Take Me Home Tonight, Fright Night, The Conspirator

Take Me Home Tonight - Super fun 80s movie? Not so much. Actually, Take Me Home Tonight is a boring drag of a movie that isn't the least bit funny. It stars Topher Grace as a recent college grad who tries to impress an old high school classmate (Teresa Palmer, who is a blonde Kristen Stewart). Also wastes the talents of Anna Faris, Chris Pratt, Michael Ian Black and more! The only, and I mean ONLY, good thing about this awful movie is the killer 80s music soundtrack. Don't waste your time!
Grade: D-

Fright Night - A remake of the 80s movie, Fright Night is a hell of a lot better than it has to be. I'm not saying this movie is going to change the world, but it's fun and sexy and a good time at the movies. The ever adorable Anton Yelchin stars as a slightly nerdy high schooler who blows off his more nerdy ex-best friend (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) when he tries to convince him that his brand new neighbor (Colin Farrell, having the time of his life) is a vampire. Turns out, Ed is right! The film takes place in a suburb of Las Vegas, which is the PERFECT place for a vampire to live, using the excuse of working nights on the strip and sleeping all day. The plot is pretty basic: Yelchin must fight to save his mom (Toni Collette) and hottie girlfriend (Imogen Poots) with the help of a drunken illusionist (scene stealer David Tennant). Farrell is fantastic. I've been a fan of his for a long time but never thought he really lived up to his potential. I don't know what has happened to him the last few years but it seems like he stopped taking himself so seriously, realized that he's funny as hell and is now having the time of his life! First he was AMAZING in In Bruges a few years back. Now he is stealing scenes in Horrible Bosses and being delightfully campy in Fright Night. Yelchin is great too, but isn't that always the case with him? Of course, like I said, Tennant steals the show. He is hilarious and all around fantastic. All in all, Fright Night is a fun time and worth checking out.
Grade: B-

The Conspirator - First off, this movie probably has the best cast of the year. I'm not even kidding. Not only are there really quality, amazing actors involved in large roles (James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Tom Wilkinson, Danny Huston, Evan Rachel Wood), but also so many actors that I personally ADORE show up in small roles (Norman Reedus, Shea Whigham, Johnny Simmons, Jonathan Groff). Director Robert Redford sure did a great job casting this movie. The Conspirator is a beautifully filmed, well written, well acted period piece about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the people who may or may not have conspired with John Wilkes Booth. Sure, the film drags now and then, but over all it's a great film and I'm shocked that it didn't get more attention when it was released in theaters. It's definitely one of the better films this year, plus it has such a stellar cast. McAvoy and Wright are amazing in their roles as a conflicted lawyer and a stubborn convict, respectively. But the acting is great all around and the story is compelling and interesting.
Grade: B

The Lincoln Lawyer

I don't want to get too excited here but I will say this: The Lincoln Lawyer is the best movie of 2011, so far. The thrill of FINALLY finding a movie that is actually good this year may cloud this review just a bit; after all, it's been months and months of crap at the theaters. So, I'm going to start off with the negatives just in case this becomes a review where I praise the hell out of this movie. First of all, one of my biggest pet peeves in a movie is something I call the false ending. That's where you think the movie ends more than once before it actually ends. This movie has about five of those. And it really irks me. I think a lot of crappy decisions in the writing of a film can be forgiven with a really great ending. But, guess what? If you have three or four ideas for a great ending, don't use them all! It's overkill. That is my biggest problem with the film. Other than that, it's all minor things - it meanders in pace from time to time, I wish parts of it had been a little more ambiguous, some overstating of the obvious. But, really, that's it!

The Lincoln Lawyer stars Matthew McConaughey as Mick Haller, a cocky, effortlessly charming defense lawyer whose office is in the back of his car (a Lincoln, hence the title). His m.o. is getting criminals out of jail, druggies, murderers, it doesn't matter as long as the pay checks show up. But then he takes on the case of a pretty rich boy (Ryan Phillippe) who is accused of beating the hell out of a girl he met at a bar... who just so happens to be a prostitute who may or may not have devised this evil plan to get millions of dollars out of the spoiled rich kid, Louis. And that's basically it. Sounds simple, but there are twists and turns and damn great storytelling that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is an intense legal thriller that has a great feel about it, a gritty, dirty tale of redemption in Los Angeles.

