The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

My View:  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)  Set sixty years before “The Lord of the Rings,” a Hobbit named, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), is picked by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to journey across Middle Earth with thirteen Dwarves to reclaim their homeland from a giant dragon. I think the biggest problem with the film is that it tries to show too much - as if Director Peter Jackson tries to capture and film everything that happens in the book. Films based on books usually have to be cut back, because they would just be too long, but Jackson seems determined to make three films out of one single book. The film is way to lengthy, at times looks like a video game, and just doesn't quite have the soul and majesty of the Lord of the Rings films. I liked Martin Freeman as Bilbo, a sort of everyman's Hobbit, but there really isn't a standout Dwarf in the film like in the Rings films where so many distinct characters created such a rich character-based film.  I was excited to see the creepy Gollum again (the character from Lord of the Rings) but alas, his part, while important, is small in a very long film. I also didn't like the 48 Frames Per Second look of the film as it gave almost an HD TV look to.  Check your theater's website to determine if it's being shown chains in HFR for High Frame Rate. The film was shot in 3-D and it is worth it to see it in that format.  Overall this is an enjoyable adventure film, but just doesn't measure up to the Rings Trilogy.   My Rating: Full Price    The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Website

Indiefest:  Hyde Park on Hudson (2012)  Set in 1939, this film is about the love affair between President FDR (Bill Murray) and his distant cousin, Margaret Stuckley (Laura Linney). The backdrop of the film is the coming to America of King George IV (Samuel West) and the historic meeting at Hyde Park between the Roosevelt's and the King/Queen of England. This is an interesting film, especially since we get to see the behind-the-scenes workings of the FDR White House and how the press and others treated Roosevelt being confined to a wheel chair. While I liked Murray's performance (he has the smile down pat, but not the voice of FDR), it's Linney, as his shy distant cousin, whom we see grow more confident as she spends more and more time under the spell of FDR. While it's not the level of another historical drama about a President (Lincoln), it is a film that is enjoyable to watch.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Hyde Park on Hudson Website

The 50 (A Movie From My Best/Worst Film of All Time)

#11 Worst Film

Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot  (1992)  Anytime the words comedy and Sylvester Stallone are mentioned, you should run the other way. Golden Girl Estelle Getty plays his mom who gets involved with a case that her son is working on and high jinks abound. Look!  His mom has a gun as big as she is! Stallone considers this the worst film in his career, so that says a lot.    Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot Info

Forgotten Film:  Explorers  (1985)  Ben (Ethan Hawke) is obsessed with space travel and aliens and reads comics and watches old B-movie sci-fi films. One night, he dreams of a circuit board, and, with the help of his friend, Wolfgang (River Phoenix), they set out to build not only the board but the spaceship they are convinced will take them to space. Will the ship fly and what will they find when they get into outer space? This film is about taking chances and the will to live your dreams. Hawke and Phoenix are perfect as the two mismatched boys who get together to create the impossible. My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Explorers Info

In Case You Missed it (A Film Just Released on DVD):  The Bourne Legacy (2012) I like Jeremy Renner taking over the Bourne films as I think he makes a credible action star. The plot, though, is confusing, and takes place at the same time the last Matt Damon Bourne film is happening, but the final chase sequence leaves much to be desired.  The film seems to end abruptly and left me unsatisfied.   My Rating: Cable    The Bourne Legacy Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea): Texas Chainsaw 3D  (2013)  Okay, there is only one Texas Chainsaw film that is worth seeing, and that's the original 1974 film. This looks a lot like a Saw knock-off but with Leatherface.   Texas Chainsaw 3D Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Equine horse make up artist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Quartet  (2012)  Directed by Dustin Hoffman, this film stars Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly and Tom Courtenay as residents of a retired musician's home. The annual fundraising concert is disrupted by the arrival of Jean (Maggie Smith), an Opera diva who is the former wife of one of the residents. Think The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel but set in Great Britain and with music.    Quartet Info

Until Next Time!

