Movie Review: Take Me Home Tonight (2011)

It's an interesting concept to make an '80s teen sex comedy in 2011 (or a few years earlier since the film's release was delayed) and Take Me Home Tonight manages to touch upon some of the magic of those films while also retaining modernistic comedy elements. The creators have stated that they wanted to make a movie that feels like it was made in the '80s rather than just parodying the decade, but the result shifts back and forth between accomplishing that goal and venturing towards the outlandish antics of present day gross-out teen comedies. The R rating allows for more colorful dialogue, a little nudity and plenty of drug use, but the most satisfyingly humorous moments don't involve sex, drugs, or its '80s setting. Visually (and certainly musically) the best of the '80s is there, but strangely the film would have been as effective set in any era.
Though Matt Franklin (Topher Grace) now works at a Suncoast Video after graduating from MIT and has no prospects on his future career, his greatest regret is never obtaining the phone number of his unrequited high school crush Tori Frederking (Teresa Palmer). When a chance meeting with his dream girl allows him to join her at Kyle Masterson's (Chris Pratt) legendary Labor Day weekend party, Matt, his best friend Barry (Dan Fogler), and his twin sister Wendy (Anna Faris), navigate the rocky revelations of burgeoning adulthood through a night of wild partying, self reflection, and second chances.
Master of the '80s teen comedy, John Hughes, often employed a tactic where a moment of hilarity emerged after reflecting on the more serious revelations of growing up. Take Me Home Tonight uses an antithetical approach - bouts of comedy are capped with the somber musings of regrets and failures. This often leaves a bitter taste to the conclusion of each event no matter how comically it started and forces the viewer to reminisce on the solemnity. As a result the comedy acquires a much darker feel than it actually deserves, which perhaps accurately resonates with the seriousness of cocaine use and lying to women, but detracts from the laugh-out-loud appeal.
A few references to Hughes' work and some paralleling ideas surface in Take Me Home Tonight, but the film can't quite grasp the charm and sincerity of its authentic predecessors. It does, however, still manage to feature a classic tale of a teenager searching for his dream girl and accompanies this with clever bits of comedy and the scene-stealing over-the-top exploits of funnyman Dan Fogler.

Movie Review: Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011)

Adults might have to stretch their patience to accommodate the level of absurdity inherent with the improbability and impracticality of a New York businessman raising six penguins in his apartment, but Mr. Popper's Penguins isn't really meant for the discerning viewer. Children who find bumbling, chubby creatures entertaining won't have any complaints, and the parallel of a familial bond with the unity of a waddle of penguins isn't the worst moral message one could offer young kids. Yet there are those of us who feel that Jim Carrey, while not entirely insufferable as a father of two children and six flightless birds, could be doing grander things.
While Tom Popper (Jim Carrey) pushes for a promotion at his property purchasing partnership, he finds himself further parted from his ex-wife Amanda (Carla Gugino) and his children Billy (Maxwell Perry Cotton) and Janie (Madeline Carroll). When he unexpectedly procures six penguins from his estranged pop's possessions, and Billy mistakes the pesky pets for his birthday present, Popper determines to protect his plumaged companions. As he struggles to balance providing for his new patrons with the pressures of his persistent employers, Popper must also attempt to reconnect with his family while parrying the pernicious plotting of a pushy zoo proprietor (Clark Gregg) intent on poaching the penguins for his own prehensile purposes.
The biggest problem with Mr. Popper's Penguins is the lack of realism. Although it is clearly fantasy, and targeting a youthful audience, the complete disregard for repercussions and consequences is ludicrous, especially given that the police and a dutiful, nemesis zookeeper are included specifically for the purpose of control and reasoning. "We had fun, but it's time to get back to reality," says Popper, when the authorities step in and the penguins are momentarily treated like real animals in need of professional care. The whole movie might have worked more believably if it were animated. It's bad enough that the CG penguins are completely visually distinguishable from their live action trained counterparts.
Jim Carrey is right at home in the role of a nonsensical, overacting, idiosyncratic man desperately struggling to mend his shattered romantic relationship and separation from his kids - the same kind of character he's been playing his entire career, and most likely nothing like the popular source material (the filmmakers probably tried in vain to reel him in). With gags such as a woman who sputters extreme alliteration, the typical soccer ball to the groin, the tuxedo-suited waddlers strolling through the Guggenheim and a crowded New York street unnoticed, and penguin excrement squirted in the face, Mr. Popper's Penguins is unfathomably awkward, bland, unoriginal, uninspired, and largely pointless. The dialogue and situations are pitiful and the supporting characters provide little relief from Carrey's obnoxiousness. If it weren't for a few brief clips from some of Chaplin's films, the entire event would have been agonizing.

