The Avengers – Age of Ultron: Still Good But A Step Back

Director (Joss Whedon) has followed up his classic 2012 The Avengers with a good but not great sequel. While it still has much of what made the first film so strong, the timing and execution just aren’t quite there, making this film feel messier and less engaging than its predecessor.

Premise: When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner begin their Ultron project, their peaceful plans backfire. Result: Avengers in full force but the film is not nearly as good as expected.

The old gang is back: Tony Stark/ Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Bruce Banner/ Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Steve Rodgers / Captain America (Chris Evans), Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Clint Barton/ Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and a recovered Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) now together facing the remnants of H.Y.D.R.A. with some added foes in Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).

But there is truly no greater foe than Ultron (James Spader), Stark’s creation intended to protect humanity – a task it takes all too seriously. Believing that humans and their nature are the true sources of evil in this world and ultimately must be protected from themselves, Ultron undertakes a major campaign of catastrophic proportions. With an army of adaptive clones, Ultron pushes the team to the brink.

Thor – The Dark World: Not a Bad Time But Still a Step Backward

Directors Alan Taylor and James Gunn have delivered the latest installment of not only the Thor franchise but the broader Avenger story with mixed results.  While there are many fun moments in this film and the overall experience is still enjoyable, the result of Thor: The Dark World is a clear step backward and away from the momentum fans desire.

Premise: Asgard and the realms are threatened once more, now by The Dark Elves and their Ether, a horror worse than any could imagine. Result: A fun, often thrilling film that doesn’t quite live up to expectations but it still entertaining enough to sit through.

This story, like Iron Man 3, focuses largely on the aftermath of The Avengers film and the near destruction of Earth by extra-terrestrial villains led by Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Thor (Chris Hemsworth), much like Stark, is firmly in a state of melancholy – despite setting order to the Nine Realms, there is a sense of loss he feels at separation from his supposed love Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).

But with Loki imprisoned and order being restored, it would appear that everything was just right in Asgard.  But a cosmic event known as the Convergence looms unexpectedly (for some reason it is unexpected despite being the biggest event in the Universe) and awakens an ancient evil in the form of the Ether and its vile masters The Dark Elves led by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), creatures long ago vanquished by the Asgradians but now bent on revenge and destruction.

Rush: Non. Stop. Fun.

Director Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon, Cinderella Man) has developed one of the best, most complete sports thrill-rides since Cinderella Man.  And like that classic film, he has managed to take an esoteric sporting event and make it accessible to all audiences…and much, much more.

Premise: A deep review of the astounding rivalry between Formula 1 racers Niki Lauda and James Hunt. Result: A non-stop, action packed thriller that will grip audiences from moment one.

While history is filled with famous rivalries, when considering Niki Lauda and James Hunt, there is perhaps no better comparison than polar-opposite tennis rivals John McEnroe, the hot-tempered playboy, and Bjorn Borg, the cool, icy, relentless powerhouse.

When the two met on court, there was an unmistakable energy that drove both of them to higher level than they would have gone alone – the “whole” of these two titans was indeed greater than the sum of each individual “part.”  The same can be said for the relatively short-lived but red hot rivalry shared by Lauda (Daniel Brühl) and Hunt (Chris Hemsworth), meeting early in their careers as Formula 3 racers and then ultimately igniting an international sensation on the Formula 1 stage.

Howard does an excellent job of establishing the two men and their contrasting lives, one as sordid playboy, the other a stoic patrician.  Hunt was the affable, flirtatious sex/party maniac while Lauda was the precise, cold, almost Aspergian robot.  But both stories are immensely enjoyable, replete with distinct but somehow common charms; audiences will be mesmerized from moment one.

It is impossible to know for whom to root, as both seem evenly matched in completely different ways – both Goliaths, both Davids in their own nuanced, intriguing manners. And as the two rise in their careers, as they experience personal and professional triumphs and failures that deepen their conflict, the on screen exhilaration is infectious and relentless.

Both marry, for different reasons of course, Hunt to model Suzy Miller (Olivia Wilde) and Lauda to bright and mysterious Marlene (Alexandra Maria Lara). Both personal lives take strange twists and turns that ultimately shape them.  But it is on the race track where the real story is. The two push each other, first as fierce rivals motivated by unmitigated hatred for one another, and eventually a mutual admiration.  It is this growth, this evolution that will ultimately be the most satisfying, and somehow sad.

