Rated R, 118 minutes
"A Million Ways to Die in the West" shoots and misses most of time
If you enjoy the animated TV show "Family Guy," then you'll probably love the profane but lackluster new comedy "A Million Ways to Die in the West" from "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane, who directs, produces and stars. For the rest of us, it's an excruciating, disappointing experience that's far different from his 2012 mega-hit "Ted", and this one doesn't have a cussing teddy bear to keep us entertained. After that film, this probably looked much better on paper than it does in its middling execution; it strives to be a re-telling of "Blazing Saddles" but is more of an overlong, lukewarm hop-a-long that's sporadically funny at best. To quote MacFarlane from a scene in the movie, it goes South and so quickly. It's set in Arizona in 1882 and MacFarlane is Albert Stark, a single sheep farmer who lacks courage and loses his girlfriend (Amanda Seyfried) to a douche with a mustache (Neil Patrick Harris) and ends up falling in love with the wife of a notorious killer (Charlize Theron and Liam Neeson), who comes into town seeking revenge. I so wanted to give MacFarlane and his movie a chance and admittedly he is a charming presence who works well with others, but honestly I just didn't find "A Million Ways" as wildly funny as I had hoped: it's one of the summer's biggest disappointments so far. The central problem may be with MacFarlane's sardonic, talky type of humor that works well on "Family Guy" and made "Ted" so fun but with a live-action comedy where pacing is crucial, MacFarlane's annoying blathering on and explanation of some jokes slows it down too much and its love story angle doesn't work well with the rest of the movie. While I enjoy seeing the lovely Theron do comedy, she needs better material than this that also wastes a fine comedic actor in Neil Patrick Harris. There are a couple of fun moments, including the "Moustache" song and anytime Sarah Silverman is on screen, but those fun moments are few and far between, and the last act in particular is much too long. The one truly brilliant scene in "A Million Ways" is a very brief but hilarious cameo from a very well-known time-traveler who all but steals this movie as well. There are a million ways to kill a movie, and MacFarlane does most of them in the unfunny, mediocre "A Million Ways to Die in the West," which is as hit-or-miss as his shooting in the film. My advice to MacFarlane: don't give up your TV gig, you'll need it after this.
Wes's Grade: C-
movies
Friday, May 30, 2014
Maleficent - B-
Rated PG, 98 minutes
Sleek Jolie is nice centerpiece of CGI-heavy "Maleficent"
"Maleficent" is Disney's new live-action re-imagining of the "Sleeping Beauty" fable told from the perspective of the antagonist, the iconic evil queen Maleficent. Entertaining and retold to give the villain more heart, Angelina Jolie is a regal queen and a nice centerpiece to a film that's both overdone in terms of CGI yet surprisingly short on story but overall still remarkably satisfying. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent (Jolie) cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king's (Sharlto Copely) newborn infant Aurora (later played by Elle Fanning) to an eternal sleep after she turns 16. Directed by special-effects master and Oscar-winner Robert Stromberg ("Avatar" and "Alice in Wonderland") in his feature film debut, the "Maleficent" boasts some strong, if not, overdone, visuals and extravagent production values and a memorable, inspiring turn by Jolie as the titular character who's made out to be both hero and villain in this version of the story. The story is a bit slow and sluggish early on, but Jolie struts off with the movie as the heavily made up, angular and very sleek queen and it picks up some energy in the film's latter chapters and a fun climax. The handsome, first-rate visuals and production values are Stromberg's strong suit, though they both add and detract to the film, though the real visual is Jolie herself in that wicked headpiece, who was seemingly born to play this role. Watch for Jolie's real daughter, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, as a very young Aurora, and their brief screentime together is one of the film's treats. If it weren't for Jolie, the film wouldn't work near as well, and she makes the entertaining, crowd-pleasing "Maleficent" more fun to watch. With all this talk of "true love's kiss," as well as the dragon and the evil queen, I was expecting Shrek and Donkey to walk in, though that might be a little too easy. "Maleficent" is worth a look mainly for Jolie's strong turn.
