The Avengers ****1/2

Short Take: The soon to be all time box office champ is one movie that is actually worth all the hype although it’s about 30 minutes too long.

Reel Take: If you haven’t gotten around to seeing The Avengers yet, don’t worry. It isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. By the time all is said and done, The Avengers will be the number one box office attraction of all time. Bigger than Avatar, bigger than Titanic, and (despite what certain fanboys want to believe) even bigger that the upcoming Batman finale, The Dark Knight Rises.

There’s certainly been no lack of promotion on Marvel’s and Disney’s part regarding Marvel’s The Avengers(to give the movie its full title and to avoid any confusion overseas with that other Avengers, you know the British one) and for Disney it couldn’t have come at a better time after the box office fiasco of John Carter (trivia buffs take note that Disney had the biggest box office success and biggest box office failure both in the same year).

For those of you unfamiliar with the comics and who need a storyline, here it is. The god Loki (Tom Hiddleston), having been defeated by his half-brother Thor (Chris Hemsworth), winds up on Earth and plans to subjugate the planet by means of an alien invasion. This necessitates the banding together of several superheroes into a group known as ‘The Avengers’ to meet the threat.

In addition to Thor there’s Steve Rogers / Captain America (Chris Evans), Bruce Banner / The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Tony Stark / Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr). They are all brought together by the one-eyed Nick Fury played by Samuel L. Jackson with his typical intensity.

It takes the first hour of the film to get everything and everyone into place. Once that happens, things move along rather rapidly. While everyone gets to have their say, writer-director Joss Whedon gives the best lines to Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man character and to Tom Hiddleston who seems to be having the time of his life as the villainous Loki.

After a meaningful second hour in which the various superhero egos, manipulated by Loki, clash with each other before finally coming together to form a united front against the alien assault, we get to the assault itself. It starts off well enough, but before long it turns into a “let’s see if we can top a Transformers destruction sequence”.

Whereas the first two hours depended on colorful characters and a solid script, the finale is just an unending series of explosions and CGI mayhem until the defeated Loki gets to deliver his punch line. I know that’s why many people have come to see the film especially the 3-D and IMAX crowd but I’m not one of them and it cost the film a 5 star rating.

I’m sure that Marvel / Disney is already planning a series of sequels to cash in on the success of The Avengersbut it’s going to be an extremely hard act to follow. Joss Weedon comes from a family of scriptwriters, and it is his screenplay not the spectacle that is bringing in the repeat business. Without a good screenplay there’s no way a sequel can even hope to soar to the box office heights this film has attained.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout.

Review by Chip Kaufmann

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel ****1/2

Short Take: When a group of British retirees (played by the who’s who of Britain’s acting royalty in the 60+ age bracket) decide to ‘outsource’ their retirement to a budget friendly but promising hotel in Jaipur, the hotel doesn’t quite live up the advertisements, but their lives are forever changed.

Reel Take: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotelis one of the most refreshing treats I’ve had the good fortune to enjoy in quite some time. While I am not part of the film’s AARP card carrying target audience, the story of a group of British pensioners who outsource their retirement to a hotel in India, has a much broader appeal than one might think.

John Madden, who directed Shakespeare in Love, Mrs. Brown and The Debt, strikes all the right chords yet again in this big screen adaptation of Deborah Moggach’s novel. It probably helps that Moggach herself wrote the screenplay. (Moggach previously earned accolades for her winning screen adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.)

Moggach sets up the story by introducing each of the characters, giving us a glimpse into their personality, life experience and current challenges. Among them is a recent widow left with her husband’s debt (Judi Dench), a judge desperate to hang up his socks (or wig as the case may be) played by Tom Wilkinson, an interminably married couple who can’t afford retirement (Bill Nighy and Penelope Whilton), a taken-for-granted granny in search of a wealthy husband (Celia Imrie), a horny old goat who’s still got it and is keen for someone to let him show them he’s still got it (Ronald Pickup), and last but not least a racist, sharp-tongued old bitty in need of a quickie hip replacement (Maggie Smith). Each of them is attracted by an advertisement for ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the elderly and beautiful’ in Jaipur, India.

Upon their arrival it’s clear that The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is such in name only. With the exception of Wilkinson’s characters, they all have chosen to outsource their retirement to India for financial reasons of one kind or another. Ironically, the exuberant young manager of the hotel, Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) is also having financial difficulties. Wilkinson’s character, Lord Dashwood, is also the only one among them with any familiarity with India beyond outsourced call centers. Very quickly we see who is going to have a grand adventure and who is not. This is part of the film’s predictability, something for which it has received some criticism (when did predictability become the death knell for a movie?)

