mrheathcliff

The Mechanic is of Chuck Norris proportions! Its has a ton of bloody violence and intense action sequences, many of which are unbelievable. With that said, Jason Statham is the English version of Chuck, minus the legendary pop culture status. Statham has been in many action flicks over the last few years many of which stink. For example, The Transporter trilogy and Crank plus its unfortunate sequel. Now if you like stupid, unintelligent situations, plot sequencing, and character invincibility these are the films for you. To me, a great action movie makes you want to be that hero. Most action movies these days don't possess that. The Mechanic isn't much different, although it is a decent movie. It is also a remake of the Charles Bronson classic by the same name released in 1972. I haven't seen the original so I have no comparison to make.

The premise of the movie is action simple. Arthur Bishop (Statham) is a contract killer. He is employed by an unnamed organization led by Dean (Tony Goldwyn) and Bishops only friend and mentor Harry (Donald Sutherland). Naturally since Arthur is a killer he lacks the skills to make real human connections. So he has no real friends besides Harry and his favorite prostitute. One fine day in assassin land, Arthur receives the unfortunate task of killing a close associate. And soon there after Harry's estranged son Steve (Ben Foster) becomes Arthur's sidekick and assassin in training. Shenanigan's ensue!

Strengths: The Mechanic is a pretty good action movie. It is better than most Statham films and more realistic than most movies he is in. The addition of Ben Foster to the cast is a plus as he is one of Hollywood's finer young actors. Think Ryan Gosling without the Oscar nomination. The movie is short and straight to the point. So where it lacks it makes up for with not wasting a lot of your time.

Weaknesses: The primary weak spot for me was character likability. I did not connect with anyone in the movie. I won't say who lives or dies, but all the characters in one way or another deserve death for their disregard for human life. As the film goer you basically feel like an outsider watching a train wreck in a snow globe. While that is good sometimes, it would be nice to know that at least one character was not a total sociopathic jerk. That's not the case with The Mechanic. Another main weak area is believability. Yes, I know that I described it above as more believable than most recent action movies, especially from Statham, but it still exaggerates a great deal. I will leave it at that.

Recommendations: This is basically a guy movie. Its bloody. Its violent. It has some nudity and the language is appropriate for a typical action film. It is not a kids movie, so parents attempt some common sense and leave the kids with a sitter. Its not even a good date movie. I did like it, but it is really only meant for a guys night out.

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There is no doubt about it, Hollywood loves gay. And so does the Academy who awards Hollywood's finest at its annual Oscar event. With that said, there is nothing wrong with that and to prove this fact further The Kids are Alright has earned multiple Oscar nominations. Rightfully so, it is a great movie. I say this as an ordained minister at a Christian church which for most readers will more than likely be deemed unusual. This is fine by me. I have a soft heart for the homosexual community and believe that they should be treated as equals by the church in general.

It hasn't been an easy road confronting theology and ideology to come to a better understanding of a homosexual world I couldn't possibly understand as a straight man. Movies have been as essential platform in challenging my thoughts and beliefs on the subject. I first began by watching Brokeback Mountain. It took me several weeks to finish as it is strange for a heterosexual male to witness two men passionately loving one another. I must say that the movie was spectacular and even made me cry. I also have to say that the movie Milk was amazing and was deserving of all the attention that it attracted. In conclusion, I have continued my journey as a straight man attempting to confront his ideology on homosexuality by viewing The Kids are Alright.

The movie is about Nic (Annette Benning) and Jules (Juliann Moore) who are a married lesbian couple. Nic is a physician and Jules has had and up and down working career. Jules has spent most of their long-term relationship in the professional shadow of Nic and has had a short list of failed upstart businesses. In the film, she is working on a landscaping business. Their children are Joni (Mia Wasikowska), an eighteen year old about to begin college, and Laser (Josh Hutcherson), a typical 15 year-old boy. As a family they have typical problems. Josh's best friend is of questionable character and Joni is a blossoming women that has appropriate conflict with her parents, mainly with Nic, who as a physician has some problems with control. Jules, as alluded to above, has issues with inadequacy.

