Pixels (4/10): Recycled Sandler humor with a bit of action adventure in the mix.

“I believe that some alien life-force, has sent real life video games, to attack us.”

Chris Columbus, the man who directed the first two Harry Potter films as well as Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, Adventures of Babysitting, and many more family friendly films that I actually enjoyed, now directs Adam Sandler in Pixels, a film that aims to appeal to those adults that grew up in the early 80’s playing classic arcade games, but unfortunately it only ends up being entertaining for younger audiences due to its cliche jokes and formulaic structure. I must confess that I once was a huge Adam Sandler fan and watched everything he did from his Billy Madison days up to Jack and Jill in 2011 (with Chuck and Larry being the only exception, which somehow I miraculously missed). As a young teen I found his movies hilarious, but as I grew older his schtick got repetitive and I somehow decided to give up on him. I hadn’t seen another film starring Sandler since Jack and Jill, but decided to give this one a try for nostalgic sake and because Columbus’s films usually appealed to me despite his films being overly sentimental at times. It didn’t hurt that Peter Dinklage was also starring in this film since I love what he does (his short scene in Elf is one of my favorites and he is awesome in Game of Thrones). All these factors managed to convince me to watch Pixels despite my low expectations and I honestly got what I was expecting. It’s as if Adam Sandler directs all his comedies because they are so similar in tone despite never having directed, but I guess the directors always let him improvise and he ends up making the same jokes in every movie. The only positive feedback I’ll give Pixels is that it did manage to engage with the younger audiences; my ten year old brother had a blast, so it might make some money at the box office.    

Based on Patrick Jean’s own screenplay for a short film he made in 2010 (which seems far more appealing to me), this feature film opens in the 80’s with a group of kids who grew up loving arcade games. Brenner (Anthony Ippolito) is so good at predicting these game patterns that he signs up to compete in an arcade national championship. His closest friend, Cooper (Jared Riley), is there cheering for him and he truly believes Brenner is destined for great things in life. During the tournament they also befriend a young boy named Ludlow (Jacob Shinder) who is obsessed with a cyber game character named Lady Lisa (Ashley Benson). Unfortunately, Brenner is defeated by Eddie (Andrew Bambridge), a loud mouthed arcade lover who goes by the nickname of fire blaster. The film then jumps to the present where we discover Brenner (Adam Sandler) hasn’t really accomplished anything in life. He installs technical equipment for a company called Nerd. Cooper (Kevin James) however has become the President of the nation. Nerd sends Brenner to Violet’s (Michelle Monaghan) home to install the latest gadgets for her young son Matty (Matt Lintz). Brenner and Violet have a small moment, but when he tries to lean in and kiss her things get ugly between them. Right after that awkward moment Brenner receives a call from Cooper about an alien attack on Earth (and so does Violet who is then revealed to be a Lieutenant). Apparently these aliens have attacked using the arcade game format created through pixels, and the only way to defeat them is similar to the way they played the game. Brenner enlists the help of Ludlow (Josh Gad) and his archenemy Eddie (Peter Dinklage) to try to defeat these alien invaders and save the Earth.

As ridiculous or appealing as the premise sounds (depending on wether or not you’re nostalgic over these classic arcade games) the greatest problem with Pixels is that its incredibly hard to believe some of the relationships between these characters. The first time Adam Sandler and Michelle Monaghan’s characters meet, the dialogue between them is so phony and forced that it makes it impossible to relate to. That scene was probably one of the worst I’ve seen all year. Kevin James, Josh Gad, and Brian Cox can be funny people, but they play the same characters they’ve been playing in recent years. Dinklage’s Fire Blaster seems to be either hit or miss for some people, and I actually found his character to be the funniest in the movie. No one here is actually trying hard and the film is proof of that, but audiences that are simply looking to escape for a couple of hours might find it amusing. I still don’t know what Jane Krakowski was doing in this film since her character isn’t given anything to do despite her comedic talents. She should’ve been used more. Pixels is recycled Sandler material that will only appeal to hardcore 80’s nostalgic gamers and young kids who enjoy pretty much any adventure.   

