Big Screen Blurb: Act of Valor

Act of Valor. It's a movie that will make you proud to be an American, while simultaneously make you sad to be human. We see the good, the bad and the ugly that humanity has to offer. Act of Valor stars the real deal--active duty Navy Seals and provides a two-hour action-packed ride with a solid story and plenty to think about.

Christo (Alex Veadoff) is a bad man. Oh sure, he's a loving father and great family guy, but he's kinda like those American Family Association groups--he doesn't care who he destroys as long as his way of life is preserved. So, he blows up a school (and a bunch a kids) to take out an enemy...he's responsible for one CIA agent's death while kidnapping and torturing another after the USA takes an interest in his work...and he's working with a terrorist cell that seeks to bring destruction to 16 US cities--all in less than a week. Pretty impressive by 'bad guy' standards. Enter the Navy Seals. There's 'Blackbeard'--the captain; and his right hand guy, the Lieutenant. They strike against Christo's stronghold to rescue CIA Agent Morales. Next, they target Christo and discover the plot to bring down Seattle, LA, Las Vegas and more. Finally, they go after the terrorist cell in an effort to save the day and millions of lives. Yadayadayada precision attacks reign on those bent on evil and senseless destruction as good dukes it out with evil in an all too realistic inside peek at the dangerous lives of the Frogmen.

It's good. Very good, in fact. I'll go with 4.0 Stars. Make no mistake about it--this one is 90 percent action developed within a great story. If you want strong character development, look elsewhere. We're talking about a cast comprised of many active duty Navy Seals. Don't get me wrong, as long as they were talking about operative components, these Seals turned Hollywood were dead on. Put them in a character development dialogue and they were dead in the water. We're talking painful to watch. Not a problem, however, because directors Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh surely picked up on their actor's strengths and weaknesses early. Rather than creating a semblance of character development through interaction and dialogue, we bond with the characters through their situations and overall plight. As mentioned previously, it's all action rolled up in a great plot.

Usually, this lack of CDev would be a major criticism of mine. However, under the circumstances (using actal Navy Seals), it works. In fact, it's a novelty that effectively combines Hollywood glamour with Reality TV, providing for a thoroughly entertaining experience. Yeah sure, this kinda blows the theory of the great Anthony Hopkins, who said the way to be a great actor was to take roles that are very much in-sync with who you are in real-life. That's probably true in most situations, but doesn't translate here. But again, who cares...the story more than holds its own and the action is more than just 'explosions for the sake of explosion'. It's meaningful stuff that creates a lasting impression.

No doubt. See Act of Valor and see it BIG! No--don't expect Oscar-esque performances, just sit back and enjoy the battle of good versus evil in a realistic setting.

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Big Screen Blurb: This Means War

"Bro's before Ho's". Guys have been saying it forever, and the gals have used some version of it. Live the saying and friendships remain in-tact. Ditch it and, well...you get movies like This Means War. It's a romantic-comedy-action piece that attempts to bring a little bit of everything to everyone. Mission accomplished.

Meet Lauren (Reese Witherspoon). She's a market researcher and bonafide hottie. Of course, one would never know this judging from her date card, which is apparently quite empty. But, as the saying goes, when it rains, it pours. Enter Tuck (Tom Hardy). He's a CIA operative, who also is really struggling with the dating scene. So, he turns to our friend the Internet. Unbenownest to Lauren, her friend Trish (Chelsea Handler) has created a profile for her. This simply means that Tuck and Lauren connect and are on their way to ecstatic bliss...but wait, there's more. Enter FDR (Chris Pine). He, too, is a CIA operative. Actually, he and Tuck are joined at the holster as literal blood brothers. That is, until FDR runs into Lauren. The two don't exactly connect. FDR is a player. Lauren has a little more substance. Players, however, are persistent and little by little, FDR slowly wins over our heroine. This sets up a battle of the two bro's over the ho'. Of course, in the midst of this love triangle, you've got a very bad man seeking revenge on the dirty rats that killed his brother. Yadayadayada...Tuck and FDR use all means of espionage at their disposal to interrupt each other's love lives as the oblivious Lauren struggles to narrow her her love nest to one.

