When Good Directors, Good Storytellers, and Great Actors Come Together…

“The Help”

Banko’s Grade: B + (85% out of 100)

Kathryn Stockett was rejected sixty times before somebody offered to publish her book. After seeing the movie version of her novel, “The Help” it would be interesting to know what all sixty of those folks were thinking by not jumping at the opportunity to publish her work. Stockett’s story has been brought to the big screen by director and screenwriter Tate Taylor, who is a veritable newcomer to being behind the camera rather than in front of it. Taylor can most recently be seen in last year’s Oscar nominated film, “Winter’s Bone”. His first big budget box office effort is so good, that as movie fans we should be eagerly anticipating whatever project he takes on next.

Stockett’s fictional tale takes place in Jackson, Mississippi around the time of the Civil Rights movement. The book, as well as the film itself is told primarily through the eyes of three characters. Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan (Emma Stone) is a young writer working for a local newspaper as an advice columnist. Although her odd nickname may be better explained in the original text, Skeeter is very passionate about writing the next great American novel. Her idea is to write a story about the lives of African-American maids working in white households, told from the maids’ perspectives. Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) is the first person that Skeeter approaches with her project. Clark has been working in the maid industry for years, raising many white children. She lost her son due to heart wrenching circumstances that took place prior the events in the film but that are explained during the movie’s final act. Helping her to cope through everything is Clark’s friend, Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer), a sass-mouthed maid who finds herself fired and blacklisted when she ends up crossing Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard), a well-recognized white woman in Jackson.

The small town in Mississippi is very strict with its rules  for the different races during this period in time. Aibileen and Minny could not only be fired for even talking to Skeeter, they could also be arrested for what they’re doing because it’s against the law. Of course, we need to remember the period of time this story takes place during. African-Americans were not allowed to ride at the front of buses, there were different schools for blacks and whites, there were separate bathrooms, the maids even lived in a housing community separate from everything else going on in town. However, Skeeter is passionate about her project because her own family’s maid was her primary care giver while she was growing up. She viewed her maid, Constantine (Cicely Tyson) as more of a mother figure than her actual mother (played by Allison Janney).

Tate’s film does well to paint everything in the proper light, and he is helped by work from a stellar cast. Viola Davis as Aibileen is superb, and the final scene of the film could be as gripping and as memorable as Sean Penn screaming for his daughter in “Mystic River”. Octavia Spencer is no slouch either and is the perfect sassy foil to Aibileen’s quiet and reserved personality. The two of them are the core of the film and they set the tone for the rest of the cast. Emma Stone is good, though it seems at times that her southern accent is a bit broken. Allison Janney is always solid in the role’s she’s casted in, just a great character actor. Bryce Dallas Howard is the year’s best villain. Her Hilly Holbrook character would win Movie Bitch of the Year if there was such an award given out. As for Jessica Chastain as the helpless Celia Foote, she played her part well of a woman just trying her best to fit into an unfamiliar terrain. Where Hilly wants to keep white folks as high on a pedestal as possible, Celia just wants people to like her. She doesn’t have a friend in town, and she’s home alone all day in a huge house. She hires a maid just to have someone to talk to, and to teach her how to cook.

The story isn’t perfect, it doesn’t offer much new information on the topic of race relations in the 1960s. However, I do not think that offering new information was the point of what Stockett was trying to accomplish when she published her work. She just wanted to tell a good story, and that’s what you’ll find here. Davis and Spencer deserve Oscar nominations for their work, and Bryce Dallas Howard should get recognized too. Big time Oscar movies usually get released toward the end of the year, so we’ll have to wait in see what the Academy can conjure up. In terms of good movies that have come out in 2011, you can’t get much better than “The Help” which is in theatres now. Take it from a guy who was very apprehensive about seeing in the first place. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll be entertained, can’t ask for much more from a movie can you?

“The Help” is rated PG-13: It contains profane language, and scenes of mild violence.

Avoids Being Too Cliche

 ”Crazy, Stupid, Love”

Banko’s Grade:  B  (80% out of 100)

     I might just be a sucker for romantic comedies, so take my reviews for them with a grain of salt. If you’re wondering the types that I like; “When Harry Met Sally” is a classic, and one of my top favorite movies of all time. “Annie Hall” finds itself in close contention, and a man can always waste time on a rainy weekend by secretly popping in “Sleepless in Seattle” but telling your wife you’re going to watch “Die Hard” instead. Also, it still might be difficult to not fall for Julia Roberts as the prostitute with a heart of gold in “Pretty Woman”.  In terms of modern fare, I thought “500 Days of Summer” was a great and as a man who prides himself in making lists of his favorite things, “High Fidelity” is very underrated. Finally, if you liked Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock in “The Proposal” I found myself liking Bullock’s chemistry with Bill Pullman better in “While You Were Sleeping”.

      In terms of “cookie-cutter” romantic comedies here’s a list of ones I can do without: “27 Dresses” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” are the first couple I pull from my hat. Also, “Made of Honor” you could be the perfect movie, just not the perfect movie for me. (A note to those of you who never saw “Made of Honor” I am in fact, poking fun at one of the film’s silliest quotes). Unfortunately, had you asked me a few years ago what I thought about “You’ve Got Mail” I probably would have told you that I had a secret affection for it, but having seen it again recently, it’s pretty darn hokey. However, if they made a key fob for Fox Books you’d find me attaching it to my chain without question.

                So, with all that said, what need to do is figure out where “Crazy, Stupid, Love” fits into romantic comedy lore. The film at its core stars Steve Carell and Julianne Moore as a couple going through a divorce. Although it tends to be a bit dark at times, compared to other movies in this genre, and does lend itself to classic cliché, the latest from directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (“I Love You Phillip Morris”) is both witty and cute. It is a film that is thoroughly enjoyable and a movie to look forward to for DVD release and a second viewing.

                 “Crazy, Stupid Love” is the story of Cal (Carell) and Emily (Moore). They were high school sweethearts who got married young, had kids, started their careers and then bought a home. All in all, they’ve lived the American Dream, but now Emily seems to be going through a mid-life crisis. Bored with her home life, she’s slept with another man from her office (Kevin Bacon) and has been keeping it secret. The guilt finally catches up, and her only reaction is that she wants a divorce. Cal, so taken aback by this news can’t think do anything but oblige Emily, pack up his things and move out.

