Movie Review: THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU

THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU
Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver, Jane Fonda, Rose Byrne, Dax Sheperd, Connie Britton, Kathryn Hahn, Abigail Spencer, Timothy Olyphant, Ben Schwartz

I must admit that I have a soft spot for these types of family ensemble stories. Two films in my top ten, American Beauty and The Ice Storm, both center on dysfunctional families. This is Where I Leave You takes a lighter approach than both of those films. It’s even lighter than last year’s August: Osage County, which has a similar premise. For Judd Altman (Bateman), when it rains it pours. Around the same time he walks in on his wife (Spencer) sleeping with his boss (Shepard), he gets a phone call from his sister Wendy (Fey) who breaks the news that their father has died.

When the entire Altman clan arrives for the funeral, their mother Hillary (Fonda) informs her four children that their father’s dying wish was for all of them to gather under one room to sit shiva, the Jewish tradition where friends and relatives gather for seven days to celebrate the deceased. Judd isn’t the only Altman going through a personal crisis. Wendy’s marriage is on the rocks as her husband is the work-obsessed always on the phone type. Judd's older brother Paul (Stoll) and his wife (Hahn) are having fertility problems. His younger brother Philip (Driver) is the immature one who can’t seem to grow up. Philip is also dating a psychiatrist (Britton) who is old enough to pass for his mom. The seven days of mourning provides them all the opportune time to deal with their issues as returning home always seems to be that place to confront your past and deal with the present.

The film is based on the popular book by Jonathan Tropper. Fans of the book should be relieved that this is a faithful adaptation as he also wrote the screenplay. It’s almost a little too faithful. The book has numerous characters as each family member has their own world and problems that they are coming from plus people from their childhood that re-enter their lives. Some of the minor characters don’t work as well for the film as they do for the book due to the pacing of the film and overall narrative. Timothy Olyphant’s Horry is a challenging character that works better in the book. The same goes for Rose Byrne’s Penny who was Judd’s childhood flame. Olyphant and Byrne make the most out of their limited screen time, but under two other actors these characters would have been completely forgettable.

The dynamic cast was another big seller for me on why this family seems charming and relatable. The balance between both the comedy and drama is vital to this story. Director Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum, Date Night) wisely chose actors that can not only play the comedic tone Tropper sets up but can also tap into the serious sides of each family member. Bateman, Fey, Driver, Stoll, Britton, Olyphant, and Shepard are all known for their television work, so it’s fun to watch them step outside of those roles that we are so used to seeing them play on a weekly basis. This is probably the most serious we have seen Tina Fey onscreen as she typically sticks to broad comedies like 30 Rock or Saturday Night Live. I’ve mentioned the delightful Kathryn Hahn in previous reviews. As Corey Stoll’s wife, she gets to be her standard quirky self but has some touching moments when it comes to her character’s infertility. The real standout of the cast is Adam Driver (Girls, Inside Llewyn Davis). Even though he has it a bit easy as his character is the goofball that gets to have the most fun, he really comes alive and is downright hysterical in every scene. Most of the time he's up to his old tricks, but Driver also brings out that internal side of Phillip that has strong intentions of proving he isn’t just some screw up.

Tropper’s ideas of finding the humor in tragedy ring loud and clear. I guess I hone in on this idea as it is also something I live by. Many of our characters are going through serious issues, but their moments of clarity come when humor is brought in. There were multiple times throughout the movie where the audience was laughing so hard I missed some of the dialogue that followed. There may be a dysfunctional aspect about the Altmans, but they are not as over-the-top and crazy like we have seen in many of these types of movies. The humor keeps it grounded in reality without taking it to a satirical or theatrical level.