Wes's Grade: B-
Sleek Jolie is nice centerpiece of CGI-heavy "Maleficent"
"Maleficent" is Disney's new live-action re-imagining of the "Sleeping Beauty" fable told from the perspective of the antagonist, the iconic evil queen Maleficent. Entertaining and retold to give the villain more heart, Angelina Jolie is a regal queen and a nice centerpiece to a film that's both overdone in terms of CGI yet surprisingly short on story but overall still remarkably satisfying. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent (Jolie) cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king's (Sharlto Copely) newborn infant Aurora (later played by Elle Fanning) to an eternal sleep after she turns 16. Directed by special-effects master and Oscar-winner Robert Stromberg ("Avatar" and "Alice in Wonderland") in his feature film debut, the "Maleficent" boasts some strong, if not, overdone, visuals and extravagent production values and a memorable, inspiring turn by Jolie as the titular character who's made out to be both hero and villain in this version of the story. The story is a bit slow and sluggish early on, but Jolie struts off with the movie as the heavily made up, angular and very sleek queen and it picks up some energy in the film's latter chapters and a fun climax. The handsome, first-rate visuals and production values are Stromberg's strong suit, though they both add and detract to the film, though the real visual is Jolie herself in that wicked headpiece, who was seemingly born to play this role. Watch for Jolie's real daughter, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, as a very young Aurora, and their brief screentime together is one of the film's treats. If it weren't for Jolie, the film wouldn't work near as well, and she makes the entertaining, crowd-pleasing "Maleficent" more fun to watch. With all this talk of "true love's kiss," as well as the dragon and the evil queen, I was expecting Shrek and Donkey to walk in, though that might be a little too easy. "Maleficent" is worth a look mainly for Jolie's strong turn.
Wes's Grade: B-
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Palo Alto - C
Rated R, 98 minutes
Pensive and joyless, well-acted "Palo Alto" is an aimless look at some young folks
The new teen indie drama "Palo Alto" is the latest film directed by yet another Coppola, Gia Coppola, and is based on a series of stories by James Franco. Coppola's engaging but meandering film is well-performed by the charming young cast but is a downbeat view of young life. "Palo Alto" centers around a group of rebellious high school kids in an urban environment and their experiences with drugs, alcohol, sex, and violence. There's the class virgin, shy and sensitive April (Emma Roberts), who becomes infatuated with her single-dad soccer coach (James Franco); introspective artist Teddy (Jack Kilmer, Val's son) who has a crush on April and gets into trouble as a result of his friendship with his very unpredictable, live wire friend Fred (Nat Wolff), who is on a path of self-destruction. "Palo Alto" is an engaging film that shows that Coppola, like other members of his family, have talent behind the camera, and it features solid turns by Kilmer, Wolff and Roberts, though the film is hardly anything original. As a matter of fact, the low-key, pensive pacing and tone feel similar to something Sofia Coppola would do ("Virgin Suicides" comes to mind here), and often you're bound to lose interest because there's seemingly little going on screen. But the memorable, affecting turns, particularly from Kilmer and Wolff, show that they have a future in acting. I wanted to like "Palo Alto" more, but I had trouble connecting with many of the characters, particularly the creepy coach played by Franco, who made a little uncomfortable (but then maybe that was the point). "Palo Alto" is worth a look for the performances, if you can stay awake through the sluggish, somewhat boring film.
