Prepare for Adjustment

With four new releases this past week, it's taken a lot of timing to make sure I don't miss anything I want to see in the theaters. For this occasion, I made sure to get a ticket to The Adjustment Bureau, the directorial debut of George Nolfi starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. If you're like me, you were of two minds after seeing the trailer to this film in the preceding months. Mind One: "Wow, this looks AMAZING! Damon and Blunt are outstanding performers, the plot (adapted from Philip K. Dick's short story The Adjustment Team) is interesting enough to be entertaining, and it looks like there's excitement around every turn!" Mind two: "Wow, this looks CONFUSING! Damon and Blunt are outstanding performers, but the trailer seems to be full of contradictory scenes, cliched boogeymen, and a bit too much exposition." Mind two was one of the reasons I chose the same-day release Rango for first watch this week, but Mind One was still prevalent enough to ensure it wouldn't be long before I took in this enigmatic thriller myself.

Now raise your hands if you're $%@&ing Matt Damon!

After a college reunion prank turns into a scandal that derails his campaign to become the next Senator from New York, Congressman David Norris (Matt Damon) prepares his post-election speech when he meets Elise (Emily Blunt) seemingly by accident. The pair immediately hit it off, but part suddenly before David is able to obtain her last name or phone number. One month later, the now-retired Congressman is on his way to work when he manages to run into Elise again, this time on the morning bus. He manages to get her phone number, but afterwards he runs into an impossibility: strange men have infiltrated his workplace, freezing his co-workers in time and their minds in the process of being adjusted. Soon captured by these men, David is held and told that the men who have him are agents of the Adjustment Bureau, an organization that monitors the world and ensures that things happen according to a plan, one conceived by the unseen "Chairman". The agents warn David not to reveal their existence to the world, or else his mind will be reset (lobotomised). Oh, and you know that girl Elise? He can't see her again, either, since their being together doesn't allow the plan to work..

Damon accidentally wanders in to a Don Draper convention

The Adjustment Bureau raises some interesting ideas, most notably the role of the organization in world affairs. According to the history of the Adjustment Bureau, they try to guide the civilizations of the world down the proper path, leading them to the peak of the Roman Empire, the Renaissance, and other great moments in history. Then they take the leash off to see if humanity can keep it up. The results have been the same: dark ages, World Wars, global conflicts. Finally, the Bureau has decided to clamp down and run the world in secret, and while David points out to one that the world is not such a great place, the response is that the world is still THERE, which it might not be if it hadn't been for their intervention. The agents of the Bureau have apparently been known by "other names." That the agents and their Chairman could be pseudonyms for Angels and God is an intriguing proposition, albeit not without the film's apparent contradictions, such as an agent who falls asleep at his post.

Fancy meeting you... in the men's bathroom...

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to see this film was the quality of the actors involved. After a 2010 that disappointed with two poor films (The over-the-top Green Zone and the underwhelming Hereafter), Damon rebounded with the great supporting role in True Grit before coming back into his own here. As David Norris's aspiring politician, Damon is charming, funny, smart, and everything else he needs to perfectly fit the part. Always one to pick his roles intelligently, Damon made a slam dunk here and continues to impress. Blunt is less of a known quantity; the Golden Globe winner's career rose sharply after her starring turn in 2006's The Devil Wears Prada, and this might be her biggest role since then. She makes the most of it, being intriguing, mysterious and charismatic, and as impossible for the audience to ignore as she is to David. The best parts of the film are their scenes together, the chemistry between them as close to perfection as can be. I'm not scared to proclaim that if their character interactions hadn't worked, the film would have gone with it; The Adjustment Bureau owes much to these two talents. Other stars make their mark, though none as emphatically as the two leads. The Hurt Locker's Anthony Mackie is among those actors to watch out for (as supposed by his appearance on the cover of the Hollywood Issue of Vanity Fair) and does a great job as Harry Mitchell, an Agent assigned to David who harbors questions as to whether the plan is right or just. John Slattery doesn't stray far from type as another agent named Richardson. Slattery to me will always be Mad Men's Roger Sterling, and he doesn't do much here to distinguish between the roles. If anything, I'd bet the role was written with him in mind. Michael Kelly is good if uninteresting as David's campaign manager and friend, and Terrence Stamp chews scenery with the best as an upper-level agent unafraid to do whatever it takes to keep the star-crossed lovers apart.

Memorizing line can be a challenge when the Plan is always changing

While certainly an interesting concept, the film is marred in a few places. While the film certainly aims to ask questions by placing the Beureau and its Chairman in vague religious contexts, that still doesn't quite amend for the fact that you had a supernatural Agent FALL ASLEEP ON THE JOB. I guess the lesson is that even the agents are only human? Another oversight, even if it might at first seem minor: no female Agents? Really? I know it's not a major topic in the film, but that seems like a strange thing to miss.Perhaps Nolfi didn't want to extend the metaphor TOO far from religious thematic sources, in which Angels are usually portrayed as male in gender. And that might be the film's biggest problem; for all the concepts the director introduces, including the ideas of free will and predestination, the film doesn't explore these themes enough. This results in a film that could have expanded its religious themes being rendered into a simple - albeit extremely well-done - chase and romance thriller. This can be probably be attributed to Nolfi's inexperience as a director, but on the other hand you can never be sure where the studio stepped in and said "enough," either. Finally, while the script is sweet and smart, there are a few unintentionally funny moments that suddenly jar the viewer out of the film, though these are quickly rectified.

The Bureau has accepted Affirmative Action, but not equal employment for women?

