Taken 2

Taken 2 - Dir. Olivier Megaton (2012)

The original Taken was the surprise hit of 2008, pulling in over $226 million off a meager budget of $25 million. The film reeled in mainstream audiences through their primal anxieties of xenophobia and white girl peril, then unleashed righteous fury in the form of Liam Neeson. As former CIA agent, Bryan Mills, the Irish-born thespian cut a path of brutal vengeance on the ring of human traffickers that took his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace).

It's understandable that Bryan would have a hard time letting go, especially when Kim blows off driving lessons to be with her boyfriend (Luke Grimes). These aren't evasive driving maneuvers, just plain old driving lessons because Kim doesn't have a license yet. Never mind that Maggie Grace is almost 30 and too old to be playing naïve high schooler. In any event, Bryan gets a security gig in Istanbul for a wealthy potentate when ex-wife, Lenore (Famke Janssen), and Kim pay him a surprise visit. Unbeknownst to them, Albanian gangsters, led by Murad (Rade Serbedzija) are en route to seek revenge for the deaths of their brothers and sons from the first film.

The screenplay by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen is either brilliantly stripped down or lazily slapped together. There's a slight twist on the basic concept with the parents being taken and Bryan making the ominous call to Kim, who must locate the bad guys' hideout. In the silliest sequence of Taken 2, Kim runs around the rooftops of Istanbul lobbing live grenades so her dad can use the sound of explosions to triangulate his position. You'd think an American blowing shit up would raise a few red flags. At one point, Bryan casually guns down a crooked police officer. Sure, he may have been dirty, but murdering a cop still has dire consequences. However, Taken 2 isn't concerned with logic. There's no time for that nonsense when there are unwashed scumbags with funny accents to kill.

From there, the sequel descends into a non-stop stream of indiscernible action. Besson protégé Olivier Megaton turns every fight scene and shootout into a series of abstract images thanks to an overuse of shaky cam and choppy editing. Megaton also directed Transporter 3, the worst of the series, and Colombiana, which is just as ridiculous, yet far more entertaining. Car chases (those driving lessons from the opening are going to come up again, right?) are unremarkably rendered with Bryan shouting such encouragements as, "Move it, Kim" and "You can do it." Speaking of driving, someone in the Besson camp must have just seen Drive because Taken 2 lifts almost directly from the Nicolas Winding Refn film. Kim listens to College's "Real Hero" on her iPhone while Chromatics' "Tick of the Clock" is used for a tense scene in which Kim waits for her father in a getaway car.

Taken 2 fits the bill of easily digestible popcorn entertainment. Perfect for anyone who wants to watch Qui-Gon Jinn fight Boris the Blade.

Rating: ** (*****)

Unknown

Unknown - Dir. Dir. Jaume Collet-Serra (2011)

Most actors tend to take less physical roles by the time they hit 60. Not Liam Neeson, who has reinvented himself as a badass action hero following the success of Taken. He's certainly believable as an unstoppable killing machine with his deep voice and imposing 6'4 frame. Unknown certainly feels like it came from the same Luc Besson machine that churned out Taken with Neeson cutting a swath through menacing Euro-trash villains. On the contrary, Unknown comes from the Joel Silver action factory. It was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, who also helmed the horror film Orphan, and based on the novel Out of My Head by French novelist Didier Van Cauwelaert.

Neeson stars as Dr. Martin Harris, a biologist who has just arrived in Berlin for a biotechnology conference with his wife Liz (January Jones). A terrible accident in a taxicab leaves Martin in a coma for several days. When he awakens, he is shocked to discover another man (Aidan Quinn) is now claiming to be Dr. Martin Harris and Liz has no idea who he is. Or Martin's memories a delusion or has he fallen into an elaborate conspiracy? The only clue to uncovering Martin's true identity is the cab driver, Gina (Diane Kruger), who is reluctant to come forward because she is an illegal immigrant from Bosnia.

