Movie Review: 'Our Idiot Brother'

Rating: 3.5/5
by Brian Kesler

A wonderful thing about the film ‘Our Idiot Brother’ is that its budget was a measly five million dollars. Some people may say that such a low budget hinders the filmmakers. Actually, it removes all the gimmicks, all the glamor, and all the half-hacked computer effects; it pushes story and writing to the top of the priority list, when in most expensive blockbusters it is at the tailing end.

The story to the film is simple and tightly woven (perhaps too much so) which allows Paul Rudd to shine as Ned, the brother referred to in the title. Rudd (I Love You, Man) is a revelatory actor, who has been brushed aside by more exorbitant comedians because of his subdued nature – and through it all he has never pushed the limits; he has never done anything that would counteract the character for the sake of clowning. Famous casting director Michael Shurtleff (author of one of the great books about acting) once said, and I paraphrase, that the key to comedy is to have humor but not to tell jokes. This film is abounding with humor because the actors don’t insist on winking at the camera. Rudd doesn’t act like an idiot. He doesn’t talk with an impediment, he doesn’t make goofy faces, he doesn’t perform cliché physicality. He simply occupies the character and orates the dialogue with perfect dryness and comedic timing – something Billy Crystal used to be quite good at ('When Harry Met Sally' anyone?).

The film argues that idiocy and candor are synonymous. Or perhaps idiocy and unyielding trust. Ned lands himself in jail after selling marijuana to a uniformed police officer. Pretty idiotic. The officer did seem convincing and said he was having a hard time. Unyielding trust. Ned was just helping him out, really. The police officer already knew, so why not just give him some? Candor. Ned trusts anyone and never attempts to disguise the truth. Some might call him an honest man. Most would call him an idiot. After leaving prison, Ned goes back to live with his girlfriend who’s taken another lover. The movie then resorts to the rule of threes. One by one, Ned lives with each of his three sisters, and one by one, his naivety and childlike honesty get him kicked out. His first sister is trapped in a loveless marriage with a so-called pacifist (played miraculously by comic genius Steve Coogan) who is having an affair with a ballet dancer he’s filming a documentary about. When Ned walks in on the naked couple, he is told they were just filming in the nude to symbolize the emotionality of the film. Ned believes them and then gets kicked out. His honesty gets him in trouble with the second sister, in both her career and her love life, and leaves just his third sister to take him in. I think you can see the pattern and why I suggest that perhaps the plot is too cleanly outlined.

Aside from Rudd’s charming performance and the wonderful dialogue of the film, the other characters seem two-dimensional and merely pawns or McGuffins (as Hitchcock would say) to present one absurd situation after another. A love interest for ElizabethBanks, though displaying wit and sincerity, seems half-baked and not entirely necessary – particularly when Banks herself is trying to provide a three-dimensional performance with a two-dimensional character. Other actors doing their best with underachieving material are Emily Mortimer (who still shines radiantly), Rashida Jones, and Zooey Dechanel. The third act is exceedingly rushed and although Rudd’s emotional breakdown near the end is dramatic and brings his character full circle, it’s not enough to make me believe the stark, dynamic relationship change between him and his family. Not a bad film, but – sadly – not a great one. Although, I will say it is by far one of the better films in theaters at the moment.

Movie Reviews: Don't Be Afraid of the Gleefully Frightening Brother

Glee: The 3D Concert Movie poster, image property of Twentieth Century Fox.
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark poster, image property of Miramax.
Our Idiot Brother poster, image property of The Weinstein Company.
Fright Night poster, image property of Walt Disney.

by Jack Garcia

I guess I’ve been busy, but I’ve gotten really behind on my movie-watching!  After Glee: The 3D Concert Movie, I went two straight weeks without watching a single movie.  Two movies (The Change-Up and The Smurfs) left the theater without me ever watching them, and when I finally got around to seeing a movie this weekend I realized that there were no less than eight movies that I still had to see!  I watched a movie on Friday, Saturday and Sunday leaving me with just five more to see before the weekend brings three more flicks!  How will I ever catch up?

Glee: The 3D Concert Movie ADMIRABLE

Lord knows I’m a huge gleek, so I was more than excited to see this concert movie!  The use of 3D was actually pretty good, really making me feel like I was right on stage with my favorite characters.  My friends and I felt so immersed in the experience that we even sang along and applauded after each musical number!   But the reason this movie fell short of “AWESOME!” status is because the filmmakers decided to weave in some real-life stories of Glee fans which—while emotional at times—really just detracted from what I really wanted to see:  a Glee concert!  More of the concert (and perhaps a longer running time) would have really made me more gleeful!