The performances are spectacular.  Hemsworth proves his acting chops in this film, allowing for an effective range of emotion.  He is charming, thrilling and seductive.  His chemistry with Brühl is unmistakable; Brühl, for his part, plays the part of robotic, rude, precision-obsessed outcast with remarkable skill.  You love him and hate him simultaneously and his hold over observers is sorcery, plain and simple. And Wilde and Lara are simply mesmerizing in their own rights.

Miraculously, the film is itself an electrifying race to the finish.  Twists and turns, ebbs and flows, constant adrenaline. Howard does a superb job of making this film worth watching and re-watching just to keep the addictive thrills going strong.

Every moment is enthralling, every scene captivating either as thrilling action, poignant drama, or effective comedy. It is a true sign of a phenomenal film that audiences will simply not want it to end.  There are no dull moments, no missed connections, no sloppy moves in performance, writing or direction.  This film makes you want to watch the sequel right away.

Rating: 9 – An expensive red wine and juicy steak that someone else is paying for and where you don’t have to put out

Red Dawn: The True War in This Film Was between Dull Cliché and Cool Action with a Slight Edge to Cool Action

Red Dawn, the remake of the 80s film, follows a somewhat unbelievable premise – the invasion of the United States by North Korean forces (originally a Chinese invasion, it is rumored that Producers got cold feet at the last minute.)  While it is not nearly as strong as the original and bogged down by cheesy and almost absurd dialogue, the film is an action-packed adventure that taps into viewer patriotism to keep the thrills pumping for the full length of the film.

Premise: North Korea invades the US.  A motley crew of American teens fight back. Result: Surprisingly interesting and engaging throughout, once you get past the rehashed plot and awful dialogue.

Focusing on Spokane (and Seattle), Washington as the center of the Northwestern invasion, the film tracks a group of young men and women as they attempt to escape and survive overwhelming forces.  Directed by Dan Bradley, Red Dawn follows the ragged Eckert family – father and Sheriff Tom (Brett Cullen), Marine and eldest son Jed (Chris Hemsworth) and football star/authority enemy and youngest son Matt (Josh Peck)- as they are initially overcome.

The film opens with a football game that is ultimately, and crudely, meant to foreshadow Matt’s recalcitrance and inherent defiance of authority.  Additionally, it alludes to some rift between brothers that goes unspoken, highlights Jed’s duty as a Marine and the possible romance between Toni (Adrianne Palicki) and Jed via the high-brow cinematic technique of “googly-eyes”.  There is nothing here that even remotely approximates fresh or new but the consolation prize is a trip to the concession stand won’t leave anyone confused.

Fortunately, it is not long before the true action film begins, with the invasion. It is a highly exhilarating sequence of events that begin with a black out, shockwave and all out paratrooper á la WWII. While on the surface the premise is outlandish, the film does a fair job of managing audience suspension of disbelief.  Apparently, there is some weapon that can wipe out communications and has crippled US defenses coupled with “help” the North Koreans received from other US foes.  In any event, while the concept may be suspect, it is advisable to just take the plot in stride and watch the thrilling action.

In their escape, The Eckert’s pick up a few stragglers including Toni, Rob (Josh Hutcherson), Daryl (Connor Cruise), Danny (Edwin Hodge), Julie (Alyssa Diaz),  and Greg (Julian Alcaraz) to round out the motley crew of minute persons.  Missing, of course, is Erica (Isabel Lucas), Matt’s love interest, and so a rescue insta-plot is born.

There are a few villains in the mix as well that serve to demonstrate the betrayal/Stockholm Syndrome phenomenon, but other than that, the group is largely persuaded to follow Jed’s leadership based on some clichéd rhetoric that in reality, may have failed at rallying rodents or small dogs.  But nonetheless this film is about action and action is does well.

The ragtag bunch begins training and, with the help of rebels in town, mounst a strong series of attacks on the North Koreans guerrilla style that infuriates district leader Captain Cho (Will Yun Lee).  On one level, Bradley does a great job with pacing and uses just enough story mixed with action and attack to rouse audience sentiments and engage even the most skeptical among us.

Ultimately, he effectively appeals to a jingoistic gene found in all Americans that is born with the Pledge of Allegiance in grade schools or after citizenship exams.  It is impossible to turn away or hide the outrage that surfaces as observers watch “our soil under attack” and this blood rage ultimately allows us to overlook the cheap dialogue and hackneyed premise. At one point it became so absurd I wondered if subliminal messages were hidden in the celluloid.

