# 556 - GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014 - SCI-FI / ACTION / COMEDY) ***** out of *****  OR  10 out of 10

(Now that's what I'm talking about...)

 

CAST:   Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper (voice), Vin Diesel (voice), Michael Rooker, Lee Pace, Djimon Hounsou, Karen Gillan, Glenn Close, John C. Reilly. 

DIRECTOR:  James Gunn

WARNING:  Some SPOILERS and pretty compelling reasons to go Guardian - straight ahead...

 

IT'S LIKE THIS:   In the pantheon of superheroes, we have the stiff-and-noble (Steve Rogers/Captain America), the arrogant-and-douchey (Tony Stark/Iron Man), the shy-and-nerdy (Peter Parker/Spiderman), the macho-and-burly (Thor/Thor), the dashing-and-courtly (Clark Kent/Superman), and the dark-and-brooding (Bruce Wayne/Batman).  I don't think we've ever had one who is, well, a bit of a doofus, though.  Until now.  Our next review is GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, and let's just say its "hero" is, shall we say, one of a kind. 

He is Peter Quill, and just imagine Han Solo from STARS WARS fused with Cartman, Stan, Kenny, and Kyle from SOUTH PARK - then maybe you can begin to imagine the, uh, uniqueness of our boy Pete.  Like Han Solo, Peter drives a beat-up junker of a space ship and roams the galaxy doing all sorts of odd-jobs and dirty work.  And like Mr. Solo, Peter travels, uh, solo and does have a bit of the rogue's charm to him - if a little bit more on the doofus side.  Oh, and like our boys from SOUTH PARK, Peter is a complete nutball.  And I LOVE the guy! LOVE HIM!

Anyhow, turns out Peter was abducted from Planet Earth when he was, like, 10 and ended up working for an interplanetary thug named Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker).  Seems Yondu needs people to work as staff on his ship, so he goes around taking people from their home planets and subjugating them for his sweat shops as cheap labor.  Or something.  So, maybe that partially exlains Peter's rather unorthodox personality.  I should also add that Peter has a "hero name" that he goes by: Star Lord.  Only problem is he can't get anyone to call him that - most likely because it's gay as hell.  And coming from someone who used to run around with a glittering cape when he was a kid, and used to call himself Sparkle Master, I know what I'm talking about. 

Anyhow, our story gets started in earnest when Peter, doing another odd-job, lands on some wasteland planet to retrieve some special orb.  Unfortunately, it turns out that this orb is kind of like the first photos Baby William: hot property.  Sure enough, other factions come-a-callin' for said orb. 

They include: (1) Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper), a racoon who is like a skinny version of my cat Guido but with more attitude; (2) Groot (voice of Vin Diesel), a walking tree who knows only three words - "I. Am. Groot." - which makes him not the best conversationalist in the world; (3) Ronan The Accuser (Lee Pace), some blue dude who obviously wants to give Darth Vader a run for his money; (4) Gamora (Zoe Saldana), hot-as-lava adopted daughter of Ronan who may or may not be as evil as her adoptive dad, and who can't decide whether to bitch-slap Peter or fuck him - or both; (5) Nebula (Karen Gillan), Ronan's natural daughter who is definitely every bit as evil (and blue) as her natural father, if not more; and last but certainly the ugliest: (6)  Ol' slave labor guru Yondu Udonta himself - who is just a little bit pissed off that his "adopted son" Peter has thrown him under the Millenium Falcon.  Well, you know what I mean. 

At any rate, it becomes clear that Ronan and Yondu really, really, REALLY want that fucking orb.  It becomes even more clear that Peter is going to have to take on some allies if he wants to (A) keep the orb out of the wrong hands and (B) deliver it to someone who can pay him a ton of whatever currency they use in the future for it and (C) stay alive the whole time.  Sure enough, he finds himself teaming up with the aforementioned Rocket, Groot, Gamora, and a goon from a galactic jail house named Drax (Dave Bautista), who is as big as an ox and almost as smart.  Together, this dysfunctional fivesome must find a way to protect the orb from Ronan and Yondu - and save the universe somehow? 

But can they all get along?  Will they cooperate long enough to accomplish their mission?  Will Peter and Gamora finally succumb to their chemistry and just fuck the shit out of each other already?  Will Rocket and Groot keep from stealing the orb for themselves?  Will Drax ever get a goddamn sense of humor and stop taking things so literally?  And what master plan does Ronan and Yondu have for the Orb?

Hard to say.  All I know is that Orb better be able to do some seriously cool shit - like fix a mean eggplant-and-kale omelet and do laundry and empty out the kitter litty box and pick up drycleaning.  Saving the universe is just not enough anymore. 

