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: ROBOCOP

ROBOCOP
Director: José Padilha
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Michael K. Williams, Jennifer Ehle, Jay Baruchel, Samuel L. Jackson, Jackie Earl Haley

Valentine's Day weekend brought us three remakes of '80s films. Three? Really? Yes, I kid you not.  Apparently we are void of any original love stories to be told for that special day. I vaguely recall seeing the original 1987 Paul Verhoeven flick edited for television many years ago when I was a kid flipping channels. Needless to say, I went in fresh without an ingrained memories of Peter Weller suited up taking on the criminals. Jump forward to 2028 and robots are being used by the US military to settle the violence in Tehran. OmniCorp, the parent company of these killing machines, is looking to bring the technology to the United States due to the success it has brought Tehran. The company's president Raymond Sellers (Keaton) plus a couple of employees from the marketing department  (Ehle, Baruchel) are having a hard time getting it approved by the US Senate. Apparently these robots are smart enough to kill the bad guys, but innocent civilians are getting killed on accident without any sort of emotional response from the robots.

Sellers comes up with the brilliant plan of adding a human to the robots in order to gain popularity for the project. His angle is that they will be able to show emotion and a thought process before killing any targets. He teams up with Dr. Dennett Horton (Oldman) to test potential candidates. Alex Murphy (Kinnaman) and his partner Jack Lewis (Williams) are members of the Detroit police force working on bringing down crime boss Antoine Vallon. Murphy is severely burned and paralyzed after his car explodes due to Vallon's hit on him. His wife Clara (Cornish) gives Sellers and Dr. Horton permission to use Murphy as their first test subject under the new RoboCop program. No matter how much they tinker around with Alex's emotional and cognitive recall, OmniCorp is not prepared for the aftermath of what happens next.

The idea behind RoboCop may have seemed fresh in the '80s after The Terminator was a huge success. This reboot feels a bit unnecessary as it doesn't feel innovative or ground breaking.  It feels like it is trying to capitalize on all the Marvel success where we take this damaged hero type figure and force science and technology into him only to end up with dangerous results. That's not to say that it was doomed from the beginning, but it seems to take itself so seriously that there is no fun or joy to be had. What makes movies like Iron Man or Captain America: The First Avenger work well is that they have a sense of humor about it. They acknowledge that this idea is a bit ridiculous, but they run with it and save the world at the same time.

I give screenwriter Joshua Zetumer some credit for making the family aspects to it stand out. You definitely get a sense that the family story with his wife and son and the effects Alex/RoboCop has on them is vital to the story.  Where he falls flat is that he tries to cover so much other ground on top of the family story. There is so much time and characters devoted to different aspects of the story that, while they have some merit, ultimately could be cut and trimmed down for the sake of the pacing. Take for instance the Samuel L. Jackson character. He plays this TV news reporter that reports on the OmniCorp technology that opens the movie. He then disappears for a good chunk of the movie and then comes back. There is also the whole political angle with more time and characters devoted to the Dreyfuss Act. Actor Zach Grenier (TV's "The Good Wife") is great as Senator Dreyfuss, but do we really need all of the courtroom scenes? I understand the point of his portion of the story, but too much time is spent there. This is on top of the actual story involving Alex Murphy, his family, his crew over at the Detroit police department, and all of the people involved with OmniCorp.

The film has a run time of just under two hours, yet I really felt like I was watching a three hour action saga. So many angles and elements of the story that get explored and discussed could potentially have been saved for future entries if this would become a franchise. The whole exposition and lead-up to when the RoboCop is ready for public display feels like one whole story. I actually thought they were going to end the movie at that point, but I realized he hadn't solved any crimes yet or killed any of the Detroit's most wanted. That wasn't the only time I thought the movie was ending. Whether it was the writing, slow pacing, or both, there were numerous false endings where it would have ended perfectly but it cut to another scene.

On paper this film may have flowed better. There are so many great actors working here, and I'm sure they all thought this could be a good film for easy money that could potentially build into a franchise. Gary Oldman is always a treat to watch no matter how good or bad the film turns out. It is nice to see Michael Keaton back on the big screen again. There is one scene that is classic Keaton style acting that was one of the better parts of the movie. Joel Kinnaman has a nice wholesome family man aspect to him that fits this Alex Murphy well. I have no idea how he compares to Peter Weller so I have no bias toward the original here. Kinnaman keeps the character grounded and maintains the human aspect about him without falling into any sort of robotic, two dimensional stereotype once he is assembled into the RoboCop. This is the first American film for Brazilian director José Padilha. He has some good elements working for him here as he has some high caliber actors that signed on for this. You also won't find a lot of cheesy dialogue or over-acting like you would find in a Michael Bay movie. Focus and tight storytelling are his biggest problems. There is far too much going on, especially for a remake.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? No. This remake takes itself far too seriously.