The rest of the film is the tale of sexy action sequences, seen-it-before personal struggles, and even a hope-against-hope twist that involves Marines from “Free America” coming to lend a hand in the form of Tanner (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Smith (Kenneth Choi), and Hodges (Matt Gerald).Fortunately the film’s resolution actually had some small but surprising twists that brought about a momentary respite from the glut of explosions and patriotic blood rage and actually required thought.

Overall, the performances in this film were passable.  Hemsworth does an admirable job of navigating his trite dialogue although there was never a point where one might prefer to listen to him than watch him shoot things.  Peck, on his end, navigates his emotions fairly well but for some reason has chosen to add “raspy voice” and a faux-James-Dean “cool guy” squint that is off putting (for a better performance from Peck, watch ATM).

Palicki and has a few good moments of her own and pulls off strong woman with little effort while Lucas manages to play caring girlfriend without making observers vomit.  Hutcherson is strong in the film, somehow using his talents to evade the pitfalls of dull dialogue and predictability and employs that patented Peetah melancholy to serve as his shining contribution.

Morgan, Choi and Gerald bring a few laughs into the mix but the rest of the cast is largely anonymous (despite fairly liberal on screen time) and serve as a reminder of why it isn’t a good idea to be a minority in a movie where people die.

Overall, Red Dawn can wait for a lazy afternoon where nothing much is expected.  It is fun and in this regard largely exceeds expectations – I was largely engaged from beginning to end. Further, Bradley’s pacing and directorial style helps audiences look past the glaring flaws and accept the entertainment.  While still not likely a film that needed to be remade, it is far from a waste of time and a fun alternative to doing nothing or cow-tipping.

Rating: 6 – A mediocre Prosecco that a cute bartender served you

Snow White & The Huntsman: Pretty, Kinda Fun, Somewhat Interesting…Um, Did I Mention Pretty??

Novice director Rupert Sanders creates in Snow White & The Huntsman what can only be described as the cinematic equivalent of the air-head supermodel: visually stunning and inexplicably exhilarating with not much more than runs skin deep. Ultimately, while the film has many interesting moments and overall provides for a fun romp through fantasy, there is something missing that holds it back from being the epic it truly sets out to be.

Premise: Based on the familiar fairy tale, the Huntsman is ordered to capture the runaway Snow White so that she can be killed by the Evil Queen, only to wind up becoming her protector. Result: A fun and visually impressive film that entertains but never shakes the sense that there should have been more.

Considering the mesmerizing visual effects employed in Snow White, it may be easy to forget that at its core this is a fairy tale.  But like so many comparable revisionist films today, Snow White manages to be far darker than most audiences are used to (although ironically much closer to the original intensions of the Brothers Grimm, authors known for their dark and often terrifying fairy tales.)

The film begins with narration, as the history of the horror is explained.  Here, The King is lured into battle with a shadow army, unwittingly walking into a trap set by the beautiful witch Ravenna (Charlize Theron). Hypnotized by her beauty, the widower King takes Ravenna as his wife, only to be murdered on their very wedding night. Ravenna then takes the kingdom and locks the Princess Snow White (Kristen Stewart) away in the tower to rot.

The story is told through some haunting narration accompanied by special effects that should by no means be overlooked.  Each scene is mesmerizing, the colors and magic so painstakingly detailed as to keep audiences in a permanent state of wonder.  This not only helps to make the film more engaging by enhancing the darkness and spectacle on screen, but also helps to distract from rather dismal plot progression.

As the film catapults to present day, Snow White (now somehow beautiful and fit despite being locked in a cell for a decade – although her cheeks are very dirty) manages to escape from her tower McGuyver-like with only the aid of a rusty nail, a horny hapless villain, and the superhuman ability to slide through tunnels like a seal (I don’t mean the Navy kind).

Ravenna is outraged and employs her Brother Finn (Sam Spruell) with the help of a surly Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to find Snow White who is now somewhere in the Dark Forest, a place of many dangers and terrors. Little do these black hunters know, however, that William (Sam Claflin), the Duke’s son and prime Ravenna rival, has infiltrated their ranks to save the Princess.

While all the chasing through the Forest is taking place, we are also introduced to Revanna and her motives.  Sanders allows a rather clever juxtaposition to give audiences the only real depth in the film, that of the true emotions behind Ravenna and her evil. Through the use of a mirror (in one of the cooler visuals in the film) she understands that her beauty and powers are declining due to the rise of Snow White, the only woman pure enough to destroy her; however, should Ravenna consume her heart, she will live forever.

