Captain America: The First Avenger

The movie has a lot to do and very little time to do it. Captain America: The First Avenger needs to tell its origin story, explain how he got from fighting Hitler to today, and needs to set up for next summer's blockbuster The Avengers all while entertaining the audience. It has only two hours to do it in and must be done this summer to get as much revenue as possible while allowing the whole cast to be available to film the epic team up. That is a lot to ask one movie to do, and to its credit, it does just that. Much like the comic hero Captain America achieves its goals in a no nonsense manner

So how do we get there? Well for starters you need the right director, and the studio went with Joe Johnston. He has done a lot of work for kids movies but he was picked for his work on period pieces and the attention to detail he used for The Rocketeer and October Sky. He didn't fluff up the background, props, and costumes with too many effects or gimmicks (read X-men: First Class) and it looks like everyone belongs.

The only effect that may have made a difference to the viewers’ eyes is how to make Chris Evans smaller. Steve Rodgers starts as an asthmatic 90 lbs nothing and becomes a super soldier. It would be one thing to ask him to pull a Bale and either bulk up or lose weight but the visual that needed to happen here required a body double or some CGI. They went with the computer as Johnston didn't believe a body double would be able to capture some of Evans more subtle body movements. The only downside is that some of the darker backgrounds look hokier as a green screen was needed to fill the empty space. It is noticeable but luckily not too discerning as it could have easily been the 3D cameras demanding sharper focus. Once he bulks up and becomes what would probably be a poster boy for the Aryan race the 1940 visuals become clearer.

What doesn't charge is the charm and modesty of Steve Rodgers played by Chris Evans. Evans is an interesting choice as his past roles have had him playing characters with some pizzazz and wit. He is no stranger to the spandex as he was one of the very few bright spots in The Fantastic Four, and was great in Scott Pilgrim. Here he is asked to play a role that is much more noble and modest. Rodgers as a character has about the same amount of flare as DC's Clark Kent, so why cast someone known for their playfulness when you can't use any of it on screen. For whatever the reason the casting decision works out great and you believe what his character does. Evans is able to play himself down and be the man that is required for the guy behind the shield; he lets the people around him handle the flare.

The cast around Evans is fantastic. I never get tired of seeing Tommy Lee Jones and he brings the same dry wit delivery you are used to seeing him however few and far between that is. Stanley Tucci is also fantastic and appears to be having fun sporting what appears to be a “Hogan's Heroes” rendering of a German accent. Hugo Weaving is a great selection as a go to bad guy, the unfortunate part is when he actually becomes the Red Skull, we lose the facial tics that go with the baritone voice. And our 1940 beau looks like she got plucked right from the era, Hayley Atwell looks the part and stands just as tall as the Hollywood notables that surround her.

This is what you expect from your summer blockbuster. There is plenty of action and star power and the movie is fun, just not exceptional. Of all the super hero movies that came out this summer this is the best one. I don't know how much that says considering the competition it had. It certainly doesn't hold a candle to the charisma of Robert Downey and is nowhere near as good as the bat but it is a good option if you need some action based fun. Plus I'm still really excited to see what all that talent can do next year (make sure you stick around after the credits). Until then Captain America just about hits the spot. B

Crazy, Stupid, Love

The movie opens with the heartbreak that drives the rest of the movie. Cal played by Steve Carell learns in the middle of a packed restaurant that his marriage is about to end and his wife Emily, played by Julianne Moore, cheated on him with a co-worker. This is not the start to the romantic comedy that we are used to, and from here it could go anywhere. They decide to keep the movie in the comedic wheel house but not without a few dramatic moments.

There is a lot jammed into Crazy, Stupid, Love but it never feels like you are missing out on anything. Dan Fogelman wrote his love story with three different generations all experiencing more or less the same thing. The first half of the movie seems to be full of punchy dialogue but as the movie progresses we lose the tart retorts and gain a sincerity and hope to the film. The emotions the characters feel seem much more genuine and their action more natural to what is going on around them even if the situations that started it all seem less likely.

