Movieman's Guide to the Movies
The Final Word on Physical Media
Death Race3: Inferno is your typical direct-to-video movie meaning a script with thin character development, poor acting even by the pros (at least Dougray Scott seemed to have fun with his cackling) and generic action which leaves this more or less forgettable.
Taken 2 had so much potential and plenty of goodwill after its amazing predecessor, however what we got instead was a lazy half-assed screenplay that simply did a find and replace combined with uninspiring direction. The main saving grace is that Liam Neeson once again gives it his all and really saves it from being a dud.
To Rome with Love had potential with an impressive cast, which Woody Allen always manages to bring together, intriguing/bold stories and an absolutely beautiful locale that never gets old seeing on screen. However, with these multi-stories going in and out, the pacing is at times dreadful and when really only one of the stories is the least bit entertaining, it can be tough to get through the others.
With a title like Love Me, there’s not a hell lot to actually love. The script is half-baked, the dialogue stilted and the mystery is, well, unmysterious. For her part, Lindsey Shaw doesn’t do a bad job, so that’s at least one positive thing I took away from the film.
End of Watch is one of the more uniquely shot films of 2012. It’s a mix of “found footage” style mixed with a gritty tone that Ayer is known for throughout his many cop-centric films. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena turn in great performances and although the story is a bit weak, the character aspects make up for any shortcomings.
Frankweenie didn’t do much for me both on an emotional level or general entertainment. The voice talents are fine but the story was too stretched out and got a bit tedious towards the end
The Possession is yet another in the long line of movies trying to emulate or copy the original exorcism masterpiece. In fairness, the film does have a couple creepy moments but they’re easily overshadowed by stilted acting and unintentionally funny scenes.
The Jazz Singer digibook is a fantastic release with a wonderful and historical film to go along with a plethora of special features and short films that anyone interested in the era will absolutely love. The audio and video transfers are also wonderfully restored which has never looked or sounded better.
The Words may not be as special of a film as it things it is, but there are many aspects which I did like from the multi-level story to some good performances including Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid, and especially, Jeremy Irons who deserves far more attention than he’s received. And despite any problems I had with the screenplay itself, I still found the film mostly compelling and at least worth a look if only once.
House at the End of the Street might not have been the worst of 2012 but it’s certainly forgettable. The screenplay is something that was more appropriate for a made-for-TV production and the performances are nothing special, even though Jennifer Lawrence will turn heads with her, ahem, wardrobe choices.
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Sleep Tight is the kind of movie that’s hard to forget. It’s easily one of the most disturbing movies I’ve come across but it’s so effective and efficient that it sucks you in from the first scene to the last. One big reason for its success is the performance from Luis Tosar which is phenomenal.
Dredd is an amazing sci-fi action/thriller that seems to finally get the character right. The action is incredible, the visual effect top notch and Karl Urban, given very little to work with, is effective in the title role.
Premium Rush is one of the breeziest films to come out in 2012, one where you don’t have much to figure out and instead just sit back and enjoy the show, thin as the story might be. But thanks to some nifty stunts, an “interesting” performance from Michael Shannon channeling his inner-“Looney Tunes” and some impressive bike work by Gordon-Levitt, the film is at least worth a glance though I don’t think the replay value on this is very high.
Fire with Fire is a nice little suspense-thriller which, thanks to an impressive even stellar cast, lifts above a so-so script into something that will hold your attention for 90-minutes. This is hardly a challenging movie but it’s worth checking out if not for solid performances from Josh Duhamel and Vincent D’Onofrio. Having said that, don’t expect anything more.
Thanks to fantastic performances from the entire crew, Elizabeth Olsen in particular is incredible, and a limited theatrical run, Liberal Arts is one of the best hidden gems of 2012 and is worth at least a rental.