Sure, the overall arc of the story is fairly predictable, but in no way does the story or the film suffer any disservice for it. Perhaps the few surprises that are unveiled are made even more pleasant (and profound) because they are elegantly sewn into the warm and familiar structure of the story. The film has a beautiful humanity to it, a warm spirit, and is at times truly touching, and not in a Hallmark Channel kind of way. A stellar ensemble, director and screen writer mesh together perfectly to truly bring The Best Exotic Marigold Hotelto life.

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language.

Review by Michelle Keenan

Dark Shadows ****

Short Take: Tim Burton’s stylish retake on the classic old TV series is much better than the trailers indicate with a wonderful performance from Johnny Depp.

Reel Take: Not since Disney’s Snow Dogshas a movie had such a misleading preview. From the trailer you would think that this was nothing more than a not too subtle, rather lame send-up of the old TV series. It’s not. It’s a lot more than that thanks to the creative imagination of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp’s refusal to play the character of Barnabas Collins false.

The original soap opera ended in 1971 after a five year run and 1,225 episodes. There were also two feature films, House of Dark Shadows (1970) and Night of Dark Shadows (1971). Burton sets his movie in 1972. This allows him to not only recreate the era but to poke gentle fun at it as well (Barnabas is fascinated by lava lamps and troll dolls).

The screenplay by Seth Grahame-Smith begins as a Gothic romance before the supernatural elements are introduced. In 1772 Barnabas Collins plans to marry Josette DuPres (Bella Heathcote) having spurned Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). She turns out to be a witch who kills Josette, turns Barnabas into a vampire, and imprisons him in a coffin. 200 years later he is accidentally released and must adjust to the world of 1972.

The descendants of his once proud family have become classic wealthy American basket cases. Matriarch Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer) does macramé to relieve her boredom. Husband Roger (Jonny Lee Miller) is a philanderer. Children Carolyn (Chloe Grace Moretz) and David (Gulliver McGrath) have serious parental issues and family psychiatrist Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham-Carter) is an alcoholic.

Passed off as an eccentric English cousin, Barnabas sets out to restore the family’s fortunes. Unfortunately Angelique is still very much alive and she wants Barnabas and his family to suffer forever. Problem is that she’s still in love with Barnabas but he’s in love with new governess Victoria Winters (also Bella Heathcote) who is the spitting image of his lost love.

Burton injects his standard theme of the outsider trying to fit in with some droll social satire about the 1970s as well as several nods to a number of well known horror films. He even references his own films Beetlejuice (1988), Edward Scissorhands (1990), and Sleepy Hollow(1999).

What really makes Dark Shadowswork is the obvious love Burton has for the material and the gorgeous look he has given the film. The Gothic scenes are 18th century Romantic with deep blues and swirling fog while the 1972 scenes capture the “heavy” aura and downright tackiness of the era. The cast is uniformly fine and the pace is never too leisurely.

The one problem I had with the film is that the last half hour is not in keeping with the rest of the movie. Elements out of left field are introduced and discarded while the final confrontation between Barnabas and Angelique is way too drawn out. The actual ending though is extremely memorable and hints at a sequel.

Don’t be put off by the trailers or by the negative reviews. If you remember the old TV show, and lived through the 1970s then you owe it to yourselves to see Dark Shadows. If you were born in the 1980s or later, there’s always the Burton-Depp combination to make it worth your while.

Rated PG-13 for comic horror violence some sexual situations, language, and drug use.

Review by Chip Kaufmann

The Dictator ***1/2

Short Take: Sacha Baron Cohen returns to the big screen with his latest alter ego, Admiral General Aladeen supreme ruler and dictator of the fictitious North African country of Widiya.

Reel Take: With his past efforts, people were apt to either love or hate Sacha Baron Cohen’s comedy. Ali G, Borat, Bruno and others were unscripted works, essentially elaborate practical jokes and con games played out hilariously and often offensively on unsuspecting dupes. In its best moments, Cohen’s comedy holds a satirical mirror up to the world, poking fun at pervasive stupidity. In its worst moments, Cohen’s comedy is nothing short of cringe inducing. The Dictator stays true to those traits even though it is a scripted work. It will be curious to see if Borat and Bruno fans will gravitate to the new work. However, I think folks who have not particularly cared for Cohens previous shock and awe comedy will find The Dictatorfar more palatable.

In The DictatorSacha Baron Cohen plays General Omar Aladeen, ruling dictator and tyrant over the fictitious North African country of Widiya. Aladeen heads to the Big Apple to make a speech to the United Nations. Once there, his uncle/chief of staff (Ben Kingsley) tries to have him assassinated.