Wes's Grade: C
Pensive and joyless, well-acted "Palo Alto" is an aimless look at some young folks
The new teen indie drama "Palo Alto" is the latest film directed by yet another Coppola, Gia Coppola, and is based on a series of stories by James Franco. Coppola's engaging but meandering film is well-performed by the charming young cast but is a downbeat view of young life. "Palo Alto" centers around a group of rebellious high school kids in an urban environment and their experiences with drugs, alcohol, sex, and violence. There's the class virgin, shy and sensitive April (Emma Roberts), who becomes infatuated with her single-dad soccer coach (James Franco); introspective artist Teddy (Jack Kilmer, Val's son) who has a crush on April and gets into trouble as a result of his friendship with his very unpredictable, live wire friend Fred (Nat Wolff), who is on a path of self-destruction. "Palo Alto" is an engaging film that shows that Coppola, like other members of his family, have talent behind the camera, and it features solid turns by Kilmer, Wolff and Roberts, though the film is hardly anything original. As a matter of fact, the low-key, pensive pacing and tone feel similar to something Sofia Coppola would do ("Virgin Suicides" comes to mind here), and often you're bound to lose interest because there's seemingly little going on screen. But the memorable, affecting turns, particularly from Kilmer and Wolff, show that they have a future in acting. I wanted to like "Palo Alto" more, but I had trouble connecting with many of the characters, particularly the creepy coach played by Franco, who made a little uncomfortable (but then maybe that was the point). "Palo Alto" is worth a look for the performances, if you can stay awake through the sluggish, somewhat boring film.
Wes's Grade: C
This is Where We Live - B-
Unrated, 92 minutes
Affecting, low-key "This Is Where We Live" shows the power of simple relationships
The Texas-based and filmed independent drama "This is Where We Live" is a tender, restrained look at the value of relationships, even unconventional ones. Directed by and starring Marc Menchaca in an auspicious feature film debut and actor and director, it's a memorable but downbeat view on life in general. A struggling family's dynamics are challenged and a unique friendship is born when a small-town Texas handyman named Noah (Menchaca) becomes caregiver to their son August with cerebral palsy (played by Tobias Segal, in a remarkable performance for the actor who is not disabled). Handsomely filmed in the Hill Country of Texas and well-acted by a mostly unknown cast (except for the always familiar Barry Corbin in a small role), "This Is Where We Live" has been a hit on the festival circuit over the last year and just now getting a limited release, is worth your time if you stick with it. Slow-moving and somewhat obscure, the value of the film is the unusual but palpable relationship between Noah and August as Noah assimilates into this somewhat odd but caring family and seeing how much alike Noah and August really are, even though one cannot speak. Both Menchaca and Segal are excellent as is C.K. MacFarland as the Mom who is trying to keep the family together. "This Is Where We Live" doesn't have wide appeal and the pacing is very slow, but very moving in small ways if you stay with it and give it time to grow on you. An independent film worth a look, see it before it goes away.
Wes's Grade: B-
Affecting, low-key "This Is Where We Live" shows the power of simple relationships
The Texas-based and filmed independent drama "This is Where We Live" is a tender, restrained look at the value of relationships, even unconventional ones. Directed by and starring Marc Menchaca in an auspicious feature film debut and actor and director, it's a memorable but downbeat view on life in general. A struggling family's dynamics are challenged and a unique friendship is born when a small-town Texas handyman named Noah (Menchaca) becomes caregiver to their son August with cerebral palsy (played by Tobias Segal, in a remarkable performance for the actor who is not disabled). Handsomely filmed in the Hill Country of Texas and well-acted by a mostly unknown cast (except for the always familiar Barry Corbin in a small role), "This Is Where We Live" has been a hit on the festival circuit over the last year and just now getting a limited release, is worth your time if you stick with it. Slow-moving and somewhat obscure, the value of the film is the unusual but palpable relationship between Noah and August as Noah assimilates into this somewhat odd but caring family and seeing how much alike Noah and August really are, even though one cannot speak. Both Menchaca and Segal are excellent as is C.K. MacFarland as the Mom who is trying to keep the family together. "This Is Where We Live" doesn't have wide appeal and the pacing is very slow, but very moving in small ways if you stay with it and give it time to grow on you. An independent film worth a look, see it before it goes away.
