ThatGirlOnTV

Naturally, the month of love will feature the movies that make us cry, laugh, wish for a significant other, or gag. But February has been kind to those cynics and anti-Valentines’ Day enthusiasts by also offering a slew of death, destruction and action movies each weekend. February doubles as the shortest and seemingly longest month of the year, and to get through it painlessly, fill the four weekends with these movies:

Opening on February 5th, the first weekend of love… if Dear John isn’t the most appropriate, I don’t know what is. Starring Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum in this movie adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks favorite. But if young love isn’t for you, go see another type- From Paris, With Love, starring John Travolta and Johnathan Rhys Meyers. It really has nothing to with love, so you’ll appreciate the high-speed chases and blown up cars.

Next is the weekend of romance, February 12th, so what better love story to see than Wolfman. Starring Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro and Emily Blunt, this dark and twisted story is sure to make your Valentines’ Day a happy one. Or, you could go see Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, a family friendly fighting adventure filled with monsters and Greek Mythology. Starring Logan Lerman and Brandon T. Jackson, with Pierce Brosnan and Uma Thurman.

Okay fine. Also opening on the weekend of the 12th is the very appropriate Valentines’ Day. With an all-star cast including Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Anne Hathaway, Jamie Foxx, Julia Roberts, Emma Roberts, Bradley Cooper, Topher Grace, Jennifer Garner, George Lopez, Patrick Dempsey, Queen Latifah, Taylor Swift, and Taylor Lautner (and more)…why wouldn’t you want to see this love story?

When all the heart-shaped chocolates have been eaten and all the roses wilted away, the weekend of February 19th kicks off with the highly anticipated Martin Scorsese asylum thriller, Shutter Island, starring Scorsese’s favorite actor- Leonardo DiCaprio.  Also opening to select theaters, a lingering romantic comedy for all the young and single gals, The Good Guy, starring Alexis Bledel.

And to close out the month of love, the weekend of February 26th gives us lots of action with Cop Out, a po-po adventure starring Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan and Seann William Scott. Also opening- The Crazies. A horror flick about what happens to people when a virus contaminates a town’s water supply.

See everyone, the movie industry cares about your feelings. They know that Valentines’ Day is haunting and taunting, and so they gave us plenty of violence, anger and craziness to counteract.

From TGOTV With Love,

C.A.M.

Also worth watching on TV early this month- Oscar Nominees Announcements- February 2nd and Superbowl XLIV- February 7th!

The moral of the story is simple: When in Rome… don’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you, while drunk wearing nice dresses and standing in a famous fountain.

That, basically sums up this movie, from director Mark Steven Johnson (Daredevil, Elektra). 

Beth (Kristen Bell) is a workaholic, New York art curator who is time and again unlucky in love. To make matters worse, her younger sister announces she’s getting married to an Italian man she met about two minutes ago, and so Beth must fly to Italy for the wedding. There, she meets the groom’s handsome best man. The magic of the Roman Fountain of Love springs to work when Beth, in all her drunken stupor, climbs in and takes five coins from the water in attempts to see if the magic will bring love to her.  What she gets- a slew of oddball suitors smitten with love by the spell of the fountain. What she wants- Nick (Josh Duhamel), the handsome best man whose interest in her might also be because she picked up his coin. 

Our leading lady Kristen Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) is bubbly and cute in this off beat romantic comedy, as the working girl without love, learning to let her hair down. The performance is not particularly memorable for Bell, partially because the writing is mediocre, and partially because Bell is no different than characters we’ve seen her portray in the past (i.e- Sarah Marshall).  At first we’re led to believe that Kristen Bell will roll her sleeves up and get knee deep into comedic material, but she isn’t the funny one in this movie, and that’s left to the men. 

Josh Duhamel (Transformers, Win A Date With Tad Hamilton) gives the best performance of the entire cast, as the serious and comical Nick. His tall and handsome frame gives him the charm of  a leading man, and he brings more chemistry and is more engaging than his counterpart in scenes with Bell’s character. Taking a break from the action genre, Duhamel goes back to the romantic roots in this movie, proving his versatility, and ability to stand out even with a script that does nothing for him.

