Category Archives: 2012

2012, Based on a Book, Bootlegging, Crude Talk, Disturbing Image, DO NOT MISS, Drama, FBI, Gangs, Gay theme, Grim, Love Story, Nudity, Rape, Revenge, Sadism, Suspense, Violent, Vulgar, Wonderful acting

Lawless (2012)

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From NetFlix:

This true-to-life action saga profiles Virginia’s bootlegging Bondurant gang, whose exploits during the Prohibition era made them outlaw heroes. The three Bondurant brothers tussle with the law and each other as they try to survive changing times.

Despite the unrelenting violence from start to finish, every other aspect is so well done that this film about bootlegging is strongly compelling. Much attention was paid to reproducing rural Virginia during the Prohibition era.

As far as acting is concerned Tom Hardy (age 35), Jason Clarke (age 43), and Shia LaBeouf (age 26) create a fascinating trio of Bondurant brothers, each with his own unique personality. “Chameleon” is a word I like to apply to an actor who loses himself in a part to such an extent that you almost do not recognize him. Here we have at least two “chameleons”: Tom Hardy took an light and fun part playing against Chris Pine in the film “This Means War” whereas in “Lawless” he has transformed himself into an almost silent, soft-spoken but menacing Forest Bondurant. Make no mistake: you WILL take Forest seriously or else. Guy Pearce (age 45) is the other “chameleon”. Because of his scary portray of Charlie Rakes as a violent psychopath, I am willing to finally give Guy Pearce his due. Many of his earlier films were often mediocre fluff. However, who could forget (or stop conjecturing about the plot of) “Momento”. Both Tom Hardy and Guy Pearce are British so we have to add accent skills to their credits.

For more background on the Bondurant family see the Wikipedia article about Matt Bondurant and his book “The Wettest County in the World”. Matt was the grandson of one of the three brothers.

Despite the violence, I would have to say DO NOT MISS THIS FILM!

2012, Acceptable for children, Feel Good For All, Redemption

People Like Us (2012)

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From NetFlix:

When Sam flies home for his estranged father’s funeral, the reading of the will reveals a sister he never knew he had — and an order that Sam must bring his alcoholic sibling and her young son their inheritance.

If you like feel-good, wholesome tear-jerkers, do I have a film for you!

What’s not to like when Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks pair off as step brother and sister. He knows, she doesn’t know that they are siblings. Plot and acting are well done. Michael Hall D’Addario does a great job as her son, his nephew (although I hope someday the boy gets a haircut). And let us not forget Michelle Pfeiffer who plays the mother of Chris Pine (but NOT the mother of Elizabeth Banks). Olivia Wilde has a small supporting role as Chris’ girlfriend. In all of this the villain is the common deceased father that we never see.

Just think: no violence, no serial killer, no sex. How could anyone ever enjoy such a warm-hearted family film?

2012, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Violent

Prometheus (2012)

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From NetFlix:

When scientific explorers unearth an artifact that points to the origins of humankind, they’re pulled into the unexpected adventure of a lifetime. But if they falter, the very future of their species is at stake.

At the very least the wonderful special effects eye candy is worth the trip to this zoo. Most of the zoo creatures are slimy, crawling, nasty beasts with lots of tentacles. Moreover, most of those monsters arrive on scene by bursting through some poor soul’s stomach. That scene from “Aliens” is destined to be repeated ad nauseam. In fact, don’t miss the final tribute to “Aliens”.

Story is almost secondary, although there is a good guys versus bad guys theme. Still, don’t expect an original plot.

It took me awhile to recognize Guy Pearce as the old and nearly dead Peter Weyland. Michael Fassbender plays a cool and calculating android who does some suspicious things that were never really explained. Just whose side was he on ?

The Dettifoss waterfall in Iceland was used in the film’s opening scene showing an “Engineer” creating life. By “Engineer” we mean the albino giant at the film’s start. In case you wonder what he was supposed to be doing, the following is a quote from the Wikipedia article:

The creation of life from the disintegration of an Engineer in the film’s opening scene was created by WETA Digital. The scene was difficult to produce because it had to convey the story of the Engineer’s DNA breaking apart, reforming and recombining into Earth DNA in a limited span of time.

Was that “Engineer” a real person or some digital effect ?

Expect nothing but great digital effects and you will not be disappointed.

