Taken- to the bike rack

I always like films that break the stereotype. Too often in the film industry today there is a mold and all too often that mold is made out of adamantium, you dig? As a viewer, you get the feeling that nothing is ever new because, well, everything is derivative of something that came before it. That makes original work today more resonant. It's working against nearly a century worth of material.
Taken is the story of a retired CIA 'preventer' (i.e he prevents shizant from happening) who's daughter is kidnapped while on vacation. Naturally he gets pissed and using his old-school skills sets out to lay the smack down (I am using way too much slang in this entry....homes). Liam Neeson is great as Bryan Mills. He pulls off some serious Jason Bourne style ass whuppings as if he was a twenty-something. Which is refreshing to see. This movie takes it's time as well, also refreshing. It takes almost fourty minutes before the first action goes down. This time is used as it should: to introduce us to the characters and build their stories. This way we understand Bryan as he takes morally ambiguous means to find his daughter. We may not agree but we get it. If there is a criticism it is the action sequences are sometimes hard to follow. A poor combination of claustrophobic proximity, dark lighting, and quick editing.
Overall, not bad. I enjoyed it. It's a character story more than an action film. What would a father do for his daughter? If you had the means to an end, no matter the consequences of using these tools, would you use them? Big question.

He's Just Not That Into You- and neither am I....to this movie

Chick flicks are a staple of the film industry. Just as action flicks are made to attract the 18 - 35 male demographic, chick flicks are made to serve a similar purpose. If you're a male you've surely experienced the difficulties of sitting through a horribly cheesy chick flick to appease a woman. That's why, every once and a while, a surprisingly entertaining chick flick is welcome.
He's Just Not That Into You is a story about relationships. Or more like the difficulties of acquiring and/or keeping a significant other. It centers around a group of young, sexified people all in different stages of the love game. Firstly, let me clarify that I in no way found this to be any more than a functional film. It's not great, hardly even good, but it works and doesn't shame itself. The cast is not bad and it's diversity in terms of reputable actors (Jennifer Connelly), little knowns (Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin), and bona-fide stars (Jennifer Aniston, Scarlett Johannson{ok, maybe not her so much}) was intriguing to say the least. It's not like that lifts the film in any way, but it's weird to see a cast list that has so many known actors who vary in recognition. The film has it's moments such as periodic When Harry Met Sally style doc interludes in which characters talk about their love stories. Ginnifer Goodwin is very good as a neurotic dateaholic but she becomes incredibly irritating after a while. It was also nice to see Jennifer Connelly again. However, the film gets bogged down in exposition and theme. Too many characters to handle. Not to mention the film would go from light-hearted to intensely sexual in the snap of a finger. Which is odd for a PG flick.
Anyhow, if you're a girl you will like this movie. If you're a guy, you'll hate it. But if you understand what makes a film work or not, this is actually a great example of a movie that does nothing great but nothing poorly. Worth a look....if you're gf is forcing you into it.

Away We Go- and away I went...

A current trend in films these days is the offbeat dramedy. Colorful, but deep, characters interact with other colorful, but deep, characters revolving around a unique set of circumstance. Add a dash of laughs, some alternative music, and a some quirky dialogue and you get an offbeat dramedy. In this regard it's more a style of film making than a genre. Think of films like Juno or Punch Drunk Love. Either way it's a growing trend, and admittedly a welcome one.
Away We Go is the story of a man (John Krasinski) who gets his gf (Maya Rudolph) pregnant. They're in love but both refuse to believe the place they are at in their lives is ideal to raise a child so they take off an a travelling spree to determine where would be the best place to raise a family. This journey takes them to Phoenix, Tucson, Montreal, and Miami. In each place they have friends of family that they interact with and this produces the drama and comedy in the film. Maggie Gylenhaal is very good as an over-bearing hippy mother who believes in new age practices to parenting. The gorgeous Carmen Ejogo is also very good as Rudolph's sister who's unhappy with the man situation in her life. Allison Janney is brilliantly funny as Rudolph's former boss who has become extremely content with the fact she doesn't need to raise her kids well. These characters and their interactions with our main characters is excellent. In addition, both Krasisnski and Rudolph flex their dramatic muscles and the results are surprising. Rudolph in particular is quite good. Sam Mendes directs the story so well we learn worlds about the supporting actors just by a single line of dialogue or decision they make.
While some people might groan at the prospect of another offbeat dramedy, this is one worth seeing. It does all the things an offbeat dramedy is supposed to do. In my opinion, it's superior to the acclaimed Juno which made a run at the Best Picture Oscar in 2008. Either way it's a film worth seeing and seeing again.