Movies Blog : reviews, romance

"Chuck" is about a nerd that becomes a spy...essentially my life story

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:50:00 GMT

In the television show Chuck, Charles "Chuck" Bartowski plays your typical 20-something computer-geek, stuck in a dead-end job at Buy More's Nerd Herd (a less-than-subtle parody of Best Buy's Geek Squad). He lives an uneventful life with his sister Ellie, until one day when he receives an email from his long-lost friend Bryce. Turns out Bryce is a rogue CIA agent, and his email contains an entire government database of top secret info, which embeds itself into Chuck's brain upon viewing.

Both the NSA and CIA want the intelligence returned to them and dispatch agents of their own - Major John Casey and Sarah Walker - to "retrieve" that data. When the original database is destroyed, Chuck has the only copy of that data, so he is forced to become a spy. Chuck's decision to keep his new-found occupation a secret from his family and friends, and to live his life as normally as possible, forces Casey and Walker to establish an uneasy alliance and secret identities (Walker poses as Chuck's girlfriend and takes a cover job at the local restaurant next to the Buy More while Casey gets a job at the Buy More), with the shared goal of protecting Chuck at all costs.

Seeing specific people/things causes Chuck to "flash", subliminally retrieving data about the person/object from the government database in his mind. Chuck uses this ability to help John & Sarah thwart evildoers and save the entire world from impending doom.

Sarah is an incredibly attractive female spy, and as they continue their "fake" relationship Chuck's feelings for her become real. There is lots of romantic tension, often mocked by smart-aleck comments by John (portrayed by Adam Baldwin, of Full Metal Jacket & Firefly/Serentity fame).

This show is brilliant, tied with The Office as my favorite current TV show. The cast is excellent, with real chemistry. The plots, while far-fetched, are extremely well-thought out, always resulting in hilarity and the unexpected. And the emotion evoked by the tension between Chuck & Sarah (not helped by Ellie's constant "I'm so happy you finally found a girlfriend" remarks), his belief that Sarah is way out of his nerd-league, the experiences with his ex-girlfriend (who re-appears in season 2), and his quest for more (a normal life and better job, for starters) creates endearing, genuine characters.

Season 1 was released on DVD & Blu-ray a couple months ago, and season 2 (which is even better than season 1) is currently airing on Monday nights at 7pm on NBC. It's a show you really need to watch in order, so check out the season 1 DVDs, catch up on the previous season 2 episodes at NBC.com, and watch the latest episode every Monday night!

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check on the availability of Chuck: The Complete First Season on DVD at EVPL libraries.
NBC.com: Official website of Chuck. Find out more about the show, and watch full episodes from season 2!
Amazon: Buy Chuck: The Complete First Season on DVD or Blu-ray using these links, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!

"Run Fatboy, Run" limps to the finish line

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:31:00 GMT

I've always been a fan of Simon Pegg's work. In his previous efforts (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, & Spaced), Pegg & co-star Nick Frost teamed up with absolutely hilarious results!

Run Fatboy, Run is Pegg's latest film...and unfortunately it doesn't live up to its predecessors.

Pegg portrays Dennis, who gets cold feet on his wedding day and leaves his pregnant fiancée, Libby, at the altar.

Five years later... Of course, Dennis has become an out-of-shape loser with a crummy job. Dennis & Libby share custody of their child, and he now realizes the mistake in not going through with the wedding. However, Libby is now dating Whit, who is everything Dennis is not: successful, wealthy, dedicated, etc. After discovering Whit is an athlete and will be running in an upcoming marathon, Dennis decides to run in it as well, proving to Libby that he he has changed and can actually finish something he starts.

Cue the cheesy training montages. Dennis' friend Gordon and his landlord Mr. Goshdashtidar (a stereotypical foreigner) whip him into shape, transforming him from a fat boy into...well...less of a fat boy.

Does Dennis finish the marathon? Is it enough to win back Libby? How ridiculous is this plot?