Movie Review: Rango (2011)

Rango is basically one giant homage to all the great westerns, from the spaghetti west of Sergio Leone to the comedic parodies of Bob Hope. A multitude of references to a plethora of classics make an appearance throughout the film, and even those that don't recognize these oftentimes clever allusions will find entertainment in the action, sly comedy, and hilariously twisted character designs. Rango may be the typical fish-out-of-water protagonist trying to discover his own identity, but when transplanted into an old west town inhabited by miserly turtles, gun-toting rattlesnakes and hillbilly varmints, all while plagued by intermittent surrealistic visions, profound metaphors, and pessimistic narration from an avian mariachi band, his story seems anything but normal.
The desert town of Dirt finds itself in a crisis of epic proportions. A terrible drought has swept over the land, the bank's water supply is almost dry, and outlaws torment the town's citizens. Luckily for Dirt, the heroic lizard Rango (Johnny Depp) has just arrived to bring about a new order of justice and peace as the latest town sheriff. Unfortunately for both Dirt and Rango, the wily chameleon is actually just an aspiring actor desperate to play the role of a fearless gunslinger. When his theatrical antics find him appointed an official lawman, Rango must gather all his courage and acting savvy to save Miss Bean's (Isla Fisher) ranch, recover the town's precious water supply, and fend off depraved outlaw Rattlesnake Jake (Bill Nighy).
The character designs in Rango range from comically bizarre to truly inspired and end up stealing the show from each creature's individually eccentric personalities. From bug-eyed toads and mangy cats to wheelchair-bound turtles and skeptical possums, the wide variety of animals are brought to life with such vivid visuals that you might find yourself laughing before they even speak. Many of the animals are hideously deformed and disfigured, or their characteristic features so exaggerated that you won't even be able to tell what creature they represent. A bird with an arrow in his eye, a rabbit missing an ear, and an overly hairy mouse mark just a sampling of the curious and intriguing creations that share the screen. The few humans that make an appearance are pure caricatures of their actor counterparts and nearly every design screams of innovation and ingenuity. In addition to the brilliant character designs, the texturing and animation reach a new level of authenticity thanks to the work of Industrial Light and Magic, a company known for their expertise in creating special effects.
With its clever references to classic western films and spattering of dark humor, Rango will almost certainly appeal as much to adults as to children. In fact, aside from the slapstick action sequences and goofy misadventures of the title lizard, the vast majority of jokes, surrealistic dream sequences, and intelligently intricate dialogue seem geared for a more mature audience with a firm appreciation for the genre the film so meticulously spoofs.

Movie Review: Green Lantern (2011)

