Movie Review: MILLION DOLLAR ARM

MILLION DOLLAR ARM
Director: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Jon Hamm, Pitobash, Alan Arkin, Madhur Mittal, Suraj Sharma, Aasif Mandvi, Lake Bell, Bill Paxton

Jon Hamm trades in his Don Draper suits for a baseball cap as sports agent J.B. Bernstein. His agency is losing money faster than it’s coming in, and he and his two business partners are on the verge of losing their careers unless a drastic move is made. His colleague Aash (Mandvi) is obsessed with cricket, but J.B. does not see the point of it and thinks it pales in comparison to baseball. That all changes late one night when J.B. starts flipping channels between Britain’s Got Talent and a game of cricket in India when a career saving idea pops into his head. He wants to create a reality show style competition in India hoping to attract cricket players and in turn find the next best pitcher in Major League Baseball.

When he arrives in India, the culture shock is a bit alarming to him. The lifestyle is quite the opposite of the normal Los Angeles pace he leads. After seeing hundreds of young men come and line-up for their shot on “Million Dollar Arm”, he sees the potential that could be had. J.B. and retired coach Ray (Arkin) sit through countless of failed try-outs until Rinku (Sharma) and Dinesh (Mittal) show up and may just have the golden arm they are all looking for. The boys head to California to train with USC pitching coach Tom House (Paxton), while J.B.’s career is riding on if they can learn baseball fast enough to get signed by professional teams.

The film follows in the footsteps of many other Disney sports films that are based on a true story like: Miracle, The Rookie, and Remember the Titans. Have we now reached a point where this is too many? Has the genre already grown tired? Million Dollar Arm is beyond predictable in every possible way from the supporting characters to the plot points and conflict. I felt like I already knew the general outline of this script and the writers just changed the names and the sport involved. You probably already knew that our main character was going to be a cocky businessman who only cares about his job and how much money he is making instead of his actual clients. There will be some cute girlfriend type that puts our main character in his place after he becomes a jerk. Of course there is going to be some old retired cranky coach. The ballplayers will no doubt be completely out of their element. With so much of this story played with that Disney sheen to it, I questioned how authentic it was to the true story. That being said, I always enjoy seeing the photo and video montage during the credits of the real life inspirations, and that was one of the highlights of the movie.

Jon Hamm has made a few movies while he has been on hiatus from Mad Men, but he tends to do more supporting roles like Bridesmaids or Friends with Kids. As J.B. Bernstein, he goes back to leading role status, but his character seems far too similar to Don Draper at times. This comes across in a way that he seems to be a bit bored here. I don’t question him as an actor as I am a big Mad Men fan, and I have liked him in other roles. His character is so unlikeable that I wanted him to open up more and show a bit more warmth. I wonder if the real J.B. was really like that. We have seen Alan Arkin (Grudge Match, Little Miss Sunshine) play numerous characters like this cranky coach. He can do this role in his sleep, and conveniently enough, his character spends a majority of the film with his head down or completely asleep. Is he the new Morgan Freeman where we can expect him to play the same type of character in each movie? There are some saving graces here as Lake Bell (It’s Complicated) is completely charming as Brenda, J.B.’s tenant who is renting out the pool house. While there is sexual tension between the two characters, she is not merely a bimbo attached to his hip the whole movie. I suppose that wouldn’t be Disney friendly. Audiences may recognize Suraj Sharma who plays Rinku. He was phenomenal a few years ago in Life of Pi. I’m glad to see he’s getting more work.

I admire the idea behind taking both parties and putting them into worlds and cultures they are not used to and watching them grow in the process. It was interesting to watch J.B. Berstein quickly adapt to the Indian style of doing business, the driving, and the food and how vastly different it is than the L.A. pace he lives. The same goes for Dinesh and Rinku when they land in America for the first time. I think they could have delved into this concept a bit more to give it the full effect. There is so much to learn when you are a fish out of water. I am sure Disney and director Craig Gillespie (Fright Night, Lars and the Real Girl) want Million Dollar Arm to be one of those feel good inspirational sports films. I suppose some moviegoers will feel that way, but I didn’t come out cheering. There are so many other baseball movies that pull at the heartstrings and get the audience rooting for our characters that this one falls flat in comparison.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? At one point we see Jon Hamm and Lake Bell watching The Pride of the Yankees. I’d recommend watching that baseball movie instead.

