Ant-Man

Okay, it may be officially time to just tip your cap to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the people running it, deciding where to go with the phenomenally successful franchise(s). After bringing Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America and the Avengers to life, the MCU turned to lesser known commodities, including Guardians of the Galaxy (a gem) and 2015's Ant-Man.

Fresh off his most recent stint in jail, cat burglar Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is looking to go straight this time as he tries to look after his young daughter. Lang isn't any old crook though, with his degree in mechanical engineering and his reputation he's gained as a bit of a Robin Hood-esque thief. As an ex-con, he finds holding a job rather tough and resorts to his old ways, teaming up with his old cellmate, Luis (Michael Pena), for a job that seems like a sure thing. Well, it ain't. Breaking into a safe in the basement of an old San Francisco house, all Scott finds is an odd-looking suit. The trick? The owner of the house, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), is a brilliant scientist who's laid a trap for Scott. The odd suit has amazing capabilities as it is able to shrink a man down to the almost microscopic size of an ant and gain access to all sorts of places previously unheard of. The catch is that Pym's former student, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), has replicated Pym's formula for shrinking a man, but his motives for using it are far more sinister.

Okay, one minor rant, and we'll get going. I liked Ant-Man...a lot. It's definitely in consideration for my Top 10 of the year. That said...it's goofy. You have to go along with the premise that Pym and Scott can somehow communicate with ants just by telepathically sending the insects an order. The beauty of it is the entire thing is played straight. The tone is of an action-comedy but just goes with the entire premise. Goofy but playing the potentially goofy completely straight. End of rant. Ah, ants are everywhere!

Like I said, tip your cap to the folks over at Marvel. This was a great flick, fun, entertaining, full of laughs and action with some interesting characters and back stories. It is an origin story, introducing the roots of how Scott becomes Ant-Man but also some history involving Pym's history and his development of the science. Director Peyton Reed, working off a script by Rudd, Adam McKay, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, turns in an excellent addition to the Marvel Universe that -- as mentioned -- did remind me of Guardians. We've got characters we don't necessarily have a huge background with but make them interesting and somewhat sympathetic from the get-go. Sure, things are a tad formulaic among superhero (or quasi-superhero) movies, but why fix what isn't broken? Hugely entertaining from beginning to end in this 117-minute flick.

I love Paul Rudd. He's one of the best comedic actors out there so him getting a crack at an action hero of sorts is great. Following in Chris Pratt's footsteps, Rudd famously said he didn't eat anything for a year to get in great shape for the movie, turning the comedian into a ripped action star. It's a character that allows him to be both funny and an action star, if a somewhat unwilling, questioning star, but that's what the part needs! Rudd's Scott is a brilliant engineer who uses his knowledge to be a hell of a thief. His backstory accounting for how he ends up in jail to start the flick is pretty cool too. In another Guardians comparison, Rudd is similar to Pratt's Star Lord character, a normal guy and not a superhero who's always ready with a one-liner or some smart-ass response but when the chips are down is more than capable of getting the job done. And that's important because Rudd is believable too as an action star. If it felt fake, forced or uncomfortable, the movie would have sunk fast. Lesson learned? Don't doubt Paul Rudd!

Now for one of the more underrated aspects of the MCU, something we just take for granted with one new flick after another...the supporting cast! The universe continues to pull big names in, starting with Michael Douglas in the Robert Redford mode, a screen legend clearly having a ball with the blockbuster flick and a fun part. His relationship with Scott is an interesting one, something I imagine will be explored more in any (SPOILER sorta SPOILER) forthcoming sequels. That dynamic gets some fuel for the fire with Pym's daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lilly, always a welcome addition!), involved in the potential world takeover by miniature fighters!!! (It's not as ridiculous as it sounds). Stoll is an ideal villain, greedy and sinister without hamming it up too much. None of the four are prototypical actors you'd think would lead a Marvel flick, but there's not a weak link in the bunch.

Who else to look for? If there's a relative weak point, it's the subplot of Scott trying to do right by his daughter (Abby Ryder Fortson), his ex-wife (Judy Greer), and her new husband (Bobby Canavale), who also happens to be a detective keeping his eye on Scott! The best parts though go to Scott's crew of cronies, ex-cons who are all-around dumb but always ready with a one-liner, including the always welcome Michael Pena, rapper T.I. and David Dastmalchian.

What the Marvel Universe continues to deliver on is the all-powerful special effects. CGI can be a movie-ruiner for me when it's not handled right, but Marvel in general (and here specifically with Ant-Man) has found a way to not overdo it while making what we do see pretty immaculate. We're introduced to the shrinking ability that sees Scott in the suit shrunk down and basically falling through an apartment building with all the pratfalls that would mean nothing to a regular size man, but to a man shrunk to the size of an ant would be life-and-death situations. It's comical but serious as Ant-Man springs back to life-size in a flash. His training montage of sorts as he adjusts to the suit has its fair share of laughs off of sight-gags as well, running at a door where he's supposed to shrink down and fly through the keyhole where he'll pop back to normal on the far side. The visual is pretty flawless throughout, impressive CGI that's part of the action and never calls attention to itself. That's what you want and need for it all to jell so effortlessly.

Okay, startling to ramble some so let's wrap this up. I thought the coolest angle of 'Ant' was that sure, there's some world domination at hand, but the heart of the story is a heist flick. Can Scott, Pym, Hope and crew pull off an impossible robbery of sorts? That's a new angle among the Marvel Universe and a welcome one, not same-old, same-old. Also....ALSO, if you haven't seen, Ant-Man will be involved in the Avengers/Captain America movies going forward so look for a cool appearance by Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson (Falcon) along with a scene in the credits previewing Captain America: Civil War. So that's FREAKING AWESOME! There's some other quick appearances too so keep your eyes open! In the meantime, Ant-Man is excellent so give it a chance or watch it again!