                Once he is on his own, Cal finds the dating game is pretty rough. He spends most of his nights at a bar, drowning his sorrows in his favorite drink, cranberry juice and vodka. At the bar Cal meets Jacob, a young stud who finds little difficulty picking up hot chicks using his suave style, mysterious charm and bad boy charisma. Jacob sees something in Cal and offers to help him. Basically, Jacob wants Stella to get her groove back, if she was a middle-aged white guy who played Michael Scott. Cal figures that his wife has moved to the arms of another man, David, the man she slept with from her office. So he figures there is not much to lose from teaming with Jacob. Besides, Jacob makes picking up chicks look oh so easy.

                There comes a point where Cal has learned all that he can and he must go out and hunt on his own. He finds success in picking up women using a mix of his new style from Jacob, and a hint of honesty that’s all his own. Cal evolves from the hopeless romantic; a man who’s only slept with woman in his whole life; to a guy who’s the topic of local gossip, a new kind of lady’s man who is taking home strange women from the bar. Emily, who in fact did not run into the open arms of David, doesn’t know quite how to handle the information about her ex-husband. She begins to realize that she might still be in love with him after all.

                Meanwhile, there are other love stories at play. Cal’s thirteen year old son Robbie (Jonah Bobo, “The Fox and the Hound 2”) is in love with his babysitter, seventeen year old Jessica (Analeigh Tipton, “The Green Hornet”) but Jessica is in love with Cal, because he’s the nicest man she’s ever babysat for. Jacob manages to fall hard for Hannah, (Emma Stone, “Easy A”) a young law student who’s too smart to fall for Jacob’s smooth tricks when she meets him for the first time.  Emily still has feelings for Cal even though her coworker, David Lindhagen (Kevin Bacon) is trying to make his move. Through all this, Marisa Tomei makes a funny appearance as Kate, the first single woman that Cal manages to take home.

                And sure, “Crazy, Stupid, Love” suffers from some old cliché. Cal gets caught standing in the rain after a disaster strikes at parent-teacher night at Robbie’s school. Hannah and Jacob literally reenact the final scene from “Dirty Dancing” as Jacob informs her that he does the lift for girls to get them to sleep with him. However, the film knows when it’s being hokey which only adds to its appeal. Screenwriter Dan Fogelman (“Tangled”) remembers to keep the cliché light by poking fun at himself throughout the script. For instance, Cal tells how cliché the rain is while it pours down upon him anyway.

                What really makes the movie good is Fogelman’s third act. Rather than keep things simple, he throws one final wrench in the gears. For the most part up until the third act, the film feels pretty standard. Every character has a different story of love. They are all failing, but you’ve developed such a liking for them that deep down you know they’ll succeed. Then comes that overused movie moment, where something bad happens right before the characters can end up together. In Fogelman’s story though, something surprising happens. Details of this plot twist can’t be given without spoiling the surprise, but almost all of the main characters end up at the same place at the same time for a hilariously uncomfortable scene that leads to the film’s climax.

Also different, and perhaps more realistic, is that there is no happy Hollywood ending. There is no wedding spoiled by the guy who messed things up riding through the church on a horse to steal away the girl he finally realizes he’s in love with. Instead, things end a little more realistically. Cal and Emily don’t immediately fall back in love. Realistically she slept with somebody else. Cal is hurt and he is mad. They don’t know if it’s going to work out. Ultimately it’s up to the viewer to make their opinion of what will happen when they make their try. When the credits roll, there shouldn’t be any shortage of tears.

                The film suffers from two things, one big and one small. The small problem it has may be Steve Carell. Yes, he’s played dramatic in the past (see: “Little Miss Sunshine”) and yes he’s played this type of hopeless romantic in the past (see: “Dan in Real Life”) but Mr. Carell may have stayed behind the desk at Dunder Mifflin for too long for moviegoers to truly accept him as the new Tom Hanks. This may be his best effort to date for the big screen; but he has got to get away from the gimmicks and mannerisms that he brought to Michael Scott, or eventually he’s going to end up typecast. The biggest problem for the movie is its overall feel. Most romantic comedies feel cute and light, that’s why they sell and that’s why they continue to make money. “Crazy, Stupid, Love” feels different than that, its darker. Two characters are going through a divorce. One character struggles with love against the awkward backdrop of middle school. Another finds comfort in the arms of an older man; which seems like a story destined for “Dateline NBC”. Then there’s when Cal is reborn as the lady’s man that’s a little difficult to accept, considering we really want him to find his way back to Emily. Sleeping with random women that he picks up at the bar seems a bit against his type.

                The final act pulls everything together and amidst a summer full of swashbuckling pirates, aliens invading small Midwest towns, warring robots, apes taking over the planet, dudes getting hung over and the dirty deeds done by bridesmaids, there’s a little film that shouldn’t be forgotten called “Crazy, Stupid, Love”. It is by no means an instant classic, but you might just be crazy and stupid to miss it while it’s here.

“Crazy, Stupid, Love” is rated PG-13 for adult language, adult themes and partial nudity (Ryan Gosling takes his shirt off).

‘Cap’ Leaves Fans with High Hopes for Summer 2012

“Captain America: The First Avenger”

Banko’s Grade: C  (70% out of 100)

(Editor’s Note: I’m trying out a new grading system. Through 50+ posts I’ve decided that the stars is too overdone; and I really think that this new system will give me more options. Let me know what you think!)

Marvel Studios has given themselves a tall task. Never before has either of the two big comic companies (DC & Marvel) released a film featuring their benchmark teams. For DC, that’s the Justice League of America, a super team that features Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the Flash. As for Marvel, their Avengers lineup features the company’s “big three” Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor. While setting up the 2012 Avengers feature film, Marvel has been releasing origin movies one by one, starting with the first “Iron Man” and ending this summer with the release of “Captain America: The First Avenger”. It isn’t like Marvel had much to lose. This would be their third attempt to get a franchise started featuring arguably their company’s most recognizable character. Marvel’s “Superman” has never had a successful film. The company had tried once in 1979 and then again with another sub par release in 1990. In addition to kick-starting a possible movie franchise of solo-films for Cap, Marvel Studios also needed to get fans excited to see him return next summer to lead the Avengers squad against as yet determined (though it appears to be Loki) common threat.

Though it has a corny name, “Captain America: The First Avenger” thankfully does not fall into the category of films that try to do too many things. For one, the film is finely cast, featuring appearances from names like Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones and Hugo Weaving. Since A-List celebrities Robert Downey Jr. and Christian Bale decided to headline “Iron Man” and the “Batman” franchises, it seems like Hollywood has a new opinion on comic book films. More big names, like Tommy Lee Jones and Natalie Portman (“Thor”) now want to be involved and next summer Martin Sheen plays Uncle Ben in “The Amazing Spider-Man”. However, most of the big name celebrities in “Captain America” own supporting roles, the most important job was casting the first Avenger himself. The film crew decided upon casting actor Chris Evans. Their primary concerns were that Evans had been featured mostly in comedic roles, also a problem for Marvel? Evans was already recognizable from another one of their properties; he played Johnny Storm, the Human Torch in both of their “Fantastic Four” films.

