of the plot all made this film a nail-bitter from start to finish.

"Robin Hood" is Wildly Entertaining

While watching this film, I sat with wonder as to when the stories we've all heard of Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, would present themselves. However, in continuing the long line of recent prequel films, this new film of the legendary archer evolves so that we may better understand the inner workings of the man in the hood and his group of merry men.

Russell Crowe stars as the title character, known in the film as Robin Longstride. Along with his loyal followers, Will Scarlett, Alan-a-Dale, and their muscle, Little John, they return to England after a long battle in France, one that has cost them the life of King Richard. Upon their return, they encounter a dying man named Robin of Locksley. Locksley begs Longstride to return to his village, Nottingham, with a gift for his father, Walter. Once there, an aging Walter convinces Longstride to pose as his late son in order to save Nottingham from royal seizure by the newly crowned king of England, Richard's brother, John. While in Nottingham, he meets and falls for Locksley's widow, Marian (played by another Oscar winner, Cate Blanchett). She appears to be skeptical of his actions at first, but quickly realizes his intentions are pure. On top of that, the evil English Baron Godfrey infiltrates the King's inner circle under the moniker Earl Marshal. He begins to terrorize villages under the false pretense of collecting royal taxes. Longstride must save his new village, the woman he loves, and defeat the Baron, the French, and the evil tyranny of the crown.

The film was directed by Ridley Scott, brother of Tony Scott. Whereas Tony Scott is mostly known for his film work as director, Ridley has been behind the camera for several television shows, and served as producer to several Tony Scott directed films. His filming style is similar to that of his brother's. He employs the use of hand held cameras, which is what gives these films the jerky, choppy camera movements. The use of sound, be it the arrow of the expert archer flying through the air, or a crackling fire, adds to the poignancy of the film. Russell Crowe does an excellent job in such a seemingly large and intimidating role. Crowe is a very intense actor, bringing everything to any role he's in. Blanchett plays her role as she does others she's cast in. She comes off, firstly, as a bit cold, someone who would not give a man the time of day. As the film progresses, she begins to open up into a warm and compassionate woman. As with any other film, the supporting cast is just important as the main cast. This film is certainly no exception. All the way down the line to the young children of the village, the casting is excellent. However, I did find Oscar Isaac's portrayal of Prince, or rather, King John, to be a little over the top and sporadic. In one scene, he would be a dastardly, maniacal ruler, and in another, he would be throwing out one-liners with biting sarcasm. As with any of the Scott brothers' films, the action sequences were excellent. While they were, at times, bloody (as you would expect war to be), they add another level of drama to a film rife with many other dramatic components.

I was never bored watching this film. While some films be long and tedious, this adaptation of the classic story was never dull. I highly recommend it.

Gilliam's "Imaginarium" Suffered Tradegy, and is Better For It

Terry Gilliam is known for being a co-founder of one of the most influential comedy teams in history. His Monty Python troop was, at the time of its inception, and is now the epitome of satiric wit and dry British humor. Of late, he's been known for his visually spectacular, if not odd, style of filmmaking. His latest film, "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus" is a story of morality, love and imagination.

Christopher Plummer stars in the title role. He is the leader of a traveling troop who offers people the option of stepping into the "Imaginarium", a world that is powered by his mind, and offers it's inhabitants two choices, absolute happiness, or certain doom. Dr. Parnassus is cursed with a dark secret. He claims to be over a thousand years old. Years ago, he made a deal with the devil, known as Mr. Nick, and he is now immortal. But there's a catch. He begs Mr. Nick to give him his youth, so he may father a child. Once the good doctor becomes a father, his child, upon his or her sixteenth birthday, becomes the property of Mr. Nick. The doctor's young daughter, Valentina (played excellently by the stunning Lily Cole) is nearing her sixteenth birthday, and the doctor, who has been dreading this decision for years, realizes that Mr. Nick cannot pass up a bet. He decides to bet the devil that whoever collects five souls will take Valentina and claim her as their own. Along their journey, with a midget named Percy (played by Verne "Mini-Me" Troyer) and Dr. Parnassus' assistant Anton, they discover Tony (played by the late Heath Ledger), who has had an attempt on his life by the Russian mob. Tony joins the traveling group, and falls in love with the beautiful Valentina. But in his jealousy, Anton vows to uncover Tony's past and win back Valentina.

Typically, Gilliam's films are not that appealing to me. As I began watching this film, I had the same feeling. But what makes this film different is the casting. As everybody may know, Heath Ledger met his untimely death while filming this movie, prompting Gilliam to fill his role. Ledger was absolutely a gifted actor who was well deserving of his posthumous Oscar win as the diabolical Joker in the latest Batman film. This film is set in the present day. During the parts of the film in the present day, the role of Tony is played by Ledger. As he enters the imaginarium, scenes which were filmed after Ledger's death, his role is filled by three equally gifted actors (in order of appearance), Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell. This added a whole other layer to an already multi layered and complex film. While it may have not been the filmmakers' original vision, it made it all the more interesting to see the transition between imagination and reality. Each actor played his respective role differently, yet effectively, despite being the same character. Depp plays Tony very lightly, with his signature brand of off-beat comedy. Law is slightly more diabolical, perhaps tapping into more of Tony's past. And Farrell represents Tony as he's falling in love with young Valentina. His performance is a combination of the two former, yet his own is heartfelt.

I highly enjoyed this film. Despite being marred by a tragic death of a incredibly gifted actor, the filmmakers and actors perservered and each turned in excellent performances. Gilliam is a great director with a unique vision. This film is not for the young kids. There are some disturbing images, but for the older kids, I highly recommend it.

"Good Night and Good Luck" is an Excellent Example of Story Telling and Acting

In the 1950s, there was a air of paranoia running rampant through America, caused by the people's fear of Communism. To make matters worse, Joseph McCarthy, a senator from Wisconsin rose to fame by perpetuating this fear. Upon his induction to the Senate in 1946, he introduced a list of 205 supposed Communist sympathizers, many of whom weren't actually part of the Communist party. The practice of "McCarthy-ism" is using personal threats as a type of character assassination, which is exactly what he did. Many of the people whom he claimed to be Communists were not, hence their personal and professional relationships were ruined.

At the same time as the famous McCarthy hearings, Edward R. Murrow, a broadcast journalist, and his producer, Fred Friendly made it their mission to exploit McCarthy and put a stop to his detrimental practice, whatever the cost was to their personal and professional reputations.

David Straithairn stars as Murrow, whose portrayal is excellent, well deserving of his Oscar nomination. George Clooney, who also directed and co-wrote, plays Friendly. The film also sports an excellent supporting cast, including, Tate Donovan, Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey Jr, and Frank Langella (who later was nominated for portraying another controversial political figure, President Richard Nixon).

Clooney is not only an excellent actor, he's an amazing director and filmmaker. The film is shot in black and white, very appropo for the era portrayed in the film. He often puts himself in small roles in his films, i.e., "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind." The best part of the film is Straithairn's portrayal of Murrow. His performance is such that, as you watch it, you believe that he is the legendary journalist. However, he doesn't have a large scale of emotion. In fact, he can be, at times, monotone. But it's not boring, as you would expect it to be. He doesn't have to be euphoric in one scene, then melancholy in the next. Straithairn has very expressive eyes, and they portray what he's feeling when his words may not. This role was certainly made for him, and he's mesmorizing in it.

I highly recommend this film for anybody who enjoys a historical drama, or anyone who just likes a great film.