Hollywood's Hollywood Review

[John McHenry]

Place Beyond the Pines

This movie is pretty good. I feel some people praise it a little too highly. What I think is great about it is it's 3 perhaps 4 different movies in one. The first section could be a sequel to Drive if you just renamed Gosling. The second and third section moves onto Bradley Cooper who to date I haven't seen a bad movie from. Rounding out the cast Ray Liota who basically does what he always does. Eva Mendes playing a sterotype and looking kinda sickly. It's a good movie. I think if you give it a chance you'll end up enjoying it. I'm surprised with the cast and how on fire Gosling and Cooper are that it hasn't got more press.

 

[Keith]

otherwise pretty worthless

Well I've yet to see this film, but I understand that scene has caused some up roar from female fans as appeantly its out of place and has no reason to be there.

Cooper gives his best performance to date in TPBTP imo.

 

[John McHenry]

they aren't wrong. But the same could be said for the character really.

 

[John McHenry]

12 Rounds 2 Reloaded

Well I have to admit this isn't really all that Hollywood at least it shouldn't be. The movie is rather bad. Unless your a huge Orton fan, or maybe a huge fan of 12 Rounds you're not really going to enjoy this movie. It's a sequel in name only there are absolutely no connections, it's never explained why this baddy chooses 12 rounds. Everything is bash you over the head obvious. It's almost as if it's an R rated movie for a 5 year old because the concepts are explained that often. Speaking of R wow didn't really expect this from WWE Studios. Guns, coke, nudity, lots of foul language. Apparently their is also a PG13 version but I'm not sure how anyone will know how to tell the difference. This film comes off as a Film student getting his big break but sadly it's someone the WWE has used before on Marine 2, the straight to DVD death race movies and Scorpion 3 (even a cheesy stunt to display his true horribleness). The writer has done next to nothing and it shows. All that being said Orton gives a very good performance , he and the villain are really the only two in the movie with any kind of acting chops.

If you watch it I doubt you'll have fond memories of doing so. This is a pass.

 

[John McHenry]

Snitch

The Rock at his finest to date. Actually most of the performances were quite good. It's a movie based on real events but I can't help but feel that I've seen a similar film several times before. It's still really enjoyable even if there is some shacky camera work. The only problem this movie really has is that it feels very indie or Lifetime movie of the week. It's not quite the action packed movie that fans of The Rock has become accustomed too. The Rock is the biggest name attached to it the rest of the cast is either from TV or unkowns in general. Benjamin Bratt is also in it but his on screen time feels like more of a cameo. If your a fan of The Rock this is a must see. If your really into DEA movies you'll enjoy it also.

 

[John McHenry]

The Perfect Storm

This movie is a bit odd to me. While Fitchner, Wahlberg, Clooney, and John C. Reiley are very good in this movie. The rest of the cast is bland and not very important. The movie goes in circles in more than a few places. The acting by the four is top notch and the rest of the cast is really of no importance at all. It's a great movie made very well you wouldn't believe that over half of it was done on a soundtage (place is huge really is amazing) It's a movie really worth watching though it may be less for the entertainment value than for the great acting and cinematography. The story is an interesting one based in some truth.

 

[John McHenry]

L.A. Confidential

This movies about the corrupt LAPD of the 1950's. And at the time featured a predominately up and coming cast of Guy Pierce, Russell Crowe and veterans Kevin Spacey, James Cromwell and Kim Basinger. The movie is true to form in every way it does what a 90s noire should do. It's got great action, it's got the straight laced cop, the dirty cop(s), it's even got a few whores. The movie does have a bit of a lul in the middle about a half an hour could just be cut in my opinion shots that linger longer than necessary (to enhance the noire) and scenes that seem redundant or could have been skipped with the right foreshadowing or music. All in all it's still a really good movie and due to the 50's nature still holds up very well today. Worth giving it another look.