At the same time, Ravenna’s obsession with beauty and power (she has lived over twenty lifetimes) is explained rather well through a few poignant flashbacks involving her mother and the witchcraft which has brought her to present day. There is a visual elegance with which Sanders displays these two stories that will keep audiences invested.

However, the other plotlines depend much more on special effects and clichés; Snow White is apparently the bringer of Life and all creatures love her including a bunch of meandering Dwarf warriors (played by several noteworthy, normal-sized actors); The Huntsman begins falling for her despite loudly harboring a very banal love for his wife who has died; William just wanders around pining for her morosely despite never really doing much about it. All the while Ravenna wanders around her room sucking the youth out of random pretty girls.

The acting in the film rests on passable: Theron is strong as the queen, although there is much more to her power when she isn’t speaking than when she is forced to deliver lines through Emphysema-plagued lungs.  Stewart is typical Stewart, filling scenes with fluttered glances and heavy breathing.  It should also be noted that there is an eerie Bugs-Bunny quality to her smile in this film that forces observers to wonder if Ravenna had better have been played by Elmer Fudd.

Hemsworth is strong once again as Thor…uh, em, The Huntsman, although now equipped with a Scottish accent and in one scene in particular (when speaking of his lost love) enough scenery to chew until the end of time. Claflin is good but ultimately the role hinders him, relegating him to forgotten character. The Dwarves, played by several noteworthy thespians (including Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Eddie Marsan, and Toby Jones), are wonderful, funny, interesting, steal-stealing characters that will keep audiences firmly in hand as they race to the finish line.

Ultimately, while the story remains intact, there is a very real hole in the film’s appeal.  There is far too much reliance on the special effects and the story suffers, smothered beneath a notable lack of emotional connection.

Now, there are a few interesting battle scenes accompanied by some fascinating takes on  magic that is enough to make the film entertaining throughout; fortunately, this does allow Snow White to be an exciting film and Sanders does enough to keep audiences at least somewhat interested in what will happen next. However, like a cinematic drunk bender, audiences will have fun, but won’t care much about the characters, story or the special effects hangover afterwards.  But at least we’ll always have the Dwarves.

Rating 7- A refreshing Champagne that a cute bartender comp’d you!

 

The Avengers: The Best Film in the Marvel Series By Far!

Director Joss Whedon (Serenity) has successfully created with The Avengers a film that answers a much pondered question: could the quirky creative survive the tremendous pressure to build on the long-term Marvel cash cow? With several mega blockbusters in its history (Thor, Iron Man 1 & 2, Captain America: The First Avenger) and several more planned, it was essential that The Avengers succeed.  And with jam-packed action, an exciting plot and plenty of laughs, succeed this film does.

Premise: Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. initiatives the Avengers Initiative to help save the Earth from Loki and his army. Result: A thoroughly entertaining, smart, and funny action film that completely exceeds expectations.

Fearing that too much homework might be required for The Avengers is a legitimate concern considering that several comic series and several blockbusters precede it.  However, Whedon manages to make this film an entertaining, exciting film for any observer, whether they are Marvel neophyte or Stan Lee stalker.

While complex in its own way and certainly ripe with hidden meanings that will appease long-term fans, The Avengers boasts a fairly straight-forward premise allows anyone to follow.  The film begins with Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who defeated by his brother Thor (Chris Hemsworth) after his attempt to conquer Asgard (see Thor), has returned to now take Earth, armed with a plan and an alliance with The Chitauri lead by a horror known simply as “The Other” (Alexis Denisof).

His plan is simple, steal the tesseract (See Captain America), a powerful and mysterious energy source, and use it to open a gateway to another dimension, thereby allowing the Chitauri to invade Earth and make hum ruler. Using this source he is transported to Earth, deep within one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s covert fortresses, and begins his slow assault.

His deadly attack nearly kills S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), and several thousand others; and by using his mysterious scepter, Loki manages to also enslave Professor Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård), who had been studying the tesseract, and Clint Barton/ Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), who had been defending it.

It is at this assault, and the need to defend Earth from Loki’s villainous plan, that The Avenger Initiative is employed, thereby uniting Tony Stark/ Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rodgers/ Captain America (Chris Evans), Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and more reluctantly Thor and Bruce Banner/ The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).   The group of individuals fails to mesh instantaneously and great destruction and hilarity ensue. The rest of the film focuses on this concept: the slow, painful but deeply satisfying formation of The Avengers as the individuals set aside differences and unite for Good.

