Everyone waits until the year is over to compile their “Best of whatever” movie lists. This has become a mundane practice. Time for a bit of a change, kids.
The Bourne Legacy may have the pedigree, but the new recruits – in-front and behind the lens – just didn’t click on the court. Meanwhile, a pair of elite players elevate The Campaign and Hope Springs and two prodigies provided a spark for Ruby (see what I did there).
The new releases for the respective week will have a capsule review at the end of the column. An updated list comes out every Monday. Here’s how things are shaking up so far in 2012:
1. Chronicle
2. The Dark Knight Rises
3. The Cabin in the Woods
4. Moonrise Kingdom
5. The Avengers
6. Red Tails
7. The Grey
8. Game Change
9. The Secret World of Arrietty
10. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
11. Friends with Kids
12. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
13. The Raid: Redemption
14. Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds
15. Big Miracle
16. Think Like a Man
17. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
18. Brake
19. Hope Springs
20. Rock of Ages
21. HeadHunters
22. Hemingway and Gellhorn
23. Mirror Mirror
24. People Like Us
25. Magic Mike
26. Total Recall (2012)
27. The Campaign
28. Ted
29. 21 Jump Street
30. Snow White and the Huntsman
31. This Means War
32. God Bless America
33. The Three Stooges
34. Gone
35. The Amazing Spider-Man
36. Blue Like Jazz
37. Ruby Sparks
38. American Reunion
39. Jeff, Who Lives at Home
40. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
41. Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best
42. Katy Perry: Part of Me
43. Ice Age: Continental Drift
44. Juan of the Dead
45. Prometheus
46. Hysteria
47. The Dictator
48. Safe
49. Searching for Sonny
50. Brave
51. The Hunger Games
52. John Carter
53. Wrath of the Titans
54. Dead Dad
55. Underworld: Awakening
56. The Devil Inside
57. Livid
58. The Five-Year Engagement
59. Downtown Express
60. Savages
61. Sound of My Voice
62. Project X
63. Men in Black 3
64. Piranha 3DD
65. Dark Shadows
66. The Raven
67. The Bourne Legacy
68. [Rec] 3 Genesis
69. Silent House
70. That’s My Boy
71. Darling Companion
72. Bully
73. The Watch
74. What to Expect When You’re Expecting
75. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
76. Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding
77. Lockout
78. The Woman in Black
79. The Vow
80. Man on a Ledge
81. Step Up Revolution
82. Extraterrestrial
83. The Lucky One
84. Contraband
85. The Samaritan
86. Act of Valor
87. 4:44 Last Day on Earth
88. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
89. Safe House
90. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
91. To Rome with Love
92. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
93. The Pirates! Band of Misfits
94. Kill List
95. Chernobyl Diaries
96. Haywire
97. Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection
98. A Thousand Words
99. Joyful Noise
100. Battleship
101. Wanderlust
Not Screened: One for the Money, Casa De Mi Padre, Chimpanzee, High School, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Nitro Circus 3D
REVIEWS (click on title for full write-up)
A playful, yet substantial, romantic-comedy is all about understanding ones’ self. Well, at least that’s what yours truly hopes it is about, or else this guy read it the wrong way. That being said, writer/co-star Zoe Kazan first credited screenplay (on IMDb.com) is also a very transparent one; for when the audience comes to the climatic crossroads, she allows her writing struggles to show, and then uses them to bring this intriguing 97 minutes to a close.
First off, it’s always funnier when old people are doing it (in this case – literally and figuratively). That said, this isn’t a sprightful laugh riot. While the filmmakers could have easily “sold-out” and went with a Grumpy Old Men campy style; the tone remains semi-deep and serious the majority of the time. And that’s due to the fact that Streep and Jones, and the subject matter, are relatable to audiences. Well, except for teenagers who will probably think this is somehow gross. And hell, seeing Meryl Streep feel up Tommy Lee Jones is kind of awkward (though this guy was snickering).
Having an 85 minute comedic spoof on political election tactics, starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, should lead to plenty of laughing-with-noise moments…
And this is the part where many writers would usually type, “Unfortunately, The Campaign does not.” Well, guess what? It bloody does! With very little promotion, and releasing in the more lavish marquee studio dumping ground – known as the month of August, this could have been a major blunder. Instead, audiences are treated to a thoughtful, well-written, and unapologetically crude, elongated mash-up of spoof clips/bits.
Overall, this sucker offers no new Intel and slowly goes through the motions of what has been done before. If there were not new actors playing new characters, this easily could have been mistaken for a bad remake of the first installment. Even if they have plans to convince Matt Damon to reprise his character in the next installment, this sequel amounts to what Halloween III is to horror fans – bloody worthless!
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