While maybe not all totally believable the movie has a lot of heart and that has to count for something. The movie’s leading men hook up in a totally unrealistic fashion. There is no way some hot guy in a bar full of far too many attractive women takes a sad, pathetic 40-something man under his wings and guides him. But to be fair there is no chance a divorce ends that quickly or amicably without lawyers so it is best to just go with it. The dynamic between the male leads are great and lead to a lot of funny moments. It is not just the zingers that the actors deliver that receive audible reaction from the audience. This movie is also full of uncomfortable moments directly out of Carell’s “Office” playbook which makes sense as he also lends his hand as a producer on the film. I don’t know if I can remember a movie since Superbad that I was forced to look away from the screen by just how uncomfortable some of the funnier scenes in the movie got. The delivery is fantastic all around and there is little doubt to why that is.

The cast is full of incredibly talented people who continually get better with each role. Ryan Gosling is everything that is right with movies right now. His most recent roles have been amazing from the heart-breakingly beautiful in Blue Valentine, to the drug addled coach in Half Nelson, to the eternally romantic Noah in The Notebook. He picks amazing parts and knocks each of them out of the park. It was great to see him branch out into a comedic role and show just how far his talent can reach. Gosling is bound by nothing and it is going to be great to watch this leading man continue to grow. Carell returns to the big screen as the everyman romantic who once again spends the movie blurring the lines between being a total doofus and a complete charmer. His best scenes though are when he and Gosling work together in a Miyagi-esque relationship.

Their female co-stars don’t get quite the same detail written into their characters. After the initial outburst we learn very little about Moore’s Emily. There is a lot in the script about how Carell’s character deals with the break up, but most of Emily’s story comes from a response to the actions of her husband. Her best scenes feature her and Carell expressing the regret of their current situation. Emma Stone meanwhile plays Hannah the aspiring lawyer, and much like Gosling her character is far more interesting than the female lead. Her charisma flies off the screen especially the moments she shares with Gosling. She pops with her co-star and flaunts her perfect comedic timing. Of the four main actors, she probably gets the least amount of screen time. It is a shame we don’t see this romance till later in the story but these two young actors make every scene work.

Not only is this a talented leading group but the ensemble behind them are great as well. The third story line involves the older couple’s son who, typical of Hollywood, seems to be more knowledgeable than the adults who surround him. Also wonderful in the movie is Marissa Tomei who dials up the crazy a little bit and generates quite a few laughs herself. In fact the whole cast is able to get the audience going and it is a credit to the script that it was able to attract so many talented people.

The cast should attract a lot of people to this movie. Where it will win them over though is the amount of heart that shows on the screen. B-

Friends with Benefits

If you find yourself walking to the theater and not wanting to see a superhero movie, you may turn to the romantic comedy Friends With Benefits and think to yourself I've already seen this movie. While the premise is exactly the same as No Strings Attached, FWB seems to benefit from having taken the extra time to develop their writing and the chemistry between the two leads. It is still the same movie but this version of friends who just want the physical without all the emotional baggage is better.

A lot of the success of the movie is based on the chemistry between the two leads. They are both super sexy people with a lot of charisma and are each easy to like and neither are strangers to comedies. Mila Kunis got her start on the sitcom “That 70’s Show,” while her co-star Justin Timberlake was recently nominated for his work on “Saturday Night Live.” While both have been dabbling in a couple of Academy Award nominated movies, it is nice to see them get back to what they have done so well in the past.

A big part of the success also comes from the writing team of Keith Merryman, David Newman, and director Will Gluck who creates a sharply written movie filled with witty back and forth banter. The guys were on a role and put in a lot of material for their actors to work with. The jokes came at the audience so fast it was easy to miss a couple comebacks while you were laughing at the third joke in. The first half of the movie is full of one-liners and gentle ribbing.

There is also plenty of ribbing of the very genre they are trying to succeed in. The movie goes to task on the rom-com and all the pitfalls of the genre. But almost in the same breath while shouting out all the wrongs of their genre Gluck than goes ahead and commits all his previously mentioned sins as if he didn’t know how else to execute the movie. Just because you acknowledge all of the clichés doesn’t give you full reign to commit them yourself, in fact it probably makes it worse. At the very least he seems to acknowledge the wrongs himself, the biggest ones all being committed towards the end of the movie.

One such sin often poked fun at is the music selection of romantic comedies to help the audience know exactly how they should feel at the moment. And while the song selection performs just as our characters explained they are supposed to I loved almost every song they picked and was left to humming most of the tunes as I left the theater. Except “Hey Soul Sister” that song is a worse affront to human ears than an ice pick.