McConaughey gives the best performance of his career as the caddish lawyer who seemingly develops a conscious over night. I'm not his biggest fan but (and I'd truly like to see if he is actually a good actor by having him branch out and do something different, something that shows his vulnerable side) he is solid in this role. It's right in his wheelhouse - effortlessly cool, calm, funny, cockiness under the surface. Another performance that is in an actor's wheelhouse is that given by Phillippe. Again, not his biggest fan, but I do think some of the criticism of him as a "wooden" actor is unjustified. He'll never be the type of actor who can do any kind of role. He's not Meryl Streep, for Christ's sake. But when given a certain type of role - cold, possibly conniving, pretty rich spoiled brat - he nails it. And it's because of his "wooden" acting that allows him to embody seemingly devious characters. The audience is never sure if they should trust a word he says and Phillippe is sort of perfect for a part like that, probably because you're not sure if you like him in real life. The rest of the cast is pretty stellar as well - William H. Macy as Mick's investigator bestie, lightening the mood with his humor and wit, Josh Lucas as the up and coming lawyer from the district attorney's office who isn't above playing dirty, Michael Pena as a possibly innocent man in San Quentin, John Leguizamo as a squirrely bail bondsman, Bryan Cranston as a hardnosed cop, and my man Shea Whigham who all but steals the damn movie in one perfectly played scene. Then there are the ladies, Marisa Tomei as Mick's lawyer ex and Frances Fisher as Louis' tough as nails mom, who are terribly, terribly, terribly under used. That is another of the problems I have with this movie. The men all have riveting, interesting roles. The women? Not so much! Why not hire nobodies? They are wasting the talents of Tomei and Fisher with empty roles.

Overall, the acting is excellent (most of the men are already gracing my best of 2011 lists... although I'm sure some of them won't make the cut once the heavy hitting movies are released). The plot is solid and tight and grabs your attention from the beginning and barely lets you go. The writing is smart and witty. There's a great soundtrack and the film is evenly paced and doesn't flounder or lose it's way too often. The direction is raw and gritty, and I personally like all the handheld camera work although I could understand where it would annoy some as being unnecessary. The Lincoln Lawyer is based on a book in a series by Michael Connelly which means there may be a franchise. I, for one, say bring it!

Grade: B

Coming soon: Reviews of Limitless, Sucker Punch, and more!

Horror Movie Month - Blood Creek

Blood Creek (2009)
The Stars - Henry Cavill, Dominic Purcell, Emma Booth, Michael Fassbender, Shea Whigham (!!!).
The Gist - Epic Nazi zombies!! Sounds awesome, right? Well, totally wrong! It's actually kind of awful. Cavill and Purcell star as super hot brothers who set out to kill a creepy family living in the middle of nowhere who kidnapped Purcell's Victor and held him captive for two years. Said family hasn't aged in 80 years because they are holding a Nazi zombie prisoner in their barn. When he breaks free, all hell breaks loose. Blah blah, Shea Whigham is shirtless. Other than that, it's a total waste of your time.
The Scares - There are none.
The Body Count - 7... and a whole lot of pigs, horses and dogs, too.
The Grade - F

Horror Movie Month - Splinter (2008)

Splinter
The Stars - Shea Whigham (!!!), Paulo Costanzo, Jill Wagner, Rachel Kerbs
The Gist - A young couple (Costanzo and Wagner) set out for a romantic camping trip to celebrate their anniversary. Problems ensue and soon they are being held hostage by a sexy, badass escaped convict (Whigham) and his drug-addled girlfriend (Kerbs). When their car begins to overheat, they make a pit stop at a gas station in the middle of nowhere where they become trapped, surrounded and hunted by some sort of strange zombie-esque splinter parasite.
The Scares - There aren't really any... at all. Maybe it's because I don't scare easily, not sure, but there wasn't a single thing in the entire movie I found scary. That being said, the movie itself isn't bad. It's fast-paced and it's fun and the characters are actually pretty well-crafted and not at all as stupid as most characters in horror movies. Of course, Shea Whigham is super hot.
The Body Count - Only 4... but then, there are only really 6 people in the entire movie.
The Grade - C+