Review: Cop Out

I love "Clerks." I love "Dogma." I even love "Zack and Miri Make a Porno." But unfortunately Kevin Smith's latest directorial venture is a bit of a disappointment, probably because it didn't come from the wonderfully off-kilter mind of Smith himself.

In "Cop Out," the first movie directed by Smith that he did not write, unconventional detectives Jimmy (Bruce Willis) and Paul (Tracy Morgan) are temporarily suspended from the New York Police Department for botching a drug ring investigation. Jimmy has been counting on every bit of money he can get to pay for his daughter's wedding, so following the suspension, he decides to sell a prize baseball card that is worth thousands of dollars.

But when a zany thief named Dave (Seann William Scott) steals the card and sells it to a baseball-loving drug lord, Jimmy and Paul attempt to track it down. They get more than they bargained for though, when their series of misadventures leads them back to the drug cartel the NYPD has been investigating.

"Cop Out" sounds side-splittingly funny on paper. Willis and Morgan, who have both proved hilarious in the past, seem like they would be a good team. Scott, Adam Brody and Rashida Jones seem like they would be fantastic support. Smith seems like he would be the perfect fit for a lampoon of buddy cop fare like "Lethal Weapon." But for whatever reason, "Cop Out" just doesn't work.

Willis and Morgan both do a fine job with what they're given, but with a few exceptions, they just don't elicit a lot of laughs together. Same with Scott, Brody and Jones. They all try, but the material just isn't that funny.

I can even see how it would read well. It just doesn't play well. I chuckled a few times, but for the most part it was just a little bland. The acting was fine, the directing was fine, the writing was even so-so, but it just doesn't gel.

One of the brighter spots in the film was a cameo from Smith mainstay Jason Lee, who is as delightfully smarmy in the few minutes of screen time he has as he is in Smith's other movies.

"Cop Out" could make for a decent rental on an otherwise dull night at home, but I would recommend saving the cost of a ticket. Now excuse me while I pop "Clerks" into my DVD player and revisit the Smith I know and love. C-

Review: Shutter Island

Martin Scorsese fans have waited four long months to see "Shutter Island" after it was pushed back to Feb. 19 from its original October release. Sometimes when a movie's release is delayed, it sparks curiosity about whether there are any problems preventing the movie from being released on time (the constant re-edits of "The Wolfman" spring to mind). But in the case of "Shutter Island," the wait was absolutely worth it.

The film opens with federal marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) arriving to investigate the disappearance of a patient at Shutter Island, a remote psychiatric facility for dangerous, mentally unstable criminals.

The methods of chief psychiatrist Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley) seem off to Teddy from the start, and he is immediately suspicious that the patients and staff at Shutter Island aren't as in the dark about the missing patient's whereabouts as they let on.

Teddy soon discovers that nothing inside the walls of Shutter Island is what it seems, and the facility may be involved in a conspiracy that goes way beyond one missing patient. Teddy is also reeling from the death of his wife (Michelle Williams) and his time serving his country in World War II, and his motives for investigating Shutter Island are not strictly professional.

Scorsese takes a detour here from his familiar gangster fare, and he does it beautifully. From about five minutes in, the entire movie is full of edge-of-your-seat suspense. He throws twist after twist at the audience, and you never have a clue what's coming. I hate predictable suspense films, and "Shutter Island" is anything but.

Laeda Kalogridis' script is seamless, flowing freely from one head-scratching moment to the next. Whenever a character speaks and whenever there is only silence, the script maintains an evenly eerie feel. This is further enhanced by the haunting score.

Scorsese also couldn't have asked for a better cast. He and DiCaprio have always had a great synergy, which unsurprisingly continues in this film. Kingsley and Ruffalo (who I think is one of the most underrated actors working right now) also give fantastic supporting performances.

While Jackie Earle Haley, Patricia Clarkson and Emily Mortimer may not have much screen time, they make the most with what they have and are chilling in the few minutes they're onscreen.

"Shutter Island" may not be quite as masterful as "The Departed," but it's an intense thrill ride that will keep audiences guessing until the very end and leave them glued to their seats long after the credits start rolling. A-

Review: Valentine's Day

Remember how "Love Actually" made the ensemble rom-com seem like such a good idea? That movie was charming, heartwarming, funny, sensitive and had a long list of prominent actors (Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kiera Knightley, Billy Nighy, Colin Firth, Laura Linney and Liam Neeson, just to name a few). It had cute, feel-good intertwining stories that just happened to merge into a good film.