Ant-Man (2015): *** 1/2 /****

The Martian

I'm gonna tweak an intro I like to use from time-to-time. I've used it before talking the ocean and huge bodies of water but am twisting it up a bit to outer space concerning a film in theaters that's raking in the dough and piling up positive reviews. Rightfully so as well. So what's scarier than outer space? How about being trapped in outer space millions of miles and months and potentially years away from rescue? Yeah. Pretty...freaking...scary. So goes 2015's The Martian.

It's two-plus weeks into a NASA mission on Mars when a horrific storm forces the six-man crew to abort ahead of schedule and head back to Earth. In the evacuation though, one member of the crew, Mark Watney (Matt Damon), is struck by a piece of flying debris and swept away. The Ares crew leaves before they too are lost, suspecting that Mark was killed in the accident...but he wasn't. With the crew having left Mars behind, Mark wakes up the next day, wounded, running out of oxygen and very much on his own. All he has is a habitat that isn't intended for long-term living and with stockpiles of supplies but only to a point. If he intends to survive, he's got some serious work to do. A potential rescue is at least four years away -- it takes awhile to get to Mars -- and that's only if he can somehow get in touch with NASA. If he can. First things first, Mark has to provide for himself with the food and water (even rationed) scheduled to run out long before any potential rescue arrives. The clock is ticking...

'Martian' is based off a best-selling novel by Andy Weir. I read it this past spring and I loved it. LOVED it. Mark Watney quickly climbed onto my list of all-time favorite characters. At different points reading Weir's novel, I felt physical ill I was so nervous, my eyes teared up with extreme worry about Mark's fate and what I took away most, I laughed out loud over and over again. It's one of the best books I've read in years, funny, emotional, smart and dramatic, all rolled into one. So how about the movie...

It's a gem. Director Ridley Scott is at the helm of an excellent, almost great movie. I don't have any huge flaws to call into question, but I can't call 'Martian' an all-timer. It's just really, really good from beginning to end. Scott has had a string of so-so to meh to not very good movies, but this is the veteran director at the top of his game. It can be daunting adapting any novel, but the effort here is spot-on. Filming was done in Wadi Rum in the Jordanian desert, giving the film a startling, far-off look to the "location" shooting on "Mars." I really liked composer Harry Gregson-Williams' score, unassuming and quiet that more than suits the action. We don't need aggressive, in-your-face music telling you how to feel. You need quiet, companion music that underplays the emotions and action.

When I read Matt Damon had been cast as Mark Watney, I was skeptical -- a little -- because the character is in his late 20's and though it suited Damon regardless of age, something didn't seem spot-on about the choice. Well, I'll admit when I was wrong. Mr. Jason Bourne himself was a perfect choice. Part of the appeal of the Watney character is his response to his isolation and potential death. We see him break down in a couple instances, but this is a man who takes every problem as it comes and attacks it head-on. He never gets too down no matter how hopeless or impossible it seems. It's one of Damon's best performances, showing off what a versatile talent he is. You're rooting for him from the start and that never lets up. Intelligent, funny, stubbornly persistent and quite sure he's going to survive no matter what's thrown at him, an excellent part for Matt Damon.

Damon's Watney is -- not so surprisingly -- on his own during his time on Mars. In other words, it's kind of a one-man show during those scenes. Here, Scott uses some cool style points. In the book, it was quite acceptable that Watney kept a diary of all his day-to-day activities. Short of narration playing over his actions throughout the entire run-time, that wouldn't work here. Instead, Watney films video diaries, keeping us updated on one fiasco or success or observation after another. Damon injects the character with the same energy and dark sense of humor and stubborn hope that Weir's novel presented. It's a straigthforward call on style, but it works. The days pass with a simple 'Sol 18' and so on appearing on-screen, a sound effect like a radar ping playing over it. Not aggressive in the style department, but it works in subtle, underplayed fashion.

Now of course, 'Martian' isn't a one-man show. The overall cast is excellent, Damon on Mars and the expansive rescue effort playing out back on Earth with the Ares crew also traveling back to Earth. Lots of potentially excellent parts and they don't disappoint. Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kristen Wiig, Sean Bean, Benedict Wong, Mackenzie Davis and Donald Glover lead the NASA rescue effort in a variety of roles. The "surviving" Ares crew includes Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan and Aksel Hennie. If that's not a cast powerful enough to melt your face, well, I don't know what is. There isn't a weak link, but I especially thought Daniels, Ejiofor, Bean, Wong, Chastain and Pena did especially good jobs bringing characters to life that could have been cardboard cutouts. What a cast!

It's hard not to watch Scott's 'Martian' and not think of countless other science fiction films. For every comparison you can make from similarly-themed movies like Gravity or Apollo 13, you get the sense that while familiar, Scott's film is carving out its own niche and heading out on its own. I thought Gravity was excellent as a visual medium -- a true experience of what being in space is like -- but I never felt emotionally connected with it. That isn't the case here. It's a spectacle movie, an astronaut wasting away on Mars while a rescue effort is mounted, but it connected far more with me emotionally. That's a credit to Weir's novel, the screenplay adaptation, Scott's directing and an amazingly talented cast. An all-around excellent film. And one more thought...

I liked -- maybe loved -- the humanity of 'Martian.' The trailer introduces the concept that often times when a man/woman, men/women are in trouble, people come to help, to rescue, to save. Racial and cultural differences are set aside, all in the hope of helping those that so desperately need it. It's a highly effective storytelling technique here as billions of dollars are spent to bring one man home. That's where this story is so effective emotionally. You're rooting for Mark, you like him, and you want him to survive. What drives him? He's stubborn and man, he does not want to die on Mars. Watney has some great narration late as a potential rescue effort draws nearer, a man doing a long list of firsts on a planet that is untouched by human hand (or feet). Very well-written, well-executed and well-delivered lines by Mr. Damon.