The first half of the movie is fun and witty and sexy, but due to the fact that this is a romantic comedy everyone in the audience knows that this can’t last. Faster than you can say Kriss Kross the movie makes the abrasive jump to sappy romance. All of a sudden we go from great dialogue to sappy stories of family tragedy, which helps to explain blah, blah, blah.

It actually isn’t all bad; Richard Jenkins is really impressive as JT’s dad. If you allow yourself to truly get involved with the story his is heartbreaking and Jenkins does well in the role. Rounding out his family is his sister Jenna Elfman and her son Nolan Gould (the kid from ‘Modern Family’). The kid is good, but I would have loved to see a little more of Elfman doing anything besides just moving the story along. Mila’s mommy is played by Patricia Clarkson who Will Gluck once again casts for the role of mother. She is solid in the role and has some great moments but as a supporting character isn’t nearly as funny as Woody Harrelson as Justin’s gay sports editor. He is fantastic in everything he touches and has an ability to turn every scene on its head with perfect comic timing. The stand outs here are Jenkins and Harrelson but they all do a great job.

It’s tough to believe anyone as beautiful as Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis would have such dating problems, but if you put that thought on the side the movie is actually pretty fun. There is plenty of witty banter and self deprecating jokes to make you forget some of the hokier moments in the climax of the movie. And if that is not enough the two stars are naked for a decent section of the movie, so you should have something nice to stare at for a bit. B-

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

It All Ends. With little doubt the most appropriate tag line of the franchise. After seven books and eight films the epic series of the boy wizard comes to a glorious end. The people in front and behind the camera know the expectations are high from the fans. With pressure coming from muggles everywhere the cast and crew bring their A game and provide us with a brilliant end to a wonderful series.

In front of a packed theater of Harry Potter faithful, you would expect the movie to open to giant cheer and screams of jubilation for the long awaited final project, but the film makers allow no time for cheering. The movie opens on a dark and ominous tone, the movie opens where the last one left off, Lord Voldemort standing over the grave of Albus Dumbledore, the elder wand in hand. His killer Severus Snape, now the headmaster of Hogwarts, looming over his students marching into a once happy hall now overcast with dark clouds. If I just ruined anything for you, you probably shouldn't be seeing this movie now anyway. The story jumps right in and without proper context you will be left without the emotional attachment to care who will live and who will die, and you certainly won't know what a horcrux is and why they are so important to the story.

It is a credit to the whole production team that they chose to lay it out this way. David Yates does a wonderful job once again telling J.K. Rowlings story, and picking up the pieces after Chris Columbus bumbled around with the first two movies. He understands the tone of the latter half of the stories and really runs with it. It feels as if he may have even used a gray filter throughout filming, because the whole movie features a dark frame to it. But the real hero of the story may be Steve Kloves who wrote the screenplay for every movie besides Order of the Phoenix. While he says he needed a break he has stated that he regrets not penning that movie as well. He has done a fine job courting not only the diehard fans but the casual movie goers as well. His knowledge of the source material shows and much of the credit for bringing the series alive belongs to him. Similar to Part 1 though, this film is for the fans of the series so it is important that you show up and know what you are getting into.

The movie ran at a brief two hours, I say brief because I thought it would run much longer than that, but with only half a manuscript to go on I suppose it makes sense. Lost from the first one are the explanations and explorations, all we are left with is the final confrontation. With the inclusion of every detail from the original manuscript it is tough not to feel that the movie gets bogged down a little. While watching the movie it felt as if many of these scenes could have been cut, but upon further reflection it all adds to the tension and the fear that the hero shares with his audience. If anything was going to be cut before going into the movie I wish it had been the epilogue, this was the hokiest piece of writing in the series, but visually the ploy works. The decision to stay this loyal to the book works out for everyone.

This movie is full of explosive action with the final battle taking place where else but Hogwarts. They could have gone all Michael Bay with this as that seems to be what the book calls for, but Yates has mastered the tempo of the movie. At one point of intense inner drama he even silences the battle around him which increases the sense of danger our heroes know is coming while death surrounds them. You may want to bring your hankies to your screening as not everyone is makes it out of this story alive and there were many audible sniffles coming from all around the theater. The emotional weight of the movie is high as the audience hangs on our young actors every movement.