Wes's Grade: B-
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Blended - D
Rated PG-13, 117 minutes
Even Barrymore can't save this crappy Sandler vehicle
Another year, another crappy Adam Sandler movie. At least this crappy Sandler movie is unoriginal, overly sentimental and has the grace to feature the lovely Drew Barrymore, who alone saves their new comedy "Blended" from getting a total F. It's also not as wildly, over-the-top crass as "Jack and Jill" or "That's My Boy," though even with Barrymore around he still manages to offend. After a bad blind date, single parents Jim Friedman (Sandler) and Lauren Reynolds (Barrymore) find themselves stuck together at a resort for families, where their attraction grows as their respective children benefit from the burgeoning relationship. The bland, unfunny "Blended" is tame PG-13 Sandler, and while easier to digest, it's still not a pleasant affair and leaves a bad aftertaste, which is mildly surprising, given the other two Sandler/Barrymore efforts are among Sandler's better films, "The Wedding Singer" and "50 First Dates," with the former considered one of his most charming films before he started making offensive, childish films catered for the masses. Directed by "Wedding Singer's" Frank Coraci in hopes of recreating some of that film's magic, this sweet but stupid "Brady Bunch" ripoff is easily the worst Sandler/Barrymore effort and one of Sandler's least embarrassing ones, though neither is saying much. Barrymore is lovely but wasted as Sandler's love interest, and there are long, painful stretches where nothing interesting (i.e. actually funny) really happens, alternating between the dumb and sentimental. Even with Barrymore around "Blended's" woeful, badly acted script still manages to offend in the treatment of women, children, minorities, foreign nationals and basically anything that moves. Sandler alum Terry Crews is energetic and fun to watch but not really funny, and "Bridesmaids" Wendi McLendon-Covey gets the only truly funny lines in a scene she shares with Sandler. "Blended," unlike some other recent Sandler fare, isn't horribly unwatchable, but it isn't necessarily a treat to watch, either. This silly, predictable mess even has some scattered laughs and sweet moments, but mostly it's another one to skip, even though Barrymore still comes out smelling a rose. And for the record, I hope Dick's Sporting Goods was paid a considerable amount of cash for product placement in this embarrassment, which will probably be another hit for the Sandler movie machine.
Wes's Grade: D
Even Barrymore can't save this crappy Sandler vehicle
Another year, another crappy Adam Sandler movie. At least this crappy Sandler movie is unoriginal, overly sentimental and has the grace to feature the lovely Drew Barrymore, who alone saves their new comedy "Blended" from getting a total F. It's also not as wildly, over-the-top crass as "Jack and Jill" or "That's My Boy," though even with Barrymore around he still manages to offend. After a bad blind date, single parents Jim Friedman (Sandler) and Lauren Reynolds (Barrymore) find themselves stuck together at a resort for families, where their attraction grows as their respective children benefit from the burgeoning relationship. The bland, unfunny "Blended" is tame PG-13 Sandler, and while easier to digest, it's still not a pleasant affair and leaves a bad aftertaste, which is mildly surprising, given the other two Sandler/Barrymore efforts are among Sandler's better films, "The Wedding Singer" and "50 First Dates," with the former considered one of his most charming films before he started making offensive, childish films catered for the masses. Directed by "Wedding Singer's" Frank Coraci in hopes of recreating some of that film's magic, this sweet but stupid "Brady Bunch" ripoff is easily the worst Sandler/Barrymore effort and one of Sandler's least embarrassing ones, though neither is saying much. Barrymore is lovely but wasted as Sandler's love interest, and there are long, painful stretches where nothing interesting (i.e. actually funny) really happens, alternating between the dumb and sentimental. Even with Barrymore around "Blended's" woeful, badly acted script still manages to offend in the treatment of women, children, minorities, foreign nationals and basically anything that moves. Sandler alum Terry Crews is energetic and fun to watch but not really funny, and "Bridesmaids" Wendi McLendon-Covey gets the only truly funny lines in a scene she shares with Sandler. "Blended," unlike some other recent Sandler fare, isn't horribly unwatchable, but it isn't necessarily a treat to watch, either. This silly, predictable mess even has some scattered laughs and sweet moments, but mostly it's another one to skip, even though Barrymore still comes out smelling a rose. And for the record, I hope Dick's Sporting Goods was paid a considerable amount of cash for product placement in this embarrassment, which will probably be another hit for the Sandler movie machine.