Reading Weir's novel, Mark Watney became one of my favorite literary characters, and Damon more than does him justice. A heck of a movie that succeeds on basically every level you could ask for. Highly recommended for a great sci-fi spectacle, a moving story with some very high highs and some very low lows with a ton of dark humor sprinkled in here and there. Go see it and read the book too!

The Martian (2015): *** 1/2 /****

Fury

War movies -- any war -- were a dime a dozen back in the 1960s, my without a doubt favorite decade for movies. The reasoning was simple...audiences ate them up for good and bad. Like any successful genre, there was an ebb and flow. With 1998's Saving Private Ryan, the war movie (especially World War II) was forever changed. More realism, more violence, less glory and flag-raising. In one of the best war movies since 1998 and still chugging along in theaters, here's 2014's Fury.

It's April 1945 and World War II is all but over in Germany but the fighting rages on as the German army makes its last stand. In the 66th Armored Regiment, a Sherman tank command by Sgt. Don 'Wardaddy' Collier (Brad Pitt) returns to base having been the lone survivor from the entire outfit of tanks sent into battle. One of his five-man crew was killed in the battle, leaving the tank -- named 'Fury' -- short a man. Wardaddy is about to get his replacement, but it isn't what he was expecting. Joining the tank crew is Private Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman), eight weeks into his army life, a tour he was trained to work as an office clerk. He's got no combat experience and has never been inside a tank. Wardaddy works with what he has though, Fury gearing up with supplies, fuel and ammunition. The dying gasps of war await up the road as the Allies must take the next crossroads and next town all the way until Berlin.

Wow, what a flick. Director David Ayer -- of Training Day, End of Watch fame among others -- spent several years developing this film, and let's say this. He did his homework. This is a gritty, gruesome, truly uncomfortable film to watch not because it exaggerates anything, but because it lays it all out there and simply tells the truth. This is war in all its horrors. It isn't heroic or full of glory. War is about survival, about sticking by your buddies, about getting by and not letting the war claim you. It is a dreary, muddy movie featuring a solid musical score (underused, never overbearing) from composer Steven Price (listen to the soundtrack HERE). Call it the Private Ryan effect, but war movies can't get away anymore with being glossy or clean or easy. The bar was set ridiculously high with Steven Spielberg's film, and Ayer's Fury does a hell of a job trying to climb up to that level.

When I saw first saw the trailer for 'Fury,' my curiosity/worry was that Brad Pitt was channeling his excellent but over-the-top performance from Inglourious Basterds. He isn't. This is an equally intense but not so hammy performance, Pitt bringing Wardaddy to life. It's an archetypal character, one you've seen before in war movies and will likely see again. Sergeant Collier has promised his crew he'll get them through combat untouched, and since they've joined the fighting in Africa (about 2.5 years earlier), he's been able to keep that promise. Well, until now, as a crew member was killed in combat, and they're all starting to question their mortality. Like the rest of the Fury crew, Sgt. Collier isn't necessarily a likable character. He makes decisions that men only have to make in war and combat. Excruciating decisions, ones that tear a man apart. So not likable? Maybe not, but eternally fascinating and interesting to watch.

I think Ayer -- who wrote the script in addition to directing -- had two goals in making this film. One is in the Band of Brothers vein, showing the bond that men in combat situations develop. Life and death certainly brings men closer. Again, it's some archetypal, familiar characters, but they WORK. In addition to Lerman's Norman, a newbie to everything war-related, the Fury crew includes Boyd 'Bible' Swan (Shia LaBeouf), the gunner, Trini 'Gordo' Garcia (Michael Pena), the driver, and Grady 'Coon-Ass' Travis (Jon Bernthal), the ammo loader, a drawling Southerner. These are different men from different backgrounds, but they've been to hell and back in combat. Their outlook on life and war is altered to the point it's warped. They've been fighting across Africa and France and Belgium and Germany for years. The end is in sight as the war comes to a close. All they want to do is get through it alive.

So on that level, Ayer nails Goal No. 1. The attempt never comes across as heavy-handed in showing us how close these men are. That's not to say they're perfect friends. They argue constantly, they rip each other to places, and would seem to have nothing in common. When the line is drawn in the sand though, they're there for each other. Some scenes especially crackle, especially Gordo explaining the Fury's involvement in the fighting after D-Day. LaBeouf nails the scene, a single tear rolling down his face. As they roll across the countryside up top or preparing for battle in the tight, claustrophobic confines of their Sherman tank, the movie reeks of authenticity. This is the bond that develops among men in combat. This is how awful life as a tank crew was. This is war at its dirtiest, grittiest and bloodiest. Also look for Jason Isaacs as an infantry captain working in conjunction with the Fury.

Now Goal No. 2; what tank combat was really like. Killing an infantry soldier is horrific itself, but weapons and technology were developed to tear through the thick armor of a tank. Imagine then what those weapons do to the men inside those tanks. Ayer did his research, no doubt about it. Watch 'Fury' and you truly get a sense of what fighting inside a tank was like. A horrific, gruesome fight between four Sherman tanks and one Tiger tank illustrates the strategy, the weaknesses in both sides' armor, and the frenetic chaos of battle. The violence is on the level of Saving Private Ryan so be forewarned if you're squeamish (and I typically am). Ayer doesn't dwell on the violence so it comes across in lightning-quick flashes, but it is rough. Limbs are ripped off, heads explode and countless soldiers -- both Germans and Americans -- are killed. This isn't a movie for the weak of heart. What 'Private Ryan' did for infantry violence and combat, 'Fury' does the same for tank and armored combat.