My Review: Rushmore (10/10)

"The secret, I don't know... I guess you've just gotta find something you love to do and then... do it for the rest of your life. For me, it's going to Rushmore."

The Royal Tenenbaums has always been my favorite Wes Anderson movie and I always thought it was because it was the first one of his that I had seen, but it can officially move over now because I have a new favorite: Rushmore. This film was so charming, the soundtrack so cool, and the characters so well developed that I was completely in love with it once the credits started rolling. Not only is it my favorite Wes Anderson film, but it also belongs on my all time favorite list as well. I am a sucker for coming of age stories and this was a great one with perhaps one of Anderson's best developed characters from all his filmography: Max Fischer. All of Anderson's films have a similar style with offbeat and quirky themes and a hyper reality where the characters sometimes resemble those we imagine in our heads when we are reading a fantasy book. At times they are hard to connect with because they seem to belong in another time and place, but Wes manages to draw us into his world kind of like in the same way we are drawn to a theater play. That is why I also loved the special touches from Anderson as he incorporates school plays with wonderful productions into his movies. I think Rushmore is his most complete film with a charming ending, a memorable odd couple pairing, and a weird love triangle that features some of Anderson's most romantic work (similar in that sense to Moonrise Kingdom). As much as I enjoyed his first film, Bottle Rocket, it was Rushmore where he truly defines and finds his style with those production designs that seem taken from a stage play or a colorful children's book (especially seen in the scenes where Max visits the principal's office). I absolutely fell in love with Rushmore and this will be the measuring stick for Wes Anderson's films from now on.

This wonderful and witty screenplay written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson begins with a dream sequence where Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) is in math class solving an extremely difficult equation and thus saving his classmates from ever having to open a math book again. His friend, Dirk (Mason Gamble), awakes him just before a millionaire industrialist named Herman Blue (Bill Murray) is about to begin his chapel speech. He has two sons in Rushmore Academy, one of the most expensive and prestigious schools in the country. Max is fascinated by this man's speech and so at the end he introduces himself to Herman and the two form a special bond together. Max is in love with Rushmore and his entire life revolves around the school and he finds in Herman someone who has achieved the success he's aiming for, while Herman is a disillusioned man who has lost his purpose in life and sees in Max someone determined who enjoys life. Up to this point one would think Max is the perfect student, but the school's headmaster, Dr. Guggenheim (Brian Cox) explains to Herman that he actually is the worst scholarly student due to his involvement in dozens of extracurricular activities (such as being the editor of the school newspaper, president of the chess, astronomy, beekeeping, and French clubs, captain of the fencing team, and director of the school play). Unlike the rest of the students, Max isn't a wealthy kid, his father Bert (Seymour Cassel) is a barber, so he's a scholarship student that is about to lose it due to his bad grades. Max and Herman's friendship is tested when they both fall in love with the widowed first grade teacher, Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams). This is were the thin line between friends and enemies begin as Max and Herman begin a feud over Miss Cross.

What makes Rushmore stand out above other Wes Anderson films (I have liked all of them) is the great pairing of Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray's characters. Both of them, despite having completely opposite personalities, complete each other because they see in each other what they want to become. Max aspires to be successful in life and doesn't want to become a barber like his father (that is why he always lies about his profession), while Herman despite having it all is completely disillusioned with his marriage and spoiled children. Max's passion for life is what captivates Herman because it is what he has lost. This bond is broken once Rosemary enters the picture and they both become infatuated with winning her love. Max will do anything for her, including building a giant aquarium in the school's baseball diamond or directing a successful play. Max is my favorite character despite not being entirely likable, while Murray's portrayal of Herman is sensational. He delivers one of his best and most memorable performances and shines in each scene he shares with Max or Rosemary. There are several hilarious lines and quirky moments that also balanced out perfectly with the more subtle emotional and romantic ones. This film has a lot of heart and Anderson really delivers here with his unique style (a lot of his trademarks can be found here like the slow-motion and wide angle shots, the inclusion of at least one Rolling Stones song on the soundtrack, the underwater shot, and the influence of the Charlie Brown cartoon). It's an inspired film and Anderson creates a unique world that at times seems distant from reality, but somehow he manages to create these rich characters that are easy to identify with or relate to in such a way that they manage to touch us without being overly sentimental.

My Review: RED (5/10)

¨He got old. Then some thumb-sucker came along and tagged him RED: Retired, Extremely Dangerous.¨

Robert Schwentke (The Time Traveler`s Wife, and Flightplan) had the privilege of directing a talented cast including Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Brian Cox, Karl Urban, and Richard Dreyfuss. A lot of big names for the latest adaptation of the DC Comic graphic novel written by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner. One would expect nothing could go wrong with a movie with such great star power, but I was disappointed with this lightly entertaining comedy slash action flick. Red suffers from a poorly adapted screenplay written by Jon and Erich Hoeber (the guys who brought us one of the worst films of 2009: Whiteout). The plot is really bad, and the actors do the best they can in order to save the film. There are some funny moments (but far too few) thanks to the talent from the entire cast that save the movie from falling into horrible territory. John Malkovich gives a very comedic and surprising performance, but unfortunately he doesn`t get enough screen time to save the movie. The rest of the cast give good performances, but they are far from memorable. The chemistry between Bruce Willis and Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) is pretty decent, although nothing we haven’t seen before. I really expected this movie would have a lot more funnier moments, but the screenplay failed to help out the great cast. Red could have been much better if the producers would have taken more time in finding better screenwriters. I just felt this movie was like an All-Star team without a good coach to help them win the championship. With a better plot, Red would have been a great and memorable movie.

Bruce Willis is Frank Moses, a former CIA agent who is now retired and having a difficult time making the transition. The only thing that seems to keep him going is when he gets to speak over the phone with his government pension representative, Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker). Her life doesn`t seem all that exciting either, and she spends her days working and reading sexy spy novels. Sarah and Frank spend a lot of time on the phone discussing their boring and lonely lives without having ever met, but they seem to enjoy each other. Their daily routines will change all of a sudden when someone puts a hit on Frank and tries killing him. Frank might be old, but he`s still got game. He manages to elude the dozen of assassins that are sent to his home and decides to give Sarah a visit in Kansas City guessing she might be in danger as well. Frank will need some help in order to discover who is after him so he decides to get his old CIA team back together: Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich), Victoria (Helen Mirren), and Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman). They are all more than happy to get back in action since they all seem to have difficulties adapting to their retiree lives. Together they begin delving into the past in search for clues, while at the same time they have to face the young CIA agent who is after them: William Cooper (Karl Urban). Richard Dreyfuss, Brian Cox, and Julian McMahon also have smaller roles in the film.

I really wished this movie would have been funnier considering the talented cast. Malkovich is by far the funniest one in the film; I`ve seen Willis in better roles; Freeman doesn’t add anything to the story; Urban being one of the younger actors proved he has what it takes to stand next to these A-list actors; Louise-Parker was pretty funny in this movie, but she is way better in Weeds; and Helen Mirren always brings her A game to the table. I didn`t have a problem with the performances, but I just wished they would have done a better job with the plot and the screenplay. This is one of those movies that looks hilarious in the trailers, but then you discover it isn`t actually that funny when sitting through the 100 minute film. Red is not terrible. I actually had a decent time watching it, but it is just light entertainment I wouldn`t consider recommending it or watching it over again. The movie did give me a nostalgic feeling seeing how so many of these actors are actually close to their retirement, but they still have the talent if given the right script to work with. I am a huge Bruce Willis fan, but I have to admit John Malkovich stole each scene he was in. Richard Dreyfuss and Brian Cox both have small parts in this movie, but they are really funny in it as well. Seeing these brilliant actors working together is the highlight of the film, but they should have brought in some talented screenwriters as well.

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