Chris Evans was apprehensive at first, and for good reason. “Captain America” was arguably Marvel’s biggest gamble. Should the movie turn out bad; the hopes of the Avengers movie paying dividends for the company would diminish, and they would still be known as a company that could not get one of its most popular characters off the ground with a movie franchise. Whatever actor stepped into the role would have giant shoes to fill. Chris Evans had a difficult choice. He could headline a franchise that had hopes of making as many films so long as they kept making money, and would forever find himself employed, or he could be the face of the biggest movie mistake ever. No pressure.

Thankfully, Evans made the right choice. Against the backdrop of World War II, he plays the small and scrawny Steve Rogers, trying his best to lie on applications to enlist in the army like his good friend James “Bucky” Barnes. Rogers has always had the dream of being a hero; but because of his size and list of health ailments he keeps getting turned away. Finally, a doctor named Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) sees the good in Rogers and helps him enlist into the army’s top-secret super soldier program. Rogers joins a troop of other soldiers also in consideration for the experiment which is headed by Erskine and should help to turn the tide of the war against Hitler by creating soldiers with super strength, healing abilities and agility. Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones, looking as worn leathery an old baseball mitt) has no faith in the pint-sized and stick-thin Rogers, but Erskine pleads with the Colonel to keep his faith.

Private Rogers earns his stripes during an exercise where Phillips throws a grenade at his troops. Everybody ducks for cover except for Rogers, who instead jumps onto the bomb itself. Finally Phillips and Erskine agree, Rogers is their man. Doctor Erskine enlists the help of Howard Stark, Tony’s (Robert Downey Jr) father. Under the watchful eye of Colonel Phillips as well as other top men from the government, Steve Rogers transforms before their very eyes. The experiment is a success.  Once Doctor Erskine’s serum proves itself to work, a German spy amongst them jumps into action to steal some of the remaining serum to bring back to his scientists. Rogers gets to see if his new body works as he is the only one capable of chasing the spy once the German sets a bomb off in the experiment room’s main chamber.

Rogers chases the man down and tries to interrogate him. The man slips a cyanide tablet hidden in a false tooth. Before he dies he mutters two classic words that Marvel comics fans especially should recognize, “hail Hydra”. Once everything gets cleaned up, Rogers learns that Hyrda is one of Hitler’s cells that have been developing weapons for the Nazi regime and hope to turn the war in their favor. Hydra is led by Johan Schmidt (Hugo Weaving); the very man who was Doctor Erskine’s first test subject. Schmidt was also granted super strength and ability, but the serum transformed him by changing his human face into a menacing red skull. To make matters worse, Schmidt has been harnessing the power of the cosmic cube, the blue cube fans saw featured after the credits in “Thor”. Using the properties of the cube, Schmidt’s Hydra cell has been developing weapons that can vaporize enemies. They have been making guns, tanks, explosives and all kinds of weapons with the cube.

His mission is clear, Rogers must stop Schmidt and Hydra at all costs. For Colonel Phillips, the mission is not so clear. Rogers is an expensive experiment, there’s no way he’s allowing him on the front line. If Rogers wants to help his country he’ll do so where he can be kept an eye on. Thus, Captain America is born, as a mascot to sell war bonds. Rogers is a soldier first and ultimately does as he’s told. However, when his friend Bucky as well other soldiers end up missing once they’re sent to infiltrate a Hydra base, Captain America can wait on the sidelines no longer. He enlists the help of Howard Stark and also Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) who’s a spit-fire army gal herself that doesn’t like sitting on the sidelines just because she’s a woman. The three of them enter the lion’s den to save the soldiers that have gone missing.

Peggy and Stark return to base once Captain America disappears from contact. Colonel Phillips is anything but happy. However, before Carter can receive her reprimand, Rogers turns up with a host of the missing soldiers following him. Captain America has looked into the eye of the enemy and managed to save the day. Although the men return safely, the Red Skull and the cosmic cube have escaped. Captain America cannot let the enemy have such power at their disposal. His primary objective is to sever the head of Hydra at all costs. Colonel Phillips allows Rogers to handpick his own group to take on mission to capture Johan Schmidt and the retrieve the cube. Thus, the Howling Commandoes are born.

The rest of the film is pretty obvious. Lots of stuff blows up and Captain America has a ton of action scenes and a couple where he gets to throw his trademark shield. All of it leading up to the final showdown between Captain America and the Red Skull. For what it is, the movie is good enough. It just doesn’t have the same appeal or feel as better movies that have come before it, like the first “Iron Man” or “The Dark Knight”.  The film is the type where you never feel any sense of suspense. From start to finish you feel exactly the same as you did when you first sat down. There’s a sense that you’ve watched a movie, but you could have spent the time better doing something else.

It’s a good stepping stone for “Captain America” and it certainly leaves the door open for many adventures to come. The film offers nothing by way of anything new to the action genre and the talents of supporting actors like Tommy Lee Jones seem a bit wasted on some of the movie’s bad one-liners. Maybe its just that Captain America and Thor aren’t as interesting as the X-Men or Spider-Man. However, Iron Man doesn’t seem like a character that would be particularly interesting, yet Marvel hit a home run with him. It all seems to be more calm before the big storm next summer as The Avengers, a movie we got to see a preview for after the credits rolled in “Captain America”. All I can do is pray that a movie with so much anticipation and such a stellar cast does not suck. You could do far worse at the movies this summer (see: “The Smurfs”) and you certainly do not need to see this film in 3-D, unless you want to spend about $4 extra to see him throw his shield at the screen (one time). “Captain America” is worth it to pump yourself up for next summer’s big budget Avengers flick, and also if you’re the type who wants to see all of the Marvel movies on the big screen. Otherwise, the best movie Marvel released this summer might already be in second-run, those lovely mutants from Xavier’s School in “X-Men: First Class”.

“Captain America: The First Avenger” is rated PG-13 for action violence and some adult themes.

