In theaters. Rated R, 102 minutes. Trailer.
Hangover 2 is a profoundly boring, uninteresting and unfunny follow-up to the the insta-classic original (reviewed here, B+ then, A- now). Sequels are always struggle to replicate the magic of the original, but this is almost like Writer/Director Todd Phillips was trying to make a bad film, or just got very lazy. The plot is exactly the same as the first film, but set in Thailand/Bangkok for Stu's (Ed Helms) wedding. After going to great lengths to avoid getting drugged again, the usual trio (Alan, Stu, Phil) wake up in squalor in a seedy Bangkok hotel with a very familiar "spider nest". Click below for more on H2:
This time they have lost Stu's future brother in law, and they set out on a mirthless journey to find him. The film features lots of lazy shock-value bits that are predictable and unfunny. Whereas the last film had our gang interacting with lots of different characters (doctor, cops, Heather Graham), this group never gets to riff the way they did in the first one and the film suffers accordingly.
Skip it.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Hangover 2 - C-
Saturday, June 18, 2011
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - B
On DVD (2010). Rated R, 147 minutes. Trailer.
The film version of the last of Stieg Larsson's compelling Millenium trilogy is a workable extension of its captivating predecessors The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (B+) and The Girl Who Played With Fire (B). Noomi Rapace is back as the defiant and Lisbeth Salander, battered and bloodied from the intense battle at the end of Fire. The tense pacing and victimization themes are back along with the exquisitely understated film score. This film (and series) is an entertaining and tense "popcorn" film, with just enough substance and character development to keep a discriminating viewer interested. Click below for more on TGWKTHN:
Spoilers below:
The film picks up right where Fire left off, with Lisbeth and her father being airlifted to a Stockholm hospital for treatment. The aftermath of their bloody battle has left the authorities no choice but to put them both on trial for attempted murder of eachother. The prospect of a trial and related testimony is not acceptable to the shadowy group that has abused Lisbeth and protected Zalachenko, and they take predictably drastic measures to avoid the trial. Once we get to trial, there are lots of cathartic moments and Rapace's Salander continues to dazzle with very little dialogue.
The Millenium magazine crew is all excellent as before, and the new characters (especially the protective Dr. Anders and Prosecutro Ekstrom) are interesting and meaningful. The film wraps up most of the trilogy and leaves a little to be desired - I was hoping for an ambiguous or meaningful ending rather than a wimper, but it was not to be.
These films are great diversions and have been a squirmy pleasure to watch - I can't wait for David Fincher's version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, out this Christmas.
Adele - Someone Like You (Unplugged)
Yikes. Adele's climbing up my chart quickly. Don't miss her unplugged on Palladia, which features several greats (including the already mentioned "Rolling in the Deep"), but please click on this for chills: Someone Like You.
Continue reading this postWednesday, June 8, 2011
Best Songs Over 8 minutes - Part 2
The greatest longest songs of all time. Well, at least in my CD/iTunes collection.
10. I Heard it Through the Grapevine, Creedence Clearwater Revival (11:06)
Another crazy-good hook that's relaxing and exciting at once.
9. Won't Get Fooled Again, The Who (8:33)
David Caruso et al. have tarnished it, but at a loud volume, the energy is undeniable.
8. I am the Resurrection, The Stone Roses (8:12)
The Stairway to Heaven of the alternative genre.
7. Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin (8:00)
The Stairway to Heaven of the classic rock genre. It's overplayed and relatively straightforward and tame compared to their very best.
6. In My Time of Dying, Led Zeppelin (11:04)
No rock n roller has ever topped 3:47-7:12 - and no one ever will.
5. Silverf@ck, Smashing Pumpkins (8:43)
It's raw power is expertly accentuated by the well-written slow parts.
4. Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, Bob Dylan (11:23)
Used at the end of I'm Not There, a beautiful and touching poem about those we only get to know briefly and wish we knew better. A harmonica never sounded as good. A link is unavailable.
3. Desolation Row, Bob Dylan (11:21)
Perhaps he drops too many references but it brilliantly shows a young man reaching at everything to overcome heartbreak. And it universalizes loss and sadness. Here's a good version, but the original is unavailable online.
2. Kashmir, Led Zeppelin (8:32)
It'd be #1 were it not for the Godzilla-P. Diddy-cash grab. Transporting and mesmerizing every time.
1. Porcelina of the Vast Oceans, Smashing Pumpkins (9:21)
You can't really explain art. Not really. But the peak (at 7:29) is killer and Billy's voice is sublime when it comes in shortly thereafter. Ranks this high for personal reasons - a lost friend.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Best Songs Over 8 minutes - Part 1
I left off live versions of songs, instead using the actual album releases. There's a unanimous rock and roll bias - 'cause that's the type of guy I am.
