Sleight of Film

Today’s quick review: Blue Streak. After a heist goes bad, Miles Logan (Martin Lawrence) hides a stolen diamond in a construction site before he is arrested. Two years later, Miles returns to the construction site to retrieve the diamond only to find that the site has become the LAPD’s newest police station. To get his diamond back, Miles must go undercover as a police detective and keep up the charade long enough to find the missing jewel.

Blue Streak is a crime comedy about a jewel thief forced to pose as a cop. Martin Lawrence makes for an entertaining lead as Miles, an unlucky but resourceful criminal who gets drawn deeper and deeper into his fake career as a detective. Luke Wilson plays Carlson, Miles’ mild-mannered partner on the force, while Dave Chappelle plays Tulley, Miles’ dimwitted accomplice from the diamond job.

Blue Streak gets most of its comedy from Miles’ increasingly outlandish efforts to keep his ruse going. Between his quick thinking, his criminal background, and his flagrant disregard for the law, Miles proves to be an effective police officer, earning him attention that hinders his efforts to locate the gem. None of the humor is phenomenal, but Miles makes for a likable protagonist and Blue Streak delivers a steady stream of amusement.

The movie’s biggest missed opportunity is its failure to build on Miles’ police career. Miles gets dragged into a series of escalating incidents, but they are mostly unrelated to each other. His relationship with Carlson is entertaining but does not get the chance to progress very far. The movie misses its chance to go farther with its story, either with a more involved police plot or a more satisfying emotional arc.

Watch Blue Streak if you are in the mood for a dose of easy comedy. Blue Streak does not have the sharp writing needed to be memorable, but it makes for fun popcorn nonetheless. Skip it if you are looking for a riotous comedy or a well-plotted crime story. For a more adventurous cop comedy, check out Beverly Hills Cop.

6.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for decent comedy and a good premise.

Today’s quick review: The Court Jester. In an England ruled by an usurper king, the Black Fox and his band of rebels seek to restore the infant royal heir to the throne. To gain access to the castle, Hawkins (Danny Kaye), an entertainer in the Fox’s band, assumes the identity of Giacomo, the king’s new jester. But as soon as he reaches the castle, he becomes tangled in a web of chivalry, political intrigue, and romance.

The Court Jester is a musical comedy set in medieval England. The Court Jester features charming music, a witty script, a touch of swashbuckling, and an outstanding performance from Danny Kaye. The cast includes Basil Rathbone as Sir Ravenhurst, the king’s right-hand man; Glynis Johns as Jean, Hawkins’ ally and love interest; and Angela Lansbury as Princess Gwendolyn, who sees Giacomo as a way out of her arranged marriage.

The Court Jester delivers comedy in the classical style. The movie slips expertly between wordplay, swordplay, singing, dancing, and slapstick. Danny Kaye is in fine form, adroitly portraying the many layers of Hawkins’ character. The plot is chaotic in clever ways and does an excellent job of toying with its characters’ plans. The movie is tied together by an enjoyable suite of songs that run gamut from lullaby to tongue-twister.

The Court Jester relies heavily on classic comedic devices like coincidence, mistaken identity, and hypnotism. The film puts these devices to great use, but they are still contrivances. The Court Jester also tends to abandon its jokes rather than resolve them properly. No good gag is shortchanged this way, but a new bit will often take an old one’s place without a send-off. These flaws are minor, but they make The Court Jester best for a specific taste.

Give The Court Jester a shot if you are a fan of classic musicals. Its sharp writing, light tone, and great performances make The Court Jester a hidden gem for fans of the genre. Those looking for drama or a modern-style comedy should look elsewhere. For another, more sentimental Danny Kaye classic, check out White Christmas. For a raunchier musical with a similarly breezy tone, check out A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

7.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for being a delightful, endearing musical.

Today’s quick review: Money. Mark (Kellan Lutz) and Sylvia (Jess Weixler), a wealthy young couple, invite Mark’s hotheaded friend Sean (Jesse Williams) and his girlfriend Christina (Lucia Guerrero) over for dinner. Unknown to the women, Mark and Sean have just brought home $5 million in cash from selling corporate secrets. But when John (Jamie Bamber), a dangerous thief, crashes the party in search of the money, the night devolves into a hostage situation.