It's no surprise that other filmmakers would want to try this formula: choose a holiday, attract big-name stars, put them in romantic situations and voila - you've got yourself some romantic comedy gold.

Cue "Valentine's Day," the latest rom-com from Garry Marshall, the man behind "Pretty Woman," "Runaway Bride" and "The Princess Diaries." Centered on the titular holiday, Marshall has accumulated a who's who of Hollywood's most beautiful and famous people and clustered them into romantic situations.

Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Hector Elizondo, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner, George Lopez, Shirley MacLaine, Emma Roberts, Julia Roberts and Taylor Swift round out the star-studded ensemble.

When you see a cast list like that, you think one of two things: 1) Wow! How did they get so many stars in one movie? That must mean it's amazing! 2) That's an awful lot of famous people for one movie. Are the filmmakers maybe trying to overcompensate for something?

Unfortunately, in the case of "Valentine's Day," it's the latter. For most of the people in this movie, "Valentine's Day" probably amounted to a fairly sizable paycheck for a short time commitment. For the most part, it feels like Marshall and his team decided to see how many stars they could lock down for the film and then attempted to craft a coherent story around all of them.

Like "Love Actually" and "He's Just Not That Into You," "Valentine's Day" combines several intertwining love stories. Essentially, characters get together or break up, all because of the pressures and excitement of Valentine's Day.

A few of the film's romantic situations involve Reed (Ashton Kutcher) proposing to his girlfriend (Jessica Alba) only to learn that Valentine's Day might not be as magical as he initially believed, phone sex operator Liz (Anne Hathaway) attempting to hold down a normal relationship with her unsuspecting new boyfriend (Topher Grace), a sports publicist (Jessica Biel) and a sports journalist (Jamie Foxx) trying to avoid the anti-single holiday and an airline traveler (Bradley Cooper) striking up a conversation with a soldier (Julia Roberts) on leave for the weekend.

One of the movie's biggest flaws is that it tries to do too much. Yes, it has lots of stars, but most of them aren't given any time to do much of anything. In order to accommodate all of its actors, the numerous storylines feel very rushed.

On top of that, "Valentine's Day" features some of the blandest writing I've seen in a romantic comedy in awhile. The dialogue is so forced and so wooden that even Oscar winners like MacLaine and Foxx seem stale. Most of the storylines and most of the characters are boring and forgettable, with only a handful of exceptions.

Roberts and Cooper are by far the best part of the film, both in terms of their characters and their storylines, but of course that means they have the least amount of screen time. Latifah also provides a few laughs during the few minutes she is onscreen.

The movie attempts to emulate the charm and awe-inducing cuteness of "Love Actually" and even "He's Just Not That Into You," but "Valentines Day" turns out to be nothing a jumbled, sickly sweet mess. D

Review: Dear John

Anyone who sees a movie based on a Nicholas Sparks book should know exactly what they're getting into: a sappy love story set on the beach in which the couple experiences a montage of happy moments and lots of drama-filled trials and tribulations that prevent them from ending up together. A key character also usually dies.

As cliche as it sometimes is, the Sparks formula usually works very nicely onscreen for people who love a good romantic tearjerker. I will openly admit that "A Walk to Remember" never fails to move me, and Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams' sizzling chemistry warrants repeat viewings of "The Notebook."

I'm someone who constantly falls for this Sparks formula, but unfortunately the latest film based on one of his books, "Dear John," just doesn't live up to hype.

John Tyree (Channing Tatum) is an Army soldier at home in Charleston, S.C., on leave. He meets conservative and innocent college student Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried) when she accidentally drops her purse off a pier into the ocean and he dives in after it. The two hit it off and spend the next two weeks falling head over heels for each other.

But at the end of that two weeks, Savannah must return to school and John must return to his tour. They decide to write to each other constantly to stay connected and agree that at the end of his tour, they will reunite and live happily ever after. But as Savannah warns, a lot can happen in 12 months.

