The Amazing Spider-Man ***

Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Martin Sheen, Sally Field, Irrfan Khan
Director: Mark Webb
Running Length: 2:16
MPAA Classification: PG-13

It has been 10 years since the original Spider-Man, and only 5 years since the mis-step that was Spider-Man 3.  Apparently, that's all the time that is needed to start over.  And so, Mark Webb's The Amazing Spider-man has found its way to theaters.  This time, we get a re-told, and slightly different, origin story that promises to shed more light on Peter Parker's parents' disappearance from his life.  I suppose that this is more of an overall story for the recently announced parts 2 and 3 that will be making their way to us over the next few years.

This time around, Spider-Man (Garfield) is more of a smart ass, like he is in the comics.  His love interest is Gwen Stacy (Stone), and the bad guy is The Lizard (Ifans).  Garfield does a good job of bring ing a different version of Peter to the screen.  I wouldn't say better or worse, just different.  Emma Stone brings more personality to the love interest this time around.  Lastly, Rhys Ifans does the best he can with playing the Lizard. 

So, the good...the effects look great.  They have come a long way in five years, and Spidey swinging through the city never looked so good.  The Lizard looks as good as a giant man-lizard can look, and about as real as he could look too.  The chemistry between Garfield and Stone is believeable, and for the most part the supporting cast does a good job trying to not imitate their predacessors.

On the down side, its only been 5 years.  Why reboot?  Why do we need another origin story?  For me, switching actors and continuing the story or just jumping back in mid-stream without an origin story would have been a better way to go.  I can't quite put my finger on the specific reason, but the costume looks terrible this time around.  The Lizard is a weak villian.  He would be better used as a second villion in a two villian movie.

The biggest problem for me is that, with only 5 years having past, its hard to look at this movie without comparing directly to what has gone before.  Like I said previously, a non-reboot sequel would have been the better way to go.  That being said, now that they have established the new universe, I am looking forward to seeing where they go with it.

The Amazing Spider-Man is not the best of the Spider-Man movies.  That honor still falls on Spider-Man 2.  Its not the worst either, and a few years will give a little more distance for the sequel to have less comparisons with Sam Raimi's trilogy.  The franchise has a future, and I think it is promising.

Brave 3D ***

Cast (voices): Kelly MacDonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson Director: Brenda Chapman, Mark Andrews
Running Length: 1:35
MPAA Classification: PG


Princess Merida (MacDonald) is strong-willed and a bit of a tomboy.  When suitors are lined up by her monther, Queen Elinor (Thompson), Merida takes control of the situation by one-upping all of the contenders.  Elinor is quite displeased, and tries to lay down the law, but Merida seeks outside help and soon finds the situation out of control as her mother is turned into a bear.  To make matters worse, King Fergus (Connolly), who has some bad history with bears and is unaware of the transfermation, is on the hunt.

Brave is Pixar's first foray into the fantasy realm, and it is a bit of a misfire (for them).  It plays like a Disney princess movie, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but Pixar has always been better than this.  While the story has something to say about mothers and daughters, it is ultimately middle of the road for them.  I don't know what I wanted from Brave, but it definately was something more.  Visually, Brave is beautiful.  They have set the computer-generated animation bar a bit higher here, but that is to be expected.  The voice talent all do excellent jobs as well.

I think that ultimately this film will play well, but it is a bit of a step down from their recent efforts.  Like I said, a good movie in general, but slightly below par by Pixar standards.  Maybe I am just too picky when it comes to their movies, but I have come to expect a little more from them.  The short before the film, "La Luna" was cute, and about on par for the shorts they have placed before their features.

Lastly, I saw this in 3D, mostly to get in to an earlier show time.  Is 3D necessary for Brave?  Not really, but it doesn't take away from the film either, as it is done well.  Either a 2D or a 3D viewing should give about the same experience.

The Muppets ***1/2

Cast: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones, Jack Black, and the voices of Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz, Peter Linz
Director: James Bobin
Running Length: 1:37
MPAA Classification: PG

Walter (Linz) is a Muppet-like boy whose dream is to see the Muppet Studios.  Gary (Segel), his big brother, decides to bring him along on a California vacation that he had planned with his girlfriend, Mary (Adams).  While touring the run down Muppet Studios, Walter learns of a sinister plan by millionaire Tex Richman (Cooper) to tear down the studio and drill for oil.  They embark on a plan to thwart Richman's scheme and reunite the Muppets to save the studio.

