Friday, June 22, 2012

Crisp Criticism - "Brave", "Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter", "The Cabin in the Woods", "That's My Boy"

 
Brave (2012/US)   *

Determined to make her own path in life, a Scottish princess defies custom and her parents and brings chaos to her kingdom.
An agreeable animated adventure with many exciting moments but far too much on its mind to be completely stable; it launches its narrative and characters magnificently and then falls apart, offering nothing new or distinct.
 
d – Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
co-d – Steve Purcell
w – Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi
ph – Robert Anderson, Danielle Feinberg
pd – Steve Pilcher
m – Patrick Doyle
ed – Nicholas C. Smith

p – Katherine Sarafian

Cast:    Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters, John Ratzenberger


Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter (2012/US)

The 16th President of the United States discovers vampires are planning to take over the country and makes it his mission to eliminate them..
Stupefying, confusing fantasy/mock-history which, while attempting to stimulate its audience’s imagination, just insults their intelligence.
 
d – Timur Bekmambetov
w – Seth Grahame-Smith   (Based on the Novel by Seth Grahame-Smith)
ph – Caleb Deschanel
pd – Francois Audouy
m – Henry Jackman
ed – William Hoy
cos – Varvara Avdyushko, Carlo Poggioli

p – Timur Bekmambetov, Tim Burton, Jim Lemley

Cast:    Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rufus Sewell, Marton Csokas


The Cabin in the Woods (2012/US)   ***

Five friends go for a weekend to a remote cabin in the woods.
Ingeniously executed essay which, through telling a rather humdrum horror-film story, winds up constructing a humorous and inspiring melange on questions to why and how humans interpret horrifying occurrences. It is startlingly original.
 
d – Drew Goddard
w – Drew Goddard, Joss Whedon
ph – Peter Deming
pd – Martin Whist 
m – David Julyan 
ed – Lisa Lassek 
cos – Shawna Trpcic

p – Joss Whedon

Cast:    Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Brian White, Amy Acker, Sigourney Weaver, Tim de Zarn


That’s My Boy (2012/US)

A hooligan with tax trouble impedes on the life of his structured son, whom he fathered when he was thirteen after getting his school teacher pregnant.
Dim and foul comedy of no redeeming value, from a comedian whose putrid idea of humour has now become severe cause for concern.
 
d – Sean Anders
w – David Caspe
ph – Brandon Trost
pd – Aaron Osborne
m – Rupert Gregson-Williams
ed – Tom Costain

p – Allen Covert, Jack Giarraputo, Heather Parry, Adam Sandler

Cast:    Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Leighton Meester, Susan Sarandon, Milo Ventimiglia, Rex Ryan, Eva Amurri

No comments:

Post a Comment