The Interview (2014)

The Interview (2014)

Directed by: Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen

Starring: James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Randall Park

Plot: Dave Skylark is the host of the extremely popular talk show, Skylark Tonight, which has him interview various celebrities about their dirty secrets.  After celebrating their 1000th episode, Aaron Rapoport (the show's producer and Dave's best friend) feels unfulfilled with his job, and wants to focus on serious news stories.  Luckily, it turns out that the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, is a big fan of the show, so they decide to ask for a televised interview with the dictator.  He agrees, but only if it's done in North Korea.  Soon afterwards, the CIA tasks Dave and Aaron with assassinating the "supreme leader", and they reluctantly agree.  Can they fulfill their mission while also making television history at the same time? 

Good: The most important element that a buddy-comedy must have is good chemistry between its leads.  Thankfully, both James Franco and Seth Rogen are a great comedy duo.  Their friendship is very believable, with their personalities complementing each other very well.  Franco is very funny as the slightly idiotic yet well meaning Dave Skylark.  His antics, while ridiculous, are still pretty entertaining to watch,  This includes when he keeps comparing himself to Lord of the Rings characters when discussing his friendships.  However, the majority of his jokes work best when he's interacting with Rogen as Aaron Rapopor, who makes a great straight man.  While his character isn't that far off from his previous roles, he plays it well enough that it doesn't matter.  His reactions to the insanity around him are hilarious to watch.  Another good performance comes from Lizzy Caplan as Agent Lacy.  Like Rogen, she also makes a great straight man to Franco's antics, and adds funny commentary to many of the situations.  Diana Bang is great as well, playing Kim Jong-un's propagandist, Sook Yung Park, who pulls off her devotion to the dictator very well.  The best performance, however, comes from Randall Park as Kim Jong-un.  He manages to do the near impossible, and make a real-life dictator sympathetic, which was very surprising.  He still does things that are questionable at best, but he's not portrayed as a monster, rather a human being, trying desperately to live up to the legacy of his father and grandfather.  Many of the jokes are well written, focusing more on the interactions between the characters rather than gross-out humor.  Some of the funnier moments come from the satirical way North Koreans look at their leader and Americans.  The Production values are also great, with North Korea looking very convincing, recreating many of Pyongyang's landmarks.  The action set pieces are exciting and brutal, while also managing to be hilarious with the sheer ludicrousness those scenes goes to. 

Bad: Due to the satirical nature of the film, many people might see the portrayal of North Koreans offensive, since they're shown as completely devoted to the dictator.  It would've been interesting to see the some scenes of the leads interacting with the citizens and therefore flesh them out a bit more.  There's also a scene during the first act that feels important to the plot, but then turns out to be ultimately pointless.  I won't give away what it is, but my main issue with it is that it feels like padding for the sake of padding.  Also, some of the special effects aren't that great, especially during the final action scenes.  A lot of the blood looks fake, and the bullets and missiles are obviously CGI.  Finally, while most of the jokes are well written, there are a few that don't quite hit their marks, focusing on crude humor, which can turn off many viewers.  Since humor is one of the most subjective forms of art, this is a small issue, and might not be important to some people.

Trivia:

• Like in the movie, the real Kim Jong-un speaks conversationally in English, having been schooled in Switzerland as a teen.
• The final battle scene was shot in only one day.
• The film was partially inspired by Dennis Rodman's friendship with Kim Jong-un.
• In late 2014, Sony was hacked by a hactivist group who were protesting the film's release.  They posted confidential emails from executives and actors about a variety of topics, including possible movies in production and how much actors were being paid.  They threatened to attack any theater that showed the film, leaving Sony to postpone its release.  However, after massive public support and media coverage, the film was released online and eventually in select theaters.

Final Verdict: Despite the controversy surrounding it, The Interview is nothing more than a pretty funny buddy-comedy.  While the subject matter of attempting to kill a still living world leader may be a taboo subject to some, it's done in a fantastical and satirical way, so the audience doesn't take it too seriously.  On the whole, it's probably not worth all the attention it ended up getting.  I would recommend it of your fan of Seth Rogen and James Franco comedies.  If not, you probably won't get a whole lot out of it.