It's pretty entertaining. I'll go with 3.5 Stars. It is what it is--so, don't go into this one ready to over-think it and you'll probably enjoy it. This Means War is, at times, laugh out loud funny. Plus, as mentioned previously, it's a flick that tries to be a bit of everything to everyone. With that in mind, you've got plenty of action for the testosterone charged fellas and romance for the 'ooohhh...ahhh' ladies. Keep in mind, it was released on Valentine's Day with a clear combo of cupid and crashes. And don't forget Lauren's friend Trish (Chelsea Handler), who provides a ton of comedic relief every step of the way.

With all of the accolades, I did have a few issues. Yeah sure, there are some missed opportunities comedically speaking--mainly because you've got 'action' actors trying to pull off the funny, which is a challenge these two didn't quite completely rise too. More than that, however, I had problems with some production value issues. One moment really stands out, including an obvious green screen shot in a scene in which you just don't typically see a green screen--a shot where Tuck is dropping off his son, which was obviously a fake.

All in all, it's a fun movie. See it BIG or rent it--kinda up to your mood and what you're looking for, as there is a lot of options out there. If you're itching for that romantic-action-comedy...This Means War will not disappoint.

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Big Screen Blurb: Safe House

There's an old Chinese proverb that goes something like this: "Be careful that you get what you ask for." Matt Weston, one of the main characters in the Safe House, was obviously not familiar with that saying.

Matt (Ryan Reynolds) is a housekeeper. No, he doesn't show up at work with a plunger and Lysol in tow. Rather, Matt is employed by the CIA to maintain a safe house in Johannesburg, South Africa. Unfortunately, his job satisfaction is low. Apparently, he's longing for more than sitting around for days on end hoping for the phone to ring. He wants to be a full-fledged agent and is more than a tad eager to prove his worth to the agency. Let's just say that ole Matt gets his chance when Tobin Frost (Denzell Washington) shows up. Frost is a rogue former agent. He's been wanted by his former employer for quite some time. It seems that Frost has plenty of poo-poo on his country and that he's been more than willing to sell it to the highest bidder. In fact, it's his most recent deal--a list of agents and operatives--that has prompted Frost to knock on the door of the American Consulate in South Africa, essentially turning himself in to the USA. This, of course, beat the alternative of being served up on a platter by a group that is hunting him down relentlessly in hopes of getting that list. 

Things are so hot that the safe house turns out to be anything but. It gets raided by this group, who is eager to take out anyone and everyone on their way to putting the heat on Frost. Yadayadayada Matt escapes with Tobin in tow, as he makes an attempt to get the fugitive in his charge back to the CIA.

It's good...very good. I'll go with 4.0 Stars on this one. I'm never one for an action for the sake of action film. Explosions...fights and chase scenes really don't get me going...unless, that is, it's part of a great story. That's what you get with Safe House. It's a great plot that effectively pulls you into the plight of the characters--and not just Matt. Yes, it's Matt that you're really pulling for here, but you also develop an intimate respect for Frost, his plight and the results that his decisions have yielded. 

In a word: Intense. It's a storyline that you find yourself easily vested in due to great writing (David Guggenhiem) and tremendous acting...come on, Denzell Washington and Ryan Reynolds? It can't get much better than that, right? 

I don't really have any complaints about Safe House. Usually, with these kind of action-packed dramas, you run into a few of those Hollywood-esque moments of "Hey...what about 'X'...that can't happen because of 'Y'...etc. Sure, you might experience a couple of those moments here. However, my rule(s) of thumb are: 1) As long as it's nothing over-the-top when it comes to affecting the plot; and, 2) As long as there are no more than three of those 'moments'...than, it's acceptable. Safe House more than meets those criteria. 

Bottom line: If you gravitate toward movies with a provoking plot...plenty of suspense and action...with great acting; well, then you got to see Safe House and see it BIG! It looks like it's won the Box Office in it's second week, after finishing second last week in it's opener. My advice would be to join the masses and see this one soon!