 

BUT, SERIOUSLY:  Put simply, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is the best movie of the summer - and the best film of 2014 so far.  Even better than DIVERGENT, THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2, and THE FAULT IN OUR STARS.  This film is the perfect combination of action, spectacle, humor, and heart.  Equal credit must go to a script that finds the perfect tone of snarky and sweet, and a cast of game performers to bring some very vivid roles to life.  I predict it will be the highest-grossing film of the summer.  We saw this film on its first night in release, and you could just feel the audience eat it up, with applause ringing out at the end.  And I have to say I was probably the one with loudest laughter in a sea of loud laughter. 

That's not to say GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY doesn't have serious tones, though. It does - but it also knows how to deploy gravitas without weighing down the rhythm of the film.  That's harder than you think.  Fortunately, the stars (no pun intended) aligned with the making of this movie, as there is never a misstep anywhere in sight.  Everyone is in top form, and everything is pitch-perfect. 

I don't want to go too in-depth when discussing GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.  It's better for you folks to discover it on your own.  Believe us, it is worth it.  In closing, I must pay kudos to director James Gunn, his writers, and crew for crafting a film that is one hell of an unforgettably exciting and funny roller-coaster.  Equal praise goes to Chris Pratt (who finally takes confident hold of a leading man role and aces it wonderfully), Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Michael Rooker, Lee Pace, Djimon Hounsou, and Karen Gillan for their spot-on portrayals of sharply-drawn characters.  Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel also provide excellent voice support in two of the more memorable roles in the Superhero Genre. 

All that's left to say before urging you to go see this film is this:  we CANNOT WAIT for the sequel...  : )

# 555 - LUCY (2014)

LUCY (2014 - SCI-FI / ACTION / THRILLER) ***1/2 out of *****  OR  7 out of 10

(That's the last time I ingest blue crystals at a party...)

 

CAST:   Scarlett Johansson, Min-Sik Choi, Morgan Freeman, Amr Waked, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Pilou Asbek, Jan Oliver Schroeder, Luca Angeletti, Analeigh Tipton.

DIRECTOR:  Luc Besson

WARNING:  Some SPOILERS and more reasons to try to tap into the unused 90% of your brain, straight ahead....

 

IT'S LIKE THIS:   There's that old trope that goes: "Humans only use 10% of their brains."  The theory is that if we could somehow unlock the other 90% and tap into it, we'd be able to do things like - oh, I don't know - predict the winning lottery numbers for next week, rip someone's clothes off just by thinking about it, walk through a burning building unscathed, solve complex mathematical problems in a second, and essentially be Superman fused with Albert Einstein mixed with a little Maleficent sprinkled with God. 

Whether or not it's actually true is another matter.  I have several friends who think it's utter bullshit and that the movies perpetrate this notion that we only utilize a tiny sliver of our mental capabilities in order to sell tickets to flicks like LIMITLESS, X-MEN, HANNAH, CARRIE, SCANNERS and THE MEDUSA TOUCH.  Now, please add to that list of movies about people with super-mental abilities our next review, the delightfully bizarre opus, LUCY.  Lest you start thinking this movie is about the bitchy, ball-busting character from the Peanuts comics, allow me to burst your bubble.

For starters, the Lucy in this flick is blond, looks like Scarlett Johansson, and is your basic dingbat American party girl overseas (this time, in Hong Kong).  And, just like any dingbat American party girl overseas, she gets pulled into some seriously heinous shite because she's busy thinking with her tits and ass instead of her head.  In this case, Lucy gets conned by a fat asshole acquaintance from one of last night's parties named Richard (Pilou Asbaek) into delivering a brief case to a mysterious dude named Mr. Jang (Min-sik Choi).  Turns out Mr. Jang is really more like Mr. Drug Dealer Who Is Marketing Some New MindFuck Drug Who Needs A Mule To Transport His Doobage And Oh Look Here's Lucy Now How Convenient. 

Before you know it, Richard is dead and Mr. Jang and his smelly, slimy cronies are forcing Lucy and two other tragic cases (Jan Oliver Schroder, Luca Angeletti) to have bags of this new drug (comprised of blue crystals that look like Pop Rocks) sewn up into their tummies so that Customs won't be able to detect them.  Unfortunately, Lucy's bag springs a leak and the drug seeps out into her system.   Turns out this drug allows you to tap into the other 90% of your brain which is - allegedly - unused.  And just like that, Lucy goes from Dingbat American Party Girl Overseas to Super-Smart Super-Strong Super-Scary Super Being. 