2012, Acceptable Trash, Imperfect, Psychic Phenomena, Suspense, Violent

Red Lights (2012)

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From NetFlix:

Professor Margaret Matheson and her assistant, Tom Buckley, set out to debunk claims of paranormal activity. During their investigation, a legendary psychic comes out of retirement, and Buckley becomes obsessed with proving he’s a fraud.

Give this almost-dud a B minus. Sprinkled here and there in the midst of all the psychobabble claptrap are some fun moments.

Why does Cillian (pronounced “Killian”) Murphy usually play weird parts? Is it because of his unusual eyes? This time his character Tom Buckley is more obsessed and desperate than strange. Sigourney Weaver is adequate as Margaret Matheson.

Initially the story introduces the professor and her assistant in a series of almost boring episodes in which the pair debunk so-called psychics. Only when Robert De Niro enters as the blind psychic Simon Silver does the plot thicken and take on a sinister feel.

To avoid spoiling the film (if that is possible), I can only tell you to expect some real surprises. If you do guess how the film ends, just drop me a comment.

2012, Adventure, Based on a Book, Fantasy, Grim, Love Story, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Violent

The Hunger Games (2012)

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From NetFlix:

In a dystopian future ruled by a totalitarian regime, resourceful Katniss and her partner, Peeta, represent their district in the lethal Hunger Games — a televised survival competition in which teenage contestants fight each other to the death.

After having read all three books in the trilogy, I am pleased with the film adaptation. Part of the fun is all the multi-colored eye candy realized by the Capital fops. Characters from the book really come alive. Never does the abject feeling of doom abate. Jennifer Lawrence (age 22) captures Katniss Everdeen to perfection. Woody Harrelson makes a wonderful Haymitch. Donald Sutherland is just right as the thoughtfully evil President Snow. Stanley Tucci as TV moderator couldn’t be any more of a superficial fake if he tried. Controlling effects from the Capital (sponsor gifts, induced forest fires, images of the dead in the sky, the cannons announcing yet another kill, tracker jackers) are done well.

What amazes me is that the author Suzanne Collins is a 50 year old woman who captures the constantly meditating persona of a 16 year old girl. In this film adaptation you do not hear the voice of Katniss constantly ruminating as you do in the book. As a result you have to infer her state of mind from what you see.

So you think this is just unrealistic science fiction?

  • What government would purposely starve its citizens? But that is precisely how North Korea (nominated by the Economist as the worst country on the planet) keeps its enslaved population in line.
  • What kind of people would cheer contesting combatants until one kills another? Consider the book Are We Rome? by Cullen Murphy. So far cage fighting has not yet reached this ultimate goal.
  • Could there possibly be in a country an ever growing separation of the impoverished from the upper One Percent?
  • Could such young people really be killers? Right now the psychotic African Joseph Kony is training his Lord’s Resistance Army of child killers.

Be aware that in the book, there is very little if any physical romance. No kissing!

Enjoy this first episode and expect further installments.

2012, Conspiracy, Grim, Mayhem, Mediocre, Prison, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Violent

Lockout (2012)

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From NetFlix:

A former government agent wrongly accused gets a shot at freedom — if he can engineer a high-risk mission to outer space in order to rescue the president’s daughter from a facility where the inmates are in control.

Because this is typical Guy Pearce you have probably already seen more or less the same plot in many other films. If you enjoy somewhat futuristic, violent, super male versus the bad guys films with lots of cynical side banter, then proceed.

Some of the impossibilities caught my eye: Of course the president’s daughter knows how to stitch a wound; of course all the prisoners on the ship understand the complicated ship controls; of course our hero never gets shot. Never mind, just keep watching.

In many respects this 2012 film is in tune with politics current for that year. Listen to the cynical side comments. For example our hero at one point predicts that once again “congress will screw the pooch”. If you need to stay awake during the film, try and catch some of these wry observations.

What really did make me feel uneasy was the idea of the giant prisoner warehouse floating in space in which the prisoners are put in a sleep stasis (that can produce psychosis) and kept in pods. Some prisoners are used for sometimes fatal experiments. Lest you think this is just Hollywood, take a look at the Wikipedia article on “Incarceration in the United States”. The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate in the world (743 per 100,000 population). Stays in US prisons are longer than elsewhere. Now the push is for privatization of prisons (“profitable prisons”). Does this sound like the profitable facility that is the scene for the film? An article in the Economist (for which I do not have the reference) explained that sheriffs’ returns depend on maintaining a certain number of prisoners in county jails (possibly with the cooperation of judges).

