Les Miserables

While Victor Hugo's epic novel Les Miserables has had cinematic life over and over again, its most famous rendition hadn't. That, of course, is the equally epic musical composed in French by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg and translated to English by Herbert Kretzmer.

But now, director Tom Hooper, to follow his Oscar for The King's Speech, has finally made the people sing.

Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) has just been released from nineteen years of hard-time for stealing bread. Valjean skips parole and makes a new life for himself as an honest man. Valjean aids the destitute, dying Fantine (Anne Hathaway) by adopting her daughter, Cosette (Isabelle Allen/Amanda Seyfried). But Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) is right behind him, determined to bring the "crook" back to prison.

There's also a student uprising in Paris, during which Cosette falls for the revolutionary Marius (Eddie Redmayne). He also has a secret admirer in plain sight named Eponine (Samantha Barks). That is where the chase ends up, but who'll yield first?

I've seen this on stage before. Was it worth it?

Yes.

Since Hooper, bucking tradition, had the actors sing live on set, the sound crew had much work to do. What they have done is to create clear vocals to go along with the orchestrations. As a result, the show's memorable music is just as grand on the big screen as it was on stage.

What Hooper basically hoped to accomplish was to make a musical where singing and acting went hand in hand. This is especially true with Jackman and Hathaway, whose strong vocals move the audience's pathos wonderfully. The standout solos of Redmayne and Barks, meanwhile, also deliver some of the film's strongest moments. Stealing the show are Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter, who provide much needed comic relief as the crooked Thenardiers.

It maybe around three hours, but those hours went by fast. My only complaint is that sometimes it went too fast. And while some folks might cry foul over the film's rearrangement of the stage libretto, Les Miserables works well as a movie musical. It definitely is one of the best films to wait all year for.

Jethro's Note: No Apocalypse.

Django Unchained

Mixing spaghetti western with American Western, director and writer Quentin Tarantino has created his latest stylized epic, Django Unchained. As with his other works, this film is certainly not for all tastes.

Django (Jamie Foxx) is a slave separated from his loving wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). He is liberated by Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), once a dentist but now a bounty hunter. Schultz offers to make Django his associate, promising to help Django find Broomhilda if he does. Of course, Django takes up the offer and thus they go bounty hunting.

It takes them a while, but they find her in the plantation of Calvin J. Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). Candie, despite appearing to be a Southern Gentleman, isn't willing to give up Broomhilda that easily. Or even at all.

Essentially, this is part Blazing Saddles, part Mortal Kombat. While it is a bloody romp through history, this is also a live-action cartoon. Its violence, and some of its characters' bigotry, is so exaggerated that they provide the film its best laughs. Its best, bloodless scene, is when a night raid by wannabee Klansmen almost goes awry because their hoods make it impossible for them to see!

But when Candie, and his slave henchman Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) appear, two problems emerge. While the two make formidable villains, their entrance begins the point when the film becomes un-cartoonish. Even worse, it's also the point when its 165 minute runtime becomes glaringly obvious. What appears to be the film's final shootout turns out not to be and the wait for its real ending is just so long. When it does get to the real ending, though, the payoff is spectacular.

For those who can withstand historical bloodbaths, this film will certainly satisfy them. It will also satisfy its savviest of film-goers with its throwbacks to the Spaghetti Westerns of old. But if you can't stand ultra-violence, then something like Les Miserables will certainly be more satisfying.

Hitchcock

I like movies. I like movies about movies. I like Hitchcock. It may not be a masterpiece in film-making  unlike much of the career of its namesake, but it was a good film still.

It's 1959, and Alfred Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) has just debuted North by Northwest. But at the age of 60, he feels that his life and career haven't been as great as they once were. Once he's introduced to Robert Bloch's new novel, Psycho, he decides that its tale of Murder, Mayhem and Mother is what his career needs.

Everyone around him, from Paramount, to the Censor, to even his wife Alma Reville (Helen Mirren) don't find this latest project appealing. But Hitchcock is willing to make it anyway, even if it means mortgaging his house to do so. But as Alma grows more interested in writer Whitfield Cook (Danny Huston), Hitchcock finds himself going mad. So much so that Ed Gein (Michael Wincott), the real-life inspiration for Psycho's Norman Bates, becomes his imaginary friend.

As Mr. Hitchcock, Anthony Hopkins pulls off a great impersonation. His droll sense of humor, as seen in not just Alfred Hitchcock Presents, but the trailers for his films, is presented spot-on. His impersonation is completed by extensive makeup, which looks good on-screen.

Amongst the supporting cast, James D'Arcy and Ralph Macchio stand-out in their brief cameos as Anthony Perkins and screenwriter Joseph Stefano. Meanwhile, Helen Mirren, as Alma Reville, makes a great equal for her on-screen husband.

But at a brisk 98 minutes, it breezes by its characters too quickly. All of Hitchcock's eccentricities, such as his obsession with his leading ladies, are present. But unlike Norman Bates, it seems all his motivations can be summed up in three words: "because he is."

If the film dealt more with Hitchcock's own psychosis, then a much more compelling picture could've emerged. But as entertainment, Hitchcock is a fun, although a bit dark, piece of entertainment.

Anna Karenina

"All the world's a stage," said the Bard. "and all the men and women merely players." Which is apparently why director Joe Wright's film version of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina is on a stage.

