Ed's Review Dot Com

Movie Rentals Releasing Tuesday June 26, 2013

• The Call
• The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
• Into the White
• Phantom
• A Place at the Table

Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures,

John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, Dave Foley, Julia Sweeney, Joel Murray,

From the time Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) was a little kid he always wanted to be a true “scarer”. Scarers are the specialists in Monstropolis who enter through special secret doors to the little kids rooms to scare them to get the energy to run the city. Mike sets out to reach his goal of attending Monsters University, as special college which graduates the best scarers in the business. But things are not easy for Mike, and for his new arch enemy, the silver spoon born James Sullivan (John Goodman). Sully has had everything handed to him whereas Mike has to work hard for everything he’s gotten. This is the prequel to Pixar (Disney’s) Monsters Inc.

This is a spectacular new Pixar blockbuster that is going to do very well! It struck me first off, as I watched this film in the theater filled with kids, that this film could have been called “When Harry Met Sully”. But the story is very, very familiar. From Animal House who started the “handsome jock fraternity” picking on the “nerdy loser fraternity” and having a great battle to see who wins the events and succeeds in saving the house, through every copy of it from Revenge of the Nerds to Meatballs, to Camp whatever, this is a familiar story. But we know the characters from Monsters Inc, and they are very well developed, and the fact that it’s such a familiar story is not a problem at all. The characters and surroundings are so unique that it will still seem fresh and funny. Besides, the kids will not know anything about any of these other movies, and that is truly the audience for this movie. They kids will absolutely love this. I did too. I really enjoyed all the jokes, all the heart, and the quirkiness of the whole thing.

For those who are Pixar fans, (and who isn’t), the opening cartoon, “The Blue Umbrella” is worth the price of admission by itself. Another really cute cartoon like the ones that have proceeded all Pixar films. The voices in this film are great, and it’s just a barrel of fun from the very start. If you’ve got young ones, give them a real treat and take them to see this in the theater.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Movie Rentals Releasing Tuesday June 18, 2013

• 21 & Over
• The Brass Teapot
• Gibsonburg
• Jack the Giant Slayer
• The Last Exorcism Part II
• Quartet
• Stoker

Summit Entertainment, Exclusive Media Group, Participant Media,

Dwayne Johnson, Barry Pepper, Jon Bernthal, Michael Kenneth Williams, Melina Kanakaredes, Nadine Velazquez, Rafi Gavron, David Harbour, Benjamin Bratt, Susan Sarandon

John Matthews (Dwayne Johnson)’s son was setup in a stupid drug deal, but due to changes in the law, he’s on the hook for a massive sentence unless he helps to setup one of his friends in the same way he was setup. He’s got more character than that, so John is stuck setting out to risk his own life to setup and snag a cartel leader, setting off on a risky plan that could lose everything.

This is a slam-bam adventure story full of chases and and crashes, lots of gunfire, and edge of your seat excitement. This is the type of film The Rock was born to play in. But the basic premise here is pretty far out. I had a hard time buying the whole premise that the justice department’s hands are so tied, that they can’t do anything but hand down a 10 year sentence to an obviously innocent boy. I also found it hard to believe that The Rock would be able to set out and bring down a whole Mexican drug cartel single handed, and that would be the ticket to get his son off. But the action is acceptable, and if you’re a fan of bang-bang action flicks, this is just as good as the next one. The story just didn’t strike me as particularly original, and it was pretty ho-hum for me. I was not bored, and did stay with the whole movie, but it was not very memorable. I’ve seen a lot better. Though not as awful at “Tooth Fairy”, it’s not that great either. So if you’re looking for a typical action film with lots of escape even though it doesn’t make a lot of sense, then this is a decent rental. But for the most part, it’s hardly worth the effort.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Cloud Atlas Productions, X-Filme Creative Pool, Anarchos Pictures,

Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, Keith David, James D’Arcy, Xun Zhou, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant

Six stories span centuries, and though they seem completely separate, they tie together to show an epic story of how the past affects the future, and how lives build upon each other to change the face of humanity. This star studded adventure is very thought provoking. It’s a saga of epic proportions.

The different stories are told all at once with many time jumps from story to story. Fortunately the time periods are far enough apart that you can help identify which story you’re watching by the costumes and set design, but it is fast paced and jumps back and forth at a riotous pace. Additionally the same actors play different people in each of the eras, so it’s really hard to follow. Furthermore, you aren’t really given the answers, and it’s one of those films where you get to choose what it all means. Obviously the point is that the lives of men are interconnected and the ripples pass through time throughout the centuries. But beyond that, it’s pretty much a mystery. The film is well done. The cinematography is stunning, and the locations are spectacular. Obviously the actors are top notch. The story is just confusing.

I remember as a college student watching “2001, A Space Odyssey. I remember walking around with my roommates discussing the meaning of this film, and what the green obelisk was, and the meaning of the psychedelic ending journey stood for. It was a very enjoyable experience talking about the meaning of life as superimposed over this film. Well, Cloud Atlas is the same kind of film, with plenty of stuff to discuss about the meaning of it all. But unfortunately I’m an old man now, with no roommates to talk about while walking around campus discussing the meaning of life. So I’m left with a film that really left me wondering what it was all about. I’m too tired to figure it out, so I’ll pop the next movie into the DVD and forget about it.

So this may be the “2001” for the kids today, and if so, it’s a good fodder for young minds seeing meaning in the world. I hope it does serve that purpose. But for me, I’m afraid it’s a shrug of the shoulders, a “Oh well, I’m glad I took the time to watch it”, and time to move on. It’s nearly 3 hours long, so it’s quite a commitment.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog