Toy Story 3

One of my all time favorite movies, animated or otherwise, is Toy Story. I love the premise: toys that come to life when their owner leaves the room. The head toy, Woody, feels threatened when his kid Andy gets a hot new toy, Buzz. Over the course of the movie Woody helps Buzz realize that their main purpose is to be available for Andy, and they become as close as brothers by the end. That movie has an indescribable quality about it. Whether it is the fantastic plot, wit, humor, charm, or pure joy, Disney and Pixar captured absolute magic. It is hard to imagine that one movie could perfectly encapsulate such a full gamut of emotions. It totally revolutionized movies, animated or otherwise.

I was nervous when they made Toy Story 2. The first TS was a classic. Sequels hardly ever work as well as the original. Hollywood tends to forget what made the original great and try to "improve" the sequel. Why? I don't know. But it angers me. And that's why I was worried about TS2. How could they possibly capture the magic a 2nd time? No way right?

Wrong. They nailed it. The 2nd film explores what happens when toys feel abandoned by their owners. Woody is stolen by an evil toymaker who wants to sell him as part of a vintage set to a foreign museum. Buzz and the gang save him and remind him about his ultimate purpose: to bring joy to Andy. The magic and the genius returned: it was funny, exciting, endearing. TS2 was almost as good as the first - like how the Godfather Part II is almost as good as the Godfather. I breathed a big sigh of relief.

So naturally when I heard Toy Story 3 was being released, it was a bittersweet feeling. While I was pumped to be revisiting the world of Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang, I had that same previous anxiety about a sequel. But I have more trust in Pixar than any other movie studio working today. They haven't had a misfire yet and there's only one film in their canon I didn't really enjoy (Ratatouille. I just didn't enjoy it). So I walked in with cautious enthusiasm.

Boy, was I once again blown away. TS3 continues the magic started 15 years ago. In this adventure, Andy is grown and off to college. As before, the gang is worried about being abandoned and not played with. Through a series of mishaps, they end up at a daycare, which is both a blessing and a curse: a blessing because they are never outgrown and kids always want to play with them, but a curse because they never make a deeper connection with one kid.

When the toys arrive at the daycare, Woody immediately decides it's time to go back to Andy, but the rest of the group decides to stay. When they do, it appears like they've arrived at Shangri-La. Barbie finally meets Ken, and the crew meet Lotso, the leader of the daycare toys. He welcomes them and puts them in the infant room, where the toys get roughhoused. But when they ask for reassignments to the main room, where kids play with toys in a civilized manner, Lotso shows his mean streak and shows them that the daycare is like Shawshank.

Meanwhile Woody gets picked up by one of the daycare girls. When he spends the night at their house, he learns the true nature of the daycare and decides to go back and help them. He reunites with the rest of the toys and they make a break for it. At the end of the day, the gang gets back to Andy, and Andy decides to give them to the little girl who took Woody home with her. They all get a chance to love another kid.

There is so much to like in TS3 it's hard to know where to start, so I'll go with my favorites. My favorite part is when Buzz accidentally gets flipped into Spanish mode. Everything about that whole sequence is funny. I also appreciated the commentary they filmmakers make about the ruthlessness of toddler playtime. Barbie and Ken's relationship, particularly when she ties him up and uses his fashion obsession to torture him is great. I was touched when Woody, Buzz, and all the rest of the toys band together in the face of certain incineration. And Buzz's tango with Jessie during the end credits is fantastic.

TS3 solidifies for me that Pixar is the New York Yankees of animation studios. They cannot be beat. They continue to pump out films that stimulate both kids and adults on a deep emotional level. I think TS3 continues the Toy Story legacy. I'll be happy to add this film to my toybox when it comes out on DVD.

Crazy Heart

I am not a big fan of country music. I'm trying my best to get into it (Kenny Chesney and Rascal Flats are pretty good), but there's just something about it that prevents me from getting into it and I don't know why. I've heard a wide range of country artists and groups and it is nearly impossible for me to really like them. I continue to try.

I say this because my only trepidation about watching the Oscar-winning film Crazy Heart (CH) was that it focuses on a country singer. I was worried that no matter how much I may have enjoyed the acting performances or the story, I wouldn't really love the movie because of the focus on country music.