And boy, did this script do nothing. The funnies aren’t funny, the one-liners are hand-to-head cheesy, the romance isn’t as concentrated, the randomness is overwhelming, and overall the characters aren’t established enough to make this movie a good one. In competition with other romantic comedies, this one falls short because of the lack of character and story development. With mediocre and short performances from big names such as Anjelica Huston,  Danny DeVito, Will Arnett and John Heder (complete with a random nod to Napoleon Dynamite), we would have hoped more would come out of this Valentines’ Day catch.

If “All is fair in love and Rome”, as the tag-line suggests, then in all fairness… this movie should have been better. 

Rating: 2/5

Life as a barren desert in a post-apocalyptic time is presented as desolate and hopeless, only springing to life as people kill each other for the bare necessities. The Hughes Brothers illustrate a witty and twisted pro-literacy, anti-gluttonous message in The Book of Eli.

A lone walker named Eli (Denzel Washington) seems to have the tools for survival in a world with almost no civilization, as he travels from east to west. Protecting the last Bible on earth from bands of rogue hijackers, Eli has promised to stop at nothing to keep the book from all other hands. When he comes across a make-shift town in search of water, he’s greeted by the town’s only literate and booksmart leader (Gary Oldman), a greedy man who won’t rest until he finds the book that he wants- a Bible. In that same town he meets Solara (Mila Kunis), a young woman whose intrigue about the book takes her along with Eli on their journey west. 

The Hughes Brothers (Menace II Society, Dead Presidents) tackle their most dynamic film to date, presenting the post-apocalyptic society without much scenery, with the imagery painted in an outstretched and symbolically never ending way. The movie is done in tasteful minimalist fashion unseen before from not only the brothers themselves, but also unseen in most other films out right now. 

Denzel Washington (Remember the Titans, Training Day) is a delight to watch, mainly because he manages to get completely lost in his characters. The portrayal of Eli is full of emotional depth, though still minimal in dialogue. Denzel Washington is honestly one of the few actors that can pull of one-liner cliche sayings like “walk by faith, not by sight” in a movie, without compromising the credibility of the actor, writers, or the film itself. A true veteran in the action realm, Washington also does nicely with the sci-fi tag. 

Mila Kunis (Family Guy, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) is growing into a notable and worthy screen actress, right in front of the camera. First with small roles in comedies, and now with the heavy sci-fi material. Though well known for her television comedy work, Kunis does very well with the gritty and serious role that is Solara, one that will mark the beginning of a successful venture into the action/sci-fi genres. 

Gary Oldman (Harry Potter, The Dark Knight) also impressively treads on new ground as the slimy antagonistic character. As Carnegie- a man driven only by his selfish want to coerce power out of studying the Bible- he is convincingly despicable. His performance, along with the cameos by friends Michael Gambon and Tom Waits among others, makes this film a casting success. 

The beginning moves very slowly, as the opening scene takes entirely too long, but once the story gets going The Book of Eli is enjoyable. The journey of a man of secrets led by faith, mixed with the doomsday message of our gluttonous nature, come together nicely with the subtle reminder of the power of words in this religiously charged adventure. 

Rating: 3.9/5

Conceptualize a world with the reverse eco-friendly message, where humans are the ones in danger of being diminished by nature…except in this case, nature = vampires. The Spierig Brothers present the future (year 2017) where vampires rule the world, and the human blood supply is as scarce as oil, in Daybreakers.

The lack of blood presents the vampires with only about a month’s worth to sustain the entire population. Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) is a hematologist vampire whose job is to find a suitable blood substitute, working for a company that farms humans for blood, led by an oily, money driven vampire tyrant named Charles Bromley (Sam Neill). While the search for a perfect substitute continues, researchers are finding that the deprivation of blood is causing the vampires to turn into mutants. The creatures are mindless, rabid and deformed, and will do anything to feed- including eating each other.

Edward, who battles internally with his fear of losing humanity all together, meets a group of humans led by a fiesty woman (Claudia Karvan) and an eccentric braveheart known as “Elvis” (Willem Dafoe) who introduce him to a way out of the looming vampire doomsday.

Ethan Hawke (Training Day, Brooklyn’s Finest) is fittingly the best part of this movie, effectively portraying the lead role as an emotionally plagued man/vampire. His performance carries the movie, choc-full of a cast of forgettable performances, surprisingly, including that of Willem Dafoe’s (Spiderman, The Aviator, Inside Man).

