Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012

Recliner Reviews for February 16, 2012

Sometimes it’s a dilemma: what DVD should you rent or what movie should you stream or order-on-demand? Do you want a date flick, an action caper, or a goofy comedy? Weekly Surge is here to help with our reviews of recent at-home movie releases, which we’ve watched from the comfort of that favorite recliner.

“Ides of March”

This political thriller was written and directed by and stars George Clooney. And it’s steeped in political pundit history and scandal – hell, the title is even a reference to Julius Caesar. This thing is a reference-arama of American political races and just in time to act as a serious counterpoint to the real-life comedy of the current Republican Primaries. It’s not a complex plot, there’s no script rubber-bumpers knocking you around like a pinball. It’s tense and tight but what’s more – it’s driven by a few of the best actors working today. Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti and the list goes on and on. Clooney must’ve had one badass party at his Italian villa to get everyone signed on for this. No, it didn’t knock it out when the Oscar nominations came out, only getting a nod for “Best Adapted Screenplay.” But it’s not a bloated, convoluted film and Gosling yanks the most out of the hour-and-forty-minutes running time. Worth a watch.

“Trespass”

Remember the times when Nicole Kidman and Nicolas Cage used to carry movies? Their names alone gave credibility and a certain buzz to a title. Oh, how the times they are a changin’. Now, Cage has been transformed into a “Saturday Night Live” character that will dive in front of any camera with its green-light on. And Kidman has spent the last ten years perfecting sour looks and restrained outbursts instead of reading good screenplays. The director, Joel Schumacher, managed in the past to make great films such as “Falling Down” but he’s probably better known for almost destroying the Batman franchise with George Clooney and the nipple suit (thanks go to Christopher Nolan for saving The Dark Knight). This may not be a horrible movie. Cage may have done a decent job. But it’s all lost in the vortex that is Kidman’s overacting and the plot. It’s kind of a poor man’s “Panic Room” – another home invasion movie. The actress who plays Kidman and Cage’s teenage daughter, Liana Liberato, follows up the gripping job she did in 2010’s “Trust.” She is the best part of this film but it’s not enough to save another forgettable film from Cage, Kidman and Schumacher – pass.

“Real Steel”

Imagine you’re a studio executive and I’ve come to pitch you a movie. OK, here goes – Hugh Jackman, yeah Wolverine, he’s a loser, a washed up boxer in the future where robots have replaced boxers and he’s got a kid, Wolverine’s an awful dad…long story short…it’s Rock’em, Sock’em Robots-meets- “Rocky.” It’s a sci-fi version of “The Champ.” Whatdaya think? I guess Shawn Levy pitched it better. That and he has a pretty good resume, directing the “Night at the Museum” films and most recently “Date Night.” But experiments like these are doomed to fail and sink into a dirty pool of CGI effects and overreaching. Here is the really big surprise, “Real Steel” is really not bad. In fact, it’s pretty damn good. This is the first good non-Wolverine role for Jackman in the last five years – worth a watch.