The Epic End to a Decade of Magic

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ (Versus Rest of the Series: 4 Stars out of 5)

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ (As a Stand Alone Film: 3 Stars out of 5)

Someday, Warner Brothers Studios will release parts one and two of the final “Harry Potter” installment on one big, Blu-Ray, extended, 3-D Deluxe DVD Edition with hours of bonus features and a front cover that changes like a 1980s baseball card from Lord Voldemort to Harry Potter standing with his wand and a blood smear across his furrowed brow. When they eventually do, after we’ve all paid about $60 already to own both movies separately, we’ll all shell out another $50 just to own the final film in one epic installment. As fans, we will feel obligated to; because as two parts they’re both equally good films. I’m sure when all is said and done we can finally watch Harry, Hermione and Ron battle the forces of evil they way Rowling wrote it; in one long finale, the way it was meant to be seen.

If you missed part one, or you got so excited to see part two that you didn’t watch part one again to catch up, (guilty,)  there is not much time to collect yourself. Harry, Ron and Hermione are on the run, hiding out in the Weasley’s safe house after a deadly battle with Bellatrix Lestrange, one that we now know has cost one beloved house elf his life. There are still horcruxes to be found; Dumbeldore gave Harry one final task and he means to see it through to the end. A beaten and grizzled Ollivander reminds us of what the Deathly Hallows are; the Resurrection Stone, the Elder Wand and the Invisibility Cloak. Aside from this minor exposition, if you’ve got no idea what I’m talking about than you might as well not be sitting in that movie theatre chair.

Director David Yates and his team, do well to get through the slow burn to lead viewers to the final battle. When Harry realizes that one of the final horcruxes has been hidden back at Hogwarts he and his friends decide they must return to the one place that Voldemort is expecting them to be. Once they reach their old school now headmaster Severus Snape discovers them almost immediately. In one of the movie’s most awesome and endearing moments, Professor McGonagall stands between Potter and Snape, dueling with Severus until the former Potions Professor makes a narrow escape.

There is little time left. Lord Voldemort has issued an ultimatum; deliver Harry Potter within one hour. He and an army of Death Eaters stand waiting to lay siege to Hogwarts castle. Harry asks for time to finish his task. Upon his request the teachers, the Order of the Phoenix and remaining members of the student body, do their best to hold off the Death Eater horde. The battle for Hogwarts and the final battle between good and evil has finally begun. It truly is a fight ten years in the waiting.

Ultimately, if you haven’t read the books (and even if you had because you never know if they’ll change anything just to surprise us,) prepare to be glued to your seat. Characters will live and other characters will die. A major character will even have to choose to make the ultimate sacrifice. What end comes to any of your favorite characters you’ll have to either read the book or see the movie to find out; I will not spoil anything in this blog post for you.

As always, the visual effects are stunning. The acting is fantastic and there are about half a dozen moments that might bring a few tears to your eyes. What’s great too is that the filmmakers have brought back almost every single character from all the past films for at least one scene whether they have a speaking part or not (Emma Thompson can you hear me?) Director David Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves have taken a fantastic original story by J.K. Rowling and made it into one of the most gratifying endings in movie history. It took us ten years to get here whether by silver-screen, or whether you read the original text; like waiting for the finale of a great fireworks display Yates and Kloves send Potter and his friends out in dramatic fashionable bang.

Try as Hollywood might, there will never ever be another movie franchise like this in our lifetime. To stay so true for eight films, to gain so much momentum and to stay fresh for almost a decade is such an amazing, improbable feat. There are few modern-day stories that can truly be labeled classic, but Harry Potter will be a household name for many many years to come. EXPECTO PATRONUM! (Mine takes the form of Black Labrador. Why? Because I said so.)

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ is rated PG-13. Its a dark film with some graphic sequences. With all the fighting and death scenes and because Lord Voldemort is  front and center; its probably not suitable for very young kids. However, if you’ve seen the other movies in the franchise the Director takes care to not make things too gory. Nobody’s getting limbs chopped off or spilling their guts or anything like that.

Nothing New from Disney’s 50th. Nothing Bad Either!

 

“Tangled” (3 Stars out of Five)

 

                Thanks to movies like “Toy Story” and “Shrek” the days of drawn animation may soon go the way of the Western. In fact, aside from Disney’s recent “The Princess and the Frog” release cartoons as we’ve known them in the past are few and far between. Such is the case with “Tangled,” which is Disney’s fiftieth animated feature, and latest installment into their Princess line. It follows the more famous Disney Princesses like “Snow White,”  “Sleeping Beauty” and “Cinderella”. While “Tangled” should not be included in the upper echelon of past Disney releases, it officially brings the old-school Disney type films into the CGI landscape, and does hold a certain appeal that keeps it cute enough and funny enough to suggest a viewing.

                Mandy Moore, one of few bubble gum pop chicks to escape the early two thousands with some sense of dignity, is the long, golden haired lead named Rapunzel.  She’s got magical hair that is able to heal and keep people young. Mother Gothel steals Rapunzel from the cradle when Rapunzel is a newborn babe, keeping her locked in a tower for her entire life while she poses as Rapunzel’s mother and uses the power of the hair to stay young. Rapunzel however is actually a Princess; her parents lift lanterns to the sky every year on her birthday as beacon of hope for their missing daughter’s return. Rapunzel thinks the lanterns are beautiful but she doesn’t understand their true meaning. She has always had one wish, to leave the tower and see the lanterns up close and in person. She’s never been able to pinpoint the reason, but she’s always felt a special connection to the lanterns she sees flying high in the sky from afar every year. For her birthday, she hopes to ask her mother for permission to go see them. Gothel knows if Rapunzel finds out the truth of the lanterns, than the magical hair could be lost to her forever.  Mother Gothel’s only objective is to stay young so Rapunzel is not allowed to leave.

                Meanwhile, local thief Flynn Rider (voiced by “Chuck’s” Zachary Levy) has broke into the castle and stolen the heavily guarded royal crown belonging to the missing Princess. He and his two lackeys manage to escape to the forest where Rider promptly breaks from the other two and ends up finding Rapunzel’s tall tower.  Mother Gothel has gone out to collect a birthday present for her daughter, for Rapunzel is upset that she isn’t allowed out. When Rider arrives, Rapunzel is alone and she thinks that the thief is there to do her harm. After knocking him out and storing him away, Rapunzel feels a certain rush that she’s never felt before. If she can take care of an intruder in her home, maybe she can survive in a world outside of her tower. Her mother is not set to return for three days, so Rapunzel decides to use Flynn Rider as a means of getting to the lantern ceremony, the hope being that she can be there and back again before her mother gets wise.