To wit, because Lucy ingested the Blue Pop Rocks, she can now do the following:  1) do math in her head really quick (I mean, REALLY quick); 2)  read really, REALLY fast; 3) read people's thoughts; 4) slam people against walls just by looking at them; 5) make awful things happen just by thinking about it; and 6) look really, REALLY sexy the whole time.  As you can imagine, this isn't so much a 180 from who she was before, as much as it is complete implosion. 

Both amazed and terrified by her newfound abilities, Lucy hightails it to Paris, where she desperately tries to track down neuroscientist Professor Norman (Morgan Freeman).  Apparently, Prof Norman is one of the leading espousers of the "We Only Use 10% Of Our Brains, I Tell You!" faction.  And she needs him to help her try to manage her new powers. 

But is that even possible?  Will Lucy's abilities consume her?  Will she actually be able to control them?  Or is the world pretty much screwed?  What can Professor Norman do to help her?  And what about the handsome French cop named Del Rio (Amr Waked) who gets pulled into the fray?  Will he survive Lucy's powers?  And what happens when Mr. Jang tracks her down in Paris?  Will a smackdown of CARRIE-like proportions (times ten) ensure? 

Either way, there goes the Eiffel tower...

 

BUT SERIOUSLY:  Whether or not humans truly only use 10% of their brains and could accomplish infinitely more if they could tap into the other 90% remains to be seen.  What is certain, though, is that cinema has been fascinated with this concept for a long time.  In THE MEDUSA TOUCH (1978), Richard Burton played a novelist who had the ability to bring tragedy, misfortune, and catastrophe on his enemies simply by thought - just like CARRIE from two years earlier in 1976.  In SCANNERS (1981), Michael Ironside and Jennifer O'Neill played gifted individuals - "scanners" - who could not only read other people's thoughts but also fatally control their neurological and biological functions, even from far away.  Recent movies using this "superhuman" concept include LIMITLESS, the TV show HEROES, the X-MEN franchise, and essential most superhero movies.

Now, we have LUCY - and it fills somewhat of an odd niche in the pantheon of this sub-genre.  It is not a horror film like CARRIE, or psychologhical thriller like THE MEDUSA TOUCH or SCANNERS.  Nor is it a straightforward action/thriller like LIMITLESS, or a superhero film like the X-MEN movies and others of its kind.  Instead LUCY is almost a blend of character study and chase film tropes, mixed in with equal doses of action and more surreal elements.  The fact that French auteur Luc Besson (THE PROFESSIONAL, LA FEMME NIKITA) is directing should tip you off that LUCY isn't going to be your average summer action flick.  Indeed, this film is very "European" in its refusal to be conventional and its consistent choice to be quirky and atypical.

Whether or not you ultimately enjoy LUCY will depend on how open of a mind you decide to keep while watching this film.  True to Besson fashion, it starts out in the offbeat lane - and pretty much stays there as it barrels forward like a rocket to its unpredictable conclusion.  Kudos must go to Scarlett Johansson for giving us a quick impression of Lucy before she "changes."  Johansson puts us firmly in the character's camp from scene one, giving the impression of a smarter-than-she-looks-or-knows girl who is just adrift and waiting to find herself.  I know many young people like that - just waiting to tap their inner potential.  With Lucy, it happens on both a stunningly literal and figurative level.  

She isn't adrift for long, because her encounter with the drug ring that leads to her exposure to the "super-drug" brings every thing into razor-sharp focus for the rest of the movie.  In fact, after the transformation begins, Johansson's acting is conveyed mostly in penetrating, quizzical looks that are somehow both expressive and enigmatic, at the same time.  For this role, Besson needed an actress that could command attention with little to no dialogue, and Johansson delivers on this score.  However, when it comes to dialogue, Johansson proves to be no slouch in that department, either, especially in a scene where she calls her mother back in the States and attempts to explain her newly-heightened state of being.  It's a hypnotic, heartbreaking scene - and Johansson nails it.  Morgan Freeman, Amr Waked, and Min-Sik Choi all lend able support to Johansson, but this is her show all the way. 

It will be easy for some to dismiss LUCY as an "eye-candy" action movie.  While there is indeed a lot of technical and visual razzle-dazzle on display here, Besson and his writers manage to weave in some suprisingly profound commentary on consumerism, materialism, and superficiality.  Some of these are so subtle that you may overlook them completely - but they are there.  Essentially, LUCY boils down to a simple idea: maybe the reason humans can be so petty, small, and selfish is because they are only able to use a fragment of their consciousness.  Perhaps, if we were to be able to grow "mentally" and reach a higher state of enlightenment, we would know how to truly live.  Maybe we just need to "wake up" the way Lucy has.  Pretty heady stuff for what was marketed as yet another summer action flick.

In the end, LUCY ends on a note that is a tad less strong than what it started with, veering into some truly abstract territory.  Nevertheless, it is still a solid, exhilarating, unusual ride.  One that has what is probably the most trenchant message to be found in any film this summer: live now - but know exactly what you are living for. 

