Warning: Real Life Approaching

As a culture, we have arguably gone a little bit crazy for Hollywood and celebrities. Many of the top magazines sold around the country are US Weekly, People and Star, titles that make their living by capitalizing on this desire for information on the rich and famous and focusing on such things as whom they are currently romancing and how they dress. It's not exactly important information, but much of our society just can't seem to get enough of it. This isn't meant to disparage those of you who DO read these periodicals; this is simply my personal opinion. I mean, I'm a FILM reviewer. While I don't talk about the latest fashions, I still bring attention to celebrities' movies on a regular basis. Speaking of film, the best example of celebrity worship getting out of control might be The Bling Ring, the latest movie by director Sofia Coppola. It tells the true story of a group of young Californians whose desire to be closer to the lifestyles they desired became an obsession that saw them break into the homes of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel Bilson and more, stealing to their heart's content. Between 2008 and 2009, these kids stole upwards of $3 million in cash and belongings before they were arrested. If nothing else, it's the perfect example for how this kind of behavior can get completely and utterly out of hand.

Emma Watson's going all Bonnie and Clyde on us.

The kids in Coppola's latest motion picture are definitely a little messed up. Marc (Israel Broussard) is a loner who has never been very popular and got kicked out of his last school for too many absences. Rebecca (Katie Chang) is a minor criminal who gets off on breaking and entering and theft. Chloe (Claire Julien) talks "gangsta" and gets a little wild. And Nicki (Emma Watson) and Sam (Taissa Farmiga) are home-schooled best friends who take Adderall regularly and whose education is based entirely on Rhonda Byrne's Laws of Attraction book "The Secret". So getting past the part where none of these kids really had a chance, their descent into theft is both glitzy enough to shine on the big screen and dark enough to make for a decent character study of their various issues. Coppola cast mainly unknowns for her leads, and the real surprise is not how great Emma Watson is (because seriously, she's fricking Emma Watson), but the quality of performances from the rest of the young cast. Though Watson is undoubtedly the movie's biggest star, the film belongs to Broussard and Chang, who are talented young actors given genuine moments to stand out and succeed in a variety of ways. The cast is rounded out by Leslie Mann (as Nicki's mother) and Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale to fill the film's adult quota, but this film definitely belongs to the kids, and they make the most of their opportunities.

We're in a movie taking pictures of ourselves! Wild!

The acting is aided by a director in Coppola who has a flair for cinematics. While the "Girls Gone Wild" indie concept has already been adequately handled by March's Spring Breakers, Coppola is by far a better director than Korine, using music and visual flair to accentuate her specific narrative style, rather than try to hide her movie's inadequacies. It's a talent that only the best - not necessarily most successful, but best - directors possess. In The Bling Ring, Coppola manages to infuse every scene - no matter how inconsequential - with an artistry that instantly makes everything BETTER, like a cure-all that can magically heal all the film's wounds.

I'm sorry... what was I saying?

Unfortunately, that cure-all is, in reality, simply a band-aid. While the acting is excellent and the atmosphere Coppola adds does vastly improve things, there's just not all that much story going on here. There are whole scenes which have little to do with moving the story forward (including a shot from Marc's computer camera of him dancing around), and are just filler, adding absolutely nothing of value. There are a few inspired scenes (Marc and Rebecca robbing Audrina Patridge's home as seen from a distance outside), but most of the "shopping" bits - as they're called - aren't nearly as fun or original as they ought to be. In fact, they feel suspiciously like the worst fashion-centric moments of Sex and the City, when all the ladies can talk about are Gucci and Jimmy Choo's. Interaction between characters is great. Interaction between characters and articles of clothing, not so much.

Direct quote here: "I want to lead a country one day, for all I know."

