Movie Review: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
Writer/Director: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Djimon Hounsou, Kit Harington

Dreamworks Animation has made some fantastic animated franchises like Madagascar, Shrek, and Kung Fu Panda. Frankly, I wouldn’t mind seeing a sequel to Chicken Run. They have another successful one under their belt with How to Train Your Dragon 2. In the Viking land Berk, the Vikings and dragons are friendly and peaceful. For many of the characters, their dragons are their best friends. Our favorite Viking Hiccup (Baruchel) has grown up a bit since the first film. He is eager to explore new and uncharted territories with his dragon pal, Toothless. He is joined by his friend Astrid (Ferrera) on his adventures, and they uncover an area covered in ice. They are captured by Eret (Harington) who tries to steal their dragons for the evil conqueror Drago (Hounsou). Before Hiccup and Astrid are too deep into danger, they are rescued by Hiccup’s dad Stoick (Butler) and are warned of Drago’s twenty war history of capturing dragons for his personal army. Hiccup will always try to play the peacemaker and in turn heads out to confront Drago. Along his way, he meets the mysterious Valka (Blanchett), a dragon rider who has spent the last twenty years trying to rescue dragons from Drago. She also has a familial connection to Hiccup.

One of the first things you will notice with this series is the stunning animation. There are so many creative and distinct choices made with the design of the dragons and the Viking world. It is a visual feast that often kept me focused on its execution. Numerous times I caught myself watching the animation over listening to the dialogue. If you have seen the first film, you will realize the animators have wisely aged some of the characters like Hiccup and Astrid to show the passing of time. I’m glad they chose to keep Toothless as a non-talking creature. They bring so much personality into his character that you don’t need a voice added to it. There is a dragon race that opens and ends the film that definitely feels like you are on an action ride at some theme park. I normally shy away from 3D films, but I think it is worth it for animated films. The 3D enriches the already striking animated visuals in a way that typically ruins many live action films.

Many of the actors from the first film lend their voices again for the sequel including: Jay Baruchel (This is the End), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty), Craig Ferguson, Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids), and Jonah Hill (22 Jump Street). Heavy hitters Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine), Kit Harington (Game of Thrones), and Djimon Hounsou (Amistad) join the cast. This is Blanchett’s second animated film after doing a voice in the English version of Miyazaki’s Ponyo. I found that the voice over work is subtle compared to your standard kids movie. Usually you have someone being this loud mouthed obnoxious sidekick playing for laughs like Eddie Murphy in Shrek. I never once felt like these characters were written for shtick and comedy purposes. While I recognized the voices of Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, or Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Neighbors), they never overpowered their scenes or distracted from the story.

Even if you haven’t seen the first film, you will still be able to understand and have fun with this one. If you do have the opportunity, go and Redbox or Netflix the first one just to have a better understanding of the background of these characters and how the land of Berk has changed between both movies. Again, it’s not imperative as this story does stand on its own but certain specific details will make more sense. Parents will appreciate the themes of family loyalty, acceptance of others, and the responsibilities that come with having a pet. This is a perfect movie for kids that may still be a bit young for the Harry Potter series. The dragon race game that opens the fim is very similar to Quidditch. If you’ve enjoyed both films, you will be happy to know that writer/director Dean DeBlois has announced that How to Train Your Dragon 3 is in the works. He stated that he sees the story as a trilogy and that the third part is not some quick and easy way to make more money.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? There’s a lot of charm and heart with this sequel that is equally enjoyable for any member of the family.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

TWIN CITIES LIVE-June 18, 2014

TWIN CITIES LIVE
June 18, 2014

It's a day of sequels, animated movies, and Jonah Hill.  It's the first time one actor has been a part of all three movies I've talked about.  Here they are:

1. 22 Jump Street, starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, and Ice Cube
2. How to Train Your Dragon 2, starring Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, and Craig Ferguson
3. The LEGO Movie, starring Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, and Will Ferrell

Here's the video:






Video courtesy of Twin Cities Live/KSTP

You can find all of my past segments HERE.

As always, thank you so much for watching and your continual support. I truly appreciate it!

Movie Review: 22 JUMP STREET

22 JUMP STREET
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Wyatt Russell, Jimmy Tatro, Amber Stevens, Nick Offerman, Peter Stromare

Most movies adapted from television shows rarely work, especially when a new cast and new characters are involved. Who would have thought that 21 Jump Street would have worked so well that a sequel would follow? Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are back for another case as Jenko and Schmidt, respectively. The old church at 21 Jump Street that served as the police headquarters in the first film has been converted back to a church. How convenient for them that there is also a church across the street at 22 Jump Street that can now pose as the police headquarters.