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Big Screen Blurb: The Woman in Black

The Woman in Black. This flick brings new meaning to the phrase "no child left behind". Admittedly, I never really had a good grasp on what the old meaning entailed, but this movie is far more entertainingly successful anyway.

Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) is a young attorney. Arthur is also in a lot of emotional pain from the loss of his wife, who died giving birth to the young couples only son, four years prior. Arthur has never really recovered and it's showing in his work. Therefore, the personal pressure mounts as he's sent from London to the boonies to put the affairs in order of the departed Drablow family. He quickly learns that the Drablow's have a dark past, of which the dreaded Woman in Black is an unfortunate part. She's a local legend who is terrorizing these small town folks to the tune of killing a local kid everytime someone spots her. Arthur's appearance means trouble for the town polks, as the legend originated at the Drablow homestead. Yadayadayada Arthur stirs up plenty of WiB sightings on his way to trying to solve the mystery that will either save the town's future or cost him his own.

It's good. Very good, actually. I'll give it a solid 4.0 Stars, which is high praise indeed considering that I have been looking for quite some time for a flick to freak-my-freak! The Woman in Black provides a sound and interesting storyline that is well-told and well-acted. This one is along the lines of Sixth Sense and The Others  in the sense that its 'freak' really comes from a well-thought out plot.

The plot makes it or breaks it with me in this genre, which explains why my freak has remained neatly in tact for quite sometime. I don't give a damn about 'blood and guts' scary movies, where the climax is a murderous chase scene rather than the unveiling of a masterminded plot. No, I want a scary movie to work my mind a little bit and this one comes through. Sure, you've got plenty of moments that make you jump a bit...those have never really worked on me, but admittedly I might have left my right sock in the second to last row at The Pinnacle's 13th screen last night. But--I know many 'jumpy' moments had a pretty packed theatre on the edge of their seats. And, I'm not just talking about the chatty middle school girls behind us, mind you...no, the lady four seats to my left crept up on the edge of her seat at the thirty minute mark and stayed their for the film's final sixty minutes.

In short, no complaints about this movie whatsoever...unless, that is, you don't go see this intense and suspenseful flick and see it BIG! Then, the Woman in Black might just call on you.

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Big Screen Blurb: Chronicle

Kids today! Can't trust 'em with the responsibility of a cell phone without sexting like crazy and you can't trust 'em with the responsibility of telekinetic powers either. At least that's one of the lessons learned in Chronicle, the film directorial debut of one Josh Trank. Two words for you, Josh: Good Flick!

Meet Andrew (Dane Dehaan). He's kind of a nerd wearing a "Pick on me, please" sign which even the illiterate bullies are able to pick up on. His most immediate trouble seems to be caused by the fact that he's carrying a bulky camera around to document his sadly pathetic life, but I suspect he wasn't exactly the class cool-guy prior to that decision. Plus, Andrew has all kinds of issues at home, ranging from a sick mom to an abusive dad. Next we have Matt (Alex Russell). Matt fashions himself as an intellectual, but falls a few Dewey Decimals to the south of cerebral. Actually, he's Andrew's cousin, and is trying to help his cuz garner a few cool points around the hallowed halls of their Seattle high school. Finally, there's Steve (Michael Jordan). Now, this kid seems to have it all going for him--after all, he's played by Michael Jordan, right? Well, it's a different MJ, but Steve is soon to be class president, who has his way with the ladies and is an all-around popular guy. The three are brought together at a barn party, where they discover something inexplicable. We have no idea what it is, but it's other-worldly for certain and leaves a lasting effect on the three fellas. Actually, they find themselves with the ability to move objects with their minds; the uncanny knack for flying; and the inscrutable power to fart in a shoebox--okay, I made that last one up, but these guys suddenly are given a new, exciting and powerful gift.

It doesn't take long for their new found abilities to create some problems, both within their own tight triad and in their other relationships as well. This sore spot is most prominently spotted in Andrew. The picked-on now has the ability to be the picker. Yadayadayada...the three guys are forced to confront their darker sides and each other in dealing with their new found gift/curse.