Well color me tickled, was I wrong.

I really liked CH, and I really enjoyed its music. Produced by T Bone Burnett, the mastermind behind the music of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, CH showcases some amazing country tunes, including the Oscar-winning "The Weary Kind". I found my foot tapping and my head bobbing along with the audiences inside the movie. The music is the soul of this movie, and it is really exceptional. The film at points almost plays like a concert movie, complete with audience shots and interesting stage camera shots, and the music was so good that it made me wish I was there. What a pleasant surprise.

But please make no mistake about it, the heart of CH (no pun intended) is Jeff Bridges. He is outstanding as Bad Blake, the past-his-prime country singer that the movie focuses on. His performance alone takes this movie from pretty good to great in the same way that Jamie Foxx's performance in Ray elevates that movie a couple notches. I completely agree with the Academy's decision to award him the Oscar for Best Actor. And this isn't just a lifetime achievement Oscar win for him either - this is probably the best performance of his career. He earned his Oscar.

In my note on Facebook, I wrote that I would've given the Oscar to George Clooney for Up in the Air. I must now recant that pick after seeing this performance. Here's why: Up in the Air would still be a good movie with another actor other than George Clooney as the lead (I think Edward Norton also could've done a great job) because the writing in that movie is so strong - Clooney's performance didn't enhance that film. That's not true with CH. Without Jeff Bridges, this movie is rudimentary and cliche. It could've and probably would've fallen into the usual music biopic traps, but Bridges' performance makes this film different. Using a sports analogy, Jeff Bridges was the male acting MVP. He deserved the trophy.

That's not to say that Bridges is the only strong performance in CH. Maggie Gyllenhaal did a great job as Blake's love interest Jean, deserving of her Oscar nod. She brings a lot of warmth to the movie as a single mom who loves her son and Bad Blake, in that order. And Colin Farrell as country music superstar Tommy Sweet was a nice surprise. He reminds you that when you don't worry about his off-screen antics he is a fine actor. And props to both him and Bridges for doing their own vocal work in the movie. Couldn't have asked for more from this cast.

The story of CH following Bad Blake in the twilight of his career is really interesting and, as I mentioned, avoids a lot of the music biopic cliches. It has lots of heart and charm. The movie progressively makes you more invested in Blake and his struggle to succeed in both his personal and professional lives. You follow Blake all the way to the bottom and then accompany him as he climbs out of the holes he digs himself in. Not only do you cheer for him, you want to cheer for him. For me, that is the essence of the movies at their best.

I think CH is the American equivalent of Once, another fabulous music movie; great music centered around a very touching and somewhat tragic love story that rewards anyone who watches it and goes by way too fast (seek out the Irish film Once; it is so worth your time). At the end I almost wanted to put on my boots, don my cowboy hat, and giddy up to my local honky tonk for a rowdy good time.

Almost.

The A-Team

I wish there was some way to play the old A-Team theme song throughout this entire post. Alas, we're not there yet. Just hum along with me as you read (bum bam bum baaam, bum bum buuuuuumm . . . .)

Unless you're really young, oblivious, or smoked a whole lot of weed (or maybe some combo of the three), you already know that this movie (AT) is based on the 80s tv show of the same name. Hannibal, Face, Murdock, and BA Baracus have finally made their way from the small screen to the big screen.

Random aside: I know others have pointed this out, but the release of The A-Team and The Karate Kid coupled with the Lakers vs Celtics in the NBA, anybody else having an 80s flashback? Maybe I should start riding my bike around the block again.

AT is about a group of four elite Army Rangers: Hannibal, the group's leader and mastermind; "Face" Peck, the master of disguise and ladies man; Murdock, the insane (literally) pilot, and BA (stands for Bad Attitude) Baracus, the guns specialist and all around pimp. Individually they are all the best; as a collective group, there's nobody better in the world. Kind of like the ideal NBA team.

The movie starts introduces us to the characters and shows us how they come together with a little adventure in Mexico killing an evil Mexican General. We then flash 8 years into the future as they go on a tough mission in Baghdad at the tail end of the war: the team must covertly recover US money plates before Iraqis use them to print billions in illegal and unbackable US funds. The operation goes off without a hitch - until the vehicle carrying the General who "orders" the mission explodes and the plates are stolen by a private military group led by the evil Pike.

