The ‘force’ is now even stronger – in 3D
On desert planet Tatooine, a long time ago in a galaxy far away, a young Anakin Skywalker is hard at work fixing up the engines of his pod racer, preparing to blast off into a race for his freedom. Meanwhile, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jin and his apprentice Obi Wan Kenobi, are stranded on the barren planet and in search of parts to repair their ship.
As the two parties meet again now in 2012 on the silver-screen and in state-of-the-art, three dimensions, “Star Wars” has begun anew. The epic saga that is responsible for virtually every American’s imagination – admitted or not – since the release of “A New Hope” in 1977, is back in stunning, cinematically cutting-edge 3D glory.
Audiences are now absorbed into the action like never before as “Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace” takes ahold of viewers back in theaters for the 3D update. It is the beginning of an ambitious project to convert every installment in the series into 3D starting controversially with the prequel trilogy.
Often panned by fans as the weakest in the epic space opera series, “The Phantom Menace” was given all new life in what threatened to be an obvious re-milking. What ensued turned out to be a truly updated cinematic experience for the underrated first film of the 90s prequels.
Comparable to the immersion effects of James Cameron’s “Avatar,” “The Phantom Menace” looked sharper and more refined than past releases, bringing audiences into the scenes rather than attempting to breech the fourth wall itself. The best “Real-D” lets your mind do the walking.
Fans felt as if they were sitting alongside each of the many pilots in the Galactic Republic’s fleet during a final dogfight at the film’s climax. Transfixed as they rapidly sucked in air from their breathing tubes, they begged to get out of the battle unscathed by airborne blaster cannons.
The classic scores by John Williams sounded updated as well with more resonance and clarity to the strings and horns of Williams’ orchestra. Sound effects also had more detail added, taking full advantage of the cutting-edge speakers and amplifiers in today’s theaters.
This re-release marks a chance for “Star Wars” fans to swallow their pride and give “The Phantom Menace” another shot. The excitement and beauty of “Star Wars’” first chapter is now fully realized on screen.
Genre Science-Fiction
Rated PG
Runtime 136 minutes
QUALITY 16 $7
‘Chronicle’ is a case study in human rage
If we’ve learned anything from the most modern incarnations of psychologically dark super-hero films, it’s that not all our beloved childhood supermen are as fun loving and altruistic as they seem.
Most importantly, we’ve realized that the dastardly traits inherent to all men are compounded 10-fold when high-tech gadgets and special powers are added to the equation.
That lust for power, control, dominance and superiority is at the heart of many ordinary men’s motivations, and such is the same with the main characters in the new film “Chronicle.”
The latest in the line of serious takes on people with extra normal abilities, “Chronicle” logs the exploits of three very different high school students who suddenly find themselves a step ahead from the rest of humanity.
They can fly, control matter, crush physical objects with their thoughts and even make their sex and social lives more fulfilling in the process.
While two of the three are having a blast exercising their burgeoning sixth sense, the same cannot be said for the disaffected Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan).
Not even meta-human strength and focus can quell the rage boiling up inside of this angry young man. He is the psychological lynchpin of the film. Andrew’s story is not new or even that original, as he is the product of every element associated with the classic tale of a quiet-kid-gone-crazed thrill-killer.
Although his actions go from misguided to murderous in nearly a blink of a shocked eye, any audience member viewing the film can’t help but feel pitiful or even proud of the vengeance that Andrew takes out on his family and peers. Viewers will feel physiologically frightened when his climactic freak-out occurs near the end.
If the mental breakdown of a super-powered and deeply troubled teen isn’t enough to sell you, the experimental cinematography will help seal the deal for more intelligent movie buffs. Shot entirely in first person from the perspective of various camcorders, the movie switches seamlessly between a found-footage style gore flick and an action-soaked Hollywood romp.
Don’t be deterred by the slow start and almost visibly predictable middle section, the last hour of the film is worth more than the price of admission.
Genre Sci-fi/Drama
RatED PG-13
Runtime 84 minutes
QUALITY 16$7
The Fray comes to life in ‘Scars and Stories’
After spending thousands of dollars on trips abroad, alternative pop-rock foursome The Fray has brought its travels and observations into their newest effort “Scars and Stories.”
For the most part, the album appeals perfectly like a picture book.
Upgrading to Brendan O’Brien, the producer known for his work with Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam, the catchy Coldplay-reminiscent piano ballads have been turned down a bit in “Scars and Stories” and have been replaced with optimistic guitar ballads and down-beat piano tracks, creating a more dramatic tour through the album.