It all builds to an incredibly moving, graphically violent, chaotic extended firefight as the Fury crew goes toe to toe with an SS battalion in transit. One of the most perfect battle/firefight scenes I've ever seen in a movie, an insanely choreographed sequence in the German countryside as darkness approaches. The final shot of the movie truly shows the carnage of battle, a perfect ending to illustrate what we've just seen. It isn't a perfect movie, but for what it sets out to do, I loved it. The bond among fighting men, a great cast, incredible combat sequences, and a sense of how awful the closing months of the war in Germany really was.

Can't recommend this one enough. One of the best war movies around.

Fury (2014): ****/****

American Hustle

Although he worked semi-regularly in Hollywood since the late 1990s, director David O. Russell has definitely put his name on the map over the last few years, starting with 2010's The Fighter. He followed it up with the halfway decent Silver Linings Playbook, picking up an Oscar nomination while not winning, and if the buzz is right, he'll pick up another nomination for 2013's American Hustle. Will he? Will he win this time around? Only time will tell.

A self-made businessman, Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) owns a string of dry cleaners in New Jersey, but that's just a front for his far more lucrative job. Working as a con artist, he sells forged art, pulls shady deals, but mostly he embezzles money from desperate men who can't do a thing because they're so desperate when they realize they've been fleeced. One day at a Christmas party he meets Sydney (Amy Adams), a goal-oriented young woman without the means to reach those goals. Polar opposites, they hit it off immediately, Sydney becoming an involved part of Irving's running cons, the money rolling in in piles. Well, it does for quite awhile at least. They've caught the eye of an FBI agent, Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), who rather than have them serve a jail sentence, enlists them in helping him run his own operation, taking down corrupt politicians looking to take bribes. Irving and Sydney know the plan isn't so simple, but they're left with no other alternatives. None of them know how far this plan could really go.

Two things came to mind when watching this Russell-directed flick, working off a script written by Russell and Eric Singer. One, it pays tributes to films like it from the past, embracing a throwback, retro style that plays well from the opening credits. Those credits are the old studio credits that a movie from the 1970s would have used, not the polished ones greeting audiences now in 2013. The style is everywhere, the big hair, the ridiculously awesome-looking suits as style changed in a big way between the 1970s and 1980s, the giant, spacious cars, the great soundtrack featuring everything from folk rock to soft jazz and everything in between, just the general look of 'Hustle.' It's like a modern period piece, if a quick trip to the past in the 70s/80s. It feels like we're in that fun to watch, visual and a very fun trip in a time capsule. Russell clearly spared no expense, and it shows, the atmosphere, the look (even in the background) all adding another layer to the story.

As for that second thing, it's the casting, a very talented cast from top to bottom. Having worked with Russell last year in 'Playbook,' both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence return here, both of them leaving their mark. Lawrence plays Irving's wife, Rosalyn, more than a little kooky in her conversations, beliefs and generally....yeah, everything she does. With Adams (vamping it up), Bale (chubbing it up), Lawrence (crazying it up) and Cooper (perming it up with an awesome hairdo), you've got an ensemble that should be able to carry any and all movies. And don't be fooled, this is the definition of an ensemble cast. Each of those actors are more than capable of carrying a movie on their shoulders, and they have so seeing their ample talents together in a single movie, it's a treat. Oh, and there's more. Also look for Jeremy Renner, comedian Louis C.K., Michael Pena, Shea Whigham, Anthony Zerbe, Elisabeth Rohm, Jack Huston, Alessandro Nivola and some actor named Robert De Niro appearing in a brutally efficient, uncredited one-scene cameo. Yeah, I guess that's a decent cast.

Heading into this movie, I had a general idea of what the story was about, an ever-moving story based somewhat loosely on a true story, dubbed Abscam. I don't want to give too much away, Russell's film covering a ton of ground in its 138-minute running time. It is a smart, well-written script that gives the cast a chance to show off their talents. Why does it work so well? It's simple; that story. Too often movies have to be about a gimmick, a message, about explosions, violence or sex. 'Hustle' instead chooses to focus on a crazy situation that keeps on getting crazy, all the cast getting their opportunities to step into the spotlight. It was refreshing to see a movie that's content to be just that; a good movie. The humor is never overdone, and there's a lot of it. I was surprised how funny the movie actually is, one laugh after another as this blackmail/entrapment scheme gets more and more complicated.

I can't pinpoint a weak acting performance in Russell's film, but for me, it's more than easy to identity the strongest performance here, and that goes to Christian Bale. Having already won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his part in Russell's The Fighter (also co-starring Adams), Bale leaves another lasting impression with his most recent part. First of all, physically he put on a fair amount of weight, giving himself a nice little gut, while also favoring a truly amazing combover. In a weird way, Bale just commits to his Irving's goofy, gentlemanly style, but it's more than that. He makes Irving a real flesh and blood character, and oddly enough, one of the more sympathetic characters around because he's such an accomplished con man. Backed into a corner, Irving is worrying about maybe 13 different plates spinning all around him, also planning 15 or 16 moves ahead so he's always in control, even if it doesn't seem that way. It isn't necessarily a showy role, but that's what I liked it. Subtle in his delivery, letting his physical appearance add some laughs. It could be a busy Oscar season, but I'm betting money that Bale gets a Best Acting nomination. I hope he does.

If there is a weakness, it's that Russell's film covers so much ground with so many characters that by the end, it drags in parts. They all know what the ending will be, what it will offer and how it affects all the characters, but there are stretches getting to that point that slow things down needlessly. By no means is any of that complaint a dealbreaker. 'Hustle' is still an incredibly easy film to recommend. Could it use some tightening up? Probably, but you'll no doubt enjoy this one. Lots of talent, lots of fun.

American Hustle (2013): ***/****

30 Minutes or Less

I've made no bones about my general dislike for actor Jesse Eisenberg. I feel like he plays the same character in one movie after another; a smarmy, sarcastic and whiny individual who just doesn't know when to shut up. Thankfully, it hasn't ruined a movie yet, and there's been some good ones from Adventureland to The Social Network to Zombieland. How about 2011's 30 Minutes or Less? The jury is still out.

