Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

My View: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) It’s been fifteen years since Hansel and Gretel escaped from the blind witch’s gingerbread house, and now Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and his sister, Gretel (Gemma Arterton), dedicate their lives to hunting down and killing witches, aided by the knowledge that, for some reason, they are not affected by the witches’ spells. They may have met their match, though, in the evil sorceress, Muriel (Famke Janssen), who is planning a mass sacrifice of children during the upcoming “Blood Moon.”  This film is not for kids as there is quite a bit of violence, a little nudity, and a whole lot of cussing.  It's rated R , so this film is appropriately not meant for the below age 17 audience.  This is what I call a popcorn movie where you should just sit back and enjoy the action, and don't worry too much about plot lines or the writing.  It's worth seeing in 3-D as it was shot in the format, and the action scenes use it to great advantage.  Both Rennet and Arterton come-off as bad asses in the action sequences and they have great chemistry on-screen.  Femme Jenssen makes a fine evil witch, the special effects are well done as is the makeup of all the bad guys.  While not a great film, it's a fun film to watch and is much better than some of the other action films that have come out in the past months.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

Indiefest:  Quartet (2013) Music fills the manor that serves as a retirement home for musicians, and it's time to stage the annual fundraising concert at the home. But things might never be the same with the addition of a grand Opera singer, Jean Horton (Maggie Smith), whose pride may keep her from helping stage the musical. Dustin Hoffman picked this film to be his directorial debut, and he picked correctly. The film will be compared to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, but it is a much better script, with fully fleshed out characters and a much better storyline. The cast is first rate with Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins and especially Tom Courtenay standing out. Maggie Smith gives her usual flawless performance, perfectly portraying an Opera Diva with an ego the size of the manor she has moved into. The remarkable thing about this film is that most of the supporting cast are musicians that toured with national companies. This film is warm, funny, and touching, and it's a film where you leave appreciating how music and its performers make up an important part of our world.   My Rating: Full Price   Quartet Info

Indiefest:  Rust and Bone (2013) Ali (Matthais Schoenaerts) gains custody of his young son and moves from Belgium to Antibes to live with his sister and her husband. While working as a bouncer at a night club, Ali meets Stephanie (Marion Cotillard), a woman whose job is to train killer whales at a Marine Water Park. Stephanie is injured in a freak accident at the water park and has to have both legs amputated at the knees. She now reaches out to Ali and a strange, wonderful relationship starts up between the two as they figure out their places in this new world. Cotillard is the reason to see this French/Belgium film, as she brings a full range of emotion and strength to the role of the troubled and damaged Stephanie. It truly is amazing to see the bond that develops between Stephanie and Ali, two people who, at the start of the friendship, have no idea how important each other will be to their growth and happiness.   My Rating: Full Price   Rust and Bone Website

Forgotten Film: Pride Of the Marines (1945) Al Schmid (John Garfield) is a happy-go-lucky factory worker who loves to hunt and hang out with his best friend, Lee (Dane Clark). Life is good for Al, he has a good job, good friends and his life gets better when he starts dating Ruth (Eleanor Parker), a girl who is as fun and carefree as Al. All this changes when Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese and Al joins The Marines to fight for his country.   He may never come back to Ruth, though, and if he does, will things between them ever be the same? John Garfield is perfect in the role of Al, and makes us like him the first time we meet him. What I love about this film is a long, drawn out scene, where Al is having Sunday dinner with Lee and his family, and they slowly learn through radio reports about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This film also contains a horrifying scene (especially for the time period that it was made) of a Japanese attack on Al’s small outfit somewhere out in the Philippines. The film does a great job showing the transition that Americans, both the men who joined the military and the families that they left behind had to make, rising from a peaceful, ideal world to one that was carrying on a World War.   My Rating: Full Price   Pride of the Marines Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD): Taken 2 (2012) This film made my bottom 10 list as I hated this silly, stupid film starring Liam Neeson who is trying to rescue his wife and sometimes his daughter from mobsters who want revenge for what happened to their family in the first Taken film. Quickly, I said quickly, run from this movie!   Taken 2 Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  The Haunting of Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013) In what must be the most confusing title of the year, I can’t tell if the ghosts move to Georgia and start haunting in Connecticut or if it’s the other way around. Let’s just say I want to call my travel agent and go anywhere this film isn’t playing.   The Haunting of Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia Website

 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Gangster Squad: Environmental Steward

 

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) The film about the origins of the Wizard of Oz (way before Dorothy), directed by Sam Raimi and starring James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz and Mila Kunis. Just the poster makes me want to see this film!   Oz the Great and Powerful Website

Until Next Time!