Quick Film Takes On: "Contagion," "Killer Elite,"Drive," "Moneyball."

Though life has been keeping busier than I would like, I've somehow find the time to see a few movies out and here are my quick thoughts:

DRIVE: More stylish than I thought it would be, with some unexpected parts, a nice soundtrack, and some pretty cute/tender moments interspeted with the violence and the cool camera work driving. Everyone involve does a fine job. Grade: B+

MONEYBALL: Thought people may not see it, Brad Pitt does a very good understated acting on this.  The movie itself is winner, thanks to him and the excellent script and directing job.  Is it an oscar movie? Yes and not quite. Grade: B+

KILLER ELITE: It's not quite the movie the preview made it seem to be, but it has tons of fun moments, especially the two big fights between Clive and Jason, and it proves once and for all that Jason Statham is without a doubt, "the man." Grade: B

CONTAGION: A perfectly ok movie about paranoia in our everyday lives, everyone involve does good on their parts, but it's nothing to rush to. Grade: B

Movies Review Round-Up

I've seen a few pics in the last couple of weeks and this is my brief thoughts on them:

THE HELP: it isn't history, it's a work of fiction, so I don't know why so many people are hating on it. For what it is, it's a very well acted film, poignant, heartfelt, and enjoyable. Grade: A.

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES: I can't remember the old ones, I think I've only seen the original as a child, and the Marky Mark one, I erased it off my memory. This one is pretty good for a summer movie trying to be a bit more food for thought than your usual fare, and everyone is pretty solid, including Draco Malfoy!  Andy Serkis, once again, makes motion capture tech amazingly vivid and convincing. Grade: B+

COWBOYS & ALIENS: a total rental. It should have been more fun than serious. Grade: C.

THE GUARD: a bit random, off kilter, but typically quirky from ireland, funny, though not as much as I was expecting, but overall, enjoyable. Grade: B

CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE: hands down, the romantic comedy of the year, and the best comedy of the summer. Yes, even better than BRIDESMAIDS. Grade: A.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: Pretty solid, and actually center around it's namesake unlike the disappointment that was THOR. Chris Evans does himself proud. Grade: B

An Amazingly Awesome Reader's Review of "Violet Hill"

on Barnes&Nobles site, Mr Bell wrote one short, yet flattering review of VIOLET HILL OR THE MAD DIARIES OF NICHOLAS RAMPLING. A review he titled: "A grand renewal of a type of story that has long since lost its shine!"  Then proceeds to call my novel "remarkable" and "astounding job" and how he "truly loved it."  But don't let me tell you, read it for yourself here. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page.

I'm feeling most humble and truly appreciative of Mr. Bell's words.

XMEN: FIRST CLASS

I've chose to give XMEN: FIRST CLASS it's own review because it deserves better than being grouped with subpar summer fare.

I knew (hoped really) from the trailer that this had the potential to be the kind of summer movie that excites, at the same time that entertains without insulting your intelligent or gives you cheap thrills. And I'm glad to say that after weeks of stale disappointments, this is the first blockbuster of the season to deliver the popcorn goods.

Matthew Vaughn (LAYER CAKE, KICK-ASS, STARDUST) has yet to disappoint as a director, and he's quickly becoming a favorite of mine; to the point that if I see he's involved, then I make it a point to see it.  And though I'm one of the few that didn't completely hated part 3, LAST STAND, I was glad he had been given the chance to undo the mess that Brett Ratner created with that last movie. (The less said about ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, the better).

The plot is solid, the set pieces perfectly created and scenes choreographed in a more subtle way that allows you to take it all in and not have to search all over the screen to know what's going on.  The action sequence are thrilling, and though not every single character could be wholly fleshed out when you're dealing with this many, not one felt like a cardboard.  Well, with the exception of Emma Frost, but that's not the writers fault, but bad casting. January Jones is a terrible actress. No matter what she's in, she's lifeless, wooden, her expressions are blank, her line delivery monotonous, and she's supposed to be a vamp on this, but an olive swimming on a martini has more sex-appeal.  She's the one and only weak point on the whole film.

Which I'm fine with, because the rest of the cast shines enough to forgive her, none more than the trifecta of Kevin Bacon, James McAvoy, and Michael Fassbender.  Bacon as Sebastian Shaw, who still remains the most underrated actor of the last 25 years, shines as the movies villain without ever being cartoonish or coming off as demented.  James and Michael, as Charles Xavier/Professor X and Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto respectively, are what keeps you glued to the screen. Not only are they superb in their respective roles, but they breathe so much life and complexity to their characters; their friendship being the heart and soul of the movie.  You actually feel their pain when it's time for them to break apart and go on in their chosen paths.  I can only hope that Matthew is called back to make the sequel and he brings back the whole cast, at the very least, James and Michael.

Oh, there are some funny bits in the movie too, especially the surprise cameos. XMEN has always been more dense and serious in term of storylines and FIRST CLASS, like LAST STAND before it, serves a brilliant balance of seriousness and exciting parts.  A-

Quick Film Reviews

I've tried to distract myself with with my old reliable solution: sitting in the dark, watching movies on the big screen.

Here are my quick takes on the films I've seen:

• BRIDESMAIDS: funny, sweet, and pretty solid in the fact that writers understand that comedies are funnier when the characters aren't cardboards but fleshed out and relatable. B+
• PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES: complete waste of time.  Whatever little excitment was left in this series, this movie killed it. D
• KUNG FU PANDA II: losing some of the novelty of the first one, and not as solid, yet still fun to watch, even as you realized the story was a bit too close to "Legend of the Seeker" but with the brilliant Gary Oldman voicing the craziest, evil-est peacock ever, you sort of forgive the shortcomings. Part III better deliver. B
• PRIEST: though completely disposable, it actually had some entertaining bits, that kept you interested. If only I could say the same thing about PIRATES. C+
• THE HANGOVER II: completely unfunny. I may have laughed once, chuckle another time, but this was the most vile cashed-in, waste of time I've sat through in a while. Frame by frame the same movie and nothing about it is funny or outrageous. F