they action... I'll criticize their plots to my satisfaction. This is Movie Night!
Hello and welcome to Movie Night, YouTube's #1 most-viewed movie review show, I'm your
host, Jonathan Paula. Although I'm currently in Orlando enjoy my time at the Playlist Live
YouTube convention, the reviews continue as scheduled! Tonight, three reviews for recent
March releases, beginning with "Snitch".
Released on February 22, 2013 - this crime thriller from director Ric Roman Waugh was
a modest surprise at the box office, taking home over 30 million. The extremely busy Dwanye
Johnson stars as contraction manager, and helpless father: after his troubled son, played
by Rafi Gavron, finds himself in jail on trumped up drug charges. In a weird, and unrealistic
plot device: Johnson volunteers to go undercover inside the dangerous world of drug smuggling...
as apparently, delivering a bigger criminal is the only way to free his son from his violent
prison sentence. The convoluted backstory sets up your basic undercover plot, allowing
for easy, but effective tension in many of the film's best scenes. It's an interesting
story, but it works because the characters are real people with true problems, and desires.
The PG-13 adventure moves slowly from one gritty location to another, including a particular
exhilarating sequence when Johnson and his partner find themselves pinned down by enemy
gun-fire following a drug exchange gone wrong. Much like his character in the picture, Johnson
his decidedly outside his wheelhouse for this role: which is what makes his pitch-perfect
performance all the more powerful, especially when he confesses to his locked-up son, "you're
the one teaching me what real character and integrity is all about". The "average dad"
turned drug-smuggler is what makes the tired undercover plot so refreshing: although he's
six feet tall, Johnson isn't a trained killer or secret operative: just a desperate father
who's run out of options. Sure, he still kicks ass and shoots a shotgun - but the majority
of this 112 minute movie sees him delivering emotional lines of dialogue opposite the equally
talented cast around him, that includes Susan Sarandon, Barry Pepper, and Jon Bernthal.
The
passively accomplished cinematography and editing keep things from getting distracting,
while still maintaining a gritty atmosphere to the proceedings - even though the middle
portion runs long, feeling a bit thin. Frequently, the tension will crescendo... only to reset,
and begin anew in the very next scene. It's this uneven pacing that hurts the film the
most. The predictable plot never offers anything new or groundbreaking, but it never truly
falters either. With lesser efforts, and a weaker script: this run-of-the-mill film could
have easily been a cheesy made-for-TV movie, but thanks to strong performances, sharp dialogue,
and a decently fun action-packed climax, it's a welcome adventure. "Snitch", "Johnson excels
in refreshing drama." Well, those are my thoughts - now lets check out what you had to say in
the YouTube comments.
The rate-o-matic for "Snitch"... a SEVEN and a SIX. Your reviews of Johnson's more serious
turn were mixed, and several critiqued the ending. Overall though, you thought it was
a smart, slow-moving thriller, rating it COOL. It was wonderful to see "The Rock" turn in
a great performance here, even if the rest of the familiar movie wasn't anything special.
Hopefully it marks a turning point in his successful career. I thought this picture
was GOOD.
The directorial debut from "The Hangover" writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, this debauchery-themed
comedy filmed was released on March 1, 2013 - and is on pace to more than double its modest
13-million dollar budget. Moore and Scott's influences are painfully obviously: as this
entire experience plays out like a tamer, more juvenile version of the hugely successfully
aforementioned film. The practically unknown cast features Skylar Astin, and Miles Teller
as three college students who get themselves in one bizarre, disgusting, and hilariously
unbelievable situation after another, during a night of heavy drinking for Justin Chon's
twenty-first birthday - even though the actor is 31 in real life. Sarah Wright is moral
bedrock of this picture, as her beauty and reserved affection for Astin holds this picture
together between bouts of childish nonsense. Occasionally flirting with serious themes,
like maturity and growing apart - this 93 minute picture feels uneven with its approach:
one minute a drunk guy is attempting to eat a tampon, and the next someone is professing
regret over faded friendships. Tackled with greater poignancy is 2012's "American Reunion",
the scenes here only work well individually (especially if you're into gross-out humor),
failing to mesh with any cohesion. Astin and Teller have a great bro-relationship together,
and their relatable personas make it easy to relate to some of the sticky situations
they find themselves in -- even if their annoying persistent makes it impossible to have any
sympathy for their antics. Obnoxiously crude and stupid, but still pretty funny, this R-rated
adventure feels like a low-rent "Animal House" for the 21st century, with one character remarking,
"We have to do as much crazy stuff as we can!". Some messy editing and camera decisions are
distracting - and little else in the technical realm of sound and vision is particularly
decent or noteworthy. The quick pacing works well, but only because of the uninspired progression
of the plot... which just stacks one thing after another, rather than truly advancing
or elevating the story in any way. One minute the drunk duo is outrunning a gang of angry
Latina sorority sisters, and the next they're dropping their unconscious friend out of a
window: with no cohesive link between any of it. Likewise, a tacked-on is a cheap ploy
at a happy ending, and fails to be effective. Filled with contrived and awkward life-lessons
from mostly immoral individuals, it's best not to examine this picture with any lasting
scrutiny - one viewing is enough. "21 & Over", "Guiltily amusing. Hammy and disjointed".