RATING: **1/2 (2.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: ABOUT LAST NIGHT

ABOUT LAST NIGHT
Director: Steve Pink
Starring: Michael Ealy, Joy Bryant, Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, Adam Rodriguez, Paula Patton, Christopher McDonald, Joe Lo Truglio

Is the third time the charm in regards to my relationship, or lack thereof, with Kevin Hart? You may remember from my reviews of Grudge Match and Ride Along that I have not hopped on the Hart bandwagon despite him being a huge box office draw and bonafide laugh-a-minute star to other people. Could he finally star in something that I found funny or have I just given in to his self-deprecating type humor? Could Regina Hall be just the right costar for him?

Bernie (Hart) invites his coworker and best friend Danny (Ealy) on his date with Joan (Hall) while she invites her roommate Debbie (Bryant) along for the night out as well. Bernie and Joan are two loud-mouthed, wise ass individuals who seem perfect for each other. Maybe a little too perfect. They start tossing the drinks and shots back like they’re at some sort of frat party. Danny and Debbie sit back and take in the behavior while cautiously keeping an eye on the time. According to Bernie and Joan, those two are being boring due to the fact they have to work the next day. Debbie and Danny leave early and end up spending the night together.

Bernie and Danny recap the previous night’s activities at work the next day like any two friends would. Their take on the evening is a bit different than how Joan and Debbie recall it. As the months carry on, Danny and Debbie’s one night stand eventual leads to a budding romance. They move in and take those next big steps in a relationship and deal with everything that goes into that. Joan and Bernie do not have the same luck as their adventurous nights in the bedroom come to a screeching halt. This bad breakup leads to many hysterical verbal tirades whenever they have to see each other. Meanwhile, Danny and Debbie’s exes (Patton and Rodriguez) come back into the picture and prove that the strings from those past relationships may not have been completely detached.

As you may recall, About Last Night is a remake of the 1986 film of the same name with Rob Lowe and Demi Moore in the roles played here by Michael Ealy and Joy Bryant. James Belushi and Elizabeth Perkins had the supporting characters that Kevin Hart and Regina Hall play. Both films are based off the stage play “Sexual Perversity in Chicago” by David Mamet. I have not seen the original film, but I did read the play back in college which was at least a decade ago now. Have no fear as I will not be comparing the two movies. It should be noted that the location has changed to Los Angeles. If you are familiar with those previous incarnations, you will get a kick out of the fact that there is a scene between Ealy and Bryant as they watch the 1986 film and one of the characters talks about the “sexual perversity in Los Angeles”.

I mentioned my lack of appreciation for Kevin Hart above and while that easily could have stopped me from seeing this, the trailers looked promising and I thought if they stuck close to the original source material, I could get on board. Color me surprised as I actually found Hart to be really enjoyable here. In his past films, I feel like he has just playing Kevin Hart and the script always seemed written for him or he improvised his way through many scenes. The script by Leslye Headland (Bachelorette) seems pretty genuine and untouched here. That’s not to say that I believe every scene was shot the way it was written on the page, but the rapid fire dialogue between all four characters is evident and doesn’t seem like it needed any help from Hart or Regina Hall (Scary Movie). Hall and Hart are dynamite here as their antics and verbal sparring toward each other keep the laughs steady throughout the whole movie. Some may find it exhausting as they can be loud, abrasive, and slightly obnoxious, but their chemistry and timing balance that out. As the main couple, Joy Bryant ("Parenthood") and Michael Ealy (Think Like a Man, "The Good Wife") work really well together making their relationship very believable and plausible. Yes, it does get a bit predictable as you expect his character to make some bonehead moves along the way. That does happen in real life, but don't you just want the couple in a romantic comedy to just do the right things the whole way through?

Director Steve Pink (Hot Tub Time Machine) has a strong enough cast that makes the movie work and keeps you cheering for Danny and Debbie. He and Leslye Headland have updated it to the modern era as discussions about Facebook statuses and the use of the "ignore" button on their phones come into play.  I am sure fans of the original 1986 film will be skeptical, and I have a feeling David Mamet will just ignore this one. Is it groundbreaking in the world of romantic comedies? Not really, but it certainly is better than a majority of them out there.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? Yes.  Kevin Hart is actually funny here.

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

Movie Review: EVIL DEAD

EVIL DEAD
Director: Fede Alvarez
Starring: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas, Elizabeth Blackmore



If you have seen enough horror films, you are well aware of the old plot where five friends go to an abandoned cabin in the woods and all hell breaks loose. With the rise in popularity of zombies, it was about time for a remake of the classic low budget horror fest known as The Evil Dead. Do not be confused as this one drops the "The" and is just Evil Dead. Mia (Levy) is battling a cocaine addiction and her friends Olivia (Lucas) and Eric (Pucci) take her to a cabin in an intervention type escape from her every day life. Low and behold her brother David (Fernandez) and his girlfriend Natalie (Blackmore) arrive as a surprise to Mia. Mia and David do not have the best relationship so that adds some tension to the mix. Oh yes, let us not forget about their dog. Did I mention that they are in the middle of the woods with nothing around?