When there's a story to follow and the actors get to play up the chronic naivete of their generation, The Bling Ring is at its trashy, dumpster-diving best. This is not a movie that condones celebrity worship; in fact, it does its best to show just how bad that behavior has gotten in some parts of our society. But unfortunately there's just not a whole lot of meat on those bones, even for a film that barely clocks in at an hour and a half. Coppola does her absolute best, and I doubt that this could have been better in anybody else's hands. But similarly to Spring Breakers, recommending that somebody see The Bling Ring on the big screen is not a task I would be up to taking. Which is a shame, because there are genuinely strong scenes and evocative moments that absolutely make it worth a rental option. Watson is a star who is still rising, but even her excellent performance can't convince me to convince you that it's worth your time right now.

It's the End of the World as We Know It

When did it suddenly become hip to make fun of the Apocalypse?

Just a little under seven months ago, we emerged from the year 2012 having somehow managed to avoid the predicted End of the World. This of course is in reference the oft-fanatical response to the end of the Mayan calendar, which found popularity in pop culture thanks to a Roland Emmerich movie, several New Age books and one particularly embarrassed Family Radio host who incorrectly proclaimed our doom not once, not twice, but THREE times (if you include his first error in 1994). Now that the prophesied Endtimes have officially passed and the world can get back to normal until the next time somebody predicts our downfall, Hollywood has decided to pop projects out of the woodwork to offer their takes on what was supposed to happen. This is the End isn’t the first apocalypse movie to be released this year. It’s not even the first one to feature actor Craig Robinson; that would be Rapture-Palooza, which ostensibly came out on June 7 (good luck finding a showing, though). It might not even be the funniest comedy of that vein or feature the greatest cast, with Edgar Wright’s August entry The World’s End featuring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman and Eddie Marsan. But right here, right now, This is the End takes some of the industry's most beloved screwballs, throws them in a room together, and dares you not to laugh at the results.

Name those soon-to-be-dead celebrities!

It's the coming of the Apocalypse, and six professional actors - James Franco, Seth Rogen, Danny McBride, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson and Jay Baruchel - find themselves trapped inside Franco's new and lavish home as the Earth cracks and burns around them. At first simply believing that this is a tragedy they will be rescued from (because as famous actors they will always be saved first), they simply hunker down and await their salvation. But when it sinks in that there's no escaping the end of the planet, how will six self-absorbed Hollywood performers adjust to the endtimes? By taking drugs, making impromptu and low-budget sequels to their most popular movies, and just generally screwing around, apparently.

Yes, Michael Cera is here. And he's HILARIOUS.

For a movie directed by Superbad and Pineapple Express co-writers Rogen and Evan Goldberg, you would expect This is the End to be a marijuana-fueled, acid-trip through the tropes of the genre's fiction and film. Making their directorial debuts, you might also expect that the overall quality of their product would not match their previous efforts on camera or with a pen. As it happens, the first part is absolutely true (especially the acid trip, which results in a very strange montage set to the tune of Korean rapper Psy's Gangnam Style). Demon dongs, crass language and crude behavior were all but guaranteed from the start, and if you thought there was a line the pair wouldn't cross, you'd be grossly mistaken. But what's surprising is how good the movie actually is. Yes, Rogen and Goldberg make plenty of typical rookie mistakes - many scenes are there not because they move the tale forward one iota, but because they were "cool" or funny at the time of filming. In fact, there's very little story anywhere in here; with the exception of the first and last twenty minutes of the entire movie. In between are countless examples of the hijinks and inanities that come with the group trying to "rough it" and survive the nightmare. You could literally cut a full third of the film and still leave the plot mercifully intact.

These six vs. the Devil... I like Satan's chances.

But the hitches in the story can be overlooked when the film itself turns out to be this funny. The filmmakers did a grand job putting their minimalist script on the big screen, thanks especially to a cast that play morally questionable, fictional (hopefully) exaggerations of themselves. The story is also brave in giving the leading reigns not to Rogen or the film's two Oscar nominees (Franco add Hill, for those keeping track), but to Baruchel, the least-recognized and arguably most likable of the group. What narrative there is is moved by his dislike of Los Angeles and the struggle between his lifelong friendship with Rogen and the influences of Hollywoodland. The acting is mostly solid, with the six actors more or less sticking together quality-wise (the one surprisingly lacking is Hill ("...from Moneyball"), who unlike the others doesn't seem quite at home making fun of himself or his accomplishments), and they're supplemented by great cameos from Emma Watson, Michael Cera, and some other blink-and-you'll-miss-them show-ups. The cast and crew obviously had a lot of fun on the set, and while that at times holds up the rest of the production, it also results in gags that just wouldn't work if the cast and crew didn't let the whole thing get away from them once in a while.