 

# 554 - DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2014)

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES  (2014 - SCI-FI / ACTION / THRILLER) **** out of *****  OR  8 out of 10

(Further proof that the world is going to the monkeys...)

 

CAST:   Gary Oldman, Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Nick Thurston, Terry Notary. 

DIRECTOR:  Matt Reeves

WARNING:  Some SPOILERS and more reasons to both fear and embrace the simians - straight ahead....

 

IT'S LIKE THIS:   In 2011, we reviewed RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (review # 409).  In that awesome flick we followed Dr. Will Rodman (James Franco), as he tried to find a cure for Alzheimer's by testing an experimental drug on some lab apes, including his special pet ape, Caesar (Andy Serkis).  If you'll recall Dr. Susan McAlester (Saffron Burrows) tried to do the same thing in DEEP BLUE SEA (review # 144) - except her test subjects were, um, genetically-enhanced vicious mako sharks.  Anyone who saw DEEP BLUE SEA knew that Dr. McAlester's fiddling around with mother nature ended badly when said souped-up mako sharks developed human-level analytical skills and proceeded to decimate the good doc's team. 

And anyone who saw RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES knows the same thing happened - but even worse: not only did the test apes become super-smart (for apes), but a deadly virus from Dr. Will's lab also got out into the open and began spreading like wildfire throughout the world.  I should also add the apes were immune to the virus, and with their numbers growing and humans the world over all getting sick, it was fair to say the balance of power between us and them was about to shift considerably. 

Flash forward to 2014 (well, in the movie it's actually 2026), and we find ourselves in DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES - approximately 15 years after the apes first went Mensa on our asses and the Simian Flu decimated said asses.  The human population of the Earth is extremely small and is living a hard-scrabble, hand-to-mouth existence.  The one sliver of good news is the survivors have developed an immunity to the Simian Flu that wiped out 95% of the world.  The huge-ass chunk of bad news is the super-apes (still led by Caesar who is still played by Andy Serkis) have multiplied considerably.  Yes, folks, in case you were still thinking the decks were stacked in favor of the humans, allow the sight of thousands of apes rampaging through the redwoods of Northern California to be your much-needed wake-up call. 

This spells bad news for the human colony in what is left of San Francisco, led by the de facto leader, Dreyfus (Gary Oldman).  Dreyfus wants to try to restore power to at least part of the city to keep his survivors from descending into anarchy.  Unfortunately, he is told by his lead scientist, Malcolm (Jason Clarke), that in order to get the grid going again, they have to try to fix a geothermal dam across the Golden Gate bridge which is also deep in - wait for it - the redwood forests.  Do you see where this is going? 

Sure enough, during a scouting mission with his team, Malcolm encounters top ape Caesar, his rage-filled second-in-command Koba (Toby Kebell), Caesar's impressionable teenage son Blue Eyes (Nick Thurston), and a whole forest-load of other apes.  Even though Koba wants nothing more than to reduce the humans to crimson stains on the ground, the more peacable and strategic Caesar asserts his dominance and allows them to leave.  Koba is none-too-pleased about Caesar putting him in place, and if his secret glares are any indication, this is not the end of the discussion - not even close. 

Back in the shithole that used to be San Francisco, Malcolm and his hottie partner, Ellie (Keri Russell) convince Dreyfus not to send in armed troops to wipe out the apes because Malcolm thinks he can appeal to Caesar to let them fix the dam without any bloodshed.  Dreyfus is clearly eager to get his trigger on, but gives Malcolm and Ellie a few days to pull off their plan - and if there are still no results by then, he's going to wipe out all them damn dirty apes clogging up the redwoods. 

Malcolm, Ellie, Malcolm's son Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee), the loathsome Carver (Kirk Acevedo), and a few others head across the bridge and into the woods to negotiate with Caesar.   Will they succeed?  Will Caesaw allow them access to the dam in the middle of his ape colony?  Why should he help these humans whose own kind abused and mistreated him in the last film?  And even if Caesar works with the humans, how can he be sure that the volatile Koba won't fuck up everything?  And whose side will Blue Eyes choose?  His dad's?  Or Koba's?  Can the redwoods, er, San Francisco, er, the Planet be saved?  Will all this monkey business finally end? 

Four words: don't bet on it.

 

BUT SERIOUSLY:   Summer 2014 has been a season of good-to-excellent sequels.  We were first greeted by the thoroughly engaging likes of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER and THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2 in early summer.  Then, mid-summer brought us HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2, THE PURGE 2: ANARCHY, and 22 JUMP STREET.   Now, we have the very worthy follow-up to the great "Planet of the Apes" reboot, RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, from 2011.  As with the other solid sequels this summer, DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES carries the themes from the first movies - and then uses them as a springboard to branch off down new paths. 