RATING: 2 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

Movie Review: GRUDGE MATCH

GRUDGE MATCH
Director: Peter Segal
Starring: Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Kevin Hart, Alan Arkin, Kim Basinger, Jon Bernthal

So let me get this straight. Instead of watching Rocky or Raging Bull, I decided to watch Grudge Match which is basically Rocky Balboa vs. Jake LaMotta with Grumpy Old Men thrown in there for some very forced laughs. In their glory days, Henry "Razor" Sharp (Stallone) and Billy "The Kid" McDonnen (De Niro) were two of the biggest boxers who battled each other for the prize title. Razor won one of the battles and Kid won the other battle. Before they could fight in the rubber match, Razor announced his retirement and a bitter feud was started between the two of them.

Thirty years pass and the guys have moved on from the sport each living their own lives in their new business ventures. Sports promoter Dante Slate Jr. (Hart) sees an opportunity he cannot pass up. He offers the former boxers $15,000 each to take part in making a video game putting the two rivals together. Razor only agrees if he does not have to face Kid while filming. What would the movie be if that actually happened. Kid shows up to the filming earlier than expected and antagonizes Razor for old time's sake. Punches are thrown and their idiotic reunion is all captured by the production crew who all instantly put it online. The video goes viral and becomes a HUGE HIT! Offers come rolling in for an actual grudge match putting these two rivals back in the ring for the first time in decades. They are both past their prime physically so Razor hires his old trainer (Arkin) and Kid asks his son (Bernthal) to get him back in shape. Razor's old flame Sally (Basinger) shows up and complicates things a bit further.

Let me just reiterate that there are three Oscar winners, one nominee, and Kevin Hart that all agreed to be in this movie. Now I expect Kevin Hart to do this type of movie. The role is very much his style and brand of comedy. He has a few other movies coming out soon where he plays similar types of roles. Do I expect a little more from De Niro, Stallone, Arkin, and Basinger? Yes. That is not to say that they should only be doing heavy material. There is something so cheesy and gimmicky about this reunion premise. There is no hiding the fact it's a Rocky vs Raging Bull story. I am just surprised someone had the audacity to even pitch them this premise. De Niro and Stallone have both starred together in 1997's Cop Land, which was pretty good if memory serves correctly. I probably would not even have that big of a problem with the film if it was written better. The script goes from trying so hard to pump out the laughs that it is working in overdrive trying to make sure Alan Arkin's lines end in a punchline. Other times, it gets so lazy that any sort of twist or slightly dramatic moment is purely recycled from other movies that we have seen before, some of them you see coming a mile away. Kim Basinger has some pretty doozy lines that were laughable for the wrong reasons.

I do not know if it would have worked as a serious drama or if comedy was the better route to take. Since this is a reunion type of movie, they could have spent more time focusing on the past instead of treating it like a gimmick and joke. There are fun shots of a young Stallone and De Niro, but I think we could have used more of that. Maybe some cameos or supporting characters for Talia Shire or Cathy Moriarty? I think Jon Bernthal is the best part of the movie. There was something sweet about the son story line for Kid. I actually think the film had potential. There would be a good moment or scene where I was thinking that the film was picking up in quality and then it took three steps back. I just do not know what the point of the movie was. Was it the pure marketing ploy of putting two actors from legendary boxing movies back in the ring? If that was the sole reason, then I guess they succeeded. I think it is best to just go pop in the blu-rays of Rocky and Raging Bull and give them a fresh watch.

