Sleight of Film

Today’s quick review: Bad Boys. Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) and Mike Lowrey (Will Smith), a pair of Miami detectives, are assigned to track down $100 million of impounded heroin that was stolen from police headquarters. Their only lead is Julie Mott (Tea Leoni), a witness to a murder associated with the theft. But to get her to talk, Marcus must convince her he is Mike, the only cop she will trust.

Bad Boys is an action movie from director Michael Bay. Bad Boys is a slight variant on the buddy cop formula, where a small lie spirals into an elaborate charade that puts Marcus’ and Mike’s partnership to the test. Beyond this wrinkle, Bad Boys is a standard action movie with a high-stakes investigation, decent comedy, and a healthy number of shootouts, car chases, and explosions.

The crux of the movie is a mishap that forces Marcus to pretend to be Mike to earn Julie’s trust. Marcus, an uptight family man with three children and an ailing love life, is thrust into the lifestyle of a wealthy, charismatic bachelor, a ruse that becomes harder and harder to keep up. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have a good chemistry and good material to work with, giving the movie the comedy to go with its solid action.

Bad Boys’ one major failing is that it is a loud movie. Most of the humor comes from the characters’ bickering, which works well in small doses but becomes grating after a while. In particular, Marcus has too many lines, and his good jokes are drowned out by his bad ones. Apart from the investigation itself, almost all of the characters’ problems could be resolved by calm discussion, making their shouting matches even less justified.

On the whole, Bad Boys is a passable take on the buddy cop genre. Its standard plot and better-than-average action are balanced by slightly misjudged comedy and limited innovation. Bad Boys is a fun watch if you are in the mood for an action movie, but you can find better entries into the genre without much effort.

6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for good action and comedy with a couple of dialogue misses.

Today’s quick review: Ghost in the Shell. Major (Scarlett Johansson) is the first of her kind: a human brain inside a fully prosthetic body. At the request of her creator, Mr. Cutter (Peter Ferdinando) of the Hanka Corporation, she is put to work at Section 9, an elite government counter-terrorism unit run by Chief Aramaki (“Beat” Takeshi Kitano). A year into her career, she chases a hacker named Kuze (Michael Pitt) who has been hunting Hanka scientists.

Ghost in the Shell is science fiction thriller based on the manga by Shirow Masamune. A live-action remake of the original animated film, Ghost in the Shell depicts a future where cybernetic enhancements are commonplace and humanity is on the cusp of revolutionary breakthroughs in cyborg technology. With no memories of her past self and a disturbing resemblance to the soulless robots around her, Major must find meaning in her radically altered life.

Ghost in the Shell makes for a solid action thriller, with a healthy amount of action, polished visual effects, and a good mix of plot and characterization. The story is straightforward but well-acted and well-told. The story has enough ties to both the elaborate setting around it and Major as a character that every part of the movie is necessary and the whole feels cohesive.

Science fiction fans will delight in Ghost in the Shell’s vivid depiction of the future. Technological advances like cybernetic augmentations and holograms have warped the fabric of society, producing a bustling, high-tech metropolis radically different from our own. At the same time, recognizable humanity peeks through the cracks, keeping society alive and haunting Major with its elusiveness.

Ghost in the Shell adapts its source material in interesting ways, remixing the most compelling concepts and moments from its predecessors. Fans will be disappointed by some changes and disoriented by others, but on the whole the changes are sensible and made for principled storytelling reasons. The differences in setting, character, plot, and focus are enough to make Ghost in the Shell its own movie, with separate strengths and weaknesses from its source.

Watch Ghost in the Shell if you are in the mood for a science fiction thriller with vivid CGI, a rich setting, and a decent plot. Though it lacks the visionary quality of its predecessors, solid execution and generally good decisions make it an enjoyable watch. If you are looking for a more elaborate plot or greater philosophical depth, check out the Ghost in the Shell animated movie or the Stand Alone Complex TV series instead.

6.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for solid science fiction that lives up to some, but not all, of its potential.

