Grade: C-

Every time a new romance film hits theaters, some moviegoers roll their eyes and others try to sweet-talk their boyfriend into going with them. Of course, by releasing the film on or around Valentine’s Day, they pigeon hole the reluctant male audience. But it’s narrow-sighted to just assume all romances are worthless cheese fests. They aren’t, even if you’d like them to be. I went into The Vow hoping for something worth remembering. And I think I got it, but then I couldn’t remember those moments anymore because Channing Tatum destroyed them like a snow plow to the back of the head with his flat, mumbling nervous acting. He’s like the love-child of Rocky Balboa and Hayden Christensen.

The irony of this is that movie is littered with Channing Tatum voiceovers explaining how to recognize the significance of life-changing events.  He goes on and on about how our lives are defined by the most brief instances that can alter our entire direction. No shit. Somehow Channing Tatum’s delivery makes it actually sound dumber than it already is. And I’m not a blind hater. I respect his comedic chops in The Dilemma and what may be a huge breakout in comedy with 21 Jump Street. It’s just that he refuses to acknowledge his strengths. He actually has a shot at comedy, in the same way that Mark Wahlberg does. But you don’t see Marky Mark running around trying to woo girls with his serious face. Tatum is doing it all wrong, and he just reinforces the general hate for his acting (in)ability by taking roles like this one and starring across superb actresses like Rachel McAdams. Because if I could turn Rachel McAdams into a Bath & Body Works scent it would probably be Bubbly Goodness. If I did the same for Tatum it would be Rock Moss.

There is a trend in The Vow. Sam Neill and Jessica Lange (McAdams’ father and mother in the film) are constantly trying to keep McAdams and Tatum apart. And I kept thinking to myself. Good for you. Keep her away from him. I don’t want Tatum’s poor performance to rub off on McAdams. And luckily it didn’t. She shines as usual in the romance genre. Of course, in the context of the film I was kind of rooting for Tatum’s character, if only because the story is well-written. It’s sort of based on real events and you can feel a genuine sense of metaphorical tug-of-war going on with the characters. It’s a new approach, even if the idea of an amnesiac in love has been done with 50 First Dates. But even Adam Sandler would have been better than Channing Tatum here. He just constantly drags down the entire film. You have to really look hard to recognize the good in this film. And there is good in it. In fact, if you just close your eyes when Tatum talks and imagine your favorite actor, it’s borderline great.

If you’ve ever been in a good relationship, you likely value the connection you have with another person. You both adapt your lifestyles and your personalities to create a cohesive unit that works towards happiness. And clearly the characters in The Vow have done this. Even if one of them has changed who they were completely in order to make this new life, she seems totally happy. And of course the accident that strips her memory of all that away makes her revisit exactly how she got there. She was swept off her feet by a life that was anything but the one she had before – which was a wealthy, suburban, law school life. The story makes it obvious that love is the driving factor, because by traditional standards, Tatum’s character is a worthless piece of shit who only wears designer sweaters and is constantly surrounded by hipsters. The whole movie is basically this sub-commentary on how hipsters live happy carefree lives and rich people are hiding deep, dark secrets and living a lie. I hate that kind of class discrimination in films, but I guess it plays to the story here.

The film as a story seems solid and it works as a romance. There are sad moments and happy moments and Channing Tatum takes his shirt off a lot. The ladies will be happy. And I am content with the way things progressed. It had moments that really spoke to me and others that felt forced cheesy. For a while I was pretty happy with the characters, as they all seemed nice and realistic. But then the movie kicked in and everybody suddenly has a sinister side and that just doesn’t come off as real to me. It comes off as a movie trying to force conflict. If you get lost in Tatum’s bare ass or McAdams’ ugly pajamas, then you’ll be just fine with The Vow. But for some reason, I kept looking closer at the fabric of this film.

One of several shirtless scenes.

One thing really annoyed me throughout the entire movie. And this is more of a general argument, but I want to use this review to discuss it. I have the ability to suspend my belief for the good of a movie, but The Vow spent an inordinate amount of time enforcing the difficulty of running a recording studio. One dinner scene was fantastic in expressing Tatum’s passion for music and the general lack of understanding the entertainment industry. As somebody who runs his own production studio, I can get behind that and really understand Tatum’s plight and if he deserves any credit for this movie it should all be placed on that scene. But then we see his recording studio and it’s a multi-million dollar studio. He has walls of audio gear, a giant recording space and state-of-the-art equipment for mixing. So what bugs me? Well, this is supposed to be a character whose parents are dead and the implication is that he doesn’t come from money – thus the juxtaposition of Sam Neill and his endless cash flow. Now, it’s possible that McAdams used some of her fortune to help pay for the studio, but I doubt it because seems to have exiled herself by joining Tatum for life. He could have received a huge grant or loan, but the amount of money this facility looks to be worth makes that unlikely. Moreover, he only seems to have one employee and when he’s out trying to fix McAdams’ lost memory, the studio can’t seem to function. I know I should be able to ignore things like this and see the big picture, but as a filmmaker myself, these kinds of things are part of the big picture. And it totally took me out of the film, which is something no movie can afford from its audience, let alone one starring Channing Tatum.