Jenko and Schmidt are assigned their next case and this time it has them going under cover again as college students at MC State College. A new synthetic drug called WHYPHY is being passed around like candy, and one of the students dies of an overdose. The boys are given a picture of the girl getting the drug slipped to her, but the only identifiable feature of the dealer is a tattoo on his arm. Schmidt feels left out of their partnership after Jenko joins the football team and fraternity as fellow teammates Zook (Russell) and Rooster (Tatro) take him under their wing. Schmidt decides to pursue the case at a different angle by dating Maya (Stevens) who lives across the hallway from the victim.

If you are thinking that this plot sounds exactly like the first movie, but now they’re in college instead of high school, you are correct in your assessment. I was a bit worried when I first saw the trailer as it looked like a carbon copy of 21 Jump Street. In theory, this film should not work. Comedy sequels that completely rip off the jokes and plot of the first outing are typically insulting to the fans. Nick Offerman’s police chief has a not-so-subtle speech toward the guys describing how the police department was so happy with how the first task turned out that they want to send the boys out again on a similar case but with a bigger budget. This is exactly what studio executives pitch after a comedy makes the big bucks at the box office. They want the original cast to come back and make the same kind of movie again. The Hangover Part II is a prime example of why this is typically a horrible idea. That movie was a messy insult as it was the exact same movie as the first one. 22 Jump Street does that exact same thing, yet succeeds and surpasses expectations. Screenwriters Michael Ball, Oren Uziel, and Rodney Rothman have written about this exact commentary in their script. There are copious jokes and references as to how they are ripping off the first one. Even Mr. Tatum makes a reference to the premise of his movie White House Down at one point.

Tatum and Hill have this unique chemistry that completely works and is the reason why this rebooted franchise succeeds. Having two cops that are complete opposites is by no means a new concept, but I think part of the charm and humor is grounded in how well they play off each other. While it may have been funny having Jonah Hill paired up with Seth Rogen or James Franco, it would be a completely different kind of story and tone all together. Schmidt and Jenko are exaggerated stereotypes of the images people label under Hill and Tatum. Hill wrote the stories for the films, so I can assume he played into his persona a bit and made Tatum that good looking but dumb jock frat boy that Hollywood has probably labeled him at some point in his career. Ice Cube returns as Captain Dickson whose moments with Jonah Hill provide some of the best laughs in the movie. I’ll forgive him for making Ride Along. Dave Franco and Rob Riggle are back for cameos as prison inmates who offer some advice and help to Hill and Tatum.

The directing team of Christopher Miller and Phil Lord are the men behind The LEGO Movie and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The LEGO Movie is another film of theirs that I would not have expected it to be as enjoyable as turned out to be. The laughs are pretty consistent throughout 22 Jump Street which was a surprise and a relief. It's hard not to laugh when Jonah Hill gets in way over his head wtih some of the more dangerous aspects of his job. The movie easily could have gone downhill fast. The comedy isn’t all the clever or original, yet it delivers. This is the baffling thing behind the movie. Everyone involved knows we’ve seen frat movies, spring break scenes, shoot-outs, buddy movies, terrible sequels, franchises, and they make fun of all of that along the way. I give them major credit for pulling this off so well. Make sure to stay through the credits, for a hilarious sequence that left the whole audience in stitches. I’m not sure what was funnier, the sequence or how my mother-in-law completely lost it because she was laughing so loudly.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? If you liked the first one, you will definitely enjoy the sequel. You can sign me up for 23 Jump Street.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Review: THE LEGO MOVIE

THE LEGO MOVIE
Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Starring: Chris Pratt, Liam Neeson, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, Alison Brie, Will Forte, Jonah Hill, Dave Franco

Yes, it is true. The Lego Movie is AWESOME. Eyes may have rolled when it was first announced that there would be a movie based on Legos. The trailers looked pretty funny, so I had hope that it would actually exceed the low expectations that were originally set in place. Boy, did it ever. Emmet (Pratt) wakes up every day as excited as he can be. Everything is awesome in life. He is just your ordinary Lego figurine that goes about his everyday life according to the set of instructions he has been given. He is a bit naïve and innocent and does not quite understand the fact that the other construction workers don’t really like him.