Maggie Grace (the president’s daughter) was Shannon Rutherford in the TV series “Lost”.

Why would such an ordinary action flick cause such ruminations? Is it because popular pseudo-sci-fi predictions are sometimes a bit too imminent?

2012, Acceptable for children, Based on a Book, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

John Carter (2012)

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From Netflix:

One minute, Civil War veteran John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) is evading Apaches in a deserted cave. The next, he’s waking up on Mars, a once-Earthlike planet that’s devolved into chaos — and civil war of a different sort. Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’s classic “Barsoom Series,” this sci-fi adventure finds Carter coming to the aid of Martian princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) and pitching in to help protect the planet.

Just as for any film in the tradition of “Star Wars”, “Avatar”, “Thor”, etc., the story line and emotions are for kids whereas the special effects will please many an adult. We will make no comment about the acting.

Who wouldn’t want to be able to leap over tall buildings, be the victor in every sword fight, and marry the beautiful princess? But isn’t that why we watch such entertainment?

Even though according to Wikipedia the film lost $200 million, just sit back and enjoy the mindless fun.

2012, Abduction, Car Chase, Detective, Frenetic, Serial Killer, Suspense, Violent

Gone (2012)

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From NetFlix:

Jill expects to find her sister home in bed. When she doesn’t, she knows just where to look — her own past abductor. But the police show little interest, so Jill sets off on her own to find her sibling in this chiller.

Amanda Seyfried (Sylvia Weis in “In Time”), as Jill, puts a lot of energy into trying to rescue her sister from her past abductor. In this film the theme is that no one believed that Jill was ever abducted. In fact she was put into a mental institution as delusional. So she spends most of the film not only trying to rescue her sister (while armed) but also trying to elude the police who think she is on some lunatic escapade.

Jill has made a friend of her fast food colleague played by Jennifer Carpenter who is Dexter’s sister (WHAT! You have never watched Dexter (2006)?).

As regards the police not believing Jill, the film has a very satisfying ending.

Nothing special, but watchable.

2012, Chick Flick, Feel Good Not For Children, Flirting, Love Story, Nudity, Quiet

The Vow (2012)

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From NetFlix:

Rachel McAdams stars in this romantic drama about a newlywed woman who slips into a coma after a car accident and awakens with amnesia. Her devoted husband (Channing Tatum) must help her recover and also win her back.

What’s not to like about a chick-flick that offers all the feel-good enticements you could hope for:

  • Great flirting technique brought to us by Channing Tatum
  • Great flirting responses brought to us by Rachel McAdams
  • Poetic wedding in an art museum
  • Support from a large group of similarly artistic friends
  • Her success as a sculptress
  • Her post-accident memory of only her former life as the daughter of a wealthy successful lawyer
  • Kind and caring Channing, who only wants Rachel to be happy
  • etc.

Will our heroine re-learn to love our considerate, unselfish hero who never stops loving her despite all the hardships (such as her controlling, ambitious and disapproving father)?

Stay tuned, because I’ll never tell.

2012, Crime, Detective, Frenetic, Police Story, Suspense, Violent

Man on a Ledge (2012)

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From NetFlix:

When fugitive ex-cop Nick Cassidy steps onto a window ledge high above a busy Manhattan street, police psychologist Lydia Anderson tries to talk him down. But soon Anderson suspects that there’s more to Cassidy’s stunt than meets the eye.

Despite the fact that many of the action shots are impossible, this raucous sequence of one stunt after another is just fun. Impossible you say? For one example, how can our hero (Sam Worthington who played the lead in “Avatar”) stand for hours on a ledge and then climb by his finger tips from one floor to the roof? How can our hungry hero leap from ledge to ledge? How did our hero manage in prison to plan an incredibly detailed heist?

Along the way we meet

  • Jamie Bell (who was “Billy Elliot”) as our hero’s brother
  • Edward Burns (“The Lynch Pin”) as one of the very few honest cops in the film
  • Titus Welliver (Glen Childs of “The Good Wife”) as a bent cop
  • Elizabeth Banks (Avery Jessup of “30 Rock”) costars as another honest cop
  • Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer”) as a reporter
  • Ed Harris (huge number of films) as the villain

Just suspend disbelief and enjoy the fun.