A pizza delivery man in his mid-20s, Nick (Eisenberg) has hit a bit of a rough spot. For one, he's a pizza delivery guy, his quasi-girlfriend is moving to Atlanta, and he's gotten into a friendship-ending fight with his longtime buddy and roommate, Chet (Aziz Ansari). Well, it's about to get worse. Delivering a pizza before closing, he's kidnapped and knocked out by two D-list crooks (Danny McBride and Nick Swardson), waking up the next morning with a bomb strapped to his chest. The crooks are cash-strapped and have a plan in mind for some money...have Nick rob a bank for them. He's got about 10 hours to rob one of the banks in town and bring $100,000 back to them. If he doesn't go along with it or contacts the police? They'll blow him up with a remote detonator. The clock is ticking so Nick sees if Chet can somehow help him.

Now, I have a sick, pretty dark sense of humor. I can laugh at some really wrong, uncomfortable things. Okay, I have some limits. This comedy from director Ruben Fleischer is based on a true story with one major difference. In real life, a pizza delivery guy was killed when crooks strapped a bomb to him, the bomb exploding before he could figure out how to remove the bomb. Read about it HERE. If you can get past that issue, you'll probably enjoy this movie. I think I did. I'm not sure. Parts are really funny, making the most out of a genuinely uncomfortable situation. 'Minutes' is a good mix of thrills and laughs -- however bizarre -- with an oddball mix of a cast. You just have to get past that nasty based on a true story part.

Brace yourself. I liked Jesse Eisenberg in this one. It just took a bomb being strapped to his body for it to happen. He starts off as his smarmy self with passive aggressive one-liners, but once he's kidnapped there's some frenetic energy on display so we get to see a different side of Eisenberg. I guess I'd have some frenetic energy too with a bomb attached to my body too. Aiding the cause is the bizarre, off the wall, Odd Couple friendship between Eisenberg's Nick and Ansari's Chet. As he's shown in his comedy shows and Parks and Recreation, Ansari has a perfect ability to ad-lib and improvise at will. It's almost bizarre in its delivery, whether its his underplayed lines or the complete opposite with his freaking out, "My friend has a bomb strapped to him!" mentality. Of course, it's ridiculous because most of the time he's far too calm, but that's part of all the fun.

A couple scenes especially stand out. Following their fight, Chet struggles with what to do. A substitute teacher at a grammar school, Chet understandably LOSES IT when a bombed-up Nick walks in. His best line comes though when he finally decides to help, deciding that if he didn't he'd one day lose it while he's hanging out with his future wife and kids. "I shouldn't have let my friend explode." Deadpan perfect. The other has Chet spray painting plastic guns, singing a little song about what will happen if he didn't spray paint the guns. It's those little moments -- almost entirely from Ansari -- that produce the biggest laughs.

The rest of the cast is decent if nothing crazy. McBride seems to inspire love or hate among viewers, nothing in between. His generally filthy, similarly deadpan deliveries work for me, and I like him so as long as you know what his Dwayne character is going to be like, you'll be fine. Like Eisenberg and Ansari, McBride and Swardson have a good chemistry. The visual of the duo wearing gorilla/monkey masks while spouting their plan is pretty funny as well. Also look for Fred Ward as Dwayne's lottery-winning father, Michael Pena as a Detroit hitman brought into the mix, Dilshad Vadsaria as Chet's twin sister, Kate, and Bianca Kajilich as a stripper Dwayne meets and unknowingly puts the whole plan into motion. And yes, she's topless so there's that.    

Know what you're getting here. The humor is anywhere from stupid to sexual to violent and sometimes combinations of those three. It's only 83 minutes long so if you hate it, so be it, it's not even an hour and a half long. I didn't love it, but there's enough to recommend.

30 Minutes or Less (2011): ** 1/2 /****

Gangster Squad

I'm a simple guy when it comes to movie. Entertain me, and I'll be pleased. Not every movie needs to be some groundbreaking, never before seen story that rewrites how films are made. Take 2013's Gangster Squad. It has taken a ridiculous amount of heat because.....I have NO IDEA. It is familiar in a way, but it's stylish, entertaining and action-packed with a ridiculous, loaded cast. Screw all the Debbie Downers. I loved this movie.

It's 1949 in Los Angeles and former boxer turned gangster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) is taking over the city bit by bit. Gambling, prostitution, drugs, Cohen is buying up cops, judges and politicians left and right as fast as he can. One of seemingly few clean cops, Sgt. John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) is fed up with what he's seeing in a city he wants his family to grow up in. He's approached by the similarly clean police chief, Parker (Nick Nolte), with an offer; assemble a small crew of officers and take the war to Cohen. O'Mara's squad will work as their own separate unit, completely removed from the laws and rules that would typically limit officers. He puts his crew together, including roguish Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), and goes to work, attacking casinos, bars and clubs all over the L.A. area. They immediately find success, but it's only a matter of time before Cohen figures out who's gunning for him. Can O'Mara's Gangster Squad take Cohen's illegal businesses out before he gets to them?

There is little to nothing I didn't like about this movie. Playing like a modern film noir, it's a gem of a flick. It plays like a mix of L.A. Confidential, The Untouchables and The Magnificent Seven. If you put those three movies together and can't get a winner, then you're doing something wrong. Director Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland, 30 Minutes or Less) is at the helm of a damn entertaining movie. It feels like a throwback film to the Hollywood glory days with a huge cast -- much, much more on that later -- to go with a well-written script, exciting, well-choreographed action and a story that never really slows down. More than anything, it is just F-U-N. That's all. There are good guys and bad guys, cops and gangsters, a femme fatale and not a damsel in distress. Is it so wrong for a movie to just be entertaining? I read a surprising amount of reviews that were highly critical of this movie. Maybe I missed something, but I loved it from beginning to end.