The filmmakers are under the impression that audiences will accept anything, as long as it's drenched in special effects. Balls of gaseous substances, electrical fields of lightning, pulsing rays of color, billowing smoke, fiery explosions and glowing energy beams all shown rapidly and accompanied by piercing noises - these tricks are sure to impress even the most cynical critics. Unexplainable things happen all of a sudden and viewers are expected to sit back and soak up the visual zaniness without questioning all the cryptic events. This is simply not true. For an origins movie, Green Lantern certainly has a lot more explaining to do.
For centuries, the emerald energy of willpower has been fueling intergalactic peacekeepers known as Green Lanterns. Thousands of specially chosen warriors and guardians police the galaxies, using their unimaginable powers to quell the evil forces of fear. Legendary legionnaire Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison), aglow with purplish, translucent skin and rubbery tendons, discovers that an ancient monstrosity called Parallax has been steadily growing and is responsible for the recent deaths of several highly skilled Green Lanterns. When he encounters the frightful anomaly firsthand, he's mortally wounded and must crash land on Earth.
The viridian energy works in mysterious ways, and purposefully chooses the individuals that harness its powers. When Abin dies, the ring he possesses, recharged by a literal chartreuse lantern, seeks out devil-may-care, foolhardy, hotheaded jet pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds, who hasn't changed drastically from Van Wilder) to be its new caretaker. At first he has no interest in assuming the responsibilities of protecting a massive sector of civilization, but with the help of negativistic ally Sinestro (Mark Strong), bulky alien Kilowog (Michael Clarke Duncan) and bird-beaked mentor Tomar-Re (Geoffrey Rush), Hal will become the most powerful Lantern of them all.
From the very start, solemn narration, intrusive flashbacks and countless tongue-twisting alien worlds, names and devices are utilized, going overboard to stay faithful to the DC Comics characters and entities. With such a swift running time, too much mindboggling content is thrown at the screen rapidly. In the vein of Star Wars or Star Trek, the ideas are completely science-fiction, working on a level closer to Thor than Iron Man. Almost nothing is grounded in reality, and because of this, little is deemed worthy of explanation. An "induction process" allows for communication between the human and his newfound comrades, along with quick acceptance of his lime green muscle suit, comical mask (to protect his identity, despite merely covering his cheekbones), and super powers. "The ring's limits are only what you can imagine," insists Tomar-Re, making further definition pointless.
A subplot with Dr. Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) is unnecessary and wasted, the primary villain Parallax is built up to be invincible but then casually discarded, and Hal's love interest Carol Ferris (Blake Lively, proving she can only play one character) is hopelessly generic. It takes over an hour to devise a plot and forge an antagonist, and just a few minutes to hastily resolve it all. Impressive makeup goes the route of repulsive instead of awe-inspiring, and the costumes and character designs follow suit, appearing absurd rather than impactful.
While trying to stay true to the look of the original comic books, Green Lantern has crafted some incredibly silly stuff. The visuals are entirely too goofy for non-fans to readily digest. There's also a huge focus on responsibility, facing fears, and never giving up, which passes as noticeably bland and uninteresting. Like Iron Man 2, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and most of the X-Men sequels, Green Lantern is a mishmash of outdated graphic novel lore, reinvention, redesign, revival, adaptation, stale humor and budget-busting special effects, all of which are an abrasive assault to the senses and dolefully dreary filmmaking.

Movie Review: Red Riding Hood (2011)

If the thought of theatrically adapting the famous fairy tale isn't enough to incite giggles, the recitation of the line "Grandmother, what big teeth you have" will certainly do the job. Little about the film doesn't warrant laughter; the revealing of the red cape, the repetitious jump-scares with the grandmother casting wolf shadows and other bits of details from the source material thrown in for those who forgot what the movie is based on, and the overwhelming feeling that this is a lesser known chapter from the Twilight Saga. All are reasons to dismiss this ridiculous fantasy. Even the dead bodies smirk. Director Catherine Hardwicke, who helmed the first Twilight movie, certainly isn't trying to hide her excessive fascination with werewolves, teenage relationships, love triangles and shirtless hunks.
For twenty years, the tiny, isolated, mountain village of Daggerhorn has kept the peace with a bloodthirsty werewolf by sacrificing the best livestock and the cutest pink piglets. Blonde-haired, red-cloaked Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) hasn't thought too much about it during her childhood, instead concentrating on keeping a secretive relationship with brown-eyed woodcutter Peter (Shiloh Fernandez). Thanks to an arranged marriage with wealthier blacksmith Henry (Max Irons), Valerie is doomed to break away from her true love.
When Valerie's sister is found slashed to death by the werewolf, a party of vengeful villagers goes in search of it. They kill a common gray wolf and believe they've dispatched the menace for good, but legendary monster killer Father Solomon (Gary Oldman) arrives just in time to prove them wrong. His is a deliciously evil role, an unhinged character that Oldman plays often and quite entertainingly, quick to persecute, invade privacy and harm without mercy. It's a Van Helsing of sorts, fused with the maniacal methods of a preacher intent on forcing others to don his beliefs via physical violence, complete with wild-eyed horror stories and a giant metal elephant of torture.
Valerie is eventually confronted by the wolf and realizes that it is someone in the village with a special connection to her. In an effort to keep the viewer guessing, a few gaping plot holes are developed and red herrings thrown in, which creates a mystery unworthy of solving. The greatest accomplishment is for the actors who can deliver their execrable lines without bursting into laughter. Unintentionally, the audience will surely bust up at the climax, everything the grandmother does (Julie Christie must have really needed a paycheck), and the difficulty with which the actors try to take things seriously. Now how long do we have to wait for the live-action feature film of Goldilocks and the Three Bears?