                Plans breakdown quickly as Mother Gothel returns home too early, only to find that Rapunzel has gone. Soon Gothel is hot on the trail. Rider has agreed to take Rapunzel to the lantern ceremony because she took the stolen crown and hid it while he was unconscious. The deal is simple; he takes her to see the lanterns and she’ll give him back the crown. Little does Rapunzel know that Flynn Rider doesn’t exactly have a lot of friends. In fact, he’s made quite a few enemies, any of which will gladly turn him into local authorities for a bounty. Together and with the help of a horse named Maximus and Rapunzel’s chameleon friend Pascal, the thief and the Princess quest to return to the royal city in order to catch the lantern ceremony.

                The plot is nothing new. Obviously Rapunzel learns of her “mother’s” true intentions, and learns that the crown Flynn has stolen as well as the lantern ceremony belong to her. Obviously the lone-wolf thief named Flynn Rider finds love in the long-haired beauty Rapunzel and goes from fighting her to fighting for her. Obviously horse and chameleon characters have far too many goofy human qualities. Obviously there’s song, dance and fanfare. After fifty such movies from Disney, we can’t expect anything less. But a recycled old Disney plot is still a good Disney movie. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud comedy moments and satisfyingly quotable lines (“…here comes the smolder…”) it is not that Disney has failed here; it is that their fiftieth cartoon installment is the same as all the rest. Good battles evil, good triumphs and love and redemption is found by all. This is the type of film that rainy days, sick days, and little kids are for.

 “Tangled” is rated PG: It contains mild action violence. The PG rating probably belongs to one single character death sequence which may be too intense for small children. (Key word *may*)

 

Fifth Time’s the Charm!

“X-Men: First Class” (3 Stars out of 5)

The latest X-Men flick follows the story of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr; how their relationship came to pass, before they were known as Professor X and Magneto. Taking place primarily in the 1960s, director Matthew Vaughn (“Kick-Ass”) and his screenwriters place the very first class of mutants amidst the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the climax of which comes to pass with fictional help from Marvel’s merry mutants. The problem with “X-Men: First Class” is that director Vaughn and Co. present the audience with a story that casual fans never realized they cared about; and it features characters that at their best to die-hard Marvel fans, are as exciting as celebrities on Hollywood’s C-List.

Charles Xavier is played by James McAvoy (“Atonement”). Xavier is a brilliant young mind, obsessed with studying the mutant genome. There’s no bald man riding around in a wheelchair for this installment. One of our first glimpses of Charles Xavier is as he chugs beer from a glass boot while trying to pick up young girls in a pub. It is when federal agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Bryne, “Bridesmaids”) approaches him to seek help bringing another mutant, Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) to justice; that Xavier realizes there are a lot more like him in the world. It is his obsession with the evolution of mutants that brings Xavier to the States to lend his aid to the United States government.

Meanwhile, almost twenty years after the end of World War 2, another mutant named Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender, “Inglorious Basterds”) is hunting down his former captors one by one. Erik seeks vengeance for the murder of his mother, a woman the Nazis killed while they were trying to force his mutant power to manifest itself. Erik travels the globe seeking out each person on his list and the only person left to kill is Sebastian Shaw.   Lehnsherr shows up at the exact same time Xavier and MacTaggert are leading a sting operation to arrest Shaw while Shaw is on his private yacht. Things escalate quickly as Shaw escapes via a submarine that shoots out from the bottom of his yacht and Xavier must save Erik from drowning.

The government gives Xavier and Lehnsherr over to a top secret program. It is in this program, that Xavier and Lehnsherr both learn that there are many more mutants in the world just like them. They also learn that Shaw himself is a mutant, one that can absorb energy, channel it and use it to his own devices. It is at this facility and with this program, that Xavier and Lehnsherr come together to seek out and train a new generation of mutants to harness their gifts in order to stop villains like Shaw from using their powers to do wrong.

Using Cerebro, an invention of Dr. Hank McCoy, another mutant blessed with super intelligence as well as heightened agility Xavier and Lehnsherr locate mutants and bring them back to train at the facility. Their new team includes Raven (Jennifer Lawrence, “Winter’s Bone”), Xavier’s childhood friend who can shape-shift and later becomes Mystique from the other X-Men films. Also on board is Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult, “Clash of the Titans”) who later becomes better known as Best. Sean Cassidy (Caleb Landry Jones, “The Last Exorcism,”), can control sound waves by the pitch of his screams and later is known to the rest as Banshee.  Armondo Munoz (Edi Gathegi, “New Moon”) can adapt to any situation and is known by his codename Darwin. Angel Salvatore, (Lenny’s daughter, Zoe Kravitz,) later known as Angel, has got fairy wings and can spit balls of molten hot fire. Finally, Alex Summers (Lucas Till, “Battle Los Angeles”) better known as Havoc can generate powerful plasma blasts that he has trouble controlling without the help of a specially made suit that Hank McCoy invents for him. Brought together, their primary focus is to stop Shaw and his plan to start a nuclear war that will bring an end to the planet; as well as begin the reign of evil mutants.

The film is full of inside jokes from other X-Men movies as well as the comic books themselves. Also, aside from the main plot of X-Men versus Shaw, there are a half dozen subplots like what transpires for Hank McCoy that eventually transforms him into a blue monster and what happens to Xavier that puts him in a wheelchair. It’s well acted and packed with explosions and great special effects.  There are bunch of little things that die-hard fans will find bothersome; like the fact that Moira MacTaggert and Sean Cassidy do not have accents. Also, Sebastian Shaw played by Kevin Bacon is horribly miscast. Bacon looks nothing like the graphic depiction of Shaw in the books, and when he puts on the helmet invented to keep out telepaths he looks downright stupid. Furthermore, the only thing that the movie got right about the Hellfire Club is the character of Emma Frost, better known as White Queen (played by “Mad Men’s” January Jones). Finally, the fifth X-Men movie also fails to get Magneto’s costume right again when Erik finally dons the red helmet and purple cape. The outfit itself looks downright laughable, and on the helmet they try to incorporate Magneto’s little medallion, but the finished product looks ridiculous and Michael Fassbender appears really uncomfortable wearing it.

It is the best installment since the first X-Men movie, and if it truly is a restart to the series, than it leaves the doors open wide for things to come. However, die-hard fans might be bothered with some of the character changes the movie makes to old favorites. McAvoy and Fassbender give their all and the outcome is the best X-Men movie in ten years. I just hope they make the sequel with some more exciting mutants next.

“X-Men: First Class” is rated PG-13: It contains violence, profanity and adult themes.

Super Gr-8!!

“Super 8” (4 Stars out of 5)

          It’s the perfect amalgam of all the best movie genres. Barrowing bits and pieces from comedy, drama, science fiction and even horror, director JJ Abrams and executive producer Stephen Spielberg have teamed up to bring the exact type of film that movie-goers have been missing in their summers for many years. Even though it dabbles in the darker side of the PG-13 and R ratings, “Super 8” should fall on collector’s shelves next to classics like “The Goonies” and “E.T.” for decades to come.