All these problems still didn't ruin the experience for me, however. Perhaps due to the trailer not doing the film justice, The Adjustment Bureau outstripped even my highest expectations. Led by the amazing duo of Damon and Blunt, a good supporting cast, a strong story and a great message on the fighting for what you love, The Adjustment Bureau is my new #1 Film of 2011. I suppose that should really come as no surprise, but it was the best time I've had in a theater so far this year, and while I'd like to simply attribute that to the two stars, the film is the most solid overall piece I've seen to this point.

Chameleons of the Mojave

As I've mentioned before, it often takes a lot for me to want to see an animated film in the theaters. Despite the universal appeal associated with films like The Incredibles, Up, WALL-E and the Toy Story franchise, I tend to wait until they're available on DVD rather than pay the ticket price when they first come out. Of course, "eye-popping" 3D technology has become a game-changer, as most animated films released in the past year did so with that gimmick in hand. Though 3D has yet to garner a mainstream appeal in home entertainment systems, mostly due to price and uneven reviews (thus rendering the medium moot on DVD for the time being), it still isn't enough to drive me to the theaters to see such a film. Mainly I think I have problems paying good money to see a title geared towards small children, but the best animated features appeal to viewers of all ages. Still, I tucked that thought away to see my first animated film of 2011 (and the first in the theater since who knows when) in the Gore Verbinski-directed Rango. The trailer caught my eye some months ago, and so as it was one of my more awaited March films, I chose it over The Adjustment Bureau and Take Me Home Tonight when picking which film I wanted to see this past weekend.

"Psst! Are you holding?"

Johnny Depp voices the film's main character, a mysterious stranger who goes by the name of Rango. Actually, Rango is an unnamed and domesticated chameleon who ends up separated from his human owners in the middle of the Mojave Desert, consequently a fish out of water trying to find salvation from certain death and  - possibly more important - from loneliness. Rango feels so alone in the world, and when he comes across the animal-run town of Dirt, the actor in him creates the Rango persona to be notorious, heroic, mysterious; all the things he wasn't in his previous life. It works well until the facade begins to crumble under the pressure of keeping up appearances and the town's need for a real hero, something Rango isn't sure he truly is.

Despite popular conception, cowboys and baked beans don't mix

Rango is a true homage to films set the wild west; it plays out like a light-hearted Sergio Leone spaghetti western, right down to its authentic character archetypes and camera angles. While Rango himself is more of an outsider, the townsfolk are legitimate western folk, from the orphaned daughter of an alcoholic father fighting to control her land (voiced by Isla Fisher) to an overly-nervous bank manager (Stephen Root), a bandit outlaw (Bill Nighy) and a charismatic double-talking mayor (Ned Beatty), just represented by animals. While being perhaps cliches of preexisting characters, the director and actors do amazing work by treating the material straight and making what could have been a ridiculous farce into quality craftsmanship. The film even has it's own narrative mariachi band ("manned" by owls, no less) to help keep the film going on at a brisk pace.

Most awkward wedding photo EVER

The acting here is simply outstanding, and Verbinski made the right choice issuing Depp to lead this cast, though perhaps not for the reasons you might think. Despite his fame for playing such eccentric characters as The Mad Hatter, Edward Scissorhands and of course Captain Jack Sparrow, Depp actually plays the role of "the normal guy" so well that he disappears into this role. Having a voice-over part in this vein actually helps hide the fact that Depp is in fact he character in question, adding to his smooth delivery. He is also perfect in the cockier "Rango" persona, a mix between classic Robert Redford and a giddy schoolchild living out his wildest dream. Depp's more subdued performance also plays perfectly to his less-heralded co-stars, letting them shine around him. Fisher is perfect as the tough-girl romantic interest Beans, a desert iguana with self-defense mechanism (freezing in place) so out of kink that she suddenly stops at inopportune times. She also is the most vocal advocate against the problems the town has, and is most suspicious of this new stranger in town. Nighy is completely unrecognizable as the evil bandit Rattlesnake Jake, who terrorizes the small town of Dirt. Nighy is delightfully evil and revels in the role, though it's not a very big one by most standards. Beatty is similarly smarmy as the resident mayor/businessman, eyes constantly looking towards "the future." Abigail Breslin is underused but not misused as a young smart-mouthed child who eventually looks up to Rango, and Root is his usual outstanding self as several characters, most notably the nervous bank manager. Harry Dean Stanton, Alfred Molina, Timothy Olyphant, and Ray Winstone all do great work playing characters who help and hinder Rango along the line of the film's plot. The acting, with Depp at its core, is talent extraordinaire, a testament to Verbinski's skills at finding the best people for the roles.

"Fitting in" is usually not so impossible for a chameleon

The film surprised me in a many ways, but a few of them weren't as good. For one, a film supposedly geared towards children was surprisingly violent. I'm not suggesting all kids are going to be scared by this film, but the doesn't gloss over the violence inherent in the Western genre (guns, dehydration, explosions), painting a film that probably should have been marketed to teens instead. Though not overly or even aggressively violent (more focusing on the spirit of adventure), the film does have its scary moments, mostly thanks to Rattlesnake Jake and a giant hawk. Secondly, for a supposed comedy, it wasn't particularly funny. The first half of the film elicited nary a chuckle from the dialogue, mainly dependent on the slapstick elements of the film to get over on the kids. There are some good bits after the midway point (SPOILER: When Rango and his posse go undercover as traveling actors, their target responds "Thespians? That's illegal in seven states!"), the film is much more serious than the trailers would lead you to believe, including topics of death, mild and implied profanity and the consumption of alcohol. I'm not against these things; in fact, when the subject at hand is an homage to Western film, I should pretty much EXPECT it. I didn't, however, expect to find it here.

