Big Screen Blurb: The Watch

There's nothing like a good neighborhood watch, right? What could be better than a diligent group of concerned citizens keeping an eagle's eye out for maniacal murderers and even alien invaders? Good question. The answer: The Watch, a movie about a group of maniacal neighborhood watchmen bonding while scoping out area evil, including some other-worldliness.

Welcome to Glenview, Ohio. It's a sleepy little villa that is so average it makes Peoria a bit jealous. That rep of normality is about to change. Don't tell Evan (Ben Stiller). Evan is a take-charge guy. He's started about every group in town: a walking club, a japanese club; just to name a pair. He's also the manager at a Costco, the scene of a Glenview anomaly: a murder! Of course, this is all kinds of upsetting to Evan, who takes great pride in the safe normality of his Glenview. So, Evan starts a neighborhood watch in order to catch the predator that not only killed his employee but, well...took his skin. Unfortunately, Evan's neighbors aren't quite as concerned, so his watch group draws only a cop reject (Franklin--Jonah Hill), and two fellas more interested in the social side of the group (Bob--Vince Vaughn and Jamarcus--Richard Ayoade). Soon, the guys realize that they are up against something more dangerous than local pranksters and even murderers. They realize that aliens are, indeed, among us. Not only that, but they're trying to overtake us. Yadayadayada...the guys try to take out the evil E.T.'s while trying to solve their own issues ranging from wild daughters to empty pistols. 

It's pretty good. I'll go with 3.5 Stars. It's a fun ride with a good mixture of comedy and raunchy. No, it's not a "laugh-a-minute, I'm gonna fall out of my stadium seat" venture, but it's funny. The characters are all likable. Each actor steps out his box a bit (with the possible exception of Stiller, whose character is probably kin to several others he's played), which is refreshing...especially for Vaughn who had fallen into the same type of role recently. Jonah is great as the wannabe, but rejected, cop. And, Ayoade, is the big screen sophomore, but played very nicely with a veteran group. Plus, there are plenty of twists and extra-terrestrial turns that will keep you engaged, as well as chuckling.  

Will you want to see it? That depends on you and how exactly conservatively prudish you are, because the uptight need not apply. Case in point: the couple in front of us. They should have probably skipped this one altogether. This older man and wife might have been expecting something more along the lines of Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum or the Focker franchise, which certainly had it's colorful moments, but nothing that spiked the raunch-o-meter like this one. Ben Stiller runs the gamut so you got to do your homework if you're not into the offbeat humor. I like it and if you do as well, you'll want to see this one. What the heck...go ahead and see it BIG. 

True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: The Dark Knight Rises

It's an epoch of Bat-proportions and one that I've been anticipating since Batman strung up the Joker in 2009. It's The Dark Knight Rises. Christopher Nolan has over-delivered in his first two flicks about Gotham's masked vigilante. Would this installment allow the Dark Knight to continue to rise? In a word, YES!

It's eight years following Harvey Dent's death at the hands of the Batman. Yeah...yeah...you and I know that Dent had gone dirty, but the rest of Gotham thinks he was a hero. To save face--well, at least the good side of Dent's face, Batman (Christian Bale) took the fall. This enabled Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) to continue Dent's work before he went bad. It worked. In the eight years since, the streets are clean. Meanwhile, Batman is nowhere to be found, nor is Bruce Wayne. The billionaire playboy has sunken into a recluse state, while Wayne Enterprises have as well. That's life in the days following the Joker's murder of Rachel. Bruce has seemingly lost his since of purpose and his get-up-and-go has, well, left. Enter Bane (Tom Hardy). Far from the Bane of Batman and Robin, where he was essentially a mindless brute, here Bane emerges as the militant general and strategist of the DC Comic series. Nice upgrade. Bane is an outcast of the League of Shadows, intent on Gotham's destruction as was his predecessor, Ra's Al Ghul (Liam Neeson).