RATING: ** (2 out of 5 stars)

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER--The Actors: Full Uncensored Interview

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER--The Actors: Full Uncensored Interview

This is the third in a series of videos I am posting from The Hollywood Reporter. This time they interview six dynamic and diverse actors who discuss their current roles, their history in Hollywood, dream roles, their personal life, and most of all, their love of acting.





The hour long sit down discussion includes:
Alan Arkin--Argo
Richard Gere--Arbitrage
Matt Damon--Promised Land
John Hawkes--The Sessions
Jamie Foxx--Django Unchained
Denzel Washington--Flight

You can find the other two by clicking the links below!

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER--The Actresses: Full Uncensored Interview

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER--The Directors: Full Uncensored Interview

Here are the actors:

THE 70th GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD NOMINATIONS

THE 70th GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD NOMINATIONS

The Golden Globes are another great night of rewarding the best of the silver screen over the past year. The awards are handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and are typically the "party" awards. All of the nominees and presenters are basically drinking around their dinner tables all night long. It's even better when a presenter has had too much and slurs the names he/she is reading off the teleprompter. Clink on any of the links to read my reviews of the nominated movies. Here's a look at this year's nominees:

BEST MOTION PICTURE-DRAMA
1. ARGO
2. DJANGO UNCHAINED
3. LIFE OF PI
4. LINCOLN
5. ZERO DARK THIRTY

BEST MOTION PICTURE-MUSICAL/COMEDY
1. THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
2. LES MISERABLES
3. MOONRISE KINGDOM
4. SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN
5. SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS

BEST DIRECTOR
1. Ben Affleck--Argo
2. Kathryn Bigelow--Zero Dark Thirty
3. Ang Lee--Life of Pi
4. Steven Spielberg--Lincoln
5. Quentin Tarantino--Django Unchained

BEST ACTOR-DRAMA
1. Daniel Day-Lewis--Lincoln
2. Richard Gere-Arbitrage
3. John Hawkes--The Sessions
4. Joaquin Phoenix--The Master
5. Denzel Washington--Flight

BEST ACTOR-MUSICAL/COMEDY
1. Jack Black--Bernie
2. Bradley Cooper--Silver Linings Playbook
3. Hugh Jackman--Les Miserables
4. Ewan McGregor--Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
5. Bill Murray--Hyde Park on Hudson

BEST ACTRESS-DRAMA
1. Jessica Chastain--Zero Dark Thirty
2. Marion Cotillard--Rust and Bone
3. Helen Mirren--Hitchcock
4. Naomi Watts--The Impossible
5. Rachel Weisz--The Deep Blue Sea

BEST ACTRESS-MUSICAL/COMEDY
1. Emily Blunt--Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
2. Judi Dench--The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
3. Jennifer Lawrence--Silver Linings Playbook
4. Maggie Smith--Quartet
5. Meryl Streep--Hope Springs

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1. Alan Arkin--Argo
2. Leonardo DiCaprio--Django Unchained
3. Phillip Seymour Hoffman--The Master
4. Tommy Lee Jones--Lincoln
5. Christoph Waltz--Django Unchained

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1. Amy Adams--The Master
2. Sally Field--Lincoln
3. Anne Hathaway--Les Miserables
4. Helen Hunt--The Sessions
5. Nicole Kidman--The Paperboy

BEST SCREENPLAY
1. Michael Haneke--Amour
2. Quentin Tarantino--Django Unchained
3. Tony Kushner--Lincoln
4. David O. Russell--Silver Linings Playbook
5. Mark Boal--Zero Dark Thirty

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
1. Daria Marianelli--Anna Karenina
2. Alexandre Desplat--Argo
3. Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek--Cloud Atlas
4. Mychael Danna--Life of Pi
5. John Williams--Lincoln

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
1. "For You"--Act of Valor
2. "Safe and Sound"--The Hunger Games
3. "Suddenly"--Les Miserables
4. "Skyfall"--Skyfall
5. "Not Running Anymore"--Stand Up Guys