This is a fun movie.  Of course, I have a soft spot in my heart for the Muppets.  I remember watching The Muppet Show as a child and loving it.  This movie is definitely able to tap into that nostalgia, and it will resonate with others who remember that great show.  There is something truly great about seeing the Muppets on screen again, and handled in such a reverant way.  Jason Segel is the driving force behind this movie, not just starring in and co-writing it, but pushing to get it made in the first place.  Segel and Adams are great as Gary and Mary, providing a likability and certain level of cheesiness that works perfectly.

I have seen this movie about five times now, and have found that it does not grow old with repeated viewings.  The songs are wonderful, from the new stuff to classics like "The Rainbow Connection".  When I initially saw it in the theater, everyone, from child to adult, enjoyed it.  Perhaps the adults even enjoyed it more than the kids.  The Muppets is like visiting with old friends again.  I highly recomment checking it out!

Garbage: Not Your Kind of People ***1/2

Shirley Manson, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker, and Butch Vig are back with their first album of new material since 2005's Bleed Like Me, and sound better than ever.  Their six year hiatus has left them recharged and reinvigerated, and Not Your Kind of People reflects that, and then some.

Rising to popularity in the mid-1990's, Garbage had a unique sound that was a combination of rock, dance, and electronica styles, to name a few.  They had a sound all their own, and 17 years later, there still is not a band around that sounds like them.

Not Your Kind of People comes in two versions, the standard version and the deluxe version.  The difference is four songs and a few bucks.  While the best songs can be found on both versions, the deluxe version is worth the extra few dollars.  The album, overall, is on par with anything they have done before.  Individually, some of the songs are among their best.

Full disclosure:  Garbage is one of my all time favorite bands.  Their songs never get old to me, and a new album is like a Christmas gift.  I sincerely hope it does not take another seven years to see a new CD by them.  Run out and by this ASAP!

Songs to check out..."Automatic Systematic Habit", "Big Bright World", "Blood For Poppies", and "Beloved Freak"

Check out their first video off the album, "Blood For Poppies".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OdTBCgqRt4&feature=colike

The Avengers ****

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg
Director: Joss Whedon
Running Length: 2:22
MPAA Classification: PG-13

After years of build up, The Avengers delivers what was hinted at a few years ago in the post credit scene of Iron Man.  Of course, since Iron Man, we were treated to Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger; all of which only served to build the excitement and expectations that The Avengers would be forced to deliver upon.

The good news is that The Avengers does deliver, and then some.  The story revolves around Iron Man (Downey), the Hulk (Ruffalo), Thor (Hemsworth), Captain America (Evans), Black Wido (Johansson), Hawkeye (Renner), and Nick Fury (Jackson) banding together to stop Loki (Hiddleston) and his alien army from taking over the world.  Honestly though, the joy is in just seeing all of these heroes together finally.  Director Joss Whedon has crafted a story that is action packed and at times very funny.  He was a great choice for director, as he clearly understands the characters and the Marvel Universe in general.

All of the heroes are given pretty much equal time, so fans of individual heroes won't feel cheated.  What is interesting is that Mark Ruffalo, despite being new to the Avengers movie world, somewhat steals the show, both as Bruce Banner and the Hulk.  The Avengers is the best Hulk movie yet, surpassing both Eric Bana and Edward Norton's efforts.

Marvel has done something pretty impressive here.  Their long range plan has totally paid off, leaving DC in the dust.  Next up is the second phase of their Avengers plan, which will include Iron Man 3, Thor 2, and Captain America 2, and will culminate in Avengers 2 in a few years.  I, for one, cannot wait.

Summer Movies (Part 1)

You gotta love the summer movie season.  It brings the biggest, most blockbuster movies to your local theater.  Summers are always pascked with "must see" movies, and 2012 is no exception.  Here's a quick look at some of the movies I'm looking forward to this summer...

The movie I was looking forward to the most has already come out.  That, of course, is The Avengers.  I will most likely go more into my thoughts on this movie in another post, but briefly, this was an incredible movie.  Definitely lived up to the hype, and definitely set the bar high for the rest of the summer blockbusters.

Prometheus is next up on my radar.  A paralell-ish prequel of sorts to the classic Alien, Prometheus reunites director Ridley Scott with that universe.  With each new preview I see, my excitement builds.  This one is going to be good, folks.

The Dark Knight Rises is another biggie on my list of must sees this summer.  I have been a fan of Christopher Nolan since Memento, and with each new film he never ceases to impress.  This will be the final film in his Batman trilogy, and yes, it is a very big deal.  The biggest test for this film will be to see if it can surpass The Avengers.

These are just a few of the movies that I am looking forward to this summer.  I will post my thoughts on them after I see them, and will post about more summer films that I am looking forward to in the near future.  What are you looking forward to?

Time to Begin Again?