Modeling Agency Vs Modeling Placement Agency

In the world of modeling there are a few choices models have when getting into the business. You have your traditional modeling agency and the model placement agency to choose from. Now before you rush out and make a quick decision let's go over some of the benefits of the two services.
First the Modeling placement agency, there main function is to get the new and aspiring model all of the tools she needs to submit herself to modeling jobs and casting calls. The main focus of the placement agency is on the promotional materials such as website, comp cards, business cards, SEO. Their goal is to give you a media presence and once this is done submit your information to prospective clients. You don't need to already be a model to work with a placement agency either. One of the biggest differences is they have work such as nail models, hair models etc. This differs from the Modeling agency because they focus more on the training.
So now that we have pointed out the benefits of the Modeling placement agency let's talk about the traditional modeling agency. The focus here will be on teaching you runway, posing and modeling walking. This is where you go to train and learn the modeling industry. If you have never modeled before and you're interested in being a runway model then most likely this is the best option for you. You will have professional trainers teach you the ins and outs of the industry. The typical modeling agency will also give you a practice runway with mirrors to perfect your walk and poses. This is a huge benefit if you have never posed before. But be aware with the modeling agency you wont get the media presence or promotional materials in house. This will be outsources as another fee.
As you can see both of these services are beneficial but both are very different. So depending on where you want to go with your career pick your service wisely. If you have some experience then a Traditional Modeling Agency might not be for you. But if you have never trained then you might want to use the Traditional Modeling Agency to learn the basics. If you know the basics and need a media presence and want to submit yourself for work then the Modeling Placement agency is something you should look at and the cost of the promotional materials is normally lower then the Modeling Agency.

I'm Thinking: Are Comic Book Movies Ruined by Actor Face-Time?

It seems a general trend in comic book movies that no matter who the character is, the actor portraying he or she needs a consistent amount of face- time. I began to dwell about this issue recently after watching the Spider-Man trilogy. It seemed Tobey Maguire would lose/remove his mask in almost every fight scene? Was Maguire's constant face time worth ruining the secret identity aspect to Spider-Man's character entirely? Surely someone would recognise Peter Parker in one of those moments from the films. I'm hoping Sony has learnt from this and we won't see Andrew Garfield loose his mask in every action scene. Though, based on his rising fame from his work on The Social Network, we probably will.
It's not just the Spider-Man franchise that has been plagued by actor face-time damaging the aspect of the characters. In 2003 audiences who saw Daredevil would have witnessed what has become a classic comic book movie cliché, where the superhero removes or looses his mask in the final battle. Though In Daredevil's case, Ben Affleck's need for face-time was just one of the many issues wrong with the film.
The X-Men franchise had one of the most popular comic book characters of all time stripped off his mask completely. Yes, I am talking about Wolverine. Sure it would have looked a bit daft to have Hugh Jackman running around in a mask, but on the other hand was the decision for him not to wear one really based on this? Or was it based on studios not wanting to cover one of their high profile actor's face? If done right, (Batman Begins style), Wolverine wearing a mask would have worked on screen. Especially since mutants would surely want to keep their identities a secret. Wearing masks would have portrayed that beautifully.
It doesn't seem like persistent face-time in comic book movies is going to slow down anytime soon. For anyone that has seen the Iron Man films would know Ol Shellhead rarely keeps his mask down in the films, despite the use of clever camera shots of RDJ inside the helmet. For me as soon as you see the hero remove his mask or helmet, the fights over. And in the Iron Man films, the fights were never long.
There's been a bit of fan-boy concern over how Chris Hemsworth is rarely seen wearing his helmet in the Thor movie. For a Norse God\warrior, wearing a helmet would seem like a daily essential. Especially since minor characters (Heimdall, royal guards) etc in the film seem to manage it. Whilst I haven't seen enough of Captain America: The First Avenger to judge, one can only hope Chris Evans doesn't lose his helmet as seeing as it's a World War 2 film, Captain America could easily be shot in the head.
This isn't a huge problem right now, but with the comic book movie industry thriving, it soon could be.
And don't even get me started on Ryan Reynolds and his mask in the Green Lantern.