The film works on several important levels.  First, it is deeply exciting.  While the film is a terrifying 142 minutes long, the majority of this time will be spent watching the screen, not the clock.  Although not every single moment in the film smells of roses, there is much too much exhilaration to let anyone down for long. The battle scenes, in particular (of which there are plenty), are wonderfully executed, never confusing and deeply thrilling. In fact, the final battle is remarkably similar to the last Transformers film; however, unlike that travesty (See Transformers: Dark of the Moon), Whedon manages to prove that this type of battle is not only possible, but memorable when executed with confidence and competence.

Second, the character stories are wonderfully balanced; while several of these characters literally stood alone at the center of entire films, this film treats them all equally, appropriately favoring The Avengers over any one character or story. This is particularly remarkable since each of the stories and characters is so well crafted that favoring one over another is plausible, even if reproachable.

The film is also incredibly funny.  While an action film at heart, the comedic timing established in this script is spell-binding.  The majority of dialogue is hilariously spot on at exactly the right moments, and when not, there are sufficient visual moments to fill the void.  And speaking of visual, having seen this film in both Standard and 3D, The Avengers serves as an example where 3D actually works.

The casting in this film is perfect. Robert Downey Jr. continues to his streak as the snarky, playboy with the caustic wit but now somehow saved from certain decline into tedium (Iron Man 2 had a few eye-roll moments) by working with this cast.  His wit is challenged and forced to serve as a wedge rather than the whole pie, thereby allowing his arrogance to become endearing rather than obnoxious in the end. Evans, for his part, allows his Captain America alter ego to shine brighter in this film.  Proving impressively that his departure from low grade comedy (remember Fantastic Four 2?  Shiver) in Captain America was no fluke, Evans manages to make his character real, interesting and well-balanced, a quality we look for not only in a hero, but in a leading man.

Ruffalo is another standout.  Latest in a long line of Bruce Banners that fade into oblivion almost as quickly as they came, Ruffalo manages to deliver a new and more intriguing Hulk.  In the greatest surprise, Johansson somehow manages to make the Black Widow interesting, walking a tight-rope between cliché and intrigue and somehow coming out the great acrobat.  Additionally, Renner, Hemsworth, Jackson and Gregg all work wonderfully in this script and manage to keep the action and humor flowing.

Yummmmm! Shwaaarmaaa!

It should also be noted that audiences should stay through the full credits as there are TWO different post-credit scenes. Spoiler Alert (skip this paragraph if you have not seen the film but stay post-credits). The first reveals the true villain in the film in a very interesting scene as The Other talks to his true master.  Evidence clearly points to Thanos as the villain based on The Other’s comment that attacking Earth now would “Court Death” which is a double meaning for anyone who understands Thanos’ obsession with the female personification of Death. Additionally, after the full credits there is a really fun scene involving Shwarma!

Overall, this film is a must see.  Clearly the best Marvel film in the past decade, The Avengers is funny, exciting, energizing and most importantly re-watchable.  This re-watch-ability is essential as we wait eagerly for the sequel.

Rating: 9 – An expensive red wine and juicy steak that someone else is paying for and where you don’t have to put out

The Cabin in the Woods: A Completely Unexpected, Reinvented Fun Something-Like-Horror Film!

Although Drew Goddard may be relatively new to directing, his involvement with Lost and Cloverfield alone make expectations for The Cabin in the Woods quite high.  And fortunately, through a completely post-modern, reinvention of the horror genre, complete with a tongue-in-cheek, smart self-awareness, Cabin does everything but disappoint.

Premise: Five innocent friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Result: A brilliant horror-comedy twist that updates the genre and gives us hope for the future.

It only takes a few moments to realize that Cabin is going to be different than other horror films.   Goddard does an amazing job of destabilizing audience expectations instantly with a juxtaposition within the introductory frames of an ominous, ancient ritual played to a backdrop of equally menacing score with the sudden hand off to Sitterson (Richard Jenkins) and Hadley (Bradley Whitford) who putt along in their golf cart down a tunnel in a lab some place, prepping for some cruel experiment the way only mad scientists crossed with Dilbert can. And the Raimi-esque title shot to close out the sequence is just the final nudge audiences will need to realize they have walked into a completely different film than they thought.