Money is a minimalistic crime drama centered around a high-stakes home invasion. Money aims to be a tense, cerebral thriller that makes good use of its small cast and unpredictable plot. However, the movie’s abrasive characters and mediocre writing keep it from living up to this ideal. Though its basic story is fine and its execution is decent, Money delivers little that’s new or exciting.

Money relies heavily on its characters. The characters are deliberately flawed, but Money goes a step too far and skimps on their redeeming qualities. Poor decisions, infighting, and petty social quarrels all make it difficult to root for any of the characters. The plot suffers from similar missteps, with limp plot twists, arbitrary reversals, and a failure to capitalize on what should be the movie’s best moments.

Money gets enough right to be a decent pick for those with a hankering for tension. But its flaws are pronounced enough that most viewers would be better off skipping it. For a stranger but more interesting minimalistic cat-and-mouse game, check out Sleuth. For a black comedy hostage situation, check out Suicide Kings. For a darker, tenser crime drama, check out Reservoir Dogs.

5.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 for a decent premise and mediocre execution.

Today’s quick review: Limitless. Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper), a struggling writer, turns his life around when an old friend introduces him to NZT-48, a miracle drug that unlocks the mind’s full potential. He uses his newfound brilliance to make a fortune in finance, but his meteoric rise earns him powerful new enemies. Even more troubling are the drug’s side effects: headaches, blackouts, and the threat of a lifetime addiction.

Limitless is a science fiction thriller that explores the upper limits of human potential. Limitless boasts a strong script, capable dramatic acting, and polished presentation. The movie keeps busy with several interesting subplots, including Eddie’s relationship with his girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish), his attempts to impress finance legend Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro), and his investigation into NZT-48’s origins.

In spite of his intelligence, Eddie is more of an addict than a mastermind. Every now and then, the story flirts with cat-and-mouse games, but Eddie tends to react more than he plans ahead. The serious tone of the movie, the mysteries surrounding the drug, and the drastic changes to Eddie’s life all push Limitless in the direction of a dramatic thriller rather than a cerebral tale of machiavellian ambition.

Limitless is a potent power trip wrapped around an interesting story. The movie misses the chance to indulge in NZT-fueled battles of wits, and its themes of drug addiction may not appeal to everyone, but competent execution and an original premise make Limitless well worth a watch. Skip it if you are looking for a power fantasy with a lighter tone. Check out Layer Cake for a more mundane crime drama with similar themes.

7.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for solid execution of an interesting premise.

Today’s quick review: Ares. In a dystopian Paris run by pharmaceutical corporations, Ares (Ola Rapace), a washed-up pit fighter, receives a second chance at success when Donevia, a company known for its lethal human testing, approaches him with a new performance-enhancing drug. With his sister in jail and two nieces to support, Ares has no choice but to accept the risky treatment.

Ares is a French dystopian science fiction movie set in a future where anything can be bought and sold. Ares features a bleak tone, a short but tidy story, and a few brutal fight scenes. The movie is an odd blend of sports comeback and dystopian drama, although it is missing the triumphant tone of the former and the rebellious spirit of the latter. In spite of its competent execution, Ares lacks the extra punch needed to be exciting or memorable.

Ares shows more thought than the typical movie of its caliber. The world it presents is disturbingly close to reality, separated from the present only by economic collapse and looser regulation of drugs and human testing. The characters are not brilliant, but they are resourceful and avoid making any obvious errors. Ares himself is an interesting figure, neither a blind idealist nor a pure mercenary in a world that wants him to pick a side.

Give Ares a shot if you are in the mood for a short, serious peek at one possible future. Ares’ dark subject matter and limited plot make it an unexceptional watch, but the movie shows enough quality to be a worthwhile pick for the curious. Skip it if you are looking for unfettered action or successful drama. For a more elaborate dystopian drama with better writing, check out Children of Men.

6.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for a good setting and decent execution.

