Sometimes Slow and Steady Wins the Race..."Turbo"

Who does not like an underdog story??? 

When it’s all said and done…sometimes slow and steady really does win the race!!

Here is another movie that was totally not on my radar, but ended up being a film that I was pleasantly surprised and glad that I saw. It made my auntie-nephew time that much more enjoyable. As I watched the film, I really did feel like I was watching Fast and Furious (minus the cops, drugs and killing). I mean it is a kids movie right... The brilliant minds of director/writer David Soren, producer Lisa Stewart, and writers Robert Siegel and Darren Lemke should be commended for this original 3D computer animated/sports comedy film. And with an all-star voice over cast including Ryan Reynolds (Turbo), Paul Giamatti (Chet), Michael Pena (Tito), Snoop Dogg (Lion) (Smoove Move), Maya Rudolph (Burn), Michelle Rodriguez (Paz), Luis Guzman (Angelo) and Samuel L. Jackson (Whiplash) you can’t help but the complete movie experience.

I mean who thinks to create a story about A SNAIL whose only dream is to become the fastest snail in the world. Sometimes it’s the simple things that make for a wonderful delivery. And that’s what makes Turbo an awesome story. And when you can entertain a child and an adult with the same movie and they both fully understand, then you have achieved a great deal. 

With each scene, you can’t help but cheer for the main character Turbo (Theo) as he tries to break free from his monotonous snail community and make something great of himself (is that not what we encourage the future to do...). So when this “unexpected accident” takes place who would have imagined that a snail would be granted with characteristics of an actual car like incredible speed, headlights, and a jammin’ radio. Works for me!!

Now let me step away for just one moment and give some “adult” feedback. I must admit the animation is definitely up to par along with some amazing sets and glowing fluorescent colors. The screen literally lights up in every way. Dreamworks did its thing with this one!! Also as mentioned above the film offers a great voice-over cast, and each character provides their own story and piece to the overall puzzle. Turbo is determined and courageous, which is a very motivating quality. I would liken him to a “go-getter”! Then you have Chet, Turbo’s older brother, who offers the voice of reason and the snail who in a sense lights the spark. Also the other snails add another layer of humor and silliness (Whiplash, Burn, Smoove Move and White Shadow) by providing a sense of fear, competition, and inspiration. And then we can’t forget the humans (Tito, Angelo, Guy Gagne, Kim Ly, and Paz), who in this movie play more of a supporting role, yet they offer a foundation and stepping stone for Turbo to make his dream a reality. Some may think that this is another version of Cars (the snails replacing cars), but this story actually can stand on its own. I actually think Turbo gives a bit more depth to this story versus Cars. However, even with all the highlights there was one mildly troubling moment, and without giving it away I will just say, “watch for the crows”… Nonetheless, the humor and entertainment qualities are still all intact.

Overall, I think what made this movie experience most enjoyable was watching my nephew (as well as the other kids in the theater) sit on the edge of his seat cheering on Turbo as if he was in the stands watching him race. That is when you know the movie has done its job. Just imagine hundreds of kids, cheering, jumping up and down, and going nuts over a .....Snail. When it is all said and done Turbo is so much fun to watch, you can’t help but want to break out into a personal cheer, “GO Turbo GO!!”

Turbo is a story that not only kids can have fun watching, but adults can learn a thing or two from it as well. There’s the obvious brotherly love and support angle from Turbo & Chet as well as Tito and Angelo, you gotta love that.  In addition, there’s the “Do You” theme that seems resonate throughout the whole film. All in all, even after watching this I began thinking are accidents really just that, or is it incident that is really supposed to happen (something to ponder on). And if nothing else, hard work and dedication can produce solid and formidable results…Needless to say, sometimes all it take is just a dream and vision to make it become a reality.

So take your kids, matter fact take the whole family, and enjoy the ride!!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars

Pacific Rim...Man-Machine vs. Beast

With a war between mankind and these monstrous creatures of the sea waging in the mist, a former pilot and his crew suit to save the world from the apocalypse. Using out-of-date special weapons, this crew embarks on a mission to reclaim what is rightfully their own. Director Guillermo del Toro presents a story of survival by any means necessary, even when others have given up in this sci-fi, action thriller.

"Rule #1 - Do Not Touch Me...Rule #2 - Do Not Touch Me!" 

Pacific Rim, brings to the screen how one can bring various raw elements together to create these piloted, giant robotic creatures. There is a simple concept of piloted robots called Jaegers that fight against Kaijus, but the catch is why do they keep coming back? What's unique about these robots is how they function. Without telling to much of the story, these robots require you to share your innermost thoughts, literally, with someone else. Knowing that can be troubling for some and encouraging for others. I will let you be the judge of that. That's an important element to digest, I'm still processing that even after watching the movie. Essentially, this film is more than just about robots fighting monsters, it's about humankind and what will you do to protect it. Even in the midst of all the robots, there is a story to tell.

Now visually this movie is clearly showcasing the robots, but we gotta stop and acknowledge the characters behind the machine. First up is the character Marshall Stacker Pentecost (played by Idris Elba) who truly puts his heart and soul into his character. Now officially he may not be deemed as the films main character, but for me I think he can share the role with Charlie Hunnam. Pentecost brings the fatherly/mentor type role to Pacific Rim, as he must take lead of what robots he has left before the world is taken by the apocalypse. As for Hunnam (who plays Raleigh Becket), he offers the idea of what it means to get a second chance. After a tremendous loss in battle, he gets another opportunity to fight the battle, and eventual war, again. In his role as Becket, he genuinely puts his whole self into fighting for the world, considering he came back to fight willingly. On several occasions, he puts all his cards (emotions) on the table, and manages to still come out on top. When it is all said and done, both characters and their roles are a great match for this graphic novel based movie.

As for the supporting cast, there is a nice mix of femininity, calmness, testosterone, aggressiveness, and pure smarts. The first two features describe the Raleigh's co-pilot Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi), she provides the element of innocence, but at the same time a fighter. Her character allows the audience to see the true human side of the co-pilots who are running these robots. Also her relationship with Pentecost is quite father-daughter like (this is both unique and interesting considering the two different races). And for our comic relief, we have Dr. Newton Geiszler (Charlie Day) and Gottlieb (Burn Gorman), who serve up the audience with brains, wit, and energy to spare. In their own special way they show when you don't listen to the guy with the shot nerves but serious brain power, things can go awry. These two guys are the definition "Nerdom", and I love it!! Now in the case of Ron Perlman (who plays the role of Hannibal Chau...interesting name for a Jewish guy from Brooklyn) he may have had limited time on the screen, but the time that he did have was effective and refreshing. When you watch the film make sure you catch how he got that name, rather interesting. As a whole, each of the characters give a larger than life performance, so much so that no one person dominates the movie, more than they should considering their role in the film. The total package was presented with each character from beginning to end.

Thankfully, Pacific Rim provides a sufficient backstory to the origins of the Kaijus as well as how the Jaegers work, so that you are not just thrown into the movie wondering who, what, when, and where? In addition, there are various themes that can be seen from watching this film to, which include slight reference to issues of immigration, the father-child relationship, gender and race dynamics, human life, sacrifice, and stepping out of your comfort zone.

Here is a movie that will definitely have its own fans, and probably add some new ones. Pacific Rim can simply be defined as an "extraordinary, self-indulged summer blockbuster." If nothing else this movie is pure entertainment. These shiny, eccentric, colorful, and marvelous robots are a sight to behold. Trust me when I say, it does not require you to think much (unless you are just that type of critical person), there is plenty of action, the CGI is clear and in your face, and it even has a pretty good storyline. For me this movie was like watching Transformers on steroids, but in a good way. All in all, Pacific Rim does not disappoint!!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

World War Z...The Zombies Are Coming!

Disclaimer: Now let me make sure that I state that I have not read the book "World War Z", but after seeing the film I think I will. And let me also just say this the movie further piqued my interest to want to read the book! So some of the questions that I have may be answered once I dig into the text.

Ok now that I got that out the way let me just give you a few thoughts about the summer flick, World War Z. What perfect timing for a summer apocalyptic horror flick! Based off of the 2006 novel by Max Brooks, World War Z tells the story of a retired U.N. employee Gerry Laine (played by Brad Pitt) who must travel across the world to stop a zombie pandemic that is literally tearing apart the world.

This is not your typical zombie film, and I mean that in a good way. World War Z presents a gripping performance that is decent, but with that extra push it would give it an even bigger boost. The story and plot shed light on how you can be creative and innovative when it comes to making a zombie flick. Instead of just blood, guts, and gore we witness how a world is literally falling to pieces as the undying slowly takeover. Now how interesting is that, the undead controlling humans (something to marinate on). Instead of focusing on three or four different people and their stories, there is a focus on one family and the role that one individual has on saving the world. Now to some it may come off as "this white guy saving the world" gimmick, but I think it offers more. There is this notion of what one will do to sacrifice for his family, so that he can save mankind. The idea of self-sacrifice. And also we get to get a taste of the dynamics of what happens when you have just a little bit of power.