Next week, I'll take a look at one of the most respected movies of all time, The Godfather.

Stay Tuned  

Starship Troopers (1997)

Starship Troopers (1997)

Directed by: Paul Verhoeven

Starring: Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, and Dina Meyer.

Plot: In the Not-too-distant future, humanity is controlled by a super-government called the Federation, where citizenship is granted to civilians by joining the military.  During one of their spacefaring travels, humanity encounters an alien species called Arachnids or "Bugs".  Meanwhile, Johnny Rico, along with his girlfriend Carmen Ibanez, have just graduated high school in Buenos Aires, and want to enlist for citizenship,  Carmen becomes a pilot (due to her high test scores) and Johnny is relegated to the mobile infantry (due to his physical prowess).  Shortly after going through boot camp, Johnny and the rest of the world realize that Buenos Aires has been hit by a meteorite sent by the Arachnids.  Shortly after, the Federation declares war on the Bugs, and our heroes suddenly find themselves on the front lines.  Will they survive the carnage of war and protect their world, or will they become Bug chow?

Good: The acting in the film, while not excellent, is still pretty good.  All the cast members pull off the action scenes convincingly, and as the film goes on, they all grow a believable camaraderie with each other, especially those in the mobile infantry.  They also do a great job showing how war changes their characters, making them hardened and wise by the end of the film.  Casper Van Dien is fine as Johnny, making him a sympathetic and likable lead.  Denise Richards is also serviceable as Carmen, and the audience buys her chemistry with Van Dien.  Other entertaining performances come from Neil Patrick Harris as Carl (Johnny's psychic best friend) and Micheal Ironside as Jean Rasczak (Johnny's teacher and military superior).  However, the best performance comes from Dina Meyer as Dizzy, Johnny's friend and fellow infantryman.  She's very charismatic, she has the best chemistry with her cast mates, and the audience sympathizes with her as the story goes on.  Another great thing about the film is the visual effects.  The fusion of practical and computer imagery make for effects that are (for the most part) still impressive to this day.  The designs of the bugs are imaginative and iconic, with the warrior bugs being particular stand-outs.  The action is also very well done, showing the brutality of war while also entertaining the audience.  But the best thing about this film would have to be the humor.  Like in his previous film Robocop, Verhoeven adds snippets of satire in the form of news reports and propaganda, while also being woven throughout the main story.  These are probably the funniest parts of the film, shedding light on the over-militarization of America creating a fascist society, and the dehumanization of enemies of the nation.  This is done by having the uniforms look like those worn by the Nazis, and making the enemies invertebrates.  It also remains relevant today, especially in a post-9/11 world.    

Bad: One of the film's problems is the pacing.  It takes about an hour before they get to get to the first big action scene, and then the rest of the film is non-stop action.  The first half could have been shortened considerably by taking out some of the less important scenes, such as the love triangle between Johnny, Carmen, and her copilot, Zander.  The scenes in boot camp could've also been shortened considerably.  Also, while many of the computer effects are very well done, there are a few shots that don't look quite up to par with the rest of the film.  A good example of this is the brain bug, which doesn't look that great when it's all done with CGI.  However, the practical effects for the close-up shots of it do look very good.

Trivia:

• Paul Verhoeven never read the entire book that the film is based on.  He claims that he got too bored halfway through and gave up.
• Mark Wahlberg turned down the role of Johnny Rico.
• In order to elicit the right reactions during fights with the Bugs, Verhoeven would jump in front of the actors and scream.
• The armor that the mobile infantry wears has been used in other projects, such as Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy and Firefly.

Final Verdict: While it does have some pacing issues and minor special effect errors, this film is still an excellent watch.  The satire makes it much more than a standard sci-fi action flick, and something that should be analyzed more often, especially with today's social and political climate.  Even without the social commentary, it's still a very entertaining movie, with great action and likable characters.  Overall, it's a great movie that I highly recommend, unless you can't stand the violence, since there is quite a bit of it.

Next week, I'll look at one of the most controversial movies of 2014, The Interview.