Anyway, Anna's (Keira Knightley) part on stage is to be married to the stiff and boring Count Karenin (Jude Law). One day, she meets the dashing and lively cavalry officer Count Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Thanks to him, she finally finds a reason to be happy. Unfortunately, her romance with Vronsky gets on her husband's nerves and causes a major scandal. By the end of it all, Anna's happiness just makes her unhappy.

To elaborate on its presentation, much of 19th-century Russia is built into an old theater. When it's time to change scenes, Sarah Greenwood's scenery is changed on-screen just as they'd be changed on-stage. Only on occasion, though, someone will venture outside the stage in the real world of snow and ice. It maybe an interesting concept, but it still took me aback more than amazed.

Its greatest problem is that it was just dull. Its characters, except for the amusing Oblonsky (Matthew Macfadyen), were too stiff and boring to care about. Even Anna, the tragic heroine, wasn't that much of an appealing character. The costumes and music, by Jacqueline Durran and Dario Marianelli, respectively, were much more lively than all those "tragic" people. It was so stiff and boring that my reaction, once it got to the credits, was "finally, it's over."

If people talking on and on isn't appealing for you, then do stay away. There's so much of it that it makes its two hour and ten minute runtime seem far, far longer than it is.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Nearly ten years since his last trip to Middle-Earth, director Peter Jackson is back to the beginning of JRR Tolkein's literary lore in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. If this first of three epic films based on one 300 page book is indication, then this film should've been called The Hobbit: An Unending Journey.

The Hobbit is Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm/Martin Freeman), who used to have a normal life until Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) showed up. Gandalf and a band of Dwarves, led by Prince Thorin (Richard Armitage),  decide to recruit Bilbo for their upcoming adventure. Their mission, that they've chosen to accept, is to reclaim the Mountain Kingdom of Erebor, and its massive treasure, from a greedy dragon named Smaug. And so, whether Bilbo likes it or not, he sets off to aid them in their quest.

And that's all you need to know about the plot. It's a plot that takes up two hours and forty nine minutes to tell.

At first, it's kind of fun to watch Bilbo's first adventure. Our hero is a likable one, and the band of Dwarves are a fun, rowdy band of characters. Meanwhile, the film's visual effects, as expected, are great to look at. But as it goes on and on and on, the fun overstays its welcome. As a result, this epic return to Middle-Earth isn't as epic as it wants to be.

It does slightly redeem itself at the two hour mark, when it introduces the creepy Gollum (Andy Serkis) and the titular MacGuffin of The Lord of the Rings. Even though it's an extended cameo, it's also the film's most entertaining and worthwhile scene.

Available in not only 3D and Flatscreen formats, but its new High Frame Rate 3D, The Hobbit should please the most devoted Tolkein fans. But if it wants to please all other viewers, the next few films must find someway to make more seem less.

Life of Pi

Once thought to be unfilmmable by its readers, Yann Martel's epic novel Life of Pi is now director Ang Lee's epic 3D movie. It's one of the most colorful films of this year, or maybe of any other year.

Pi Patel (Irrfan Khan), born in India and living in Canada, gets a chance to tell his life story to an interviewer (Rafe Spall). As a young man (Suraj Sharma), Pi took up Christianity, Islam and Hinduism all at once. His family owned a zoo, which political circumstances forced to move to Canada. On the way there, natural circumstances sank the ship they were traveling on. Only Pi and a handful of animals make it out alive. In a short time, though, it's just Pi and Richard Parker, the Zoo's resident Bengal Tiger.

For 227 days, Pi has to tame Parker's savage instincts for the good of them both. To do that, Pi must keep his faith alive, just as much as he'd keep himself alive.

Its bright 3D cinematography by Claudio Miranda is what keeps the film alive. At times magnificent, and at other times frightening, its visuals are as vast as the ocean Pi finds himself in. Among its most incredible effects include a swarm of flying fish, a glowing whale, the shipwreck, and the lifeboat seemingly in the sky. Hopefully, we have either our Oscar winner for Visual Effects, or the close runner-up.

What makes the novel work on-screen are Pi and Parker. As Pi, Suraj Sharma is compelling as he faces the world around him. Parker, who is actually a mainly CGI creation, looks and acts likes a real, feeling big kitty. What makes their relationship work is that they bring out the best in each other. While Pi learns to remain strong, Parker has to humble himself, even somewhat, before his “guest.” As rendered by screenwriter David Magee, this shipwreck story makes great use of its two hour run-time.

Simply put, Life of Pi needs to be seen in a theater soon. Its epic scope justifies the continuing existence of the big screen in this day and age.

Rise of the Guardians

While Marvel Comics has The Avengers, Folklore now has The Guardians. It's a superteam first assembled by author William Joyce in the book series, The Guardians of Childhood. And now, they are here for their first film, the 3D animated Rise of the Guardians.

Bunnymund the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), Sandy the Sandman, Tooth the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher) and North, aka Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), are all real. Together, they are The Guardians, assembled by the Man in the Moon to preserve the happiness of all the kids in the world. Meanwhile, Jack Frost (Chris Pine) enjoys his snow life, but he doesn't enjoy the fact that no one can see him.

The Guardians are forced to recruit Jack when Pitch Black the Boogeyman (Jude Law) decides to bring misery to all the kids in the world. Since the Guardians are preserved by the happiness they preserve, this is a problem. Only Jack, who actually has had the time to interact with kids, unlike the others, has what they need to shine a light on Pitch Black.