“I am so happy I have you as my best friend, and I love Lisa so much.” —Johnny

Today’s quick review: The Room. Johnny (Tommy Wiseau) has it all: a steady job, a San Francisco apartment, and a gorgeous fiance. But when Lisa (Juliette Danielle) decides she is bored of Johnny, his life starts to unravel. She cheats on Johnny with his best friend Mark (Greg Sestero), growing more and more brazen in her attempts to escape her dying relationship, and Johnny gets sucked into a whirlpool of lies and betrayal tha threatens to tear him apart.

The Room is an independent drama written and directed by Tommy Wiseau. The tale of the deterioration of one man’s relationship, The Room is plagued by bad writing, worse acting, and low production values. Although it bills itself as a black comedy, there is no sign of comedy in the actual movie. The only humor comes from the movie itself, as its poor quality makes it a fairly entertaining watch.

Johnny, Lisa, and the rest are, bluntly put, bad characters. Tommy Wiseau’s noticeable accent and hasty delivery make him a distraction whenever he comes onscreen, while Juliette Danielle plays a remarkably unsubtle Lisa. The characters in general have a tendency to say what they are thinking rather than showing it, in particular Claudette (Carolyn Minnot), Lisa’s mother and perpetual confidante.

The basic machinery of storytelling malfunctions in The Room. The story is not bad in concept, but lacking in execution, with a decent overall arc interspersed with unnecessary scenes and very few plot twists of consequence. The cast, the passage of time, and how much characters know or suspect are all difficult to track, while the unintentionally comical dialogue keeps the movie from building up any pathos.

Apart from its obvious flaws, The Room suffers from subtle mistakes that would be hard for an aspiring writer-director to catch. These range from camera shots that linger a bit too long to excessive use of the characters’ names to lines of dialogue that would look fine on paper but come across as awkward when read aloud. No one mistake is all that glaring or unreasonable, but taken together they keep the movie from achieving what little potential it has.

The Room also has its share of overtly bad choices. Johnny laughs incessantly in a failed attempt to make him seem friendly. Characters have a tendency to say what they need to say, then end the conversation abruptly, even when it makes no sense for them to do so. The decision to have four sex scenes in the first half-hour of the film is questionable at best, while the writing sprouts unnecessary details like weeds.

Oddly enough, given the film’s reputation, The Room is not a total trainwreck. The movie has glimmers of artistic vision and, in some places, even competence. The story is mostly coherent and could have been moving in the hands of the right team. The presentation clearly had thought put into it, and if it fell short of its potential, it at least knew where it was aiming.

Most importantly, The Room flows in a way that other bad movies do not, making it a much easier watch than the usual drack at the bottom of the barrel. Give it a try if you are looking for a hilariously bad movie with highly quotable dialogue, particularly if you have some friends to share it with. The Room does not hit its target, but it hits a target, and that counts for something.

3.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 3.0 for poor quality all around, but a 7.0 to 7.5 for being a surprisingly easy, enjoyable watch for all the wrong reasons.

Today’s quick review: Tokyo Godfathers. On Christmas Eve in Tokyo, Gin, an old drunk, Hana, a transvestite, and Miyuki, a teenage runaway, find a baby abandoned in a pile of garbage. They name the girl Kiyoko and set out to find her mother, with only a few clues to the woman’s identity. But the task isn’t easy for the trio of homeless, and a series of mishaps force them to confront their own life choices.

Tokyo Godfathers is a Japanese animated comedy with a heavy sentimental component. With richly colored animation, vibrant characters, and resonant themes, Tokyo Godfathers is a moving Christmas movie that gets at something fundamental about humanity. At the same time, its quirky style and mercurial writing keep it from fitting neatly into any molds. The result is a unique movie that is flawed but easy to love.

Tokyo Godfathers takes an unusual approach to storytelling. The plot meanders between random incidents and relies heavily on coincidences to move forward. The movie is not consistently funny, its comedy more the product of colorful characters and unlikely situations than overt humor, but every now and then a joke lands just right. The same goes for the emotional drama: not every arc has a great payoff, but the ones that do pay off big.