In November 2003, I got the idea that I might try doing a blog.  Since I saw a lot of movies, a movie review blog seemed to make the most sense.  After all, I was seeing 1-2 movies in the theater every weekend.  It started out slow, but soon I found my groove and before I knew it, years had passed.  In June 2009, I stopped rather suddenly.  I wasn't seeing movies as much in the theater, and that is what I had limited my reviews to.  Also, it started to feel like a chore, and I didn't want that.

Now, almost three years later, I am contemplating starting up again.  Maybe not just movies seen in the theater, but possibly DVD reviews, TV reviews, and book reviews.  Why the interest in starting up again?  Well, after heavily diving into the Twitter world in the last six months or so, I have come across quite a few people who produce quality blogs.  They have kind of inspired me.

I don't know how this will go, so I am taking it day by day.  I can't promise to post on a regular basis, but if I'm enjoying it, I might surprise myself.  So, what do you think?  Just movies?  Or TV and/or books too?  Let me know what you think.  I have to do some site upgrades as well, but the content is most important.  Also, I would entertaing suggestions for a new blog name, especially if the scope of my little corner of the internet increases.

Vanity Fair **1/2

Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Romola Garai, James Purefoy, Rhys Ifans, Gabriel Byrne, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Bob Hoskins, Eileen Atkins, Jim Broadbent
Director: Mira Nair
Running Length: 2:20
MPAA Classification: PG-13

""Vanity Fair" is the story of Becky Sharp (Witherspoon), a social climber, who attempts to rise from poverty to the British high society. This is done through a marriage to Rawdon Crawley (Purefoy). And once his gambling problem threatens their status in society, Becky quickly seeks to maintain here newfound stature.

Based on the classic novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, "Vanity Fair" is definately not my type of movie. That being said, fans of period pieces and classic novels will probably be satidfied. I found it difficult to get into and even more difficult to care for any of the characters. Finally, at 160 minutes, this movie runs far too long. This is not a movie for everyone, but a small few will find it highly entertaining.

Jarhead ****

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Brian Geraghty, Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Dennis Haysbert
Director: Sam Mendes
Running Length: 2:05
MPAA Classification: R

"Jarhead" is the true story of Anthony Swafford (Gyllenhaal) from basic training through the Gulf War. Basic training is rough and reminiscent of the movie "Full Metal Jacket". Swafford emerges from the training as a sniper candidate, and becomes best friends with his spotter, Tony (Sarsgaard). Sergeant Siek (Foxx) is their commander, and sees them as the best snipers of the group. In 1990, Swafford's unit is sent to Iraq to participate in the Gulf War, but this war is not a war for snipers, and he soon finds himself ready to fight, but never allowed to.

The unit is trained and trained and trained to be their very best, but there is no outlet for all their training, and soon that begins to take its toll. They are soldiers who are unable to use the skills that they have, and sooner or later someone is going to snap.

Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent as the baby faced Swafford, and is a definite candidate for an Oscar nomination. Sarsgaard, who has been in a number of films this year, finally has found a role to really shine in. Finally, Foxx is perfect as a true Marine that loves being a Marine. "Jarhead" is an interesting war movie that really has little war in it. Its focus is on the people that are there to fight the war, and what happens when the highly trained men are not allowed to do what they have been trained for. This is the best war movie in recent years, and I highly recommend it.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ****

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Brendan Gleeson, Robbie Coltrane, Miranda Richardson, Ralph Fiennes, Timothy Spall, David Tennant
Director: Mike Newell
Running Length: 2:37
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Harry Potter (Radcliffe) is back for his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry, and it is not going to be an easy year. First off, it is announced that there will be the Tri-Wizard Tournament, in which the three participating schools have a champoin chosen for them from the Goblet of Fire. Those champions will compete against each other in a series of challenges. When the names are chosen, not only is each school represented, but the Goblet also chooses a fourth champion: Harry Potter.

Forced to compete in the tournament, Harry soon finds that the tournament is very dangerous, and perhaps someone entered him into it in the hopes that he would be injured or even killed. If that is not enough, Harry is having dreams of Voldemort (Fiennes). It seems that the dark lord may be making a comeback, and that does not bode well for anyone.

"Goblet" is arguably the best of the Harry Potter movies so far. Filled with action and a key plot point - the return of Voldemort, it does not disappoint. The kids have come into their own and it is difficult to imagine anyone else filling those roles. Fiennes is perfect as Voldemort, bringing a creepy evilness that is just right for you know who. Director Mike Newell has taken the longest of the Harry Potter books, streamlined it, and made an entertaining motion picture. Only one and a half years to wait for "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", and summer 2007 cannot come soon enough.