Bane's appearance in Gotham puts Commissioner Gordon in the hospital and caught the eye of Bruce Wayne, prompting a reappearance of Batman.  This shakes up the Gotham authorities, with the exception of Mark Baker (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). He's got Bane on his radar, along with Gordon. All the while, Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) is doing whatever evils she can to clear her name. You get the picture...there's A LOT going on here. But wait there's more...and I'm not talking Ginsu Knives here. Bane takes over Gotham, debilitates the Caped Crusader....Yadayadayada...setting up one epoch battle between good and evil.

Whew...it was tiring just going through those events in summary. No worries, mate. It's all good and well worth the nearly three hours of nesting at the local Regal Cinemas nearest you! I'll go with 4.0 Stars. It's true. There are a few flat moments with this one, but there's a lot of story to tell in 164 minutes. Sure there are moments that seem over-developed and a few that are under-developed, but Nolan's storytelling record remains untarnished. Bottom line: It's good and well worth a watch if you liked the others, or my name isn't Matthew Scott Trueblood. (It IS btw)

The core cast delivers once again and the newcomers are, for the most part, outstanding. Bale, Caine and Oldman were great, as usual. I know that Bale gets a lot of criticism for his antics, which I have not really paid much attention to, but his Batman is second to none. By 'none', I mean NONE! No body has portrayed Batman with as much believability and humanity...with as much reality...as Christian Bale. You don't have to look long to see a cast of solid actors who have tried. Michael Keaton was sound. Val Kilmer and George Clooney...yes, great actors (especially the latter), but they couldn't pull it off; at least, not like Bale. Much of that, could be very much to Nolan's credit. His emphasis throughout was on creating story-lines that were real and very human. With Batman Begins, we learned the lesson of overcoming one's fear in tale that came across genuinely. In The Dark Knight, chaos was the theme and it was lived through a very realistic and genuinely human psychotic in the Joker (as opposed to the clownish Joker's of times past--this Joker was real and truly frightening). Finally, with The Dark Knight Rises, it's all about overcoming pain. The plot doesn't disappoint. It's all quite realistic, considering how fantastical it is at its core.

As for the newcomers, Hathaway, Hardy and Gordon-Levitt are great. Hathaway is a great Catwoman/Selina Kyle--she presents a character that you want trust, but know that you clearly should not, which was the goal. Hardy was a great Bane. Sure, some will complain about the voice, which was at times tough to understand. In those moments, you're left thinking, "Uh...excuse me, Darth, but what the hell are you doing in Gotham?!?" That aside, Hardy was tremendous--and honestly, I had a tough time believing that this is the same guy from This Means War. Meanwhile, Gordon-Levitt enters the scene as Baker, a gutsy cop turned detective who has figured out the Batman mystery among other things.

All in all, see this one and see it BIG. Yeah, there are some flat moments throughout a long movie, but it finishes incredibly strong and is well worth the long playing time. I'm just hopeful of another installment, which a little birdie tells me that I think we will definitely see.

True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: People Like Us

Want to see the best movie of the summer that no one is seeing? Check out People Like Us. No...I'm not referring to people like you and I. I'm talking about the latest flick from Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks entitled People Like Us.

Sam (Pine) is the son of a big time record producer. His dad was a tad bad in the paternal department. To say that Sam is bitter from poorish paternal care is a bit of an understatement. It's impacted just about every aspect of this only-child's life. He works as a fast-talking barter man, and that's not going well due to a big logistics boo-boo on his part. His relationship is rocky to say the least. Then, his dad dies. Sam tries like the dickens to avoid the funeral, to no avail. While back home, Sam learns that he's not quite an only-child after all. Meet Frankie (Banks). She's the product of a long-standing affair that Sam's dad had years ago. After Sam's Mom (Michelle Pfeiffer) put the brakes on the trist, Frankie was left papa-less...literally. This gives us two people left feeling jilted by a less than present father figure. Enter $150,000. This is the sum of cash that dear old dad left for Frankie's son, Josh (Michael Hall D'Addario). The dough was left in the care of Sam, who is instructed to take care of her. Of course, Sam needs the cash, so this presents quite the dilemma. No one knows about the inheritance but him and he's just now learning about Frankie and Josh. Hmm...intrigue takes over, however, and Sam gets to know sis and nephew. Yadayadayada Sam struggles with everything until it all hits the fan as the family  works toward becoming a family.