As such Tokyo Godfathers feels consistent in tone and inconsistent in accomplishment. The serendipitous plot would feel lazy in any other movie, but Tokyo Godfathers puts it to unusually good use. The movie cobbles together a thorough cross section of life from its many coincidences, its characters’ backstories, and its winding main plot. No one moment makes the movie, but the aggregation of many moments make the movie well worth watching.

Watch Tokyo Godfathers when you are in the mood for an offbeat Christmas story with a powerful human element. Although its odd style and unruly plot make it an unusual sort of film, Tokyo Godfathers has enough charm, insight, and artistry to make it a success.

7.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for artistic vision and human spirit; your score will vary wildly depending on how its tone and story strike you.

“Hey, electric-breath!” —Iron Man

Today’s quick review: Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United. When Hydra’s attempts to harness the Hulk’s (Fred Tatasciore) energy fail, they accidentally create an energy being named Zzzax (Dee Bradley Baker) that feeds on energy and invades technology. Iron Man (Adrian Pasdar) comes to help, only for Zzzax to take control of his flying fortress. Iron Man and Hulk must fight their way through Iron Man’s entire arsenal to stop Zzzax before he can drain the power grid.

Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United is a CG animated superhero movie based on the Marvel characters. Iron Man & Hulk has the tone and attitude of a Saturday morning cartoon. The plot is simplistic, the dialogue is kid-friendly, and the production values are limited. But unlike the better superhero cartoons or animated features, Iron Man & Hulk offers very little to anyone outside of its target age range.

The plot borders on non-existent, with only two bland Hydra scientists, a generic energy being, and an Abomination cameo as villains. The film does a worse job of disguising the artificial logic of its fights than most superhero fiction: hits have little lasting impact, and outcomes are dependent on the needs of the plot rather than any in-universe logic.

The characters are weak as well, with an unusually insecure incarnation of Tony Stark and a weirdly coherent Hulk. Their dialogue is packed with attempted jokes, but none of them land. On the visual side, the CGI has limp physics, sluggish animation, rough facial modeling, and flat-looking props and particle effects. As a whole, the execution is outclassed by both the live-action and animated entries into the superhero genre.

Skip Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United unless you are watching with an enthusiastic child. The movie is just enough to appeal to children but lacks any sort of depth or charm for older audiences. Superhero fans hoping to find a hidden gem will be sorely disappointed.

4.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 4.0 for poor execution and limited appeal.

Today’s quick review: Resident Evil: Degeneration. Seven years after a zombie outbreak devastated Raccoon City, a company called WilPharma continues to work with the virus that caused it. When a zombie outbreak occurs near WilPharma’s headquarters, Raccoon City survivor Claire Redfield (Alyson Court) reunites with Leon Kennedy (Paul Mercier), a fellow survivor, to stop the outbreak and investigate its cause.

Resident Evil: Degeneration is a CG animated zombie thriller based on the long-running Resident Evil video game series. Resident Evil: Degeneration sees the return of Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield, the protagonists of Resident Evil 2, in a follow-up to that game’s plot. With society still reeling from Raccoon City, the latest outbreak threatens not only innocent lives, but civil unrest as the threat of bioterrorism rears its head.

Resident Evil: Degeneration delivers what it promises with no frills: guns, zombies, unethical companies, and government cover-ups. The plot could have been lifted from a video game, with linear progression, clearly-marked plot threads, and a few scenarios that are video game staples. The plot twists are well-constructed but lack impact. The same goes for the movie’s emotional drama: technically sound but missing resonance.

The rest of the movie follows a similar pattern, with decent execution that fails to distinguish itself. Its protagonists are refreshingly competent but not given much of an emotional arc. The action is nothing new for the zombie genre, but one or two big set pieces give it some spectacle. The realistic CGI holds up well even after nearly a decade, and the voice acting matches the games’, with passable performances all around.

Watch Resident Evil: Degeneration if you are in the mood for a competently executed zombie movie with good CGI and a slight video game flavoring. There is little in Resident Evil: Degeneration that you cannot find done more interestingly elsewhere, but its sound execution of the formula makes it potentially worth a watch for anyone looking for zombie action, series fan and newcomer alike.

6.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for competent but unexciting execution.

