Movie Review: "The Big Wedding"

A multifaceted film sprinkled with an all-star cast should expect to thrill any audience with Academy Award winners across the board. However and sadly, Writer and Director Justin Zackham’s seemingly obvious and at most optimistic attempt of pulling off such virtuosity fails miserably and allows itself to be tossed in the Pacific waters as shark food. The clichéd plotline could be mistaken to be stolen straight out of a Judd Apatow romantic comedy (see: disappointment; #majorfail) as it centers a too often and overly portrayed heterosexual couple’s relationship just days before their over-the-top and perfect wedding day. Alejandro (Ben Barnes, The Chronicles of Narnia) and Missy (Amanda Seyfried, Mamma Mia!) are about to be wed meanwhile surrounded by their chaotic to a fault relatives and all their mishaps and dark skies that follow them—for which steers the film in many directions far away from the wedding itself. Alejandro, adopted at a young age to the then married lovers Ellie (Diane Keaton, Something’s Gotta Give) and Don (Robert De Niro, Meet the Parents) has to convince his [Alejandro's] biological mother and sister visiting from his home country that everything in his adopted family is hunky dory, all the while Ellie and Don having to pretend they’re still married under one roof while Don’s mistress Bebe (Susan Sarandon, Thelma & Louise) touts her role as solely the wedding caterer.

(c) 2013 | Two Ton Films and Millennium Films

Siblings are reunited from different career avenues featuring the sister Lyla, (Katherine Heigl, Grey’s Anatomy) a newly pregnant attorney facing the possibility of a failed marriage and brother Jared, (Topher Grace,That 70’s Show) a twenty-nine year old doctor who happens to still be a virgin. The cast also egregiously features Father Moinighan (Robin Williams, Mrs. Doubtfire), the Catholic priest who consecrates the young couple’s marriage.

(c) 2013 | Two Ton Films and Millennium Films

While fairly humorous, the film only mildly stands on its own two feet with a cast more than able to carry out the story in an entertaining fashion. I couldn’t help but to raise my eyebrow a handful of times while the screenwriting takes a very liberal stab at organized religion, often scoffing at Catholic moralities and indelicate gestures towards common world issues. I suggest waiting for this movie to come out to rent or be purchased just for shits and giggles— since it will probably just gather dust among the rest of your collection either digitally or on DVD, as it is a great one-timer movie that could be enjoyed once, maybe twice and that’s about it.

Efficacious acting and a few knee slappers allow this film a rating of 2 out of 5 stars—and because I love Chinese Pugs. Keep this film out of reach from children and the easily offended.

Movie Review: "The Call"

Life for an emergency dispatcher certainly doesn’t allow for a dull day and Jordan Turner (Halle Berry, X-Men, Perfect Stranger) knows this to be quite the truth. Screenwriter Richard D'Ovidio brings a real-life scenario to cinema and believably hits the nail on the head in this suspense/thriller. Jordan undergoes the stress and trauma of one particularly difficult call where a man breaks into a young woman’s residence and kills her while the phone is still connected to 911. It affects Jordan’s abilities in the months that pass by rather too quickly [though for the sake of keeping a film of this caliber on track it was necessary]. With a fresh approach at her job, Jordan is in the middle of training a group of new dispatchers while another critical call comes through and she is faced with the duties and challenges of her old position on the call floor. 

(c) 2013 | Troika Pictures and WWE Studios

Immediately engaged in the situation, she assists teenager Casey (Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine, My Sister’s Keeper) who has just been abducted from a mall parking garage and stuck in the trunk of his [the kidnapper] car. The problem? Casey’s call originates from a prepaid cellphone that does not have any sort of global tracking systems intact. Taking alternative approaches, minutes lead into hours

and with a majority of the city’s police force in search, Jordan and Casey utilize the resources they are limited to in order to escape from her abductor. Jordan and the police collaborate and uncover many leads, though the several hours having passed with multiple victims tragically involved, the suspense continues through the night as law enforcement come to no resolve after hitting many dead corners. The call comes to a disconnect after a brief conversation with the man responsible for Casey’s disappearance. He then reveals a disturbing clue that Jordan recognizes as the same man who killed the young lady several months prior which caused her so much mental anguish. Jordan decides that she’d piece together the clues and take justice in her own hands to save Casey and to see that her captor pays for all he’s done.

