Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising Quickie Review

Hey a comedy sequel that doesn't suck! Don't see those too often.

Carrie - Review

I'll be first to admit that I've had it out for the remake of Carrie since I first heard about it's development. In this remake-laden era of Hollywood and filmmaking, it's becoming harder and harder to get even remotely excited about the variety of remakes, reboots, or re-whatevers. However, I've been particularly cynical about this one, since the original is not only one of the few horror films to receive widespread acclaim from both audiences, critics, and film snobs, but also because it happens to be one of my all-time favorite movies. Yes, the original 1976 film is awesome... it scores across the board as a compelling character drama, a thrilling suspense/thriller, a poignant examination of teen bullying, and (of course) a genuinely frightening horror film. I often credit the film as being the first horror film to truly make me a fan of the genre. With so many half-assed or shallow remakes of classic horror films that have recently plagued theaters, I was worried that Carrie would end up being another forgettable cash-in. Not to mention, the original was already followed by other disappointing reiterations of the story. There was a belated sequel (sucked), a made-for-TV remake (also not very good), and a Broadway musical (never seen it, but it's reputation as one of Broadway's most infamous bombs kind of speaks for itself). Part of me, however, became almost somewhat optimistic (though not enough to come around) when I heard of the talent the film was attracting. Actors like Chloë Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, and director Kimberly Peirce are all among some of the better talents working today, and could, in theory, assemble a respectable remake. After finally seeing the damn thing... here are my thoughts.

Based on the novel by Stephen King, Carrie tells the story of the teenage outcast, Carrie White (Chloë Grace Moretz). The painfully shy and awkward Carrie lives a troubled life, being tormented by her high school peers and abused by her psychotic religious zealot mother, Margaret White (Julianne Moore). When Carrie has a panic attack after receiving her first period during gym class, her classmates pull a particularly cruel prank on her and post in online. Shortly after the incident, Carrie discovers that she now possesses telekinetic powers, and over time learns to develop and control them. Once Carrie's classmates are punished for their prank, they decide to enact a revenge scheme by pulling an even more vile prank on poor Carrie at the upcoming prom. With that said prom right around the corner, it's going to be a night to remember... for everyone.

So it pretty much goes without saying, but yeah... the movie ins't good. While I can't say that this surprises me, at all really, I have to admit that there were a few times while watching it where it seemed like the film started to do something kind of interesting... only to be disappointed when that was not the case. While it was initially believed that this remake was going to be a more faithful adaptation of Stephen King's novel, that turned out not be true. With the exception of one or two minor deviations, the film is basically a note-for-note retelling of the 1976 Brian De Palma film, albeit with some modern updates. It's not as egregious as the infamous shot-for-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, but it's close. I don't want to spend this whole review comparing the remake to it's far superior original (since that's not fair), but it's almost impossible to ignore how much it fails in comparison. While the original was a legitimately shocking, moving, and tragic adaptation of it's (good but not great) source material, this new version feels like a dull, soulless, and generally flat re-creation coasting mainly off the memories of it's predecessor despite lacking it's style, flair, and poignancy. I'm not saying the original was totally without ANY flaws, but it's raw emotional drive made it one hell of an experience, while the remake almost put me to sleep.

The film's opening scene actually started with a fairly decent hook. If there's one flaw I could levy against the 1976 film, it's that the character of Margaret White (previously played by Piper Laurie) is kind of one-note. While Laurie was unforgettable in the role, her character was never really explored beyond being just a fairly straightforward religious nutjob (this was an issue in the book as well), despite featuring a few scenes that hinted at something more interesting happening in her that was never really explored. In this version, the film opens with Margaret White giving birth Carrie alone in her bedroom right before contemplating whether she should kill her newborn daughter or not. At first I thought that the film might actually shift the focus more to Margaret herself instead of Carrie. Plus, it also attempts to portray her as more a sympathetic villain, driven to insanity by either her religious values or tragic events in her past. Unfortunately, the film never really follows through on it's attempts and instead once again portrays Margaret as another straightforward antagonist that only hints at something more interesting going on. Damn you movie for actually teasing us with something potentially intriguing!

