Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008, G. del Toro)

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Plot Synopsis by Jason Buchanan
Ron Perlman returns to the role of the big red BPRD agent in this sequel to 2004's Hellboy, directed once again by Guillermo del Toro and scripted as before in collaboration with original Hellboy creator Mike Mignola. For centuries, an ancient truce has kept the naïve citizens of the human race safe from the horrors of the invisible realm -- but that's all about to change, and fast. A ruthless leader has emerged in the invisible realm, a tyrant just as comfortable walking the surface realm as he is living in the land of fantasy. When this power-mad ruler defies his bloodline to assemble an unstoppable army of fantastical creatures that he will use to wage a supernatural war on humanity, it begins to appear that humankind's days are numbered. But Hellboy (Perlman) isn't about to stand idly by as the planet is purged by a demonic despot, and with a little help from his team at the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, he may just be able to send our otherworldly overlords packing. Of course, Hellboy's pyrokinetic girlfriend, Liz (Selma Blair), is always willing to conjure up an inferno or two when things get desperate, aquatic Abe (Doug Jones) is prepared to dive headlong into any battle, and protoplasmic mystic Johann (voice of Thomas Kretschmann) proves an invaluable companion in times of inter-dimensional conflict. Now, as the creatures who inhabit the spiritual realm gear up for an all-out attack on the human plane, the only one capable of saving the Earth is a tough-talking hellspawn rejected by both worlds.

First things first: Guillermo del Toro is a masterful technician. And I don't mean that in any kind of Andrew Sarris-type of disrespect. I'm serious. Between Pan's Labyrinth and now Hellboy II: The Golden Army, del Toro has shown impeccable taste in set, lighting and costume design, interesting-without-being-distracting camera placement and movement, and special effects direction. The guy is obviously very talented and gifted, and I enjoy his boisterous and giving personality in interviews. So, why am I destined to only enjoy his Spanish-language films?

Don't get me wrong. I don't want to sound like all those other film critics out there who look down on superhero/comic book films; because that's not who I am at all. But, if you've followed del Toro's career, you can see the dividing line between his Spanish language, atmospheric ghost stories/fables ("Cronos","The Devil's Backbone", "Pan's Labyrinth") and his English language mainstream film projects ("Blade II", "Hellboy"). The Spanish films are slower paced, creepy, and pitched within some historical/political context that give them a bit of gravity. The English films are completely different (and good for that, but...): they enjoy loudness, exciting fight choreography, and humor, which del Toro is great at. But they also suffer from clunky and/or less meaningful storytelling and themes.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army" is the perfect example of his strengths marrying his weaknesses. The film looks amazing. The costumes and special effects are always convincing and extremely creative in their conception. Some of the creatures look like they could've come out of "Pan's Labyrinth", but are probably faithful to Mike Mignola's comic (full disclosure: never read an issue). But the storyline line basically amounts to: Bad Guy on the loose, misunderstood Good Guys chase Bad Guy & fight, rinse & repeat. There is a subplot with Hellboy having to learn to grow up because of Liz's impending pregnancy. Del Toro states in the film's commentary that he put all sorts of signs and clues to the pregnancy in the background of the film (in the form of street signs, words, fertility goddesses, the baby Hellboy has to rescue), but the story should've reflected this change thematically a little better. About half way through the movie, all these ideas are forgotten in order to focus on special effects-driven fighting and destructive mayhem.

Once again, the special effects and the destruction is done very very well. The success of "Pan's Labyrinth" has given Universal the confidence to supply del Toro with enough money to capture his vision; and he uses every single dollar on the screen. But without a strong emotional hook to hang onto, it means absolutely nothing. Del Toro is completely capable of providing that emotional attachment.

Del Toro has put together a good cast. He wisely got rid of the "audience-identification" character played by Rupert Evans in the first film. Tambor's humor quotient has been upgraded, as has Perlman's, yet Doug Jones and Seth McFarlane are left humorless. I have been enjoying Selma Blair in NBC's "Kath & Kim", but she doesn't have much to work with here, which is disappointing.