Whether in 3D or on Flatscreen, this is one of the best looking animated films around. It has colorful scenery and an amazing display of animated superpowers. When combined with Alexandre Desplat's score, the results are just enchanting. It truly must be seen to be believed.

Its screenplay, by playwright David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole), keeps it moving quite nicely in its 97 minute runtime. It may run too fast for some, but that's a story flaw I found barely noticeable. That's because its heroes, especially the mute Sandy, are all a fine ensemble of animated folks. Meanwhile, the Guardians' supporting creatures, whether they be Yeti or Elves, provide some well-needed comic relief.

Overall, Rise of the Guardians is an animated film that's enjoyable for both kids and believing adults. As Dreamworks's last animated film to be distributed by Paramount, it is also one of their greatest.

Jethro's Note: Stay tuned to March, when Dreamworks Animation switches over to Fox, for The Croods.

Lincoln

Last summer, the Great Emancipator became the Great Slayer in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Now, the 16th president is back on-screen in Steven Spielberg's long awaited Lincoln. Now with more history, and less vampires.

It's January 1865, and Honest Abe (Daniel Day-Lewis) is still President of a Nation at War with itself. It's not just the Civil War that's dividing the nation, but also the Thirteenth Amendment, the one that'll end slavery forever. His fellow Republicans want the War ended now, badly, and even they doubt the Amendment will help. Still, they are at least somewhat willing to vote on it, unlike the Democrats.

To get it passed, Lincoln has to get that minimum Democrat support. It's not easy, and the pressure is taking its toll on him. His allies include former Rivals Secretary of Defense William Seward (David Strathairn) and Abolitionist Rep. Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones). Not supporting Lincoln is Copperhead Congressman Fernando Wood (Lee Pace).

Using Doris Kearns Goodwin's biography, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln as the starting point, Tony Kushner wrote the screenplay. It's another fine example of turning history into suspense. Of course, we know that the amendment did pass and the war ended soon after. However, thanks to its climactic House Vote, we're left wondering “how did that ever get passed?”

As Lincoln, Day-Lewis charms the audience with his soft-spoken good nature. When it starts to crack under pressure, the results are intense. In the end, Day-Lewis keeps the audience empathizing with Lincoln. Meanwhile, the film's makeup team, who have rendered Day-Lewis into Lincoln's exact likeness, deserves as much Oscar buzz as the star himself.

Amongst the film's supporting cast, Jones and James Spader (as W.N. Bilbo) steal their scenes wonderfully. As Mary Lincoln, Sally Field is great as Lincoln's closest moral support, even if she herself badly needs it herself. On the crew, Spielberg's frequent collaborators, consisting of composer John Williams, editor Michael Kahn and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, contribute greatly to this historical tale's look and feel.

On-screen, its stars make Lincoln worth its two-and-a-half-hour run time. It is, overall, a more entertaining political drama than what we see on the evening news.  

The Master

The Master. It looks good. It's acted good. It's written good. But, it's also overwhelmingly hard to process; in fact, as I'm writing this, I'm still trying to process it. If you want to know what I understood, read on.

Just after World War II, Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) lives an aimless life. He can't keep a job for very long and his relationships with fellow man are a mess. One night, he hitches a ride on a yacht owned by writer Lancaster Dodd (Phillip Seymour Hoffman). Dodd is also the head of a religious movement called “The Cause.” Intrigued by The Cause, Freddie joins to help spread its word across the country.

For the rest of the movie, there's suspicions that Dodd's movement is nothing but a cult. Also, there's Quell being an angry man. And Dodd's wife, Peggy (Amy Adams), being serious in the background. All the while, we're wondering “what?”

Director/Writer Paul Thomas Anderson's film isn't that easy to take in. It's quite serious, can get weird at times and it is long. Its main characters, especially Quell, aren't that appealing. They may look appealing, but beneath it all, they are unpleasant. Still, they are convincingly performed as unpleasant people. But that's not the same as me wanting to be in the same room as them.

Alleviating the unpleasantness of the story's mood a bit is a few of its crew. Its cinematography, by Mihai Malaimare Jr., is the first film since Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet to be shot on 70 MM film. Its colors and the depths of its outdoor scenery shots are amazing. Meanwhile, its production and costume design look authentically 1950's. Composer Johnny Greenwood, who also did Anderson's There Will Be Blood, gives the film a distinctive score.

Still, it actually does have a positive message: being one's own master. But still, there's the fact that we have to sit through two and a half hours of weirdness and seriousness. Anyone else who wishes to see this movie, please proceed with caution. Or, not at all.

Skyfall

And now, it's time to welcome Britain's best-known superspy, James Bond, back to theaters. Once again in the form of Daniel Craig, and supervised by Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, Bond returns in his 23rd film, Skyfall.

This time, Bond dies.

Actually, no.

It opens with Bond in pursuit of an evil mercenary, who has with him the names of all of NATO's undercover operatives. They end up on top of a speeding train over a bridge. Fellow agent Eve (Naomie Harris) has the mercenary in her sights, but hits Bond by mistake, sending him to the river below.

Anyway, Bond enjoys his retirement by presumed death until the evil Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) bombs MI6. An MI6 agent until M (Judi Dench) left him for dead, Silva takes up cyber-terrorism to get his revenge. To stop him, Bond has to get back into shape and join with some new allies.