Is It Worth Your Trip to the Movies? These characters and this idea of coming home to face and resolve your problems should resonate with moviegoers.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Trailer: THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU

THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU
Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Jane Fonda, Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver, Connie Britton, Kathryn Hahn, Rose Byrne, Dax Shepard, Timothy Olyphant, Debra Bonk

It’s become a joke with my parents that I love movies about dysfunctional families. As an actor, I’m always drawn to those types of large ensemble dramas as there are rich characters for the actors to play with. I was immediately drawn to This is Where I Leave You when I first saw the cast list and a publicity photo in Entertainment Weekly. Jane Fonda, Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver, Connie Britton, and Dax Shepard are just some of the fantastic actors that appear in this adaptation of the Jonathan Tropper novel of the same name. Jane Fonda stars as the matriarch of the Foxman family and insists her children (played by Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, and Adam Driver) reunite after their father passes away. As you can tell by the trailer, some of them are going through their own drama on top of the death in the family. The cast boasts quite a few actors known for the television work, and I’m excited to see them tackle a different medium. I recently bought the book, and hope to start and finish it before the movie comes out this fall.

Take a peek at the trailer and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!

Release Date: September 12, 2014

Here's the trailer:

TWIN CITIES LIVE--May 14, 2014

TWIN CITIES LIVE
May 14, 2014

It was another wonderful day on Twin Cities Live! Today's picks are the Seth Rogen and Zac Efron flick Neighbors and my choice for the home release is Her. Click below for the links to those movies.

1. Neighbors, starring Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, and Dave Franco
2. Her, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, and Amy Adams

Enjoy!



video courtesy of Twin Cities Live/KSTP

Movie Review: NEIGHBORS

NEIGHBORS
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Starring: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jerrod Carmichael, Lisa Kudrow

Let me get this straight. Seth Rogen plays a pot smoking guy looking to reclaim his youth. Zac Efron plays a ridiculously chiseled college guy. These are some bold casting choices. Mac (Rogen) and Kelly (Byrne) Radner have moved into a warm neighborhood with their new baby girl and are looking forward to the next stage of their lives. They see a young gay couple moving in down the block and think they have really found the right neighborhood for them. That joyous feeling comes to an abrupt end when they see a fraternity move in right next door. They attempt to get on the boys’ good side by introducing themselves as the cool neighbors and offering frat president Teddy (Efron) and vice president Pete (France) some pot in an exchange for them to “keep it down” once in a while. Mac and Kelly attend the boys’ first party where Mac partakes in all of the debauchery. A promise is made between both parties that if it’s ever too noisy that the Radner’s will call Teddy first before calling the cops.

With each passing night, the parties are getting bigger and the noise is getting out of control. They try to call Teddy to “keep it down”, but no one seems to be answering over at the frat house. What a surprise. The Radners have no choice but to break their promise and make an anonymous phone call to the cops for a noise complaint. It should come as no surprise that the cops rat them out to Teddy and Pete. The breaking of the promise leads to an all-out war between the Radners and the boys at Delta Psi Beta. Outrageous pranks ensue as the Radners hope to get the boys kicked out of the house, while the boys remind them who rules the neighborhood.

If you are looking for a clean wholesome comedy, Neighbors is not for you. When a movie stars Seth Rogen and frat boys are involved, it should be expected that the humor is raunchy, gross, vulgar, and crude. There will be copious amounts of sex, nudity, drinking, and drugs. Director Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Five-Year Engagement) and screenwriters Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O’Brien know what kind of movie they are making and push the boundaries of comedy and decency to the extreme. There are shocking moments and gags where you wonder if they have gone too far. If you are sensitive to this type of crass humor, you will definitely feel like they have crossed the limits. There is a very loose feeling at times to its structure, and it’s very evident that there was a lot of improvisation happening as the camera was rolling. Zac Efron (That Awkward Moment) and Dave Franco (21 Jump Street) have mentioned in interviews that improv was encouraged and that five writers were always watching the monitors giving new jokes and lines with each take. Some scenes and transitions feel a bit choppy. I give Stoller credit for showing some restraint when it came to the execution of the jokes and gags. These types of dumb comedies can tire quickly if the pace isn’t kept up and if the gags are played to death.  I have seen far too many comedies lately, ahem Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, where the jokes go on for too long and the movie is thirty minutes longer than it needs to because they are too impressed with their writing and don’t know how to edit. Stoller keeps the run time in check as the movie is only 96 minutes long. I would have grown tired if it was any longer than that. You may even notice that some of the scenes shown in the trailer didn’t make the final cut. I would bet that if the movie is a huge success we may see an “unrated” release at some point and a DVD/ Blu-ray full of deleted scenes.