Honorable Mention:
Only in Dreams, Weezer (7:59)
An admittedly arbitrary single second too short for this list. Love this closer to their best album.
And now, on with the list . . .
21. Fools Gold, The Stone Roses (9:54)
Used (too abruptly) toward the end of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, it (like so many below) has an amazing hook and some tremendous guitar work.
20. Prick, Tripping Daisy (9:19)
The unusual (Eastern?) chords give this a uniqueness on the list. The sillier, slower part nearly drops it off completely.
19. November Rain, Guns N' Roses (8:57)
The accusations that the group was trying too hard to go epic are not unfounded. Still doesn't take away from the quality or the fact that they are actual musicians (unlike all of their hard rock contemporaries).
18. Free Bird, Lynyrd Skynyrd (9:10)
A classic rock staple; it feels more honest than the rest of their songs combined (except maybe Tuesday's Gone).
17. In A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Iron Butterfly (17:05)
Obviously too long, but a great groove and its inclusion during the climactic scene in Manhunter makes it immortal.
16. Achilles Last Stand, Led Zeppelin (10:25)
The opening track from Presence, an unusual but essential disc.
15. American Pie, Don McLean (8:27)
Overplayed but still refreshingly sincere in our age of irony.
14. The End, The Doors (11:41)
Used in the opening of Apocalypse Now, and still hypnotic after all these years.
13. In the Light, Led Zeppelin (8:46)
An underrated gem from Physical Graffiti with the four at their tempo-changing multi-style best.
12. Voodoo Chile, Jimi Hendrix (15:00)
Not the version used near the beginning of In the Name of the Father (which is "Slight Return"), the long one is the epic bluesy version.
11. Echoes, Pink Floyd (23:29)
More like 3-4 songs in one, but they return to the beginning at the end to make it circular and referential. It encompasses many emotions - alienation, hope, fear, motivation. The section beginning at 7:01 is terrific, but the slow-burn from 14:45-18:15 is flawless.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Tree of Life Homework
Writer/Director
Terrence Malick's 5th film in 38 years, Tree of Life, is being released this week and next week. In preparation, I have been watching excellent film critic Matt Zoller Seitz's video essays on each his film. Each is worth your time, especially before you go see Tree of Life. The Days of Heaven and Thin Red Line ones are musts no matter what.
Introduction
Badlands
Days of Heaven
Thin Red Line
New WorldAnd here is the rest of it.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Song of the Day - Never Gonna Leave This Bed
By Maroon 5
Another catchy one from the popular group. Wish they'd work a little harder on the lyrics.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Song of the Day - Sing
By My Chemical Romance
On a good day, this one can be almost inspiring. On a bad day, it feels like they're trying too hard. Either way, a pretty good try.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Song of the Day - Good Life
By One Republic
A more upbeat outlook on the current state of affairs. The song is much better than the video.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Song of the Day - For the First Time
By The Script
A mini-epic about making it work in The Great Recession.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Song of the Day - Rolling in the Deep
by Adele
This one is quietly assured and complex with her soulful voice supporting the intersecting vocal lines. Already feels like like a classic since it sounds decades old.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
The Dilemma - C-
On DVD. Rated PG-13, 111 minutes.
Director Ron Howard found a way to make a boring and unfunny Vince Vaughn comedy. Bad pacing, an overly complicated plot, unfunny jokes and, worst of all, Kevin James. This film proves how hard it is to make a good comedy, and that Ron Howard doesn't have the ability to make a good one. It plays it safe at every turn and refuses to do anything unconventional or provide anything intellectually interesting. What a waste!
Bridesmaids - B
In theaters. Rated R, 125 minutes. Trailer.
Bridesmaids is advertising itself as the female version of The Hangover, and that is partially right. Starring and co-written by the indefatigable Kristen Wiig, the film has a lot of laughs but mixes tones and tries too hard to be 3 different movies. Wiig is Annie a 30 something single gal in a rough patch after her bakery has been closed and her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) gets engaged. Annie is chosen as Lillian's maid of honor but Lillian's richer friend Helen begins upstaging her and generally driving her crazy. The story arc is very predictable from there on out. Click below for more on Bridesmaids.