Watching the trailer for the first time last year, I have no doubt my eyes were as big as dinner plates. A movie about cops and gangsters in post-WWII L.A. already drew me in, but with this cast?!? It's a ridiculously deep, very talented cast. Because there is so much talent assembled, we're not talking in-depth character studies, but there isn't a weak part in the bunch. For starters, Josh Brolin as the hard-headed, stubborn O'Mara is a hero cop gem. A WWII veteran, he's sick of Cohen and his antics so given a chance to take him down a whole lot of notches, he jumps at the chance. He has a pregnant wife (Mireille Enos) weighing on his mind, but he wants to get the job done, on principle alone. Brolin is aided by Ryan Gosling as Wooters, the cop who sees what L.A. has become and just doesn't care too much, but he's given a reason to care while also getting the love interest, Grace (Emma Stone), Cohen's girl. Uh-oh, more issues!

The names already mentioned would be enough for most movies, but not this one. Penn gets to ham it up as real-life boxer turned gangster Mickey Cohen, sneering and intimidating his way into the part. This is an out-and-out villain, a bad guy you just love to hate and can't wait to see get taken down. Nolte makes the most of his smallish but effective part as Chief Parker, the chief of police who sends O'Mara on his dangerous, illegal mission. Also look for Sullivan Stapleton as Jack Whalen, a bookie and friend of Wooter's working in Cohen's organization (a supporting but excellent part), Holt McCallany as Lockwood, Cohen's bodyguard and enforcer, and Troy Garity as Wrevock, a hired killer working for Cohen.

Not surprisingly, a certain part of the cast caught my eye....O'Mara's Gangster Squad! Uh-oh, it's another men-on-a-mission movie! Assemble a crew of misfits and specialists and let them go to work. How can you lose? Brolin and Gosling are the stars, showing off that hero-sidekick chemistry that every group of specialists needs. But wait, there's more! Rounding out the crew/squad are Harris (Anthony Mackie), a specialist with gun or knife looking to clean up the streets of drugs, Keeler (Giovanni Ribisi), a WWII intelligence officer and expert in radio technology, Kennard (Robert Patrick), the veteran cop and part-Wild West lawman who favors a six-shooter, and Ramirez (Michael Pena), a young Mexican officer who's looked down upon by much of the rest of the force. It's a good group of some really solid actors, all comfortable and willing to take a supporting part to flesh out an impressive cast.

Originally supposed to be released in summer/fall 2012, 'Gangster' was pushed back for re-shoots following the Aurora shooting at a movie theater. What remains is still an action-packed movie that will appease most moviegoer's needs for some shoot 'em up action. The script never goes long without a gunfight or shoot out of some sort. A couple different sequences stand out, including a failed ambush in a busy street in Chinatown and the finale at Park Plaza Hotel especially leaving their mark. It's pistols and machine guns to aid the throwback feel with some pretty cool uses of slow-motion without going overboard. Bloody but not overly graphic, the action sequences are just another selling point.

It's hard to describe this movie without describing the style. The late 1940s (and heading into the 1950s) were an inherently cool time looking back on them. Cops and police officers wore a suit, tie and a hat. The cars were ridiculously cool, the streets even more so, and Fleischer and Co. took that to heart. Part of the appeal here is the look of the movie, like we were transported to 1949 Los Angeles. Just like a scene where O'Mara and crew walk away from the L.A. City Hall, there's a cool factor that's hard to touch or classify. It's stylish and cool....because it is. How about a montage of the Squad doing their work to big band music? It works. There is style on display in every scene whether it be the clothes and sets or the quick, speedily delivered dialogue. I liked everything about this movie and look forward to future and repeat viewings.

Gangster Squad (2013): ****/****  

End of Watch

Being a police officer is one tough job, but I think there's one American city where it may be a titch bit worse, according to the movies that is. That city is Los Angeles where movies like Training Day, Colors, Dark Blue, Rampart, Street Kings portray a living hell of crime that police officers must deal with. Adding another name to the genre, here is 2012's End of Watch.

Partners since they graduated from the academy together, Los Angeles police officers Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Miguel Zavada (Michael Pena) are good at what they do, really good. As patrol officers, they're constantly working in the most violent, vicious parts of South Central, dealing with turf wars, arms dealing and rival gangsters. Beyond their partnership as police officers, the duo are best friends, bonded and extremely close through years of working together. As patrolmen, they feel somewhat limited though, questioning what they really accomplish from day-to-day. Working a routine shift though, Taylor and Zavada make a big bust featuring assault weapons and thousands of dollars hidden away. The day-to-day routine wears on them mentally as they see more and more of what people can do to each other, but with this seemingly normal stop, they may have stumbled into something deeper and far more sinister.

From director David Ayer, 'Watch' is interested in the reality of being a Los Angeles police officer. He cut his teeth on similarly dark-themed cop movies like Street Kings and Harsh Times while also writing Dark Blue, Training Day and S.W.A.T so in a way, he's created this Los Angeles cop sub-genre. Gyllenhaal's Brian is filming a short film for a class he's taking so he constantly carries a handheld camera while also attaching miniature cameras to both his and Miguel's uniform. We see the horrors of being a police officer from their point of view. We're on the ground with them, on patrol, in their car, making arrests. We see it all. It's an alarming, unsettling look at the life, one that in a film or real life, gives you an appreciation for what beat cops go through on a day-to-day basis.

The main dynamic here is between Gyllenhaal and Pena, and that's most definitely a good thing. These two young but experienced cops are the same age. So often, cop movies have a grizzled vet and an enthusiastic newbie, but that's not the case here. Taylor and Zavada are on the same page, are near similar milestones in their lives, and even their differences are able to bring them together. Ayer's script is ripe with those buddy moments, two brothers-in-arms busting each other mercilessly, the type of dialogue that flows naturally and effortlessly. It reflects a genuine friendship as two very talented, very skilled actors play off each other perfectly. Brutal realism aside, I thought the strongest part of the film is that relationship. Its a buddy relationship at its best. We watch, and it doesn't feel like acting, just the natural bull-shitting back and forth between two best friends who have been through the ringer together.