At the construction site one day after work, he is taken aback by the fierce and creative Wyldstyle (Banks) who he finds digging around on the grounds searching for “The Piece of Resistance”. It is not long before he falls down a deep mysterious hole and is captured by Bad Cop (Neeson). Bad Cop is working for the evil Lord Business (Ferrell) who is planning on taking over the entire Lego universe by using the “Kragle” to freeze everything in place the way he wants it to be. Wyldstyle rescues Emmet and informs him that he must be the one known simply as the “Special”. Many ages ago, the wizard Vitruvius (Freeman) told of a prophecy where the Special would use The Piece of Resistance to put a stop toward Lord Business and save the Lego world.

Off the bat, this is not the most unique premise in the entire universe. We have seen these types of underdog stories before where the main character is this ordinary, average person who in turn is told they will save the universe even though they do not possess any sort of special power or creative nature about them. I am a sucker for that whole concept of believing in yourself when no one else has any faith in you. What makes The Lego Movie so special is the journey and wildly imaginative universe the creative team came up with to make this animated film step out as one of best in the genre from recent years. Like Toy Story and Wreck-It Ralph before it, it takes something from our childhood that we have a connection with and elevates it to a whole other dimension. I do not remember playing with Legos a whole lot as a child as I was more into my Power Rangers/Batman/He-Man action figures. Even though I don’t have a past connection or memories of Lego worlds I created, it didn’t stop me from connecting to this story and laughing throughout. There are plenty of laughs for the adults taking their children to the movie, or if you are like me, who went solo to this without a child attached at the hip.

The animation is top-notch and astonishing as you realize that  the team of animators took extra care into making sure that every aspect of the design is Lego based including the water, fire, car exhaust, and waves for examples. All of the characters move in accordance to how an actually Lego piece is able to move. Lego pieces have to walk and turn their heads a certain way, and parts of them can detach. The effort to keep them true to that is noticeable and noteworthy. They never take them out of the confines of their natural construction.

When you listen to the voice-over actors do their work of bringing these characters to life, you can tell they are all having a blast. One of the highlights is Will Arnett as Batman. He is clearly doing his best Christian Bale impression. It's practically like having the cast of The Dark Knight Trilogy here with Neeson and Freeman also lending their voices to characters very similar to the images we know them as from other roles.  Freeman has played God and the president numerous times, so it's no surprise he would play the all mighty wizard here. There are plenty of  other surprise cameo voices that come out once Emmet, Wyldstyle, and Batman call in the troops for additional help against Lord Business.

I think some people may have questioned why I went to The Lego Movie. It may have seemed odd that I was alone with my pretzel bites at the theater surrounded by a bunch of other parents and their kids. I feel like if this was a Pixar film, adults would be more apt to flock to it. You expect this type of creativity and imagination from their canon. Frankly, this is better than the last two offerings from Pixar. I think word of mouth will spread about how enjoyable the film is for all ages. The ending came as a surprise, and completely elevates it to the next level. If you have seen it, you know what I'm talking about. This will surely become a new franchise, so get out while you can to catch this Lego tale. Don't be surprised if you get the main song, "Everything is Awesome", gets stuck in your head.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? YES! No matter what age you are, you will enjoy it!

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Rob Reiner, Kyle Chandler, Margot Robbie, Joanna Lumley, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, Christine Ebersole

Who's in for a three hour ride full of drugs, debauchery, profanity, and horrible people? I do not think Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio) quite knew what was in store for him when he decided to become a stockbroker. A luncheon meeting with his new boss Mark Hanna (McConaughey) becomes a lesson on what it will take to survive in this market. He recommends an excessive supply of cocaine, martinis, and prostitutes to get through the average day in the world of stocks and trading. That company folds quickly and Belfort joins another dumpy firm to keep working. He quickly becomes the best broker by making tens of thousands of dollars in a short period selling penny stocks to innocent naïve individuals.

His quick rise to wealth and riches leads him to opening his own brokerage firm, Stratton Oakmont, with his neighbor Donnie Azoff (Hill). They underwrote numerous fraudulent IPOs, and it is not long before that company makes Jordan a fortune. Millions of dollars are coming into his pocket like it’s no big deal. The office is a bed of wild antics, parties, prostitutes, drugs, alcohol, and naked marching bands to amp up their energy and power to keep the business going. Jordan and Donnie live on a constant high from the excessive lifestyle and let no one and nothing stop them from going further into the rabbit hole, not even FBI Agent Patrick Denham (Chandler) who is bound to take down Belfort.