There are 15-20 genuine laugh-out-loud moments and the film feels like a 2 hour set-peice for Wiig (not a bad thing). But, at 125 minutes it is about 30 minutes too long for a comedy and too complicated. The film veers into a romantic comedy for a while and then goes way too gross on several occasions. One highlight was a great 'nice guy' performance by newcomer Chris O'Dowd and a delightful scumbag played by Jon Hamm.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Weekend Box Office: 4/29-5/1/11
Title/Gross/%Change/Total
1. Fast Five: 83.6 mil / NEW
2. Rio: 14.4 mil / -45% / 104 mil
3. Big Happy Family: 10 mil / -60% / 41 mil
4. Water for Elephants: 9.1 mil / -46% / 32 mil
5. Prom: 5 mil / NEW
6. Hoodwinked 4.1 / NEW
7. Soul Surfer: 3.3 mil / -39% / 34 mil
8. Insidious: 2.7 mil / -48% / 48 mil
9. Hop: 2.6 mil / -79% / 105 mil
10. Source Code: 2.5 mil / -50% / 49 mil
11. African Cats: 2.3 mil / -61% / 11 mil
12. Hanna: 2.2 mil / -58% / 36 mil
13. Scream 4: 2.2 mil / -69% / 35 mil
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Great Closing Voice-Over Narration - Part 2
"And that's the hardest part. Today, everything is different. There's no action. I have to wait around like everyone else. Can't even get decent food. Right after I got here, I ordered some spaghetti with marinara sauce and I got egg noodles and ketchup. I'm an average nobody. I get to live the rest of my life like a schnook."
Goodfellas
Screenplay by Nicolas Pileggi & Martin Scorsese
“After that it got pretty late, and we both had to go, but it was great seeing Annie again. I realized what a terrific person she was, and - and how much fun it was just knowing her. And I - I thought of that old joke, you know, the, this... this guy goes to a psychiatrist and says, "Doc, uh, my brother's crazy - he thinks he's a chicken." And, uh, the doctor says, "Well, why don't you turn him in?" The guy says, "I would, but I need the eggs." Well, I guess that's pretty much now how I feel about relationships; y'know, they're totally irrational, and crazy, and absurd, and... but, uh, I guess we keep goin' through it because, uh, most of us... need the eggs.”
Annie Hall
Screenplay by Woody Allen & Marshall Brickman
“Now I've justified this to myself in all sorts of ways. It wasn't a big deal, just a minor betrayal. Or we'd outgrown each other, you know, that sort of thing. But let's face it, I ripped them off - my so called mates. But Begbie, I couldn't give a sh!t about him. And Sick Boy, well he'd done the same to me, if he'd only thought of it first. And Spud, well, OK, I felt sorry for Spud - he never hurt anybody. So why did I do it? I could offer a million answers - all false. The truth is that I'm a bad person. But, that's gonna change - I'm going to change. This is the last of that sort of thing. Now I'm cleaning up and I'm moving on, going straight and choosing life. I'm looking forward to it already. I'm gonna be just like you. The job, the family, the f@cking big television. The washing machine, the car, the compact disc and electric tin opener, good health, low cholesterol, dental insurance, mortgage, starter home, leisure wear, luggage, three piece suite, DIY, game shows, junk food, children, walks in the park, nine to five, good at golf, washing the car, choice of sweaters, family Christmas, indexed pension, tax exemption, clearing gutters, getting by, looking ahead, the day you die.”
Trainspotting
Screenplay by John Hodge (Irvine Welsh, novel)
“For over a thousand years, Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of a triumph - a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeters and musicians and strange animals from the conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conqueror rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children, robed in white, stood with him in the chariot, or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror holding a golden crown and whispering in his ear a warning that all glory is fleeting.”
Patton
Screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North
"The Mercury program was over. Four years later, astronaut Gus Grissom was killed, along with astronauts White and Chaffee, when fire swept through their Apollo capsule. But on that glorious day in May 1963, Gordo Cooper went higher, farther, and faster than any other American - 22 complete orbits around the world. He was the last American ever to go into space alone. And for a brief moment, Gordo Cooper became the greatest pilot anyone had ever seen."
The Right Stuff
Screenplay by Philip Kaufman (Tom Wolfe, novel)
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 4/26/11
Blood Out - #
Human Planet - #
Knockout - #
Sacrifice - #
Sniper: Reloaded - #
South Park - 14th Season - #
Upstairs Downstairs
Click below for this week's Blu-ray releases
Blow Out - (Criterion) - *
Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back - *
Chicago
Daylight
Dementia 13
The Dorm that Dripped Blood
El Topo
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - (Criterion)
Gangs of New York - *
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
The Holy Mountain
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jolene
The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan - *
Poor Pretty Eddie
The Queen - *
Scary Movie
Sin City
The Terror
# - Also on Blu-ray
* - Doctor approved