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark AVERAGE

This horror film by Guillermo del Toro is the first movie from my Most Anticipated Movies list to disappoint me.  The story is of a young girl named Sally (Bailee Madison) who goes to live with her dad and his new girlfriend (Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes) in an old Gothic house they are restoring.  In classic haunted house style, the girl is tormented by monsters who thrive in the dark and want to claim her as one of their own.  While director Troy Nixey manages to create a lot of creepy atmosphere at times and the actors all perform very well (I really like Bailee Madison—go rent Brothers), the movie fails to be scary in any way.  The creatures are tiny, talking rat-things that would have been more menacing if they had been kept in the shadows more.  Unfortunately they are on screen way too much, and the result is something very hokey.

Our Idiot Brother ADMIRABLE

Paul Rudd stars as the titular brother who is actually more honest, trusting and naïve than he is idiotic.  After a brief stint in prison, he is in need of a place to stay and tries, in turn, to live with each of his three sisters (played by Emily Mortimer, Elizabeth Banks and Zooey Deschanel).  As each of his sisters’ lives unravel and they blame him for all their troubles, many lessons are learned… and much comedy ensues!  This movie is very funny and thrives on being both slightly absurd yet deeply organic in nature.  Rudd does a fantastic job and embodies the character flawlessly.  His sisters on the other hand are less developed, which only just helps Rudd to shine even more.  He truly is a very talented man and really made this movie what it is—a slightly irreverent look at what makes relationships work.

Fright Night AWESOME!

If comedic horror movies are your thing, this movie is it!  Like Zombieland or Drag Me to Hell, this new remake of Fright Night gives you all the thrill and fun of a good scary movie while also cheekily poking fun at the genre clichés and making you laugh through your fear!  Colin Farrell stars as the new neighbor who’s actually a vampire and Anton Yelchin is the teenage boy who is brave enough—or dumb enough—to take him on.  Farrell does a terrific job of oozing creepy sex appeal out of his pores, and the supporting cast of Toni Collette, David Tennant, Imogen Poots and Christopher Mintz-Plasse all supply plenty of laughs and surprising believability.

Box Office: 'The Help' Tops New Releases

by Brian Kesler

School is back in session and the box office saw its second-slowest weekend of the year with only 'The Help' doing much business.

In its third week, 'The Help' gained an estimated $14.3M, putting it's total at $96.6M. For a film with a $25M budget, it's doing quite well, though trailing 28% from last weekend. Good word of mouth and the popularity of the book no doubt have helped its staying power.

The only new release to compete was the Zoe Saldana propelled action flick, 'Colombiana,' with an estimated $10.3M. While reception for the film has not been kind, and it will likely not see the staying power of 'The Help,' its gross is more than expected from analysts who had predicted 'Don't be Afraid of the Dark' to be battling it out with 'The Help.'

Speaking of the horror remake, 'Don't be Afraid of the Dark,' it flopped with an estimated $8.69M, which is quite a fall, especially considering its playing in over 100 more theaters than 'Colombiana' and roughly the same as 'The Help.' Critics had not been kind to film, but audience reception is comparatively better than for 'Colombiana.' 'Don't be Afraid of the Dark,' however, had half the budget that 'Colombiana' did, and may earn its money back faster.

The only new film that gained it's budget back, and then some, this weekend was 'Our Idiot Brother.' But, with a measly $5M budget, the indie film didn't need much of an audience to be a success. The film premiered in the fifth slot of the box office and made only $6.59M. The film has received mildly positive feedback from both critics and audiences and may not have enough stamina to make it past next week.

Among holdovers, 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' continued its success in fourth place with an estimated $8.65M, which brings its total barely under the $150M mark. The 'Conan the Barbarian' remake had the worst holdover, tumbling nearly 70% to eighth place after its second place debut. With a $90M budget and only a $16M gross thus far, plus not much hope for its remaining in theaters, the film is a certifiable flop.

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Movie Review: 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark'

Rating: 2.5/5




by Brian Kesler

In 1973, a 9-year-old Guillermo Del Toro watched the television film ‘Don’t be Afraid of the Dark’ and was inspired to make horror movies. Now he’s written and produced a remake of that film and although I’ve never seen the original, I can bet it was far more ambiguous in presentation. Computer effects have made it possible to do and show just about anything. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

I’m referring to the little monsters that act as the film’s miscreants. The plot isn’t unlike any other haunted house film that’s ever been released. This old, decrepit mansion has been locked away and hidden for several years – it has a dark past, you see. An architect and his girlfriend (an interior designer) renovate the house in hopes to get on the cover of magazines and boost their careers. The architect’s daughter, Sally (Bailee Madison) has come to live with them in the old mansion and, in case you haven’t guessed already, she’s not the biggest fan of the relationship between her father (Guy Pearce) and Kim (Katie Holmes). The little girl’s curiosity leads to the discovery of a hidden basement covered in cobwebs and dust and old relics. She starts to hear her name being called from within the flue shoot. The voices tell her that nobody loves her, they tell her they want to be her friend. Strange things start happening. Kim’s dresses get ripped to shreds and young Sally must take the blame. The caretaker emerges from the basement with scissors impaling his neck, and so many cuts and slashes in his skin that his entire body leaks cordovan. Nobody seems interested in exactly what happened to the man, they just refer to it as, “an accident,” and go on their merry way. Nobody believes Sally, of course, that monster’s are squatting in the basement, except for the audience, and that is where the film falters.

