The Hangover

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Plot: The movie starts with three friends in Los  Vegas who are late for their friend's wedding, and they can't find the groom who went missing at the bachelor party. The movie is the friends chasing around trying to find the groom, and get him to the wedding. On the way, they visit a marriage chapel, a hospital, the police station and Mike Tyson's house. You wonder the whole time, "How could they have gotten is so much trouble in one night?"

Review: This movie is a guy-flick, and it is very funny -- albeit crude, profane, gross, and not politically correct. It is funny though. 

The characters are also surprisingly well developed, and some of the gags - like the Taser scene or the tiger in the bathroom are creative. Zach Galifianakis is a good actor playing some ridiculous scenes. I loved the chinese guy in the trunk. 

The funniest movie of 2009 so far.

Cast and crew: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha; directed by Todd Phillips.

Rating: 2.5 flasks



More: So why isn't this 3.0 flasks? Well, it is one big mindless joke, but it is very entertaining. It also a somewhat offensive, so it loses 1/2 for that.

Even More: How did they do Ed Helms' missing tooth? Answer: He was born without a tooth there. He had an implant put in when he was young, and had a dentist remove it for the film.

Up - 3D

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Plot: A young couple dreams of an adventure on a South American Mountain, but don't go, and then they grow old. After the woman, Ellie, dies, the old man, Mr. Carl Fredricksen, turns his house into an airship, and floats off to South America. Russell, a neighborhood boy, stows away. When they arrive, they have trouble landing the house, and meet a rare and endangered giant bird (Kevin), and a talking dog (Dug), who befriend them. They also meet the Carl's childhood hero, Charles Muntz -- who mysteriously turned into a bad guy during the intervening years. Charles tries to steal the bird, and Carl tries to fight him off.

Review: This is a sincere and sometimes charming story with constant wistfulness for the departed wife. Carl is a realistic character with feelings and needs that we care about. The side characters including Russell are less interesting sidelights. The adventure story is always lively, and has some fun surprises, like the talking dogs. I got tired of balloons breaking and dragging the floating house around. This movie was worthwhile, and better than many, but not at all as good as Wall*E.

This is another version of the story where a crusty old man who turns into a loving, lively (but still old) man -- same plot as Gran Torino, but with floating houses.

Notice how I did not mention the 3D -- that is because it wasn't noticeable. I suspect that the wide-shots of the South American mountains were better. This is an intangible thing, and if it enhanced my enjoyment it is hard to be sure. It did cost me $2 more per ticket though.

Directed by Pete Docter; Written by Bob Petersen and Pete Docter

Rating: 2.5 flasks 1/2

More: I loved the scene of the dogs playing poker like C.M. Coolidge's classic cigar ads.

Rachel Getting Married (2008)

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Plot: Kym (Anne Hatheway) gets out of a mental facility for her sister Rachel's (Roslyn Ruff) wedding. She meets and engages her father, her sister, her new brother-in-law, and her Mom. This family has a lot of issues, and Rachel's visit brings them all out.

Review: Excellent dialog with a number of moving scenes. This was a bit like the Breakfast Club or The Big Chill with lots of interpersonal relationship based conversation set in a not-quite realistic setting. Anne Hatheway's performance is wonderful to watch, and Roslyn Ruff is also tops. The music is good, although the dancing scenes got long. Jenny Lumet's script is intelligent, and while it is not realistic, nobody is really interested in realistic dialog.

Cast and crew: Anne Hatheway, Roslyn Ruff; directed by Jonathan Demme; written by Jenny Lumet.

Rating: 3.5 flasks

More:
Great tribute to multiculturalism

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Terminator Salvation

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Plot: It is the future where a military computer, Skynet, has destroyed most of the people, and is warring on the rest. John Conner (Christian Bale), the boy from the 2nd & 3rd Terminator movies, is leading a group of people on attacks against Skynet. He trying to find and protect his father Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin), who does not recognize him. Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) plays a reincarnated character whose loyalty is never quite clear. 

Review: In this movie, John Conner stopped being a boy and became a comic book action hero. His acting has become action-hero robotic, like a 1960's war movie hero -- just too tough for overt emotion; just too purposeful for lust or humor. However the characters were engaging enough to make the action scene gripping and meaningful. I liked the Moon Bloodgood and Helena Bonham Carter scenes because they had more soul. 

I thought all the actions scenes where powerful, and that the villians were realistic and deadly. The visuals told the story and villians always seemed terrible and powerful. The final fight scene in the factory was the best, most memorable, most engaging fight scene that I have seen in many years, and I can't think of a better final battle. It got my heart racing. 

Cast and crew:
Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood; directed by McG (aka Joseph McGinty Nichol)
Rating: 2.5 flasks
1/2

More: 
It was cool to see the CGI Arnold, but it was distracting too.


