Breaking Blah

   I  have noticed that a lot of people are infected with something that can only be described as "The Blah". Symptoms include sore throat, scratchy voice, congestion, mild fatigue, and general malaise. I've been feeling this way for a few weeks now along with a few of my friends. It most certainly doesn't help anything that I've been at home all day everyday these days. Alas, all I can do is wait it out and hope to God it doesn't continue through Thanksgiving.

     Moving along, I had the immense pleasure of see Breaking Dawn Pt. 1 with my niece and partner. I waited to see it because I did not feel like viewing it in a theater packed with people that would irritate or annoy me. So we saw an early Saturday morning show that only had a handful of people who were silent and respectful. The film started and we were instantly transported into a world where emotions are restrained, forced, and generally laughable. Breaking Dawn Pt 1 is essentially all about Bella... actually all the Twilight films are about Bella but I digress. In this movie Bella (Kristen Stewart) gets married to her vampire boyfriend Edward (Robert Pattinson) and gets pregnant. That's the most I can say without spoiling anything else.

     Taking a departure from the previous films, new director Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) opts for a film with more visceral imagery and a more literal translation from the book. Condon gives us the opportunity to "hear" the voices of the "wolves" (technically they are shape-shifters) which previously was avoided. While it was refreshing and effective for the development of the film, the thought-speak felt relatively awkward and contrived. Although I do commend the writers for doing a great job with the wedding. The nuptials were short, the ceremony was quick and the wedding toasts felt almost unscripted, adding to their humours beliveability. I found that the subtle humor in the character interactions made this film.

     The rest of the movie was just kind of blah for lack of a better word. Taylor Lautner takes his shirt off and spends a lot of time running on all fours. That's about it. I could go on about the great make-up job the did on Kristen Stewart and how flawlessly they transformed her character from beautiful Bella Swan to an emaciated pregnant corpse. Outside of great make-up the film's best moments are in the final 20 minutes in which a plethora of frenzied activity culminate to Bella going into labor. The credits begin rolling and those who stick around get a scene where the Volturi are informed on the fate of Bella. Now we unfortunately have wait an entire year for the thrilling conclusion of the Twilight Saga and I can only hope that the film will do the rest of the book a modicum of justice.

Rating: 2.5 (Maximum of 5) - While entertaining Breaking Dawn Pt. 1 still strikes out like it's predecessors

Action Films! (Killer Elite & Abduction)

     This long overdue post has been unfortunately delayed by a great many things. I had succumbed to an end of summer cold, end of season allergies, a busy schedule, and the realization that I'm not getting paid to do this. Simply put, in the face of everyday life this blog is an indulgence and an often expensive one as well. Now here's the good news, for the next month or so I will be posting much more frequently.
     Moving along, since my last post I have seen quite a few films. Killer Elite, Abduction, Straw Dogs, and Dream House. Seeing as most of these have been out for a while, I'm not sure if it would be worthwhile to write solitary blogs on each film. Besides, Killer Elite and Abduction are barely worth my time to discuss. they are ordinary action films with very little achievements of note. Killer Elite is an attempt at an all-star cast action film starring Clive Owen, Robert DeNiro, and Jason Statham. This film is about a special-ops agent that goes into retirement only to be lured out to rescue his mentor. I never give plot spoilers, so all I have to say further about this movie is that it's mediocre. The action is great but the script hardly delivers. Statham is mono-toned and mostly expressionless. I think he's fumbled his way through one too many Transporter films. As for Robert DeNiro, his character felt fake and insincere. DeNiro is more memorable as a gay air pirate in 2007's Stardust. Clive Owen is the only actor in this movie who delivers his lines with color and emotion. It is films like this that make me avoid the action film genre in general.

     Next is Abduction, an action film starring Taylor Lautner that's unfortunately aimed at underage teenagers. Sigourney Weaver's presence in this film is what initially drew me and her talents are greatly wasted and untapped in this dry extremely corny film. The story centers on Nathan (Taylor Lautner), a young man who's life is sent spiraling out of control once he finds a childhood photo of himself on a missing persons website. The film initially shows great potential by immersing us in the nearly perfect life of Nathan and allowing us to see it unravel at alarming rates. The downside to this is that the film seems to have been written and shot for teenage girls. Awkward moments, cheesy lines, and toned down violence abound in a movie that could have been a great platform for Lautner to shed his Twilight identity. Don't get me wrong, the film is still enjoyable but it clearly intended for a Disney Channel audience.
     Unlike the Killer Elite and Abduction, I have a lot to say about Straw Dogs and Dream House. Both Straw Dogs and Dream House will get individual posts.

Killer Elite - Rating: 2.5 (Maximum of 5) - Clive Owen is the saving grace of this movie that is otherwise just another testosterone fest with no substance
Abduction - Rating: 2 (Maximum of 5) - A witless film with lots of untapped potential