It’s been a dozen years since Pixar introduced us to Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan, and now, their belated return comes in the form of a prequel. Traditionally, long layoffs and prequels are both causes for concern.
But have no fear, Pixar lives up to their reputation here, and delivers us a funny, fun family movie full of laughs and genuine warmth.
In 2009, Todd Phillips and co. had a surprise smash hit with “The Hangover”, a movie about three men who awaken from a night of blackout drinking to find they’ve lost one of their friends. They then have to recreate the events of the night before in order to retrace their steps and find their friend. In 2011, Todd Phillips and co. had another smash hit with “The Hangover Part II”, a movie about three men who awaken from a night of blackout drinking to find they’ve lost one of their friends. They then have to recreate the events of the night before in order to retrace their steps and find their friend.
“Part II” was widely criticized for being a regurgitation of the first film. It was nearly a note for note facsimile, and critics punished it accordingly. In response, Phillips and co. pledged “The Hangover Part III” would not be “the same old thing”. Instead, they made a movie that has little to do with anything fans love about the first two films.
No drunken debauchery, no blackout, no “Hangover”.
Worst of all, few to no laughs.
Summer is finally upon us! With this Friday’s release of “Iron Man 3”, the 2013 Summer Movie season officially begins!
The summer season is defined by big budget, high-profile releases, and this summer is no exception. We’ll cover what’s coming out in May and June today, and then look at July and August tomorrow.
Click through to check out what the first half of Summer, 2013 has in store!
“Flight” has been sold to us as a story of an airplane pilot who makes a miraculous crash landing, only to test positive for alcohol after the incident and wind up being unfairly persecuted by the regulatory agencies investigating the crash. In truth, Denzel Washington’s character, Whip Whitaker, is a fully blown alcoholic and drug addict, and the film revolves around substance abuse and the struggle for recovery more so than it does the crash and its investigation.
The promotional materials have done a great job of spelling out the framework of Ben Affleck’s “Argo”.
It’s a historical thriller, set during the Iran Hostage Crisis. Six individuals managed to escape the US Embassy as it was being stormed by Iranians (during the hostage crisis of 1979), and now need help to get out of the country.
What the marketing can’t convey though, is the pervasive atmosphere of tension that director Ben Affleck manages to create. “Argo” is an intense and occasionally humorous docudrama that adds to Affleck’s burgeoning streak of excellent projects.
Clint Eastwood and Amy Adams star in a picture about an aging father who’s having difficulties with his job, and has never connected well with his daughter. Together they try to work out their issues, scout a highly touted baseball prospect, and navigate her issues with work and romance.
It’s a lot of ground to cover, and the movie isn’t able to avoid the temptation to utilize simple solutions and pat resolutions. But the considerable charms of the cast make “Trouble With the Curve” a mildly enjoyable, if ultimately forgettable experience.
Ok folks, here we go. Part II of the 2012 Fall Movie Preview. Today we’ll break down all the major releases on tap for the month of October, and the first week of November!
As you might imagine, it’s a diverse bunch. There are some ahead that look intriguing, and some that might as well be announcing that they’re garbage already, LOL. Let’s have a look and see if we can’t sort out what’s what!!
With this weekend’s release of “The Expendables 2” and “ParaNorman”, the summer movie season is pretty much over. One weekend remains in August, and those movies wont have much room to run before school is back in session.
Nope, the season of the big blockbuster is behind us. It’s time to look ahead to the fall.
Not to despair, though, the fall brings sharp movies for the thinking movie fan. Movies which may have more selective box office appeal, but which may be some of the best movies all year.
So click through to take a look at the first part of this year’s fall preview. Today we’ll look at the last week of August, plus September, and then we’ll come back tomorrow with October and the first week of November. Together they’ll take us right up to the start of the Holiday movie season, and the November 9th release of Skyfall!
“ParaNorman” is a stop motion animated movie about a young boy who can see, and speak to, the dead. The unpredictable situations that occur due to his abilities cause an enormous amount of social stigmatism for him. No one in his life believes him, and everyone feels that he’s odd.
Things change on the anniversary of the town’s famous Puritan era witch trial, when Norman is the only one equipped to face the challenges of the supernatural events that arise. Can he save the day?
It’s a charming and unique animated movie. Colorfully creepy for kids and fun for all ages, “ParaNorman” is a strong contender for my favorite animated film this year.
“The Artist” is 2011’s critical darling film… the movie which was heralded from the moment it was released as being the frontrunner for the Academy Award for Best Picture. It’s a (semi) silent film, shot in black and white, which tells the story of a star of the silent era silver screen. When Oscar noms were released yesterday, it received a whopping 10 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Michel Hazanavicius), Best Actor (Jean Dujardin), and Best Supporting Actress (Bérénice Bejo).
The question I am here to answer now is… is it worth all the fuss?
Fogs' Movie Reviews 