Our heroes are wrongly blamed for mission going south. They are court martialed and sent to separate military prisons. Of course they escape, assisted somewhat by the shady Lynch, to recover the stolen plates and bring Pike to justice.

Now the film does not worry too much about its plot, and it doesn't have to: you don't come to AT to be intellectually stimulated. Yeah, you'll see all the "plot twists" coming from a mile away, but you won't care cause you didn't come for that. You came to see guns, explosions, good action, and the occasional laugh. And the movie delivers all of that. AT moves along at a really good pace; the two hours fly by. It doesn't try to be serious and tries to capture some of the spirit of the original tv show, which it does to a certain degree.

I especially enjoyed the acting efforts of all four of the principles. Liam Neeson is reliably good as Hannibal and is believable as the team's leader. Bradley Cooper's star continues to rise with a great summer follow-up to last year's The Hangover. Sharlto Copley, who was genius as the man-turning-into-an-alien in last year's surprise District 9. But the biggest, most pleasant surprise is Rampage Jackson. I was concerned about his acting ability when I heard about his casting in this iconic role. But he does a really good job of coupling his natural aggression with well-timed subtlety to give Baracus way more depth than I expected.

I imagine if AT makes enough $$ that there will be a sequel; they definitely left it open for one. If they do, that is one mission I'll happily join.

Tropic Thunder

I don't know how I feel about Ben Stiller as a filmmaker.

Yes, he is a funny actor, particularly when he is being more subtle and not trying to hard to be the over the top Ben Stiller. I know, you're thinking "What does that mean?" Think of him in The Heartbreak Kid. He's ridiculous and schticky. But in There's Something about Mary, he is much more low key and relaxed. It's night and day between those two films (and I won't make any commentary about the difference in quality between those two movies). As an actor, Stiller is fine and I enjoy watching him.

I bring this up because as a filmmaker, unlike his acting work, it's much more difficult to nail down his effectiveness. Take Zoolander: I think of it as Stiller's opus on the absurdity and stupidity of the fashion industry and the materialistic and egotistical nature it inspires. I didn't find it all that funny, but it does make some interesting and poignant points about the subject matter. I wouldn't rate it very good, but it's worth a one-time look.

I think of Tropic Thunder (TT) as his Hollywood equivalent of Zoolander. I won't bother to summarize the plot because it doesn't matter; the plot is simply a vehicle for Stiller to do what he really wants, which is to take square aim at the ridiculousness of how Hollywood makes movies and what actors go through to get into the mind of a character or the atmosphere of a film's setting. And just like Zoolander, I didn't find it particularly funny, but it did raise interesting thematic ideas throughout.

I view TT as I do Entourage. It is an illuminating look behind the curtain of Hollywood and its workings. It gives me a sense of how movies get made and all the ridiculousness that studios and actors will go through for the "love of the craft" (which is code for the big payday or the brightness of the fame spotlight). Don't get me wrong, it's not like I feel like they portray Hollywood in a fair or honest light, but all of the absurdity is underlined with kernels of truth.

TT got a lot of attention for Robert Downey Jr., who plays Kirk Lazarus, an actor who decides to go under a radical surgery to play an African-American in the movie-within-a-movie. And don't get me wrong, he is good and fairly funny throughout the movie. But it is Tom Cruise, who plays movie executive Les Grossman, who steals the movie. He is very funny and owns every scene he is in. It's not that Downey didn't deserve it, but I think Cruise should've gotten the Best Supporting Actor nomination for this movie.

Besides the comedic lampooning of Hollywood, the only other reason to watch TT is Tom Cruise. I just hope that future Stiller-directed movies have more comedic substance and less social commentary in them.

Role Models

Role Models (RM) is the comedic story of two guys, Danny and Wheeler, played by Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott, respectively, that work for an energy drink company. When Danny has a quarter to mid life crisis and is frustrated with his lot in life, he, with Wheeler in tow, get into some trouble with the law (it involves energy drink, a "pep" talk to high schoolers, and a pickup truck designed to look like the fantastical minotaur. It is as funny as it sounds) and crashes his relationship with his long-time girlfriend Beth, played by Elizabeth Banks.