While John is on his tour, planes hit the Twin Towers and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and he feels it's his duty to continue serving his country. Torn between the Army and Savannah, John struggles to make their relationship work from overseas.

Also integral to the plot is John's relationship with his father (Richard Jenkins), a quiet and awkward man who would rather stay inside with his coin collection than venture out of the house. When Savannah tells John she thinks his father may be autistic, it forces John to come to terms with their strained relationship.

"Dear John" begins promisingly for a Sparks film. No, the writing isn't great, and no, Lasse Hallstrom's direction isn't as beautiful as Nick Cassavetes' direction of "The Notebook." Seyfried and Tatum may be a bit stilted at times but overall their performances are solid.

What's important is the love story, and the film sets it up to be one that viewers could really care about. The characters are likable and engaging, and Sept. 11, 2001, and the subsequent war is something that is still so fresh in audience members' minds it is easy for them to relate.

It begins as a sweet story of young love surviving challenges, one that should move audiences and enthrall them. But about halfway through the film, it takes a nosedive.

The writing becomes choppy, and the pace of the story is thrown off by the convoluted stream of obstacles hurled at John and Savannah that ultimately lead to a very rushed ending. The twists at the end feel contrived, only serving to provide unnecessary and unrealistic angst.

Yes, there's angst in every Sparks film, but most of the time it flows with the story. Here, the last third of the film feels so forced and rushed it falls miserably flat.

The bright spot in the film is Jenkins, whose portrayal of John's autistic father is so nuanced and thoughtful it moves viewers effortlessly. Everything about his performance feels completely natural, proving the Oscar nominee has the power to shine in even the most mediocre films. He and Tatum also play well off of each other, and their relationship ultimately proves more interesting than the relationship between John and Savannah.

"Dear John" starts strong enough but ultimately turns out to be unsatisfying. If you want a great Sparks romance involving letter-writing, check out "The Notebook" instead. C-

Oscars 2010: Who will take home the top prizes?

With 10 Best Picture nominees and several surprise nominations, the 2010 Oscars are already shaping up to be an interesting awards ceremony. But who will ultimately take home the top prizes on March 7? And which snubs should have been given a chance?

Best Picture
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air

Most of the nominees in this category were expected, but there were two major surprises: "District 9" and "The Blind Side." Neill Blomkamp's brilliant sci-fi thriller/apartheid allegory was one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year, but many expected "Avatar" to be the only science fiction film to land a spot. And while Sandra Bullock has been earning awards buzz for "The Blind Side" no one expected the film to win a Best Picture nomination instead of critical and fan favorites "Star Trek" and "The Hangover."

While "Up in the Air" and "Inglourious Basterds" could be contenders, the real race is between "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker." Both outstanding films in their own right, many people expect "Avatar" to win because it's proved to be such a financial juggernaut. The last time a movie was so financially successful was "Titanic," James Cameron's other huge success that took home Best Picture.

But "The Hurt Locker," which has remained the little movie that could since its summer release, just might steal "Avatar's" glory on Oscar night. While "Avatar" took home the Golden Globe, it has remained largely absent from the guild awards. "The Hurt Locker" took home the Producer's Guild and Director's Guild awards, cementing it as real competition for "Avatar." In 54 out of the past 60 years, the DGA winner has won Best Picture. Don't be surprised if Kathryn Bigelow's little movie that could edges out Cameron's box office juggernaut.

Will win: The Hurt Locker
Should win: The Hurt Locker
Should have been nominated: Star Trek

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
Colin Firth, "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"
Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"

Best Actor is perhaps the strongest category this year. Every actor who is nominated gave a phenomenal performance. For Bridges, Clooney and Firth, these performances are regarded by many critics as their career bests. This category is so competitive that other incredible performers like Sharlto Copley of "District 9," Tobey Maguire of "Brothers" and Sam Rockwell of "Moon" were left out.

Bridges has won most of the major awards so far, and with four previous nominations and no wins, many people seem to feel it's his time to take home the gold. His stiffest competition is probably Clooney, whose charismatic but damaged Ryan Bingham showed the actor at his best. Both actors have strong support, but expect Bridges to take home the gold.