Cast-wise, the film is a mixed bag that is admittedly slightly elevated by it's two leads. It couldn't have been easy for Chloë Grace Moretz to follow in the footsteps of Sissy Spacek's Oscar-nominated role, and while I won't say she's perfect, she generally does a serviceable job. Moretz is one of cinema's most talented and charismatic young actors working today, and I could tell that she was putting her all into this role. While she does overplay what should have been some of the more subdued scenes, she nonetheless demonstrates some real emotional heft in a few standout moments. That said, I typically had a hard time buying that someone who doesn't look all that different from the supposedly "prettier" teens would be considered an outcast. While I admit that the original's Sissy Spacek was an attractive person, she had a slightly more off-kilter or country-ish appearance that helped sell her image as an outcast yet could pull off her prom scene transformation as well. Putting Moretz in a unfashionable outfit and hairstyle does little to sell her image as a "freak" and kind of ruins the effect. It's hard to levy that against Moretz herself, so I'll give her a pass in this case. Julianne Moore is the standout as Margaret White. I've already gone into detail about her character, so I won't say much more than I already have. Moore is definitely more subdued compared to Piper Laurie's screen-chewing performance in the original, but she does a generally good job with the role, showcasing some real emotional range and typically running off with the film's few effective scenes. The teenage actors this time around don't leave much of an impression. Granted they do look more like actual teenagers (unlike the 20 somethings in the original), but do little to elevate the film in any way. I also will say that I did enjoy the underrated Judy Greer as Carrie's supportive gym teacher, Miss Desjardin. Hopefully, Greer will get a part real soon that will really let her show off her talent (fingers crossed).

Considering that this is a horror film, you might be wondering why I haven't said anything about it's actual scariness. Unfortunately, that's because it's really not all that scary. It has a adequately slick look with appropriately modern filmmaking sensibilities, but it's basically as flat and empty as anything else. I will admit that there are a couple scenes between Carrie and her mother that actually do have a somewhat creepy vibe to them and were some of the few times I was genuinely intrigued. That said, aside for those few exceptions, the movie pretty much breezes through the first two acts so it can get to the infamous prom climax. The prom scene itself, however, is even kind of a letdown. While there are a few adequately gut-wrenching moments, it felt once again felt like a paltry restating of the original scene. There's a little more gore this time around, a couple decent money shots, plus the updated effects, but the obvious use of cgi and some questionable direction destroyed any chance of the scene feeling any more than just plain adequate. None of this is helped by the mostly lifeless cinematography and questionable editing. That's another thing, the film was chalk full of continuity errors, questionable stylistic choices, and odd cuts... don't really know what they were going for. In the long run, this version of Carrie feels less like a character-driven horror film but more like an uninspired by-the-numbers revenge flick. To some, that might be enough, but I was hoping for more.

So that's Carrie... and it's not worth your time. I asked myself if I was being too hard on it due to my love for the original. My response... somewhat maybe, but that still wouldn't change the fact that remake is at best, a mediocre horror film. Despite a few decent performances, it's a flat, uninspired, and often boring film that only hints at being something better. Saying a film is boring is probably the worst label you could ever put on a film, as Carrie isn't really terrible, because then it might have been somewhat memorable, but instead is just plain forgettable. Whether you're a fan of the original or not... this is one you can skip.

My Score: 2 out of 5

Kick Ass 2 - Review

I have to admit, I find it a bit surprising that someone decided to make a sequel to the 2010 comic book film, Kick Ass. While the film made made money at the box office, received mostly positive reviews from critics, and generally struck a chord with it's target audience... it's obscene violence, unique ideas, and mostly stand-alone story seemed more like it would be seen as a cult classic or midnight movie instead of a franchise starter with mainstream appeal. Well... if there's a potential profit to be made, I guess anything is possible. When I reviewed the original film back in 2010, I gave it 3.5 stars out of 5. Looking back, I think I might have been a little tough on it. While I still don't think it's a perfect film, the enjoyable cast, gleefully immature tone, great action and obscenely over-the-top violence made Kick Ass one hell of a, well, "kick ass" movie. A four out of five would have been a more appropriate score. Don't know why I was so critical for that one, since those are usually the kinds of films I tend to be too lenient toward (maybe I was trying to avoid that). But whatever, what's done is done, and repeat viewings have made me appreciate the original more than I did before. So... with all that said, here's Kick Ass 2...