As the plot emerges, it is discovered that Laser wants to know who his and Joni's father donor was. Since Joni is 18 and the only one who would be interested in knowing and considering Nic has made it a family rule for them not to know, Laser convinces her to find out the answer. Soon enough they find out that their donor fathers name is Paul (Mark Ruffalo) and they set-up a meeting with him to learn more of who he is. Jules somewhat approves of the children's desire and Nic of course adamantly disagrees. Shenanigans ensue!

Strengths: The acting in the film is exemplary. The pacing keeps you interested. The plot is candid and is revealing as far as the dynamics of homosexual families are concerned. Annette Benning and Mark Ruffalo both earned Oscar nominations for their performances and are justly rewarded; however, I felt that Juliann Moore deserved a nomination more so than Benning.

Weaknesses: The only weakness I can find is sensitive subject matter, which really isn't a weakness. It is really knowing that some folks won't want to see a movie about a lesbian couple and their family.

Recommendation: This film is not for everyone. It is definitely a rated R movie. It's not really appropriate for anyone under 16 years of age. The language is bad at times. Their is male and female nudity, plus several scenes of extreme sexual nature. The subject matter won't be for everyone. If you have a problem with homosexuality then this film is not for you. Don't even bother. It should go without saying that if you are homosexual then by all means watch this movie, especially if your interested in having a family of your own someday. This movie would also be good for someone like myself who is interested in challenging their own thought and ideas about sexuality and families. I know I can't be the only "hetero" who is. Overall its a great film worth viewing, even though I think other films of the same material are better.

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Let me begin this review on a good note, I don't like Angelina Jolie. She is pretty and talented I must say, but she doesn't quite reach the standard that the media shoves down all of our throats and certainly not her own. She has way too many cameras forcefully and yes willingly shoved up her skinny backside to be considered a true humanitarian in this world. I don't care how many children from third world countries she adopts or if she's married to Brad Pitt. I am not her biggest fan. So it almost goes without saying that I really wasn't that interested in viewing The Tourist. If I wasn't such a Johnny Depp fan I wouldn't have taken my wife to see it.

So let me attempt to put my biases aside for a moment to give a synopsis of the film..

The Tourist is somewhat of a caper movie. Jolie plays Elise, an elegant and mysterious character that is being watched by international authorities while they seek to apprehend her former lover and thief extraordinaire, Alexander Peirce. From the beginning of the film, Peirce via mail carrier sends Elise notes advising her on what steps she can take for them to be reunited. The first step requires her to find a tourist who can serve as a reliable dupe for Pierce as the investigators don't know what he looks like. The dupe will either be arrested on suspicion of being Peirce. Oh by the way, the international police aren't the only ones looking for him. The thug nasty mobsters he stole from want their money and his head. Shenanigans deluxe ensue!

Strengths: Johnny Depp of course! His character is charming, funny, and unsuspecting. The perfect dupe. The movie has some good action scenes and is entertaining most of the time. It also has a surprise ending that really saves the movie from being a "dud" overall. It would also make a great date movie.

Weaknesses: Now it is time to bring my biases back. Angelina Jolie is the biggest problem in this movie. She is stiff and smug the entire film. She spends most of the movie swaying her hips with every step, showing viewers how much she likes herself. She probably should have concentrated on acting the way she is capable of. Her character is unlikable and she has no chemistry with Depp on screen. Another problem with the film, as alluded to above, is the pacing. It is really slow to get the ball rolling. The trailers for the movie would have you believe that there is non-stop action. In reality, the plot develops very slowly and half the film is over before you see much action. The police are incredibly stupid too. They spend the entire time running in circles while the criminals they are chasing make them look like idiots.

Recommendation: This film is hardly a must-see. If you are a big Johnny Depp it is. If you are a big fan of Angelina Jolie you probably don't care that she sucks big time in this movie. The language isn't bad by Hollywood standards. There is no nudity. The action is of the non- bloody variety. It is pretty safe for most viewers with the exception of small children and they would probably be more interested in watching something more fun like Despicable Me (currently available to rent) or Megamind (soon to be available to rent). And as mentioned above guys, a good opportunity to take the wife or girlfriend to.