What made the emotional center of RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES was the relationship between Andy and his caretaker, Dr. Will Rodman (James Franco).  The scene towards the end of the movie where they had to part was easily the film's most powerful moment.  While the story ended on a decidedly bleak note (the virus spreading across the world) it was also an exciting one that promised more of Caesar and his developing role of Ape Leader in future films.  DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES resoundingly delivers on that promise. 

Whereas the human-ape connection between Will and Caesar was the heart of the first film, the core this time is Caesar's relationship with his own ape tribe, to include his treacherous number two, Koba, and his rebellious son, Blue Eyes.  Andy Serkin is just as terrific here playing Caesar, as he was in the first film.  Toby Kebbell and Nick Thurston hold their own as Koba and Blue Eyes, and their relationships with Caesar is the engine that powers DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, more so than Caesar's interactions with the humans led by Malcolm and Ellie.

Speaking of the humans, they take a bit of a backseat to the apes and, just like in the first movie (and just like their ape counterparts), are a mix of the noble and idealistic (Malcolm, Ellie, Alexander), the conflicted (Dreyfus), and the downright malicious (Carver).  As the lead couple of Malcolm and Ellie, Jason Clarke and Keri Russell prove to be just a tad less dynamic and vivid than James Franco and Freida Pinto from the first film, but they get the job done reasonably well.  Kirk Acevedo is appropriately hissable as the slimy, underhanded Carver - who sees the apes as all the same: the enemy.  The versatile Gary Oldman, on the other hand, gives us a more nuanced villain - one who clearly was a very different man before the virus decimated the Earth, and now must adapt to his new environment and become ruthless to keep the peace. 

Ultimately, though, this film belongs to the apes.  We spend just as much time among them as we do with the human characters - perhaps even more.  The beginnings of  a hierarchy and social system that we saw in RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES takes full bloom here, and its clear that Matt Reeves and his writers intend not to show that the apes are better than humans or vice vera.  Rather, they are exactly like each other: both groups have heroism and courage, sacrifice and kindness, villainy and treachery, simplicity and complexity.  The characters like Caesar, Blue Eyes, Malcolm, Ellie, and Alexander who recognize this are the ones best-equipped to survive the crisis.  The ones like Koba, Carver, and Dreyfus who don't are the ones who are not. 

In the end, DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES wonderfully grows the seeds planted in RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES three years ago.  We can't wait for the next installment in the APES saga.  If this trend continues, it will be awesome. 

 

The Last Days of Summer 2014...

Hello folks, please expect the following reviews to post between now and next weekend....

# 554 - DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

# 555 - LUCY

# 556 - GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

# 557 - TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

# 558 - THE GIVER

# 559 - LET'S BE COPS

# 560 - THE HUNDRED FOOT JOURNEY

# 561 - AS ABOVE SO BELOW

# 553 - THE FAULT IN OUR STARS (2014)

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS (2014 - ROMANCE / COMEDY / DRAMA) ****1/2 out of *****  OR  9 out of 10

(LOVE STORY - for a new generation...)

 

CAST:   Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe, Nat Wolff, Sam Trammell, Lotte Verbeek.

DIRECTOR:  John Boone

WARNING:  Some SPOILERS and more reasons to live it up while we can - straight ahead....

 

IT'S LIKE THIS:  Hazel Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) and Gus Waters (Ansel Elgort) are not your typical teens in love.  Sure, they engage in all the expected "young-love" shenanigans like hanging out, flirting, texting each other, and giving each other serious googley eyes across candle-lit dinners.  But beneath that seemingly placid facade, our dear Hazel and Gus are more than your average lovebirds.   See, Hazel is suffering from a form of blood cancer and has to constantly lug a device around that dispenses medication into her through nostril tubes.  Gus, on the other hand, is in remission from another kind of cancer that has already necessitated the removal of one leg.  In other words, this is not your basic "boy-meets-girl" love story. 

Speaking of meetings, Hazel and Gus have their first one at a support group session for teens with cancer.  Hazel is as determined to shut everyone else out and keep her own counsel, but Gus immediately takes a shine to her.  Like a golden retriever who pledges its undying love to its owner, Gus essentially begins to bob and circle and hover and fawn on Hazel.  Despite being flattered by all this Human Puppy Dog attentioin, Hazel still puts up resistance and tries to find a way to keep Gus out of her life.  Unfortunately, in addition to being a happy Golden Retriever, Gus is also apparently a determined and formidable German Shepherd - because he just continues his campaign to break down Hazel's standoffish defenses. 

