Movie Review: MEN IN BLACK III

MEN IN BLACK III

2012

PG-13

"I promised the secrets of the universe, nothing more."

-- Agent K

Men in Black III is a 2012 sci-fi comedy directed by Barry Sonnenfeld that serves as the third installment in the Men in Black film franchise and the first to hit theaters since 2002. After a dangerous killer named Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) escapes from his lunar prison, he heads back to Earth to find and kill Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones), who had captured and imprisoned him forty years earlier as he had attempted to aid in an interplanetary invasion. He devises a plan to go back in time to kill a younger K so that he will no longer exist in the present. Soon afterward, K disappears from the present day, leading to emotional unrest for his partner Agent J (Will Smith), who then follows Boris into the past to keep him from exacting his plan. When he reaches 1969, he finds a young K (Josh Brolin), and the two work together, with the help of a solitary alien named Griffin (Michael Stuhlbarg), to stop Boris from destroying the planet.

It's been fifteen years since the first Men in Black film turned into a box office smash back, and it's been ten years since we last saw Smith and Jones team up as the alien-fighting team we've grown to know and love. Although I've enjoyed the past two entries in the series, I can't say that I was ever the biggest fan of the films. Still, they proved to be entertaining enough for me to want to see this latest installment, and the addition of actors like Brolin, Clement and Stuhlbarg definitely made the concept a little more intriguing.

Let's start with the screenplay. Although the film doesn't necessarily break any ground on bringing forth new ideas, it still manages to be entertaining. The jokes and gags are pretty consistent, and although I was never l rolling with laughter, I still managed to offer a chuckle here and there. The storyline proves to be engaging, and even though the idea of cinematic time travel has been tried and tested, it still manages to feel fresh in this one. And we're even getting a few twists and turns here and there, some of which I didn't predict until they happened. Ultimately, the story allows the viewer to enter the film and remain engaged with it throughout the film, and for that, it should be commended.

We're also getting a slew of decent performances from the cast. Smith and Jones are their standard selves, but this is really Smith's vehicle. Because of the story's constructs, Jones only appears in the early and later moments of the film. Fortunately, we're getting a clever impersonation job from the likes of Brolin in the intermediary moments. When I first saw the trailers for the film introducing Brolin as the younger Agent K, I immediately thought him to be a fine choice purely based off his look. After seeing the film, however, I can say that Brolin does a fine job filling the shoes, and he proves to bring most of the film's comedy to the table. I also thought that Stuhlbarg managed to steal the show with his performance, and if there's any reason to see the film, it's him alone. Also be on the watch for decent bits from the likes of Clement, Emma Thompson, Nicole Scherzinger and Bill Hader in a cameo appearance.

At the end of the day, Men in Black III might not be the best in the franchise, but it still proves to be an entertaining venture and pleasant addition to the franchise's overall storyline. It fills in a lot of questions that fans may have had about the characters, and even manages to flesh out our two leads a little bit further. For that, I think we can all be appreciative.

Movie Review Summary

Grade: B

Should You See It? Yes

Movie Review: GET SHORTY

GET SHORTY

1995
R

Get Shorty is a 1995 comedy crime thriller directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. It centers around the making of a movie in Hollywood. Chili Palmer (John Travolta), a Miami-based loan shark, is sent by his boss, Ray "Bones" Baroni (Dennis Farina) to find a dry cleaner owner who owes him $300,000. Chili's search takes him to Los Angeles, where he decides to spend a little time dabbling in his real passion: filmmaking. After breaking into the home of Hollywood starlet Karen Flores (Rene Russo), Chili meets low-budget film kingpin Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman) and pitches a movie based on his recent experiences. The two decide to go into business together, which leads Chili towards learning the ins and outs of Hollywood finances and bribery. He meets Harry's other major financier, a local drug runner named Bo (Delroy Lindo), who is also trying to break into the Hollywood producing scene. He and Chili begin to court Harry with a number of offers in an attempt to sway him towards their bill for finances. However, Chili also has to deal with the job he was assigned, and when Ray Bones makes his way to L.A., Chili finds himself in a bit of a pickle.

I've known about this flick for quite a while but just never took the time to sit down and watch it. I think it really came into my consciousness when its sequel, 2005's Be Cool, was released, but I vaguely remember hearing about it back when it first came out. Granted, I was only seven, but that's a little irrelevant. However, it was mentioned in Steven Jay Schneider's 101 Gangster Films You Must See Before You Die, so I figured now was as good a time as any to give it a viewing.

The first thing I think you'll notice is just how fresh the film's dialogue is. Now, it's not that the dialogue is anything stunning, but it fits the constructs of the movie so well that it automatically makes everything believable. You can say what you want about John Travolta - especially after the tumultuous couple of years he's had recently - but as soon as Chili Palmer starts talking, you'll be absolutely hooked. Now, if you've seen my explanation of my grading system, you'll know that a big chunk of a film's final score comes down to acting as well as the movie's screenplay. I didn't go into detail about what it takes to have a good screenplay (but I really should have), but I'll give a basic rundown here. For me, a great screenplay comes down to two pieces: the film's story and the film's dialogue. You can have a brilliantly-crafted story, but if your characters' dialogue isn't believable, your final score is going to suffer. The same goes for the opposite. However, Get Shorty hits on both pistons, grabbing hold and never once letting go. We have a great storyline that comes full circle (in more ways than one), and the dialogue is so crisp and refreshing that I couldn't help but believe that the actors had transformed into the characters themselves.

That being said, a brilliant screenplay is nothing without execution. Here's an analogy: in football, a coach can call a brilliant play, but if the star player falls down, it's going to look like a bonehead call. The same goes for movies. A screenwriter can craft something absolutely beautiful or original, but if the actors can't bring their game up to that level, it's going to come out a little bit stale. Fortunately for Sonnenfeld, Get Shorty was blessed with an all-star cast that rises to the occasion. I've already mentioned Travolta who was absolutely fantastic. In fact, he nabbed a Golden Globe win for this role back in the day. However, the great acting doesn't end with him. Each actor plays his or her part to near-perfection. Special mention should be given to the always-fantastic Hackman because he doesn't disappoint here either. It should also be noted that Danny DeVito also gives a strong supporting performance, and James Gandolfini is good for a laugh here and there. Even Bette Midler joins the mix for a couple of scenes.

Although the movie does run a little bit too long (there were definitely some scenes that could've been edited a little bit), Get Shorty is still a fascinating watch and a heck of a good time. Try to pay close attention to the dialogue. It's so strong, and if you're able to catch it all, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Movie Review Summary:

Grade: A-
1.5 Thumbs Up