It may seem like I hate The Vow. But in reality, it’s decent. It works. It’s a romantic movie and it will make you think about the moments that have defined your life. But I can’t help but wonder if it would have been great in the hands of a better lead actor. Somebody who can emote true feelings and make me care. Tatum seemed to open up a bit and his armor seems just as stripped as his clothes, but he just doesn’t work in this genre. And I find it hard to believe there weren’t better choices out there.

Side note: I’m always happy when Chicago gets the spotlight in a big movie. It was front and center for the entire film and street names were thrown around like the filmmakers actually cared to acknowledge the city as a real town. I knew where they were most of the time and it felt geographically accurate. They clearly didn’t just shoot in Chicago for the tax credit or the skyline. And I respect that.

What Should You Do? Prove your love for your girlfriend by bearing the pain that is Channing Tatum. Otherwise, check it out someday, but don’t make it a priority.

GRADE: C+

The J. Edgar previews have Oscar potential written all over them. Unfortunately, the film does not. Leo works as J. Edgar Hoover, but I have strong doubts this will be his breakthrough earning him his first Oscar statue. The film itself probably won’t warrant much Oscar attention either. As a historical buff, this film appealed to me as I got an inside look at the Inception — yeah I went there — of the FBI and its relationship to shaping our government. Otherwise, there wasn’t a whole lot going on that kept me interested.

Clint Eastwood directed J. Edgar, and brought his usual style to the film. Anyone who has seen his work knows the man loves to wash out the color in the images presented. This usually wouldn’t bother me, but in a slow moving dialogue-heavy-film like this, it added to the already bland taste in my mouth.

The story of the man who built up the Federal Bureau of Investigation obviously is interesting. But the man behind the FBI was almost like an emotionless robot, which did not translate into the most inviting story. This character was very similar to another oddball Leo played, Howard Hughes in The Aviator. But that film worked because we were driven in Hughes mind — J. Edgar barely let the audience past the surface.

Leonardo DiCaprio turned in another solid performance, but not one that is going to jettison to the top of his acting resume. It took awhile to really settle in and get used to his character and the way he talked. The same could be said for his arguably sketchy make-up as he went from a bright eyed newbie to a grizzled and feared man in Washington. Yes, I said feared, he commanded that much power.

Armie Hammer (The Social Network) confidently played Leo’s number two at the bureau — he also loved the thankless and emotionless leader. Their relationship was not downplayed. The audience fully understood what was going on even though most of the characters did not. The importance of this relationship was there, but the emotion of loving one another rarely shone through. This made many of their scenes together feel less than moving.

While Leo’s make-up and special effects were about average, Hammer’s elderly version had a face resembling more of a burn victim than that of an old man. I was never convinced. The more he was onscreen, the more I could not stand to look at his “weathered” face. A real bright spot in J. Edgar was Naomi Watts. She played Hoover’s personal secretary, and added some humanity as the faithful servant to Hoover. You could see her distaste for some of Hoover’s more questionable decisions. Her make-up as old woman was by far the best in the film.

Overall, J. Edgar had pieces that worked, but audiences not invested into learning more about the man, the beginnings of the FBI, or American history will not find a lot of redeeming value in this film. It seemed a lot longer than it was with the heavy doses of dialogue and how uninteresting Hoover was at times. The voice over narration from Leo was even boring — the words didn’t compliment the images to help tell the story, and poor storytelling was a common thread in J. Edgar.

What Should You Do? If you’re dying to see J. Edgar, I’d say give it a chance. Otherwise, skip it.

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthewdeery

GRADE: A

The Twin Cities Film Festival gave Matt and I the opportunity to view Thunder Soul last weekend, which was a fortunate coincidence after promoting the trailer a week prior. The documentary was awesome, as I had anticipated. At the hands of Conrad “O” Johnson, the inner city Kashmere High School band was birthed and made a legend in the jazz and funk world. The documentary pays tribute to the band and the man who paved the way to success for the teens during such a strange transition in black America preceding the Civil Rights Movement. Anyone who loves music or has an admiration for passionate hard work can appreciate this documentary. Thunder Soul leaves you walking away inspired with a great love in your heart for human connection and dedication to those who have made and shaped who you are.