After a hilarious torture sequence featuring the talents of John C. Reilly, Aladeen finds himself beardless and unrecognizable on the streets of New York, while an idiotic body double stands in for him (also played by Cohen). While he strategizes to oust the dunce, ax his uncle and reclaim his role as ruling despot, he ends up working at an earthy crunchy, Birkenstock type food co-op in Brooklyn, and falls in love with a radical left wing activist and feminist (Anna Faris).

Every plot set up mentioned so far offers great fodder for Cohen and his team of writers, and they don’t miss any opportunity to mock, poke fun at and exploit everyone along the way, including Aladeen. The character of Admiral General Aladeen is mish mosh of several contemporary dictators. By making Aladeen look the fool, they succeed brilliantly in setting the film’s satirical tone.

One of the things that sets The Dictatorapart from Cohen’s earlier work is that they somehow make Aladeen far more likeable than Borat and Bruno. To be sure he is crass and cringe-worthy at times, but mostly he’s just funny at his own expense and the expense of others. Add in the fact that Aladeen isn’t nearly the fearsome tyrant he fancies himself, and Cohen is hitting all the right notes.

The ultimate punch line for the film comes when Aladeen is finally addressing the UN and speaking out against democracy and in favor of dictatorially ruled nations, citing perks for the 1%, deregulated banking, etc – all current facets of contemporary America. Why be democracy when you can have all that? The ironic hilarity drew belly laughs from the audience.

There’s a bit of messiness in the goings on that I think could be attributed to the fact that Cohen had long-time collaborator Larry Charles (Borat, Bruno) direct this outing. I’m guessing that directing a scripted movie versus an improvised one is very different, and maybe not Charles’ strength. Still there is enough fun to transcend inconsistencies.

Rated R for strong crude and sexual content, brief male nudity, language and some violent images.

Review by Michelle Keenan

Monsieur Lazhar ****1/2

Short Take: An Algerian refugee in Montreal becomes substitute teacher to a grief stricken 6th grade class in the wake of their teacher’s suicide.

Reel Take: The French Canadian film Monsieur Lazharis a brilliant example of how much can be done with so little. This small, independent film is powerfully moving and was very deserving of its Academy Award nomination earlier this year for Best Foreign film. Few will see it, and it may even be gone from cinemas by the time this month’s issue hits newsstands, but I hope this review will entice some to seek this film out, be it at the theatre or via rental.

Monsieur Lazhar tells the story of an Algerian refugee in Montreal who becomes a substitute teacher to a group of 6th graders in the wake of their teacher’s suicide. It doesn’t sound terribly appealing, but rest assured it is a wonderfully layered story. Never once does it succumb to the contrivances of many a classroom drama movie.

At the start of the film a teacher has apparently hung herself in her classroom while the children were at recess. Two of the children, Simon and Alice (Emilien Neron and Sophie Nelisse, actually see the lifeless body of their beloved teacher, and both are subsequently traumatized.

After reading the news of the teacher’s death, and badly in need of work, newly immigrated Bachir Lazhar (Mohamed Fellag), talks his way into being the substitute teacher for the class. While the school runs through a course of psychological counseling for the children (an institutional response that speaks more to the adult’s trauma than the children’s), Bachir gets straight to work in the classroom.

Cultural differences are felt immediately, and the student-teacher relationship is bit rocky at the get go. Bachir insists on a more formal structure in the classroom, something the previous teacher did not do. During the first assignment he also hits these pre-teens with Balzac. This is a little much for 11 and 12 year olds, so while he insists on desks in tidy rows (not a circle for sharing), he brings the curriculum back down to a level they can grasp.

In the subsequent weeks, Bachir and the children connect, reaching new levels of empathy, understanding and even forgiveness. As they become familiar with one another, he draws them out, which in turn draws criticism from faculty and parents. All the while, no one suspects that Bachir is dealing with his own tragedy, loss and possible deportation.

Monsieur Lazharis sad and reflective, but not without hope. The story unfolds in its own time, but never bogs down. Written and directed with great economy by Philippe Falardreau, the film is subtle yet emotionally wrenching. Fellag turns in a flawless, heartfelt performance. The two children that play Simon and Alice are astounding as well.

At this time of year, when the onslaught of summer blockbusters begins its assault on the box office and our senses, it’s nice to know that you can still find those little films that stay with you long after you’ve left the theatre. Monsieur Lazharis that kind of film. At press time it was playing at The Fine Arts Theatre in downtown Asheville. See it if you can.

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, a disturbing image and brief language.

Review by Michelle Keenan

The Raven ***1/2

Short Take: Atmospheric take on Edgar Allan Poe’s last days suffers from a weak female lead and unnecessary gore in some scenes.

Reel Take: I’ve been a fan of Edgar Allan Poe since before I was in high school. Some of this was because of Roger Corman’s series of Poe based films with Vincent Price that were made in the 1960s. Most of it though was because my parents had a 10 volume set of the complete published works of Poe, including all his essays and literary criticism, which I had read and reread by the time I went to college. Unfortunately the set disappeared while I was in college and was never seen again (a mystery worthy of Poe himself).