It's good...very good, in my humble opinion. I'll go with 4.0 Stars here. When you've seen a parade of re-makes and sequels emerge from H-Wood (I mean, come on...does anyone really think we need a Three Stooges movie!??!) of late, a unique tale is a welcome sight. Evidently so, as this one was greeted with thundering applause as the credits rolled in a packed theatre last night--a tribute to it's uniqueness and 4.0 Star score.

There is a strong human component to this story, which really makes it work. The crux of the story has nothing to do with the other-worldly way in which these guys got their powers. Actually, it's never mentioned again and no one really seems to care at all. Remember, these are high schoolers, so all that really matters is what is right in front of them. That's where the story plays out. We see their lighter side and we experience their darker side, which was as inevitable as the pop of a little balloon being filled with way too much water. In both cases, you get a sloppy mess.

You've got some relatively fresh faces here and they each did a sound job of pulling off a good story. Actually, my only complaint is the ole 'hand-held camera point-of-view'. Enough already! I'm over it! If you're going to take that tact...fine...but will someone--and this would've certainly worked here--decide to use a mini-spy cam as part of the story and plug it into their hat or something. I mean, come on...it's just too freakin' unrealistic to expect all of these events to be caught on a hand held cam. Or, they could at least use a cell instead of a bulky camcorder. Sure, the cam hand is steadier now, so I don't need a Dramamine to get through the flick, but there is nothing wrong with the standard approach to filming a movie. Get back to it, please!

At any rate, go see this one and see it BIG! It's unique and well-put together. Yeah...okay, I admit that it caught me by overflow as we were set to see The Woman in Black, which was unfortunately sold out. However, Chronicle was more than worth a watch. It was 80 minutes of gooood stuff.

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Big Screen Blurb: Man on a Ledge

Take a man. Put the man on the ledge of a New York high-rise. Add in a host of New Yorkers yelling, "Jump!" Throw in some of NYC's finest and not-so-finest, which are there to give the guy a helping hand...or in some cases, a nudge, and you've got the making of a pretty suspenseful tale with a nicely unique storyline.

It's Man on a Ledge. Meet Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington). He's a blue Avatar from the planet...wait...sorry...got confused for sec. The Debt is the only thing I've seen him in since Avatar and I've missed him. Do over...So, here's Nick. He's a cop that we presume has been wrongly accused of stealing a $40 million diamond from one mean son-of-a-bee-otch and real estate giant, David Englander (Ed Harris). With that in mind, Nick's lil bro, Joey (Jamie Bell) and his bride-to-be Angie (Genesis Rodriquez) are on the scene to help make it right.  The problem being, Nick has plenty of folks trying to make sure he stays wrong and behind bars. Yadayadayada Nick escapes from the slammer to concoct a scheme that sees him walk on the wild side, check that--a walk on a ledge, while Joey and Ang try to find said diamond to prove Nick's innocence.

It's good. I'll go with 3.5 Stars on this one. The story is refreshingly unique and goes well beyond the ole 'locked up innocent guy fighting for true justice and freedom'. It's Phone Booth meets The Fugitive and told in a way that keeps its audience dialed in throughout each of its 102 minutes. You're really thrown into the story and asked to catch up and keep up, which you'll have no trouble doing--as long as you're sober when  you nestle your tale in your stadium seat of choice.

Acting? Hmm...Performances are sound all around. No drop at all on the ole Sam Fan-o-meter for me, and Jamie is solid as well; and, of course Ed Harris does bad all kinds of justice.

My only real complaint with Man on a Ledge is a few implausible developments as the plot comes to its crescendo. I was just a little disappointed in a few of the final elements when the rubber was meeting the road. Plus, a few things could have been developed a little differently, which would have made the movie's end result a little more possible. Sure, the Joey-Angie dynamic was supposed to provide a little sexually charged comedic relief--it came up short. That's alright. The film didn't need it.

There's plenty of good stuff out right now. If you're looking for a well-told story with a helping of suspense and a side order of intensity, go BIG on this one.

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