Today’s quick review: Phantom Boy. Leo (Marcus D’Angelo), a sick boy staying in a hospital for treatment, discovers that he has the power of astral projection. When a sinister criminal known as the Face (Vincent D’Onofrio) holds New York City hostage, Leo uses his power to help Alex (Jared Padalecki), an injured police detective, and Mary (Melissa Disney), an investigative journalist, track down the Face before he can complete his plan.

Phantom Boy is a French animated fantasy film that offers a light, child-friendly take on the crime genre. Leo, a selfless boy struggling with an illness, gains the power to leave his body and roam around the city as an intangible spirit. A chance meeting with Alex gives Leo the chance to fulfill his dream of becoming a detective, all while helping to save the city.

Phantom Boy’s most distinctive feature is its art style. Loose, simple characters, inconsistent perspective, and flat textures with visible strokes give the movie the look and feel of a child’s drawing. Phantom Boy also does a good job managing its tone. The heroes are bold and honest, the villains are menacing yet bumbling, and the level of danger is tuned for children without patronizing them.

Watch Phantom Boy if you are in the mood for something innocent and creative. Its simple writing, middling humor, and peculiar art style keep it from joining the ranks of family classics, but the movie has a unique style and a refreshing tone that make it worthwhile. For a kids’ movie with a similar spirit but more elaborate art and writing, check out The Adventures of Tintin.

6.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for charming but insubstantial fantasy.

Today’s quick review: iBoy. After a gunshot wound leaves him with pieces of his cellphone lodged in his brain, Tom (Bill Milner), a London teenager, develops the ability to communicate with electronic devices. He uses his newfound power to track down the criminals who shot him in the head and raped his friend Lucy (Maisie Williams). But as his crusade expands, he takes risks that endanger himself and his loved ones.

iBoy is a science fiction movie that pits a teenager with mysterious powers against a dangerous local gang. iBoy explores what kind of havoc could be wrought by an individual with unfettered access to the world’s technology. However, its mediocre writing and tepid characters keep it from making the most of its premise. As such, it is outclassed by movies like Chronicle that handle similar concepts with more skill.

Where iBoy missteps the most noticeably is its plot. The skeleton of the plot is fine: Tom tests his powers on the thugs responsible for the crime before moving on to their gang superiors. But the story never decides whether Tom’s career as a vigilante is a personal quest for revenge or part of something larger. His behavior is too grandiose for a local conflict but never makes the leap to full-blown crime-fighting.

To its credit, the movie does make Tom’s power interesting. He begins to use his own internal computer for everything from cheating on exams to embarrassing his enemies at school. But the movie relies on convenient coincidences and unexplained hardware tricks to bail Tom out of dangerous situations, situations he lacks the foresight to avoid in the first place. Tom has his moments, but he simply is not a mastermind.

Beyond these flaws, iBoy is a decent but unexceptional watch. Neither Tom nor Lucy is a particularly likable character, but they avoid any of the major pitfalls that would actually make them annoying. The writing is competent enough, but there are missed opportunities where the movie could have gone smarter. Strangely enough, the movie also makes no attempt to draw any larger conclusions about morality, crime, or trauma from its events.

iBoy has enough weaknesses that most viewers are better off skipping it. Those curious enough to check it out will find a moderately interesting story that gets enough right to be watchable, if not impressive. For a darker, more enthralling take on a similar premise, check out Chronicle. For a more macabre story in a similar vein with higher stakes and more dramatic flaws, check out the live-action adaptation of Death Note.

6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for a decent premise and mixed execution.

Today’s quick review: Robot. After ten years of work, Dr. Vaseegaran (Rajinikanth) has completed his life’s work: Chitti (Rajinikanth), an advanced humanoid robot. But in an attempt to perfect Chitti’s programming, Vaseegaran gives the robot human emotions, causing it to fall in love with Sana (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), his neglected girlfriend.

Robot is an Indian science fiction action movie. Robot is the story of a love triangle that escalates out of control. The movie fuses several different strains of storytelling, including action, romance, musical, and comedy. Special effects-laden action sequences coexist with up-tempo dance numbers and jokes about Chitti’s literal-mindedness. The result is a unique, amusing movie that wears its heart on its sleeve.

