From time to time, I forget or not motivated enough to write a full length review for every single film I have seen in theaters.
As to catch up, here are some short form reviews, done today to coincide with the DVD/Blu-Ray release of the first featured film:
The Secret World of Arrietty
A wonderful balance between natural sweetness and melancholy, this anime delivers a great adventurous female figure among beautiful music and the always delicious Studio Ghibli art style. Based on The Borrowers book series and co-written by animation master Hayao Miyazaki, the film has some amazing sequences, such as the breathtaking first search of the house for the titled character. There are some faults though; A housekeeper is cast later to be the main antagonist for the little people living in the walls, but it comes off very odd and a bit unnecessary. Still, it is all just very cute and heartwarming, helped greatly by an English dub featuring Amy Poehler and Will Arnett.
FINAL REVIEW: 4 / 5
Wrath of the Titans
I was fine with the remake of CLASH OF THE TITANS two years ago, but I nor anyone really wanted a sequel for it. Yet, here it is and what a colossal display of ineptitude and banality. Sam Worthington returns with a hideous mullet to fight off Chronos, depicted here as giant lava-man for no reason beyond CG "artistry", and a peculiar version of Ares, who seemed to listen to a lot of Linkin Park before enacting his daddy issued hatred. Characters always shout the obvious for the nose-bleeders and the brain-fried and do stupid actions for the sake of unimpressive action. It also feels like a bad re-write to please the original 1981 fans spurned by the remake; Hence why Bubo returns despite being treated like garbage in the first film, and a recast and remodeled Princess Andromeda is included as a love interest yet does absolutely nothing of interest or importance. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes seem to have some fun towards the end and I always like to see the Greek Gods use pro-wrestling tactics, but the film is way too much of a bore to appreciate.
FINAL REVIEW: 2 / 5
21 Jump Street
This comedy film, based on the 80's cult television show, goes all out in delivering multiple forms of humor for the audience, such as topical, pop-culture, gross out, meta, absurdist, camp, and stoner. All of which are very effective, as well as the chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as two fully-sized cops going undercover in a modern day high school to stop a new synthetic drug from outbreaking. Though the fun FREAKY FRIDAY type twist of having the once nerdy Hill be the new king of the social ladder while former jock Tatum is ranked dead last is clever, it seems that Hill's storyline gets way too much attention, especially since he co-wrote it with PROJECT X's Michael Bacall. Also featuring many fine performances by Brie Larson, Ice Cube, Ellie Kemper, and Rob Riggle, the movie handles being a tribute to the show while mocking itself and the action cliches we come to expect.
FINAL REVIEW: 4 / 5
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
I had a smile throughout this feature length stop-motion animated film but the jokes were often too British for kids, too odd and very little wit for anyone else. For a so-called adventure flick following a pirate crew as they tangled with a vicious Queen Victoria and an boobish Charles Darwin, the crew is unfortunately often kept aboard while the Hugh Grant voiced Pirate Captain takes up way too much of the screen. A fun affair, but much is wasted potential, especially since Salma Hayek and Jeremy Piven hardly have anything to do. Also, the use of a Flight of the Concords' song is completely way out of left field, though a little enjoyable.
FINAL REVIEW: 3 / 5
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