It's good. I'll go with 4.0 Stars. It's not slamming in the box office, but that's no shocker. It is, however, a slammin' good story. Of course, when I saw it, the theater was packed. This was likely due to strong sell-out overflow from Magic Mike and Ted's opening night smash. Make no mistake, this one is good. No, it won't do well in the box office because it is a love story that is not sexually charged. It's not a romance between Sam and Frankie--although it seems to potentially go in that direction from one of those participants. It is a love tale that relates father-son/daughter, brother-sister, uncle-nephew. Those are meaningful for certain, but lack the sexy sizzle of a sexual relationship that makes a box office spike. Actually, it's been out three weeks  and is already out of the top dozen in total dollars generated.

Since you're not getting a packed theater with this one, what do you get? With People Like Us you've got a well put together story that hones in on an interesting family with equally interesting characters. There's no doubting the cast. Pine has been solid in everything from Star Trek to Unstoppable and Michelle Pfeiffer (that's Puh-fifer...the 'P' is not silent...okay it is, just kidding) is a long time legend. Good actors combine with an intriguing plot to pull off a sleeper. It's genuine and portrayed in a real way. Yeah, there's humor, but it's not quite laugh-a-minute stuff. It is a drama that ties in a lot of great points--subtle and in-your-face, all worth a watch.


If any of that sparks you, see it BIG. This is definitely one to see, if only as a rental. 


True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: Savages

It's basically the story of Romeo and Juliet...and Romeo...kinda. Just replace the feuding Capulets and Montagues with warring drug cartels and swap out some well-mannered sword-fighting with some decapitations and other bodily dismemberment. Okay...so it's not really much like Romeo and Juliet after all...well, kinda, but you'll see what I mean. What it is, is a good story that even the Nolan's of the movie universe can respect with the violence that would get a nod of approval from the Tarantino's. 

Meet Chon (Taylor Kitsch). He's recently returned from military duty in the Middle East and it shows. Actually, Chon takes PTSD to new heights. He has a very explosive violent side. Next, meet Ben (Aaron Johnson). He's a complex guy. Calm. Gentle. Intelligent. Ben keeps Chon's wild violent side in check. So, does O--she's his girlfriend.(Blake Lively) 

"Who's girlfriend? Chon's or Ben's?" You ask.

"Yes."

"Uhh???" You respond. Yes, is again the answer. So, before this turns into a "Who's on First?" skit, you should understand that O has formed a mutually accepted love triangle with Ben and Chon and everyone is quite happy thank you very much. Well, everyone with the possible exception of a very angrily greedy Mexican drug cartel. Of course, this has nothing to do with the unique relationship of Ben, Chon and O. Actually, it has everything to do with the fact that Ben and Chon are refusing to merge their pot business with that of the competition. Ohh...did I forget to mention that Ben and Chon have one of the most successful drug rings in Southern Cali??? 

At any rate, their refusal to join forces with their Mexican neighbors, prompts the latter to strike them in their crotches. That's right. They kidnap O, holding her for ransom. They'll get her back, if the merger is accepted with the terms revised somewhat. Yadayadayada Chon pulls out all the stops in Operation: Rescue O, while Ben adopts to his new violent side to bring back his love.

It's good. I'll go with 4.0 Stars on this one. Keep in mind, I'm not someone who has the remotest appreciation for violence and baby...there is blood, guts and dangling flesh-a-plenty in this one. Even so, there is such a strong plot in this movie and such interesting characters, I'm able to look past (actually, close my eyes) to all of the rolling heads. Of course, you would not expect a flick entitled Savages to be filled with more picnic baskets than pistols. With that in mind, I was quite prepared for a high level of violence which was certainly key to the plot. 

