Movie Review: WINNIE THE POOH

WINNIE THE POOH

2011
G


"Oh, Pooh, you went back for the honey, didn't you?"
-- Piglet

Winnie the Pooh is a 2011 animated film directed by Don Hall and Stephen J. Anderson that offers a new tale in the Hundred Acres Wood. Our narrator (voiced by John Cleese) starts our tale by telling the audience of morning where Winnie the Pooh (voiced by Jim Cummings) had something important to do. He starts to go about his day in the hopes of finding what he's supposed to do, but he happens to stumble upon his friend Eeyore (voiced by Bud Luckey), who has lost his tail. Distraught, Pooh asks his friend Christopher Robin (voiced by Jack Boulter) for help, and he suggests a contest to see who can give Eeyore the best new tail. Every one of their friends, from Piglet (voiced by Travis Oates) and Owl (voiced by Craig Ferguson) to Kanga (voiced by Kristen Anderson-Lopez) and Roo (voiced by Wyatt Dean Hall), helps out, but in the process, the group comes to believe that Christopher Robin has been kidnapped by a terrible beast called the "backson." Led by Tigger (voiced by Cummings) and Rabbit (voiced by Tom Kenny) in an attempt to find their friend, they set a trap for this horrible monster and wait for it to be tricked.

I was moderately excited when this film was released last summer, and I wasn't at all shocked at how well-received it was with the critical community, and it's critical success was equivalent to the success that the 1977 film, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, received during its theatrical run. While the film from the 1970s featured three shorter vignettes, this film manages to interweave the stories and create one continuous and connected narrative that plays out rather nicely.

One of the film's stronger points is its screenplay. While on the one hand it's offering something terribly simple and easy-to-understand for the childhood audience, we're actually getting a few little quips here and there for the adult crowd. You have to imagine that the screenwriters understood that parents would be taking their kids to see this one, so they wanted to give them a little something to enjoy as well. But there's something so brutally innocent about the story and the characters that makes it all wonderfully charming. It's difficult to find a movie - even an animated kid's movie - in today's society that knows how to be completely innocent and carefree, but Winnie the Pooh has succeeded in doing just that, and it has its storyline and screenplay to thank.

I could probably talk about the vocal acting in the film, but there really isn't that much to say. The base characters have been crafted and created in the past, so it was up to the performers to mimic as best they could, and I thought they all did splendidly. I do think, however, that Cleese was the perfect choice to play the film's narrator.

We're also getting a rather stellar soundtrack, much of which is crafted by the multi-talented Zooey Deschanel. I had known that she was working on the film for quite some time, but I didn't quite know just how much she'd actually be doing with the movie. However, her voice is heard rather often throughout the flick, and it's a rather pleasant surprise, to be sure. From the film's opening sequence with the oh-so-familiar theme, she makes her presence known, and I couldn't be happier that she found a way into this film. Here's her biggest song on the soundtrack, which plays during the end credits:

At the end of the day, I have to be honest: I couldn't watch this movie without a huge, ridiculous grin across my face. I was smiling from ear to ear from start to finish, and I could probably go back and watch it again right now and smile and laugh just as much. This is high-class animated cinema at its finest, and I can only wish that studios were making films this brilliantly innocent more often. And yet, a part of me doesn't because that allows Winnie the Pooh to remain the gem that it is. I'll leave you with the critical consensus for the film from Rottentomatoes.com, where it holds a 91% approval rating:

Short, nostalgic, and gently whimsical, Winnie the Pooh offers young audiences - and their parents - a sweetly traditional family treat.

Movie Review Summary
Grade: A-
2 Thumbs Up

Movie Review: ELF

ELF

2003
PG


"We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup."
-- Buddy

Elf is a 2003 comedy directed by Jon Favreau that centers around a man trying to reconnect with his father. When he was put up for adoption as a baby, Buddy (Will Ferrell) accidentally crawled into Santa Claus's bag of toys one Christmas Eve and managed to make his way back to the North Pole. Filled with compassion, Santa (Ed Asner) passed the infant off to one of his older elves (Bob Newhart), who took it upon himself to raise the child. As Buddy grew, however, it became increasingly evident that he was, in fact, a human and not an elf. One day, Papa Elf decided to tell Buddy of his true past, and in a spur of emotion, Buddy decided to make his way to New York City to meet his father, Walter Hobbs (James Caan). Upon his arrival, however, Walter does not believe Buddy to be his son. Left alone in an unfamiliar city, Buddy does his best to get by, spreading holiday cheer to everyone around him. As time continues to pass, Walter starts to come to terms with the fact that Buddy may actually be his son, and with Christmas fast-approaching, it happens not a minute too soon.

Over the years, I've seen bits and pieces of this film, but I had never had the opportunity to sit down and watch it in its entirety. At the time of its release, I was a tad bit anti-Will Ferrell. I didn't quite understand the appeal of his humor, and while I'm still not the biggest fan of his work, I've come to appreciate what he's done for the comedy genre over the past decade. However, after seeing that Elf was very well-received from the critical community upon its initial release, I figured I'd give it a shot this holiday season.

