The Lincoln Lawyer

January 15, 2012
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Overall:★★★½☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★½☆ 
Storytelling:★★★½☆ 

An enjoyable afternoon at the movies, especially if you’re too young to remember Jagged Edge.  Matthew McConnaughey does his usual shtick, which is pleasant enough in this particular film.  It’s like a really good episode of Law and Order, with decent acting.  Interestingly, the title of the movie refers to the fact that as a lawyer, Matthew McC’s character doesn’t have an office, but works out of his Lincoln.  This is presented in the movie, but it’s not a major plot point.  Your Movie Monkey thought that the setting was Lincoln, Nebraska, or that the lawyer was from Lincoln, Nebraska.  Nope.

The Producers (2005)

January 15, 2012
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Overall:★½☆☆☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:½☆☆☆☆ 
Storytelling:★★☆☆☆ 

Almost un-watchable.  Your Movie Monkey is not anti-musical, he just can’t imagine people waiting in line to see this on Broadway.  The jokes are just tired and goes on way, way, WAY too long.  Mel Brooks certainly has some classics (Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety, Young Frankenstein) that are brilliant, but everything thereafter just seems to recycle the same tired jokes.  Rotten Tomatoes says it was more suited to the theater than the big screen.  Not if Your Movie Monkey is the one who bought the theater ticket.

The Fighter (2010)

January 15, 2012
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Overall:★★★★☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★★☆ 
Storytelling:★★★★☆ 

Another good recommendation, this time from mom. (Awwwww.)  Based on a true story, the movie is about a pair of brothers who box.  The older brother knocked Sugar Ray Leonard down (or he tripped, it isn’t clear) in a fight 12 years ago and still relieves his glory days, but is a crack addict.  Christian Bale is brilliant at this part, and is almost uncomfortably thin while doing it.  (Actors who do this have always amazed Your Movie Monkey).  The younger brother is played by Mark Wahlberg, who is also great.  The influence of the crack, and the problems that arise from having his mother as manager all make this a great movie about about difficult family relationships, but also the will to succeed, etc.  Normally Your Movie Monkey is not a fan of sports movies (if you’re thinking of recommending a movie to YMM where a ragtag group of group of kids is able to beat all odds and win some kind of contest through the help of a noble coach, please don’t bother :-) ).  But this one is well worth it.

Paul

January 15, 2012
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Overall:★★★½☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★½☆ 
Storytelling:★★★☆☆ 

Your Movie monkey is a huge fan of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost… so it’s not quite as good as Hot Fuzz or Shaun of the Dead.  But it’s a good time, especially after they get “warmed up” in the second half.  Jason Bateman almost steals the show.  Critics have said that the alien (Paul) was the funniest/best part, but Your Movie Monkey completely disagrees.  He’s kind of the straight man, and a little grumpy, and YMM is not a fan of Seth Rogen, at least not as much as the rest of the world is.  Too crude for kids, of course, as the R rating suggests.

Kick-Ass

January 15, 2012
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Overall:★★★★☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★★☆ 
Storytelling:★★★★☆ 

So Your Movie Monkey was skeptical when this was out in the theaters, and then it was recommended by a friend, and he rented it, and it was great.  Lots of action (violent – not for the squeamish), a hilarious storyline, and completely over-the-top.  Like Batman meets Pulp Fiction meets Revenge of the Nerds, if that’s possible.  Definitely 100% not for kids… quite a bit of coarse language and very brief but R-rated situation (could have done without that).  But if you like a good action movie with lots of humor thrown in, this one’s the one.

Battle Los Angeles

January 15, 2012
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Overall:★★½☆☆ 
Filmmaking/Artistic:★★★☆☆ 
Storytelling:★★☆☆☆ 

Exactly what you would expect.  Not a penny more, not a penny less.  Aliens invade.  A company of marine stereotypes goes out to fight them (the tough-as-nails older guy just about to retire, the green leader fresh out of school, the guy about to get married, the young guy everyone else has to look out for).  The aliens have superior technology, and of course there will be a string of defeats, until about 90 minutes in.  Still the acting is decent and stuff does blow up, so it’s not a complete waste of time.

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