Wes's Grade: D
X-Men: Days of Future Past - B
Rated PG-13, 130 minutes
Lots to track of, but "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is rollicking fun
I will say up front, in the latest "X-Men" offering, there's loads of characters, plots and Marvel comic book references that should more than please the fan boy set. As for the rest of us, the epic, enjoyable "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is the best "X-Men" since "X-Men: The Last Stand" and a decent thrill ride as we enter the summer movie-going season with full force. It also helps that "Days of Future Past" is more of a throwback nod to the original film series, given that it's directed by Bryan Singer and features more characters and actors you're familiar with. The film opens in a dystopian future as the mutants are being hunted to exinction by some mutant-hunting robots called the Sentinels. Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellan) send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back in time to 1973 to aid the younger Professor X and Magneto (James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, both terrific here) in stopping Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from killing a noted scientist (Peter Dinklage) whose efforts started the war between the Sentinels and the Mutants. Directed by Singer and a screenplay by Simon Kinberg, "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is energetic, charming fun that mixes both old and new "X-Men" to provide the most pleasing "X-Men" film in this new series, on par with the original film series, two of which were helmed by Singer himself. It's great to have Singer back as director, and it's nice seeing Stewart and McKellan as well, with nods (albeit small) to all the old group (stay around till the end and you'll see everyone, but you didn't hear that from me). McAvoy and Fassbender go at it with considerable charm along with Jackman and Lawrence and a very large ensemble cast filled with numerous Marvel characters, most memorable Nicholas Hoult as the young Beast and Evan Peters as Quicksilver, who steals a few scenes early on from McAvoy and Fassbender. There's too many characters and plot to keep track of, but there's enough to keep you engaged for this action-packed ride; Singer manages to stage some nice action set pieces, including the interesting climax with none other than Richard Nixon, as well as filling it with some enjoyable visuals and nice special effects. As with almost all of these types of films, you'll want to stay over for an end-credits scene that sets up the next film and will most make sense if you're into the Marvel comic books. Even if you're unfamiliar with the comic book series, and count me as one of those, there's still plenty of fun to be had in the dark, intense and crowd-pleasing "X-Men: Days of Future Past."
Wes's Grade: B
Lots to track of, but "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is rollicking fun
I will say up front, in the latest "X-Men" offering, there's loads of characters, plots and Marvel comic book references that should more than please the fan boy set. As for the rest of us, the epic, enjoyable "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is the best "X-Men" since "X-Men: The Last Stand" and a decent thrill ride as we enter the summer movie-going season with full force. It also helps that "Days of Future Past" is more of a throwback nod to the original film series, given that it's directed by Bryan Singer and features more characters and actors you're familiar with. The film opens in a dystopian future as the mutants are being hunted to exinction by some mutant-hunting robots called the Sentinels. Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellan) send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back in time to 1973 to aid the younger Professor X and Magneto (James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, both terrific here) in stopping Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from killing a noted scientist (Peter Dinklage) whose efforts started the war between the Sentinels and the Mutants. Directed by Singer and a screenplay by Simon Kinberg, "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is energetic, charming fun that mixes both old and new "X-Men" to provide the most pleasing "X-Men" film in this new series, on par with the original film series, two of which were helmed by Singer himself. It's great to have Singer back as director, and it's nice seeing Stewart and McKellan as well, with nods (albeit small) to all the old group (stay around till the end and you'll see everyone, but you didn't hear that from me). McAvoy and Fassbender go at it with considerable charm along with Jackman and Lawrence and a very large ensemble cast filled with numerous Marvel characters, most memorable Nicholas Hoult as the young Beast and Evan Peters as Quicksilver, who steals a few scenes early on from McAvoy and Fassbender. There's too many characters and plot to keep track of, but there's enough to keep you engaged for this action-packed ride; Singer manages to stage some nice action set pieces, including the interesting climax with none other than Richard Nixon, as well as filling it with some enjoyable visuals and nice special effects. As with almost all of these types of films, you'll want to stay over for an end-credits scene that sets up the next film and will most make sense if you're into the Marvel comic books. Even if you're unfamiliar with the comic book series, and count me as one of those, there's still plenty of fun to be had in the dark, intense and crowd-pleasing "X-Men: Days of Future Past."
