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I Saw The Light Review

Weak

Writer-director Marc Abraham gets ambitious with this biopic about iconic country music star Hank Williams, but the film is far too choppy to provide much insight. Leaping through the decades without much context, the film never explores what made Williams such an important artist, so it's difficult to understand the impact of his tragic death at just 29. That said, Tom Hiddleston shines in the role.

Cutting around in time, the film shows Hank (Hiddleston) as a young man with a singular vision: he's determined to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. His young wife Audrey (Elizabeth Olsen) and his mother Lillie (Cherry Jones) argue about who will control his career, but Hank just gets on with it, relying on help from music publisher Fred Rose (Bradley Whitford). Finally at 26 he gets his first No 1 single, and lands a spot at the Opry, becoming a fast-rising superstar. But the chronic back pain he has suffered since childhood leads him into alcohol and drug abuse, which of course begins to take a toll on his career as well as his friendships, marriage and health.

The film skips around Williams' life, moving on to the next scene before this one seems quite finished. This means that the story is never able to build up any momentum, and also that each fragmented period of time feels under-explained. And the people around Williams appear and disappear at random, so the actors never get any traction in their roles. Hiddleston does find moments of resonance, simply because he's in every scene in the film and establishes a bit of rapport with the audience. It's also astonishing that he performs the songs himself. But Abrahams's approach to storytelling never offers any insight into Williams' fame, talents or personal life.

Continue reading: I Saw The Light Review

Truth Review

Excellent

That generic title obscures a surprisingly complex exploration of the real-life events surrounding the fall of iconic American newscaster Dan Rather in 2004. And while the film's script is rather talky (it's like Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom crossed with George Clooney's Good Night and Good Luck), it's strongly made point is too important to ignore. And it features yet another storming, intelligent performance from Cate Blanchett.

She plays Mary Mapes, a producer at the classic CBS news programme 60 Minutes, who just a few months before the 2004 presidential election is working on a story about incumbent George W. Bush's shady National Guard service during the Vietnam War. She has an ace team of investigators (including Topher Grace, Dennis Quaid and Elisabeth Moss), plus the nation's top news anchor Rather (Robert Redford). But after the story airs, Mary is attacked with questions about the authenticity of a series of memos that trace irregularities in Bush's service record. Her boss (Bruce Greenwood) applies plenty of pressure as the controversy gains more traction than the story itself. And the media storm that follows catches everyone by surprise.

This account is based on Mapes' own memoir about these events, which gives the film a personal, as opposed to journalistic, tone. It hints heavily at both government and corporate efforts to discredit the story, putting Mapes and her entire team in an impossible situation. The film also makes it clear that those memos were indeed real, and that the controversy was actually just misdirection. What brings this to life is the revelatory acting from the ensemble cast, led beautifully by Blanchett, who gives Mary a passion for the truth that's fuelled by her inner demons. And the entire supporting cast adds layers of wit and insight, although Redford kind of relaxes on his easy charm as the engaged, engaging Rather.

Continue reading: Truth Review

Hercules - Extended Trailer


Following his deadly ordeal of being put through the Twelve Labours by his father Zeus and his people, all Hercules wants from life is to rest quietly with a loving family. Unfortunately for him, now is not the time for resting as the gods have delivered another bout of chaos to the world. Being well known by all as a man with all the strength of a god, Hercules is forced to lead a battle against a new menace as the King of Thrace gets him and some like minded warriors to band together as the world's most formidable army. They must defeat a powerful rival general as the vicious descendents of Hades infect the land. It's a deadly mission, the minions of hell being immortal and ruthless, and their defeat can only be accomplished by someone with power above the mortal realm.

Continue: Hercules - Extended Trailer

Video - Brett Ratner Dines At Madeos Restaurant In Hollywood


Producer Brett Ratner (Horrible Bosses; Skyline; X-Men: The Last Stand) arrives at Madeos restaurant in West Hollywood. He finishes a conversation with the photographers as he opens the door and gives them the thumbs up as he walks through it.

Brett is producing the upcoming Mirror Mirror film, which stars Lily Collins and Julia Roberts. He is also producing Hong Kong Phooey, which has no release date as of yet but which will star Eddie Murphy as the titular character. Brent will also produce the 2013 film Shanghai, I Love You

Corman's World Trailer


American director Roger Corman is one of the film industry's most influential directors. Born in 1926, he is best known for the numerous low budget B movies which he has directed. Not only is he influential to many of Hollywood's great directors, Corman has also launched the careers of William Shatner; Jack Nicholson and Robert De Niro, to name but a few.

Continue: Corman's World Trailer

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold Review


Very Good
There's a zing of postmodern fun to be had while watching a film that documents itself being made. And while it's a clever look at the secret world of product placement, you never quite feel like the movie itself really gets up to speed.

In order to make a documentary about the shady world of brand integration in films and television, Spurlock decides to sell his new project to the highest bidders. And discovers that there's a parallel world of public relations, advertising, product specialists and neuro-marketers who make a lot of money doing this. After a slow start, sponsors climb on board, and Spurlock makes sure to keep their products on-screen as he conducts interviews with experts.

But does this compromise his journalistic or artistic integrity?

Continue reading: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold Review

Tower Heist Trailer


 

Josh Kovacs has been a resident in Queens for more than ten years; in that time, he has acquired and lived in one of New York City's most secured and lavish apartments. He works for the Wall Street billionaire Arthur Shaw, who just so happens to live above Josh, in a swanky penthouse flat, making him the wealthiest resident there.

One day, Arthur is convicted of stealing two billion dollars from his investors and he is placed under house arrest. The investors he stole from turn out to be Josh and his crew; Arthur has taken their pensions that they entrusted him to manage. Josh is forced to admit that his retirement fund was taken too.

Josh and his crew form a plan to take back their pension fund, which they think is hidden in Arthur's penthouse. They call upon a petty robber, Slide, to help them, who in turn hires his team of amateur thieves, to scout the penthouse. It turns out that the crooks know the layout of that particular apartment, so taking the two billion back should be a cinch, right?

Starring: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Tea Leoni, Michael Pena, Gabourey Sidibe, Alan Alda, Nina Arianda, Judd Hirsch and Marcia Jean Kurtz

21 Review


OK
With the ongoing popularity of high stakes poker, greenlighting a film like 21 would appear to be a Tinseltown no-brainer. After all, you've got the true story of how a group of MIT students broke the bank in Vegas by applying their highly trained analytical minds toward counting cards, beating Sin City's blackjack tables in the process. It's a mega-dose of Mensa wish fulfillment. But leave it to Hollywood to fiddle with the facts. Ben Mezrich's non-fiction book entitled Bringing Down the House centered on a group of mostly Asian geniuses grifting casinos for all the cash they could. Somehow, that translated into a cast consisting of Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess, and Kate Bosworth.

When Ben Campbell (Sturgess) learns that Harvard Medical School will cost $300,000 for tuition, room, and board, he sees no possible way of paying the bill. While studying one night, he is approached by Jason Fisher (Jacob Pitts) who invites him into the secret world of Professor Micky Rosa's (Spacey) card-counting club. With an elaborate system of formulas, buzzwords, and signals, Rosa and his students have been hitting Las Vegas on weekends and winning big. They now want Ben to join their clandestine cabal. At first, he says no. But thanks to the seductive sway of juicy Jill Taylor (Bosworth), Ben acquiesces. Soon, he is leading the group toward untold riches -- and the investigative glare of casino security agent Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne).