Off-screen, Bond has many new allies on the crew. One of them is Cinematographer Roger Deakins, whose imagery of the Scottish Highlands, Shanghai and more, is amazing. Another new ally is Mendes' constant composer, Thomas Newman, whose score is suitably exciting. Its sound design, co-supervised by constant Oscar-nominee Greg P. Russell, makes use of some incredible sound effects. And while he's not a new ally, having done Casino Royale, editor Stuart Baird constructs some amazing scenes of action and suspense.

While its 143 minutes do feel long, its three stars make up for it. In particular, Bardem as Silva is one of the creepiest film villains as of late. Either good makeup or good CGI (I couldn't tell) was used for one great scene concerning his physical condition. Although it is Bond's film, and nobody but Daniel Craig does it better here, it is also M's film as well. More-so than ever, Dench plays M as vulnerable beneath her snarky demeanor. By the end, the audience'll wonder not only if good wins, but if they'll be in one piece by the end.

With an exciting and humorous screenplay, co-written by John Logan, Skyfall makes up for the confusing Quantum of Solace. I don't know about it being the best Bond film, but it's still an awesome film overall. It's certainly for all eyes only.

Flight

Twelve years since he directed Cast Away, director Robert Zemeckis is back in live-action with Flight. It maybe an Oscar contender soon, but it'll certainly never be an in-flight movie.

“Whip” Whitaker (Denzel Washington) is a drunk, coke addict and an airline pilot. Not a very appealing combination, is it? But a mechanical failure, such as the one that strikes Whip's latest flight, isn't appealing either. Through some fancy maneuvering, Whip gets the plane to crash land and save almost all on-board.

Upon waking up from a coma, Whip is hailed as a hero by the press. But that'll end once they realize that Whip flew the plane high and drunk. His lawyer, Hugh Lang (Don Cheadle) and Union representative Charlie (Bruce Greenwood), are ready to protect his clean image. Even then, that won't clean Whip's conscience, which is what he has to do himself.

As Whip, Denzel Washington's performance is what the film's all about. He's a fallen hero, one who's actually already fallen before becoming a hero. All it takes is the crash for him to see how mighty he's fallen; after that, he's lost. Washington never makes the audience lose sympathy for Whip, even when Whip lashes out at loved ones. For that reason, we the audience want to see Whip turn his life around and keep flying, so to speak.

Amongst the supporting cast, the best work came from John Goodman, as Whip's supplier, Harling, and Kelly Reilly, as Whip's love interest, Nicole. Goodman, in particular, continues to be a reliably hilarious character actor. Reilly's compelling performance, meanwhile, should give Oscar voters another option to consider this year.

And yes, there is the plane crash that starts the film. With some great editing and visual effects, the crash is one of the scariest ones on screen. It certainly doesn't help anyone's fear of flying, especially my own, to see the turbulence take its toll on the plane and its inhabitants.

Even when it does lag on towards its 139 minute runtime, Flight keeps things going thanks to its star. Unless you have a flight in the near future, then this character study is worth checking into.

Wreck-It Ralph

My last reviewed film, Cloud Atlas, had many things. A straightforward plot was not one of them. But my latest reviewed film, Wreck-It Ralph, is an ode to a medium known for straightforward plots: video games.

Each time someone plays the Arcade Classic Fix-It Felix Jr., Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Reilly) smashes up the Niceland appartments. Then, the titular character (Jack McBryer) fixes it up. The good guys celebrate by giving Felix a Medal and Ralph a flight off the roof.

After thrity years, Ralph finally has enough. Ralph decides to leave his own game and head for the new Shooter Game Hero's Duty. Once he defeats the game's mutant Cy-Bugs, he'll finally have a medal of his own. But by accident, Ralph gets tossed into the Candyland racing game Sugar Rush. There, he loses the medal to the game's glitch outcast, Vanellope Von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman). To get it back, Ralph has to help her win a race that'll get her into the game's lineup.

Unfortunately, Ralph's game-jumping threatens to put Fix-It Felix Jr. out of business. Not only that, but a Cy-Bug's followed Ralph into Sugar Rush. Once it multiplies, the end of the Arcade World is sure to follow. To save the games, Felix tags along with Sgt. Calhoun (Jane Lynch) of Hero's Duty to enter Sugar Rush.

Rich Moore, known for his work on The Simpsons and Futurama, makes his feature debut here. It's a film that has plenty of references to, and cameos from, various real life games. Rather than swamp the film in in-jokes, the screenplay focuses directly on its own original characters. Whether alone or together, its main characters are all likable individuals. Even King Candy (Alan Tudyk) of Sugar Rush is quite likable until his rotten secret is revealed. Overall, it's actually less about video games and more about folks who are video game characters.

As a 3D Movie, Wreck-It Ralph has plenty of visual spectacle. It's most obvious in the delicious game world of Sugar Rush, complete with baked goods as race cars. All the other game worlds, whether its the film's original works or the actual titles, are rendered wonderfully in their own art styles. Seeing what those game worlds looked like behind the screen was also fun to see.

Whether you're a gamer or not, Wreck-It Ralph is lots of fun in either 3D or Flatscreen. Either way, you'll get an amazing short film, Paperman, to start the "game" with.

Cloud Atlas

What?