To avoid jail time, they opt to participate in 150 hours of community service with Sturdy Hands, a Big Brother-type mentoring program run by Gayle Sweeny, played with comedic slyness by Jane Lynch. Danny gets paired with Augie, a high school teen obsessed with being a fictional warrior in a life-sized fantasy-type role playing game which resembles a cross between Final Fantasy and Lord of the Rings. Wheeler gets assigned to Ronnie, a young African-American man being raised in a single parent household who can be, to put it mildly, a rambunctious handful.

At the start, as is expected, both men struggle to connect with their new charge. Danny's sarcastic, flippant approach to life doesn't bring any comfort or joy to Augie. Meanwhile, Ronnie brings all kinds of grief to Wheeler. But both men stick it out (the threat of jail would motivate me too) and slowly begin relating to the boys.

And doing so brings plenty of genuine hilarity along the way. Danny starts to become a member of Augie's army, and the scenes where he begins to learn all the ways of Danny's fake culture are great. But the heart of this movie is how Wheeler connects with Ronnie; I laughed long and hard throughout many of their scenes, like when Wheeler tells Ronnie that he loves the band Kiss because all their songs are about having sex; or when, while on a Sturdy Hands camping trip, Wheeler teaches Ronnie how to look at women's breasts as discreetly as possible. Their scenes play to the lower bases of being a man, but you can't deny how funny it really is.

There is a lot to like in RM, particularly throughout the first hour. I already mentioned Wheeler and Ronnie's relationship, but I really have to commend Sean William Scott. As an actor, his stereotypical frat boy, sex-crazed, over-the-top comedic sensibility (as seen in most of his films, most notably in the American Pie series) usually overwhelms and drowns any kind of potential performance he might give. But in this role, he gives it just the right amount of temperance to make his character thoroughly enjoyable, which I really didn't think he had in him.

The mood, pacing, and structure of the first hour is spot-on for optimally enjoying a crude comedy. The laughs come pretty consistently. and even though the last 40 minutes or so is fairly predictable and less comedically strong, it still gets the job done and keeps you engaged, which is better than I thought the film could deliver.

Oh, and how can you not love Jane Lynch? Even though she is now mostly known as the sassy Sue Sylvester on Glee, I've been impressed with her comedic brilliance since great guest spots in lots of other gems like Arrested Development and My Name is Earl. Her career is like that of a designated hitter in baseball; she's not a huge star, but is recognizable, talented, you respect her bat, and you get excited when you see her because you know she will deliver the goods. RM is no exception.

RM is a pretty good movie. It isn't a "as soon as it comes out I've gotta have it" DVD purchase, but if it was in the bargain bin, on a significant sale, or really cheap on Black Friday, I might pick it up. And when you get a chance, you should check it out.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (PPST) is the based on the video game of the same name. It follows the adventures of Dastan, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, a young peasant boy found in the streets of Persia by King Sharaman and raised as one of the princes of Persia. He grows up and becomes a great warrior with the Persian army, which launches an assault on the city of Alamur, a Holy city that Sharaman instructs his sons not to attack but which do so anyway at the behest of the king's brother, Nizam.

When they do, find the Princess of Alamur, Tamina, who is then promised to Dastan as a reward for his exploits. The King joins the group to celebrate the victory, but when he puts on a cloak that Dastan presents to him as a gift, he is burned alive. This prompts everyone to think Dastan killed the king, making him a fugitive. Dastan unknowingly stumbles upon a powerful weapon: a special dagger that, when filled with the appropriate sand and pressed in the right spot, can rewind time for about 1 minute, aware to only the dagger's user. Because Tamina has sworn to protect the dagger, they both go on the run.

The film then spends the rest of its time following each of them while they go on their journeys, try to figure out who is behind the king's death, who is trying to steal the Sands of Time dagger, and watching as they grow closer together. There's nothing about this plot that is surprising or dramatic, but I like that the film doesn't take itself too seriously: it has fun at each point along the way to its inevitable conclusion, and the way that the story wraps up is pretty clever considering the source material. For a video game movie, I was pleased - I got what I came for.

Along the film's journey Tamina and Dastan get in numerous scrapes with the Persian army and meet some interesting characters, including Sheik Amar, played with gusto by the always reliable Alfred Molina. While Gyllenhaal is the star of the movie, Molina is the acting standout. He shines in every scene he's in and is warm, charming, and funny. He continues to cement himself as one of the best supporting actors in Hollywood.