Continue reading: 21 Review

Running Scared Review


Good
Like Paul Walker's character in it, Running Scared is a lot smarter than it looks. Unfortunately, it spends as much time being dumb as acting dumb, making for an experience that can be as frustrating as it is entertaining. The film is basically three different movies: One, a straightforward crime drama, probably its strongest suit. Two, a satire of the genre, working on many levels from Peckinpah-esque examination of the male psyche to urban Grimm fairy tale. And, sadly, three, a genuinely clunky thriller. Unfortunately, you never know which you'll get from scene to scene, or even moment to moment.Paul Walker plays Joey Gazelle (Get it? He runs. This would be the less clever part.), a family man in suburban Jersey who also happens to work for the local mob. After a deal gone wrong ends up with a lot of dead people, some of them dirty cops, Joey is charged with his usual task of disposing of the gun that killed said cops. Joey, however, has been stashing the guns he's supposed to have ditched as an "insurance policy." When his son Nicky (Alex Neuberger) and his neighbor's kid Oleg (Cameron Bright) witness him adding the weapon to his collection, Oleg sees an opportunity to settle the score with his abusive father, Anzor (Karel Roden).Soon, Anzor is wounded, Oleg is on the run, and Joey has one night to get the gun back or end up dead at the hands of his own people. Since Nicky might know where to find Oleg, what ensues is the worst Take Your Kid To Work Day ever.Writer/director Wayne Kramer (The Cooler) displays an appetite for flashy camera tricks, but we're not in Domino territory here, thank God. Unlike Tony Scott, Kramer shows some restraint and variety, but the frequent double exposures still wear thin. Just as often, though, he creates intimate spaces where his characters can interact, isolated from the surrounding chaos.The writing varies from sly satire to witless implausibility. Chazz Palminteri's character, a dirty cop, steps into more than one commercial parody in the film, making a passing reference to the actor's own Vanilla Coke ad in the process. At the same time the film relies far too much on coincidence to further the plot.The performances here are all adequate. Walker shows that he can do a convincing Jersey accent. Vera Farmiga's performance as Joey's wife is uneven, but effective when it really counts. Bright pulls off the eerie thousand-yard stare of a kid who's seen too much at home, and so is unfazed by the monsters he encounters in the real world.The deliberate nature of some of Kramer's choices suggest something bubbling under the surface. He sets a key action scene in a hockey rink, a place of socially acceptable violence. Anzor has a tattoo of John Wayne on his back, and carries an obsession with the actor that might serve as a commentary on film violence. References to ultra-violent films like Scarface surface from time to time. It's clear that Kramer's trying to say something, but what?Unlike Revolver, which pretentiously aspires to levels it never achieves, Running Scared aspires to levels it occasionally achieves without ever taking itself too seriously, and while being massively entertaining even when it's not making a whole lot of sense. Kramer's sophomore effort shows flashes of brilliance but smacks of an artist still working out what he wants to say and how he wants to say it. It may not be Peckinpah, but if you're a fan of the genre, it's probably worth a look.The DVD includes a commentary track, storyboards, and behind-the-scenes featurette.Sitting unscared.
Brett Ratner

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Brett Ratner Movies

I Saw the Light Movie Review

I Saw the Light Movie Review

Writer-director Marc Abraham gets ambitious with this biopic about iconic country music star Hank Williams,...

Truth Movie Review

Truth Movie Review

That generic title obscures a surprisingly complex exploration of the real-life events surrounding the fall...

Horrible Bosses 2 Movie Review

Horrible Bosses 2 Movie Review

Like The Hangover, Horrible Bosses was a movie no one really wanted to see a...

Hercules Movie Review

Hercules Movie Review

Far more entertaining than it has any right to be, this is a big, messy...

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Hercules Trailer

Hercules Trailer

Following his deadly ordeal of being put through the Twelve Labours by his father Zeus...

Hercules - Trailer Trailer

Hercules - Trailer Trailer

Hercules is a bitter and haunted demi-god filled with resentment for the people and the...

Movie 43 Trailer

Movie 43 Trailer

If you were hoping for a romantic comedy with a harmless storyline, romance and inoffensive...

Mirror Mirror Movie Review

Mirror Mirror Movie Review

Both lavishly produced and light-hearted in tone, this fractured fairy tale aspires to be The...

Corman's World Trailer

Corman's World Trailer

American director Roger Corman is one of the film industry's most influential directors. Born in...

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The Greatest Movie Ever Sold Movie Review

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold Movie Review

There's a zing of postmodern fun to be had while watching a film that documents...

Tower Heist Trailer

Tower Heist Trailer

Josh Kovacs has been a resident in Queens for more than ten years; in...

Running Scared Movie Review

Running Scared Movie Review

Like Paul Walker's character in it, Running Scared is a lot smarter than it looks....

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