It has been a pleasure to watch Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint grow up before our eyes, and once more see how their acting chops have developed. They have spent more than half their lives in this role so it is easy to understand why they are so comfortable now. In fact that may be why they have trouble separating from their roles to try and break out elsewhere in Hollywood. Radcliffe is at his absolute best in this one, as he allows the weight of the franchise to bear on his shoulders just as his character bears the weight of the wizarding world.

A hero can only be measured by his villain and Ralph Fiennes once again is tremendous as he who shall not be named. In this one he even seems more dangerous as Harry and Company continue their quest to destroy his soul and weaken him. Possibly the most important person to this story is Alan Rickman as Severus. With little doubt the most interesting character to the story, it always felt as if his character wound up on the cutting room floor. In this movie, we learn everything about his character and he does not disappoint. It may go a little overboard into the ridiculous during a flashback but the rest of the back story is so good that all can be forgiven. A great casting choice, he has served the character well and all while wearing the same clothes the entire series. Another character that I felt never got her full due was Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall, and in the final act she gets a proper curtain call with some great scenes and lines in the movie. There have been a plethora of who's who of royal British Actors and while they don't all get major scenes most at least receive their curtain calls including but not limited to Gary Oldman, Emma Thompson, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Timothy Spall, Miriam Margolyes, and Julie Walters. That is quite the list to be on, and with little doubt you will be able to add the young stars of the movie to the list of great English actors.

The final film does what all that we hoped it would. It wraps up the series on a stirring achievement. It also justifies the creative split of the final manuscript as a move not solely made for monetary reasons. This is a tribute that the series deserves; it soars above being just a movie to become a cultural phenomenon. Fans of the series and of great story telling will not be disappointed. A-

Emmy Nominations: First Thoughts

The Emmy nominations were just announced today and I would just like to be clear on how I see things, and I think I have always done this post the past several years so why not keep with tradition. All right lets see how it played out.

No surprise that EMMY voters are still crazy about Mad Men and Modern Family. They lead the pack on nominations with 19 for the drama, and an impressive 17 for the family. Last year was probably Mad Men's worse season and they still got all that credit. Once the EMMY voters get something in their heads....

I can't believe how much they got right. The drama category is basically a perfect pick. You could argue that The Killing or The Walking Dead maybe deserved to be there. They both started so strong but then ended on such so-so notes that I am not surprised. And it is about time Friday Night Lights got included even if this week is also the show's series finale. I'm still waiting on Justified,Better late than never. I'm just glad that fan favorite True Blood got left out.

I imagine Treme should have been included on this list, but it wouldn't be a David Simon show without no one watching it during it's original airing and thus getting no credit for its brilliance until several years after its run where everyone slowly wonders how this show didn't get more credit.

I do think we could have left Dexter off this list, as this was not its best season (that was last year's in case you were wondering). What deserved to be on the list was Sons of Anarchy, if for no other reason than show creator Kurt Sutter tweeted: “If we get any Emmy noms I’ll tattoo EMMYS RULE on my ass.” I think we missed out on a great opportunity guys.

How about them comedies. Parks and Recreation finally bust through the mold but man where is the love for Community are you kidding me?!?! Especially this year when 30 Rock was nothing special and on a down year again and with Glee not being the best of anything. The writing was bad and episode to episode there was little to no continuity. Is Glee even a comedy anymore? This Community oversight may be the biggest one of all.

And while I'm glad Community got a little love for their work with Joel McHale getting nominated where is the love for Danny Pudi, or Chevy Chase. You could make an argument for Troy or Annie as well. They have the second best ensemble on television (behind Modern Family) and some of the sharpest writing. All this Community dissing deserves a failing grade for EMMY voters

Seriously how did the entire cast of Modern Family get nominated. They are good, but the entire cast? That is just being selfish. Looking at you Jesse Tyler Ferguson. But a huge ABOUT TIME to Al Bundy who received his first EMMY nomination today.

Why do Emmy nominations matter? It Doesn't. Nick Offerman doesn't need Emmy love to know he is the best supporting actor hands down.

Louie didn't deserve to be nominated for the series, but you better believe Louie C.K. deserved it for his acting. I am actually surprised that EMMY voters got this right. Not only that but in the drama category Timothy Olyphant and his supporting cast has long deserved some love and they finally get it with four acting nominations. About time.