That's probably what you'll ask yourself after seeing Cloud Atlas. It's very long, has a story cosmic in scope, and that story is broken up into six mini-stories, going back and forth between them at any time. It's easy to get lost in the story, but its artistic qualities give it good marks.

Like the play Angels in America, its multiple stories feature the same cast, playing a different character in each one. For its cast, this movie features such actors as Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess, Bae Doona, Hugo Weaving, Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw. Over the centuries, they play the following:

1. A lawyer (Sturgess) in 1849, who befriends a Moriori stowaway on a voyage back to San Francisco.

2. A musician (Whishaw) in 1936 Belgium, trying to compose his masterwork, the Cloud Atlas Sextet, while living under the domineering rule of an aging maestro (Broadbent).

3. A investigative reporter (Berry) in 1973 San Francisco, looking into the shady going-ons of a Nuclear Plant.

4. A book publisher (Broadbent) in 2012 London, confined against his will to a nursing home by his brother (Grant).

5. A clone slave (Bae) in the next century Seoul, who escapes the confines of her existence at a Fast Food place with the help of a revolutionary (Sturgess).

6. A tribesman (Hanks) in the way-off future Hawaii, who meets Meronym (Berry) of the advanced Prescients.

Its story was so big that it had to have three directors. Two of them are the Wachowskis, creators of The Matrix and the third is Tom Tykwer, director of Run Lola Run. Their adaptation of David Mitchell's novel has not only the visual splendor of 2001: A Space Odyssey, but also its tendency for confusion as well.

Its makeup department, headed by Daniel Parker and Jeremy Woodhead, deserves the most attention. They render the actors into a wide variety of characters, even some unexpected supporting ones. Weaving, for example, goes from an allegorical devil in the last mini-story to a Nurse Ratched parody in the fourth. This display of prosthesis makes the game of "spot the actor" a fun one.

As I said before, its non-linear structure and massive length punishes those with low attention spans. It's quite easy to lose some names, characters and plot points as the film ponders life's mysteries more and more. For those unprepared, the end result is not a serene "whoa," but a stumped, perplexed "what?!"

A second take maybe necessary for those who wish to see this movie. It's not the kind that you can just get in a day. Not in the least.

Pitch Perfect

Imagine Glee in College, add in some edginess and basically, you get Pitch Perfect. The results aren't actually perfect, but there's some good pitch in there.

Beca (Anna Kendrick) wants to DJ in Los Angeles. But her father makes her go to college instead. Not only she must attend college, but she has to join a club. The club she joins is The Bellas, the local all-girls A Capella group. Their leaders are the authoritarian Aubrey (Anna Camp) and the more liberal Chloe (Brittany Snow). Meanwhile, her new friend Jesse (Skylar Astin) joins the all-boys group, the Treble Makers. Since the two groups are rivals, this naturally leads to conflict.

And that's all you need to know about the plot.

As for credentials, there's a few noted names on the crew. It's somewhat based on GQ editor Mickey Rapkin's non-fiction book and adapted by 30 Rock writer Kay Cannon. It's directed by Jason Moore, who began his career on Broadway as a director for Les Miserables. What kind of film did they make?

It's a silly film, to say the least. A few bits of the story either made little to no sense. As a result, I found it a bit easy to get lost. However, individual performances of the supporting Bellas raised the pitch up a bit. Particularly noticeable were Hana Mae Lee, as the barely audible Lily and Rebel Wilson as “Fat Amy.” The song performances, thanks to both stars and sound mixers, were great. All in all, I found it a bit more enjoyable than the dud Rock of Ages, which means a lot.

If you plan to see this movie, go ahead. At the very least, the whole cast is enjoyable to watch. Meanwhile, I'll wait for Les Miserables the Musical to make its cinematic debut.

Argo

Argo is about a fake film that was used to help resolve a real crisis. While the crisis did end rather well, this film'll keep you guessing how well it will end.

It's 1979 and the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran has been taken over by Revolutionaries. Six Embassy workers got out before it got really worse, and then took up residence in the home of Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor (Victor Garbor). Even though they're safe in the house, the workers know that it won't be long before the Revolutionaries come knocking.

CIA operative Tony Mendez (Director/Co-Producer Ben Affleck) decides on an outlandishly plausible story to get the six out. He decides to pass them off as a Canadian film crew scouting exotic locations for a Sci-Fi Film called Argo. For his Hollywood contacts, Mendez chooses producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) and Oscar-Winning Makeup-man John Chambers (John Goodman). Along with a script and some concept art, Mendez flies to Iran to get the six out of the country quickly and quietly.

Using Mendez's memoir The Master of Disguise, as well as the article The Great Escape by Joshuah Bearman, Chris Terrio wrote the film's screenplay. It's a screenplay that's both funny and suspenseful, often in the same scene. At one moment, there's a public table reading of Argo's script by folks in crummy costumes. At the same time, there's a mock execution of Embassy hostages. Thanks to editor William Goldenberg, the balance between funny and serious works wonderfully.

Although Affleck is the one in charge, on-screen and off, his supporting cast stands out wonderfully. Amongst the ensemble, the chemistry of the six escapees was the real highlight. They really worked well together, even when their characters were at each others' throats. Meanwhile, Goodman and Arkin provided much appreciated comic relief. Another great performance was Bryan Cranston as Mendez's CIA superior.

As a thriller and a period piece, Argo gets it right all the way. If Affleck keeps it up, then his career as director and star is secure for a long time.