(c) 2013 | Troika Pictures and WWE Studios

The movie influences viewers to pay attention to every detail with their soda and snacks close by but I couldn’t help but trim the five nails on my left hand down to their flesh as I sat in anticipation of what would happen next—all the while questioning the validity of certain aspects of the film. I did find it inconsistent to a fault when a day-to-day emergency dispatcher [without any formal protection or useful skills] hit the street to hunt down a psychopath. Another facet I questioned was how a partially charged cell phone could keep a stable connection throughout most of the film [which spanned over several hours] and only then showed a low battery at the time it was manually disconnected by the crook. However, a well laid out film like this is still enjoyable and yet should stand up to a highly deserving accolade.

I give The Call 3 out of 5 stars for its delivery of an intense thought engaging plot that lacks just a couple minor uniformities with the reality driven scenarios in which it conveyed.

Movie Review: "Oz: The Great and Powerful"

Director Sam Raimi brings this fanatical adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard Of Oz to screens everywhere in an eager attempt to win over movie lovers. Oscar Diggs (James Franco, Pineapple Express, 127 Hours) is just an ordinary traveling magician who aims to shock and amaze his audience with a sleeve full of plain and mediocre magic tricks. When he is whisked off in a hot-air balloon to The Land of Oz, Oscar’s worldviews change and he finds himself in a slew of predicaments, one being that the people of Oz foresaw his falling from the meek skies and believe that he is the great wizard they’ve long awaited. But there are three witches Theodora (Mila Kunis, Black Swan), Evanora (Rachel Weisz, Constantine) and Glinda (Michelle Williams, Dawson’s Creek) who all seem less persuaded that he is indeed the great and powerful icon they’ve been expecting. Troubling as this might be for Oscar who is never displeased with being the center of attention, he finds himself surrounded by gold and fortune—which is all but his until he completes one heavy task. Before he can claim his throne, he must seek which of the witches are good and which one is as truly wicked as he’s so heard about. Set out on a journey to find and destroy the Wicked Witch, Oscar is accompanied by his newfound pals the comical flying bell-hop monkey Finley (Voiced by Zach Braff, Scrubs) and the scanty china girl (Voiced by Joey King, Crazy Stupid Love) who both come to his aide along the way. It is for then that Oscar must utilize his craft for it is all he has to convince the people of Oz that he is right for the task and that he’s in fact the great and powerful wizard they see him as.

(c) 2013 | Walt Disney Pictures and Roth Films

It was a clever idea to provide such an in depth backstory of Oz himself, which is helpful to anyone willing to view the first original classic one more time. The film also admirably follows the same platform in which its predecessor had by starting the first portion in black and white then transitioning into the stunning color—all the while drawing in the wonder and excitement that the land of Oz brings with vibrant displays of pixel perfect clarity. With a variety of fresh elements, Oz: The Great and Powerful combines fantasy with steampunk, a basis in which the movie seems hopeful to provide will appeal to every audience. This film is intended for all ages, however some of the humor might go unnoticed by younger viewers. It has a steady plot and directs its audience right through to the very enthusiastic end.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars for its incredible visual effects and auspicious screenwriting.