I understand that most movies require suspension of disbelief (an out-of-shape guy can train for a marathon in less than a month?), but that's not the problem I have with this film. In an attempt to be a family-friendly romantic comedy, the humor has been degraded to the level of a bad Adam Sandler flick; nothing but predictable, juvenile humor. Gone is the gut-busting humor, witty dialog, and endearing characters the viewer actually cares about, all of which were present in Pegg's previous efforts.

If you've never seen Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, or Spaced, you'll probably enjoy Run Fatboy, Run more than I did. Otherwise, you'll be extremely disappointed.

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check availability of Run Fatboy, Run at EVPL libraries.
Amazon.com: Buy the movie using this link, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!
RottenTomatoes.com: View other opinions and read why it's at 48% on the Tomatometer.
Internet Movie Database: Discover info about the movie at IMDB.

"Redbelt" not your typical karate movie

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:38:00 GMT

Redbelt, written & directed by David Mamet, is not your typical martial arts movie...it has very few action scenes. In fact, calling it a "martial arts movie" is a bit belittling, as it is first and foremost a drama. While it started extremely slowly, I ended up getting drawn in and loving it.

Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Mike Terry, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor barely making ends meet. A series of unfortunate events increase the financial burden on Mike and his wife, Sondra. While Mike is a talented fighter, he refuses to participate in any kind of fighting competitions, as they have commercialized something he deems pure.

While seeking Sondra's brother (who just so happens to be a fight promoter) to ask for another loan, Mike is able to defend actor Chet Frank (well-played by Tim Allen) in a bar fight. The two become friends and Mike is hired on as producer of Chet's latest movie.

The rest of the story involves extremely-surprising twists & turns, which force Mike to enter the ring in competition. I am refraining from detail to avoid any possible spoilers...there are a number of different sub-plots, but the masterful storytelling really shines as things never become convoluted.

The acting is top-notch as well. This film is Chiwetel Ejiofor's first lead performance, and he proves he is more than capable. After seeing him in Dirty Pretty Things, Four Brothers, Serenity (where he plays the most mild-mannered, evil villain I have EVER seen), & Children of Men, I must say that I am a fan of his. Tim Allen does a great job with his first serious role (no Tim "The Toolman" here!), and Emily Mortimer does a great job as a quirky lawyer who becomes entangled in the plot after some odd occurrences.

After seeing some of the forum posts on IMDB (i.e. "worst movie ever", "Garbagebelt", "This movie is PURE CRAP", etc.), I understand that this is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of movie. If you're expecting a brain dead beat-em-up, you will be disappointed with Redbelt. However, if you're able to enjoy slow-paced, thought-provoking movies, I think you will enjoy it. With its story of fighter honor & dignity, similar to the old Kurosawa films, I cannot recommend it highly enough!

More Information

YouTube: Check out the theatrical trailer.
EVPL Catalog: Check the availability of Redbelt at EVPL libraries.
Buy it at Amazon: Purchase your own copy at Amazon using this link to support the Public Library Friends.
Movie info @ IMDB: More info about the movie, including WORST MOVIE EVAH opinions, available at the Internet Movie Database.
Chiwetel Ejiofor @ IMDB: View the biography & filmography of this promising actor.

"Spaced" a short-lived, hilarious TV comedy

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:02:00 GMT

I'm a fan of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. In the States, this comedic duo is best known for Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz (both of which I highly recommend!). They got their start in a British television comedy called Spaced; it ran for two seasons (14 episodes total) during 1999-2001. It finally made its way to the US this past July in a DVD box set of the entire series.

It's a very difficult show to describe...so, ripped from Wikipedia:

Tim Bisley (Pegg) and Daisy Steiner (Jessica Hynes) are two London twenty-somethings who meet by chance in a cafe while both are flat-hunting. Despite barely knowing each other, they conspire to pose as a young professional couple in order to meet the requisites of an advertisement for a relatively cheap flat, in the distinctive building at 23 Meteor Street, Tufnell Park, which is owned by and also houses the landlady, Marsha Klein. Also in the building is Brian Topp, an eccentric conceptual artist who lives and works on his various pieces in the ground floor flat. Frequent visitors are Tim's best friend, Mike Watt (Frost) and Daisy's best friend, Twist Morgan.

