Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa review

JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA:

A BAD GRANDPA, DUMB STUNTS, AND A FUNNY MOVIE!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND MTV FILMS

Johnny Knoxville is a Bad Grandpa

            Jackass, Johnny Knoxville is back for more trouble in the first movie based on an infamous stunt from the hit MTV Jackass franchise, Bad Grandpa. And while the film’s existence is rather questionable, it’s still very funny and filled with hysterical moments and slapstick.

            A lot of the jokes usually hit bulls-eyes and others are gross and stupid, but that’s sort of the Jackass style, a mixed bag of jokes and physical humor.

            86-year-old man, Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) is on a road trip across America with his 8-year-old grandson, Billy (Jackson Nicoll) to Billy’s father’s house, because his mother was sent to prison for cocaine use. Along the way, Irving introduces Billy to people, places, and situations (strip clubs, drugs, sex, stealing from grocery stores, beer, etc.) that give new meaning to the term “childrearing”.

            After a series of over the top slapstick and dumb gags, Irving finds out the true meaning of family bonding…even if it is a little crude.

            Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa as a whole is a funny tribute to a great Jackass moment, and hopefully this won’t be the last movie based on a stunt, I want a movie about Pontius the Barbarian next. However it wasn’t as good as the original Jackass movies (Jackass The Movie, Jackass Number Two, and Jackass 3D), I prefer watching Jackass when it’s one stunt after another, like the previous films and TV episodes, but Bad Grandpa was a pretty fine attempt to give it a story.

            Aside from silly jokes, stunts, and crude dialogue, Bad Grandpa does have a sweet story about the bonding of grandson and grandfather. But of course, the subtle moments get thrown out the window with more dumb stunts.

            Bad Grandpa is like a combination of comedies like Borat, Bruno, and The Dictator, mixed with the stunts of Jackass. The film is set in real situations like Borat, with Jackass stunts thrown in.

            If you’re a fan of the Jackass TV show and movies, you’ll most likely enjoy Bad Grandpa, it’s got many of the stunts that you loved from the original franchise, along with a few new ones. You probably won’t get much amusement out of the movie, if you’re not a Jackass fan, it’ll be too crude and gross for people outside of the fan base.

            If you were to see the movie, make sure you keep this in mind.

            

LATE REVIEW! Machete Kills review

MACHETE KILLS:

OVER THE TOP, VIOLENT, AND INCREDIBLY STUPID, BUT VERY ENTERTAINING!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: ** 1/2 out of 4

OPEN ROAD FILMS

Danny Trejo back in action as Machete in Machete Kills

            Director Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi trilogy, Sin City, Grindhouse) continues the journey of Mexican action hero, Machete in the sequel to his 2010 predecessor, Machete, this time, Machete Kills, and boy is it stupid?

            Like the first movie, Danny Trejo (Spy Kids, Grindhouse) reprises his role as ex-Federale agent, Machete, accompanying him in the sequel are Michelle Rodriguez (Avatar, Resident Evil, Battle: Los Angeles), Mel Gibson (Lethal Weapon, Braveheart), Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), Amber Heard (Zombieland, Friday Night Lights, Pineapple Express), Cuba Gooding Jr. (Radio, Pearl Harbor), Antonio Banderas (Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids), Lady Gaga, introducing Carlos Estevez as the president, and special guest star, Leonardo DiCaprio as the Man in the Silver Mask (actor subject to change).

            The film begins in a similar way Grindhouse started, with a fake trailer of the newest Machete movie, Machete Kills Again…In Space. Followed by action hero, Machete Cortez being sent on an important assignment by the president of the United States to go into Mexico and take down a power-mad terrorist, Mendez (Demian Bichir-Savages) and an eccentric billionaire arms-dealer (Mel Gibson), who have a plan to spread war and anarchy all over the world.

            With the help of Machete’s companion, Luz/Shé (Michelle Rodriguez) and her crew, he’ll rise up to the challenge and stop these madmen from plunging the world into chaos, through a montage of laughably implausible action scenes and over the top violence.