Unknown is the type of standard fare we've come to expect from a post-Bourne world. The film boils down the Hitchcockian wrong man formula to its barest essentials while trying to plug in various plot holes with fist fights and car chases. Luckily, the one taxi Martin gets into happens to belong to the hottest cab driver in all of Germany. And, of course, Neeson will regain his memories just in the nick of time to dish out some serious beatings.

Neeson is a capable enough actor to make all this silliness credible. He's backed up by some good European talent like Sebastian Koch from The Lives of Others and Rainer Bock from Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon. Frank Langella also turns in a creepy performance as one of Martin's colleagues. The most intriguing character belongs to Bruno Ganz as a former Stasi officer turned private investigator. Ganz is best known as playing Hitler in Downfall, also known as the Hitler from all those YouTube videos where he laments about Burning Man, X-Box Live, and becoming a meme. Too bad you cannot say the same for January Jones. The Mad Men actress turns in another blank-eyed robotic performance as Martin's cold fish wife.

Unknown is best described as Taken meets The Bourne Identity. It's a ridiculous and pedestrian action thriller that may provide some diverting pleasure for about two hours.

Rating: ** (*****)

Maximum Conviction

Maximum Conviction - Dir. Keoni Waxman (2012)

One of the big blockbusters from this past summer was The Expendables 2. The all-star gathering of action heroes had larger roles for Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger along with the additions of Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme. The glaring omission from completing the line-up was Steven Seagal. Aside from Machete, he’s been toiling away in the direct-to-video market with a steady stream of low-budget action flicks. Seagal’s latest effort is Maximum Conviction, which features his own epic team-up with WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin.

The two Steves play Cross (Seagal) and Manning (Austin), a pair of former Special Forces operatives now working as private security contractors. Their latest assignment is assisting in the decommissioning of a top secret military prison in the Pacific Northwest. Most of the facility has already been shut down save for a skeleton crew of guards and a block holding a handful of high security convicts. The number grows when Cross checks in two female prisoners, Samantha Mendez (Steph Song) and Charlotte Walker (Aliyah O'Brien). The ladies are of keen interest to a team of well-armed mercenaries who infiltrate the prison while posing as U.S. Marshals. Cross and Manning are left scattered and outgunned when the bad guys take control and release all the prisoners.

Maximum Conviction is exactly what you'd expect from a run-of-the-mill action flick. This is the kind of movie someone might find in the discount bin at Walmart or playing late night on cable television. The direction and script are handled by Keoni Waxman and Richard Beattie, who have both contributed to Seagal's television drama True Justice. Waxman also directed the Austin vehicle Hunt to Kill. Behind the camera, Waxman handles the action flat though competently handled. The dialogue is wooden and there are a few glaring plot holes. At one point, a female guard provided cover fire for Cross to move his prisoners, but she's never seen again and her fate isn't revealed.

The selling point here is Steven Seagal and Steve Austin. Sadly, Seagal's best days are far behind him. He's looking less like Steven Seagal and more like the monster that ate Steven Seagal. He looks embarrassingly bloated and barely mobile so don't expect him to throw any roundhouse kicks. Seagal's M.O. is to stand still and wait for his opponents to come to him. Luckily, his punches still pack a wallop. Austin doesn't get the chance to show the charisma he once did as the Texas Rattlesnake, except for a couple of funny one-liners. Both deliver their lines in the most gruff and monotone manner possible. Completing this line-up of C-list Expendables is Michael Paré as the villainous ringleader. Paré starred in Eddie and the Cruisers and Streets of Fire back in the 80's, but never hit it big like some of his macho brethren.

Maximum Conviction is a brainless and generic effort. On the other hand, it moves at a brisk pace and keeps you occupied with a steady stream of action. This is a movie only recommended for die-hard fans of Seagal and Austin.

Rating: * (*****)

Seven Psychopaths

Seven Psychopaths - Dir. Martin McDonagh (2012)

Irish playwright Martin McDonagh garnered critical acclaim for his feature film debut, In Bruges, which was one of my favorite films of 2008. It also marked a career best performance from Colin Farrell. In Bruges was a dark comedy about two hitmen hiding out in Belgium that could best be described as Tarantino crossed with Fellini. McDonagh’s sophomore is more like Tarantino meets Charlie Kaufman, a violent comedy titled Seven Psychopaths.