Robot’s quality is mixed. The special effects are rough but put to good use in creative action scenes that make the most of Chitti’s superhuman abilities. The story is simple in principle but packed with details that help flesh it out. The musical numbers serve as light, well-choreographed interludes, while a steady stream of humor balances out the elements of drama.

Robot has odd pacing. At a low level, the movie proceeds rapidly, flitting quickly from shot to shot and jumping wholeheartedly into even the most insignificant tangents. But as a whole, Robot is a slow movie that clocks in at nearly three hours. The movie takes over an hour to set up its main conflict, and its long musical numbers slow it down even further. Most scenes are enjoyable but not essential.

Give Robot a shot if you are in the mood for an earnest, unusual variant on the sci-fi genre. Its length and cultural differences make it a heavy investment, but those willing to put in the effort will be treated to a special experience. Just steer clear if you prefer more guarded movies. Also skip it if you are looking for a tight plot, plausible speculation, or high art.

7.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for creative action and an enjoyable tone.

Today’s quick review: The Imitation Game. In 1951, a robbery prompts an investigation into the personal life of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), a respected mathematician. The investigation reveals not only the man’s homosexuality, a crime in Britain, but his pivotal work cracking the German Enigma cipher alongside Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley) and Britain’s finest minds during World War II.

The Imitation Game is a historical drama based on the life of Alan Turing. The Imitation Game depicts three periods in Turing’s life: his boyhood introduction to cryptography and love, his wartime code-cracking efforts, and the later investigation that upended his life. The movie also touches on Turing’s dream and his legacy: the Turing machine, the theoretical construct behind modern computers.

The Imitation Game is a well-written, well-acted drama. Benedict Cumberbatch makes for an able lead, portraying Turing as a brusque but brilliant man whose intellectual pursuits have isolated him from the world. The story captures the difficulty of beating Enigma without wading into technical details. The high stakes of the endeavor coupled with the skepticism of Turing’s superiors gives the movie a nice sense of tension.

Give The Imitation Game a shot when you are in the mood for a dramatic true story. The plot and characters are interesting enough to be worthwhile even for those who aren’t typically fans of biographies. The content of the movie will not appeal to everyone, but those with even a passing interest should give it a chance.

8.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for capable drama.

Today’s quick review: Appleseed Ex Machina. The high-tech city of Olympus floats above a world still recovering from global war. On the verge of peace talks that will unite the world’s security satellites, an unknown enemy attacks the proceedings by hijacking the bodies of nearby cyborgs. Deunan Knute, a member of ESWAT, and Briareos, her cyborg partner, must locate the source of the attacks before more damage can be done.

Appleseed Ex Machina is a Japanese science fiction action movie based on the manga by Shirow Masamune. The sequel to the original Appleseed, Appleseed Ex Machina follows in its predecessor’s footsteps, offering plentiful action, anime-influenced CGI graphics, and a gorgeous world packed with advanced technology. The movie also adds a new member to the main cast: Tereus, a Bioroid clone of Briareos assigned to be Deunan’s new partner.

Appleseed Ex Machina has two main strengths: its action and its setting. The action consists of futuristic military combat that shows off all the power robotic armor and cybernetic enhancements might bring. The combat style trends a bit flashy, with excessive flips and improbable tactics, but it is fast-paced, varied, and makes good use of the setting’s military technology.

The setting reflects Shirow Masamune’s unique vision of the future. Ex Machina does not delve as deeply as the first film into the nature of Olympus, but the same themes of technological utopianism, cybernetic alteration, and social engineering are present. Although not a masterpiece, the plot unfolds well and includes a broad cross-section of the world of Appleseed.

Give Appleseed Ex Machina a shot if you are a fan of the action side of the sci-fi genre. The movie is a clean, satisfying execution of the genre that hits all the notes it needs to. Skip it if you prefer more grounded sci-fi. For a movie with similar ideas and the same creator, check out Ghost in the Shell. For another Japanese sci-fi action movie with a similar visual style, check out Vexille.

7.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for solid sci-fi action and an interesting setting.