Now let's here what the Movie Night audience had to say.
Our scores for "21 & Over"... a double FIVE. Citing it as unoriginal, vulgar, and over
ambitious, you thought it was just ALRIGHT. Brimming with bad taste, this is a raunchy,
mostly deplorable experience with few redeeming elements: but when the jokes work, this can
Our final review tonight is for "Jack The Giant Slayer".
Only earning back half of its 200-million dollar budget three weeks after its March
1st release, this grand fantasy adventure based on the classic fairy tale is the latest
from director Bryan. Opening with a weird, unfinished-looking CGI sequence that builds
delivers the verbose but familiar backstory, two young children have the classic folktale
read aloud to them before bed in a nicely cross-edited scene. Coming off the heals of
"Warm Bodies", Nicholas Holt stars as the title character: an innocent farm boy who
becomes suddenly involved with a massive beanstalk that opens a vertical passageway to the land
of evil giants. Simultaneously, he becomes romantically involved with the Eleanor Tomlinson:
the beautiful, but courageous princess eager to avoid an arranged marriage to the overtly
dastardly Stanely Tucci: who schemes to a use a magic crown to control the now accessible
giants. Ewan McGregor is featured in simplistic sidekick role, but it's hard to complain when
the Scottsman picks up a sword, and humorously moans, he 'has a bad feeling about this'.
Ian McShane is regal and steadfast as the King not afraid to get his hands dirty, and
lastly, Bill Nighy is featured as the voice of a demented, two-headed giant. Given the
wildly exotic locations and surreal characters they encounter, all of the performances are
believable - it's just unfortunate most of the material they're working with is so bland.
The script never takes any chances, feeling instead like a watered-down, low-rent "Lord
Of The Rings", even if the huge climatic battle sequence is supremely entertaining, and skillfully
executed. Thankfully, the chemistry between Hoult and Tomlinson masks many of these faults:
they're a charming couple in extraordinary circumstances you're rooting for the entire
way. Tucci is terrific as the villain, but beyond a vague quest for power, his motivations
for betraying all of mankind are poorly explained. Existing only as fodder for Jack to topple
over, the giants themselves lack any depth, or purpose, and none of them are truly menacing
- but we do get to hear one of them belt out half of that famous English rhyme.. Decently
paced, this film is brimming with fun action, like a sequence where hundreds of giants use
tipped over beanstalks as a means to repel to the surface. Backed by a generic, but heroic-sounding
score from John Ottman, the environments in this 114 minute picture are lush and intriguing:
which is why it's a shame so little of the space is properly explored or utilized. Confusingly
not named after the famous bed-time story it's based upon, this PG-13 romp isn't groundbreaking,
but it does everything with enough competence to keep you interested, even on multiple viewings.
"Jack The Giant Slayer", "Big action, formulaically tepid script". Now lets hear what you had
to say about this film.
"Jack The Giant Slayer" on the rate-o-matic... a SIX and a SEVEN. Unconvinced by the computer
effects, or bland story, but still entertained with its decent adaptation, you thought this
picture was GOOD. While I was never blown away by anything, this is simple, lean back
escapism with attractive leads, cool visuals, and exciting battle scenes, I thought it was
COOL. Lastly tonight, film reviews in 140-characters: let's look at your Tweet Critiques.
If you see a new movie in theaters, Tweet your review with the #JPMN hashtag to have
it featured on the show. Next week, we're heading right back out to the theater to see
three brand new films that opened this month: "Burt Wonderstone", with Steve Carell and
Jim Carrey, the romantic comedy with Tina Fey and Paul Rudd, "Admission", and the action
thriller, "Olympus Has Fallen" - starring Gerard Butler and Aaron Eckhart. Let me know
what you think about these movies by voting in the polls below, or by leaving a comment
review. And please subscribe to the Movie Night Archive channel for exclusive trailer
commentaries, and an organized library of all our past reviews. Once again, my name
is Jonathan Paula - thank you for watching Movie Night, I hope to see you, right back
here for the next Friday!