It is shocking and disturbing that this is all based on a true story. Screenwriter Terence Winter (TV's "The Sopranos") has adapted his wordy script from the memoir of the same name by Jordan Belfort. The end credits do state that some of it was dramatized and some of the names have been changed, but I have a feeling the majority of the film is plausible and should be noted that it is coming from Belfort's point of view. Once Belfort got in too deep his life was so extravagant and excessive, you wonder how he never died in the process with all the liquor, cocaine, and Quaaludes that were consumed. Scorsese and DiCaprio produced the film, which is their fifth collaboration together as director and actor. I still hold that The Departed is my favorite film of theirs. They have chosen to not hold back in regards to how excessive they want their film to be to match the life Belfort led. From the first ten minutes, the audience is blasted with the profanity, nudity, sex, and drugs that comprise the three hour long film. Yes, you read that correct. I do not mean a few "F" words. The Internet Movie Database states it is used 506 times, making it the most used in any Scorsese picture over Casino or Goodfellas. I warn you now as your ears will bleed if you object to that word. I am a bit desensitized after all these years so it does not affect me as much. I also find it very believable that it was the standard vernacular for Belfort and his gang of cohorts. The sex and nudity is never ending with the amount of prostitutes Belfort engages in. The abundance of all of this will inevitably turn people away. There was a group of five or six people when I saw it that left five minutes after the film started and never came back.

If you can get passed all of that, hopefully you will be as intrigued as I was. I have extreme patience for long movies. The three hour run time did not bother me, as I was fascinated by the story as I wondered how long Belfort's horrendous behavior and deceitful nature would keep going. The film does feel like three hours as it is a very extensive and thorough look into Belfort's reign as "The Wolf of Wall Street". In an interview with longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker, she revealed that the originally cut of the film was four hours long. Even though I do not mind the length, I still think it could be shorter and tightened up a bit. The film does a decent job at conveying the disturbing affect that greed, money, wealth, and power has on people. This story is solely focused on Belfort and his rise and how it affected the close-nit people around him. Scorsese and DiCaprio have received some push back regarding how the film portrays Belfort and the hurricane of debauchery that is unleashed. Some viewers are critical on how they think the two of them have glorified and glamorized the story to not show off the true nature of Belfort's actions. While I do not necessarily agree with that completely, I would have liked to have learned more about the aftermath and what happened with some of the victims that were affected by his illegal pump and dump schemes. I do not get the impression that they are condoning his actions or are trying to make him out to be some sort of hero or victim of the times. There are many scenes that portray the disturbing and disgusting sides of Belfort which are some of the harder scenes to watch as you cringe watching him destroy his family.

One thing you can always bank out of a Scorsese picture is stellar actors giving powerhouse performances. Let me just throw it out there that I am a big fan of Leonardo DiCaprio. I have been following his career ever since the “Growing Pains” days and have been a great admirer of his choice in projects and what he brings to each role. I think he is too often thought of as just a pretty boy actor and passed aside like your average heartthrob. I always see him giving each character his all in a fully embodied portrayal. He gives no less than that as Jordan Belfort, which I would rank as the best performance of his career. I would venture to bet that he is in 98% of the movie in a very physically, emotionally, and mentally draining role. As Jordan’s second wife, Margot Robbie (About Time, TVs “Pan Am”) gives a fierce and vulnerable performance and can easily go head to head with the cast at such a young age. Whether you want to believe it or not, Jonah Hill may just receive another Oscar nomination as Jordan’s business partner and friend. Even though much of his stuff is very Jonah at times, it completely works and he can be downright hilarious. I would venture to guess he and Leo were given liberties to ad-lib and play around at times. They make a great duo together, which I would not have expected going in. There are many great cameos and smaller roles along the way from the likes of Jean Dujardin, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, and Matthew McConaughey.

One of the best ways I can describe the latest opus from Martin Scorsese is that it is polarizing. It will leave audiences divided. There will be plenty of people who are turned off from the language and sex and disgraceful people it focuses on. There will be others like myself that dive into it and are left baffled at how people like this exist that do not seem to have any consciousness of their actions. Their lifestyle is so beyond my everyday life. It has been a few days since I saw it, and the film and its subject matter have been stuck on my mind. I went in being a hardcore Marty and Leo fan expecting it to be this grand masterpiece that would be in my top of the year list. I have mentioned it before that I should not go in with such expectations as I most likely will come out disappointed. The Wolf of Wall Street was not the masterpiece I was hoping it would be. There is a disappointment to it on that level. I would have liked to have it structured a bit differently, and it cut down a bit more in length. It opened up my knowledge of the stock market, insider trader, money laundering, and that whole world to which I am a bit naïve about. Scorsese‘s cast led by the ballsy Leonardo DiCaprio, crazy Jonah Hill, and fierce Margot Robbie sucked me into these characters which I found fascinating and disturbing. I think it requires a second, if not third, viewing soon to take it all in again. For a three hour movie, I think there are some elements and choices I may have missed. Who knows I may grow to enjoy it even more or grow frustrated with it.