And thus, the movie became awesome.

Yes, it's incredibly stupid. Yes, the plot is thin as a piece of rice paper, and the the low budget means that the film's use of CGI emphasizes the "special" in "special effects". Yes, I was sick of Danny McBride pretty much from moment one (though the script does afford him some great moments). And you know what? I'm okay with that. This is the End is exactly the kind of mindless fun you need on a hot summer day, and while it's drug-fused production won't appeal to everyone and is nothing close to a seamless effort, it makes up for its miscues by keeping you laughing and keeping you invested. Is it a lot of fun for a summer day lacking in decent comedic offerings? Hell yes! Sure, it might not even be the best Apocalypse movie when 2013 is said and done, but for everything that could have gone horribly wrong, it remains a perfect excuse to spend a hot day in an air-conditioned movie theater.

Double Feature: Tai Chi 0 and The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Another double feature review, and I have to say that the selections here could not be more different from one another, what with Tai Chi 0 and The Perks of Being a Wallflower possessing as completely different target audiences as humanly possible.

Okay, I admit it; they had me at "steampunk kung fu throwdown." Kung fu and martial arts I'm sure everybody gets (if not, your assignment is to see The Raid: Redemption right now). For those unfamiliar with steampunk, it's a sub-genre of science fiction that focuses on steam-powered technology. Often the tech is mixed with the worlds of the Victorian era and early Western civilizations, but in the case of Tai Chi 0 the setting is China during the early era of Western influence. It's a perfect setting, blending more advanced steampunk designs with the relatively simple ones actually being built, like the locomotive. With more than a few martial arts movies coming out lately, one that allowed for a fundamentally different environment I thought deserved a look. Directed by Hong Kong veteran Stephen Fung, this had the chance to be a solid ton of offbeat fun.

That's gonna hurt tomorrow.

Unfortunately, all that potential goes to waste with a story that never feels as focused as it should be. In his acting debut, martial arts champion Yuan Xiaochao plays "The Freak", an already-talented warrior born with a genetic deformity on his head that somehow turns him into an unstoppable fighting machine when struck. With such power comes cost, however, as the combat drains his life at the same time. Not wanting to die, he journeys to legendary Chen Village to learn their secret, powerful form of Tai Chi to heal himself. Unfortunately, it's a style forbidden to outsiders, and The Freak seems out of luck. But when Imperialist China arrives on their doorstep wanting to introduces their new steam engine, he and a few rebellious souls might be all that stands between the village's sacred traditions and the influence of Western society.

My, what big shovels you have.

I really wanted to like Tai Chi 0, but I kept feeling as though the movie was trying to be too clever for its own good. Whenever a new major character would be introduced, graphics would pop up on the screen to point out what an IMPORTANT performer it was, and a little blurb about why (though this would have little effect on American audiences). Fight scenes would often get cartoony in their meticulous displays of the martial arts stances and motions. These bits often feel as if they would be more at home in a video game than in a major film, although they at least fit in somewhat with the steampunk elements. The story is also a haphazard blend of The Freak's journey to redemption with a love triangle between the characters of Hong Kong performers Eddie Feng, Angelababy and Mandy Lieu. Unfortunately, none of the characters are as interesting as those if some of the older vets, especially icon Tony Leung Ka-Fai as the village elder. Some interesting side bits and a few impressive fight scenes pick up some of the slack, but it's not nearly enough for a title that relies far too much on its premise to get by.

Scarier than anything in The House at the End of the Street.