                One thing about Abrams, as fans learned from his hit television show “Lost,” is that he’s very driven by the development of his characters. From the previews, you’re drawn to the mystery of what emerges from a train that’s crashed. The original trailer shows the wreckage, and at the end of the teaser, someone or something is trying to bust through that metal door of a felled train car. The finished product however, is much more than your run of the mill monster flick. The movie focuses on the story of six friends, coming together during summer vacation, amidst the tragedy of one of them losing a parent, trying to create a movie to enter into a local film contest. The kids’ film focuses on a zombie epidemic that’s sweeping a small town, all the scenes being captured on a Super 8 camera.

                Abrams brings us back to the late seventies. Lillian, Ohio is the typical small town. The Sheriff’s Deputy, Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler, “Friday Night Lights”) has lost his wife in a recent accident at her job. Lamb is the type who’s always been more married to his job than to his wife, it will be the first time he’ll be faced with having to be a real father. His immediate answer is to ship his son Joe off to summer camp. Joe (Joel Courtney) wants to stay behind and help his friend Charles (Riley Griffiths) direct his zombie movie that he’ll enter into the local film contest. Joe and Charles have friends Cary, (Ryan Lee) Martin (Gabriel Basso) and Preston (Zach Mills) that are helping out as well.  Martin is the film’s lead actor while Preston plays all the extras and Cary stands in as all of the movie’s zombie characters. Charles decides that his film would be even better with a love interest, so the boys enlist the help of Alice Dainard, (Elle Fanning) a cute young girl that Joe just so happens to have a crush on. Alice and Joe have a classic Romeo and Juliet type romance going on as Joe is the Deputy’s son and Alice’s father is town’s local roughian.

                Charles brings everybody to the train station in the dead of night to film a scene that will take place between Martin and Alice, where Martin playing the detective will tell his wife that she needs to leave town. They see a train coming, and Charles scrambles his crew together to shoot the scene as the train storms through. He believes shooting with the train moving in the background will add greatly to the scene they want to shoot. As the cameras roll, Joe spots a pick-up truck on the tracks; he immediately realizes something is horribly wrong. The kids scatter as train and truck collide and explosions ensue. The crash will probably end up being one of the most action-packed sequences from any movie that will be released this year. It is a wonder when all of the kids rise from the debris, unscathed. Everything that follows thereafter should be seen in theatres, rather than read on this blog. The paragraphs that follow do not give too much away.

                The United States Air Force arrives and immediately starts to clean up the crash. The people of Lillian, Ohio are left wondering what exactly happened. Suddenly, strange things start to happen in town. The power goes in and out, local car dealerships are missing key components of their vehicles and even the dogs are disappearing and turning up in other counties. Then there’s the case loads of ‘metal Rubik’s cubes’ that the Air Force is picking up and packing away. Once locals, including the Sheriff start disappearing, Deputy Lamb takes it upon himself to figure out just what the heck is going on.

                 “Super 8” is probably a better movie if you go into it not knowing everything, so try not to read too many reviews. It’s only major flaw may be what audience the film is trying to cater to. It is far too dark for younger kids, with scary scenes as well as profane language and drugs being used. At the same time, the main characters being too young (middle schoolers,) may polarize an older movie audience. Those that are old enough to remember “The Goonies” and “E.T.” should find solace in the nostalgia the film provides. Abrams’ resume on the silver screen includes “Mission Impossible 3” as well as the revamped “Star Trek,” and we all know what he presented fans with the TV series “Lost.” He mixes all the best aspects of his works thus far with this release and having Stephen Spielberg as a mentor, is not too shabby either. In fact, if Abrams keeps making the right moves, he just may be the next Spielberg.

Keep them coming JJ!

 “Super 8” is rated PG-13: it contains violence, sequences of horror, profanity, some blood and gore as well as limited drug use.

Another Night to Remember…

“The Hangover 2″ (3 Stars out of 5)

The beauty of 2009’s comedy hit, “The Hangover” was that it was so unexpected. Director Todd Phillips hadn’t had a hit since “Old School” in 2003. The film’s only recognizable talent was Justin Bartha, who played Doug, the groom whose friends (*SPOILER*) leave him on the roof of a Las Vegas hotel after a night of debauchery that they can’t for the life of them remember. Not only did the first movie propel Phillips back into pop culture, it also made a star out of Bradley Cooper, it returned Zach Galifianakis to relevance and it helped to stoke the flames for Ed Helms’ career fire. Two years later, Cooper is on Hollywood’s  A-List, Galifianakis is a comedy go-to and Helms enjoys his time vying for the open management position at Pennyslvania’s favorite paper company.

Now, the “Wolf Pack” is back. Ed Helms’ character, Stu is getting married. Although, for fans of the first movie, it is not to the female escort (Heather Graham) he met in Vegas. No, this time he’s fallen for a girl named Lauren (Jaime Chung) whose family is from Thailand, where the wedding ceremony is set to take place. Stu looks to keep things light and simple, inviting his close buds Phil (Bradley Cooper) and Doug (Justin Bartha) out to IHOP for a bachelor brunch before they all get on a plane to fly out to the wedding. Tracy, Alan’s (Zach Galifianakis) sister has asked her husband Doug to have Stu extend a last minute invite to Alan for the wedding. It seems Alan hasn’t stopped talking about the boys after their night in Vegas, and he has been very distraught to not receive an invitation to Stu’s wedding. Though for Stu, inviting the person who was responsible for what happened the last time is not exactly on his list of things that will keep his wedding light and simple.

Alan gets his invite when Stu arrives in person, but is saddened to find out he’ll be travelling with Stu’s future brother in-law, a sixteen year old named Teddy (Mason Lee). For Stu, travelling with a minor is the perfect reason not to get outrageous again, and for Alan, somebody as entered the “Wolf Pack” without prior approval. Once the boys arrive overseas, and all the pre-wedding festivities have been completed, Phil wants to kick back and relax by taking Stu out to the beach for a couple of beers and a late night bonfire. At first, Stu is apprehensive, but even his fiancé thinks he should take a break and relax. Lauren thinks it would be a good idea for Stu to spend the night with his friends, and to bring Teddy along as well because he’s the type of kid who sticks to his studies and doesn’t take a ton of time out for harmless male fun.