The screenplay isn't anything drastically new, but it fits the mold of a Christmas film relatively well. We have a lead character trying to re-instill Christmas spirit into the lives of people who have lost sight of what the holiday really means. The big twist on the genre is that we're getting a man raised by elves who comes back to a human lifestyle, and that's where a lot of the film's comedy is generated. Seeing Buddy react to his human surroundings for the first time in his life is quite the comedic experience, and it's only heightened by the way in which Ferrell plays the part.

Ultimately, this is Ferrell's vehicle, and his manic presence is enough to keep you entertained throughout the film's entirety. He brings a childish charm to his performance, and he never once strays from his character. It's a very different role from what he's done in his other films, but at the same time, there's still quite a bit that's similar. He's over-the-top, loud and crazy, but the fact that he isn't delving into the raunchy and adult-rated humor makes this character all the more endearing. I'm sure Buddy strikes quite a chord with child audiences. The rest of the cast also fills out nicely. Caan is a great foil to Buddy's manic atmosphere, and although it's nowhere near his best performance, he's serviceable in this one. We get some good supporting performances from the likes of Mary Steenburgen and Zooey Deschanel; also, be on the lookout for a fantastic cameo appearance from Peter Dinklage.

Ultimately, there's nothing truly ground-breaking or new in Elf, but it still proves to be a fun little film for the holiday season. If you're not a fan of Will Ferrell's brand of comedy, you're going to have a tough time getting into this one, but if you are, then this might just be a must-see for you. I found myself chuckling consistently throughout the film, so that alone should tell you it's worth giving a watch if you haven't already done so.

Movie Review Summary
Grade: B+
1.5 Thumbs Up

DVD Challenge #9: (500) DAYS OF SUMMER

(500) Days of Summer
2009
PG-13
Run-time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Directed by: Marc Webb
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Zooey Deschanel




When I first heard about (500) Days of Summer, I can't even begin to tell you about my level of excitement. The reuniting of Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel was a matter of cosmic significance in my life. I had seen their first collaboration - an 2001 independent drama titled Manic (which ranks as the second greatest film I have ever seen) - about a year before, and I had fallen in love with the both of them. So having them star in a romantic comedy together was almost too much for me to fathom. I had high expectations, but nothing could prepare me for the brilliance that was about to unfold in front of my eyes the moment I set foot in the theater.

The best way that I can describe this film is to say that it's a romantic comedy that can appeal to men. As we all know, the rom-com genre generally targets the female population, as it well should. Women are the ones who are usually drawn into the sappy love stories because they're usually centered around the woman's perspective. (500) Days of Summer, however, does the opposite. It provides a look at two people's relationship from Tom's (Gordon-Levitt) perspective, and it does so without ever giving an in-depth look at Summer's (Deschanel) side of the story.

The film works for a number of reasons. I have to start by mentioning the chemistry between our two leads. They're so comfortable with each other that they're every move on-screen seems completely natural. Their relationship is entirely believable as a result. Secondly, a lot of credit should be given screenwriters Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter. They crafted a non-linear storyline that cuts deep into the psyche of a man in love. They created a character so real and so fresh in Tom that I have yet to find a guy who couldn't relate to him. Thirdly, the soundtrack is utterly fantastic. With songs from the likes of Regina Spektor, The Smiths, and Hall & Oates, you can imagine the type of feel the film has.

Ultimately, this is a movie that I can relate to immensely. Whenever I watch the film, I can't help but see the similarities between Tom's relationships and my own. I have a deep connection to the character because I've been in his position and have felt exactly what he's felt. It's a very personal film to me, and it's very close to my heart. That connection may bias my view of the film - I personally think it's a masterpiece that stands as the twenty-seventh greatest film I've ever seen - but in this case, I don't really care. I love (500) Days of Summer, and I have no qualms about admitting it. I've found that the guys I know tend to enjoy it more than the girls I know, but as with every movie, it comes down to personal opinion. Still, I think you should give it a shot.

Previous DVD Challenge: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END (2007)

DVD Challenge #5: THE HAPPENING

The Happening
2008
R
Run-time: 1 hours, 31 minutes

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo & Betty Buckley




Before you start jumping the gun, there's a perfectly legitimate reason for me to own The Happening. I first saw the movie on its opening weekend with a friend of mine, and in the beginning, we were actually intrigued and enthralled by the originality of the storyline. An unknown airborne toxin causes people to lose control of their wits, leading to their eventual suicide. Sounds creepy enough, right? However, one particular scene changed the film from a thriller to a comedy. If you read my post about finding the beauty in bad movies, you'll have seen that clip. At that moment, I literally laughed out loud in the theater, and within the next few minutes, the rest of the audience had joined my chorus of laughter.