While the film does a great job of making action sequences that improve upon the fight sequences seen in the game, which is to be expected, one of the great charms and reasons for the success of the video game, the thought-provoking puzzles, is lost for the movie. That too is also to be expected; unlike an active gamer, who can control the advancement of the story and feel a sense of accomplishment by completing the puzzles, a passive audience member would probably get extremely frustrated by watching Dastan jump through puzzle hoops to get to the film's conclusion. Impatience with the "extra" would cripple the movie.

I have to give the film credit: it pays homage to the video game in certain spots without disrupting the flow of the movie. In the beginning they use a camera movement that mimics the beginning of one of the game's chapters; later on, Dastan shows some of the Persian soldiers how to walk up a wall, which mirrors how he does it in the game. These little nods are appreciated by me since it enriches the experience for anyone that has played the game.

I think when you compare PPST to other movies based on video games (Super Mario Brothers, Mortal Kombat, or Street Fighter, for example), it really is a standout. It's a quick two hours and doesn't insult the intelligence of its audience. It knows exactly what it is and sticks to its roots. Personally, I wouldn't use the Sands of Time dagger to rewind my experience. And you really can't ask for anything more.

Sex and the City 2

Let me start by saying that I was not a fan of the HBO series the two films are based on. It's not that I actively disliked it; I've only seen between 2-5 episodes (only seen 1 from start to finish - I've seen pieces of multiple episodes) of the show. But I know that this series is the Holy Grail for most women that I know in terms of enjoyment, fashion, and sensibility. So when the first Sex and the City (SATC) movie came out, I went to see it to see what all the hulabaloo was about, besides hopefully enjoying a good movie experience.

Unfortunately for me, SATC was not a very scintillating experience (probably will never do a SATC: Revisited as I don't plan to revisit it). I found it way too long, somewhat dry, and not particularly funny. But for all the die-hard fans out there they got what they wanted: more quality time with their fav girlfriends, Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda and to see Carrie's wedding to Big.

So you might be wondering, "Why on earth did you go see SATC2 then?" Well, I figured that there was no way that it could be worse than the first film. I also went with a bunch of female friends of mine and thought I'd go along for the ride.

And while I didn't hate my experience at SATC2, I didn't love it either.

Now I'm sure all my female friends will say, "That's cause you're a straight guy." Maybe, but I believe almost any movie has the capacity to entertain on some level. Even if it is basic, it still provides some sort of amusement. There were a few bright spots (Liza Minelli doing the "Single Ladies" dance, Charlotte and Miranda discussing the difficulties of motherhood), but you have to wait and sit through a lot of dreck to get them that it really is cumbersome to sit through.

There are almost no laughs throughout the movie. Honestly, did the filmmakers intentionally try to break the record for most menopause jokes in one movie? And the few laughs that do exist are usually either super-crude or done at the expense of the Muslim people. Much has been made about some perceived insensitivity the women show when in Abudabi. I wasn't particularly offended, but there was an underlying tone of "Look at these backward Muslims and their way of life. How can they live this way?" instead of trying to understand why they choose to adhere to such a life. Maybe that's why many around the world say the US reputation is one of arrogance.

The film couldn't even get its hallmark, its cornerstone right. The TV show made legendary strides in the world of fashion. I didn't notice the fashion of SATC, but a lot of the fashion was far more pronounced in SATC2. And although a few outfits in Abudabi were very lovely, many of the outfits in SATC2 were just ugly and looked like a Halloween costume that even Perez Hilton would've judged harshly.

I happen to think that this show has now outlived its shelf life. It's been 6 years since the original TV show went off the air. Neither of the movies has had the same kind of magic and charm that the TV show had, at least the glimpses I've seen. This honestly makes me wonder if the adventures of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda are relevant any more and have aged faster than they thought.

I'm sure most folks will dismiss my thoughts as the unrelatable rantings of a straight man who doesn't understand the jewel that SATC is. But at this point only the die hard fans can honestly say that this franchise has any juice left. If they do decide to make a SATC3, then the filmmakers need to make everything, the story, the fashion, and the laughs, feel young again.