The series largely concerns the colorful and surreal adventures of Tim and Daisy as they navigate through life, decide on what they want to do with their lives, come to terms with affairs of the heart, and try to figure out new and largely unproductive ways of killing time. Tim and Daisy repeatedly stress that they aren't a couple to everyone but Marsha, but despite (or because of) this, romantic tension develops between them, particularly during the second series.

The central comedic conceit of the series is that it portrays the rather ordinary lives of Daisy and Tim using overblown Hollywood blockbuster clichés.

Like their forays into Hollywood, Spaced provides non-stop laughs, constant pop-culture parodies, crazy camerawork, a great cast, and a surprising amount of character development.

With 5 stars on Amazon, a 9.8/10 rating on IMDB, and my rave review, Spaced comes highly recommended.

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check the availability of and/or place a hold on Spaced.
Amazon.com: Buy it at Amazon and support the Public Library Friends!
Wikipedia: Find out about the history of the show.

"The Bank Job" a thoroughly engaging heist flick

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:23:00 GMT

Most bank/casino/vault/car heist flicks follow a pretty generic formula (see Ocean's 11, The Italian Job, Gone in 60 Seconds, et al):

Protagonist decides he wants to steal something.
Protagonist assembles a team of wacky miscreants, each with their own special "talents".
More planning. Montage of the team practicing, usually set to driving techno music or Elvis' "A Little Less Conversation".
As the day draws near, something is discovered that throws a wrench in the plan. Oh noes! Back to the drawing board.
Cut to the execution. They pull it off using some "OMIGOSH! I cannot believe they just did that!" tactic completely out of left field.
Everyone lives happily ever after, with no repercussions for their lawbreaking.

So when watching The Bank Job, I was expecting the same cookie-cutter formula, along with Jason Statham beating up random people (ala The Transporter I/II & Crank). I was relieved when my expectations weren't true.

Based on the true story of the Lloyd's Bank robbery in 1971, The Bank Job tells the tale of Terry Leather (Statham), a former criminal now-turned-family man trying to make ends meet. With shady debt collectors breathing down his neck, he's ready for a change. In walks his former love Martine with an offer he cannot refuse...

Martine has intel that a London Bank will be alarm-less over a weekend, and that looting a vault of safe deposit boxes (full of millions of cash & jewelry) would be an untraceable crime. Terry, a desperate man looking for cash, agrees to the gig. Cue assembling the team of wacky miscreants!

The team successfully pulls off the heist without being caught. And then the movie's only halfway over. WHAT?!? The rest of the movie deals with the repurcussions of the heist. Turns out Martine had been hired by the British Secret Service to raid the safe deposit box of a militant revolutionary, to retrieve "compromising" photos of British royalty. Also unbeknownst to the robbers are additional "lewd" photos of high-ranking government officials, as well as ledger books containing payouts to crooked cops, now in their possession. The 2nd half of the movie involves the deposit box owners trying to get their "goods" back from the robbers, and what a wild ride it is!

The movie starts out slow and a bit confusing...a bunch of characters and different subplots are all introduced right at the beginning. I liked this presentation, as it gives you just enough information to keep you interested until you find out what exactly is going on. Some viewers may not like this style, however. Also, accents are fully-British, and at several parts I felt like turning on the subtitles.

But overall, this is a great movie. It breaks the mold of other heist flicks, is thoroughly engaging, and proves that Jason Statham is more skilled than his typical beat-up-everything-that-moves roles would suggest.

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Many copies are now available for checkout! See what locations they're available at.
Internet Movie Database: Currently a 7.6/10, as rated by users.
Rotten Tomatoes: A 78% rating from all critics, 90% from top critics.
Amazon.com: Buy it at Amazon using this link & the Public Library Friends get a portion of your purchase.