“Your old lives have ended. I will decide how to use your new lives. That’s the way the cookie crumbles.” —Gantz

Today’s quick review: Gantz: O. When Masaru Kato dies, he finds himself trapped in a survival game where a being named Gantz sends a crew of recently-deceased strangers from Tokyo to kill monsters and earn their freedom. His first mission turns into a nightmare when the hordes of twisted abominations prove too strong for his team, but his heroic tendencies draw him back into the fray to save the lives of those around him.

Gantz: O is a Japanese CGI action horror movie based on the Gantz manga. The movie follows a particularly grueling mission of the Tokyo Gantz team, still reeling from the death of their leader, as the city of Osaka is attacked by a multitude of horrific monsters. Their video game-esque challenge is all too real, and the players must find a way to clear the stage before the timer runs out and they all die.

Gantz: O delivers violence in spades, from its nightmarish monster designs to its high body count to its weapons designed specifically to gore. Its hyper-realistic CGI provides a cohesive, gorgeous backdrop to the carnage and a hefty impact to the combat. The Gantz players fight back with an array of sci-fi weaponry, from suits that grant enhanced strength, durability, and reflexes to delayed-action guns capable of vaporizing a monster in one shot.

Gantz: O is faithful to the tone and detail of its source material, if not the exact continuity. The movie does a credible job of condensing a long, complicated plot into an intense, representative snippet. The movie actually tones down the horror compared to the manga, with less gore, a more heroic tone, and fewer character deaths. The tidy plot, fidelity to its source, and solid execution make Gantz: O an excellent adaptation of the manga.

Gantz: O has a few flaws that keep it from being a total hit. The nature of the premise and short time allotted mean that the story contains few answers, only a mysterious setup and a desperate struggle in the streets of Osaka. The action is marred by stilted pacing and unclear rules, making the outcomes of the battles feel arbitrary, while the protracted final battle, although exciting, does not feel coherent.

Still, its unique concept, high production values, and newcomer-friendly presentation make Gantz: O an excellent watch for action fans interested in the darker side of the genre. The heavy gore, open-ended mystery, and surreal premise restrict Gantz: O’s appeal to only a small fraction of the action, science fiction, or anime audiences, but that subset will enjoy the film for its sheer spectacle.

7.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for good action, impressive visuals, and a uniquely twisted premise.

Today’s quick review: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – Solid State Society. Two years after Major Motoko Kusanagi left Section 9, Japan’s elite counter-terrorism unit, a lot has changed. Chief Aramaki has expanded the team, Togusa has taken over day-to-day operations, and Batou has become withdrawn. But Section 9’s latest case crosses Motoko’s path once again as they investigate a rash of suicides tied to a mysterious hacker named the Puppeteer.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – Solid State Society is an anime science fiction movie. One part sci-fi speculation, one part geopolitical thriller, Solid State Society follows Section 9, a group of soldiers and police who specialize in cyber-terrorism, as they investigate a terrorist plot, a murderous hacker, and a government coverup, all while trying to understand the involvement of their own former member Motoko Kusanagi.

Though it shares the same source material, Solid State Society has no direct connection to any other Ghost in the Shell movie. Rather, Solid State Society picks up where the Stand Alone Complex television series left off, continuing the story of the series’ incarnation of Motoko Kusanagi and Section 9. Solid State Society addresses similar themes and plot elements as the original movie, but remixed into an original plot that fits with the Stand Alone Complex world.

Fans of Stand Alone Complex will appreciate Solid State Society as a condensed story in the same vein as the show, but they may be disappointed by its execution. Though its individual elements are as interesting as anything the series has to offer, the overall plot is overly convoluted and has a weak payoff. As an extension to Stand Alone Complex, it is thoughtful yet bittersweet, showing how the characters have grown and changed since the series’ end.

Newcomers to the franchise may be at a loss. The film’s quality is high enough to serve as a satisfying, self-contained sci-fi story, but it presupposes knowledge of the setting and the characters that a new viewer may find hard to overcome. Solid State Society does a better job of introducing its plot than the original movie but a worse job resolving it; coupled with its reliance on knowledge of the TV series, this makes the original movie a better introduction.