They’ve never sounded better on a record. While they’re still relying on a chilled, atmospheric blend of Coldplay’s blaring and Rob Thomas’s grunge-rock voice, agitated with a little bit of Three Days Grace influence, O’Brien helps The Fray spin its ideas into a coherent album that gives definition, muscle and depth to the recording.
The second track on the album, “The Fighter,” speaks of a woman begging her lover not to go off to fight. Adorning the chorus with, “Maybe we were meant to be lonely, lonely/Maybe we were meant to be on our own/Loneliness has always been with me/But maybe we don’t have to be alone.”
It’s been said several times to write what you know and what sets this album apart from The Fray’s previous work is the songwriting. It’s purely observational and arranged in a world tour set to capture the soul – and not written only about what they know.
While fans of the Fray may be a little shocked to see this maturity within the group, this album requires a certain amount of contemplation to truly understand the music and lyrics.
Finally, the Fray has experimented with something different and this time, it’s not about “How to save a life” but rather the similar experiences that other cultures go through.
Album Scars and Stories
Artist The Fray
Label Columbia
GENRE ALT. ROCK
Spies will be spies in ‘Safe House’
Intelligence agencies around the world, such as the CIA and MI6 are shadowy, dirty organizations willing to do anything to safeguard the security of their home nation. These agencies recruit the best individuals they can find who will put duty before all else. Sometimes an agent turns against his government and must be hunted down.
Is it just me, or does this sound like every spy movie ever made?
“Safe House,” staring Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington, attempts to spice up the spy movie genera by throwing in an anti-hero who does bad things but for good reason. But even that has been done before.
Reynolds stars as Matt Weston, an underrated CIA agent in charge of maintaining a secret interrogation room, known as a safe house, in Cape Town, South Africa. For months, Weston’s only guest is boredom until Tobin Frost (Washington), the world’s most notorious spy and traitor, idly walks into the U.S. embassy and turns himself in.
Weston, shocked to have such a high-profile criminal in his safe house, follows his assigned orders until he is attacked by a large group of heavily armed men. Unsure how the bunker was found, why it was under attack and knowing that Frost is too valuable to lose, Weston grabs Frost and abandons the safe house.
“Safe House” contains all of the predictable elements found in every spy movie: illegal operations, war in the shadows, double-crossers and a hidden truth that would make a conspiracy theorist drool.
The visuals are passable and there is enough fighting and chase scenes to keep viewers interested in the action without distracting from the main plot.
This film is by no means terrible; it’s just not original at all.
Unless you’re a big fan of spy movies, or Denzel Washington, “Safe House” is a film only worth seeing at the matinee discount. For spy fans, Safe House is entertaining and provides a decent amount of satisfaction while they wait for “The Bourne Legacy” to hit theaters this summer.
Genre THRILLER
Rated R
Runtime 115 min
QUALITY 16 $7
No disappointments from the dividing line
After two decades of crusading for social awareness and change, Ani DiFranco has retained the universal appeal to continue her musical message of equality and justice for people of all ages and walks of life.
While the singer-songwriter continues to put out quality, thought-provoking music – as evidenced on her latest release “¿Which Side Are you On?” the groundbreaking artist has sadly not given herself much room to grow.
But the same old sound does not deter listeners from enjoying the overall brilliance of her newer work.
Still Relying on intricate acoustic guitar work, with added flourishes of fuzzed-out guitars and studio tricks, Difranco’s words are still the focus. While she may not be tackling the common thread themes of rape, abortion and human rights, her strong push for a wider understanding of a contemporary feminist dialogue is still intact. For old fans of DiFranco, the disc is a welcome addition to her catalog. New fans will find joy in a modern classic.
However, the disc still draws a dividing line. Listeners looking for the angry rallying cry of early Alanis Morrisette and DiFranco’s first few albums may not be able to comprehend the overly positive lyrical and sonic compositions on “¿Which Side Are you On?” The music requires a certain amount of introspection and prior exposure to the strong subjects displayed on the album, which could make newer listeners uncomfortable.
This is not a negative reflection on her output itself, but rather on a society that still exudes the same patriarchal and cultural stereotypes that prevent women like Difranco from being fully accepted by a wider audience.
But these pressures hardly affect her state of mind, and a wider appeal would only hurt DiFranco’s hard-fought struggle for her social status as folk’s most “righteous babe.” If you are willing to take the time to explore a new way of thinking, all you have to do is buy this disc, and ask: Which side are you on?