In a quasi-documentary format, 'Watch' follows our two lead officers closely, but we see all the aspects of their jobs and lives. The story is episodic, covering eight to nine months in a 109-minute movie. Taylor ends up marrying girlfriend Janet (Anna Kendrick), but we really only see two brief interactions between them before the marriage. We hear more as he talks with Zavada. We meet Miguel's wife, Gabby (Natalie Martinez), we meet fellow officers (menacing David Harbour, capable America Ferrera, and confident Cody Horn), superiors on the force (Frank Grillo and Jaime FitzSimons), and the gangsters, crooks and witnesses they meet from day to day.

The one thing that bothered me is both good and bad. Using the documentary style, there is a focus on handheld camera work. In small doses, that's a good thing. In bigger doses.....yeah, it's an issue. It becomes repetitive quickly, the act wearing thin quickly. The biggest problem is the counter. At times....at times, it does work because we are on the pavement with them. It's personal. It's emotional. It's hard-hitting. My other issue is a little more delicate. The story leans a little toward the cliched, even stereotypical in its portrayal of the gangland fighting between African American and Hispanic gangs. To a point, it's based in the truth to the real-life gangsters (I imagine at least, I've never been to South Central L.A.), but the portrayal was just too much for me, like Hispanic gangster Big Evil (Maurice Compte) explaining his nickname "My evil is big."

While the story leans in the episodic vein, the focus hones in on a more specific story in the final 45 minutes. Introduced early, we see Brian and Miguel get caught up in a drug cartel, one that doesn't appreciate any attention from two lowly, patrolling beat cops. The intensity and action gets ratcheted up, especially when the cartels go on the attack. It builds to an emotional ending, but one that disappoints at the same time because it doesn't go far enough. It almost does....almost...., but it goes for a safer ending. Still effective, just not as effective as it could have been. That said, the final scene is a gem, a great caper to an above average police story. Familiar at times but very good.

End of Watch (2012): *** 1/2 /****  

Tower Heist

I've written about this before, but I can't help but think of it every movie I watch with Eddie Murphy in it. The comedian/actor built up a huge reputation for himself in the 1980s and has basically spent the last 20-plus years tearing it apart. So when he does something positive and enjoyable, as a viewer we've got to enjoy it! Murphy is a bright spot in a solid, entertaining if unspectacular caper movie, 2011's Tower Heist.

Working as building manager for The Tower -- a swanky, classy NYC apartment for the wealthy -- Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller) runs a tip-top operation with a helpful, hard-working wait staff. He's shocked to hear some startling news when Wall Street power broker, Penthouse owner in the Tower and all-around nice guy, Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda) is arrested for counts of fraud, wasting millions and maybe billions of his investors' money, including the pensions for all the employees of The Tower. Josh wants to believe the best but finds out otherwise and comes up with a desperate plan. With several other burned employees and a low-level crook, Slide (Murphy), Josh is going to rob Shaw's penthouse apartment and find his hidden stash. Can these amateur crooks pull the job off?

As a fan of heist movies, I'll give just about any one of them a try. The premise reminded me of an ABC show a few years back -- The Knights of Prosperity -- with a ragtag crew of amateur thieves and crooks trying to be master criminals. It isn't a straight physical comedy, and it's not quite a dark, sinister heist movie either. Instead, it falls in between. Yes, it is genuinely funny; Josh's ragtag crew bumbling and fumbling through the planning and robbery. But surprisingly enough, there is a dramatic edge to the heist setting. It isn't played entirely for laughs. There's some actual drama involved, much of that chalked up to the Shaw character being a not so thinly veiled dig at Bernie Madoff. It's easy to feel for Josh and his staff, their pensions/life savings stolen by someone who thought he could get away scot-free with his plan. Comedy and drama working well together.

Playing on the comedic heist angle with a bumbling crew of crooks, I was happy to see the cast here, including some names I wouldn't normally have thought of. Stiller is a great lead as Josh, an everyman worker who busts his butt to do what he does and do it well. He does get some laughs, but he's the straight man, letting those around him get the big laughs. As the conniving, fast-talking Slide, Murphy does provide those bigger laughs, especially his "training" of his crooks and a later explanation of his protocol about the thieving business. Murphy is such a talented comedic actor it's easy to forget that when he's in so many of his recent sub-par efforts. There is an effortless quality to Murphy's talent when he's given good material to work with, and he's got it here. And rounding out the three leads, who better to play a condescending, upper class, know it all a-hole? Yeah, Alda nails his part, his Arthur Shaw a bad guy you just love to hate.

The ensemble behind these three are the real scene-stealers here, including Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Michael Pena, Gabourey Sidibe, and Stephen Henderson as Josh's crew of thieves. Broderick is a highlight as Fitzhugh, a former Wall Street whiz who's fallen on epically rough times as he's evicted from The Tower. The unlikeliest of the crooks, his deadpan, straight delivery kills it in the laugh department. Sidibe too is hysterical as Odessa, the Jamaican maid with a safecracking background. Mostly though as an ensemble, they work well together. Their scenes among the group allow each individual to shine when given the chance. Solid group of dramatic actors all given a chance in the 'Yuck it up' department. Also look for Tea Leoni as FBI agent Denham, assigned to guard Shaw, and Judd Hirsch as Mr. Simon, the bossy on-site manager who keeps pushing and pushing Josh to do this and that.