Even more:
Did Christian Bale smile even once?

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The Soloist

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Plot: LA Times reporter, Steve Lopez (Robert Downy Jr) finds homeless, street musician Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), befriends him, and writes stories him. The movie is about the homeless people, the newspaper business, and a redemption story for Nathaniel Ayers. The movie is generally sad and depressing as it focussed on mentally ill people who are living on the street, but it takes breaks for dull musical interludes, and then a treacle-sweet ending ending that drags on and on. Here is a link to the real LA Times initial article.

Review: The first two-thirds of the movie is fine, even good; Steve Lopez's own story is interesting, and his exploration of the homeless community is touching without being exploitive or moralistic. Downey's performance is top notch and always enjoyable. Nathaniel Ayers' psychotic verbal patter is delivered by Jamie Foxx in an fascinating way. Katherine Keener steals her scenes as Lopez's ex-wife. The dialog among the newspaper staff was all fun; there should have been more of that. The sad and depressing parts are the best; the happy parts ruin the movie.

Cast and crew:
Robert Downy Jr, Jamie Foxx; directed by Joe Wright; based on the book by Steve Lopez.

Rating: 1.5 flasks


More: 
A little treacle goes a long way. [SPOILER ALERT] The movie is not enjoyable because the slow pacing and the awful ending with dancing homeless people. 

Star Trek - IMAX Version

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Plot: Jim Kirk, Spock, Uhura and the other original Star Trek series characters take the Enterprise to battle a Romulan, who is destroying the Federation planets to get revenge. The movie begins with Kirk's parents and shows a snippet from Kirk's rebellious childhood. Kirk then joins Star Fleet and ends up in a key role during a crisis. There is an elaborate plot twist where Spock meets his older self, and a rivalry between Kirk and Spock.

Review: The movie is fun, stylish and modern. The actors take these established characters and make them new. We get to know them and like them. The movie is best appreciated by fans who know the backstory already and want to see it illustrated for them. The plot is serviceable, but the Romulan villian is just an excuse to get the crew together.

I saw the IMAX version. It is a great place to see a movie.

The strongest part of the film is the cast. Pine's Kirk may be unlikeable, but it is a fine performance. Quinto's Spock steals the show. Urban's McCoy, Saldana's Uhura, and Yelchin's Chekov are the reasons this movie is enjoyable.

I am cool on this movie because I don't like the mythology of Kirk -- I don't like that this brash, lazy, cheating, full-of-himself guy is rewarded with great success when all the young geniuses around him are subordinate. In this movie, it is predestined the Kirk is going to be the Captain, so all the little outrages just seem like so many unbelievable plot twists.

I know you see the same talent thing in James Bond or Batman, and I don't care, but I think it is worse here. I don't believe in in-borne talent or the "great man" theory of history; see my other post on this topic.

I know most of the fans like the Star Trek music and the overblown "Space - the final fronter" blank verse that Nemoy reads at the end. This franchise legacy should have been far more subtle. Look, I watched the first TV episode of Star Trek on television, so no one has been a fan longer than I, but I don't find all this nostalgia appealing. I would like more re-invention and less Star Teck cliche'.

Cast and crew: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Eric Bana; directed by J.J. Abrams.

Rating: 3 flasks



More: A good summer movie. Fun for fans. Great cast, but Kirk is a jerk.

Taken

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Plot: Kim Mills (Maggie Grace) gets kidnapped in Paris, drugged and forced into prostitution. Her father, Byran Mills (Liam Neeson) quickly jumps on a jet to track down the crooks. Bryan is a retired US government agent and general tough guy. He tears through Paris leaving a trail of bodies as he the plot leads from the kidnapper, to the white-slavery auctioneer, to the police and then to Kim's new harem master. 

Review: Once Kim is kidnapped, the movie shifts into high gear, and its all karate chops, chases and shooting. The action is comic-book style with Liam able to beat up a roomful of gangsters. The body count is high, but it is bloodless. Taken is reminiscent of a Daniel Craig Bond movie because there is spy action without electronic gimmicks. 

Liam Neeson gives a good nuanced performance with good facial acting, on the other hand, the Byran Mills character is almost a super-hero, so he is hard to portray realistically. 

This is a thriller, and the action is not completely believable. Of course, if you want a realistic movie, you should go see "Earth" instead. The two kidnap victims acted more like thirteen year olds than seventeen year old with their giggling, skipping and running, and physical enthusiasm, --- this was probably director Morel's intention, to make them seem helpless. 

Cast and crew:
Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace;  directed by Pierre Morel

Rating: 2.5 flasks


More:
Fast paced action that provides an amusing evening diversion