There are a lot of elements that make this story interesting. First, the interesting relationship among the three main characters. With that unique triad, of course there's a natural homoerotic undertone that is present and suggested, yet unexplored. Second, the two cartels are diametrically opposed. One is focused on good product within an eco-friendly and humanitarian mindset. This is all thanks to Ben's botanical genius. On the other side of the ledger, you've got the standard fare violent approach presented by the Mexican cartel. Within both are fascinating characters. The Mexican cartel is a family business and old school from top to bottom. Savage brutality reigns and that is evident within all characters. 

With Savages you've got a winning combination of a great plot with interesting characters played very well by solid acting performances. For example, I've been a big Aaron Johnson fan for awhile and he didn't disappoint in this one. This is a talented guy with solid range. He can believably play a wannabe but nerdy super hero in one flick (Kick-Ass) and then play a super-cool, gentle genius here, with a well-played portrayal of John Lennon in Nowhere Boy in between. In Savages, his character grows in ways that he doesn't want to--we experience that reluctance with Ben in very real ways. There's authenticity here and that's really just the tip of the iceberg with this one.

Yeah--the ending will tick some people off. No spoiler alert needed...I won't reveal specifics, but it really didn't bother me. It didn't detract from my experience, so I had no problem rolling with it. You should too. This is a flick that is high on sex, drugs and violence, so if those are things you can't really deal with for a 131 minutes, skip it. But if you can hang through that, you are in for a entertaining movie that you really need to see BIG!

True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: Ted

For me, it was Bright Pink...don't laugh. Bright Pink was my stuffed animal toy. He was the best security blanket and friend that a boy could have between the ages of three and uh...well, let's not go there. Bright Pink stands about a foot long. He's chubby and his bright pink, slightly furry coat has dulled a little over time. While I don't remember a specific moment wherein I dreamed of little Bright Pink coming to life, I'm sure I did and I'm confident that you had similar experiences. It's a rite of passage of sorts, right? So is Ted.

Ted is teddy bear and sole best friend of seven year old John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg). Not being the most popular kid on his Boston block has left lil John wishing that his teddy bear would come to life. As luck would have it, his wish meets a shooting star that carries his dream to reality. Viola...Ted comes to life and quickly emerges as a pop culture sensation. Unfortunately, as the movie so promptly points out, whether you are one of the New Kids on the Block, Justin Bieber or a talking teddy bear, eventually the novelty wears off and nobody gives a F%$k! True. This has left John and Ted to grow into a fairly normal life. John works for a rental car company and Ted remains focused on his own purpose, which is being the best darn BFF to John he can be! Actually, that's his only focus, so Ted thinks nothing of persuading John to stay home from work to smoke pot, or skip out on his girlfriend's big work party in order to meet their long-time hero Sam Jones. While Ted is certainly nailing the best friend role, his constant friendship has lured John into a trap that has prevented him from growing up. So, his girlfriend of four years, Laurie (Mila Kunis), decides to put her foot down. Yadayadayada...John and Laurie party ways with Ted...or try to...on their way of realizing exactly what they mean to each other.

This one wasn't really on my radar during the waves of trailers and pub that I saw, but Ted was good. Very good! I'll go with 4.0 Stars for lil Ted. This is one of those flicks that provide equal opportunity insulting--it will find a way to offend everyone, if you care enough to let it. It's a fantastical story, sure; but it's told in a very tongue-in-cheek way that truly entertains. 