Farrell plays Marty, a struggling alcoholic screenwriter, as if there is any other kind. He’s working on a screenplay for a movie called Seven Psychopaths. All he has is the title and stories about two psychopaths. One is a Quaker exacting his own unique brand of justice against his daughter’s murderer and one about a former Viet Cong on a mission of revenge for the My Lai Massacre. Marty’s best friend is Billy Bickle (Sam Rockwell), an aspiring actor. When he’s not punching out directors at auditions, Billy runs a dognapping operation with Hans (Christopher Walken), an elderly eccentric, who dutifully visits his wife at the cancer ward.

One day, Billy kidnaps a little Shih Tzu named Bonny, who belongs to a volatile gangster named Charlie Costello. He’ll do everything necessary to get his beloved dog back including shooting Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) in the face.

Seven Psychopaths unfolds through a twisting meta-textual narrative. It’s no coincidence that a movie starring an Irish screenwriter was written and directed by one too. Throughout the film, McDonagh comments on his own work while also lampooning Hollywood conventions. The unsophisticated Billy thinks Marty’s script would be improved by an over-the-top climatic shootout, which leads to a wild fantasy with double fisted gunplay and heads literally exploding upon the impact of a single bullet. But, Marty wants to make something deeper without all the mindless violence. Yet, the movie does end with a final shootout though it doesn’t go as Billy imagined. For the most part, McDonagh successfully has his cake and eats it too though it doesn’t work when it comes to the women in Seven Psychopaths. Hans chastises Marty for his poorly written female characters, a critique levied on McDonagh, one that is certainly valid here.  Though Olga Kurylenko and Abbie Cornish are featured prominently, they get barely a handful of lines. The latter randomly shows up in wet t-shirt. While that scene is meant to represent Billy’s adolescent indulgences, does calling attention to his underrepresentation of women really excuse it? The one actress who does get any sort of meaty role is Linda Bright Clay as Hans’s wife, Myra, though she’s mainly there to be put into peril in order to spur on her husband.

This is clearly a guy’s movie and the men of Seven Psychopaths are wildly entertaining. Farrell mostly plays the straight man to the zany characters around him. Rockwell is hilarious as the off-kilter ringleader while Christopher Walken gets one of his most Christopher Walken-y roles to date. Yes, he’s weird and menacing, but Walken is the heart of the movie with a tenderness that you don’t expect from the King of New York. Woody Harrelson is terrific as the unhinged Charlie Costello, plus he has noted character actors Kevin Corrigan and Zeljko Ivanec as his henchmen.

The real star of Seven Psychopaths is McDonagh’s dialogue that sparkles off the page and energizes the interactions between his characters. McDonagh tackles his words with a stylish flair in the vein of Tarantino and Mamet. The picture sets it all up in the opening sequence with a pair of loquacious hitmen (Michael Pitt and Michael Stuhlbarg) discussing their jobs and John Dillinger before a sudden and deadly exclamation point. The dialogue helps to take your mind off the fact that McDonagh is stuffed his film to the gills with a myriad of sub-plots such as a masked vigilante known as the Jack of Diamonds. One of the most intriguing asides belongs to Tom Waits as a mysterious rabbit owner, who tells Marty his past as a serial killer who targeted other serial killers.

Seven Psychopaths could also be called Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Adaptations. It’s a messy comedy that manages to come together thanks to a talented ensemble and well-written dialogue.

Rating: *** (*****)

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World - Dir. Lorene Scafaria (2012)

An apocalyptic love story is unique, but not an entirely new concept. There was 1988's Miracle Mile with Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham searching for one another in a chaotic Los Angeles under the threat of impending nuclear war. You could also count Don McKellar's Last Night, about intersecting lives in Toronto on their very last night on Earth. Written and directed by Lorene Scafaria (Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist), Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a bit more bright and hopeful or as bright and hopeful as a movie can be when it's about Armageddon. Let's just say it's on the opposite spectrum of Lars von Trier's Melancholia.

Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck won't be saving anyone. The film opens with the dour announcement that a cataclysmic asteroid is about to collide with Earth and a last-ditch effort by NASA to divert it has failed. Insurance salesman Dodge Petersen (Steve Carell) gets another shock when his wife, Linda (played by Carell's real-life spouse Nancy) suddenly exits the car and runs off into the night without a word. Dodge stumbles into a numb daze while his friends throw wild parties. Eventually, he forms a friendship with Penny (Keira Knightley), the free-spirited girl next door. It turns out that Penny has been holding on to some of Dodge's mail for months, including a letter from an old flame.

As riots break out across the city, Penny agrees to help Dodge find his former high school sweetheart in exchange for getting her to England to be with her family. Accompanied by a scruffy little dog named Sorry, they embark on an epic road trip where they encounter an assortment of eccentric characters such as a trucker (William Peterson) who has decided to die via hired assassin and a military man (Derek Luke) fully stocked and prepared for the apocalypse.

It's a safe bet that no matter what Dodge and Penny will wind up together. The A-story may be a tad predicable, but Carell and Knightley make for a winning couple. They're likeable enough that you root for them on their cross-country adventure. Just as he's done in Little Miss Sunshine and Dan in Real Life, Carell gives an understated performance that mixes pathos with a dry wit. Knightley brings warmth to the role of Penny. Some critics have described her as the dreaded 'manic pixie dream girl,' perhaps because she totes around a collection of vinyl records like a safety blanket. Thankfully, Penny does not display the typical quirks of the archetype though she does resemble a pixie with her short hair and petite frame.

In addition to the leads, Scafaria has assembled a wonderful supporting cast that includes Rob Corddry, Connie Britton, Patton Oswalt, Melanie Lynskey, and Amy Schumer as Dodge's party pals. There's also Adam Brody as Penny's dim-witted musician boyfriend and Martin Sheen in an emotional turn as Dodge's estranged father. Gillian Jacobs and T.J. Miller cameo as the wait staff of a TGIFriday's type establishment that has descended into full-blown hedonism. But, some of the funniest scenes involve Dodge and his maid (Tonita Castro), who seems absolutely oblivious to the fact that all life on Earth is about to be wiped out.

Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back, world is destroyed by massive rocks from outer space. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a breezy and bittersweet romantic comedy bolstered by some terrific performances.

Rating: *** (*****)

Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie - Dir. Tim Burton (2012)

Before he was Tim Burton, the director of Batman and Ed Wood, he was simply Tim Burton, a young animator trying to make a name for himself at Disney. He first gained notice in 1982 with a stop-motion animated short called Vincent. His follow-up was a half-hour live-action piece, Frankenweenie, about a boy who brings his beloved dog back to life. Unfortunately, Disney execs felt Burton had wasted company resources with a movie that wasn't kid friendly and fired him. On the positive side, Paul Reubens was a fan of Frankenweenie and got Burton the job of directing his first feature film, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. The rest as they say is history, which has vindicated Burton. When he became a big name, Frankenweenie was released in edited format on VHS and later included, unedited, as an extra on the DVD and Blu-ray versions of The Nightmare Before Christmas. That holiday classic has raked in a ton of merchandising money for the House of Mouse, which went to the bank once again when Burton's Alice in Wonderland made over a billion at the box office. It's no wonder Disney allowed Burton to remake Frankenweenie, which was originally intended to be done in stop-motion.

The film is set in New Holland, an idyllic suburbia where Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) is seen as a bit of an oddball by his parents Edward (Martin Short) and Susan (Catherine O'Hara). Victor's only friend is his bull terrier, Sparky, who is tragically hit by a car. Inspired by a classroom experiment, Victor builds an elaborate array of equipment to harness the town's frequent lightning storms and brings Sparky back to life. The little fella may be stitched together and have two bolts in his neck, but he's his usual frisky self. Victor tries to keep the resurrected Sparky a secret, but is discovered by a hunchbacked classmate named Edgar Gore (Atticus Shaffer). E. Gore, get it?