"But why is the RUM gone!?"

One of the more amazing things about this film is that it's a 3D animated film by a company that is usually only known for it's effects work. George Lucas's special effects company Industrial Light and Magic is usually associated with other films' special effects departments, but here they created the 3D modeling for their first feature film. The biggest surprise from all of this may be how amazingly well their first time went. Visuals, especially the sun-baked desert, are perfectly rendered, and the characters are expertly built, especially the multi-faceted Rango. Still, if the film had half of the technological wonder it did, it would still have all it needs to be a worthy film. Authentic environments, interesting characters, and respect for the source material; Rango takes all these things and turn it into one of the more unassumingly fun films this year. Charming itself to #1 on 2011's Top Film's list, Rango was a very different film than I had imagined going in. But when you focus on what the film IS, instead of what it was supposed to be, you can appreciate it for the amazing feeling it gives.

2009 Backtrack

Last Wednesday I reviewed Unknown, the latest film starring outstanding actor Liam Neeson as an amnesic tourist who goes from trying to rediscover his life to fighting for it. I mentioned the similarities pointed out by others to his earlier film from two years ago, another thriller called Taken. A startling turning point in Neeson's career, it was easy to bridge the gap between the two films. With similar mood, plenty of violence and enough action to pique the senses, it was obvious filmmakers were trying to copy the commercial success of Taken, which debuted number one at the box office and was one of the most talked-about films of the year. Some of you noticed however my admittance that I had not actually seen Taken, and commented to me as to how amazing a film it was. Considering I wasn't seeing a whole lot of modern films at the time it was released, I knew it by mainly reputation. Despite being ultimately underwhelmed by Unknown's unbelievability, I was intrigued enough to get on board with seeing this earlier film. And so, getting my hands on a copy (thanks to Jeff for that) I got home from work, ordered some take-out, popped the DVD in the player, and sat back to see what everybody has been talking about.

They're not exactly the perfect family

Liam Neeson stars as a former CIA operative named Bryan Mills, who is living in retirement after a long career. Serving his country did a lot of good for the world but strained his relationships with his wife and daughter. His wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) divorced him and eventually got a new, rich husband (Xander Berkeley), and Bryan is trying desperately to stay in tough with his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace), but the long years apart and a controlling Lenore keep Bryan at arm's length. Just turned seventeen, Kim and a friend want to travel to Paris, but need Milton's permission because she's underage. He eventually gives it, but his initial concerns are confirmed when, the day the pair arrive in Paris, they are kidnapped by an Albanian group that focuses on human sex trafficking. Immediately setting off for France, Milton decides to call upon all his years of training to get his daughter back as quickly as possible, because in ninety-six hours' time she will have disappeared forever.

Yeah, I would surrender right about now

Taken is an excellently-made film and much of what the film does well can be directly attributed to director Pierre Moret. An experienced cinematographer, this was only his second feature film but doesn't feel like a rookie job. It's obvious he learned a lot from working with directors such as Louis Leterrier, Corey Yuen and Luc Besson, who also produced the film and is credited as one of its screenwriters. The camerawork is amazing, the action sequences impeccably filmed, and the story told strongly enough to stand up under some scrutiny. Most well done (and possibly most important) is Moret's ability to properly set the mood of each scene, from a joyous birthday party to a gritty slum setting. Getting that scene right so your actors give a more believable performance is key here, and the director nails it.

"... Are you calling me COLLECT??"

Speaking of acting, THIS was exactly the performance I had been hoping to see from Liam Neeson ever since this film's debut. Even though early on, Neeson plays the guy more than happy to get away from the career he left behind, he also looks completely at home in scenes which might not have been condoned by the Geneva Convention. When he tells one of Kim's kidnappers over the phone "I will kill you," you give yourself willingly over to the idea that he WILL do it, and anything else to get his daughter back. The film often feels like a one-man show, but that works out fine considering Neeson is that one man. Maggie Grace was okay, but she doesn't quite pull off playing a seventeen-year-old. Trying a bit too hard to play the "adorable" daughter, she comes off as somewhat false in most of her scenes, only really any good during the pivotal scene in which she's kidnapped. Famke Janssen could have been more interesting as Bryan's ex, but the role never goes beyond the cliche of "distrustful ex." Her ignorance of the world outside her tiny bubble is supposed to be a foil to our hero's near-paranoid experience, but the part is so small and somewhat brief as to dull that sensation. Other potentially interesting characters played by Berkeley, Leland Orser and Olivier Rabourdin don't get as much attention as they probably could have, either. It really is all Neeson, all the time, but I'd be lying if I said that wasn't satisfying all by itself.

Eventually he decided to go beyond just showing the photo around

The film lacks in anything akin to a main antagonist. The reason for this is when Bryan meets one, he kills the bad guy with such efficiency that it's time to move up to the next challenge. Taking bad guys out constantly actually works a lot toward exposing the several layers that expose how real sex trafficking works, from the makeshift brothels and the kidnapping squads to the corrupt police and major businessmen who see kidnapped women as "assets" and not humans. You might not even realize it until after the final credits roll just how scary the real thing is to the women who simply disappear from polite society by the hundreds. That alone puts this film far ahead of its contemporaries by painting a real world problem into a fictional tale of redemption and rescue.