            Machete Kills lacks big time in plot and character development and seems to focus more on its bloody violence and action, but for a movie like this, it makes it more fun and entertaining. Compared to the first Machete however, that’s where things get tricky, I thought the first film was superior in originality and story, but this new movie is great with its intense and stupid action scenes.

            The movie fails in well-executed storytelling or character development, but who cares? It’s one of those popcorn flicks that are so extreme and insane that it’s funny, just like its predecessor.

            A heavy dose of brutal violence and gore, over the top stunts and action, silly dialogue, and a talented and witty cast is what makes Machete Kills work as an action film…and perhaps as a comedy too.

Carrie review

CARRIE:

WHILE NOT AS CHILLING AS THE 1976 ORIGINAL, IT’S STILL A DECENT REMAKE…BLOODY TOO!

By Nico Beland
Movie Review: *** out of 4

MGM/SCREEN GEMS

Chloe Grace Moretz as Carrie

            In the years of modern remakes to classic horror films, some can be considered decent like the recent Evil Dead or The Fly, but most of the others seem unnecessary like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13^th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. But as far as remakes go, the new film adaption of Stephen King’s best-selling novel, Carrie, directed by Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry, Stop-Loss), was pretty decent; it had a lot of the elements from the novel and the 1976 Sissy Spacek classic movie, and added a new twist to the story.

            Carrie White (Chloe Grace Moretz-Kick-Ass, Hugo, Dark Shadows) is an average teenage girl with an overprotective, overly religious mother (Julianne Moore-The Forgotten, Crazy Stupid Love, The Fugitive) and an extraordinary gift; she has telekinetic powers and can move things with her mind. Sounds cool right? Well, not so much, Carrie is an outcast in high school and all the kids like to pull mean pranks and make fun of her, completely unaware of her secret.

            One of the girls in her school named Sue Snell (Gabriella Wilde) realizes that what they’re doing to Carrie is wrong and she distances herself from the rest of the kids, and helps Carrie get a date for the senior prom, so she can be happy. Sue hooks Carrie up with her boyfriend, Tommy Ross, the most popular guy in school, for prom night.

            At prom night, Carrie and Tommy are having the time of their lives…until two jealous classmates decide to pull a prank on Carrie, by having a bucket of blood dangle above the stage and drop on her, when she and Tommy are pronounced king and queen of the prom.

            Everyone’s dream suddenly turns into a nightmare when the blood is dumped all over Carrie, she then goes crazy and starts killing everyone and destroying everything in sight with her powers. And, you already know what happens next.

            Overall Carrie was a good re-telling of the classic Stephen King story. The cast was very good and they really captured the characters they were portraying, Chloe is great as Carrie and Julianne Moore is perfect as the mother, and the direction wasn’t bad, Kimberly Peirce really knew how to capture King and Brian De Palma’s visions of the story, even though Brian’s film was a little more suspenseful.

            I did get a kick out of Chloe’s performance as Carrie, but I would have to say Sissy Spacek is still the definitive Carrie White. I just thought Spacek was a little more intimidating; still both versions of the character are portrayed well.

            Carrie is one of those horror stories that prove not all title horror characters are monsters or evil psychos, she’s one of those characters that you actually feel pretty bad for, being bullied and having a crazy mother, it’s more sad than it is scary. The kids who made fun of her are the true monsters when you really look at it.

            If you’ve been disappointed with horror remakes recently, hopefully you’ll find Carrie tolerable; just don’t forget to bring an umbrella.

Captain Phillips review

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS:

AN INTENSE, GRITTY, AND ENTERTAINING DRAMA WITH CHILLS AND THRILLS!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** 1/2 out of 4

COLUMBIA PICTURES

Tom Hanks as Captain Richard Phillips in Captain Phillips

            Tom Hanks (Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, Cast Away) and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, Green Zone) have teamed up to bring the true story of the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk, Alabama container ship by Somali pirates to the screen in their latest drama/thriller, Captain Phillips. The film as a whole is a Hollywood biopic done correctly; it’s filled with intense action and powerful drama, with enough accuracy to the original events.