Edgar blabs about the process to the other school kids, who proceed to bring their own deceased pets back to life. Soon, New Holland is under siege by a vampire cat, a mummified hamster, a horde of ravenous sea monkeys, and a giant Gamera-esque turtle cleverly named Shelley.

The last few years have seen Burton direct slick and garish blockbusters like Alice, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Dark Shadows. So it is a relief to see Burton return to his roots with Frankenweenie, which resembles a greatest hits reel. The screenplay was adapted by long-time collaborator John August and once again scored by the great Danny Elfman. The pre-fabricated suburbs of New Holland appear to be lifted right out of Edward Scissorhands, which was the last movie Winona Ryder did with Burton. She returns as the voice of Elsa van Helsing, the sullen girl next door, who looks and acts a lot like Lydia Deets from Beetlejuice.

Frankenweenie could certainly be considered one of Burton's more personal films, which gives it more heart and soul than any of his recent efforts. Burton has projected a lot of himself into the character of Victor. The picture opens with Victor screening a home movie he shot using toys and Sparky as his star monster. Burton's influences are on full display with the third act that pays homage to the classic Universal horror flicks. His hero, Vincent Price, is represented by a lookalike science teacher named Mr. Rzykruski played by Martin Landau, who dips into his Bela Lugosi voice. The nominal antagonist is Mayor Burgemeister (also voiced by Short), whose name and permanent scowl are a reference to Burgemeister Meisterburger from Rankin/Bass's classic Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. Christopher Lee even pops in for a cameo as Mr. & Mrs. Frankenstein watch Horror of Dracula in their living room.

While the story isn't particularly inventive, the visuals more than make up for it. The puppets are lovingly crafted and exquisitely photographed in stark black and white. Unfortunately, kids may not be impressed by a movie that isn't CG animated or done in color. Frankenweenie is one of three horror-themed animated movies alongside ParaNorman and Hotel Transylvania, which was the most financially successful and garish of the bunch. It would be a shame for Frankenweenie to be ignored. It's a well-made movie and at less than 90 minutes doesn't overstay its welcome.

Rating; *** (*****)

Lawless

Lawless - Dir. John Hillcoat (2012)

One of my most anticipated films of 2012 was Lawless, based solely on the strength of director John Hillcoat's last two pictures, The Proposition and The Road. Closest in spirit to the former, Lawless is a Prohibition-era Western adapted from The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bondurant, a descendent of the protagonists. The script was adapted by rock star and screenwriter Nick Cave.

The story is set in Franklin County, Virginia, where the hills are alive with the sound of moonshine stills. Bootleg liquor has become a lucrative business, especially for the Bondurant Brothers, who run booze out of their diner/gas station. Forrest (Tom Hardy) is nominally the leader, feared and respected for his legendary toughness. Howard (Jason Clarke) is a volatile war veteran. Then, there's the runt of the litter, Jack (Shia LaBeouf). The youngest of the Bondurant clan, Jack wants to become a bigger part of the operation, but is relegated to being a glorified delivery boy. He impresses his brothers when he lands a deal with feared Chicago gangster Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman). The Bondurants are flush with cash. Jack finds himself in fancy new duds, fast cars, and romancing the town preacher's chaste daughter Bertha (Mia Wasikowska).

The good times come to an end with the arrival of a big city prosecutor, who is more interested in getting a cut of the profits than throwing criminals in jail. Anyone who doesn't fall in line answers to his enforcer, a brutal special deputy named Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce).

The story of Lawless unfolds through wildly divergent tones, which may be disconcerting to some, but plays into the dichotomy of the characters. Despite a frightening capacity for brutality, it is an absolute last resort for Forrest, who believes the bonds of family are most important. His credo, "It’s not the violence that sets a man apart, it's the distance he's prepared to go." There are scenes of extreme violence, such as a character getting his throat slit and a castration. In between there are tender moments in Jack's sweet courting of Bertha and surprisingly funny scenes. At one point, Jack and his sidekick, Cricket (Dane DeHaan) refuel their rundown truck with a jar of moonshine.