The monsters are heard and seen in great detail. It’s almost humorous at times. They sort of reminded me of Gremlins. Mischievous, snarky, snide, bantering. It’s a shame, really. Of course, the monsters represent little Sally’s loneliness and self-apprehension, but there are better ways to convey those themes. For instance, a conversation with a psychiatrist in which Sally reveals that the monsters have said her parents don’t love her is all we would have needed. The whispers of the monsters could have been incoherent or nonexistent, so that it would seem to the audience that perhaps she is making it up. The film is called ‘Don’t be Afraid of the Dark.’ There is a reason people are afraid of the dark. When we are denied our sacred sense of sight, the cruelty of our imagination takes over and truly frightens us. That is what modern horror films don’t seem to understand. No matter how grotesque you make the monsters, it will never be as frightening as dubiety and uncertainty. There’s a scene in the film which shows an artist’s abstract sketch of the creatures. That sketch caused more tingles down my spine in a few seconds than the rest of the film did put together.

Another flaw is the music, credited to both Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders. There are some great pieces of the score that add to the atmospheric tone of the overall piece, but there are also moments that just cater to the audiences needs to be warned before something frightening may happen. The opening sequence, for example, would have oozed much more mystery and claustrophobia had there been no music. However, once the music starts its low rumbles, it’s almost like a spoiler alert: “Something scary is about to happen, so be prepared!” It kills any sense of the dark curiosity hidden within us all and, instead, makes us resort to calling the characters idiots: “Didn’t you hear the creepy cello start bowing when you opened the door? That means don’t go down there!”

I didn’t despise the film, in fact, there was much of the film I loved. The cinematography is atmospheric and foreboding, the acting – particularly by the young Bailee Madison – is quite good, and the editing was tight and paced. I liked the sense of an old school haunted house flick, I just would’ve liked it more frightening and less silly.

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Movie Reviews: Helpful Cowboys and Apes

Cowboys & Aliens movie poster, image property of Universal Pictures.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes movie poster, image property of 20th Century Fox.
The Help movie poster, image property of Walt Disney Studios.

by Jack Garcia

Vacation is over which means it’s time to get back to work.  And by “work” I’m referring to my imaginary job as a film critic.  My three most recent movies are Cowboys & Aliens, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and The Help, all of which were on my MostAnticipated Movies page.  If you haven’t checked that page out yet, you should.  I list the movies coming out within the next month or two that I’m really excited to see!  And based on how much I loved these three, it appears that I have a pretty good eye for what’s going to be good.

Cowboys & Aliens AWESOME!

Sometimes the fusion of two seemingly opposite things just works out.  Think “sweet and salty.”  And with director Jon Favreau’s cheekily titled Cowboys and Aliens, you get just that:  a perfect balance of two very distinct flavors.  It’s half old western drama and half sci-fi alien action flick and together they’ve never been better.  The opening sequence is quiet and mysterious where we find our hero Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) as confused about things as we are.  He can’t seem to remember his past, but as the movie goes on we figure things out along with him.  Eventually he finds it within himself to save the world from an ugly breed of alien-life intent on lassoing up the townsfolk.  Sounds silly—I know—but you’ve got to try it to believe it!  Of course he doesn’t do it all by himself.  Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde and Sam Rockwell all add great character and depth to this not-so-traditional tale.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes AWESOME!

It’s always risky whenever the main character of a film is computer-animated.  The look has to be realistic, the movements need to seem natural, and the performance needs to be emotional and relatable.  Director Rupert Wyatt’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes did just that with the chimp named Caesar!  Sure James Franco and John Lithgow both gave terrific performances as the genetic engineer and his father with Alzheimer’s, but I was constantly amazed by Caesar.  Kudos to the animation team and Andy Serkis who acted out all the scenes for them!  The first half of the movie was so full of childlike wonder as we saw the world through Caesar’s innocent—albeit highly intelligent—eyes, before building to a plausible and riveting explanation of how those “damn dirty apes” took over our planet.

The Help ADMIRABLE

It was hard not to notice the dangerous levels of estrogen in the theater when I saw Tate Taylor’s The Help (based on the Kathryn Stockett best-selling novel), but as far as “women’s films” go—as Brian would put it—The Help had a lot of important things to say, and it did it with humor and heart.  Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan (Emma Stone) is a college grad who wants to be a writer someday.  Living in 1960s Mississippi, she’s concerned with the racism seen all around her and decides to write about it, instead of the cleaning column she gets paid to do.  Soon she’s interviewing the help, starting with Aibileen (Viola Davis) who’s got a lot to say about the social injustices present at the time.  Skeeter’s book becomes a big success while ruffling some feathers—especially those of close-minded socialite Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) who is loathsome!