Seth Rogen is playing the same type of character you have come to expect from him. I think it is rare if you don't see him playing someone that gets chemically altered at some point in the movie. He has had many on screen relationships from Katherine Heigl, Michelle Williams, and now Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids, Insidious). While it seems like an odd pairing on the outside, they have really great chemistry together. I always think of her being so prim and proper, but she gets to let loose and dive into the pranks. Her character even mentions that she doesn’t want to be that responsible and nagging wife like you would see in a Kevin James movie. She also gets to keep her Australian accent. I do wonder if they wrote that into the script before or after she got cast.

Say what you will about whatever pre-conceived notions you have about Zac Efron, but he is one of the highlights of the movie. No, it is not because of how good looking and ripped he is throughout it. As Rogen’s character states, “It looks like something a gay guy designed in a laboratory”. I think this type of comedy may be new for him, but it’s one of the few roles he has taken in his post-High School Musical career that completely fits him as an actor. While I applaud him for taking risks in past career choices, he has taken some roles that were a bit of a stretch for his type. Another highlight of the film belongs to Lisa Kudrow in a two scene cameo as the school’s dean. I would assume Stoller let her improv her way through a majority of her stuff as it’s very much a Kudrow creation.

I have seen quite a few frat themed movies like Old School and Van Wilder. None of them can hold a candle to the quintessential frat movie that is National Lampoon’s Animal House, which is one of my favorite comedies of all time. I was pleasantly surprised that there is more to Neighbors that just a bunch of young men partying and causing a ruckus for 96 minutes. There is the underlining idea that you can’t partake in wild shenanigans every night for the rest of your life. You eventually have to grow up, get a job, and deal with adulthood. There are so many joys that come with being married and having a new baby that far outweigh the ridiculous and wild nights that just turn into a hangover the next morning.  Our central characters go through this life change as Byrne and Rogen try to hold onto their youth a bit longer, while Efron and Franco’s characters must succumb to the fact that they will be graduating and have to find a job.    Neighbors will definitely attract those college aged moviegoers that are still going to frat parties on the weekend. I think it will also appeal to others, like me, who are on the Rogen/Byrne end of the spectrum. My college years are long gone, but the movie was a good trip down memory lane.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? Sometimes after a long week at work, this is the kind of silly comedy I am in the mood for. I wanted to laugh and forget about the week. Mission accomplished.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

Movie Trailer: ANNIE

ANNIE
Director: Will Gluck
Starring: Quvenzhané Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Rose Byrne, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Bobby Cannavale

One of the movies I remember watching as a child was the 1982 film adaptation of the musical Annie. It starred Aileen Quinn as the red haired title character, Albert Finney as Daddy Warbucks, the legendary Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan, plus Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters. Trepidation took over when it was announced that their would be a remake. There was already a television version a few years ago with Kathy Bates as Miss Hannigan. You really can't top the 1982 film version, so why are we bothering with another remake?

After her Oscar nomination for Beasts of the Southern Wild, it was announced that Quvenzhané Wallis was cast as Annie with Jamie Foxx taking on Daddy Warbucks. I was slightly on board with this concept as I thought it could have potential. Casting updates came with the news that Cameron Diaz would step aboard the coveted role as Miss Hannigan. What? How did that happen? When people were mulling over who could fill Carol Burnett's shoes, how did Cameron Diaz come to mind? A press photo was released of Diaz in character and something did not look right. She still looked like Cameron Diaz. Where was the Miss Hannigan I know? Nothing about Diaz's look screamed Miss Hannigan.

The trailer has been released and my initial negative reaction has now been cemented in place. The first time I watched the trailer, I was left speechless. Was this a joke? I can get behind trying to take a fresh take on the story, but it does not seem to work here. Everything about this trailer feels so wrong. The original story is set in 1933, and director Will Gluck has decided to have this version set in the current modern day. There is no Daddy Warbucks here as Jamie Foxx plays a politician named Will Stacks. I don't even know where to begin when it comes to Cameron Diaz. She seems so miscast here that it looks painful for her. It should also be noted that Jay-Z and Will Smith serve as producers. This boasts a Christmas time release with the movie version of the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods coming a week later. Thank God as that will hopefully triumph and leave this in the dust.