Forrest Bondurant isn't too dissimilar from Bane as both see Tom Hardy cut an imposing figure with a barely discernible voice. He speaks with a deep mumble and commands attention in each of his scenes. Shia LaBeouf stars in his usual plucky underdog role while Jason Clarke's Howard is hardly given any screen time to develop. The same goes for Mia Wasikowska and Jessica Chastain as a former big city girl with an eye for Forrest. Both are great actresses and the make the most out of roles that are sadly underwritten.  Meanwhile, Gary Oldman's part amounts to a cameo though he's excellent for the little time he's around. The spotlight of Lawless belongs to Guy Pearce in an eccentric and chilling turn as a dastardly dandy, bordering on Dick Tracy villain. Clad in a dandy suit with slicked hair parted in the middle and dress gloves, Rakes stands as a stark contrast to the earthy country folk. And, for some reason, he has no eyebrows.

Adding to the atmosphere is an O Brother, Where Art Thou-esque soundtrack of bluegrass tunes put together by Cave and composer Warren Ellis with vocals by Ralph Stanley and Emmylou Harris. Rather than choosing 1930's standards, they go anachronistic with an original tune, "Midnight Run," by Willie Nelson and a montage set to a cover of Velvet Underground's "White Light/White Heat."

Lawless might not match up to The Proposition, but it is a solid period piece with delicious mix of action and drama.

Rating; *** (*****)

Moonrise Kingdom

Moonrise Kingdom - Dir. Wes Anderson (2012)

Wes Anderson burst onto the scene with his debut film, Bottle Rocket. He avoided the sophomore slump with Rushmore, which many consider to be his best picture though I've always been partial to The Royal Tenenbaums. After his third picture, Anderson seemed to be spinning his wheels with The Life Aquatic and The Darjeeling Limited. They felt less like original works and more like someone trying hard to ape Anderson's idiosyncratic style. If any director's visual approach lent itself to animation, it would be Anderson, which is why The Fantastic Mr. Fox was so…well, fantastic. His foray into stop-motion animation may have rejuvenated Anderson as his return to live-action, Moonrise Kingdom, is a return to form.

Co-written by Anderson and Roman Coppola, the story is set in 1965 on the fictional isle of New Penzance, located off the coast of Rhode Island. 12-year old orphan Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) has a hard time fitting in. He's a member of the Khaki Scouts, but none of the other boys like him. His foster parents don't know what to do with him. It's no wonder Sam forges an instant bond with the sullen Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward). She's constantly getting into trouble at school while her parents, Walt (Bill Murray) and Laura (Frances McDormand), make little effort to understand her. It doesn't help that Laura is having an affair with the island's sole policeman, Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis). When Sam and Suzy run away together, everyone engages in a frantic search for the young lovebirds.

Their escape is more than just about finding their place in the world. It's also about escaping from the cynicism and loneliness they observe in the adults around them. Despite the possibilities of doom and gloom, Anderson approaches the story with a playful nature and his trademark dry sense of humor. The romance between Sam and Suzy is imbued with a sweet-natured innocence that is accentuated by sequences that veer into cartoon territory. At one point, Sam is struck by lightning, but survives with nothing more than a face full of soot. A tightly edited sequence of written correspondence effectively sets up the romance and adventure to come.

Visually, Moonrise Kingdom is everything you expect from Wes Anderson, gorgeously photographed on Super 16 by cinematographer Robert Yeoman. There's an aura of timelessness to the film thanks to its vintage look. Anderson meticulously composes every one of his shots as if he were painting a tableau. The sets open up as if they were a doll house as the camera tracks from left to right. One of the best scenes takes place at the Khaki Scouts' headquarters as the camera follows the characters while boys in the background zipline, shoot arrows, and light firecrackers.

Music has always been an integral component of Anderson's pictures and the soundtrack to Moonrise Kingdom is an eclectic compliment to the love story. In addition to original compositions by Alexandre Desplat, there are tracks by Hank Williams and Francoise Hardy. The film opens with a selection from The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by British composer Benjamin Britten, which works as a child's introduction to classical music. The piece symbolically represents the kids' first steps into maturity.

