Man of Steel

First Hit:  By the last 45 minutes I got bored stiff with the relentless ill conceive battles.

A little over a week ago I was watching the “Colbert Report” and he posed a question to the director (Zack Snyder) of this film: Why did you forgo the red trunks this character has always worn? Snyder’s response was we wanted to make this film more realistic. Really?

Make a film more realistic about a man who flies faster than a speeding bullet, leaps tall buildings in a single bound, and more powerful than a locomotive, realistic? I will say that Snyder did do a good job of making Clark Kent / Kal-El (AKA: Superman) (played by James Cavill) somewhat human as we go from his childhood to adulthood. It is when we get to his having to fight General Zod (Michael Shannon) his home planet Krypton for his and earth’s survival that it loses steam.

Be prepared to spend 40 – 60 minutes watching an ill-conceived battle. It is a wasteful use of CGI and my time. Superman is about helping individuals in trouble on earth, not fighting some alien invasion.

Cavill as Superman is good. There is some depth in his character but made to spend all his time fighting Zod. Amy Adams playing Lois Lane is wonderful. I really like her. Shannon was very good as Zod but unfortunately his role was too large. Diane Lane and Kevin Costner play Clark Kent’s earthling parents and they were very good – grounded. Russell Crowe as Jor-El (Superman’s father) was overplayed. The only reason we saw so much of Jor-El was because he was Zod's arch enemy and I'm sure they felt required to beef up the role for Crowe. David S. Goyer wrote an overly long battle driven script. Snyder wasn’t able to make Clark Kent both human (he did this better) and savior. He made this film about fighting Zod – so what.

Overall:  Wasted my time despite some wonderful moments.

OZ the Great and Powerful (3D)

First Hit:  Wonderful visuals don’t make up for a too long script.

This film had a lot going for it from the opening credits but faded as the story unfolded and became too long and overly complex.

The square format black and white opening was exquisite. Watching the cutouts of images with names and words in this old fashion looking way was very inviting. Then the film stays in this black and white format (Remember Wizard of OZ) until OZ (James Franco) lands in OZ.

The screen grows slowly out of the square format into today’s large format and in beautiful color. The 3D was done well enough to not be distracting except when the spears went through the smoke. The story is about a traveling carnie con-man who seduces women with magic. While escaping a jealous husband, he gets thrown into OZ via a tornado.

While in OZ and despite his con-man ways, Glinda (Michelle Williams) believes in him to save the Land of OZ from the wicked witches. One saving grace for this film is the china/porcelain girl. Her expressions and movements were a phenomenal result of the CGE.

Franco is good enough as a con-man who wants to do good but the overlong and complex storyline and lack of focused direction didn’t do him well. Williams was good in two roles – as OZ’s real world girlfriend Annie and the good witch Glinda. Mila Kunis (as Theodora) was OK and felt there was more she could have given to the part. Rachel Weisz was better as Kunis's sister in her role as Evanora. Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire wrote an ambitious script that was too long and overly complicated. Sam Raimi did an OK job directing what we saw but he needed to reign in the story and simplify it. Lasting 130 minutes, it was about 30 – 40 minutes too long.

Overall: Although this story is pre-Dorothy’s (Wizard of OZ) visit and is clearly a prequel, it lacks the engaging magic.

Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away (3D)

First Hit:  Some great visuals but in the end very unsatisfying.

Having seen many live Cirque du Soleil performances, I was very impressed with with this film because I was able to see, up close, many of the acts (5 contortionists and two men on the rotating wheels among many) along with a slowing down, through slow motion, to be able to see just how hard some of those feats are to perform.

The 3D was excellently used and never felt like it was being used to show off 3-D abilities. What was disappointing was the lead Mia (played by Erica Linz). She was suppose to be wandering and lost in this “Worlds Away” world looking for her love The Aerialist (played by Igor Zaripov). Fortunately she didn’t speak much in this role because when she did it was shrill and not pleasing to the ear. Her travels took her through many Cirque du Soleil shows, including the incredibly inspiring “O” and the very lackluster “Love”.

Linz was very disappointing. Her acting was unconvincing, poorly expressive, and her voice was painful to listen to. However, she was good when she was actually performing in a Cirque act with Zaripov. Zaripov was good as “The Aerialist” because he simply did his Cirque act. Andrew Adamson wrote the minimal script and for the most part directed the 3-D with aplomb.

Overall: If you’ve not seen a Cirque du Soleil show, this give you the opportunity to see some of what goes on.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2

First Hit:  I couldn’t wait for this to end and I'm pleased that I'll never have to watch this story again. This film got old within the first 15 minutes. The convoluted story about some Italian Vampires being the ruling class (Like the Pope over Catholics) was insipid. The acting and drama being attempted by Bella (played by Kristen Stewart) and Edward (played by Robert Pattinson) to create a caring viable story is even worse. The best thing about the film is some of the outside scenery shots of the State of Washington. Some of the other characters were amusing but in the overall scheme of things this series of books needed to be filmed in 1 or 2 films (not 5). Although the films might be financially successful, from a film point of view they will be lost in a few years and not show up as having much redeeming value.

Stewart continues the role in the same way she began the series but at least now there is more to her. Pattinson still cannot act and what he does has been worn very thin. Taylor Lautner is OK as the Werewolf who likes to hang out with Vampires. Melissa Rosenberg wrote this insipid script while Bill Condon phoned in direction which came out as “I don’t really care about making a good film”.

Overall: Don’t waste time or energy sitting through this movie.

Ruby Sparks

First Hit:  Yes a little schmaltzy, but it worked well and I enjoyed it.

I like the idea of a quirky writer, lost in life and in himself trying to find a way to write.

Paul Dano plays writer Calvin Weir-Fields who wrote a bestseller when he was 19 years old but has done little in the last 10 years. His psychologist Dr. Rosenthal (played by Elliot Gould) gives him a reading assignment.

Calvin begins to write about a woman in his dreams – he names her “Ruby Sparks”. Calvin is highly motivated and writes hundreds of pages about Ruby. One morning after falling asleep at his computer, he walks downstairs and there she is cooking breakfast and acting as if they’ve been together for months.

Outside of his Dr., his brother is the only other person he speaks with, so with Ruby trying to make a meal, he calls his brother, Harry (played by Chris Messina), asking his advice. Harry comes over meets Ruby, and thinks she’s an actress Calvin has hired to show he has friends and can have a girlfriend. But Calvin pleads with his brother to believe that Ruby came to life out of his mind and writing.

To prove it, Calvin rescripts Ruby in his book and, low and behold, she complies by behaving as the book calls for. As Ruby (played by Zoe Kazan) becomes restless and wants to do things outside of their relationship, Calvin rewrites the script to suit himself.

How does this turn out? Watch the film because whether it is fantasy or reality the point is clear about letting go.

Dano is very effective as a writer and as a troubled man searching to find himself. It was good to see Gould again and he’s good as the psychologist. Messina is good as the unbelieving and supportive brother. Kazan is outstanding as Ruby, both the writer’s fantasy and as a real person. Kazan wrote a wonderful and innovative screenplay. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris co-directed this with a great wit and mix of characters.

Overall: This was an enjoyable film and the entire audience seemed to like it.