While Poe has popped up as a character in numerous films and TV shows over the years (starting in 1909 with a silent version of The Raven directed by D. W. Griffith), his most significant appearances were in the 1964 Italian film Danse Macabre (Castle of Blood in the U.S.) and in the unfortunately titled Torture Garden, a 1967 British anthology film where his soul is part of an ultimate collection of Poe memorabilia.

This version fully puts him center stage by having him confront a serial killer who uses his stories as a blueprint for murder. John Cusack is perfect as the acerbic, alcohol soaked writer who is drawn into a web of intrigue and grisly murder in order to save his socialite sweetheart (Alice Eve). He joins forces with a young police inspector (Luke Evans) to try and track down the murderer but not before several people are killed.

Director James McTeigue (V for Vendetta) has crafted a beautifully atmospheric movie that recalls four earlier films (A Study in Terror, Hands of the Ripper, Murder by Decree, From Hell) all of which deal with Jack the Ripper. This has to be intentional as the killer closely resembles the Ripper, he just uses Poe’s stories as the basis for his murderous spree.

Unfortunately atmosphere isn’t everything and The Ravensuffers from some weak performances. Alice Eve is particularly unsatisfying as the love interest although to be fair the script does her no favors. Luke Evans portrays the police inspector as if he were a young Clint Eastwood complete with gritted teeth and monotone delivery. This really bothered me after awhile.

A movie about a serial killer is certainly going to have its gory moments (as did the earlier films I mentioned) but watching someone slowly cut in half ala Pit and the Pendulumserves no real purpose and is simply sadistic. The other murders are handled with more discretion but I would have still toned down a couple of them.

In the end I’m glad I saw The Ravenand would probably see it again for Cusack and the always reliable Brendan Gleeson (as the girl’s father) but I will always view it as a vehicle of missed opportunities. It was good but it could have been really good with a little tweaking here and there, including giving Poe his customary mustache instead of Cusack’s goatee.

Rated R for bloody violence and grisly images.

Review by Chip Kaufmann

Safe ****

Short Take: Above average Jason Stathan action flick pits him and a brilliant young Chinese girl against the world. Guess who wins?

Reel Take: I was very surprised to see that Safe, the latest Jason Stathan action vehicle, underperformed at the box office. It didn’t exactly tank as it wasn’t a big budget actioner but it failed to meet expectations. Considering that I found it to be one of his better films, its failure to do better is even more puzzling.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Safe lacks the outrageousness of the Crank films, the name recognition of The Mechanic remake, or the testosterone charged cast list of The Expendables(the sequel is just around the corner). Whatever the reason, people who missed it on its first run missed a good one.

Jason Stathan continues to portray Jason Stathan and makes no apologies for it nor should he. He continues to be the Charles Bronson of the 21st century (although somewhat more animated) making small but effective movies that don’t promise to be anything more than an exciting way to spend some time in the local cinderma. The sheer professionalism of his movies recalls the films of Michael Winner and Don Siegel, entertaining no nonsense films that are in short supply today.

The plot for Safeshould have had more appeal than usual. Ex-cop and failed boxer Luke Wright (Stathan) becomes involved with Mai, a young Chinese girl (Catherine Chan) whose ability to remember complicated math equations has caused her to be brought to New York to work in the Chinese rackets. After his family is murdered by Russian mobsters for refusing to throw a fight, Luke and Mai go on the run together while he plans to get even.

Once this plot point is taken care of, then the film becomes a non-stop parade of stylized mayhem where the Russians, the Chinese, and even the corrupt NYC cops get what is coming to them. The body count in Safe is higher than any Jason Stathan film I’ve ever seen before and I’ve seen most of them. Bruce Lee would have had a hard time keeping up. One sequence inside a gambling parlor recalls a classic set piece in Michael Cimino’s crime melodrama Year of the Dragon(1985) where a young Mickey Rourke takes on the Chinese Triad inside a restaurant.

Of course we all know how it’s going to work out in the end after all that’s the whole point of a Jason Stathan picture. It’s a tradition that goes all the way back to the silent era when William S. Hart, the movies’ first good “bad guy,” kicked some serious butt before riding off into the sunset.

While Safe didn’t hang around long on its initial run in Asheville, it’s tailor made for the second run houses like Cinebarre or the Asheville Pizza Company. So watch the local theater listings and when Safeis back in town, be sure to see it. Also be sure to have a pizza and a beer and enjoy the show. I can think of worse ways to spend a couple of hours.

Rated R for strong violence throughout and for pervasive language.

Review by Chip Kaufmann