            Captain Rich Phillips (Tom Hanks) is a commanding officer of a US container ship Maersk, Alabama, whose ship is hijacked by a group of Somali pirates; led by Somali captain, Muse (Barkhad Abodi). The film focuses on the relationship between Captain Phillips and Muse, when they take him hostage in a lifeboat.

            Shortly after Muse’s crew captures Phillips, they are set on a collision course when Muse and his crew set a target on Captain Phillips’ unarmed ship, in the ensuring standoff, 145 miles off the Somali coast. Both of them will find themselves at the mercy of forces beyond their control.

            Overall, Captain Phillips is a great thriller and a well-told tale of the 2009 ship hijacking, it’s intense, entertaining, the directing is very good, the acting is powerful, and the film is just as informative as it is entertaining. Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Captain Phillips is enjoyable, Barkhad Abodi is great as the Somali captain, give him an Oscar, you can tell just by looking at him, Barkhad means business and he’ll kill anyone in his way.

            I’m not sure whether or not the film is better than Greengrass’ Bourne Supremacy or Bourne Ultimatum, two of my favorite action movies of all time. Well, better or not, Captain Phillips has plenty of nail-biting thrills, chilling drama, a well-written screenplay, and powerhouse performances by Tom Hanks and the rest of the cast.

            Another one of the best films of the year, alongside Gravity and Rush, thanks to the epic filmmaking of Paul Greengrass, the amazing performances by Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abodi, and the rest of the cast members, the over the top action and drama, and it’s very accurate to what actually happened during the 2009 ship hijacking. Captain Phillips is definitely a film that’s worth checking out and hopefully it’ll be worth an Oscar or two.

Gravity review

GRAVITY:

ONE CHILLING, INTENSE, AND HIGHLY ENTERTAINING RIDE THAT’S DEFINITELY WORTH ADMISSION!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Sandra Bullock drifting off course in Gravity

            Director Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) brings a haunting vision of survival in space to the screen in his latest sci-fi thriller, Gravity. The film may remind people of movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Alien franchise, or Duncan Jones’ Moon, but it offers plenty of intense surprises and twists to keep the audience engaged.

            Besides all the suspenseful moments with explosions and destruction, the subtle scenes in escape pods and shuttles look great, where all the equipment is flying around the place, 3D is the definitive way to experience the film.

            Sandra Bullock (The Heat, Miss Congeniality, The Blind Side) plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a medical engineer who is on her first shuttle mission in space with veteran astronaut, Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney-The Descendants, The Ides of March, Burn After Reading). Just as progress was being made, a freak accident occurs, which causes the shuttle to get destroyed, all the astronauts are dead, and Stone and Kowalsky are floating through space, with no way to escape.

            While Gravity’s plot is pretty basic, the movie as a whole is not, everything looks big, epic, and filled with chilling suspense. The opening scene where the shuttle gets destroyed and everything’s flying around will deliver chills, even the quiet moments where Bullock and Clooney are maneuvering through space, trying to make their way to the escape pod or when Sandra’s activating the escape pod and calling mission control can send shivers and make the audience repeatedly think in their head “Something bad is going to happen!”

            Like Avatar, Prometheus, and several IMAX space documentaries, the 3D scenes are very impressive and really immerse the audience into the movie; it’s sort of like an IMAX 3D space documentary…on STEROIDS! The 3D, while amazing, I’m not sure whether or not it’s better than films like Avatar or Prometheus, that’s usually a good sign that the extra 3D charge was worth it.

            I enjoyed Gravity as a whole, but my only issue with the film is they didn’t explain exactly what happened to George Clooney near the end, perhaps a little more detail on that would make the movie a little stronger, but that’s the only problem I seem to have with the flick. So, I say buy a 3D ticket, go into “Gravity”, and experience it for yourself.