Eventually realizing that life is just too damn short to keep resisting Gus's advances, our girl Hazel finally relents and lets him in to her life.  Before you know it, our couple is living on cloud nine.  Soon, Gus surprises Hazel with the news that he has donated his wish from the "Make A Wish" foundation to her - so that she can fly to Amsterdam to meet the author of her favorite book, the mysterious and reclusive Peter Van Houten (Willem Dafoe).  Gus even finagles it so that he and Hazel's loving mom, Frannie (Laura Dern), can go with her.  All in all, it seems like things are looking up for our lovely couple. 

But will it last?  How much longer can their Cloud Nine continue?  Will Hazel's complications arise again?   Will Gus's remission end?  And what awaits them at Peter Van Houten's house in Amsterdam?  How will he affect Gus and Hazel's life?  Can Hazel and Gus have a happy ending? 

Let's just say that happy endings come in many different forms.   Some are just more subtle than others.  Sniffle...

 

BUT SERIOUSLY:  One of 1991's biggest box-office misfires was DYING YOUNG, which starred Campbell Scott as a rich young man dying of cancer, and Julia Roberts as the working-class girl who accepts a job as his caregiver - but then finds herself falling in love with him.  Needless to say, this complicates matters indeed.  Expectations were high for DYING YOUNG, what with Roberts coming off a spectacular run that began with her star-making appearance in PRETTY WOMAN (1990), continued with FLATLINERS (1990), and kept on going in SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY (1991).

Unfortunately, as mentioned above, DYING YOUNG wasn't nearly as embraced as Roberts' previous three hits.  Despite opening strong at the box-office in its first week, DYING YOUNG's attendance quickly went downhill and it ended up grossing "just" $ 33 million - significantly lower than each of of the last three Roberts vehicles.  The film's misfiring was mystifing at the time, since it was a love story calculcated to appeal to Roberts' demographic of women and the men they drag to the movies with them.  I remember watching it when it first came out, and thinking it was a little unsatisfying, but overall still pretty decent - with Roberts in fine "tough-but-vulnerable" form.  Ultimately, DYING YOUNG's under-performance could simply be because the subject matter (blatantly advertised in the title) was just not the "feel-good" vehicle that Roberts' fans were looking for that summer. 

It's interesting to note then, that the THE FAULT IN OUR STARS (a film with some parallels to DYING YOUNG) is doing significantly better business this summer.  Is it a matter of audience tastes changing over the past 23 years?  Hard to say.  Of course, to be fair, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS in based on the young-adult bestseller of the same name, meaning it has a built-in audience base that was already interested in the film's adaptation.  Furthermore, the trailer (seen above) became the most viewed trailer on YouTube up until that point in time.  But, in my opinion, something accounts for why THE FAULT IN OUR STARS is currently better-received than the similarly-themed DYING YOUNG: execution. 

In past reviews, we've talked about how execution is everything.  Good ideas can founder with mediocre or bad executions, while bad or mediocre ideas can actually succeed with clever and skillful execution.   While DYING YOUNG was not bad at all, it has a different slant and execution than THE FAULT IN OUR STARS which might have turned away its core audience.  DYING YOUNG's lovers were a healthy woman and a man with cancer (unlike THE FAULT IN OUR STARS' equally-afflicted lovers), which has a different dynamic.  Ultimately, DYING YOUNG's slant and execution probably emphasized the "cancer element" a little too much, because of its leads who are on opposite sides of the health spectrum - which might have made it a little bleak for mainstream audiences just looking for an innocuous romance.  Compared to THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, its approach is also a little too "soap opera." 

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, on the other hand, gives us two leads who are on equal footing: they both have cancer - so they understand each other's plight more.  Also, director Boone and his writers do a great job of transferring author John Green's droll, matter-of-fact tone from the novel into the screenplay.  Consequently, its the growing bond between Hazel and Gus that is emphasized, and not their ailments.  What's great about this film is how it treats its leads as full-blooded human beings, first, and cancer patients, second.  DYING YOUNG's treatment of Campbell Scott' character wasn't quite as balanced. 

Speaking of Hazel and Gus, they are perfectly-played by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.  Woodley is rapidly-shaping up to be a formidable member of her generation of actresses.  With her knockout performances in THE DESCENDANTS, THE SPECTACULAR NOW, DIVERGENT, and now THE FAULT IN OUR STARTS, she is clearly a versatile talent.   She turns Hazel into a compelling mix of surface toughness, hidden vulnerability, and core resilience - leavened with a healthy dose of dry humor.  It's appropriate that we are discussing this film in relation to one that Julia Roberts starred in, because out of all the young actresses working today, Shailene Woodley is the one who seems to be repeating Roberts' meteoric rise in the early 90s.  And it's completely deserved by both.  I predict that, like Roberts, Woodley will also eventually bag an Oscar for Best Actress.  It's just a matter of time. 