Late one dark evening, the dog starts sniffing around the carpet in the middle of the room. The guys pull up the rug to find a bloody cellar door. Naturally, they open it and the wafting smell overpowers the room. Eric and David go into the cellar to find numerous dead cat carcasses hanging from the ceiling among other treasures. Eric picks up a package that appears to be wrapped in a black trash bag with barbed wire over it. Inside contains a book covered in human flesh. Upon opening it, Eric reads many messages in red warning him not to continue reading. A plea to not awaken the evil that surrounds them. We wouldn't have a movie if he actually listened and took those to heart. He reads the incantations out loud not knowing he is summoning the demons. Mia struggles with her addiction and her withdrawals send her into a panic attack out into the woods to escape. That demon comes out, rapes, and possesses Mia in a twisted way in an ode to the original film. The possessed Mia makes her way back to the cabin and infects the others.



The tagline on the poster reads "The most terrifying film you will ever experience." I beg to differ. I suppose if gallons upon gallons of blood terrify you, then sure, you will find this movie to be the most terrifying film you will ever experience. We are in a phase with horror movies where torture porn and buckets of blood seem to be a standard. It seems to be the new craze with the likes of the Saw and Hostel movies reaching popularity. Evil Dead may just take the cake on being the most gruesome film I have ever experienced, yet somehow I was bored.



I sat throughout the film being torn and conflicted. I wanted to like it and I felt like I should be raving about it, but I just could not get into it. It has been a few years since I saw the original which I cannot decide if that is a good thing or not. If a horror movie is remade, I want to try to enjoy it on its own merit. One of the main things the movie does have going for it is that it is not a direct remake of the original. The main theme and framework is there, but the characters are different and there are a few twists thrown in. The original film had a ridiculously small budget that provided some good camp and cheese to the special effects. This one has been given money to spend on the make-up and blood effects. Original director Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell are two of the producers of the film and specifically chose Fede Alvarez to direct it. Instead of playing into the recipe that has made the original the success and cult following it has, they turned to the modern age of horror films and fit the Evil Dead concept into this era. I can get behind that but I still wanted more. When you have a story that is already far-fetched, you can really play into the dark comedy in the dialogue and in the way people are killed. There were moments of hilarious one-liners and times when the deaths were even more ridiculous and over the top. I loved those moments and wanted the film to continue in that direction. I suppose you could say that each death is over the top in nature but I wanted each one dialed up to 11 or even 12. Limbs are dismembered left and right and a tongue is slit in half, but I still wanted more creativity behind each one.

RATING: * (1 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: TOTAL RECALL

TOTAL RECALL
Director: Len Wiseman
Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bill Nighy, Bryan Cranston, John Cho

The world has been left with two territories after a chemical warfare, The United Federation of Britain and The Colony (the land we know as Australia). Citizens can travel between the two territories using an underground portal called "The Fall". Doug Quaid (Farrell) is factory worker living on The Colony but works in the UFB. Night after night, he is awoken by the same reoccurring nightmare. Rekall is a company that can implant memories into your mind giving you a life you actually have never had in order to escape the monotony of your real life. Doug has heard mixed reactions to Rekall. His friend, Harry (Bokeem Woodbine), recounts a story he heard of a man needing a lobotomy after his experience with Rekall. Another coworker says he has used Rekall numerous times with wonderful results.

Doug bites the bullet and heads into Rekall. Rekall employee, McClane (Cho), explains to him that he can have any sort of imaginary life he wants. He decides to be a secret agent/spy. He sits down and goes through the standard tests and procedures before the memories can be implanted. The alarms go off and McClane stops the machine and accuses Doug of being a real life spy. Memories cannot be implanted into people of a life they already lead. Doug freaks out not knowing what is going on as he is not a spy. A SWAT team enters the room and Doug suddenly uses martial arts skills he didn't know he had knocking them all out. He heads back to his apartment to tell his wife Lori (Beckinsale) about what happened at Rekall. Lori tries strangling him revealing to him that she is not the wife he thought he had. She is an undercover agent sent to monitor him. He flees the apartment in a high energy chase sequence and gets rescued by Melina (Biel) who is the girl that has been appearing in his nightmares. While on the run, he recovers messages from his former self left for him regarding his previous life. He was once an agent working for Chancellor Coohagen (Cranston) until he was captured for secretly working with the resistance movement against him.

Total Recall is a remake of the 1990 movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Farrell role and Sharon Stone as his wife. It has been many years since my last viewing of that one, so I can't really compare the two but this one does not seem very similar to the movie I remember the original being. The characters have the same name, but there is no journey to Mars in this one. In case you were curious, the three breasted woman does make an appearance.

The movie feels more like a video game than a sci-fi/action movie. Doug and Melina always seem to be on the run making the movie feel like one giant chase sequence over and over. The story is left on the back burner to pay more attention to the countless action sequences. The special effects and design of the two territories make the sequences look great and are definitely high in energy. Kate Beckinsale is one fierce kick-ass action star. I give the movie credit for not being a complete knock-off of the original, but I think it could have gone way further with the story. If you are going to remake a sci-fi/action movie, it should be remade with a purpose. High octane action sequences with quick editing can make for a good movie, but this should have been a great movie.

RATING: *** (3 out of 5 stars)