kmc-4 Reviews

Man on a Ledge (2012)

Not fabulous but better than I expected

[4 January 2012]

I had seen one preview for this film, and it didn't appeal to me at all. Even the title seemed completely unimaginative, like it was a shortened elevator pitch. However, I had a chance to see it as a sneak preview, and I thought, "Well, you can't go terribly wrong with Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie, and Ed Harris, and I haven't seen Ed Burns in anything for awhile. Besides, it's free. What the heck?"

Well, the movie was, on occasion, kind of ridiculous, and it had a typically predictable ending. Also, Sam Worthington couldn't maintain his American accent; whenever he started yelling, he sounded very Australian. Still, the movie has more strengths than weaknesses, and I even had a couple of gasps and then relieved relaxes. Certainly not the best action movie I've seen, but far from the worst either. It's a decent popcorn flick, a good option if you want a movie that isn't completely mindless but doesn't make your brain hurt either.

Dinner for Schmucks (2010)

Not destined to be a classic but still pretty funny!

[28 July 2010]

I saw this movie at a sneak preview of "Dinner for Schmucks" last night. I really didn't know what to expect, having only seen the posters for it and none of the previews. It looked like "Dumb and Dumber" with Steve Carell's unflattering haircut, or it could be another crude frat pack-style film. Thankfully for an art house film snob like myself, neither was the case.

The basic plot is that Tim (Paul Rudd) wants to get promoted at his company, Fender Financial. He's shown insight and incentive, but there's one more thing that he has to do to get in good with the corporate bigwigs. He has to attend a "Dinner for Winners," where each exec brings along an "idiot" who will unknowingly serve as amusement for the other smugly successful. Just then, socially inept IRS employee Barry (Steve Carell) enters Tim's life. You'll have to see the movie to find out what happens from there. ;)

Paul Rudd is well-cast as this comedy's straight man, but of course, Steve Carell steals the show as Tim's "idiot" friend. His expressions, impeccable timing, and sincerity about his character make this movie an almost perfect vehicle for him. The supporting cast is also strong, with memorable turns from Ron Livingston cast against type as Tim's slick-haired workplace rival Caldwell, Zach Galifianakis as Barry's boss Therman, and especially "Flight of the Concords" star Jemaine Clement as a Russell Brand-channeling artist named Kieran for whom Tim's girlfriend Julie (Stephanie Szostak) curates shows.

Granted, "Dinner for Schmucks" will never be considered a comedy classic. It's not "Arsenic and Old Lace," "The Graduate," or even "Little Miss Sunshine." The plot is predictable, as are many other mainstream scripts, and it probably won't even be among the year's top 20 moneymakers with all of the 3D animation dominating the theaters as of late. Still, it features humor that is about as original as Hollywood comedy gets these days, and it has only a fraction of the crudeness we've been seeing in other frat pack-style films. It is an effective diversion that most adults would probably enjoy, and it provides more than a few genuine laughs.

If you're headed to the multiplex any time soon, "Dinner for Schmucks" is definitely worth your time and money.

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

Surprisingly - and Satisfyingly - Funny!

[25 February 2010]

When I first heard about this movie, I didn't think it was something I would pay to see in the theater. It just looked took much like a frat pack flick for my personal taste. However, I had a chance to see a free sneak preview of it and was more than pleasantly surprised.

"Hot Tub Time Machine" is the story of three longtime friends - Adam (John Cusack), Lou (Rob Corddry), and Nick (Craig Robinson) - and Adam's 20-something nephew, Jacob (Clark Duke), who revisit the ski resort playland of the three older guys' young adulthood. With the help of a hot tub outside of their room and a little movie magic, the four are transported back to Winterfest '86, an event that Adam, Lou, and Nick attended at the resort back in the day. They believe they have to do the exact same things they did during that fateful weekend 24 years before to have a chance at getting back to 2010. Some things obviously change, even when the characters are trying to keep them the same. These make for some hilarious story arcs for the three older guys and more than a few awkward moments for young Jacob.

I think most adults will find this movie funny, but it was made especially for Gen-Xers and others who remember the '80s well. If you are a fan of movies such as "Back to the Future," (one of my personal favorites) "Better Off Dead," "Red Dawn," or "Sixteen Candles," you will get a kick out of the homage that this movie pays to those films. And it's a must-see for John Cusack fans, who produced this movie and obviously has a sense of humor about the early roles that made him a star.

Granted, "Hot Tub Time Machine" isn't perfect. There are a few obvious errors about people's ages and about the state of pop culture in the mid-80s (at least as I remember it). There's also some gratuitous drug use and female nudity. But these are minor criticisms about an otherwise very funny film that almost anyone between the ages of 30 and 50 is bound to appreciate.

The Others (2001)

A relative bore ...

[11 August 2001]

THIS DOES CONTAIN A SPOILER ...

I just came from seeing "The Others," and frankly, I thought the film was relatively boring. Even though it's advertised as a thriller, the plot never truly grabbed me as an audience member. I didn't hold my breath in anticipation of what would happen to the characters in the next scene because the plot never nurtured an emotional bond between me and any of them. Also, the film never made me suspend my sense of disbelief; I felt like I was watching Nicole Kidman run through a big, dark house after failing to take a few doses of Prozac and using a set of hot rollers. I must say the young actors who played Anne and Nicholas were pretty good, but their performances alone couldn't redeem this film. In the end, all I kept thinking was that this story was better told in "The Sixth Sense."