A traffic dispute gone horribly wrong

Taking a page from "current" action films, most notably the Bourne series of films, Taken is an explosive thrill ride with some real social messages to convey. Without Neeson's obvious talents to raise it up, it would probably have been a fine, above-average enjoyable and forgettable genre film with some interesting ideas. Neeson's perfect casting however means that for the ninety-plus minutes you are watching this film, you will be unable to take your eyes from what is happening on the screen. The ending might be a little too pat, but I would still easily argue it as among the best modern action films based on Neeson alone.

A Caged Beast

Nicolas Cage keeps making movies. People keep watching them. This has been going on for years, with seemingly no rhyme or reason to the ebb and flow of the Scion of Coppolla's career. His resume is littered with films that by anyone's standards trend on the positive side: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, World Trade Center,  and Kick-Ass, not to mention his critically-acclaimed roles in the films Moonstruck, Leaving Las Vegas, and Adaptation. But those have been rare serious roles amid a sea of action titles like Next, Knowing, Bangkok Dangerous, Con Air, The Rock, etc. He and John Travolta started their action film careers at about the same time, but while Travolta has of late re-focused to more family friendly roles (and when your films do as badly as bomb From Paris with Love, who can blame you?), Cage has made more and more cheaply-made action films, including this year's violent thrillers Season of the Witch, Trespass, The Hungry Rabbit Jumps, and Drive Angry, the 3D film I saw in this past weekend. I realize I'm being critical of his career while at the same time having financed one of his films, but there is a method to my madness. Or more appropriately, CAGE's madness. If there's one thing Nicolas Cage does really well, it's play to his eccentric side. What he might lack in the variety of his performances is often made up for by his ability to play an entertaining madman. With Drive Angry's exaggeratedly left-field story and dialogue, it seemed the perfect fit for Cage's persona and temperament. I also figured that the 3D aspect of the film would be best enjoyed on the big screen, since there's no way in hell I'm dropping however much money it takes to get a 3D television until the technology grows a bit more.

There's a lot of driving here. And much of it is angry.

Taking it's plot from I'm sure dozens of sixties' and seventies' exploitation films, Drive Angry is about a very bad man named Milton (Cage), who escapes from the clutches of hell to hunt down the Satanic cult who murdered his daughter and kidnapped his granddaughter. This group, led by the notorious Jonah King (Billy Burke), is going to sacrifice the child on the next full moon in an attempt to raise hell on Earth. Milton must face countless cultists with only his sidekick Piper (Amber Heard), many exotic firearms and a weapon referred to as "The God-Killer". Meanwhile, the agents of hell have sent The Accountant (William Fichtner) to force Milton back into the underworld, whether he wants to go or not.

Road rage takes on whole new meanings with Cage behind the wheel

For the record, this movie can be skipped on the big screen for more than one reason. The special effects are either grossly underfunded or ineptly implemented (or both), being simultaneously unimpressive and groan-inducing during what are supposed to be the film's most exciting moments. The gun play is well crafted, though at times the action is one-sided, with most of Milton's enemies unable to hit the broad side of a barn, of which the film has plenty. Best are the driving sequences, and especially the chases. It helps that the film seems to have a great respect for classic roadsters (if nothing else), and they're such a huge part of the film that it makes the experience somewhat more palatable than it would be otherwise.

A rare non-vehicular scene

This isn't to say the film is GOOD. One of the things that had to come off without a hitch to make the film fun was Cage's demeanor, but for the majority of Drive Angry that classic Cage craze is surprisingly light. Though he has some great dialogue (when told Lucifer will be mad with his escape, Milton replies "What's he going to do: not let me back in?"), and has some insane gunfight scenes (one in a love hotel alongside actress Charlotte Ross is particularly insane), it's entirely lacking in the charismatic Nic Cage I'd been hoping would show up. Most of his dialogue is delivered in the same monotonous tone, and sometimes it takes a moment to realize he's unleashed a one-liner. Better is Heard as former waitress Piper, who is always willing to give someone an old-fashioned redneck ass-kicking. Sometimes Piper bites off a bit more than she can chew, but Heard is mostly effective in a surprisingly strong role, proving she might have the talent to make for a long career. Burke, a long-time character actor who is probably best known for his appearances in the Twilight series of films, is both charismatic and creepy as the film's cult leader. Completely crazy and unlikable, Burke does an amazing job with the role, even if it feels at times a bit one note-ish. Best of the bunch is Fichtner, however, who completely makes the film with his dry, vulgar dialogue. Playing Satan's right-hand man, Fichtner is such a bad-ass that everything that comes out of his mouth is comedy gold. When he tells someone in a clipped, dismissive tone "I'll see you soon," it's hilarious just to see the looks on their faces as they try to ascertain what he could mean. The Accountant also doesn't let anything get between him and his prey without breaking out the violence (in excess) when necessary, either. If there's one thing I didn't like about Fichtner's performance, it's that there wasn't ENOUGH of him, something I wish I could say about the more-heralded Cage.

"Breaker, breaker! We got us a convoy!"

Unfortunately, the film's stupidity and poor effects drive most of the enjoyment out of what could have been a fun, simple, old-school action film. A hackneyed final act puts the cap on it, and for the time being Drive Angry is slated at #7 (dead last) on my list of 2010's best films. What's possibly most disturbing about this film is that, unlike the previous Cage films that had fans lining up around the block to see, Drive Angry finished a disappointing ninth at the box office, well behind the offensive Farrelly Bros. film Hall Pass. It had to be a shock to producers, who had expected Cage to rake in guaranteed dough, not put out the worst-debuting 3D film of the modern era. My opinion is this: 3D films are more expensive to make, more expensive to show, and therefore more expensive to see. At the theater I frequent, seeing a normal film will set you back $11.50. Seeing a 3D film will instead cost you $15.50, a four-dollar difference that might seem innocuous at first until you start plopping on added concessions like popcorn and soda, and suddenly that extra $4 is money you could spend elsewhere. I know one bomb doesn't make a trend, but I wonder if this is what some producers are thinking: what if viewers have set a price limit for seeing a Nicolas Cage film?