As for Elgort as Gus, he is similarly well-cast.  It's important that Gus be played by someone who is very attractive but also with enough of that "dork" vibe to make him endearing.  Elgort has to walk the fine line of making Gus believably sunny and optimistic, but also give him the necessary undercurrents of gravity, stubborness, and melancholy needed to make him more than just a smiling, handsome face to Hazel.  In short, what the role of Gus needed is someone who effortlessly blends "boy" and "man" - and Elgort does that wonderfully.  He is so good that the last act of this film is particularly difficult to watch. 

The supporting cast includes Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, Nat Wolff, Lotte Verbeek, and Willem Dafoe.  They are all good - but Dafoe is the standout as Peter Van Houten, the elusive novelist who ultimately makes a big impact on Hazel and Gus' lives, both through the printed page and in person.  Verbeek is also a refreshing presence as Lidewij, Van Houten's personal assistant who shows Hazel and Gus some much-needed kindness in Amsterdam - and gives them a tour that they won't forget. 

In the end, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS succeeds where DYING YOUNG stumbled because it chooses to emphasize the humanity of its leads, rather than their sickness.  While the "cancer element" does play a larger role towards the last part of the movie, the script refuses to define its characters by it - choosing instead to portray them as lovers who simply want to do what lovers everywhere do: fall in love.  Nothing, not even cancer, will stop them - and you have to admire that.

In closing, I dedicate this review to anyone who has been touched by cancer, in any of its forms, in whatever way - whether directly or indirectly.  And that's pretty much all of us. 

# 552 - 22 JUMP STREET

22 JUMP STREET (2014 - COMEDY)  **** out of *****  OR  8 out of 10

(Oh, lord.  Not these knuckleheads again...)

 

 

CAST:   Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Ice Cube, Nick Offerman, Wyatt Russell, Amber Stevens, Peter Stormare, Jillian Bell. 

DIRECTOR:  Phil Lord & Christopher Miller

WARNING:  Some SPOILERS and more reasons to go back to school - straight ahead...

 

IT'S LIKE THIS:  In 2012, we witnessed the big-screen version of the 80's TV show "21 Jump Street" which was titled, um, 21 JUMP STREET.  In that saga, baby-faced doofus cops Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) were recruited to work for the "Jump Street Program" which apparently involved sending baby-faced doofus cops undercover as narcs in high schools to bust up drug rings.  If you'll remember, after much hilarity and misadventure, our two doofus heroes managed to catch the baddies spreading through school halls a new kind of drug that, truth be told, seemed more like a really potent fortune cookie.  Apparently, that's a bad thing. 

Flash forward to 2014, and our two doofus cops Jenko and Schmidt are once again pulled back into the fray by their terminally-sarcastic chief, Supeintendent Hardy (Nick Offerman), and sent back into the 21 Jump Street program.  This time, however, it turns out the office has relocated to a far-flung location: right across the street.  So what happens when a program called 21 Jump Street moves to an address that is actually 22 Jump Street?  The movie's title is accordingly changed to... 22 JUMP STREET.  Remember what they say about real estate: "Location, location, location..."

Anyhow, this time, out two doofi (plural for "doofus") undercover cops find themselves with an upgraded mission:  whereas before, they were undercover cops in high school, this time, they are going to be undercover cops in... college.  Apparently, it didn't take long for some new drug dealer to take the place of the ones Jenko and Schmidt busted before - and a new wonder drug is now being peddled to the students of a local university.  It's called WHY-PHY.  As in: Work Hard Yeah! Play Hard Yeah!  Look, I didn't the write the fucking script, okay?  If it were up to me, I would call the drug "Andrew Garfield."  So that way I could say things like:  "I sure would love to do some Andrew Garfield right now" or "Damn, I need to snort some Andrew Garfield ASAP" or "Anyone got any Andrew Garfield I can blow the shit out of?"  I don't ask for much. 

But I digress.  Anyhow, if you folks will recall, in 21 JUMP STREET a strange thing happened: lunkhead jock Jenko was fully expecting to blend in with the cool kids at the high school - but instead got sidelined with the geeks and freaks because in the new landscape of John Hughes land, political correctness and environmental activism is apparently the "in" thing.  And let's face it:  Jenko probably doesn't even know what the words "recycle" or "sustainable" mean.   As a result, it was Schmidt who unexpectedly became Big Man On Campus  because of his own leanings towards political correctness and environmental activism.  Yawn. 