So we are all in agreement that Harry's Law blows right? So why is Kathy Bates getting nominated, just because she is a good actress in general doesn't mean she is good on the show. The nomination probably deserved to go to Kyra Sedgwick who won the award last year but this year isn't even nominated. There is no way the talent went away that fast.

And I am about to lose my head over Sean Bean not getting nominated (see what I did there). Alright maybe I'm not Community mad, but he was the heart and soul of a series that rightfully deserved to be nominated for Best Drama, so where is the love for the acting. And I mean it's not like they can make it up to him next year.

It's a changing of the guard in late night television as Conan and Fallon are in, while Leno and Letterman are out, but where is the love for Jimmy Kimmel. Not that it matters everyone knows Jon Stewart's already overflowing awards trophy is about to get a little heavier.

What do you guys think? Are there any snubs I left out? I don't watch Fringe but I hear great things, let me know.

Horrible Bosses

At first glance this looks like a very impressive cast, it makes one ponder how they could get so many talented people in one place. Then I actually started to think about it, how they got so many big names to the table. Then that led me to wonder if any of these actors are actually big names anymore. Sure, you recognize everyone on the poster but what have they been doing? Then it came to me, nothing, they either haven't done anything of note for the past 5 years or they are up and coming actors who have yet to really do anything great on the big screen. All these actors have the potential to be great and it appears all they need is one great project to get them there. This is probably not that movie, but that talent still shines.

The movie revolves around three friends who have grown up together and each gone into a different field, and a different lifestyle. The movie opens on Jason Bateman who starred in "Arrested Development" until FOX gave it the ax in 2006 for being too funny a sitcom. His dry wit plays well here against his two co-stars go for a goofier approach. Both Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day are currently known more for their TV work but their talent is hard to deny which is why they have been getting more work, especially Sudeikis. The two worked well off each other in this movie which is not surprising as the two previously worked on Going the Distance together and always shared screen time. So once Sudeikis and Day were done riffing off each other Bateman would usually chime in with a one liner to cap the scene and they would move on. This formula was fairly effective as all three men know what they are doing and how to make their scenes funny.

Their opposition is three actors who are no stranger to the lead performance, but instead take a backseat to the funnymen. Kevin Spacey gets most of the screen time in a role he is very familiar with. He plays a psychotic boss who refuses to acknowledge the hard work his underling is performing for him. Colin Farrel and Jennifer Aniston play the supervisors of Sudeikis and Day respectively and go against type to do so. Jen faced a lot of criticism for none of her recent work being any, what’s the word, good. Typically cast as the good girl, she goes against the grain by spending the whole day hitting on her dental assistant. That's where the writers hope to get most of her laughs; by putting this typical good girl in some really raunchy situations and hope that it makes you scratch your head and wonder if she really just said that. I'm not sure what is most ridiculous about her character, that someone would have a problem with a babe like Aniston hitting on them, or that she would be singling out a guy like Charlie Day. A good lookin guy no doubt but Jen shows off her body in this one, and she has it all going for her and would clearly not be as hard pressed for sex as her character may believe she is. Colin Farrell rounds out the bunch, and while he did amazing work with In Bruges in 2008 has not had a box office hit in some time. He went against his norm by rocking a potbelly and a bald cap which really allows him to step out and be a huge douche. Both Aniston and Farrell make appearances in the beginning and are great in doing so but then go for a third of the film without another sighting. While Spacey is good and it is a pleasure to see him take his dickhead approach to another degree it would have been nice to see the other two antagonists a few more times.

So if the stars all do well then what is the problem with the movie? The writing is fine, granted the characters have no depth to them but the movie is only 100 minutes so it is tough to fit in a lot of complexion into an ensemble piece. There are a bunch of solid one liners and funny scenes in the movie which is what the writers are supposed to do. The director has a little problem of when to move on with a joke or when to stay on one a little longer, but he has been doing a lot of television lately and the pacing there is different. It’s nothing that bad, really just a knit pick as the typical TV director does a fine job of getting out of the way and letting his talent and creative team do their jobs.

There is nothing really wrong with this film, there is also just nothing great about it either. The stars are great when they are riffing on each other, the writing is solid, but there is just no laugh out loud moments in the movie. Rather it is full of small chuckles where one can note to themselves, 'hey that was funny,' but then they will most likely just move on and wait for the next movie this cast finds themselves in. C