The characters are all likeable, which helps you build that much-needed connection. Mark Wahlberg's third entry into the comedy genre proves quite successful. Actually, The Other Guys was his first effort in a starring role in a comedy and the star best known for action/adventure/drama has proven surprisingly funny. Some tough guys can't pull off funny. The Other Guys seemed to be an exception, because he played a serious NYPD cop, who just happened to have shot Derek Jeter (not good, unless you're living in Boston). At any rate, he's funny here. Mila was born funny, so no worries there. Even Ted is likeable in spite of himself. Yeah, sometimes you want to slap him, but that's kind of the point that is supposed to open the door for all of that funny. 

Then again, that's Seth MacFarlane, the mastermind behind this flick. You know him from Family Guy and American Dad, those animated series that are anything but family-friendly cartoons. His irreverent humor was definitely the draw for this flick, prompting a packed Sunday night crowd comprised mainly of college students (although a family of five with three kids under ten seemed mightily misplaced for this one) on its way to an opening weekend win last week. 

If you're a card carrying member of the Religious Right, you might want to skip this one completely. Actually, you'll probably pass out watching a teddy bear puff on a bong or make out with three hookers.  For those of us who see the hilarity in such insane events, see it and see it BIG. You'll laugh...you might even cry and you'll definitely dig out your version of Bright Pink and make a wish or two.

True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: The Amazing Spider-Man

With spidey-like reflexes and bounce-back ability, Spider-Man is back. Again. Less than ten years since the Tobey Maguire series commenced, and five years since it ended, the story is revived during this, the summer of the superhero. Honestly, when I first saw the trailers last year, I was not remotely ready for another run at the web. However, as July 3rd neared, I was more than ready for another spin. Actually, I was concerned that with the unsurpassed success of The Avengers and with The Dark Knight Rises nearing, The Amazing Spider-Man might fall a tad short in fan interest. Wrong. With a realism permeating the story that echoes Christopher Nolan's Batman series, director Marc Webb's version of Spider-Man is undoubtedly the best yet.

Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is a sharp kid. There's little doubt of that. He's a science whiz from a genius gene pool. After all, Pa Parker was a bio-chemical brighty with Oscorp before his unfortunate, but mysterious plane accident. That tragedy left little Peter in the care of Uncle Ben (who makes a mean rice, btw) and Aunt May (Martin Sheen and Sallie Field). Peter is a bit aloof...okay, he's whack, but Peter is also ballsy. He's not afraid to stand up to high school bullies and, after being bitten by a bio-engineered spider, Peter is not hesitant to form an alter ego that simultaneously stands up to New York's worst and finest. That alter ego is: Spider-Man. The ole spider bite has left Peter with a special condition that sees him scaling walls, while possessing amazing reflexes and strength. Spider-Man quickly emerges with a mission. He seeks to avenge the death of his beloved uncle. Meanwhile, he's growing close to his father's old science partner, who are both trying to figure out their conditions. Dr. Connor (Rhys Ifans) lost a limb and he's trying to breakdown reptilian DNA to grow his arm back. The experiment goes awry and turns him into a very large and angry lizard that Spidey must stop. Meanwhile, the father of Peter's love, Gwenn (Emma Stone) is the police chief who is trying to stop Spider-Man. Yadayadayada  Spider-Man battles himself, Dr. Connor and the NYPD in a near epic ride of fun, action, romance and humor.

It's very good. I'll go with 4.0 Stars. The bungling Batman series from late 80's and 90's that suffered from a lack of realism, rebounded with Nolan's humanistic storytelling ability. After all, we've bought into Nolan's vigilante dressed like a bat, right? Marc Webb surely took note. Yes, we are dealing with a man wearing red and blue rubbery latex with the ability to crawl walls, yet the tale is presented in a way that the audience can truly buy into as a reality. That means we can better connect with the characters and enjoy the ride. It is, after all, quite the ride. Special effects are not subtly stamped in the ole mind as CG and come across as believable. Plus, everything is updated and that certainly adds to the enjoyment. The story flows well, with a lull here and there, but nothing that will bore you.