RELEASE DATE: December 19, 2014

Here's the trailer:

Movie Review: INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2

INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2
Director: James Wan
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins, Steve Coulter, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson

Director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell shocked horror fans with 2011's Insidious, one of the best films of the genre in the last ten years. It was inevitable that a sequel would be green lit. Whannell and Wan got the whole cast back together for a deeper look into the Lambert family. Josh (Wilson) and Renai (Byrne) are relieved to have their son Dalton (Simpkins) back to normal after a mysterious spirit haunted him. The events of that evening have left their medium Elise (Laye) dead with Josh being investigated for her death.

The Lamberts have moved back into Josh’s childhood home with his mother Lorraine (Hershey) even though they should know that it was not their previous house that haunted them. The spirits that possess both Josh and Dalton will never leave them no matter what home they are in. Renai starts hearing things go bump in the night, the piano start playing, and sees the woman in the white dress in her house. Josh is acting out of character and is adamant that she ignore these warning signs, but she knows all too well that their nightmare is not over. Josh’s body has been taken over by a spirit while he is still stuck in the other realm known as “The Further”. Elise’s colleagues and partners-in-crime Specs (Whannell) and Tucker (Sampson) are called in with the help of retired psychic Carl (Coulter) to bring Josh back and put an end to this nightmare.

There are two routes you can take when making a horror sequel. You can either continue on with the same story and same characters by fleshing it out with a back story, unveiling some hidden truths, and finding new ways to scare the audience. This must all be done while staying within that world you've already created. The other approach is to take the same theme/serial killer/demon and have him/it attack a new crop of victims. Approach number one is definitely the harder path to take, but ultimately, the path I typically enjoy with my horror sequels. It was smart for Wan and Whannell to continue on with the Lambert's story. Like I previously mentioned, Insidious: Chapter 2 picks up directly where the first film left off and delves a bit deeper into the mythology and ideas behind astral projection. These characters get so deep into these alternate worlds and realms that it can feel a bit muddled at times. "The Further" does not seem to have any time continuum either which makes things a bit more challenging if you are trying to figure out the chronology of it all. Maybe I was trying to think too hard during a horror movie. You really need to have a good understanding of the first film and know it fairly well in order to sink into this one. I do not think you could watch this one without seeing the first one and not feel completely lost. Yes, many of the characters do plenty of explaining and recaps for us but that does not do any justice to what is unleashed in the first chapter.

If you allow yourself to go there and dive into these alternate realms and go into "The Further", you will find this movie scary. You will inevitably jump and make some sort of vocalization each time you are startled. I had a harder time going all the way there, so I did not find this as scary as the first film or even The Conjuring, which also was directed by James Wan and starred Patrick Wilson. I find the story of The Conjuring a bit more realistic and believable which in turn makes it scarier to me. That is the beauty of the horror genre. It is all so subjective to each viewer.

Another element that sets this series apart from others is the talented cast. Wilson, Bryne, Hershey, and Shaye give very realistic and grounded performances that make the story all the more credible. Even if you find astral projection and demons to be a bit hokey, you can still feel something for these characters. They are not the dumb teenagers that get trapped in a cabin or are seen running through the woods hiding from the killer while screaming their faces off.

James Wan is not new to the horror genre as he arrived on the scene with 2004's Saw. Each one of his films is a bit different and caters to a different type of lover of the horror genre. I love horror, but The Conjuring is more my style than the torture porn of Saw. It is obvious when watching his films that Wan has an appreciation for the genre and knows it well. Some may roll their eyes at the very obvious references to The Shining in this film, but I see them more as a nod and homage to a classic than Wan ripping off Kubrick. He is a gifted filmmaker that even though Insidious: Chapter 2 may not be as on par with the first, it is still entertaining, frightening, and leagues better than many other supposed "scary" movies that are released each year.