Wes's Grade: B
Friday, May 16, 2014
Million Dollar Arm - C
Rated PG, 120 minutes
"Million Dollar Arm" is predictable, crowd-pleasing true-story Disney fluff
Walt Disney Pictures, in addition to making animated films for children, also enjoys finding inspiring, against-the-odds sports stories such as "The Rookie" and "Invincible" in hopes of cornering the family market as well. They've enjoyed modest success with these types of movies, and they've made another with the true baseball story "Million Dollar Arm," about a sports agent who goes to India to find Major League Baseball's next big thing. American sports agent J.B. Bernstein (Jon Hamm) go to India seeking baseball pitchers, through a reality show called Million Dollar Arm. They find two Indians (Madhur Mittal and Shuraj Sharma) who they hope to transform into Major League Baseball players. Directed by Craig Gillespie ("Lars and the Real Girl") and written by Thomas McCarthy, "Million Dollar Arm" is a mildly entertaining and pleasant but overly calculated true-story that's not as near as inspiring as the real story of Dinesh Patel and Rinku Singh, who were plucked from small towns in India and eventually signed with a Major League Team, all done "American Idol"-style. As the two wide-eyed young Indian boys who get their big break, Mittal (featured in "Slumdog Millionaire") and Sharma (the charming actor from "Life of Pi") are the most affecting and memorable, even with the dashing smile from "Mad Men's" Hamm and the crustyness of Alan Arkin as one of the baseball scouts. The central problem with some of these crowd-pleasingly true stories in the internet age is the ability to Google the story, essentially negating the need to see the movie. That is the problem with "Million Dollar Arm" as well. "Million Dollar Arm" is pleasantly inspiring in its own way, but if you Google it there's really no need to see the movie.
Wes's Grade: C
"Million Dollar Arm" is predictable, crowd-pleasing true-story Disney fluff
Walt Disney Pictures, in addition to making animated films for children, also enjoys finding inspiring, against-the-odds sports stories such as "The Rookie" and "Invincible" in hopes of cornering the family market as well. They've enjoyed modest success with these types of movies, and they've made another with the true baseball story "Million Dollar Arm," about a sports agent who goes to India to find Major League Baseball's next big thing. American sports agent J.B. Bernstein (Jon Hamm) go to India seeking baseball pitchers, through a reality show called Million Dollar Arm. They find two Indians (Madhur Mittal and Shuraj Sharma) who they hope to transform into Major League Baseball players. Directed by Craig Gillespie ("Lars and the Real Girl") and written by Thomas McCarthy, "Million Dollar Arm" is a mildly entertaining and pleasant but overly calculated true-story that's not as near as inspiring as the real story of Dinesh Patel and Rinku Singh, who were plucked from small towns in India and eventually signed with a Major League Team, all done "American Idol"-style. As the two wide-eyed young Indian boys who get their big break, Mittal (featured in "Slumdog Millionaire") and Sharma (the charming actor from "Life of Pi") are the most affecting and memorable, even with the dashing smile from "Mad Men's" Hamm and the crustyness of Alan Arkin as one of the baseball scouts. The central problem with some of these crowd-pleasingly true stories in the internet age is the ability to Google the story, essentially negating the need to see the movie. That is the problem with "Million Dollar Arm" as well. "Million Dollar Arm" is pleasantly inspiring in its own way, but if you Google it there's really no need to see the movie.
Wes's Grade: C
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