The men go out to the beach to light a fire and Phil is given a case of beers from the hotel bar. He also makes sure to tell Stu that all the beers come sealed. Nothing is getting slipped into their drinks this time. Once again it is Phil who raises his glass for a toast, and once again things speed up on-screen as we fast forward from night to day.

The next morning Phil, Stu and Alan wake up in a dingy and unfamiliar room. There are open bottles of alcohol everywhere, but the room is only half as destroyed as the suite they stayed in when they were in Vegas. No, this room is just filthy. It is crawling with bugs and it has inexplicable stains all over the place. Phil finds himself face down on the floor sleeping in the same clothes he wore the night before. Alan rolls over from the top of bunk beds on the far side of the room, and Stu has made himself comfortable in the room’s tub. Doug and Teddy are not with them.

Phil is worried, but there is nothing to be upset about just yet. However, when Doug calls from the hotel, waiting for his friends to arrive for breakfast, things head south in a hurry. Alan’s head has been shaved, and Stu’s got himself a permanent facial tattoo, the same type as Mike Tyson. As if things weren’t bad enough, Teddy is not accounted for. Sure, Doug is back safe and sound, but it turns out that the only lead they have with regard to Teddy is his severed ring finger that’s sitting on a table in a pool of water. Yes folks, it has happened again.

From this point forward, we pretty much have the same movie. The boys try like heck to retrace their steps, they can’t right away, but after emptying their pockets and having a meeting of the minds they set out to the streets of Bangkok to try to solve the mystery of what transpired, and find out what happened to Teddy. The supporting characters are the same; Mr. Chow is here, as well as the guy who owned the wedding chapel Stu got married in from the first movie. However, this time around Bryan Callen plays Samir, the owner of an exotic dance club, where he bartends and sells black market automatic weapons. Even the same soundtrack returns, featuring songs from Kanye West and Wolfmother. Heck it wouldn’t be a surprise to find out that Todd Phillips timed Ed Helms’ new song “Allentown” to the exact same moment as Helms’ song in the original movie.

That being said, it is not necessarily a bad thing that things are the same. Most of the time, we want to see some kind of evolution in a film franchise, something to advance the characters from movie to movie. But why do we need that in an R-rated comedy about three guys who get so drunk that they can’t remember all the messed up stuff they did the night before? It would be one thing for Scorsese to make “Goodfellas” and then ruin it with “Goodfellas 2” but what more than the same can we expect from a movie called “The Hangover?”

Its biggest flaw may be the location, Bangkok. When the boys first set out in Vegas, aside from all of their dirty deeds, the flashiness of Vegas still offered a bit of intrigue. Although most of the trouble the guys get into the first time around could never happen in real life, the appeal of getting drunk and having a “story” that stays in Vegas looms large.

Not so, this time around. Bangkok seems too dark and too seedy. Although this may be the theme of the film, Phillips makes the city look like the sort of place that does not look fun to travel to. From rotten hotel rooms, to strip clubs, sweat inducing heat and crowded city streets, Phillips does paint a colorful enough picture of Bangkok to make it look fun to hang out in, even sober.

No, this is not a better film than the original. No, this is not more funny than the original. No, it does not really advance any of the characters; Phil’s still a bit of a prick, Stu’s still a dentist, Alan’s still demented and Doug’s still left behind. However, Todd Phillips gives fans exactly what they want with the “Hangover 2”. It’s a second night of foul-mouthed humor, and drunken stupidity from three guys we expect if from most. Other reviews say that the mystery is missing from this installment, and although I agree to an extent; (I do think they reveal too much of the night a little too quickly;) I was still guessing until the very end as to what exactly happened to Stu’s brother in-law. Yes, from flaming cop cars to full frontal male nudity and high speed car chases “Hangover 2” does everything the first movie did and adds a couple more jokes that’ll keep you laughing and talking afterwards. It’s the kind of movie that you watch the first time, think is ‘okay’ and then the jokes stick with you to the point you’ll laugh harder at them when you see it again later on DVD. Phillips and Co. are back, they’re funny again and if the franchise is indeed a trilogy, I’ll be happily awaiting the third adventure of Phil, Stu and Alan, a “Wolf Park” I don’t necessarily want to be a part of, but I sure enjoy laughing at the expense of.

“Hangover 2” Rated R: Features harsh language, very profane humor, drug use, nudity (male and female), excessive amounts of drinking, underage drinking, and violence.

Its Like ‘Wedding Crashers’ for Ladies

 

“Bridesmaids” (3.5 Stars out of Five)

Let me start by saying that a “chick flick” that tries to advertise itself as ‘not a chick flick’ is bound to be more of a “chick flick” than any of the “chick flicks” that have come before it. Director Paul Feig’s (“The Office”) new movie, written by SNL cast member Kristen Wiig is no different from the types of self described non chick flicks that have come before it. Remember a few years back when Cameron Diaz made a movie called “The Sweetest Thing?” It was about three good-looking gals doing gross humor and it wasn’t supposed to be a movie for girls, because the humor was profane. Apparently, somebody along the way decided that women aren’t allowed to like movies such as “The Hangover” or “Step Brothers”. So, because of that fact we get movies like “The Sweetest Thing” and now “Bridesmaids.” By summer’s end though, “Bridesmaids” might not only end up being one of the funnier movies of 2011, it may just be the type of sleeper hit that “The Hangover” (“guy movie”) became a couple of years ago. However, be warned fellahs; this is still a movie about women competing to be the best bridesmaid, with a plot that involves wedding showers and shopping for wedding dresses. So I’m sorry to say, it’s still pretty much a chick flick. Although there’s plenty of laugh out loud moments to be seen, I would ask that the boys out there who would like to see this, bring at least one gal-pal along because you’ll be outnumbered in the theatre anyway.

Lillian and Annie are life-long friends who have shared everything together. Now though, after a rough patch of relationships and failed career attempts it has come to Lillian to be the first of the duo to grow up and say “I do” to her long-term boyfriend. Annie (Kristen Wiig) tries to be happy for her best friend. Lillian (Maya Rudolph) of course asks Annie to be her maid of honor, but things in Annie’s life are not all that great. She’s got a tragic living arrangement where her roommates want her to move out. Every day she gets to stop by the spot where her bakery, “The Cake Lady” was once located, and it is a constant of her failure as a small business start-up. Her car is a piece of trash and the man that she’s sleeping with (Jon Hamm, in a hilarious cameo) doesn’t want to take the next step beyond “f**K buddies”. As if all of that wasn’t bad enough, Annie’s got to contend with rich bitch Helen (Rose Byrne, “Troy” and “X-Men: First Class”) a new friend in Lillian’s life. She’s the wife of Lillian’s fiancé’s boss. Helen is hell bent on usurping Annie as maid of honor, and since Helen is pretty much made of money, there isn’t much that’s going to stand in her way.

