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Monday, April 13, 2009
I’m back with a bevy of reviews. What have you seen?
What does a film critic do when he goes on vacation?
Watches more movies, of course. Or at least this one does, since I stayed close to home most of last week.
In theaters
I Love You, Man: It’s never too difficult to guess where this comedy is going, but there are lots of laughs in this story of a groom searching for his best man, thanks mostly to funny performances by Jason Segel and especially Paul Rudd, who would get a Golden Globe comedy nomination in a just world. GRADE: B+
Observe and Report: Reviews have been all over the map for this divisive film, with some calling it an inspired piece of comedy, and others calling it simply an offensive POS. I take more of a middle ground stance. Seth Rogen has one of his best roles as a mall security guard suffering delusions of grandeur, and I admire the movie’s willingness to go out on a limb for a laugh. At the same time, I’m not sure the movie always knows whether it’s rooting for or against its lead character. The ending in particular, is a cop-out, pun slightly intended. Still, it’s funny enough to recommend it - but maybe I feel that way because I saw it immediately after the film below. GRADE: B
Paul Blart: Mall Cop: This made $143 million? Wow. Some people are easy. To give the movie its due, it’s much better than its asinine ads, mainly because it’s pretty well impossible to root against an actor as appealing as Kevin James. He makes the title character very likable, which helps up to a point, but I didn’t laugh much because I could see nine out of 10 gags coming a mile away. I just can’t get into most movies made by Adam Sandler’s company, Happy Madison, AKA Films by and for People Who are Perpetually 12 Years Old. GRADE: C
Check the jump for the DVDs I watched.
Gun Grazy: Absolutely terrific film noir with energetic, striking direction - sort of a prototype to Bonnie and Clyde. I first heard about this film when Martin Scorsese included it in his Personal Journey through American Movies documentary. The man can pick ‘em. Gripping throughout. GRADE: A
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939): Features exciting old Hollywood filmmaking, with some great performances, but is a little uneven in characterization. Call me a heretic, but on balance, I think the Disney version is a bit more successful. GRADE: B+
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978): Surprisingly effective remake that holds up very well with some strong scares and good performances. Threatens to slide into cheesy exploitation at times, but that’s part of the fun. Not as good as the 50s original, of course, but it whips the Abel Ferrara remake. GRADE: B+
I was a Male War Bride: An underrated entry from Howard Hawks. Great banter between Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan. Loses a bit of momentum in the second half when it focuses more on the “male bride” dilemma and less on the couple, but still, I laughed a lot. GRADE: A-
Serpico: Outstanding police procedural that fully deserves its reputation, with a great performance from Al Pacino and great direction by Sidney Lumet; the pair went on to make the classic Dog Day Afternoon. GRADE: A
You Can’t Take It With You: Not QUITE top tier Frank Capra, but it misses by very little - affecting and ultimately irresistible, with especially appealing performances by a cast including James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore and a very young Ann Miller. It does play better on stage, however, as evidenced by my high school’s production my senior year. GRADE: A-
So that’s what I saw. What do you think? And what have you seen lately?
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