The Amazing Spider-Man

My View:  The Amazing Spider-Man (2012): In this re-telling of the origin of Spider-Man, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is a teenager whose parents abandoned him at an early age. He encounters a genetically altered spider that gives him his spidey powers. Parker sets off to discover what really happened to his parents while he tries to win the heart of his high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). I enjoyed this film, and you should see it in 3-D as all the shots of Spider-Man flying through the city are spectacular. Garfield does an admirable job as the nerdy Parker, but what makes this movie worth watching is the wonderful Emma Stone as Peter's true love, Gwen.  Emma Stone plays her perfectly.  What I didn't like about this film was how long it was. There is too much time taken setting up the story, and I felt the bad guy in the film, Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), was too cartoony of a villain. As long as Stone is in the Spider-Man films, I’ll keep going to them. Be sure to stay through the first part of the end credits as with many Marvel films, there is a bonus scene that sets up the next film.   My Rating: Full Price   The Amazing Spider-Man Website

Indiefest:  To Rome with Love (2012) Writer/Director Woody Allen brings to the screen a story of love and relationships set in one of the most romantic cities in the world, Rome. This film has multiple storylines with a large ensemble cast that includes Roberto Benigni, Alec Balwin, Judy Davis, Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Greta Gerwig and Penelope Cruz. This is the first film that Allen has acted in since 2006, and his character has some of the best lines in the film. Not all the stories work, as some are rather silly, and the film feels a little scattered as some of the scenes take place over one day and others over a period of weeks.  This makes the film confusing.  To Rome with Love is beautiful film with a number of shots showing how much Allen loves the city, but I felt that the script wasn’t up to par with the great cast that Allen had assembled.   My Rating: Cable   To Rome with Love Website 

Family Faire: Brave (2012) In this animated film, Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald), is a princess in a Scottish kingdom. A contest is held to decide who will wed Merida, but she defies the custom, and chooses not to follow her parents’ wishes. She decides to use a curse to change her parents’ minds about the marriage, but that curse goes terribly wrong, and Merida has to be her bravest to break the spell and save her kingdom. Children five years old and younger should not see this film.  The villain of the movie is a very large and scary bear, and when I saw this film, a child started crying and had to be taken out of the theatre. The animation of this film is beautiful, and Pixar revamped their animation process to give better detail on-screen to visuals such as Merida’s hair, an amazing sight of curls intertwined with different lengths. The storyline, though, made me feel as if I were watching an ordinary DreamWorks or Universal animated picture and not the Pixar magic that we have seen in the past with films such as Toy Story 3, Finding Nemo or WALL-E. I also wanted Merida to be more heroic, as she comes off rather mischievous than brave. While this isn’t a bad film, it just doesn’t live up to the Pixar standard of excellence that we have come to know and love.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Brave Website

The 50 (A Movie From My Best/Worst Films of All Time)

#18 Best Film

It Happened One Night  (1934):  The winner of 5 Academy Awards, including Best Director for Frank Capra, Best Picture and Best Actor/ Actress for Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. It is the story of an heiress, Ellie(Colbert), who runs away from her family to her husband whom she just married and a man her family disapproves of. She gets help from Peter (Gable), a man she meets on a bus. But Ellie doesn't know that Peter is an out of work reporter who sees Ellie's story as a way to get back into the business. This is the quintessential screwball comedy, one with incredible dialogue that Gable and Colbert rattle off with surprising skill, speed and grace. When I first saw this film, I kept looking at my watch, not because I was bored, but because I didn't want the film to end.  This film has become one of the greatest romantic comedies ever made.   It Happened One Night Info

Forgotten Film:  Murphy's Romance (1985) Emma (Sally Field) is a divorced mom who with her teen son, Jake (Corey Haim), moves to a small town to open a horse ranch. She meets Murphy (James Garner), the town druggist, and a budding relationship begins. Things get complicated, though, when Emma's ex-husband (Brain Kerwin) shows up, and Jake wants more than anything for his parents to get back together. What I love about this film is the chemistry between Field and Garner. They give such warm, real performances and Garner has some great, folksy lines.  My Rating: Full Price   Murphy's Romance Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  21 Jump Street  (2012): This is a comedy, based on the TV series with the same name, where Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum go undercover, posing as high school students, to bust a drug ring. While I like the rapport that Hill and Tatum have, I didn't like how the film went for the easy joke too many times.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   21 Jump Street Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Seen Only in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Total Recall (2012) Why does Hollywood keep making remakes of films that weren't that good to being with?    Total Recall Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Amazing Spider-Man: Boy Soprano

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Bourne Legacy (2012) Jeremy Renner takes the reins of a film franchise that Matt Damon thrived in. After Renner's great performance in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011), I think the series is in good hands.   The Bourne Legacy

Until Next Time!