Daybreakers has the potential to be an extremely good addition to the vampire genre, but it falls short, introducing but not following through with several concepts. The plot with the mutant vampires is lost to scientific exploration, though previews for this movie suggest they are the main focus. There is a lot of initial explaining that drags out the first hour of the movie, and instead of action you get a ton of blood and gore.

Blood and gore, however, save the film from being a total failure. The Spierig Brothers (Undead), though fairly new to the sci-fi/horror genre, do well with the technical aspects, and the writing and directing combination that make up this film.

Daybreakers is a film that scratches the surface in being a sci-fi thrilling experience, but doesn’t bite deep enough to have a lasting effect on the undead genre.

Rating: 3.0/5

Director and writer Terry Gilliam dives deep into the vast Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, limitless, absurd, symbolic and unyielding- in the visual creation marking the final bow for actor Heath Ledger.

A spiritual storyteller named Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) once made a deal with the devil (Tom Waits), that tricks him into a lifetime of debt. Instead of becoming the immortal storyteller Parnassus was bargaining for, he’s granted immortality into a world where nobody cares anymore for stories. He becomes a poor old drunkard, no different from any other beggar on the streets of London. With his daughter as the devil’s request, Parnassus’ only freedom from the bet is to play a game of soul-catching, beating the devil at collecting inherently good souls.

In order to do that, Parnassus and his daughter Valentina (Lily Cole), travel around London putting on a circus act, luring people into the world of mirrors that take them into the imagination, letting them choose their fates. In doing so, they rescue a man named Tony (first Heath Ledger, then Johnny Depp, Jude Law & Colin Ferrell) whose deceptive nature just might be the lucky card Parnassus was looking for.

Gilliam (Monty Python) invites everyone to release inhibitions about the unknown imagination in this colorful, jubilant universe created in the mind of Dr. Parnassus. With such deep meaning behind each word, and although an inferred tribute to the late Heath Ledger, Gilliam’s writing is brilliant.

Heath Ledger’s performance as the charming but mysterious Tony is solid, believable, and a prime example of the versatility of Ledger as an actor in both leading and supporting roles. The continuation of the character by Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean, Edward Scissorhands), Jude Law (Cold Mountain, The Holiday) and an extremely impressive Colin Farrell (Minority Report, In Bruges) all are well done- saving what would have been a waste to throw away the unfinished incredible movie.

Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music, A Beautiful Mind), one of the most respected and talented actors in all of Hollywood, gives a stellar performance as the troubled Dr. Parnassus- emotionally pained, downtrodden, and hopeless. Plummer appropriately floats in and out of wisdom and intoxication, a parallel seemingly meaningless until audiences are able to shape meaning out of Gilliam’s make-shift theatre of the absurd.

Tom Waits is a scene-stealing and brilliantly conniving devil, Vern Troyer adds comedy and slight (but appropriate) annoyance, and newcomers Lily Cole and Andrew Garfield round out the great cast in this grim fairytale.

Although the ever-present reminder of Ledger’s tragic death haunts the film (especially in his particularly disturbing entrance), it is lighthearted, witty, and charming in its attempted humor. There’s a slight drag in the beginning of the film, but once audiences step into the Imaginarium, it’s as though the fabulous fantasy becomes the reality, and the realm of reality seems fleeting and sudden upon return.

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus should not be slighted for what could have been. It is an enjoyable experience for all, and a well-done send-off performance for actor Heath Ledger.

Rating: 4.1/5

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories have been adapted to screen and stage several times over the years, with the signature Deerstalker hat and pipe smoking charm that we all know about, complete with mystery, mischief and mayhem. But the streets of London come alive once again for the detective, this time with the Guy Ritchie signature, and the Downey Jr. name to go with it in today’s Sherlock Holmes. 

When legendary duo Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his assistant Dr. Watson (Jude Law) find out that the sorcerous murderer Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) has escaped from his grave, they’re back on the case to stop his plan of domination with the dark arts. While Holmes is left to use Blackwood’s deceitful clues to solve the mystery, he also has to deal with Watson’s coming marriage to Mary Morstan (Kelly Reily), meaning Watson’s departure from the crime-solving life they lead. Meanwhile, Holmes finds himself still smitten by the deviously alluring Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), the only woman who has been able to outsmart him. 