Seven Psychopaths

Seven Words for Seven Psychopaths: Insane. Violent. Bizarre. Tense. Funny. Loony. Good.

For more words, read on.

Billy (Sam Rockwell) and Hans (Christopher Walken) specialize in being Good Samaritans for owners of lost dogs...lost because they stole them. Billy's roommate, Marty (Colin Farrell), just wants to be left alone to write his newest screenplay: Seven Psychopaths. To inspire himself, Marty listens to the stories of Serial-Killer Killer Zachariah (Tom Waits), an avenging Quaker (Harry Dean Stanton) and the on-going hunt for a Killer who whacks Mafia Wiseguys.

One day, Billy takes Bonny the Shih Tzu, whose owner is Mafia man Charlie (Woody Harrelson). Instead of doing the sane thing and returning the dog, Billy decides to hold on to the little pooch. Naturally, Billy and Hans face the wrath of the world's angriest pet owner and his crew. Meanwhile, Marty has to find someway to survive this madness and get his film made.

Writer/Director Martin McDonagh follows up his debut film, In Bruges, with this twisted comedy. Its screenplay is filled with great dialogue and some effective twists. Its ensemble of actors, particularly Walken and Rockwell, is perfectly cast. Best of all, it's a dark satire that wonderfully mocks the absurdities of violence. It has fun with it for a while; the pointlessness of it all hits home when it gets serious.

From its title, and much of its content, Seven Psychopaths sounds like an unappealing film. But for those willing to see what it's about, they'll find a much better work than Hollywood's usual spectacles of Ultra-Violence.

Frankenweenie

Back when he was an animator with Disney, Tim Burton got to make some weird short films. One of them, Frankenweenie, was so weird that Disney fired him for "wasting company resources" on a "creepy film." Years later, Burton's "creepy film" has now been reborn as a Disney 3D stop-motion spooktacular. And this is certainly not a waste of company resources.

Young Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) just loves to make films starring his dog, Sparky. One day, Sparky chases a ball into the street and gets run over. Sad and lonely, Victor takes up weird science to bring back his doggy. And just like Frankenstein, Sparky is brought back with the right dosage of lightning. After that, Victor has to hide the new Sparky from his neighbors. Of course, that doesn't end well.

Unlike Burton's Dark Shadows from earlier this year, this one knows what it wants to be. From the black and white to Danny Elfman's music, its inspiration from 1931's Frankenstein is obvious. Its characters may be oddly designed, but they're all eccentric and likable. And with its 87-minute runtime, there's never a dull moment. What it wants to be is a quirky take on early day monster movies, and it succeeds. Even when it does get sad, for obvious reasons, it wasn't jarring at all.

As with Paranorman, Frankenweenie does have creepy moments that earn it its PG-rating. If either you or your family can withstand it, then they'll certainly enjoy what it's all about: a tale of a boy and his dog. Either in 3D or Flatscreen, it's certainly a more sane pick for them than something like Sinister.

Looper

What would you expect from a film called Looper? From the title itself, you probably don't know what you'll get. Seeing the film itself, you won't know what you're going to get either.

And that's a good thing.

In the not so distant future, time travel will have been invented in their future. Since it is also very much illegal, only crime bosses have access to time machines. They use it to send some unlucky victim back in time to be blasted by a waiting assassin (the Loopers). And when the Looper's services are no longer required, the unlucky victim is their future self.

One such Looper is Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who's living the good life in Kansas. One day, his latest target (Bruce Willis) turns out to be his future self. In the future, Joe'll have run afoul of the psychic Kingpin, The Rainmaker. Now in the present, Old Joe escapes to find The Rainmaker before he can cause chaos. Present Joe, meanwhile, has to find his future self before his employers kill him in the here and now.

The screenplay, from writer/director Rian Johnson, is what makes it work the most. For one thing, it doesn't try to confound its audience with techno-babble. Instead, its main focus is just to get to the point of its main concept. Bit by bit, it also introduces more plot twists to throw its audience through a loop. In the end, these plot twists all pay off wonderfully.

On a $30 million budget, Johnson's crew has worked technological wonders. Its cities of the future look great, as does the its display of psychic powers. With cinematographer Steve Yedlin and editor Bob Ducsay, the film creates an amazing blend of action, character study and dark humor. Also of note is the impressive use of makeup to make Levitt look like Willis; and in one scene, Willis look like Levitt. None of these wonders are visual overloads, which makes them most amazing.

This is an action film whose style is substance. It's that substance that keeps the audience interested from the very beginning. For that reason, Looper is certainly worth your time. Pun not intended.

Hotel Transylvania

Now comes the second cartoon spooktacular this year and the only one of the three in CGI. It is Hotel Transylvania, whose premise you can easily get out of its title. But, I'll spell it out for you anyway.

There's Count Dracula (Adam Sandler), who owns the titular Resort: a Five-Star Hotel for Monsters. His frequent guests include Werewolves, Gremlins, Frankenstein's Monsters, Invisible Men and Mummies. The real purpose of Dracula's Tourist Spot is to keep his now 118-year-old daughter, Mavis (Selena Gomez), away from humans.

One day, a human traveler named Johnny (Andy Samberg) shows up at the Hotel. Naturally, Dracula has to fight tooth and nail to keep him away from the guests. But that gets difficult when sparks fly between Johnny and Mavis.