Though there was something about a scene where Hellboy, Liz, and the others are getting attacked by the Tooth Fairy creatures. Liz clams up, turns on her fire ability, and just uses it to protect herself (knowing that she was pregnant before anyone else did?). That was an interesting moment within the whiz! bang! of an otherwise typical action sequence.

Other thoughts:
-- The opening animated/puppet prolouge was a great way to tell that backstory of the evil creatures. I enjoy sequels that like to investigate and tell stories from a character's past.
-- Guillermo Navarro's photography is very fluid and exciting to watch. It does not call attention to itself. But there are several instances where the way the camera moves within a room to disclose different pieces of information and then to surprise; and it is very effective.
-- The ending of the film does not overstay it's welcome. Once the status quo is restored; the film hurtles towards a close. And Del Toro ends the film with a great line/exchange and a hard cut. Fantastic!
-- "I'm not a baby, I'm a tumor".

This director is a major talent and everything he does will be worth looking at, I just will find myself pining for another Spanish-language film to come down the production schedule...

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008, N. Stoller)

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Plot Synopsis by Jason Buchanan
In desperate need of a vacation after being unceremoniously dumped by his TV-star girlfriend, a man travels to a lavish Hawaiian resort to nurse his wounds and forget his heartache, only to discover that his ex and her handsome new boyfriend are currently staying at the exact same island hot spot. Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) may be just another struggling musician, but for the past six years he's been dating Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), one of the hottest stars on television. Sarah is everything in the world to Peter, so when she kindly but firmly tells him that they should each go their separate ways, he is absolutely devastated. Later, after attempting to salvage his ego by awkwardly attempting to become a womanizer and nearly losing his job because of a nervous breakdown, an emotionally fragile Peter attempts to put the past behind him by escaping to the sun-soaked beaches of Oahu. While at first it seems as if Peter has discovered the perfect prescription for a bad case of lost love, his plan soon turns to dust when Sarah and her new rock-star boyfriend, Aldous (Russell Brand), turn up at the exact same resort. Though accepting Sarah's lavish new lifestyle won't be easy for the crestfallen Peter, the laid-back companionship of flirtatious resort employee Rachel (Mila Kunis) -- not to mention a continuous regimen of fruity cocktails -- goes a long way in mending the wounds of a broken heart. Forgetting Sarah Marshall was penned by Segel and produced by Judd Apatow. Fun with Dick and Jane screenwriter Nicholas Stoller makes his directorial debut. The cast also includes Paul Rudd, Bill Hader, Jack McBrayer, and Jonah Hill.

The thing about predictable stories is how they hit their marks and what new inventive things they can do with the structure. Did they do that here? Not really. But as was the case with my recently viewed "Baby Mama", it is the cast that saves the film from it's standard Rom-Com archetypes. Especially the supporting cast.

I have praise for Jason Segel, whom I have enjoyed since watching "Freak and Geeks" for the first time . My interest solidified after his portrayal as the overly-emotive possessive boyfriend Eric on "Undeclared". I suffer through the strained "Friends"-wannabe How I Met Your Mother every week because of Segel's winning personality and my desire to see him succeed as an actor (though co-star Neil Patrick Harris has all the funny lines). I am glad that he had some success with this film as a actor and as a writer (he is slated to pen a new Muppets film). But, when I finally caught up with this film on home video, I was disappointed. I guess I was expecting something a little more...something.

It is hard to pinpoint what that something is. The film is funny. The cast is solid. The supporting even more so. Bill Hader and Paul Rudd both steal their respective scenes. Jonah Hill, who should be grating/wearing out his welcome by now, is solidly funny. Jack McBrayer needs to be in more things period.

Perhaps it's the A story which is the problem, and this is no disrespect to Segel as a writer (because the film is very funny). It works as a disservice to the film to make Kristin Bell so unlikeable because she is very gifted comedienne. This does not get exhibited in this film, partly because she is saddled with the bitch ex-girlfriend role and because there are no jokes written for her. It's great to see her with a big role in a major motion picture, but I feel her talents are wasted here.

I feel similarly strained about Mila Kunis. It's great to see her as the main love interest in a big movie. Funny as the aggressive Jackie on "That 70's Show", she gets to exhibit a softer personality in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and it works in her favor. But the film does her a disservice, by having some out-of-character moments concerning an ex-boyfriend. Maybe the film is trying to say something about "not knowing everything about someone". It just feels like a character inconsistency that isn't explored enough to make that point.

It's these kind of out-of-character and ridiculous moments of the film; like Russel Brand's character and music, Segel falling off a cliff, playing the Dracula musical to a receptive crowd in a bar, -- that do a disservice to the genuine moments of the film. I was especially turned off by the "joke" which was Segel allowing Bell to blow him near the end of the film. The motive and intentions behind these actions are mystifying and not really in keeping with the rest of the film. While the film may be aiming at having a scene that proves Segel has finally "lost feelings" for Bell, it's executed as if only to provide a complication to Segel and Kunis' budding relationship.

These "misunderstandings" that serve as the final conflict in most romantic comedies seem to be the hardest to pull off realistically, lately. Modern crowds are becoming more aware of them, most often because they do not reflect real life and/or if they are ridiculous are not effectively sold. By and large, romantic comedies traffic in the ridiculous. The writers of these films (and television shows) need to become more adept at being able to effectively sell their conflicts. Because this deficiency is continuing the be the death knell for the genre.

I don't want this to sound as if I'm dissing Segel's talents as a writer, because I'm not. I'm a champion for his kind of off-color humor, especially when it's dressing up what feels like a golden-age era screwball comedy. I wish him luck with the Muppets film. I'm just trying to help push for a smarter romantic comedy era to emerge. Love is complicated in the modern age and there are many funny things that can be explored.

Baby Mama (2007, M. McCullers)

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Plot Synopsis by Jason Buchanan
Former Saturday Night Live "Weekend Update" co-anchors Tina Fey and Amy Poehler co-star in this baby-fever comedy about a single, career-oriented woman who previously put parenthood on hold, and is forced to hire a surrogate mother when she discovers there is only a one-in-a-million chance that she will be able to get pregnant. Kate Holbrook (Fey) is a 37-year-old business executive who has always put her professional life before her personal life, but these days her biological clock is ticking louder than ever before. As with everything else she has accomplished in life, Kate is determined to have a child on her own terms. Unfortunately for Kate, the chance of her ever becoming pregnant is slim to none. Undaunted, a willful Kate drafts South Philly working-class girl Angie Ostrowiski (Poehler) -- a woman who may just be her polar opposite -- to be a surrogate mother. Subsequently informed by the head of the surrogacy center (Sigourney Weaver) that her surrogate is indeed pregnant, the excited mother-to-be soon purchases every child-rearing book she can find and excitedly begins the nesting process. But life hasn't quit throwing Kate curveballs just yet, because when a pregnant Angie shows up on her doorstep with no place to live, the woman who once thrived on order finds her life descending into chaos. Now, as Kate attempts to transform Angie into the ideal expectant mother, this odd couple will discover that families aren't always biological, but occasionally formed through friendship as well. Writer Michael McCullers, who authored the screenplays for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Undercover Brother in addition to working on Saturday Night Live, makes his feature directorial debut with a self-penned screenplay.

While the above indicates a three-star premise (and the film boasts three-star direction), there is four-star talent involved that makes the film watchable with chuckles. Those awaiting the motion picture followup to Fey's "Mean Girls" will be somewhat disappointed as she didn't write this script, but there are inspired lines and pieces of humor that must've come from improv sessions with the cast. It is this group of comedians and these bits and characterizations that save the movie from being just a bland, safe baby-comedy.

Fey and Poehler have great chemistry together and their give-and-take is really the heart and soul of this picture. Fey's slow-burn straight man to Poehler's off-the-wall character is the comic basis of the film and they're up to the challenge. They have many great scenes together and those scenes manage to outweigh the rest of the film comically. Whenever Fey is not around Poehler, you sometimes wish they'd be back together so the film could be unpredictably funny again.

Not that some of the rest of the cast isn't funny. Steve Martin, in a minor role, plays a very "earthy" entrepreneur and is the best film role he's had in years. The things that come out of his mouth are almost as hilarious as his ponytail. Dax Shepard is serviceable as Poehler's boyfriend/husband. Sigourney Weaver is very funny and makes the most of her few times on screen. Her work in this and in "The TV Set", have proven her obvious skills at comedy and I'd like to see her do more.

Fey's budding relationship with Greg Kinnear is the subplot of the film that doesn't work so well. It's not that the two of them don't have great chemistry; they do. And Kinnear is very likable. It's just that their story feels rather obvious, obligatory, and not very funny. It exists so that there may be a misunderstanding between them adding yet more conflict for Fey's character to resolve. It makes you long for a return to the Poehler storyline when you should be enjoying the romance story.

But the movie is fun and funny because the cast is game for the material. It's not going to change the world, but it is something to chuckle along to. Pregnant couple may find it funny. And it's not bad to turn on late on night when you should be going to sleep, but get caught up in something on cable instead.

Son Of Rambow (2008, G. Jennings)

All Music Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Jason Buchanan
As the summer sun shines down on England in the early 1980s, two boys who couldn't be more different are brought together by a mutual love of cinema and a desire to emulate their favorite action movie icon. Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner) is a well-mannered schoolboy being raised in an ultra-religious community that deplores such corruptive distractions as television and seeks to maintain its purity by severely limiting contact with the outside world. In order to exorcise his creative inner demons, Will has taken to sketching imaginative drawings and complex illustrations. Lee Carter (Will Poulter) is the school terror, a rampaging hellion whose overaggressive behavior has made him an endless source of frustration to the faculty, and a source of fear to his fellow classmates. As fate would have it, Will is in the school hallway avoiding exposure to the classroom television when a fed-up teacher ejects Lee from the classroom. Though at first it appears as if Lee is about to torment timid Will just as he does the rest of the student body, the two form a tight bond after Will convinces Lee to view a bootleg copy of Rambo: First Blood. When Lee informs Will that he wants to shoot a homebrewed version of the violent action film for an upcoming amateur filmmaking contest, a sudden streak of rebellion prompts his sheltered classmate to readily agree. As the summer wears on the two boys set out to create the ultimate no-budget action movie, but their grand vision hits an unexpected hitch when a busload of French exchange students arrive at the school and the leader of the pack attempts to hijack the production.

I saw this film back in September. I was excited to see it, as it was the first original creation/production for the filmmaker team of Hammer & Tongs (director Garth Jennings and his partner producer Nick Goldsmith) after their adaptation of 2005's The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. It was their past (and present) work as music video directors, not their previous film, that contributed to my interest in this film. I liked their sensibility and tone in their videos; like for Blur's Coffee & TV and Supergrass' Pumping On The Stereo. While the whimsical special effects side of their personalities was utilized for Hitchhiker's Guide, I was hungry for a film that came completely from their own creation.

It seems that Son Of Rambow has been a long time coming to US theaters. It initially premiered at Sundance in 2007, but because of legal rights with music/trademarked Rambo name held up release until earlier this year. I missed it when it played theatrically in Seattle, and at the SIFF before that, but moved it to the top of my Netflix queue when it was released on DVD.

My hopes paid off. This is a film that focuses solidly on characters, not the special effects of Hitchhicker's; but that's not to say that special effects aren't employed, because they are. But they are used tastefully and in service of the story and to help flesh out emotional ties between the audience and the characters. Tonally, it's very melancholy with dashes of whimsy and genuine humor.


I loved the french kid.

He was a great balance to the story. I gotta admit that I prefer him and his crew better when they were providing the comic relief, than when he joined up with Will & Lee making the film. He then is used as the "third wheel"/catalyst in order to tear Will & Lee apart. While I like that he becomes a bigger part of the story, his humor somewhat disappears.

At the end, when the French were returning back home, was the "popular" French kid really supposed to be a loser amongst his French peers?