Stay Tuned       

Harvey Reacts: Spider-Man

Harvey Reacts To:

Spider-Man Joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Hello and welcome to Harvey Reacts, where I react to movie news that I find interesting.  Today, some shocking news recently hit the internet.  Sony, the company that has owned the movie rights for Spider-Man for over a decade, has made a deal with Marvel Studios that allows the web head to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  For years, fans have been begging Sony to give the rights back to Marvel, and now that dream has become a reality.  Sort of.  Here are the facts:

• Sony still controls Spider-Man's movie rights, and they have the right to finance, distribute, and own future projects, as well as having final creative control of the projects the character appears in.
• Spider-Man will likely make his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War, on May 6, 2016. 
• Spider-Man will be getting a new solo movie on July 28, 2017.
• This will push back Thor: Ragnarok to November 3, 2017,  Black Panther to July 6, 2018, Captain Marvel to November 2, 2018, and Inhumans to July 12, 2019.  All other Marvel Studios release dates will remain the same.
• Kevin Feige (the head of Marvel studios) and Amy Pascal (the former head of Sony) will co-produce the film.
• The planned Sinister Six movie has been put on on hold, and it's unknown whether it will come out at all.
• Andrew Garfield will be replaced by a different actor who has yet to be cast.
• The movie will most likely follow Peter Parker, rather than fan-favorite, Miles Morales.

In my opinion, this is amazing news.  It will be so amazing to see my favorite superhero interacting with my favorite movie franchise.  While I enjoyed the Amazing Spider-Man movies, they did have many flaws, mostly due to executive meddling.  Based on Marvel's track record so far, it looks like Spidey's in good hands.  I can't wait to see him turn up in Captain America: Civil War.  In the comics, he plays a very important role during the Civil War story line, and it wouldn't feel right without him there.  However, I do have some reservations.  First of all, I am saddened to hear that Andrew Garfield will no be a part of the franchise.  He's a great actor, and I really liked his performance as Peter Parker.  It's too bad that he won't get to play this part in better hands.  Also, I really hope that the new movie won't be an origin story.  We've seen it done twice within 15 years (which isn't very long by movie reboot standards), so to see it done a third time in just three years form now would be repetitive and boring.  Perhaps what they could do is show the origin briefly in flashbacks, or summarize it in the opening credits, like in The Incredible Hulk.  I'm also a bit worried about Sony having final say on the product.  Executive meddling in the last movie created a lot of problems, including adding too many villains, rushing important scenes, and setting up too many plot threads for future projects.  Despite this, I'm still excited to see Spider-Man in the hands of Marvel Studios.  Even if it turns out to be not very good, it will still be interesting to see their take on the character.  I have faith in Marvel Studios.

Stay Tuned

The Theory of Everything (2014)

The Theory of Everything (2014)

Directed by: James Marsh

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, and Charlie Cox.

Plot: Stephen Hawking is a brilliant astrophysics student at Cambridge University in 1963.  When he attends a party, he meets Jane Wilde, an arts student, and they instantly hit it off.  After a few more meetings and a date at the school carnival, their relationship grows into romance.  At around this time, Stephen begins to work on his thesis about how the universe began.  Unfortunately, he is suddenly diagnosed with motor neuron disease (which causes his body to become inactive) and told that he has two years to live.  After hearing this news, Stephen and Jane decide that they will stick together no matter what, and quickly get married and have a son.  But despite not being able to walk and talk, Stephen keeps living, making life increasingly more difficult for Jane and their family.  Will their marriage continue, or will it deteriorate from stress and pain?

Good: If nothing else, this movie is incredibly well acted.  Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking is nothing short of Oscar-worthy.  His performance before he's diagnosed is very charming an charismatic, which makes the audience sympathize with him when his bay begins to fail him.  He also does an excellent job when he's immobile, conveying the physicality the part while also maintaining the emotion.  Despite not moving the majority of his body, Redmayne is able to show the audience what he's thinking and feeling though subtle facial expressions and movements.  Felicity Jones also does a great job as Jane Hawking

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Directed By: Edgar Wright

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Kate Ashfield.