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: THIS IS THE END

THIS IS THE END
Writers/Directors: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, James Franco, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride, Emma Watson, Michael Cera

Who would have ever thought that the end of the world would be this funny? If more end of days/apocalypse type movies were made in this style they would be far more successful. Seth Rogen is picking up his buddy Jay Baruchel from the airport so he can spend the weekend in LA. Apparently, Jay hates the LA lifestyle and refuses to stay there. Yes, all of the actors are playing fictitious or exaggerated versions of themselves. They spend the afternoon gorging on Carl Jr., smoking dope, and playing video games. That evening they go to a big housewarming party thrown by James Franco. Jay is leery about going, but he tags along anyways to be with Seth. Jay thinks Jonah Hill hates him, which is far from the truth after a warm encounter when they get to the party. All of their friends including: Jason Segel, Mindy Kaling, David Krumholz, Aziz Ansari, Rihanna, and Michael Cera are at this party.

After reaching his breaking point, Jay gets Seth to go with him to the convenience store to buy a pack of smokes. A huge explosion rips open the store and various customers are sucked into the air through a blue orb. They manage to escape and run like hell back to James Franco's party. The rest of LA starts to burst into flames and massive sink holes start opening up leading to the deaths of many of our celeb party guests. The lone survivors of this so-called earthquake/apocalypse are: Jay, Seth, James, Jonah, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride, and Emma Watson. Their survival skills and friendship are put to the test as they wait out what is happening outside.

Sometimes when movies start crossing genres, the tone and balance can get out of sync. Movies like Tropic Thunder turn into an action film and the comedy gets left behind. Here, the comedy stays quite present and at the fore front despite the final third of the film turning into a CGI demon/zombie fest. It has the comedy/horror down correctly like Shaun of the Dead did a few years back. I don't want to give too much away, but the script is not all dick jokes and pot smoking. I was pleasantly surprised that Rogen and Goldberg delve into such interesting topics like mortality, how to get into heaven, what heaven is like, etc...Sure, it is done with a more comedic tone than a straight philosophical approach, but I am glad they went for it.

Have I mentioned how funny this movie is? It is literally the funniest movie I have seen all year. The humor is crude, crass, vulgar, and self-deprecating on these actors. What else do you expect from this team? I think it was smart of Rogen and Goldberg to have the actors play themselves. Much of the humor comes from the exaggerated or fictitious versions of themselves and seeing how far they are willing to push the boundaries of their own images. It also helps if you know each of these actors and their careers as they are constantly referencing past films or performances they've given. James Franco keeps hoards of old props in his basement. Jonah Hill has a dramatic voice now that he's an Oscar nominee. Seth Rogen has sold out. These are just a few of the jabs that are thrown toward each other. Michael Cera went so far as to give people the impression he is an ass-grabbing coke fiend. Where the truth lies is probably somewhere in the middle regarding how much of these "characters" are based on their real-life counterparts. You can tell that some of the movie is ad-libbed as the actors will just go off on these riffs and jabs at each other that are some of the best moments in the film. Like many movies that come from these guys, it does feel a bit long at times. At least the humor is consistent throughout.

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Movie Trailer: THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill, Jon Favreau, Kyle Chandler, Jean Dujardin, Ethan Suplee, Rob Reiner, Spike Jonze, Joanna Lumley, Christine Ebersole

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are teaming up for their fifth collaboration. They are bringing Jordan Belfort's memoir of the same name to the big screen with an adaptation by Terence Winter ("Boardwalk Empire", "The Sopranos").

The film is a biographical boiler room drama that follows the notorious Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio), a Wall Street stockbroker who was flying high on drugs, money, and women. This bad business included a "pump and dump scheme" of money laundering and security fraud against Wall Street and the mob.

I am a huge fan of Martin Scorsese's work, and while some naysayers like to claim that no new film of his could ever live up to Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, or Goodfellas. While I agree that those are cinematic works of excellence, The Departed is one of my favorite movies. I may also be one of the few that has a soft spot for Leonardo DiCaprio and don't understand why the Academy continually ignores him. The first trailer for The Wolf of Wall Street definitely showcases the look of luxury and the more comedic tones the film will have. It does not have that gritty, rough feel of your traditional Scorsese film. I have read up on the life of Jordan Belfort and I have faith the film will showcase the darker or crazier sides of his life.

What are your first impressions?

In theaters: November 15, 2013

Here's the trailer: