Critical Capsule: Spawn

I decided to revisit the Spawn film the other night. Just as I had suspected it is as bad as it ever was, yet I still find it as compelling as ever. The film is seriously dated and somewhere along the way in adapting it from comic to screen, it lost a good deal of the seriousness and darkness that it had. That said, the hero of Spawn is still a compelling character, a killer recruited by Satan doing his bidding on Earth while thinking, or trying, to do the right thing. I have always loved this character and this film will always evoke a love/hate response from me. For as bad as it is and how much was changed, there are still elements that I like. Michael Jai White, a victim of bad writing, has the physicality to play the role and does his best with what he has. The shining performance belongs to John Leguizamo, legitimately electrifying as the bad guy, a short, fat, white clown. I cannot recommend this movie, but it has a secial place for me.

Movie Review: John Wick - Chapter 2

Three years ago, a little, unassuming action film was released to theaters. It had the rather dull title of John Wick and starred an actor that, while popular, had been something of a poster child for bad actors for years for his somewhat wooden screen presence. As it turns out, this small little action film turned out to be an incredible blast of adrenaline that shows us just what kind of effect an action movie can have. It has an immediate emotional hook which got the audience involved and the lead upset, essentially getting the hero all wound up and then unleashing him for a journey of vengeance. As soon as it ended I wanted more, it has finally arrived in the form of John Wick: Chapter 2.

Movie Review: John Wick

I remember the first time I saw the trailer for John Wick. My first reaction was happy to see Keanu Reeves back in an action movie. Yes, I like Reeves and think he did a really good job with his directorial debut, Man of Tai Chi. Then my thoughts rolled the action around my mind, it looked pretty good. Then there were the story elements, a stolen car (a gorgeous 1969 Mustang), a dead wife, and a murdered dog. I immediately hoped that the thrust of this movie was a man getting revenge for his dog. Simple, elegant, emotionally gripping. Kind of like the reaction I had early in The Rover, hoping Guy Pearce simply wanted his car back. Sometimes simple is better.

Movie Review: Chef

Chef is a movie we have all seen before in one form or another. It is not original in the least, but for some reason it still works. It is the story of an inattentive father, ex-husband, and chef who has lost his way. After a particularly ill conceived blow up, he finds himself unemployed, with no prospects, and a son whom he barely knows. The film chronicles the build up to the blow up and the subsequent attempt he makes to reconstruct his life, his career, and ultimately rediscover himself and those who care about him.

Critical Capsule: Ride Along

So, Ride Along arrived, pushed back from its original Fall release to a January slot. To me, that signifies a lack of confidence on the part of the studio. Based on the crowds and reaction I saw opening night, I think they needn't have been worried. Ride Along will do just fine and will likely do well enough to allow for a sequel. Still, that doesn't mean the movie is good, just that it plays well to the masses. Sure, I laughed a little, but it really isn't all that good. I found it likable enough, but underdeveloped and completely forgettable. It has barely been a day since I have seen it and the details are already slipping away.