The leads are wonderfully played by newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. As Suzy, Hayward looks like she stepped right out of a French New Wave film with her chic pink dress, thick eyes shadow, and pouty demeanor. Bill Murray is back in yet another understated role while another Anderson vet Jason Schwartzman appears briefly as an older scout. Collaborating with Anderson for the first time are Ed Norton, who does a splendid job as an "aww, shucks" scoutmaster, and Bruce Willis. It's refreshing to see Willis in this type of role because you forget he can really act when not trapped in another dumb action flick. His Captain Sharp is a cop that is the polar opposite of John McClane. Willis isn't afraid to look a little pathetic from time to time, especially when he's trudging around with pant legs that are too short. But, if there was any actor ever born to star in a Wes Anderson movie, it is Tilda Swinton. She takes on the antagonistic role of a character referred to only as Social Services, a looming specter of the Dickensian dread that awaits Sam should he be found.

Moonrise Kingdom was one of my favorite films from the first half of the year. It will doubtlessly find its way onto my year-end list as well. This is a tender and humorous love story that exemplifies Wes Anderson at his best.

Rating: *** ½ (*****)

Pitch Perfect

Pitch Perfect - Dir. Jason Moore (2012)

The trailers made Pitch Perfect look like Glee: The College Years, which sounds about as entertaining as being waterboarded. However, this peppy little picture might be one of the nicest cinematic surprises of 2012.

The adorable Anna Kendrick stars as Beca, an aspiring DJ and record producer. Beca strikes a reluctant deal with her estranged father (John Benjamin Hickey), a professor at the fictional Barden University. Beca will attend for at least one year in order for daddy to pay for her move to Los Angeles.

At Barden, a capella is king and just about every clique is involved. The big men on campus are the Treble Makers while the most glamorous gals are The Barden Belles. There's even a stoner group known as The High Notes. The Belles saw their chance at winning nationals go up in smoke when co-captain Aubrey (Anna Camp) projectile vomited on stage. Aubrey isn't too happy when her best friend Chloe (Brittany Snow) recruits Beca and a motley crew of girls to rebuild the Belles. The new team must pull together if they want to make it to the championship in New York City. It won't be easy because Aubrey runs the team with an iron fist. She steadfastly sticks to a rigid regime with the Belles portrayed as prim and proper while performing ditties by Ace of Base and The Bangles. Meanwhile, Beca wants to change things up with a hipper and livelier set list.

Pitch Perfect was based on the non-fiction book by Mickey Rapkin, a senior editor at GQ, who covered a season of competitive collegiate a capella. Yes, that's a real thing. It was adapted for the screen by Kay Cannon, a writer/producer for 30 Rock and New Girl. She injects a quirky sense of humor to the film, which is skillfully handled by director Jason Moore, best known for the stage musical Avenue Q. Moore keeps the picture energetic as evidenced by a montage as hopefuls audition to Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone."

Pitch Perfect works because there isn't a cynical bone within its body. Yes, the whole idea may be silly, but the movie never treats its characters with any sort of snarky condescension. Perhaps, the most ridiculous sequence in Pitch Perfect is the Riff-Off as various groups do battle while armed with musical bullets from Rihanna, Salt-N-Pepa, and Foreigner. It might seem like an eye-rolling endeavor, but it's hard not to join in on the fun when everyone on screen is clearly enjoying themselves.

Anna Kendrick is an absolute delight though her star-crossed romance with Treble Maker Jesse (Skylar Austin) isn't as interesting as her interactions with the other girls. There's the usual second act breakup before they reunite in the third act. No, the camaraderie between the Belles forms the spine of Pitch Perfect with terrific performances by Rebel Wilson and Hana Mae Lee. Wilson is getting the lion's share of attention for her outrageous role as Fat Amy, who calls herself that so "twig bitches" don't do it behind her back. However, it is the relatively unknown Lee who makes a breakthrough appearance as the demure Lilly. She has a great singing voice, but her speaking voice barely registers as a whisper. Thankfully, no one can hear her because what she says are psychotic non sequitors ("I ate my twin in the womb."). Christopher Mintz-Plasse pops in for a cameo as do Donald Faison, Har Mar Superstar, and Joe Lo Truglio as an a capella group of alumni, who don't know when to leave campus. John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks (who also produced) also appear as a pair of commentators in the vein of a Christopher Guest mockumentary. Do they actually have commentators for a capella?