Fortunately, and for once, the bait-and-switch is actually to the advantage of the fooled.  Cabin morphs instantly into one of the funnier and more frightening films of the decade, perfectly blending the sweet and savory of cinematic flavorings.  And audiences will be in on the joke quickly as well.  Each character is perfectly constructed both as horror cliché and as stand-up comedian, accenting both the foreboding of events to come and the noticeable hilarity of it all.

Enter Dana (Kristen Connolly) and Jules (Anna Hutchison) who have planned a trip to some remote cabin some place deep in the woods that Jules’ boyfriend, hunk and sweetling Curt (Chris Hemsworth), has invited them to.  There is no real back story here except to say that Curt’s cousin has recently acquired the cabin and that they all need a getaway.  Oh, and Dana is coming off a recent, painful breakup with her professor and the weekend is but a thinly veiled attempt to hook her up with McSteamy Jr., Holden (Jesse Williams). 

Of course, all this cliché is handled with aplomb, as the film is clearly aware of the flimsy nature of this set up; but the cut-aways to Sitterson/Hadley, their controlled lab and the covert-CIA nature of it all ensure audiences that everything has been pre-ordained. Oh, and add Marty (Fran Kranz) for ingenious stoner-comic relief, and you have yourself a deeply amusing and workable ignition.

As the film progresses, Goddard crafts scene after scene with the titillating formula of equal parts terror and laughter. While there is clearly the terrifying harbinger, Mordecai (Tim De Zarn), who plays his part perfectly as the creepy Hills-Have-Eyes-esque inbred gas station attendant, his frightening role is completely, and hysterically underplayed, by a speaker-phone gag and narration by our faithful puppeteers.  It all comes together wonderfully, with all the right hints of humorous foreshadowing and self-awareness.

The remainder of the film is a rollercoaster ride of terrifying scenes followed closely by brilliant satire.  The film completely understands the role it is playing as entertainer and manages to give you the best of both worlds.  As horrifying events take place on screen, audiences will be jerked from left to right, feeing one emotion, then another, then a completely distinct third in rotational sequence.  The pacing of the film, the jokes, and the monsters, all add to this cinematic crucible.

While the film ultimately falls someplace between horror and comedy, it is safe to say that it is a top caliber contestant in the horror-film-dark-comedy genre, like Drag Me to Hell and the Evil Dead films have been before.  Nevertheless, there is something far more modern here, more interesting than even these films delivered.  Here, Cabin offers us a story made better by how it is told, by the perpetual wink from its creators, and by the completely unpredictable nature of all the twists and turns we think we expect.  Too few are films that know audiences so well and can get away with fooling them so effectively.

The acting in the film is spot on.  Connolly, Hutchison, Helmsworth and Williams all quite effectively play their parts as puppets in the game, and manage to shift along character spectra effectively, when the unnatural controls of their environment manipulate them to do so.  However, Kranz, Jenkins and Whitford are the true stars here, delivering some astounding comedic timing that keeps the film fresh and exhilarating. Every time they speak, audiences will be drawn to them like puppies to kibble, eagerly and patiently anticipating their next treat.  And the perfectly orchestrated surprise by a special guest star at the end of the film really brings Cabin full circle.

The only drawbacks to Cabin are that it is far less horror than might have been desired.  Clearly, this was the purpose and what we are given is likely better than what we expected; but for strict horror buffs without the appreciation for a post-modern twist, this may miss the mark.  Additionally, the ending chaotic sequences are completely preposterous.  While on some level audiences may be too distracted by their own enjoyment to note it at the time, the resolution is brought about by an event that seems too simplistic, even for the tongue-in-cheek nature of this film.  But as the only event in the film likely to leave a bad after taste, audiences will likely take it and ask for another.

Overall, therefore, The Cabin in the Woods is a delightful nightmare, mixing all the right ingredients at all the right servings to give us a film we never knew we wanted.  But after we have tasted it, there’s no going back.

Rating: 8 – An expensive red wine and juicy steak

Thor: Better Than Just a Comic Book Movie

Kenneth Branagh (Frankenstein, Sleuth) directs what will likely be his most memorable film by far in the newest Marvel installment, Thor. With the help of a descent script and solid cast, Branagh is able to turn what could have been a box-office dud into an exciting and stunningly beautiful action movie that fortunately keeps most of the disaster on the screen.