So what new thing does 'Tower' bring to the heist genre? Like 2010's The Town, it takes a somewhat familiar heist and puts it in an incredibly unique, visually different setting. Where 'Town' went to Fenway Park for its heist, 'Tower' heads to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Josh and Co. attempt to rob the apartment while thousands of people line the streets below, the giant floats filling the sky. I can't say why for sure, but it works. Yes, the heist premise has all sorts of holes and premises that just don't work in a ridiculous quality, but it is a fun, exciting extended sequence. The ending though is surprisingly sweet with one character making a huge personal decision.

Nothing flashy or spectacular about this comedy-drama-heist from director Brett Ratner, but it's fun from beginning to end. It benefits greatly from a strong cast -- the major roles and the supporting ones -- and a heist premise just unique enough to set it apart from the rest. Worth a watch.

Tower Heist <---trailer (2011): ***/****

Battle Los Angeles

It took me about the length of a trailer to figure out I wanted to see 2011's Battle Los Angeles. That's the beauty of trailers at their best. This specific one is one of the best I've ever seen, and I'll link to it later for your viewing pleasure. A trailer can convince you one way or another to go see a movie, but how often do you LOVE the actual trailer? I never got around to seeing it in theaters, but I'm glad I caught up with this summer.

Over maybe the last 10 years, it feels like the alien invasion movie has gone through a rebirth of sorts with waves of films hitting theaters. Think Cloverfield, Skyline, War of the Worlds, District 9, Signs, the Transformers movies, and even going back into the 1990s, Independence Day and Men in Black.  A lot of reviews talked that 'Battle' is more war movie with aliens as opposed to space invasion movie. Complaints are all over the place -- some fair, others not so much -- that it is a propaganda movie (sounds ridiculous to me), but my biggest issue would be that it is as cliche ridden as any movie I can think of. Is that a bad thing? No, not really, I revel in movie cliches. Just a warning as you head in.

After almost 20 years in the Marines, Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) has requested his retirement, the paperwork coming through quickly. Days removed from leaving the Marines though the planet is thrown into a worldwide battle for survival. Bizarre meteor showers are hitting off coastal cities all over the world, some extraterrestrial beings coming from the showers and proceeding to annihilate everything in their paths. Nantz is quickly transferred to a platoon of Marines commanded by the intelligent but inexperienced Lt. Martinez (Ramon Rodriguez). Like cities all over the world, Los Angeles is being torn to pieces, but Martinez, Nantz and their men are given a mission. Deep in the city is a hospital overrun by these attacking aliens. They must get into the city, rescue any survivors and get out before an air strike is called in on the whole coast. Can they do it in time, or is something else waiting for them?

In the midst of an alien invasion story, I was pleasantly surprised to see this story develop, that of the unit picture, a group of soldiers in an impossible situation trying desperately to hold on for survival.  Think as far back as 1934's The Lost Patrol or more recently with movies like 2003's Tears of the Sun or 2010's Predators. At times 'Battle' does play like a recruiting tool for the U.S. Marines more than just an action sci-fi movie with its penchant for Marine mythology and reputation. But for the most part, I liked it for the interesting alien storyline and a small group of specialists trying to maneuver through a war-torn city. There is something simple about mankind vs. aliens. There is good and bad, no cultural differences or race issues, just survival.

So from the "unit picture" comes a list of stock characters that just about everyone is familiar with. Making the most of a very stereotypical, cliche-ridden character, Eckhart is the brightest star from the cast as he plays Sergeant Nantz, the veteran Marine dealing with emotional issues from his last tour overseas where some of his men were killed (how we don't know, but it was supposedly his fault). His lines reek of cheese and are way too over the top, but Eckhart has a way of making it believable and not painful to watch. Rodriguez too (who I thought was awful in Transformers 2) is surprisingly decent with the very recognizable young, inexperienced officer. Also look for Michelle Rodriguez as Santos, an Air Force survivor traveling with the platoon, Will Rothhaar as Cpl. Imlay, maybe the most capable soldier in the bunch, Cory Hardrict as Lockett, a Marine with a bone to pick with Nantz, Jim Parrack as Kerns, a vet from Iraq/Afghanistan trying to get back,  Gino Anthony Pesi as Stavrou, rapper/hip-hop artist Ne-Yo as Harris, and Adetokumboh M'Cormack as Adukwu, the medic, among others.

What can be fun about the alien invasion movies is the reasoning, the explanation, and of course, the visual of what the aliens look like. Part of the reason Cloverfield worked was because basically all those things were left unexplained. It's a weird, immense creature attacking New York City. That's all we need to know, and the movie was better for it. 'Battle' doesn't go overboard trying to piece things together, to rationalize why the aliens are attacking Earth. The reason does seem a little suspect, but it never dwells on it. The aliens -- in whatever form they are and for whatever reason -- are good bad guys here, boasting impressive futuristic technology that forces U.S. forces and the Marines to improvise as to how to beat them. They aren't invincible, and thankfully we don't defeat them by giving them a cold/flu bug.

Battle Los Angeles was made for a relatively cheap $70 million, a modest sum for an action movie.  For all the complaints of the cheap special effects, I thought the action was a major selling point. Scenes of the city being attack provide some nice scale, a nice comparison, because the rest of the action is on a smaller, more personal scale.  It is a handful of Marines running low on ammunition navigating through L.A. as aliens work their way through the city looking to kill them. Guilty at times of using too much handi-cam and ridiculously fast editing, director Jonathan Liebesman manages to find the right balance of the loud chaotic extremes of the fighting with the personal, terrifying moments of extreme fear together.

Especially now as I look back, I'm probably overrating the movie a bit. Through the cliches in characters and story and hammy, patriotic 'Go America!' speeches, I still liked this movie. It isn't ground-breaking or new in basically in any way. It's just a fun, exciting shoot 'em up alien invasion action movie. Enjoy the trailer below too. Also mostly because I forgot, look for Michael Pena and Bridget Moynahan in pointless supporting roles as civilians along for the ride.

Battle Los Angeles <---trailer (2011): ***/****