Pitch Perfect does for a capella what Bring It On did for cheerleading and Step Up for street dance. Despite not being a fan of the majority of the music used, I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Even the most jaded moviegoer will have a tough time holding back the smile on their face.

Rating: *** (*****)

Werewolf: The Beast Among Us

Werewolf: The Beast Among Us - Dir. Louis Morneau (2012)

Universal Pictures recently released a fabulous boxset that paid tribute to the classic monster films of yesteryear. Among the pictures included in the set was The Wolf Man, starring Lon Chaney, Jr. Universal has tried many times to create a film that would have the same lasting impact. John Landis's An American Werewolf in London has achieved cult status, but nothing else has come close. The troubled production behind Joe Johnston's 2010 remake probably tarnished the reputation of the werewolf more than enhanced it. It's a reputation that needs polishing in today's culture where the werewolf exists as a buff and shirtless pretty boy rather than a primal creature. There was talk of the studio rebooting Wolf Man yet again, which leads us to Werewolf: The Beast Among Us.

Werewolf is set in a little village in Transylvania where the citizens are plagued by a feral beast. Folks are slaughtered wholesale under the light of a full moon. Luckily, an intrepid band of hunters arrive to collect on the handsome reward the desperate villagers offer. The group is led by Charles (Ed Quinn), an American gunslinger whose parents were killed by a werewolf. He is joined by the debonair knife-thrower Stefan (Adam Croasdell); the beautiful, flamethrower wielding Kazia (Ana Ularu), and the boastful, eyepatch wearing Hyde (Steven Bauer).

Although the movie opens with the hunters and a prologue detailing the origin of Charles, the lead protagonist is actually Daniel (Guy Wilson), the earnest apprentice to the town doctor (Stephen Rea, who previously hung out with werewolves in Underworld: Awakening). Daniel is eager to join the hunters in order to protect his mother, Valdoma (Nia Peeples), and girlfriend, Eva (Rachel DiPillo). Soon, they find that the creature they are stalking is no ordinary werewolf. It is faster, stronger, and smarter than the ones they've faced before.

Werewolf doesn't have any connections to either Wolf Man films though it does borrow from both as well as elements from another great monster flick, Jaws. There's a sequence where Charles propositions the townsfolk in a similar fashion to Quint. In a clever scene, Daniel disembowels a corpse and uses the intestines as werewolf chum. When that fails, a nonplussed Charles makes an obvious nod to Roy Scheider by saying, "We're gonna need bigger traps."

Therein lies the main problem with Werewolf. It simply mixes together elements seen in more familiar films, instead of building upon werewolf mythology. There's nothing new to be found. It doesn't help that Charles is dressed in a wide-brimmed hat and trenchcoat reminiscent of Hugh Jackman in Van Helsing, another failed attempt to resurrect Universal's monsters. The tone veers between action and horror with a heavy emphasis on the romance between Daniel and Eva, both of whom are as bland as bland can be. The screenplay tries to inject an aura of mystery by making the audience guess the identity of the werewolf. Too bad the answer is fairly obvious before the end of the first act.

At least, the special effects are decent and not as laughable as other direct-to-video features. Shot on location in Romania, Werewolf is indistinguishable from any Syfy movie of the week.

The werewolf has taken a cinematic beating over the last few years with some real bombs like Blood and Chocolate, Skinwalkers, and Red Riding Hood, not to mention the franchise that shall not be named. Despite featuring Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, and Emily Blunt, The Wolfman was a critical and commercial flop. If a blockbuster with two Oscar winners couldn't get the job done, there's not much hope for a straight to video movie without any big stars. Skip Werewolf: The Beast Among Us and watch Brotherhood of the Wolf or Dog Soldiers.

Rating: * (*****)