The Solid (But Far From Spectacular) Now

/ / Uncategorized
  • Title: The Spectacular Now
  • IMDB: link

The Spectacular NowAdapted from Tim Tharp’s novel of the same name by the writing team that gave us (500) Days of Summer and Pink Panther 2, The Spectacular Now is a movie of great moments than never really lives up to the promise of the edgy indie coming of age story it so desperately wants to be. Much like last year’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower (which is a stronger film), the movie rides a group of strong performances to just the right notes at times, but too often it also absent-mindedly gets lost in the melody.

Our story centers around Sutter (Miles Teller), a popular 18 year-old alcholic who begins hanging out with the shy and awkward Aimee (Shailene Woodley, who even without makeup is far too pretty and outgoing for the role) while trying to get over being dumped by his longtime girlfriend Cassidy (Brie Larson). Despite the cliched pairing of the cool dude with the uncool mousey chick who his friends can’t fathom why he would date (even though she’s the cutest girl in the entire movie), the story eventually takes darker direction (although not nearly soon enough for my tastes).

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The World’s End

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The World’s End
  • IMDB: link

The World's EndWhen writer/director Edgar Wright works with the combination of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost good, and often hilarious, things are bound to happen. Although it might not quite reach the levels of hilarity in either Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, The World’s End doesn’t disappoint in providing plenty of big laughs in a story about old friends, a robot invasion, and lots and lots of beer.

Pegg stars as Gary King, the former leader of a motley group who have all moved on with their lives. Unable or unwilling to grow up, Gary has been left behind by his former friends and is obsessed with a desire to recapture the glory days of their youth – especially a magical night where the five friends attempted, but failed, to complete the Golden Mile (drinking a pint of beer in all 12 pubs in their hometown of Newton Haven).

One by one Gary cajoles, lies, tempts, and pleads with his old friends (Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan) to join him for one more night of debauchery which is interrupted by old arguments and alien robot replicants.

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Blue Jasmine

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Blue Jasmine
  • IMDB: link

Blue JasmineBlue Jasmine reminds me quite a lot of Celebrity, writer/director Woody Allen‘s 1998 trainwreck of a film casting another actor (Kenneth Branagh) in Allen’s trademark role with mixed results. Allen’s latest is noteworthy for the terrific performance of Cate Blanchett as the female version of Allen’s hopelessly paranoid and neurotic character. Blanchett is amazing as Jasmine, but unlike Allen who was able to consistently charm his way through such portrayals, Jasmine’s cynicism cuts like a knife forcing audiences to keep their distance and never embrace the character in the way the film needs to ultimately succeed. Blanchett might be terrific, but the script give us no reason to care about what happens to her.

Despite loosing her fortune and marriage due to her husband’s (Alec Baldwin) shady business dealings and womanizing, it’s impossible to see the self-obsessed Jasmine as anything approaching a legitimate victim. There’s little reason to feel sorry for the oblivious and neurotic Jasmine, nor is there reason to hate or take joy in her fall from grace. All she can earn is our pity.

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Lois & Clark – Honeymoon in Metropolis

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman – Honeymoon in Metropolis
  • tv.com: link

Lois & Clark - Honeymoon in Metropolis

With a new Superman in still in theaters every now and then I’ll continue to take a look back at the hero’s more memorable moments on both the big and small screen. On assignment for the Daily Planet, Lois (Teri Hatcher) and Clark (Dean Cain) go undercover in the honeymoon suite to keep tabs on the Chairman of the House Defense Committee (Charles Frank) and his secret meetings across the street with defense contractor Thaddeus Roarke (Charles Cyphers).

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Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril #1

/ / Comics

Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril #1In order to save the life of his daughter and unborn grandchild (who has inherited the super-powers of its father), Tom Strong will enlist the help Val Var Gram and travel to the alternate Earth known as Terra Obscura, the home of the magic elixir Aluson which can bestow temporary invulnerability and may be the only option to get his daughter safely through childbirth.

I was happily surprised to see a character like Tom Strong earn a new series from DC (as he certainly doesn’t fit either the tone of the New 52 or Vertigo’s usual fare). Originally created by Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse, the character has been in limbo since even before DC ended their Wildstorm line.

The science hero raised in high-gravity chamber certainly embraces Silver Age comics (which are even directly referenced) in a style antithetical to DC’s current gritty 90s reboot. I’m not sure how many issues we’ll get out of this series (Vertigo currently lists solicitations for five issues), but I’ll gladly take what I can get. Worth a look.

[DC, $3.99]

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