A Young and Hip Oscar Recap

Well, another celebration of the film culminating in the industry's biggest show, the 83'rd Academy Awards, has come to an end. For those of you caught unawares, perhaps waiting in your fortified bunkers for news of the impending apocalypse, The King's Speech was chosen as 2010's Best Picture. This was a prediction made by many since even it's world premiere at 2010's Telluride Film Festival back in September, long before it became the massive mainstream success it is today. It's a classic Oscar pick, with stellar writing, fantastic acting (with lead Colin Firth finally winning that elusive golden statuette), and an amazing, uplifting story that really connected with the viewing audience despite worries that the film wouldn't appeal to traditional moviegoers. I'm afraid it wasn't my favorite film this past year (that would be the Darren Aronofsky ballerina horror tale Black Swan), but considering King's Speech was my third favorite film from 2010, I can at least accept that it was a quality choice, and one that appealed to the traditions of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

One of these Oscar hosts is stones silly

Of course, the Academy tried to appeal to the constituents that so many politicians would like to forget exists - the future - by marketing the 2011 Oscars as "young" and "hip", obtaining two of Hollywood's up-and-comers to host the night's festivities. Anne Hathaway and James Franco were meant to appeal to that elusive young demographic who have of late chosen to ignore the annual honors ceremony. Backing the dynamic duo up were a host of presenters who fit the same category, and the night was filled with popular youngsters like Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Jennifer Hudson, Jake Gyllenhaal and Best Supporting Actress nominee Amy Adams. This was a huge divergence from last year's proceedings, when veteran actors Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin were brought in and had a successful if samey run like so many who have hosted before them. This was the new Academy Awards; a "renewed" Academy Awards, and they wanted the future film-goers sitting one their couches to see it.

Oh, I WISH all he had done was tweet all night

Well, that didn't really happen. Not only was viewer attendance down overall from last year, but it was down among adults and women 18-49, the coveted demographic. The routine by the young hosts was panned, and next year the producers will have to go back to the drawing board to figure out a whole new way of attracting a young audience. But hey! We're not here to talk about how many new viewers ABC needs to pull in next year; we're here to recap last night's pomp and circumstance and see where things went right and wrong.

Melissa Leo wasn't afraid to cold-cock a few people to get her award

If there's one thing to be said for last night, it's that there were very few surprises. Every single acting category was won by the victors of the previous awards (Golden Globe and Critic's Choice, for instance), and were called by every reputable film follower. Yes, I picked the wrong Fighter in taking Amy Adams over Melissa Leo for the Supporting Actress category, but I also admit I didn't realize how much of a transformation Leo made before seeing her acceptance speech (and apparently the foul-mouthed actress picked up a vocabulary while filming in Massachusetts). The others - Firth, The Fighter's Christian Bale and Black Swan's Natalie Portman - were predicted by just about everybody to win their respective categories, and didn't fail in that regard. There were a few small surprises (Alice in Wonderland winning Best Art Direction over Inception, for instance), but for most of the smaller categories it was as predictable to professionals as the sunrise. It wasn't until the major categories that you had the option of major upset anyway, but even those surprises made sense in the grand scheme of the Academy Awards. Tom Hooper surpassing both Social Network director David Fincher and Black Swan's Darren Aronofsky to claim the Best Director award blew my mind, but when you think about the Academy's traditional flavors, it makes much more sense than it would initially. Despite being the "young and hip" Oscars, the vast majority of the voters are likely Old Guard veterans who weren't as big fans of the "generation-defining" Network or the horror film Swan. Even the unlikely contenders in The Kids are All Right and the token animated film Toy Story 3 would have had very little reason to think they had a chance with so many deviations from the Academy's tastes. Hooper's victory and the success of King's Speech for Best Picture make much more sense when seen in that light. It does help however that the film had the collected talents to be a great film, and a worthy winner, and even if many don't believe it was really the best film, it can still be agreed that The King's Speech is indeed a great film.

Award-winning Bromance. Feel the love!

The problem with this year's new direction was that the producers couldn't adhere to it, at least not entirely. The biggest rounds of applause for the night were not for the young presenters, but for stalwart veterans. Stroke-victim and Hollywood hero Kirk Douglas presenting the award for Best Supporting Actress was uncomfortable on more than a few levels, with Douglas taking his time to compliment each nominee (and Anne Hathaway) on their beauty and talent. That, combined with his affliction-induced stammer, meant that many TV viewers checked out what was on the other channels about that time. The other big applause was reserved for marathon Oscar host Billy Crystal, who was on hand to celebrate the Oscar pedigree of Bob Hope. So your biggest reception is for the three old guys in the business on a night when you're supposed to be promoting youth. Amazing work.