GENRE FOLK ROCK
LABEL righteous babe records
ITUNES $11.99
AMAZON $11.99
Collider.com courtesy photo
For independent filmmakers, the Sundance Film Festival has been a staple for more than 30 years. In an attempt to expand audiences across America, nine select cities, including Ann Arbor, were chosen this year to screen one of the movies from the original festival in Park City, Utah.
The Michigan Theater was elected to screen the movie “For a Good Time, Call…” to a sold out crowd of 1,700 people on Jan. 26.
“It’s a very special theater,” said Laurie Raymond, one of those moviegoers. “In 2010, I saw the Sundance shorts here and laughed my butt off.”
Raymond added she hopes Sundance continues to include the Michigan Theater in the future. “This theater has a very old and ornate feeling to it,” she said. “It’s great.”
Russ Collins, the executive director and CEO of Michigan Theater, took the stage before the movie and called it “the biggest venue in Sundance history.”
“For a Good Time, Call…” is a self-proclaimed raunchy comedy directed by Jamie Travis and stars Justin Long, Seth Rogen, Lauren Miller and Ari Graynor. One of the supporting actors, James Wolk, is a native to Farmington Hills and a graduate of the University of Michigan drama school and was one of the surprise guests at the Q&A after the show.
During the session, there was a big announcement made.
“We got a distribution deal about 24 hours after the debut” said Miller, who also co-wrote the movie.
“Ten-thousand films get submitted to Sundance, and there are literally a dozen or so that get decent distribution deals,” Collins said, calling for a round of applause.
The Sundance festival in Ann Arbor also had a second showing on Jan. 29, which showcased the best Sundance shorts from 2011.
In the cold dark reaches of northern Alaska, survival of the fittest is the law of the land and humans have no place being there. In the movie “The Grey,” wolves run the show while man does a lot of running. Isn’t Liam Neeson supposed to be fighting these things?
Liam Neeson stars as John Ottway, a lonely man contemplating his purpose in life hired by oil investors to protect their Alaskan workers from wolves while they work. While flying to Anchorage, the plane has a mechanical failure and crashes into the barren wilderness, killing everyone except Neeson and six of the workers. As night descends, so do the wolves. Knowing the likelihood of being rescued is nonexistent and how much of a threat the wolves are, Neeson takes charge and leads the survivors south toward civilization.
“The Grey” is featured as an action-adventure thriller, but it has far too many slow, dramatic scenes to qualify as an action movie.
Moviegoers looking forward to seeing some man vs. wolf action, look elsewhere. While there are a few graphic scenes of the wolves attacking, the animals are visually absent throughout the majority of the film.
The attack scenes are so fast and chaotic that you know the wolf is going to win the fight. And as for the idea of man taking the fight to the wolves, forget about it.
Kudos to whoever chose the location for this movie. The film does an excellent job of making the audience feel extremely cold and isolated.
Every fine detail put into makeup and wardrobe in the film paid off. Every close-up of Neeson looks like it’s the worst day of his life. Given his character’s current predicament, it probably is.
“The Grey” has a lot of dramatic scenes that could have made it a hit with drama fans, but the action scenes derail any hope of catching any attention from that audience.
The film isn’t that bad; it’s just not what the previews pumped it up to be. “The Grey” is worth seeing at matinee prices, but viewers beware. Never judge a book by its cover and never judge a movie by its trailer.
GENRE ACTION
RUN TIME 117 MINUTES
RATING R
RAVE $7.50
QUALITY 16 $7
‘One for the Money’ stars Katherine Heigl stepping into the high heels of the cutesy and witty yet unemployed lingerie saleswoman, Stephanie Plum. Sporting brunette hair, a dull wardrobe and an awkward, wobbly Jersey accent, as the turned “bounty hunter,” Heigl wavers throughout. The execution is embarrassing.
A broke Plum is forced to beg a job off her sleazy cousin Vinnie (Patrick Fischler). Plum takes on the $50,000 job of bringing in ex-boyfriend and first lover Joe Morelli (Jason O’Mara).
While trying to play investigator, Heigl comes up short, finding herself in less-than-nice situations, constantly having to be saved by fellow bounty hunter Ranger (Daniel Sunjata).
Heigl isn’t remotely close to the tough-as-nails character in Janet Evanovich’s book. Plum’s weakness in the film adaptation will doubtlessly leave fans disappointed.
