GRADE: B-
The premise of this film is self explanatory considering the title. Man on a Ledge is the latest Sam Worthington flick, which also stars Jamie Bell, Edward Burns, Elizabeth Banks, Anthony Mackie, and Ed Harris. Worthington plays Nick Cassidy, a man, who is essentially on a ledge for the majority of the film. This is the quintessential example of a popcorn flick, a film that is purely entertaining, full of cheap thrills, and devoid of real emotion. It isn’t a narrative that progresses rationally, and some of the characters and many of the situations are over the top. But like I said, it’s a mindless popcorn flick akin to many Summer blockbusters.
Mike’s Review: ‘The Grey’ Is A Ferocious Film
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GRADE: B++
Joe Carnahan has crafted a fine film that should not be considered a typical January release by any means. In fact, Carnahan recently told press that the only reason The Grey released on January 27th is because they were delayed in post-production by some effects shots. The studio has already agreed to re-release it in late 2012 for an Oscars push. While I think it will be a huge stretch for The Grey to earn Academy Award recognition beyond the great performance by Liam Neeson, that’s quite inspiring and should evoke confidence in potential audiences. Otherwise, the movie is quite a ride and really does keep you on the edge of your seat, unlike 99% of movies that use that pull quote from corrupt journalists.
Oscar Nominations Revealed For The ’84th Academy Awards’
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This morning the 2012 Oscar nominations were revealed, which of course annually provides both heartbreak and jubilation for those nominated and those snubbed. This year, the Best Picture nomination pool is nine, and not the ten of years past. The nominations were reduced from the ten made standard in 2010, down to however many Best Picture nominees the voting body feels is necessary. This year they felt nine was appropriate, a number I do not agree with. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was left off the nominee list, as was its director David Fincher. In my opinion, these two headline the snubs this year, along with Steven Spielberg being left out of the nomination for Best Director despite War Horse earning a Best Picture nod. Hit the jump for the full list, and a few brief thoughts from yours truly.
Netflix This: ‘Tangled’
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I had the pleasure of finally sitting down and watching the critically acclaimed Disney animation Tangled which came out in 2010 — this fact alone makes me ashamed to admit I am just seeing now. While I’m sure many out there have already seen it, I loved this film so much I had to gush about it and recommend people look for it on Netflix. Tangled isn’t my favorite Disney film, but it definitely oozes with the magic that has made the Disney logo one of the most recognizable castles on the planet.
In this weeks’ edition of The MashCast, Matthew, Mike and I discuss some of the films that we saw last week, including: Flowers of War, Haywire, Man on a Ledge and Red Tails. We also discuss a HUGE Dark Knight Rises spoiler per an interview with a member of the cast, where she let a bomb drop about the identity of her character. Last on the docket, the new trailer for the Keanu Reeves documentary Side by Side, which tackles the ongoing debate about the technological revolution/transition of film-to-digital filmmaking.
Click play below to listen and be sure to leave your comments after the break, as well ast on Twitter: #MashCast.
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GRADE: C
Haywire is exactly what you would think stemming from the previews; elite super solider-esque persona who gets double crossed and must fight back against a system that possesses a lot of firepower. Despite having a run-of-the-mill premise, this is far from the typical action flick. It’s unique from the mindless action genre because it features the distintive talents of Steven Soderbergh’s less serious storytelling and slow paced cuts, as well as his favor for an upbeat jazzy Ocean’s 11-type soundtrack (which I felt was totally off). Don’t get me wrong, Haywire has a lot of great ass kicking and action scenes within, but that unfortunately is where my praise stops.
Mike’s Review: ‘Red Tails’ Crashes And Burns
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GRADE: F
Yes, I went there. A pun review title. And trust me, that’s still less cheesy than Red Tails. You know how they say January is the dumping ground for bad movies? Red Tails reinforces that, and it’s unfortunate because the story of the Tuskegee Airmen deserves so much. If it didn’t take itself so seriously, maybe it could have been less embarrassing.
GRADE: A-
In our screening of The Flowers of War, a female audience member broke down into hysterical tears complete with sobbing and moaning. I had never heard a vocal reaction like that in a theater and it is one as unforgettable as the terrible events that transpired on screen. And the woman was well within her rights to do so, as the epic war film from China depicts some of man’s most detestable actions and rarely hides such details, though there is the occasional comedic relief thanks to (sometimes) drunk Christian Bale.
If you love movies in any fashion, you are likely aware that there is a huge transition going on in hollywood. Film production is literally dying and digital cinema is taking its place. Some filmmakers are thrilled, while others are frustrated. Actor Keanu Reeves has a new documentary called Side by Side that highlights this great divide and the trailer ensures it is a must-see.
I think we can all agree that Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a suprisingly good film this year. And a lot of the buzz has come from motion capture actor extrodinare Andy Serkis’ performance as the lead ape, Caesar. There has even been buzz and a small Oscar campaign for his “revolutionary” performance and ability to use physicality to convey emotioin and create compelling drama. Well, comedians Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer are poking fun at Serkis with this new Funny or Die video that shows the real-life artistry and dedication of inanimate object motion capture acting. Check out the video after the break.