The other bridesmaids are a rag tag bunch of misfits. There’s Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey, from “Reno 9-1-1”) a woman who just wants an excuse to leave her home life where she is apparently miserable. Becca (Ellie Kemper, “The Office”) is newly married herself and is still in the cutesy, ‘let finish each other’s sentences’ stage. Finally there’s Megan (Melissa McCarthy from TV’s “Mike and Molly”). Aside from some of the language, its Megan’s antics that give this movie it’s R-rating. She’s the polar opposite of pretty much everybody in the group, the type who doesn’t wear any makeup or do anything with her hair besides throwing it into a pony tail. Melissa McCarthy also steals the show in most of her scenes, as Megan is the movie’s funniest character. For example, when Helen throws a French-themed bridal shower at her mansion, the take-home treat for each guest is a puppy. Megan somehow makes off with nine. As she explains later, she may be “more of a six puppy” kind of gal.

Annie tries valiantly to keep up with Helen’s ideas and money as the two of them butt heads about what will help Lillian have the perfect wedding. After a botched trip to Vegas, and a tantrum thrown at Lillian’s shower, Annie is asked to step down as maid of honor, and not to come to the wedding at all.  This of course, leads to the film’s final act where everybody makes up and is happy again.

Kristen Wiig’s characters are witty and real. The relationship between Annie and Lillian was reminiscent of the trials and tribulations of relationships we all must have with some of our oldest friends. The comedy is truly funny. Wiig’s role is bound to make her a star in the realm of fellow SNL alum Tina Fey. In fact, Wiig may have outdone Fey on her first try. Aside from the profanity and gross humor, “Bridesmaids” might have more heart and staying power than Fey’s “Mean Girls” which was her first Hollywood hit.

Though I don’t see myself popping “Bridesmaids” into the DVD player over and over on a sick, or perhaps rainy day at home, it should offer as many laughs for you in the first sitting as the reviews all say. My biggest regret is that although it’s a comedy produced by Judd Apatow, it doesn’t have the same heart and message in its final act as other movies like “Knocked Up” and “The 40 Year Old Virgin” have shown in the past. In the end, between “Bridesmaids” and “The Hangover 2”, two R-rated comedies that will dominate the box office this summer, I think it will be “Bridesmaids” that comes out on top as the better movie albeit probably not the better money-maker.

Let the Summer Begin!…

 

“Thor“ (2.5 Stars out of Five)

**SPOILER ALERT** I may or may not give away the entire film here. The choice is yours to continue reading. Marvel Comics’ character Thor, suffers from the same problem that his predecessor, Hulk, suffered from. Neither of them have very exciting origin stories. They’re just the bruiser characters from the Avengers team. In fact, of the Avengers holy trinity of founding members, (Captain America, Iron Man and Thor,) I would go so far as to say that Thor is the least interesting of the bunch. Thor is the heavy hitter with a tender heart. His role is to hit things very hard with his hammer and to ask questions later. I for one have never been very interested in where he’s come from. And thus, that is the exact same emotion I felt while I was watching Thor. It’s sort of a ‘yea, okay it’s all happening; but why do I care?’ type  of movie.

Thor comes from Asgard, a place far away from Earth and his father is the god, Odin. His father is growing old and it has fallen to either Thor or his brother, Loki, (the god of mischief) to take their father’s place on the throne. When danger rears its ugly head, the quick tempered Thor goes looking for a fight. Thor’s temper brings the threat of war to his people and an angry Odin casts out his son to exile.

Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), and Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) accidentally stumble upon the newly vanquished Thor in the desert of New Mexico. Foster and Selvig are physicists studying…something…the movie never truly explains what. Jane, her mentor/father figure Erik and their intern/comic relief Darcy (Kat Dennings) are all thoroughly taken by the intrigue of Thor. However, other than the fact that they were written into the script- the three of them offer nothing to the overall plot. Jane, Erik and Darcy are as important as most of the film’s extras. Even when Jane and Thor somehow fall in love, it still doesn’t feel like any other characters besides Thor and the Asgardians needed to be in the movie. Other than the fact that Marvel somehow had to tie this guy back to Earth so he could join the big team next summer.

The central plot is this: Thor gets exiled. He wants really bad to go back home. Meanwhile, his father takes ill. His brother Loki comes back to Earth and tells Thor that their father is dead and that Thor must remain in exile to carry out his father’s last act. Loki then returns to Asgard where he decides he’ll use the throne to make a pact with their enemies (the Frost Giants…) Loki makes it all very simple: the Frost Giants get to kill Odin, and Loki will give them back something that Odin took from them ages ago. Thor’s friends find out that “mischief” (get it? Because Loki’s the god of it…) is afoot and decide that they need to go and get their friend back so that he can save the day.

Also intertwined, is S.H.I.E.L.D. the secret organization that was introduced to us in the first “Iron Man” film. They’re wondering just who the heck Thor is, and what his hammer is doing immobile in a desert in New Mexico. They know that something is going on, but they can’t for the life of them figure out what. The creepy guy that Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) has been using as an ambassador (Clark Gregg) through all of the films gets his most screen time here. **SPOILER ALERT** There’s even a great cameo from another classic Avenger. That is, if you’re a fan of the comic books. Those who are not fans of the comics will probably miss it.

The special effects are big and they come often. However, just because they can make things colorful, and three dimensional, it doesn’t mean they’ve made us a great film. Like the third “Pirates of the Caribbean” or even the third “Spider-Man,” this feels like the type of summer movie that was made just so the production company could make money and continue with their ever building hype for next summer’s “Avengers” movie. Marvel needs to shell out all of the origin stories of the core Avengers guys before the “big” film hits theatres. Of the ones they’ve released so far “Thor” probably falls in between Edward Norton’s “Incredible Hulk” and “Iron Man 2.” Aside from expensive special effects, a weak origin story mixes with pretty much worthless secondary characters, creating nothing more than the usual summer movie popcorn film that we’ve seen a million times before. The big man, Captain America, gets his big budget, big screen treatment next. After an average Hulk, a decent “Iron Man 2” and a barely passable “Thor” film, I wait with bated breath. With the boys of summer currently playing on grassy diamonds across the U.S. if Marvel were a baseball team, they’d be batting about .250 with their film offerings since “Iron Man”. Hopefully were not all bored by the time “Avengers” gets here. (Joss Whedon hear our prayers.)

Stay until after the credits for Marvel’s usual teaser!!