As talented a group as you can expect to ever see

It doesn't help that the young hosts tabbed to grandstand your ceremony aren't the best available. While Hathaway had some flubs, her mistakes can be attributed mostly to youthful exuberance and inexperience, rather than poor judgment. If award shows bring her to host more, the experience can only be beneficial for the talented actress. Franco, meanwhile, was a disaster. It doesn't help that in interviews and early on in the show, he appeared to be stoned out of his gourd. His delivery was flat, his best Jack Nicholson smile insincere and smug, and he had NO chemistry with his co-host. Constantly seeming distracted, Franco never seemed to get the idea that it was supposed to be an honor to host the show, and thus we all suffered. An early presentation by Timberlake and Kunis didn't help matters, as both acted as though they had dipped into Franco's secret stash.

Jesse Eisenberg, one of this year's "young and hip" nominees

Despite these missteps, the show was mostly professional and didn't take too many shots at Charlie Sheen (only one joke that I can remember). Hathaway's abilities added a lot, but it also helps that there were no rabble-rousers, with only Charles Ferguson noting (correctly) that no senior executives have been sent to jail for their part in causing the current global recession after winning the award for Best Feature Documentary (for Inside Job). Instead we were treated to many funny and wonderful moments, including award-winning (for The King's Speech) screenwriter David Seidler: "...on behalf of all the stutterers in the world: We have a voice and we have been heard." Christian Bale calling his wife "my mast through the storms in life" was sweet too, even if he did forget her name. Let's face it, he probably had to practice extensively to remember to mention dickeklund.com, while never thinking for a second that he'd in the moment forget the love of his life's name. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law also made for a fun pairing as the two had a good give-and-take appearance to help promote their upcoming Sherlock Holmes sequel. But he highlight of the night belonged to a category nobody would have otherwise cared about. After winning Best Live Action Short Film (for God of Love), Luke Matheny became possibly the most adorable Oscar winner ever as he thanked NYU, the "great state of Delaware," his mother for providing craft services during the shoot, and his love, whom he called "my dream come true." Definitely the "Dawwwwww" moment of the night.

Last night's sweetest Oscar winner

The presentations weren't without their cringe-worthy moments however. Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem's all-white tuxedos made it look like they were set to cater somebody's after-party, and budding country star Gwyneth Paltrow was pitchy and tone-deaf during her performance of the award-nominated song "Coming Home." Any moment featuring Franco (including but not limited to his appearance in drag) was cringe-worthy. The worst moment of the night may have had nothing to do with the 127 Hours star, however. Instead, the auto-tune montage was the killer, driving me half out of my mind by making scenes from such 2010 films as Harry Potter, The Social Network and Toy Story 3 into mini-musicals that made it incredibly difficult not to change the channel. The Twilight bit at the end was a little funny, but nobody's going to have to worry about being replaced by an automated music maker anytime soon. In all, these poor moments were on par with the Academy Awards' usual misses over the years, so no harm really done.

I've never heard of you before, but I'm glad you won this round

In the end, you can't help but think this year's Academy Awards celebration was anything less than a disappointment. A mixture of the wrong hosts (I'd take back Hathaway in a second, but Franco killed it), no surprises and very little to really cheer about made for a night interesting to those who follow movies closely (like me!) but not at all for the casual viewer. I have to wonder at the longevity of this grand awards ceremony if people continue to cease watching, but that will probably be something for future years to determine. For now, if you want to see my Oscar picks and how well (or poorly) I did in my predictions, check them out below.

Category                                         My Pick                          Winner                       Result
Actor                                           Colin Firth                         Colin Firth                  Hit!
Actor in a Supporting Role            Christian Bale                    Christian Bale             Hit!
Actress                                        Natalie Portman                 Natalie Portman         Hit!
Actress in a Supporting Role         Amy Adams                       Melissa Leo               Miss!
Animated Feature Film                 Toy Story 3                       Toy Story 3                 Hit!
Art Direction                                Inception                           Alice in Wonderland    Miss!
Cinematography                           Inception                            Inception                   Hit!
Costume Design                           The Tempest                     Alice in Wonderland   Miss!
Directing                                      David Fincher                    Tom Hooper               Miss!
Documentary (Feature)                 Restrepo                            Inside Job                 Miss!
Documentary (Short)                    The Warriors of Quigang     Strangers No More     Miss!
Film Editing                                 Black Swan                        The Social Network   Miss!
Foreign Language Film                Biutiful                                In a Better World       Miss!
Makeup                                      The Way Back                   The Wolfman             Miss!
Music (Original Score)                Inception                            The Social Network    Miss!
Music (Original Song)                 Country Strong                   Toy Story 3                Miss!
Best Picture                               The Social Network           The King's Speech      Miss!
Short Film (Animated)                The Lost Thing                    The Lost Thing           Hit!
Short Film (Live Action)             The Confession                   God of Love                Miss!
Sound Editing                             Inception                             Inception                  Hit!
Sound Mixing                             Inception                             Inception                  Hit!
Visual Effects                             Inception                             Inception                  Hit!
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)    The Social Network             The Social Network     Hit!
Writing (Original Screenplay)     The King's Speech               The King's Speech      Hit!

Ugh, a mere 11 out of 24 categories. I'll be trying harder next year, hopefully you'll be joining me again then.