 

[Keith]

Have never seen the Perfect Storm always looked a bit of a mess to me.

LA Confidential is one of the greatest films of the 90s, even Basinger's great in it.

 

[John McHenry]

The Call

Well it's a WWE film through and through don't be deceived by the fact it's got a real actor. Most of the film is spent telling why they can't trace The Call, the rest of the time it's followed by screaming. Otunga has all of five lines so even if you're a fan of his (shame on you) it's worthless. The Call is one of those movies you get when you rent a movie and they tell you that you can have one from the special shelf free, even then grab something else. Only pure boredom justifies watching this movie if you have a choice. If they were smart they'd have made it a follow up to Kane's movie but from the perspective of the hero. I'll never watch it again.

 

[John McHenry]

Jack the Giant Slayer

I recall this movie was considered a huge flop and I can see why. The cast is too much for this film/ or not enough. You have Ewan McGregor as a supporting character trying to create a lead out of XMen First Class's Nick Holt (beast). McGregor isn't needed and he actually distracts everytime he's on screen because you keep asking why is he in that role. The same goes for Stanley Tucci as the villian who is out of place in the film all together. Ian McShane really isn't needed either but I doubt he was a strain to the budget. The movie itself is pretty fun anyone with kids should love it. It's a newish spin on an old story and it's done well.

 

[Keith]

Jack the Giant Slayer

I recall this movie was considered a huge flop and I can see why. The cast is too much for this film/ or not enough. You have Ewan McGregor as a supporting character trying to create a lead out of XMen First Class's Nick Holt (beast). McGregor isn't needed and he actually distracts everytime he's on screen because you keep asking why is he in that role. The same goes for Stanley Tucci as the villian who is out of place in the film all together. Ian McShane really isn't needed either but I doubt he was a strain to the budget. The movie itself is pretty fun anyone with kids should love it. It's a newish spin on an old story and it's done well.

Not seen it so can't comment, but would suggest that without those great actors it would be worse.

 

[John McHenry]

There are other actors that would work just as well for much less.

 

[Keith]

There are other actors that would work just as well for much less.

Do you mean in terms of their pay? Surely you pay top dollar for the best.

 

[John McHenry]

Do you mean in terms of their pay? Surely you pay top dollar for the best.

yeah that's a completely false statement. Most of your better actors make less because their character actors while big names with lesser skill get the bigger paycheck just cause that make the pants drop SEE Will Smith Brad Pitt compare their skills to John C Reiley

 

[John McHenry]

Man of Steel

While it was a good superhero movie. It was a bad Superman movie. The acting was great, though in my opinion the acting wasn't bad in Returns. They just changed things that didn't need to be messed with, now I understand make changes to make him more relate-able but that isn't what they changed. I'm still amazed that Fishbourne is in the movie after a big deal was made of his casting he was on screen for a grand total of 10 minutes and didn't really do anything of importance. I feel like the casting over shadowed the character here.

Spoiler: Spoiler

So Kevin Costner spends his section of the movie telling Clark to hide his powers his identity and even sacrifices himself to keep with that. At one point even going so far as to saying MAYBE clark should just let people die. This gets ignored throughout the entirety of the rest of the movie. Lois Lane, The Government and just about everyone see Clark without any attempts of disguising himself. Several people see him and would be able to claim that they knew him. They'd be able to track him down going back just like Lois does in the matter of a week. Sure she's a super reporter but they didn't exactly make it look hard. The absences of Clark being a mild mannered reporter really kills a lot of the great stuff from the originals.

I really can't give a review of this movie without giving a lot away. I watched the originals just before Man of Steel and even though they are very dated and a bit campier than I remember I'd take the first two over Man of Steel any day. The story suffers in this and it's from pure neglect in key areas.

The use of 3D in this film is what all other films should strive for I'll give it that hands down great use of visuals. As I said good Superhero movie. Bad Superman movie. I'd rather watch the bad seasons of Smallville.