Will win: Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
Should win: George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
Should have been nominated: Sam Rockwell, "Moon"

Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan, "An Education"
Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"
Meryl Streep, "Julie and Julia"

Most critics consider this category to be a race between Bullock and Streep. Both have been garnering award after award for their performances, including Golden Globes, but Bullock edged out Streep for the Screen Actors Guild award. "The Blind Side" proved Bullock's range extends far beyond her typical romantic comedy roles, and people are loving her as much for her incredible comeback year as for her "Blind Side" performance. She has the edge at this point, but newcomers Mulligan and Sidibe could potentially sweep in for an upset.

Will win: Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
Should win: Carey Mulligan, "An Education"
Should have been nominated: Emily Blunt, "The Young Victoria"

Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, "Invictus"
Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"
Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"
Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"

There is no question Waltz is going to walk away with the Supporting Actor prize. He's swept every major award so far and shows no signs of slowing down for his role as the vile but funny "Jew Hunter" of "Inglourious Basterds." The real surprise here is a nomination for Plummer, who edged out the supporting men of "An Education," Alfred Molina and Peter Sarsgaard.

Will win: Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
Should win: Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
Should have been nominated: Alfred Molina, "An Education"

Best Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz, "Nine"
Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"
Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart"
Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
Mo'Nique, "Precious"

Like the Supporting Actor category, Supporting Actress is a lock. Mo'Nique has deservedly picked up all of the major awards in this category and she will undoubtedly take the Oscar home. Farmiga and Kendrick were both amazing in "Up in the Air," but Mo'Nique's flawless portrayal of an abusive mother stands out above the other nominees.

Cruz seems to be riding on the success of her win last year with her nomination for "Nine," a very underwhelming film. Gyllenhaal's nomination came out of no where, as she hasn't been nominated for any other major awards prior to this. One noticeable absence is Julianne Moore, who has gained awards recognition for her role in "A Single Man" but was shut out here.

Will win: Mo'Nique, "Precious"
Should win: Mo'Nique, "Precious"
Should have been nominated: Julianne Moore, "A Single Man"

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
James Cameron, "Avatar"
Lee Daniels, "Precious"
Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"
Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"

Like the Best Picture race, this category is between Bigelow and Cameron. Most people seem to think Cameron is a sure thing, expecting the same awards success he saw with "Titanic." Cameron's technology has changed the way blockbuster films will be made, but Bigelow's intense, edge-of-your-seat, highly detailed direction has also resonated strongly with critics and audiences alike.

Cameron may have taken home the Golden Globe, but Bigelow nabbed the Director's Guild prize. In the past 60 years, 58 DGA winners have gone on to win the Oscar. If Bigelow does win, she'll be the first woman to take home the Best Director Oscar. She shouldn't win just because she would be the first woman - she should win because she really is the best nominee this year. Cameron's movie may have been more financially successful, but Bigelow's DGA win means people shouldn't write her off just yet.

Will win: Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
Should win: Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
Should have been nominated: Neill Blomkamp, "District 9"

Best Original Screenplay
Mark Boal, "The Hurt Locker"
Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"
Alessandro Camon and Oren Moverman, "The Messenger"
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "A Serious Man"
Pete Docter, Thomas McCarthy and Bob Peterson, "Up"

Most of the nominees in this category were expected. The nomination for "The Messenger" came as a bit of a surprise, edging out the popular "(500) Days of Summer." Any of the other nominees could have a shot, but "The Hurt Locker" will likely take this category as well.

Will win: Mark Boal, "The Hurt Locker"
Should win: Mark Boal, "The Hurt Locker"
Should have been nominated: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, "(500) Days of Summer"

Best Adapted Screenplay
Neil Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, "District 9"
Nick Hornby, "An Education"
Jess Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche, "In the Loop"
Geoffrey Fletcher, "Precious"
Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, "Up in the Air"

Most of the nominees in this category were also expected, with the exception of the little-seen "In the Loop," which swooped in out of nowhere to steal the fifth slot from "Fantastic Mr. Fox." All of the nominees are solid contenders, but this is probably the one category in which "Up in the Air" will score a win. The film has gained too much recognition at the critics' awards to walk away empty handed, but the competition in the other categories is so stiff, a screenplay trophy might be its best shot.

Will win: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, "Up in the Air"
Should win: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, "Up in the Air"
Should have been nominated: Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach, "Fantastic Mr. Fox"