Somewhere, somebody's planning a gold statue revolution

A Mr. Anderson Reboot: RoboCop

The science fiction genre doesn't get as much love these days. In pop culture, you see dozens of television shows in that vein (including some great shows like Firefly, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Battlestar Galactica) canceled due to lack of viewers. The Star Trek franchise even lost their latest show Enterprise to low ratings. Sci-fi films are infrequent and often dismissed by the movie-going public. Why is this? Perhaps the reason is that nowadays there are no longer any franchise-worthy creatures or characters for fans to follow. The eighties had a bevy of movie monsters and sci-fi icons, with descriptive and simple names like Aliens, Predators, and Terminators. Of course, these creatures were the bad guys, monsters that humans fought against for survival. But what about the iconic heroes? Besides the very human characters of Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor, one that is sometimes forgotten to time is that of Alex Murphy, who eventually gained the moniker of RoboCop, hero to the people of  Detroit. The character first appeared in the Paul Verhoeven film of the same name, eventually spawning two sequels, two live-action television shows, five video games, four comic book series and even a popular theme park ride. The citizens of Detroit have also made their voices heard, raising money for a statue of the loved character to erect in the city (thanks to Jeff for bringing that to my attention). But it all started in 1987 with the Verhoeven's first Hollywood release, creating arguably the most recognizable sci-fi hero of all time.

Never challenge Officer Murphy in a skeet shoot

In the future, Detroit is a mess. Yes, I know; even more so. Crime-ridden, the city's downward spiral is so out of control it has handed its police force over to a private corporation, Omni Consumer Products. This financial juggernaut, in the fine tradition of Weyland-Yutani or CHOAM, of course doesn't care about the people depending on their protection. They simply want to make a profit, to drive crime down so they can build their privately-governed utopia "Delta City" in Detroit's place. Yeah, it doesn't seem to make a ton of sense, but we're talking evil companies here; They don't HAVE to make sense if they don't want to. Anyway, OCP wants to create machines to replace the existing police force, and their experiments coincide with the violent death of policeman and family man Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) at the hands of a gang of murderous psychopaths. The result is OCP's own private cyborg, RoboCop, using what was left of Murphy's body but wiping his memories clean. Slowly however, RoboCop begins to remember the life before his ugly transformation, and begins to uncover the less-than-stellar motives of the people for whom he works.

Fun note: RoboCop was given an X rating 11 TIMES before getting it's R rating

At the time of its release, RoboCop was hailed by many as one of the best films of 1987. It's easy to see why; despite its status as an action film, the movie manages to reach beyond cliched characters and storylines and actually present itself as an intelligent insight to themes concerning the media and human nature. According to newscasts, the world is a mess, with war, hunger and poverty widespread and nearly beyond control. Despite this, the media is shown with shiny smiles and happy thoughts, and the people we see seem desensitized to violence in general. The film also draws from the decay of American Industry that had recently become prevalent by the use of abandoned factories in filming. While it's easy to simply sit back and enjoy an action film of this caliber, it's just as easy to turn your brain back on and appreciate what the filmmakers thought about where society was headed at the time.

Yeah, you might want to get that looked at

Like many action films, the best actors in Hollywood were not necessarily the best for the parts available. Case in point: Peter Weller. Though a talented performer in his own right, he had been to this point mainly been a character actor with very little to his credit at the time. Put on the spot here, however, he is allowed to take on two distinct parts - the cocky police officer Murphy and the robotic, deadpan RoboCop - and blend the two together over the course of the film. His subtle performance is easily the best on the cast. Nancy Allen by comparison is merely okay as Murphy's partner Officer Lewis. She's never really given a chance to step out of a comfort zone anywhere along the film's plot, and while she does a fine job overall, it's just not as impressive as most on the cast. Ronny Cox changed his tempo from playing genial characters to playing OCP's uncouth and arrogant Vice President Richard Jones. An example of Verhoeven's penchant to cast actors against type, Cox plays his part as a heartless corporate type, only really seeing the bottom line, not the damage he's causing to achieve it. Miguel Ferrer plays Bob Morton, another OCP executive, the one in charge of creating RoboCop in the first place. Like Jones, Morton really only sees the bottom line, but comes off as slightly more sympathetic due to actually caring whether his product works, very unlike his rival Jones. Kurtwood Smith also shines as career criminal Clarence Boddicker, the man whose gang runs the streets of Detroit for much of the film. Smith, who usually plays more intellectual parts, is decisively crude and possibly even more evil than Jones in his portrayal of a man who wouldn't hesitate to kill a man, rape a woman or rob a store if he was so inclined. Delighting in human suffering, Boddicker makes for an excellent villain, and between the ruthlessness of both Boddicker and Jones, RoboCop has his hands full in the best way for the viewers to witness it.

"Hostile Takeover" has a whole new meaning now

If there's one way the film disappoints, it's in the special effects. To be fair, the SFX in RoboCop are actually pretty good when taken on their own for the time. But one only has to look at fellow monster movies Aliens, The Terminator, and Predator, films release before or at the same time, to notice that the effects in RoboCop are sorely lacking. Perhaps it was lack of budget, maybe it was the challenge of placing these effects in an urban environment rather than an unfamiliar jungle or space ship. And give the effects guys credit: their innovation created much of the unique world we're familiar with from this film, including the unintentionally-funny ED-209 robot. However, the film just looked much older than its contemporaries, and that detracted from the viewing experience somewhat.

Only Chuck Norris smiles less

It's a shame there's currently no plan to revive the RoboCop franchise. Despite the many great things about this film, the two following sequels were universally panned by critics and may have dissuaded many filmmakers from attempting to take up the reins again. Even recent attempts by MGM to create a new installment have fallen to the wayside due to financial concerns. Still, fans of the series have this first film to keep in their film libraries, as it's one of the more under sung action films in recent memory.