BEST ANIMATED FILM
1. BRAVE
2. FRANKENWEENIE
3. HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA
4. RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
5. WRECK-IT RALPH

BEST FORGEIN FILM
1. AMOUR
2. KON-TIKI
3. THE INTOUCHABLES
4. A ROYAL AFFAIR
5. RUST AND BONE

SURPRISES? Nicole Kidman seems to be getting more praise for her work in Lee Daniel's The Paperboy. The movie came and out with mixed reviews, so it is surprising that she is getting nomations from SAG and the Golden Globes. I was surprised Maggie Smith was nominated for Quartet over The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

SNUBS? No Best Picture for Silver Linings Playbook is the biggest snub in my opinion along with them ignoring Robert DeNiro's work. Anthony Hopkins and Beasts of the Southern Wild were also snubbed.

Here is a complete list of the SAG Awards Nominations

Here is my Oscar Watch 2013 page with all the latest updates leading up the big evening.

The awards air on NBC on January 13th, 2013

Movie Review: ARGO

ARGO
Director: Ben Affleck
Starring: Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, Clea DuVall, Victor Garber, Tate Donovan

Ben Affleck is back to the director's chair with a remarkable true story. In 1979, The US embassy in Tehran, Iran is taken over by Islamic militants. While many of the staff were taken hostage, six people evade capture and are taken into hiding in the home of the Canadian ambassador (Garber). Now the US must figure out how to bring those six people out of hiding and bring them back to the US safely. Tony Mendez (Affleck) is the CIA agent that takes control of the situation and comes up with a brilliant plan.

While on the phone with his son one night, they flip to Battle of the Planet of the Apes showing on TV and watch it together. Sci-Fi movies are all the rage especially after the release of Star Wars. His plan is to go to Iran and claim they are making an exotic sci-fi picture and they are looking for shooting locations. The ruse will include the escapees as members of the film crew. The plan is very risky and can only be done if it is planned and executed down to the smallest minute detail. Mendez hires movie producer Lester Siegel (Arkin) and Oscar winning make-up artist John Chambers (Goodman) to help shape their plan. They rummage through unproduced scripts and find a winner called "Argo". They meticulously plot out everything from a fake studio, storyboards, design concepts, and they even have a fake table read of the fake script. Sci-fi/horror buffs will get a kick out of seeing Adrienne Barbeau in the table read. Like any good thriller, not everything can go smoothly to plan for Mendez and his crew.

If someone would have told me years ago that Ben Affleck would go on to be an accomplished, respected director, I probably would have laughed and made them re-watch Gigli or Reindeer Games. After winning an Oscar for writing Good Will Hunting, Ben chose to make bigger Hollywood blockbusters instead going for more serious movies. Within the past couple of years his career has taken a turn into the directing field. I was taken aback by how smart and gripping his directorial choices have been. His previous movies Gone Baby Gone and The Town both win critical and audience praise. Affleck assembles an excellent company of actors for all three of the movies he has chosen to direct. Amy Ryan and Jeremy Renner both garnered Oscar nominations for their performances in those movies.

Argo is another prime example of the skill Affleck is showing as a director. Sharp story-telling and editing keep the momentum going at a quick pace to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. There are plenty of witty lines allowing some laughs in between all of the suspense. I was consistently eyeing the costume and hair design. The look seemed authentic and real without it feeling to "costumey". Affleck has another excellent cast including Clea DuVall and Tate Donovan as two of the escapees as well as Philip Baker Hall, Bryan Crantson, Kyle Chandler, Zeljko Ivankek, and Titus Welliver. Arkin and Goodman are fantastic supporting actors and bring out the humor in each of their characters. As a rule, I don't like to throw the Oscar word around willy nilly. I am making an exception here. I think the Academy will definitely take notice of Affleck's job as a director as well as giving nominations for picture and screenplay. Possible nominations could go to Arkin and costume design. Argo will appear on many Top 10 Lists at the end of the year. Including this critic.


RATING: **** 1/2 (4.5 out of 5 stars)