Guy Ritchie’s (RocknRolla) adaptation of the classic Doyle character presents a new Holmes- one who is charming and handsome, though still brilliantly quick on his feet and perceptive, and only lacking in his socially awkward behavior. The action packed film allows for a versatile Holmes, giving the character a depressed and pensive demeanor when alone, but funny and seemingly invincible wit when in motion and with Watson. Ritchie fashions the dark and solemn London as contrast against the fast-paced action scenes, making the film flow well, and keeping audiences engaged throughout the experience. 

There is no better Holmes than Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man, Tropic Thunder) His spot-on performance of the british detective only adds more to the book character, making Holmes a desired superhero-like figure, as opposed to the older conservative Holmes we know of. Downey Jr. commits to his role, and stays convincingly undisturbed by the looming threat of death throughout the entire film. 

The change in Dr. Watson, though not an especially groundbreaking performance by Jude Law (I Heart Huckabees, Cold Mountain, The Holiday) , suits Law in a way that hasn’t been seen before by the character. Instead of the “elementary” Watson, we see a man that is just as quick, just as smart, and just as vocal as Holmes himself. Law makes his presence known, as he and Downey Jr. share the spousal screen arguements that compliment their relationship as friends and crime fighting partners. 

Though Adler isn’t initially a principal role, Rachel McAdams (The Notebook, Mean Girls, The Time Traveler’s Wife) does well- beautiful, swift, and deadly when tried. Perhaps the practice McAdams got as the bitchy character from Mean Girls is channeled again, proving she can be just as sticky as she is sweet. A terribly convincing and intimidating performance from Mark Strong (Body of Lies) as the dark Lord Blackwood also follows suit. 

The main downfall of Sherlock Holmes is one that won’t be agreed upon by everybody. The British dialect might be hard to decipher, as sometimes the characters are speaking very quickly. The story is easy to follow, though details are complicated, but they are generally hard to miss if paying close attention. Also, the story of Sherlock Holmes is introduced, but not explained, so slight backgrounding might be necessary for those unfamiliar.

Otherwise, Guy Ritchie’s adaptation of Sherlock Holmes is a hit, and well done reflection of Ritchie’s tough guy movie attitude.

Rating: 4.3/5

Welcome to 2010! This year, may your resolutions actually be kept, and your moviegoing be fruitful (whatever “fruitful” actually entails). To kick off the new year, January will be choc-full of awards, show season premieres and returns, more American Idol, and thankfully, a bunch of new movies to take us away from American Idol. 

Starting this upcoming weekend, January 8th gives way to the highly anticipated continuation of all things vampire- Daybreakers. This time, everyone is a vampire, and the human blood supply is running low. Also on the 8th, Amy Adams and Matthew Goode star in the romantic comedy Leap Year, while Tim Allen and Ray Liotta come out with Crazy on the Outside. Michael Cera’s Youth In Revolt comes to the screen after getting pushed back from October, and Sanaa Lathan is a Senegalese beauty for Matthew Broderick’s down and out character in Wonderful World, opening in limited NY/LA theatres, to finish up a full first weekend.

The following weekend of January 15th introduces the Hughes Brothers’ Book of Eli, starring Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman and Mila Kunis. James McAvoy, Paul Giamatti and Christopher Plummer lead a powerhouse cast in The Last Station, opening to limited audiences, while lighthearted family fun flick The Spy Next Door stars Jackie Chan. 

Then, amidst all the awards chatter, check out the creepy angels in Legion, starring Dennis Quaid and Tyrese Gibson, opening on January 22nd, or go see the complete opposite- The Tooth Fairy, starring Dwayne Johnson.  Also opening to limited audiences this weekend is Extraordinary Measures, starring Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser. 

Finally, we leave the first month of 2010 with the January 29th anticipated Mel Gibson return in Edge of Darkness, the high energy thriller about secrets, family and politics gone wrong. But if you’d prefer love gone wrong, check out Kristin Bell’s romantic comedy When In Rome to take us into the February mushy stuff. Finally, fans of Twilight’s Jackson Rathborne (Jasper) can see his new thriller Dread, opening to select theatres. 

Cheers to January and the new year, new movies, and all the new chances to rate the hits and misses! 

C.A.M.