RATING: *** 1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Ray Liotta, Dane DeHaan, Rose Byrne, Emory Cohen



After watching 2010's Blue Valentine, I knew that director Derek Cianfrance was a director that needed extra attention. The raw emotional story told by him and stars Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams really struck a nerve with me. Cianfrance has re-teamed with Gosling for his third movie which is one hell of an undertaking. Luke (Gosling) is a tough, tattooed, stunt motorcycle rider. He drives around in small steel cages with two motorcyclists touring the small state fair circuit. His ex-girlfriend Romina (Mendes) pays him a visit and he finds out he is the father of her son, Jason. She has moved on from him and is working as a waitress in a small diner and is now dating another man. Luke decides to get his act together by quitting the stuntman lifestyle to stay in town and help raise his son. His good intentions to turn his life around quickly stall as he turns to robbing banks to make money for his son.



After a couple of successful heists, Luke hits a snag on one attempt sending him into an altercation with rookie policeman Avery Cross (Cooper). The film shifts focus onto Avery's life. Avery comes from a wealthy family and has a beautiful wife (Byrne). There is a pre-determined path that his family wants him to go down, but Avery is torn with what he wants to do in life. After the altercation, he comes to realize his colleagues in the police force led by Deluca (Liotta) are about as corrupt as they come causing interal struggles with Avery's core values and constant determination to do the right thing. The story takes another turn and jumps fifteen years later. The culminating focus of the story narrows in on the actions of Luke and Avery and how they have impacted theirs sons. Avery is now running for public office but his teenage son, AJ (Cohen), has gotten himself messed up and arrested for drug possession with Jason (DeHaan). AJ and Jason have no idea of the history between their two fathers, and their friendship comes into question as certain truths start to reveal themselves.



I am always drawn to big ensemble dramas where actors are being pushed in every scene. With these three interconnected stories, Cianfrance delivers strong performances across the board from his cast. Gosling is as strong and realistic as he is with every character. Mendes plays completely out of her standard sexy bad-ass chick routine I think she has gotten herself stuck in. She has finally taken on a role that allows herself to give off a strong, stripped down, and vulnerable performance. This role has finally forced me to take notice of her when I had never given her credit before. Liotta may be the only one in comfortable territory playing the ruthless corrupt cop. I am happy to see Cooper successfully take on another flawed character. I was hoping Silver Linings Playbook was not a fluke performance. It is hard not to take notice of Dane DeHaan. He reminded me of a young Leonardo DiCaprio in his approach. Do not be surprised if he follows in the footsteps of DiCaprio or Gosling and becomes the next in demand actor if he continually takes on these challenging and unstable characters.



Cianfrance is drawn to making movies about family life. Blue Valentine focused on the husband and wife dynamic while The Place Beyond the Pines taps into the relationships between fathers and sons. The central characters must deal with coping with the life they have either been born into or got themselves a part of in their later years. They have to realize that certain choices and actions have consequences from one generation to the next. For an up and coming director, this multi-layered approach to the story is no easy feat. With the opening tracking shot, the cinematography is gritty and very in your face at times. Cianfrance manages to go all in without playing it safe in any regard. The film is by no means perfect, but it has had a lasting impression on me. I can only imagine what future stories and themes Cianfrance will come up with, and I know I will be in line as soon as they open.

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

Movie Trailer: THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Rose Byrne, Ray Liotta, Dane DeHaan, Eva Mendes

If you saw Blue Valentine in 2010, you know the work of director Derek Cianfrance. He reunites with Ryan Gosling to bring you another intense character study. Gosling plays Luke Glanton, a motorcycle stunt rider that turns to bank robbery in effort to provide for his son and ex-girlfriend Romina (Mendes), who is the mother of his child. Luke's actions come to the attention of rookie cop Avery (Cooper) and the even more corrupt Detective Deluca (Liotta).

The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2012 and received rave reviews. Cooper is shining right now with Silver Linings Playbook, so I predict another stellar performance to keep his momentum going. Gosling can currently be seen in Gangster Squad and was recently the People Magazine cover man. Blue Valentine really got to me, so I am highly looking forward to another emotional punch to the gut with The Place Beyond the Pines.

Release Date: March 29, 2013.