Genndy Tartakovsky, well known for his work on Cartoon Network, makes his first feature film here. What results is one of the silliest monster mashes on-screen. There's an amusing display of cartoon physics not unlike a Looney Tune. A few jabs at monster movie cliches also earn some good chuckles. Its only real flaw was that, at times, it was a bit too lighthearted.

Amongst the other monsters, one of the best was Wayne the Werewolf (Steve Buscemi), a harried father of too many. As the only “villain” in this romp, Chef Quasimodo (an unrecognizable Jon Lovitz) also adds some good silliness along with his rat, Esmeralda. The rest of the monsters are so quirky, it's not hard to like any of them.

As usual, it's available on both 3D and Flatscreens. Either way, it's still good fun if one finds Paranorman or  the almost-out Frankenweenie too scary.

Dredd

Best known as the centerpiece of the British Comic Book 2000 A.D., the Ultra-Lawman Judge Dredd already saw cinematic life in the same-titled 1995 critical dud. Now, seventeen years after Sylvester Stallone became the law, Karl Urban is the new face of Justice in Dredd.

In yet another post-apocalyptic future, much of humanity is crammed into gigantic Mega Cities. Since law and order is slim, the Police (called Street Judges) now have the power of Judge, Jury and Executioner. In Mega City One, the best known of these Judges is, of course, Dredd.

One day, Dredd gets assigned to evaluate a prospective new Judge, the Psychic Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby). For their first assignment, the duo investigate a triple homicide in the gigantic Slum Tower called Peach Trees. On the top floor, there's Ma-Ma (Lena Heady), who manufactures the aptly named narcotic “Slo-Mo.” Realizing the law's after her, Ma-Ma locks down the tower and sends her flunkies after the heroes. And so, to get out, Dredd and Anderson have to go up to face Ma-Ma.

This Dredd is guilty of being perfectly visual. While it is incredibly gory, much of it is done incredibly artistically. Best of all is the 3D Slo-Mo effects, which are wonderfully colorful and surreal. Its sprawling cityscape, filmed mainly in Cape Town, is an amazing blend of production design and cinematography. These visual wonders make the most of its $45 million budget, half the cost of Stallone's version.

Amidst the carnage, there's Judge Dredd himself, who gets the film's best laughs while remaining perfectly serious. By the end of the film, even the act of threatening Dredd is funny because it's doomed to fail. Just how it fails is only the punchline. Even though he never removes his face-concealing helmet, Urban makes Dredd into the perfect, reasonable lawman of any time.

Made for 3D screens, Dredd also looks wonderful on flatscreens. Story-wise, it's perfectly accessible for those not familiar with the comic book. If you can withstand the ultra-violence, then this film will certainly make the most of your day.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Beasts of the Southern Wild is one of the strangest films to come out this year. At the same time, it proves its worth by being one of the most visually stunning films around.

Young Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) lives with her father Wink (Dwight Henry) in the Southern Community called "the Bathtub." One night, a massive storm floods the community. As Hushpuppy imagines it, fierce creatures called Aurochs have now been freed from the Ice Caps. Outside of her imaginary world, her community is falling apart and Wink's health is fading. To survive these changes, Hushpuppy has to grow up.

Based on Lucy Alibar's one-act play, Juicy and Delicious, the film was written by Alibar and director Benh Zeitlin. Amongst the crew Zeitlin assembled, the greatest standouts are production designer Alex DiGerlando and cinematographer Ben Richardson. Together, the two effectively create "the Bathtub" as an apocalyptic community even before the storm comes. It's an amazing site to behold, even if it actually is kind of bleak.

As Hushpuppy, Wallis's debut role is the film's standout. Her perception of the world is so innocent, yet her will to survive is fierce. She headlines the cast from her first scene onwards, never losing the audience's interest once. In addition to her, the entire cast is made up of newcomers, and they are all believable in their roles.

For some, its bleak real life setting might destroy their enjoyment of the film's fantasy. But for me, this is a great film about facing the realities of the world, both good and bad. For that reason, Beasts of the Southern Wild should be sought out if you can find it.

Lawless

As Summer begins to wind down, it's now the time for films that'll be more seriously considered Oscar Contenders. One of the first out is the real-life Crime Pic called Lawless. If this film wins Oscars, then it'll because it looks and sounds great, and not because it is great.

In 1931, brothers Forrest (Tom Hardy), Howard (Jason Clarke) and Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf) are in the bootlegging business. In their Virginia Community, their business thrives thanks to the Cops who happily buy from them. One day, the evil Special Agent Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce) comes to town. He demands that the brothers turn their business over to him, or else he'll send them up the river. The Brothers refuse, and that refusal leads to war.

And that's all you need to know about the plot.

Documented in the book The Wettest County in the World by Jack's grandson Matt, the story was screen-written by musician Nick Cave. It's a story that's slow to unfold, and liable to test many attention spans. Consequentially, a few plot points got lost in the shuffle. Fortunately, its most violent scenes were effective attention grabbers.

Amongst the performances, their are three that stand out. As Rakes, Guy Pearce did his job well, playing the snide villain one would wish dead at the end of his first scene. Gary Oldman, as a rival bootlegger, was the best underused character in all of his two scenes. And Tom Hardy, as Forrest, is the strong, silent type who is surprisingly very durable.