Here director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace, Finding Neverland, Monster's Ball) brings us a straightforward film, minus all the bells and whistles, that gives you action, suspense, horror, and a touch of humor. With each passing minute it gets crazier and crazier as we watch the interactions between humans and zombies. If they could only communicate in a way that they would both understand, that would be the icing on the cake. Just imagine zombies coming after you from every corner, regardless of if your riding in a car, flying in a plane or just trying to break through the crowd. Hence, the CGI works really well as it make certain scenes that might have been dull become spectacular. It's not overly done and provides enough action to put this zombies on a very large scale.

Another key element of this film was the use of the word "zombie". This film could have easily went into overdrive with the fact this is set to be an apocalyptic/zombie film. Uniquely it actually allows for the concept/idea of 'zombie' to be normalized and not treated as a cliched term. Zombie was used so much that it became part of the normal/regular conversation, it was almost as if they were semi on the same level as humans (key word almost). So often zombie is used and seen in such a foreign way, that it was a bit a fresh air to see how it was used openly and honestly in such a serious matter.

Even with all the highlights, I will say there were some moments where I felt the story could have been developed more, and this would mean strategically building character stories as well as the overall story. This was definitely a film that should have taken advantage of the political and international context that were absent. Now I'm just guessing here, but I am sure this is definitely addressed in Brooks novel. So by failing to include that piece in the film kind of leaves the audience guessing and yearning for just a bit more story.

Needless to say, certain scenes in the film will make you literally jump out of your seat, others will make you laugh in a weird twisted way, and others will make you really think about what you just saw come onto the screen. Matter fact I will give you two pivotal scenes and when you watch it you will know exactly why I picked these specific two...
        a) Zombie as ants
        b) Black woman zombie

Both are creatively problematic and even at this moment still got me thinking. Without getting too critical these are areas that definitely needed to be teased out just a bit more for clarity sake. With that being said, the strongest point in this film comes from lead player Brad Pitt, in essence he literally carries the movie from beginning to end. Now this can be a good and bad thing depending on how you see it. Overall, in more ways than one, all the other actors can pretty much be summed up that they are definitely supporting cast members.

In addition to the role of the characters the special effects adds another layer that keeps you glued to the screen. I will admit there were some ridiculous moments and movements to make you say DAMN!! glad that was not me. At times one feels like they are literally right on set witnessing this epidemic. Interestingly enough, the story has just enough suspense and depth that you forget that it is rated PG-13.

Now I will end with this leave all expectations in the car, you will be better off especially as it relates to the ending. I personally think, without giving any spoilers, that the film ended appropriately. It was definitely not what I anticipated, but it works.

All in all, what I would find interesting about this film is that is based off of a oral history of this supposed 'Zombie War'. So obviously there brings a level of depth to the storyline considering oral history is a method that presents information regarding past events and memories to be preserved so that future generations can have some type of record of it. World War Z is definitely a movie I would recommend to see this summer, I would even go as far as saying bring the kids (age 12 and up). Here is an honest, modern day zombie flick that has the potential to even have a sequel (might be wishful thinking).

So if nothing else there are definitely some good movie previews that appear in this film (Pacific Rim, Elysium, Anchorman 2, Insidious 2, and The Wolverine). [ :-) ]

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Black Savant Cinema's Fave Films of 2012

With the 2012 just hours away from being in the wind, Hollywood cinema has definitely made its mark. It should be easy to think about one movie that stays on your mind, whether good or bad. And in good fashion here are a few of Black Savant Cinema's most remembered films of 2012.

The Avengers

What's not to like when you put together a massive superhero team?!! This was the perfect movie to start my summer, as a matter of fact I had to see it twice in the theater!! I guess that's the superhero nerd in me.

The Dark Knight Rises

And just like The Avengers was a great way to start my summer movie experience, well The Dark Knight Rises was the perfect film to close out my summer movie experience. It was dark, moving, action-filled, emotional, stunning, and jaw-dropping just to name a few things. Nolan's last piece to the Dark Knight puzzle was brilliant. 

Middle of Nowhere

Amazing!! Spellbinding!! Touches your soul!! DuVernay's independent film gives Hollywood cinema hope that there are still good movies that exist. It's a story of love lost, trust, self-determination, and dreams!! This film gives you the total package acting, perfect storyline, passion, and a heart-breaking drama.

Django Unchained

Since this is still in the theaters I will keep my thoughts minimal. I will simply say this film is simply... BAAAADASSSS!! See for yourself.

Flight

Probably Denzel's best performance to date. The man has skills and he continues to prove this fact with each film that he stars in. 

Marley

Here is a documentary that paints a beautiful picture of musical icon, Bob Marley. A refreshing and fantastic biopic. As a viewer we get to see the good, bad, and ugly all in one masterpiece!

Central Park Five

An indie documentary that puts the New York legal system on blast. 

"This film is a powerful, clear-eyed look at the facts that ultimately reveal the way that these boys--and they were young boys-- were screwed." ~Ken Burns

Beast of the Southern Wild

By far one of the best films that I saw in 2012. This indie film tells the story of a little girl's survival to just be herself in another man's world. You will not get through this movie without shedding a tear or two. This fantasy-filled adventure story is a 'diamond in the rough' that Hollywood desperately needed!

Silver Linings Playbook

Life can really be interesting, especially for former mental institution patient Pat. This film takes us on a journey with Pat as we see him try to piece his life back together, despite the challenges that are presented in front of him. 

Cloud Atlas

A film that will make you think, step outside your reality, and reflect how the consequences and actions of one person can impact and change the past, present, and future.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2

Another book saga has come to an end...so whose team will we be on no, since there is no more Team Edward or Team Jacob...New life, new birth, new powers, new problems to face.

Life of Pi

Ang Lee has done it one again with this fantasy, adventure film. Roger Ebert said it best, Life of Pi is "a miraculous achievement of storytelling and a landmark of visual mastery."

Skyfall

For all that know me, 007 might as well be my code name! Daniel Craig and the Bond series rise to the occasion again. Action, mystery, death, new beginnings, laughter all take place in this one film. If you missed out on this one definitely get it at the Redbox or watch on Netflix.

Argo

"Tense, exciting, and often darkly comic, Argo recreates a historical event with vivid attention to detail and finely wrought characters."

Zero Dark Thirty

Oscar-winning director-producer team of Kathyrn Bigelow and Mark Boal have done it again with this American action-thriller. The film is simply a story of American soldiers efforts to capture or kill one of the world's most wanted men Osama bin Laden. 

These are just a few of my faves! What are some of yours?

Bring the Kiddies...Men in Black III is BACK!!

It was fifteen years (1997) ago when the first Men in Black movie hit the big screen, presenting a winning pairing of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as the “odd couple” partners who protect the Earth against the scum of the universe. It would be jammed packed with action, special effects and some heavy doses of comedy all rolled into one. Director Barry Sonnenfield returns five years later for a sequel, and then takes a chance with a third film. Finally a decade later, Men in Black III is materialized and takes advantage of a pointless 3D format to deliver the latest installment of the famous series.

The sci-fi comedy Men in Black III strikes again with the return of Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) in a new adventure centered on the escape of the villainous alien “Boris the Animal” (Jemaine Clement). “Boris the Animal” flees from a lunar maximum prison and seeks to take revenge on Kay for his imprisonment, the dismembering his arm, and furthermore extinguishing his fellow aliens and their planet. All the while, J and K continue to protect the Earth from destruction and chaos.

In the film, we get to see J and K’s relationship get pushed to the forefront as we witness a deeper exploration into each of their characters, backgrounds and their friendship. The above factors alone help the film immensely, and save it from being a mediocre effort that relies solely on the charisma of the actors and further washing everything down in CG. Although the CG was slightly overwhelming, there are still some surprises that come from the effects, which thankfully are not exposed in the trailers, and that's a good thing. More than likely much of the visual graphic work went into recreating the USA 60s scenes, as well as sprucing up the alien designs (in this third installment the aliens look far more imperiling and repulsive especially with Boris the Animal).

All the characters seemed to mesh very well and have a great chemistry together, expectedly with J and the older version of K (Jones who is mainly in a supporting role in this film). And with the introduction of the younger K (Josh Brolin) they just seem to fall right into place as partners in the past, the Smith-Brolin pairing was definitely a winner for this film. Lest, I not forget Josh Brolin is a dead-ringer visually and in personality for Tommy Lee's K during his youth. Also Clement (Boris the Animal) embodies the main villain quite convincingly by possessing this dark and trembling personality along with his characters deadly force, which I’m rather shocked at for a PG rated film. And joining the cast in extrusive, though limited roles, include Emma Thompson as Agent O (taking over as the new MIB Chief with the passing of Zed), Alice Eve playing the younger O, and both Michael Stuhlbarg (Griffin) and Mike Colter (Colonel) adding intensity to the “MIB mythos”.

Even after 4 years of being absent from the big screen (Seven Pounds & Hancock were his last films in 2008), Will Smith shows that he has not lost his touch and still has what it takes to be in a potential blockbuster hit. As an MIB veteran, he’s able to still naturally portray the likable Agent Jay with a lot more polish as compared to when he was first recruited.

The films primary achievement is its characterization, the narrative, and the mood and tone of the film. Men in Black III is an easy-going, light-hearted, fun film that stays within the “outer limits” and does not try overload you with an exaggerated comedic script. Although this sci-fi comedy is great for the family please note that there may be some indirect material that is inappropriate for children under 15, it might just go over their heads, nonetheless it is still worth seeing for the whole family. 

Rating: 7.5 out of 10