The plot revolves around her assignment to capture a dishonest, crooked Morelli in a constant cat-and-mouse game that bears distinct resemblance to the gender-switching disparity of 2010’s, ‘The Bounty Hunter.’
Oddly, very little romance seems to coagulate between Morelli and Plum, but love seems to come to fruition for her with Ranger. Perhaps because Ranger predictably comes to her rescue every single time she’s in trouble.
It isn’t until Plum becomes defeated that she starts toughening up a bit. But by then the flick is almost over.
Many of the surrounding characters in this cheaply-done film deliver highly comical performances, including Fischler as her bail-bondsman cousin, Sherri Shepherd as the sociable and heavy-set hooker and Fisher Stevens as Plum’s doomed rival. However, John Leguizamo as the sketchy gym owner was not only un-convincing but also awkward to the point of annoyance. He did not fit.
For fans of Evanovich’s novels that may have grown up with Stephanie Plum as their heroic role-model, this film does not do the character or the story itself any justice.
For those looking for a cheap laugh, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.
GENRE COMEDY
RUN TIME 106 MINUTES
RATING PG-13
RAVE $7.50
QUALITY 16 $7
High above the crowded streets of Manhattan, a man steps out of a window. Balancing precariously, he soon grasps the attention of concerned onlookers below.
Questions about the man’s agenda immediately arise, and by the end of the boorish and cliché “Man on a Ledge,” audiences will be just as confused and exhausted as the film itself.
Sam Worthington stars as Nick Cassidy, a desperate man. Fitting the profile of the standard renegade cop on the edge, Worthington’s character endeavors to turn the entire city upside down to clear his tarnished name.
As in nearly all crime-drama suspense films, the protagonist is a good guy who feels he was handed a raw deal. Movie-goers will be cheated as well if they expect anything they haven’t already seen before this flick.
From the crusty police
captain barking orders, to a saucy femme fatale involved in the heist, the characters fill the basic requirements for a movie of this nature with
no additional flare to make “Man on a Ledge” original or worth seeing.
The plot twists around about as much as it can in a film with no more drama or suspense than an episode of “Law and Order.” Audiences are left to yawn in their seats, easily predicting the outcome early on, despite looks of false surprise and fear on the faces of the actors.
This fast-paced nail-biter heaves predictable scenarios and one-liners at viewers in rapid succession. Scenes are hastily developed as the direction rushes through the plot, stopping for a breath only to wallow in the beefy charm of its hunky star.
“Man on a Ledge’s” only saving grace is the speed at which it unfolds. Sure, the characters end up poorly developed, and many of the scenes struggle to connect with one another, but at least the pace keeps viewers distracted as they must claw blindly to make sense of this wannabe thrill ride.
You’ll wish he would just jump, putting you and himself out of misery…
GENRE SUSPENSE
RUN TIME 102 MINUTES
RATING PG-13
RAVE $7.50
QUALITY 16 $7
Disney, the iconic creator of a vast multitude of animated classics has always insisted its fans believe in magic. No film encapsulates that sense of wonder like the melodic and tragic “Beauty and the Beast.”
Fans young and old packed theaters on opening night of the re-release, some hoping to relive the glory of their childhood splendor, some enticed by the magic for the first time.
As the audience gazed at the stained glass of the enchanted castle as it loomed above, transfixed from the woods below, “The Beauty and the Beast” was once again in theaters for a new generation of starry- eyed believers.
They were immersed in the romance, and they fell in love with the characters. They sang along with the songs; children new to the ballroom and talking tea set eagerly learned the words and lapped up the dream as never before.
With more depth and detail than previously achieved by the Disney classic, the Real-D updated version was given the similar treatment as the “The Lion King” had last fall. Although much darker than the feline fable, “The Beauty and the Beast’s” gorgeous, state-of-the-art 3D effects also drew viewers deep into the mysterious and shadowy environments of the tale, casting light across furniture and through the many rooms of the Beast’s regal lair.
While few pop-out effects were added to the movie, a wider variety of light intensities afforded by the dimming effect of Real-D created a greater sense of immersion into the scenes of the story. From the vast ballroom where Belle and Beast first fall in love, to the death-defying fight between the Beast and the wicked Gaston atop the castle, the updated detail is undoubtedly apparent in the backgrounds and breathes new, emotional life into the aging tale.
The heart-warming songs and classic themes engulf viewers from newly updated sound systems as they are transported to a magical place of love and glory and asked to “Be our guest.”
“The Beauty and The Beast 3D” marks a landmark in special effects and animation that even rivals its original release.
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