Still, Tai Chi 0 had a ton of promise, and I can certainly see this title reimagined as a television show or Saturday morning cartoon, more formally matching its anime-inspired content. Director Fung will get another chance to prove himself when built-in sequel Tai Chi Hero is released next year (it was previewed in the closing credits), and as the end of Tai Chi 0 was something of a convoluted mess, the next chapter will definitely have to improve in the storytelling if it wants to be taken seriously by the international community. There are a few things to really like about this film, just not a whole lot.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, on the other hand, easily carries a story worthy of praise. The novel has been a cultural mainstay for high-schoolers for about as long as I can remember, which of course is why I've never picked it up. That's the thing with me; I tend to rebel against extremely popular trends, so if everyone has read it, there's a very good chance that I ignored it. It's partly why I've read only the first four Harry Potter books and have successfully avoided the Twilight series (although am I crazy or does Breaking Dawn Part 2 look pretty bad-ass?). It's also why I ignored Pixar films for so long. But after seeing this film, I might have to revise my avoidance of the book by Stephen Chbosky (who also directed the adaptation), as his final product was nowhere near what I was expecting.

When the perpetually-nervous Charlie (Logan Lerman) enters high school, he's most concerned with having a normal experience, and meeting friends he can get along with. He soon meets seniors Sam (Emma Watson) and her gay half-brother Patrick (Ezra Miller), who take him under their wing and introduce them to a world of great music, parties and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. For the first time in a long time, he has friends with whom he can connect after the tragedies in his life. But the one thing he really wants - a relationship with Sam - seems out of reach, and with his friends graduating at the year's end, his earlier traumas threaten to re-emerge and take over his psyche for the worse.

For Lerman, playing a nervous high school student  is hardly a stretch.

Perks was a good time for a number of reasons, though I think it was partially thanks to the fact that I hadn't read the novel beforehand. While I was certainly expecting some of the emotional drama that is consistent with high school dramas, I was utterly unprepared for the levels that the film actually put forth. I've never seen a fictional film that simultaneously deals with the subjects of homophobia, bullying, suicide, bad relationships, abusive relationships, child abuse, child neglect... the list goes on. I think I now understand why this book has become such a hit with the current generation of young men and women; it's essentially the modern Catcher in the Rye, existing as a microcosm of the high school experience and, to a lesser degree, life itself. The movie does an amazing job of capturing that feeling of legitimacy without resorting to coming off like an after-school special, and every character serves a purpose in contributing to it.

He's much happier here than he was in We Need to Talk About Kevin...

A great cast was also a major reason the film is so enjoyable, as Perks not only gathers some of the year's best characters under one roof but filled them with some of the better faces dotting the Hollywood landscape. Emma Watson especially stands out, the former Harry Potter starlet showing that she can soar without a broomstick, easily dominating all of her scenes. She could have played a cliche, damaged young woman, but Watson's fire succeeds in bringing out the unique qualities that make Sam such a desirable companion. Lerman and Miller admirably make their presences felt as well, though to compare them to Watson would be a trifle unfair, and while neither of them has as much natural charm as Watson, they have more than a few chances to stretch outside their comfort zones. An excellent support cast includes Nina Dobrev, Mae Whitman, Kate Walsh, Dylan McDermott, Johnny Simmons and a very short, extra-powerful performance by Melanie Lynskey. It says a lot that a woman with barely a half-dozen appearances leaves one of the film's most powerful impressions, but Lynskey did that last year with Win Win as well. Hey, the movie even has Paul Rudd as a caring English teacher named - wait for it - Mr. Anderson. I'm honestly touched. I didn't think Chbosky really cared.

Seriously, what school has white graduation gowns?

There were a few things I definitely noticed were pushed out of the film due to time constraints, but in the end they didn't matter all that much. I thought I knew what I was getting into with The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and I honestly though it wasn't going to be that big a deal. Chbosky and his team surprised me by putting together a startlingly honest and heartfelt look at life, far outside the realm of anything I had been expecting. I won't make that mistake again, and while Perks doesn't quite make it into my Top 10, it was still a VERY good time spent at the theater. It's not a feel-good comedy like Pitch Perfect, but if you're willing to see a darker-than-average high school drama, or if you're just a fan of the book, then this is absolutely the movie you should see.