Movie Review: "Olympus Has Fallen"

When I first saw the movie trailer for this film, I immediately thought of all the other films it would try to imitate. I passed it off to be a cliché political/war shoot ‘em up movie with no real storyline worth watching. But within the first ten minutes of sitting in the theater, I was pleasantly surprised and quickly took heed of the movie’s dynamics. The film follows former Presidential Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler, Playing For Keeps, P.S. I Love You) in his efforts to rescue US President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart, No Reservations, Meet Bill) from a hostage situation in the White House bunker where staff and cabinet members are being held for ransom in exchange for clearance codes to the NORAD launch mainframes. Meanwhile, Speaker of the House Martin Trumbull (Morgan Freeman, The Bucket List, Million Dollar Baby) is sworn in as acting President and with his Pentagon officials, together they must place all their trust and hope in the hands of Banning who is all they’ve got on the inside of the White House to reign in justice. The terrorists demand Speaker Trumbull and the US to recall the Seventh fleet from Japan shores and give them just twelve hours to do as such or they’re going to let America go up in flames. And they waste no resources to eliminate anyone that steps in their way.

(c) 2013 | Millennium Films, Nu Image Films
and West Coast Film Partners

The suspense builds up in the audience as each minute progresses, during each twist and turn with the fear of what or who is just around the next corner, making the audience wonder if Banning will overcome each issue that’s thrown his way in time to save The United States and its leaders from destruction. Though a political thriller, the movie does not go without a load of laughs via Gerard Butler’s witty and snarky edge. This is a movie full of special effects and medal worthy stunts that are action packed and will keep you on the edge of your seat as the film reaches its climax, leaving your jaws dropped to the ground in absolute shock. Beyond the overt violent tone, Olympus Has Fallen will go down in the history of cinema as an emphatic thrill ride, with an adrenaline rush equivalent to that of drinking a Red Bull.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars for the nonstop suspense, wonderful acting and its overall aesthetics.

Movie Review: "The Story of Luke"

This film is as true-to-life for an adult with Asperger’s syndrome as a movie can get, where Lou Taylor Pucci (The Answer Man, Brotherhood) stars as Luke, a 25 year old man with Autism. Luke used to live heavily supervised by his two grandparents since he was a young boy after his mother abandoned him and left him on their doorstep. When his grandmother falls ill and dies, he is left to be looked after by his Uncle Paul (Cary Elwes, The Princess Bride) and their family after the early on antagonistic Aunt Cindy (Kristin Bauer van Straten, True Blood) throws his grandfather in a nursing home. At the suggestion of his persistently testy grandfather, he is to “get his shit together like everyone else” so he can grow up and be a man with a paying job that will allow him to find a girl and screw—precisely in that direct order. But there’s a problem with Luke finding a job as he has no skills except his cooking where his grandmother taught him how to prepare twenty-three dinner entrée’s plus breakfasts and no desserts yet. This lands him as an unpaid trainee for a local technical company filing mail and pushing a coffee cart. There, he meets his witted and seemingly abusive supervisor Zack (Seth Green, Without a Paddle, Family Guy) who turns out to be the only one in the building to understand Luke on a non-neurotypical level throughout the movie. After it’s all been said and done, having Luke around in his new household only brings his relatives closer to one another including his used-to-be spiteful Aunt and he learns a thing or two about a normal human existence which is something anyone with Autism has issues grasping tightly to.

(c) 2012 | DViant Films, Fluid Film and Shadowbox/Mediaplex

Throughout the movie, one can expect to be wowed by excellent acting from the cast which no doubt was meticulously selected for each role. Prepare to learn a fair amount about Autism while watching the film, as it does touch very close to the life of an Autistic individual but peppers in some overt characteristics which at certain times throughout the movie were a bit overly-dramatic. The movie has a moving plot and writer Alonso Mayo implements a moving story line that can be followed only if you pay close attention to what is going on. It is a movie that does lack a fair amount of substance, but yet is eager to follow every viewer through to the very abrupt ending. Whilst The Story of Luke is relatable to individuals and families affected by Autism, it can certainly be easy for viewers not affected to still appreciate the film at surface value.

Overall I give this film a welcomed 3 out of 5 stars, and feel that everyone should watch it at least once.