This film's screenplay is arguably one of the worst I've ever experienced. It starts out strong enough, but it ultimately starts to spiral out of control. In the beginning, we get an effective thriller that does well to pique our interest, but it slowly turns into a movie that sees our characters running away from the wind. When you're simply bouncing from suicide to suicide, there's really not much for the audience to latch onto, except perhaps the acting performances.

(Un)fortunately, we're given some career-worst performances from both Wahlberg and Deschanel. I could probably go on for hours about the other major supporting roles, but most of the blame for this flick lands on our two leads. To be fair, a lot of the problem lies with how the characters were written, but you'd think that such consistent actors as Mark and Zooey would find a way to make the childishness of their characters seem a little more believable. As it stands now, they're just childish, all the way down to wearing mood rings to show their love for another.

Overall, The Happening truly is a massive joke that Shyamalan probably thinks holds a massive political statement. Unfortunately for him, it quickly turns into a laugh-fest that simply cannot be taken seriously. There's a reason I placed it on my list of favorite "so bad, it's good" films and why it now ranks as the worst film I've ever seen. Sometimes unintentional comedies are the most satisfying.

Previous DVD Challenge: KUNG POW: ENTER THE FIST (2002)

Movie Review: YOUR HIGHNESS

YOUR HIGHNESS

2011
R

Your Highness is a 2011 action comedy directed by David Gordon Green that follows the story of two princes as they venture on a quest to save the eldest brother's bride-to-be. When Prince Fabious (James Franco) returns from a quest with a young maiden named Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel), he tells the kingdom that he intends to marry her immediately. This causes quite a stir with Fabious's younger brother, Prince Thadeous (Danny McBride) who believes that Fabious has always stolen the spotlight from him. On the day of the wedding, the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux) kidnaps Belladonna in order to use her in a sacrificial ceremony that will grant him power over an unstoppable dragon. Fabious immediately sets after the wizard, and he drags a reluctant Thadeus alongside him. Joined by Thadeus's man-servant Courtney (Rasmus Hardiker) and teaming forces with a mysterious young warrior named Isabel (Natalie Portman), the two princes set out to rescue the distressed damsel and save the entire kingdom.

I originally heard about Your Highness last summer after a friend was able to see an advance screening of the film, and I had anxiously awaited its release from that point forward. When you have a film that stars now Oscar-nominee James Franco and now Oscar-winner Natalie Portman, you can be sure that expectations may be a little bit high. Unfortunately, I felt as though Your Highness fell a little bit flat, but it has nothing to do with either aforementioned Oscar-nominated star.

No, there's a couple of issues with this film that stand strikingly strong above anything that resembles "goodness." For starters, there's some serious issues with the screenplay. While the storyline is a tad predictable, it services well and proves to be rather inventive, even if we know exactly where it's headed all throughout. However, "inventive" doesn't necessarily save a film from being convoluted; it almost seemed as though the plot moved from one instance to the next without having any real segue between scenes. There's enough cohesion between the story's parts to make it understandable, but at times, I was scratching my head in wonder of why a particular scene needed to be in the film. The biggest problem with the screenplay, however, is the issue of dialogue. A lot of this has to do with the fact that Danny McBride is our lead - more on that in a moment - because we get the necessary drivel accompanied by many of his on-screen characters. The filmmakers could have had a soaring action comedy, but they chose instead to weigh it down with over-sexualized dialogue that would appeal mostly to teenage boys. Beneath all the raunchy jokes and necessity for on-screen nudity, there's a good film hidden; unfortunately, there's just no way anyone could ever dig it all out.

On with the acting. As previously stated, I have no real issue with either Franco or Portman's performances. Franco brings a boyish whimsy to his role, and you get the sense that despite Fabious's many accolades, he has yet to truly grow into manhood. Isabel is a stone-cold killer for most of the film, and Portman brings a strong masculinity to the role that plays rather effectively. Some of the supporting characters, such as Hardiker's Courtney and Theroux's Leezar, are good for a couple of laughs here and there, but they're mostly expendable. No, the real issue here is McBride himself. Being that he co-wrote the screenplay, I can only think that he wrote it mostly with himself in mind to play the lead. As I explained in my review of 2011's The Green Hornet, where Seth Rogen proved to be similarly guilty, writing a role specifically for oneself may not always be the best way to go. McBride stands out too conflictingly in his role, and in my opinion, it brings the film down a notch or two... or ten.

I do have to say that Steve Jablonsky, who has scored films like 2005's The Island and the Transformers franchise, provides some very good musical accompaniment for this film. The sweeping orchestral forms provide an epic-like backdrop for the movie, and in this case, it wholly succeeds.

Overall, Your Highness is probably a movie that you can miss, but I'm sure plenty of people will venture to theaters to see it. It's going to ride on the fact that it's by the guys who brought us 2008's Pineapple Express, but Your Highness doesn't come close to reaching that movie's potential. If you're interested in some big, stupid fun, then this movie might be right up your alley, but if you're looking for something slightly more credible than potty humor, please steer clear.

Movie Review Summary:
Grade: C-
0.5 Thumbs Up