Watch Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – Solid State Society when you are in the mood for a solid sci-fi thriller with a few flaws. Solid State Society does a good job of scratching the science fiction itch, but it is outclassed by both the Stand Alone Complex TV series and the original Ghost in the Shell movie. It will do in a pinch, but you are better off starting elsewhere in the franchise.

8.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for an impressive setting, interesting ideas, and decent execution marred by a muddy plot and weak payoff.

Today’s quick review: Ghost in the Shell. In a futuristic Japan, Major Motoko Kusanagi and the rest of the elite counter-terrorism unit known as Section 9 are on the trail of the Puppet Master, an elusive hacker who takes control of his victims through their cybernetic brain implants. Their investigation draws Section 9 into an intricate web of politics and conspiracy that can only be unraveled by finding the Puppet Master.

Ghost in the Shell is a Japanese animated science fiction movie based on the influential manga by Shirow Masamune. Ghost in the Shell explores the philosophical implications of a future where technological advances have blurred the boundaries of consciousness. At the same time, Ghost in the Shell is an action thriller that makes full use of its futuristic setting. As such, it lives up to both the speculative and the spectacular sides of the sci-fi genre.

The speculative side of Ghost in the Shell should be enough to please any science fiction fan. The “cyberization” of human brains coupled with the development of advanced cyborg prosthetics has created a world where technology is more pervasive than ever. As a cyborg with almost no organic parts, Motoko questions her own humanity, a point that the Puppet Master’s actions only serve to reinforce.

The spectacular side of Ghost in the Shell is appealing as well. Section 9 operates with military efficiency, and their access to optic camouflage, powerful cyborgs, and a wide array of weapons makes them a force to be reckoned with. While Ghost in the Shell is more of a cerebral thriller than a straight action movie, the action it does deliver is always exciting and has plenty riding on it.

The movie does have a few flaws that detract from its successes. Although less byzantine than its source material, the writing can be hard to follow at times. Between the profusion of fictional technology, the geopolitical background for the plot, and the cryptic philosophical musings, Ghost in the Shell is a movie that demands close attention. Its plot is also only a partial success as a thriller, its complexity muting what payoff it has.

Still, its vivid vision of the future and capable execution make Ghost in the Shell a strong choice for any science fiction fan. Skip it if you are looking for a movie that is easier to follow or you dislike the science fiction genre. But anyone willing to devote the attention will be treated to a uniquely detailed world that explores some of the most compelling themes of science fiction.

8.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for keen science fiction speculation.

Today’s quick review: Batman: The Killing Joke. Batgirl (Tara Strong), the vigilante alter ego of Barbara Gordon, tries to prove herself to Batman (Kevin Conroy) by throwing herself into a dangerous new case. Meanwhile, the Joker (Mark Hamill) hatches a plan to break Commissioner Gordon’s (Ray Wise) spirit by attacking the person he loves most: his daughter Barbara.

Batman: The Killing Joke is an animated superhero film adapted from the classic Batman story of the same name. Notable for its sinister tone, its exploration of the Joker’s origins, and its novel treatment of the relationship between Batman and his nemesis, The Killing Joke has Batman square off with the Joker in what is considered by some to be their definitive confrontation.

Despite decent production values, reputable source material, and a fairly direct adaptation, Batman: The Killing Joke comes across as dry, simplistic, and short. The shock value of the original is dampened by the translation to film, and the most interesting parts of the story are not given the screen time they deserve. Furthermore, the animated medium highlights just how short the story is, with no build-up and no investigation before the finale.

To combat this last issue, the movie version of The Killing Joke introduces a subplot centered around Batgril and her attempts to win Batman’s approval. While not a bad idea in theory, the Batgirl segment fits poorly with the rest of the movie, with themes that are tangential to the main story and a few flaws of its own. Overall it is a clumsy attempt at padding that only serves to delay the onset of the main plot.

Batman: The Killing Joke is a decent but overly literal adaptation of the comic that fails to pack the same punch as the original. Watch it only if you are a fan of the comic and are curious about how it would look onscreen. Casual Batman fans would be better off watching one of the many other animated Batman films that have come out recently.

6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 for a dry adaptation of a classic storyline.