The acting only adds to that enjoyment. Garfield's recipe for Peter Parker/Spider-Man one a heaping helping of aloofness...and equal amount of ballsy guts and a smidgeon of flakiness. It was a portrayal that was tad over-the-top at brief intervals, but was overall, outstanding. Emma Stone? She was just as amazing as Spider-Man. Of course, she would be, she's my Emma! Martin Sheen was also outstanding. It's certainly good to see him on the scene. He also had a good role in Seeking Friends for the End of the World. Finally, was Rhys Ifan and Denis Leary. Both actors were outstanding, adding credibility to the bad guy and authority roles respectively.

The Amazing Spider-Man does much to balance a full plate, while presenting a detailed story that unfolds excellently from start to finish. All in all, it's a fun two-hour plus ride that ended with applause from a packed theater. That is exactly where you need to see this one. Go BIG screen all the way and enjoy another superhero success story from the summer of 2012.

True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

What would you do? The world is ending. There are no norms and few rules. You've got a few weeks left and time to kill before time kills you. What is the first thing that you need to be doing? Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. Just ask Dodge.

After all, life can get a bit rough without social norms or basic rules. When
the TV news traffic girl delivers a report like, "Traffic? Looks like we're F%#$-ed, Bob...back to you.", you know you're in for a bumpy ride. Dodge (Steve Carell) tries to maintain a semblance of normalcy. It's not easy considering that his wife just sprinted away upon hearing the news of a meteor's impending collision with our fare planet. However, Dodge has continued going to work, where he serves as an insurance agent. Considering that most of his fellow employees have fled, work is pretty quiet. Of course, Dodge is not overly career-minded of late. He, along with a handful remaining employees pass up a potential promotion at a recent staff meeting..."Anyone want to be CFO? Anyone? No? Big pay raise. No???" At any rate, with his career not a high priority, Dodge explores life's meaning. Unfortunately, he's coming up a bit empty. Not that he's completely alone mind you. He's got a dog that someone tied to him and there's also his ever-so-flighty neighbor, Penny (Keira Knightley). Together they begin a quest. Dodge is off to find his long lost love from high school and Penny wants to make her way home to spend the remaining time with her family. Yadayadayada...both Dodge and Penny explore life's meaning through the only thing that really seems to matter in this life. When all of the fluff is removed, life is really about relationships.

It's pretty good. I'll go with 3.5 Stars on this one. The first thing you have to realize is this: think Steve Carell as in Dan in Real Life or Little Miss Sunshine and not Steve Carell as in 40-year old Virgin or The Office. Don't get me wrong; there is some very funny stuff here. However, this is a little darker of a character and certainly a darker situation than a 40-year old trying to pop the ole cherry or an office manager leading a band of characters through his own insecurities. This is the end of time.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World also poses a few thought-provoking ideas. First, what is truly important in this thing called life? Is it work? Ultimately, no. Is it relationships? Well, yes and no. Dodge's wife bailed on him the moment she heard the news of the earth's impending doom. It's really about meaningful relationships and spending those precious few last hours and days with people that we've truly connected with over the years.

Second, how would you respond?  We see plenty of different reactions. You've got your "Party hard until it's over" group. You've got the "There are no rules, now; so, do anything or anyone you want or can!" You've got your introspective lethargic group. Then, there's the dangerous and violent crowd. Just to name a few. Where would you fit in? Once you wade through the expected responses...yeah, Pat Robertson would blame the gay people and others would find a way to blame Obama...but, once those expected responses filter through, how would you react? 


With that in mind, there is a lot of good stuff here. It's a good story that plays nicely and is well-acted. Don't expect a laugh-a-minute ride and you'll be fine. Do expect to laugh a little...think a little and enjoy a hundred minutes of Steve Carell stepping a bit outside of his comedic box. The guy has some range, afterall, right???


At any rate, see this one--at least rent it, if your BIG screen card is full with adventures and comedies that slap you in the face this summer. 


True...OUT!


P.S. It's true. I'm way behind. Expect to see some reviews soon for Spiderman, People Like Us, Ted, and Savages.