Plot: Shaun is a lazy slacker who hates his job, has no direction in his life, and is trying to sustain his deteriorating relationship with his girlfriend, Liz.  It doesn't help that his best friend, Ed, is even more of a slacker, and seems to be holding him back as a result.  After a nasty break up with Liz, who wants to escape the monotony of their relationship, Shaun gets drunk and parties all night with Ed, which makes them oblivious to the sudden zombie outbreak that happens overnight.  The following morning, the duo slowly realize that the dead have risen, so they decide to save Shaun's mother and Liz, go to the Winchester (Shaun's favorite pub) and wait for all this to blow over.  Will they be able to survive this nasty turn of events, or will they become zombie chow?

Good: First of all, the cast in this movie is fantastic.  Simon Pegg is great as Shaun, and pulls off both the comedic and dramatic moments in the film very well.  His performance really shows off the development Shaun goes through, by acting more dull and oblivious in the beginning, while becoming more active and intelligent as the film goes on.  This is really apparent when Shaun goes out to buy a Cornetto, and is totally unaware of the zombies and destruction around him, and near the end, when he's fighting off zombies using his whits.  Nick Frost as Ed is equally hilarious, if not more so.  He does an amazing job as the vulgar and lethargic slouch of the film.  In a lesser movie, this character would be very annoying, since there are many times where he makes the situation much worse (such as when he answers his phone when the gang is pretending to be zombies), but Frost makes him just likable enough that the audience doesn't mind.  The rest of the cast does a very good job as well.  They all have great comedic timing and chemistry with each other, and each member of the primary cast gets a scene to shine in.  Penelope Wilton is particularly heartwarming and hilarious as Shaun's mother, and Kate Ashfield gives an entertaining and believable performance as Liz, but neither of them really match the caliber of Pegg and Frost.  Another amazing thing about this film is the editing and camerawork, which is something Edgar Wright films excel at.  A great deal of effort is put into making each shot of the movie as entertaining and hilarious as possible.  The most mundane parts of the movie, such as Shaun buying flowers, are shot and edited like it's a tense horror scene.  This makes the film much more funny and entertaining than it should be, and it makes the film feel more unique as a result.  The writing is also excellent.  The characters are written believably, and there's never a moment where they're out of character.  The script also contains a multitude of well-written jokes.  There are so many verbal, physical, and subtle jokes in the film that it's hard to catch them all.  One of my favorites is when Shaun and Ed realize that the woman in their garden is a zombie, Ed slowly starts advancing the film in his camera.  That moment, while small, can make a world of difference in turning a funny scene into a hilarious scene.  But the script doesn't just consist of great jokes, as there are many well done serious, heartbreaking, and scary moments.  The scene in the pub's basement is one of the best examples of combining drama with humor that I've ever seen on film.  Elements like this help elevate Shaun of the Dead beyond the expectations of comedy and horror films.

Bad: Despite the majority of the characters being enjoyable to watch, there is one character who doesn't really work, that character being David.  Dylan Moran does give a decent performance, and he does get a few funny lines, but for the most part, he complains way too much and brings a bit too much forced conflict within the story.  He also makes the situation much worse for the characters, and has none of the charm that Ed has to fall back on.  However, this doesn't become apparent until the second half of the movie, so it's not a huge problem.  All in all, he just ends up being kind of superfluous, and the plot could have done well without him.  Another issue is that the zombies' look isn't very interesting.  The makeup and effects look convincing enough, but their design is pretty bland and lacks imagination.  Wright could have made the zombies look more unique, rather than slow moving people with white eyes and maybe some blood on them.  On the other hand, he might have not have focused as much on the zombies so that he could focus more on the characters and the humor.

Trivia:

• George A. Romero (the director of many classic zombie films) was so impressed by this film that he gave Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright cameos in Land of the Dead.
• The friendship between Shaun and Ed is based off of the real life friendship of Pegg and Frost.
• Many of the zombies were played by fans of Spaced, a TV show made by Wright and starring Pegg and Frost.
• None of the characters' surnames (other than celebrity cameos) are heard or given throughout the film.

Final Verdict: Shaun of the Dead is a smart, funny, and sometimes terrifying movie.  It has great characters, fantastic acting, and amazing writing.  I would highly recommend this film to anyone who is a fan of zombies, or just great comedies in general.  However, if you can't stand some gore and death, you might want to give it a pass, depending on your comfort level.

Next week, I'll be reviewing a much more recent and serious film about one of the greatest minds alive today, The Theory of Everything.

Stay Tuned