The documentary doesn’t have a specific form that sets it apart from every other documentary out there. However, sometimes keeping things stylistically simple tells the best story. It has the usual present day interviews with the now aged Kashmere Stage Band members and Conrad Johnson reflecting on the impact the band had on their lives. There is an array of supplementary footage from the past to show off the band’s talent and accomplishments. All the while, the former members are planning a fantastical tribute concert to the man who made it all possible.

Conrad Johnson is a man you develop a great admiration for as the documentary unfolds. He was a humble man, yet wildly talented, and an unbelievable teacher. I hope that somewhere in everyone’s life, there is a man like Conrad Johnson. Your desire to hear the Kashmere Stage Band play one last concert for him grows undeniably anxious as you watch the documentary. One thing is certain, Thunder Soul touches the heart strings with bold sound and undertones of our greatest human emotion. And I have a feeling you will love Thunder Soul if you get the opportunity to see it.

What Should You Do? Any documentary lover needs to seek out Thunder Soul.

I am pleased as punch to welcome Mike Eisenberg to The Movie Mash family. Mike has an extensive film background – being a filmmaker, video editor and part-time writer for ScreenRant.com based in Chicago and all. Mike will be bringing you (hopefully weekly) movie reviews for a lot of the new releases to hit theaters as they come out; injecting his great humor, wit and expertise into letting you know which flicks to check out and which to steer clear of. Mike will also, eventually, be apart of our podcast crew when we get that up and running – hopefully after I move in September. So stay tuned for that. Anyway, we are just all really happy, excited and humbled to have Mike’s presence on this blog. Please welcome him – and make sure to check out his work at  www.eisenbergfilms.com and follow him on Twitter at @Eisentower30. You can read a little more about Mike’s background, as well as see his Top 10 Flicks in the About Us section of The Mash. Welcome, Mike!

p.s. His favorite filmmaker of all-time is Christopher Nolan. The man has impeccable taste.

The economy certainly isn’t that bad because The Movie Mash has been on a hiring spree over the last few weeks. First we brought on TV expert Derek Spencer, then last week our LA-based correspondent John Weber joined the squad – now we have a respected and established filmmaker who will be contributing frequent guest blog posts on many different aspects of cinema; and that man is writer/director Rob Perez. Many of you may remember back in January of 2010 when Rob (screenwriter of 40 Days & 40 Nights where he met his good friend Josh Hartnett, and the writer/director of Nobody) sat down with me to record an extended video interview about his life and career. He, Matt and I have stayed in touch ever since, and now Rob has graciously offered to share his awesome and insightful views on film with you lucky readers. Please join me in welcoming Rob to The Movie Mash staff in the comment section after the break.

Thank you for your continued support.

The Movie Mash is proud to announce another new addition to the staff, John Weber. John currently lives in Los Angeles and is living out his dream working in the film industry. He recently wrapped up production as a crew member on Kevin Smith’s Red State, and is currently working on HBO’s upcoming Hemingway & Gellhorn with Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen. John will be providing movie reviews, news posts and exclusive interviews with industry professionals. John’s access to Hollywood, as well as being an aspiring filmmaker, will provide Movie Mash readers with an incomparable perspective and insight on all things movies. John will also be helping us develop a bi-weekly podcast that will be coming soon in the next couple weeks.

With Derek Spencer joining the staff just a couple weeks ago, and John’s addition this week, The Movie Mash staff has grown to seven total writers, and we’ve got some website upgrades in the works that will hopefully take this website to the next level. You can read John’s full bio in the About Us page – also check out his IMDB page. Stay tuned for John’s first review of Cedar Rapids that will be up on Friday.

Please welcome John with any comments you might have, and thank you for your continued support.

]]> http://themoviemash.com/2011/02/the-movie-mash-welcomes-john-weber-to-the-staff/feed/ 0 http://themoviemash.com/2010/08/the-movie-mash-welcomes-two-new-writers/ http://themoviemash.com/2010/08/the-movie-mash-welcomes-two-new-writers/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:35:20 +0000 Barrett Goetz http://themoviemash.com/?p=5695

The Movie Mash is proud to announce two new additions to our writing staff, with Sarah Williams and Sam Portz. This website has grown significantly over the past year, and with more readers comes a larger demand for consistent, original content, so this felt like the right time to bring aboard some additional talent to help. Sarah and Sam will provide you with the traditional news, Netflix This and movie reviews that you’ve come accustomed to, but they’re also going to shake things up a bit by bringing you original features that focus on film scores/music, foreign films and analytical essays. Go to the About Us page to check out more on Sarah and Sam, and please feel free to welcome them in the comments section after the break.

Thank you for your continued support.

I’m honored to announce the addition of a new writer to The Movie Mash staff, and her name is Abigail Wise. As Matt and I have the sci-fi/action/blockbuster genres under control, Abby will be providing a woman’s point-of-view into the movie world, writing news articles and features about romantic comedies, dramas and classic films. Abby currently studies Journalism and Dance at Loyola University, Chicago.

Abby’s past and current articles appear in publications such as Time Out Chicago, AOL’s WalletPop, The Midwest Beef Producer and Wise Take. We are most pleased to have her joining to the team, which will hopefully result in an increased readership among women. For a full description of Abby’s bio, a picture and her Top 10 Flicks list, click on the “About Us” tab on the top of the site.

Please join me in welcoming me Abby.

I’m glad to announce that TheMovieMash.com officially turns 1 year-old this April and boy it’s been quite a year. Matt and I have had a lot of fun providing reviews, news, trailers and features for all you movie fans over the past year. I just wanted to thank all you Movie Mashers for your support and loyalty. We look forward to continuing our quest of providing you with top-notch movie coverage in all its form and glory for years to come.

This summer we’ll be adding a female writer to our staff to give a woman’s perspective on all things movies, so stay tuned for that. Feel free to leave any sentimental comments you have below.

THANKS AGAIN!

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the nominees this morning live from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Anne Hathaway, who was nominated for Best Actress last year, and AMPAS President Tom Sherak presented the nominations. This is going to be very different than any other due to the decision by the Academy to expand the Best Picture category from five to 10 nominees. I talked about the Best Picture issue in great detail when the expansion was announced this past summer.

Not too many upsets, snubs or surprises to talk about. Many of the nominees align with the Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations. One thing that I will mention that I found very pleasing was District 9 getting a nod for Best Picture. Will it win? Probably not. But it’s nice to see the Academy recognize a gritty, low-budget science fiction film that took the cinema wold by storm, and until this point, hasn’t really been recognized with awards. Also, Disney/Pixar’s Up is the first animated film since Beauty and the Beast in 1992, to be nominated for Best Picture.  Check out the complete list of nominees below (via Oscars.org).

PICTURE:
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air

DIRECTOR:
James Cameron – Avatar
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds
Lee Daniels – Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Jason Reitman – Up in the Air

ACTOR:
Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart
George Clooney – Up in the Air
Colin Firth – A Single Man
Morgan Freeman – Invictus
Jeremy Renner – The Hurt Locker

ACTRESS:
Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side
Helen Mirren – The Last Station
Carey Mulligan – An Education
Gabourey Sidibe – Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia

SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Matt Damon – Invictus
Woody Harrelson – The Messenger
Christopher Plummer – The Last Station
Stanley Tucci – The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds

SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Penélope Cruz – Nine
Vera Farmiga – Up in the Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal – Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick – Up in the Air
Mo’Nique – Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
Mark Boal – The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds
Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman – The Messenger
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen – A Serious Man
Bob Peterson, Pete Docter – Up

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell – District 9
Nick Hornby – An Education
Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche – In the Loop
Geoffrey Fletcher – Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner – Up in the Air

ANIMATED FEATURE:
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
Up

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
Ajami (Israel)
El Secreto de Sus Ojos (Argentina)
The Milk of Sorrow (Peru)
Un Prophète (France)
The White Ribbon (Germany)

ART DIRECTION:
Avatar
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
Sherlock Holmes
The Young Victoria

CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Mauro Fiore – Avatar
Bruno Delbonnel – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Barry Ackroyd – The Hurt Locker
Robert Richardson – Inglourious Basterds
Christian Berger – The White Ribbon

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
Burma VJ
The Cove
Food, Inc.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Which Way Home

DOCUMENTARY SHORT:
China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
Music by Prudence
Rabbit à la Berlin

ANIMATED SHORT:
French Roast
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty
The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)
Logorama
A Matter of Loaf and Death

LIVE-ACTION SHORT:
The Door
Instead of Abracadabra
Kavi
Miracle Fish
The New Tenants

VISUAL EFFECTS:
Avatar
District 9
Star Trek

COSTUME DESIGN:
Bright Star
Coco Before Chanel
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
The Young Victoria

MAKEUP:
Il Divo
Star Trek
The Young Victoria

FILM EDITING:
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire

SOUND MIXING:
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

SOUND EDITING:
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Up

ORIGINAL SCORE:
James Horner – Avatar
Alexandre Desplat – Fantastic Mr. Fox
Marco Beltrami & Buck Sanders – The Hurt Locker
Hans Zimmer – Sherlock Holmes
Michael Giacchino – Up

ORIGINAL SONG:
“Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog
“Down in New Orleans” from The Princess and the Frog
“Loin de Paname” from Paris 36
“Take It All” from Nine
“The Weary Kind” from Crazy Heart

What Do You Think? Discuss.