Premise: The arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of Asgard by his father Odin and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he must find himself to once again return and stop his brother Loki from taking his throne. Result: A fun romp through the Marvel Universe that offers more than just super heroes and action sequences.

Thor will likely not be remembered for any award-winning performances, deep and emotionally powerful dialogue, or quite frankly anything we would readily associate with momentous films.  However, what Thor is able to construct is a solid bridge in the long-awaited journey to Marvel’s crown-jewel Avengers franchise. It is good in most ways and it is the first film that might actually benefit from 3D (gasp!).

The premise of Thor is a potential mine-field of confusing and disjointed plotlines – the world of ancient mythology, modern-day science and even aliens are all woven together into a screenplay tightrope that most directors would have trouble navigating. But Branagh, instead of delivering a confounding, ridiculous mess, supplies his audience a well-constructed, thrilling superhero movie that offers nuanced characters that rise above the caricatures often drawn in similar films. 

Thor takes place across several worlds: first, here on Earth, where Astrophysicists Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård) – along with Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) who offers us the requisite comic relief in the film- stumble upon a mysterious cosmic storm that has delivered a frantic, fully-clothed (sigh) Thor (Chris Hemsworth) to the New Mexico desert.  We are then introduced to the concurrent plot: Thor has been exiled from Asgard by his father Odin for foolishly inciting war with the ancient enemy, the Frost Giants, a frightening race of beings that can turn their enemies to ice.  There is history here and  Branagh nicely weaves in Earth and how these worlds have been intertwined for millennia.

Thor fumbles around the desert and in hospitals getting sedated and tasered along the way as he attempts to make sense of his exile.  This initial stretch is a bit clumsy and even ebbs to boring for brief moments, but this is common in stories about self-discovery and the road to redemption.  Thor’s hammer, his source of great power, has been cast down to Earth and locked in stone, which Thor can only retrieve when worthy (insert personal flashbacks to Excalibur here.)

Meanwhile Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor’s mischievous brother, has become King while Odin (Anthony Hopkins), apparently so overcome with despair, has plunged into an amber coma (drama queen!) Loki, the villain in this film, orchestrates a plot to destroy Odin and forge an alliance with the King of the Frost Giants, Laufey (Colm Feore).

Branagh does a good job of portraying this story as a logical next chapter in an already settled mythology.  The storyline and characters appear to play by certain rules that we can accept and so our fragile cocoon of suspended disbelief is held intact throughout. While some dialogue and slapstick seems flat or out of place at times, overall, the film works, ushering us forward and subtly requiring our attention. 

It must be noted, that Branagh’s most powerful weapon in this movie is his apparent command over visual effects. The Asgard and Frost Giant kingdoms are both stunning visuals, blending dazzling, majestic beauty, as with Asgard, and contrasting it with imposing, shadowy terror as with the realm of the Frost Giants.  This helps support some truly entertaining action sequences which will likely engage and enthrall most fans.

The characters have also been cast well with particularly strong performances from Helmsworth and Hiddelston. Hiddelston, for his part, delivers a nuanced villain, with far more acute angles to consider, allowing him to slither from scene to scene continuously re-capturing our interest. 

This nuance helps to make the ending, full of subtle twists, more believable and even allows audiences to move past the somewhat absurd story around Loki’s origins, one of the clear loose ends in the film.  This also helps to distract audiences from some other strange issues, like the fact that everyone in all these worlds communicates in English and that one of Thor’s Viking-god allies, Hogun (played by Tadanobu Asano), happens to be Japanese with a noticeable accent.

The overall resolution (Spoiler) where Thor is ultimately redeemed and takes back his power is a bit uneven – there is something slightly forced and perhaps rushed about his change of heart. Not to mention, the burgeoning love between Thor and Jane which falls decidedly flat (frankly, the  entire “human” cast is good but their contribution is largely forgettable.) But Hemsworth, aided by charm and command for complex emotion, is able to drag this slightly limp expected outcome over the finish line.

Additionally, Branagh does a good job of linking this film to those that will come after, weaving in Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) and S.H.I.E.L.D. throughout. In fact, audiences should definitely stay for the full credits – there is a scene that is meant to make this link even stronger and even helps this film.

In the end, this is a fun movie that manages to string together a story that audiences will enjoy watching.  The visuals and action scenes are worth watching by themselves but fortunately, a good script, clever direction and a strong cast make the experiences far easier to stomach.

Rating: 7- A refreshing Champagne that a cute bartender comp’d you!