Taken into the Unknown

In 2008, Liam Neeson made an interesting career move when he starred in the thriller Taken. In that film, he played the vengeful father of a teen kidnapped by human traffickers while on a trip through Europe. It was considered a dark and startling film (no, I'm afraid I missed it), and the Irish-born actor really made an impact with his gritty, physical role that was unlike so much of his career to date. On top of that, it was a box office success, confirming that Neeson made an excellent choice moving to the thriller genre despite enjoying much success in more traditional dramas... and Star Wars. Typically when thinking of Neeson's career you imagine his romantic comedies, period pieces, and strictly serious fare. You think of Schindler's List. Taken probably shouldn't have worked. Instead, it put new life and a nice twist on Neeson's resume. Well, three years later he's trying to repeat history by doing the exact same thing. The film he's attempting to accomplish this with is Unknown, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, based on the novel by French author Didier van Cauwelaert. In this new release, Neeson's character is faced with the loss of more than a mere daughter, and the film was the main reason people made their way to the theaters this past weekend.

"You're going to be Taken... no wait, wrong script"

Neeson plays Dr. Martin Harris, a scientist who arrives in Berlin to make a presentation at a biotechnology summit held in the city. Arriving with his wife Liz (Mad Men's January Jones), Martin suffers a head wound in a traffic accident involving his taxi and wakes up after several days in the hospital with no knowledge of how he got there. Worse, when he finally finds his wife, she doesn't seem to recognize him, along what we are led to believe is an impostor Martin Harris (Aiden Quinn) who has ample proof that he's who he says he is, while Neeson's Martin has none. Is the man who thinks his name is Martin Harris suffering from brain damage? Or is he somehow being replaced, for some nefarious purpose?

Still better than The Phantom Menace

While Taken seems to have had some basis in plausible real-world scenarios (the trailer came complete with basic statistics on human trafficking and sex slavery), the same cannot really be said for Unknown. While identity theft is certainly a major problem in the world, even moreso thanks to the wonder that is everybody's personal information online, the story presented here takes it to such a ridiculous degree as to be both unlikely and unbelievable. What comes of this is a film that doesn't make much sense from scene to scene, which actually works since we as the audience aren't meant to understand what's happening until nearly the final credits. We're constantly wondering whether Martin Prime is the real deal or somehow just very knowledgeable of the real thing; we really wonder whether the main character is simply suffering from serious brain damage or is really having his life stripped from him unceremoniously. This is helped by taut pacing that varies between supporting either side of the argument, while never dropping us into a situation where we have no interest.

Seriously... She's German... playing a Bosnian... IN BERLIN

There can be little doubt that this film wouldn't make a dent on the American psyche without the stellar acting of Neeson. Much of the movie has him playing the every-man, and his believable distrust of his own memory pretty much makes the film as inviting as it is. Of course, he also gets to play the bad-ass, but that comes slowly, with Neeson playing the reactor much of the time, not the instigator. As that builds, we get to see his whole world fall apart, until he gets the gumption to do something about it. Diane Kruger plays an illegal Bosnian immigrant who helps Martin try to figure out what has happened. While it's odd to see a German actress play a Bosnian immigrant IN GERMANY, Kruger does a decent job with the role. Like Neeson, she also plays an everyday person, like so many trying to get out of the rut in which they find themselves. January Jones is one of those actresses who seems so out of place in this era. She would have been a natural in the days of Marilyn Monroe, but in this era there's only one role she seems to play, the seemingly innocent and frustrated housewife. There are few actresses I would accuse of being merely a pretty face, but unless Jones shows some more variety in her acting talents, I really don't want to see her play anything other than Betty Draper. Aiden Quinn is great as the "impostor" Martin, with some of the film's better scenes involving the two Dr. Harris' dialogues. Sebastian Koch has a small and unimportant role, and is only notable for his earlier performance in the excellent Lives of Others. Frank Langella has an uninteresting role that is nonetheless important to the film's plot. Since being nominated for that Oscar, Langella has certainly enjoyed his career resurgence. It's a shame not all his roles he's carried since then are worth watching. The best of this cast (besides Neeson, of course) might be Swiss actor Bruno Ganz as a former Stasi agent who agrees to help Martin learn who he really is. Ganz's character Jurgen reflects on how the German people are so good at forgetting, citing their ignorance of Nazi rule and forty years of communism, and prides himself on never forgetting and being proud of his history, making him easily the film's most original and interesting role.

You REALLY don't want to know what they're seeing right now...

Unknown's story is almost completely unbelievable, lacking any restraint to bring the narrative down to a reasonable level. This at times results in the film being unintentionally funny. When Neeson and Quinn try to convince Dr. Bressler (Koch) that they alone are the real Martin Harris, they deliver the same lines at the same time and with the same tremors in their voices, resulting in roaring laughter from the audience in what is supposed to be a serious moment. I wouldn't be surprised if the scene had the same effect on the players during filming, either. The dark moods of the film also have the effect of making even small one liners much funnier than they actually are. Of course, then someone gets knocked off and you're back in first gear, but the sad thing is that these scenes aren't even the film at its silliest. Yes, the plot is THAT flimsy.

"It's okay, it's almost over"

It might be time to stop taking things from Liam Neeson. Seriously, I can only wonder what revenge he would seek upon those who switch his coffee for Folger's Crystals. Still, he's the one thing that made Unknown as enjoyable as it was, and good for #2 right now on the year's Top 10. Still, you know where this is headed. Every few years someone takes something special from Neeson, and he goes on a rampage trying to get it back. Eventually it has to stop. Don't get me wrong, I mostly enjoyed Unknown; I just think that after moonlighting the thriller genre for a few years, it's high time he went back to films that have the ability to use him at his full potential, not ones that use his many talents just getting closer to that glass ceiling. And no, I'm not talking about Star Wars.