Kick Ass 2 picks up 3 years after it's predecessor. High School senior Dave Lizewski aka Kick Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) has mostly retired from his superhero days and instead focused on his everyday life. Despite this, his previous stint as Kick Ass has inspired dozens of everyday citizens to take up their own superhero mantles and clean up the streets. Because of this, Dave puts back on his Kick Ass costume and allies with a local group of costumed heroes led by Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey), all of whom have dedicated their lives to fighting crime and making the city a better place. Meanwhile, Mindy Macready aka Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz), has struggled to adjust to a normal life after the death of her father, Big Daddy. She reluctantly retires her costume in an effort to become a normal teenager, but struggles to deal with the hardships of teen life. Things suddenly get more serious for both Kick Ass and Hit Girl when Chris D'Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) takes on the mantra of a new super-villain known as "The Motherfucker" and assembles a team of costumed villains to avenge the death of his father (whom Kick Ass killed in the previous film). Now with a team of psychotic villains wrecking havoc on the city, Kick Ass and Hit Girl assemble all the costumed crime fighters they can find in order to put an end to the Motherfucker's reign of terror.

Kick Ass 2 is an interesting case... while watching it, I can honestly say that I was having a good time. That said, the more I think about it, the more I think about it's many flaws. Does that make it a good or a bad movie though? Honestly, I'm not totally sure right now. On one hand, despite the change in directors, it still manages to retain the same style of colorful costumes, gleefully over-the-top violence, and juvenile humor. That said, if you weren't a fan of the original or what I just mentioned, this one probably won't covert you. Plus, the cast is still game, with Chloe Grace Moretz once again stealing the show and adding another strong performance to her small but very impressive filmography. The lack of Nicolas Cage's Big Daddy is an unfortunate absence, but fortunately Jim Carrey's Colonel Stars and Stripes manages to pick up a bit of the slack with some of the movie's funniest scenes. There's also a number of new heroes and villains, most of whom have a neat gimmick and colorful costume, adding to the film's fun factor. One of the standout villains is Mother Russia (played by female bodybuilder Olga Kurkulina), an ex-KGB agent and ex-con, who serves as the Motherfucker's most physically formidable team member. Kurkulina is great the role as a naturally intimidating presence and formidable fighter. She also runs off with what is easily the film's most memorable and exciting action sequence. There's a lot in Kick Ass 2 that works, and if nothing else, the film usually works as a straight-forward action flick.

Unfortunately, with the good comes the bad, and there's plenty to nitpick here. While I will give the film credit for not being a simple retelling of it's predecessor, it does still tread some familiar turf. A couple scenes from this film feel like basic re-stagings of scenes from the previous film, namely one where Dave sets himself up to be attacked by a bunch of thugs and needs to be rescued by Hit Girl again. Only this time, it's not nearly as surprising, shocking, or memorable. There were also a couple of scenes where Dave argues with his father, in what was clearly intended to be a major dramatic point for the film and Dave's character. Unfortunately, they never set up that dynamic very well and those scenes come off as more flat, rushed, and oddly cold-hearted. Moretz's story-line, however, fares a bit better as Mindy attempts to retire her costumed persona and struggles to adjust to a life as a normal teenage girl. Some of her sub-plot's elements come off as more than a bit cliche'd but Moretz is a good enough actress to make them work, plus it does lead to what is easily the film's most effective bits of drama (and a few laughs too). The movie all works toward the expected giant good vs evil final battle, and while generally effective is quite predictable and hardly anything unique. It's definitely a far cry from the first film, which was one crazy twist and insane antic after the other, that it kept you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what would happen next. This one, it's pretty straightforward... not inherently a bad thing, but nothing special either.

If this review feels like it is among my shorter write-ups, it's because there's not much more to say about it. If you enjoyed the first film, I'm reasonably certain you'll find something to enjoy in this one, but it probably won't have the same effect as it's predecessor. I was thinking whether I should give the movie 2.5 or 3 stars, and since I went a little to hard on the first Kick Ass, I'm going to give this one the benefit of the doubt and give it 3 stars. A little generous... maybe, but I can't say that I didn't get some legitimate enjoyment out of the flick. If it sounds good to you, check it out.