Happily, in 22 JUMP STREET the Universe is back to what it should be and order has been restored.  Yes, folks...  Jenko joins a fraternity and becomes BMOC and Schmidt is banished to the Realm Of The Nerds.  Thank goodness.  I was starting to think we were in some place like the twilight zone - but somehow even more fucked-up.  While pledging for his frat, Jenko meets the improbably gorgeous Zook (Wyatt Russell), whose Sun God beauty makes up for the fact that he has one lemon of a nickname.  At least I hope its a nickname.   Anyhow, as you can imagine, two Adonis-types like Jenko and Zook who are into body-building and not much else are probably destined for each other.  Hell, even their names click: Jenko and Zook.  Tell me that doesn't make your heart beat a little faster...

Meanwhile, our geek Schmidt falls into his natural lane with the weirdos and bizarros of the art scene.  Fortunately, one of them, Maya (Amber Stevens), is actually somewhat hot and he scores a one-night stand with her.  Unfortunately, she is also their immediate supervisor's daughter.  If you'll recall from 21 JUMP STREET, their boss is Capt Dickson (Ice Cube).  And let's just say that he more than lives up to his name.  In other words, you couldn't pay me to step in ol' Schmidt's shoes for all the hairy chests in Italy. 

To further complicate matters, Jenko's growing bro-mance with Zook begins to affect his friendship with Schmidt.  Soon enough, our two doofi cops are walking around, pouting like the biggest issue they have is whether they'll ever be able to hang out again.  As if, you know, there weren't a drug problem on campus for them to solve.  And them, just because you can't have enough drama in a JUMP STREET movie, Capt Dickhead, er Dickson finds out that Schmidt has been pile-driving his sweet Maya - and begins to rumble like Mt. Vesuvius after centuries of not erupting.  Hint: run, Schmiddy - fast. 

So, the pertinent questions:  will Jenko and Schmidt be able to figure out who's been peddling WHY-PHY all over campus?  Or will their various personal entanglements make them lose focus?  Will Jenko truly choose Zook to be his next BFF?  Will Schmidt continue to wet his wick with Maya at the expense of his life?  Will Capt Dickface, uh, Dickson unleash a vat of Whoop-Ass on Schmidt?  Who is the drug dealer on campus, anyway?  Zook?  Maya?  Maya's super-bitch roommate, Mercedes (Jillian Bell)?  Richard Grieco?  Johnny Depp?  Who, for fuck's sake? 

I know: it's Holly Robinson. 

 

BUT SERIOUSLY:  In our review for HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (review # 550) and other sequel reviews, we've discussed how the best sequels take what worked about the first film - and then move into new territory.  22 JUMP STREET is a fine example of that - it takes the strengths of the first film, and uses it as a framework to explore some fresh ground.  Specifically, this film has the self-aware deconstructionist irony of the SCREAM films, which gives the comedy a delightfully loony vibe.  

The way SCREAM and its three sequels skewered the tropes and cliches of the Slasher Movie Sub-Genre while adhering to them at the same time, so too does 22 JUMP STREET takes what we know about the Collegiate Comedy Sub-genre - as well as sequels and cinematic adaptations of TV shows - and alternately follows and sends them up.   The result is a wonderfully irreverent film filled with raunchy, infectious good cheer. 

As with the first film, Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill bring a warm, brotherly rapport to their roles of Jenko and Schmidt.  21 JUMP STREET tested their partnership, and 22 JUMP STREET does so again.  This time, however, it is done through a hilarious framework of a pseudo-gay relationship that manages to be both ribald and respectful, at the same time.  By now, Tatum and Hill have made the roles their own, and they fully-inhabit their characters' skins while tweaking them for laughs at the same time. 

New faces include Amber Stevens and Jillian Bell as the female leads, and both hold their own, especially Bell, who is a scream as Mercedes, Maya's uber-sarcastic roommate who locks horns with Schmidt and has rapid-fire zinger comebacks for every occasion.  Wyatt Russell is also a loose, goofy delight as Zook, the "third point" in the Jenko-Schmidt-Zook "triangle."  Russell is the son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, and he bears an uncanny resemblance to his father (but with his mom's signature blond hair).   Returning castmembers include Ice Cube, Nick Offerman, and Rob Riggle.   All three hit the mark again as they did the first time, especially Offerman as the terminally-droll chief of Jenko and Schmidt's unit - no other comedian today can be so side-splittingly hilarious while maintaing a stone-cold demeanor and never cracking a single smile. 

Ultimately, 22 JUMP STREET is just as great as its predecessor.  In some way, it's even funnier - especially the final end title credits, which is worth the price of admission in itself.  Suffice it to say, stay until the very end of this movie - you will be breathless with laughter.  Now that's the way to end a comedy - on a true high note.