After being hooked on to Spaced , it's nice to see Jessica Hynes in another type of role. I need to seek out more films that she is in. Any suggestions?

I also thought that the score was used well. It gave off a vibe that Amblin Pictures had back in the 1980's, preferring orchestral instruments over synthesizers. This helps with the melancholic tone. The 1980's New Wave songs were tastefully selected and deployed as well.

This is the type of movie I would have loved to see on HBO after I had come home from school when I was the age as the characters in the film. I would've made my own version of Rambo at home too! I look forward to seeing this film again, and can maybe revisit that feeling on a sick day.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008, W. Allen)

AllMovieGuide Synopsis:

by Perry Seibert
Woody Allen's romantic drama Vicky Cristina Barcelona stars Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson as best friends Vicky and Cristina. As the movie opens, the pair of twentysomethings travel to Barcelona so that Vicky can work on her post-graduate degree. The two meet the charming artist Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), who offers to take them on a vacation and make love to them. Vicky, being a happily engaged young woman, refuses, but Cristina is eager for this life experience. A love triangle begins to coalesce, and things grow more complicated when Juan Antonio's passionate, unstable ex, Maria Elena (Penélope Cruz), arrives to stay after a suicide attempt.

As the latest "Woody Is Back!" film, I expect Vicky Cristina Barcelona to make much more money than his last five films. Possibly combined! Why do I think this? Not only do I agree with the critical consensus out there, that this film is top-notch, but I saw the film in a theater with a packed audience that was completely in touch with every word, whim, and witticism. This film played, and to a young audience! Perhaps the prospect of a girl-on-girl kiss is what drew the youngin's in, but it was the humor and nicely told story that got them to stay and become involved.

Now, I've never thought that Woody had lost it. Cassandra's Dream, which opened earlier this year to far less enthusiasm, is just as good if not completely different. It has been a while since Woody has made a romantic/sex farce type film, and I don't think anyone would have guessed that he would be so successful at it this late in the game. But the film is very funny, without being typically "Woody Allen"-punchline funny. Especially winning is Penelope Cruz, who I have not seen this good in anything.

Rebecca Hall is a find as well. Is she really British? She plays a good American and the uncertainty of her character is the most interesting/layered of the whole film.

Step Brothers (2008, A. McKay)

Plot Synopsis (really, this and the poster is all you really need to know):

Two spoiled guys become competitive stepbrothers after their single parents get hitched.

Where's the love? It seems that there is a bit of "too cool for school" backlash out there (internet/friends/media/etc.) against ol' Will Ferrell. I don't get it. Sure, he may be a little overexposed with a movie coming out every season. But he is still an incredibly gifted comic performer and be at least interesting in anything.

I seem to be more a fan of his team-ups with his long-time co-writer/director Adam McKay. I am a huge fan of Anchorman and it's compulsive rewatchability. But I'm more of a fan of how it goes in very absurd places. Couple that with Ferrell's (has to be) improv wordchoice/delivery, and you've got very funny and singular comedy.

I have a feeling I'll be watching this a lot on cable, where it will flourish late-night.

With a "R" rating and the seemingly low-budget, I had a feeling that Step Brothers would be more Anchorman and less Semi-Pro. And I was right; for the first 45 minutes.

For that first 45 minutes, the film is just as surreal in what the characters are saying than anything in Ferrell's already weird repertoire. And it is filthy. One of the reasons the trailer failed a bit is most of the jokes contain crazy dirty language and could not be used in the trailer. You feel like the film can and will say/do anything during these first 45 minutes until the brothers have to "learn to grow up". When the film starts heading towards it's ending, it turns more conventional and loses the outrageous laughs much the same way Wedding Crashers lost its steam during its third act stretch.

What is undeniable is the chemistry between Ferrell and Reilly. One of my favorite moments is right after they've built their bunk-bed. They enthuse about the space they now have and all "the activities" they could do. They really do match each other equally with bizarre and effective word choice humor. They really should do more movies together and I hope they find a role for Reilly in the planned Ron Burgundy sequel.