Also adding to the film are Benoit Delhomme's impressive photography, as well as the violent, forceful sound effects. The Music Score, composed by Cave and Warren Ellis, is one of the most memorable collection of country tunes on-screen. These are the aspects that are most liable to give their movie Oscar notice in a few months. And if they win, they'll be most deserving of the Awards.

While Lawless wants to be something great, it is instead something decent. Those wanting to view history unfold on-screen won't be disappointed. They just shouldn't expect to see much film history unfold on-screen.

ParaNorman

Beginning this month, a trio of spooky animated features are due to arrive in theaters way early for Halloween. The first one out is ParaNorman, a stop-motion spooktacular in both 3D and Flatscreen presentations.

Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee) can talk to the spirits of the dead. To everyone else, though, he's just "abnorman". And the school bully, Alvin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), uses that as an excuse to torment him. All of this happens in Blithe Hallow, a town with great pride in its Witch-Hunting Heritage.

One day, Norman's crazy uncle Prenderghast (John Goodman) dies. He comes back in spirit to warn him that a nasty Witch's ghost is about to rise. When she does, the dead will walk the Earth. Prenderghast gives Norman the task to soothe the Witch for all eternity; it's a task that Norman'll need lots of help for.

Animated by Laika Studios (Coraline), ParaNorman's cast of puppets are amazing. They move around with such fluid motion that it's easy to forget that this is a stop-motion feature. With 3D printers, the animators gave the characters some of the most expressive faces of their medium. The film's practical sets only add to its wonderful blend of the old and new.

There's also some clever writing in co-director Chris Butler's screenplay. It playfully messes around with horror film cliches, but it knows when to be devastatingly serious when it has to be. On the lighter side, there's Prenderghast, who makes the most of his few scenes thanks to Goodman's performance. On the darker side, there's the Witch's true nature, which I won't spoil.

If you can withstand the film's PG scariness, then ParaNorman will be a spooky good time for the family. At any rate, it'll be a better pick than the live action spooktaculars set to arrive soon. 

The Expendables 2

Once again, an All-Star team of Action Film stars have assembled in one movie. It is The Expendables 2, the sequel to the 2010 blockbuster that I certainly disliked. Fortunately, this bloody, loud shoot-em-up is much better than its predecessor.

As usual, Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) and his mercenary squad, The Expendables, make it their mission to blow up bad guys. Their handler, Mr. Church (Bruce Willis), gives them the assignment to retrieve something from a downed plane. That something, they find out too late, has the location of an abandoned Plutonium mine. They get it, but the evil Jean Vilain (Jean-Claude Van Damme) takes it from them. So now, it's up to them to stop the villain before he can sell his spoils to the wrong hands.

And that's what you need to know about the plot.

While Stallone directed The Expendables, he left this sequel to Simon West (Con Air). What this results in is a film that punctuates carnage with humor. The heroes make fun of their actors' greatest hits while under gunfire. A bloody fight ends with a villain going through an Airport X-Ray Machine. There's also a good supply of amusing one-liners as Good cuts through Evil.

This relaxed tone benefits its characters the most. This time around, they make up an amusing ensemble of rogue heroes that's fun to watch. Amongst the new characters, Booker (Chuck Norris), revels in the film's extremities. Meanwhile, Mr. Church and Mr. Trench (Arnold Schwarzenegger), the best characters of the last film, have a delightfully expanded part. Next to them, the hulking Gunnar (Dolph Lundgren) was the best of this Wild Bunch.

This is what the first film should've been like: bloody fun, not bloody boring. That's all its trying to do, and for that reason, The Expendables 2 wildly succeeds.

The Bourne Legacy

Just when you thought that Matt Damon was done chasing spies as Robert Ludlum's rogue assassin Jason Bourne...you were right!

Since director Paul Greengrass wasn't interested in getting Bourne again, neither was his star. With Greengrass gone, Tony Gilroy, the screenwriter for all three Bournes, has been promoted to the director's chair in The Bourne Legacy.

Rather than re-cast Damon as Bourne, Gilroy introduces a new protagonist, Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner). Aaron is part of Operation Outcome, the same Super-Assassin program from which Jason Bourne got his skills. One day, while enjoying the Alaskan wilderness, Aaron starts to run out of his Super-Assassin Medicine. And so, he goes back to civilization to find some.

Meanwhile, Government creep Eric Byer (Edward Norton) and his fellow Bureacrats, are irritated with Jason Bourne's meddling. And so, they decide to clean house by killing everybody involved with their schemes.

One Dr. Shearing (Rachel Weisz) survives one of their house-cleaning schemes. She's now targeted for death since she knows about the Super Medicine. For that reason, she's the first person Aaron seeks out and now must protect.

For around the first half-hour, I was surely bored with Bourne. Nothing really happened. All the names that were relevant in the last three films made the backstory almost incomprehensible. And it surely felt longer than half an hour.

But once it speeds up, everything gets better. The film's action scenes, edited by Tony's brother John, master both style and substance. While these scenes contain plenty of exciting stunts, there's also some masterful suspense involved. So much so that it could easily follow its predecessor, The Bourne Ultimatum, to a Film Editing Oscar.

Having not seen the prior Bournes, I don't know where this measures. But as a standalone, The Bourne Legacy is some fine entertainment. Let's just hope that the next one gets it better, or else we might just get stuck with The Bourne Redundancy.