In A World... (2013) Review

In the world of voice-over work, Sam Soto reigns supreme. Carol Solomon, Soto's own daughter, has dreams of  "making it" herself in between her days of working as a vocal coach, but the notion is generally frowned upon by her father, saying that the idea of a woman doing acts like narrating trailers is absurd. Despite these thoughts, and the pursuit of future gigs from Soto's own protege Gustav Warner, Carol finds herself determined to break down barriers and prove her worth.



One week ago, I traveled to my home state of Maryland for several days, specifically traveling for a Bar Mitzvah. Though my schedule was rather tight, I was determined to catch at least one film that wasn't playing down here in Wilmington. A quick flip through the Washington Post showed me that the rather obscure, but promising In A World... was playing in my own hometown of Silver Spring. I happen to be a fan of writer/director/star Lake Bell, going back to her work on Boston Legal, and catching her promotional appearances on The Daily Show and the like filled me with confidence of her directing debut.


For a directorial debut, this is rather balanced. A proper mixture of humor, drama, and genuinely sweet moments doesn't come off as gawky. Though her co-stars all deliver great performances, they are a bit on the iffy side in terms of realness, but that's honestly just minor nitpicking. There is excellent chemistry between everyone involved, most likely enhanced by real life friendships between a majority of the cast. Bell and Demetri Martin in particular are just fantastic together, and Bell's own character Carol feels unquestionably real, struggling in a world overrun with egotistical humans accustomed to the old way of thinking. Carol's own sister (Michaela Watkins) is also the focus of a subplot, which deals with her troubled marriage and own frustrations. Surprisingly, none of this feels tacked on, and transitions are rather smooth between the respective conflicts.


Despite how solid most of the script is, the satirizing of certain movie franchises and blockbusters is a bit hit or miss, feeling like bad modern-day Simpsons writing whenever they are brought up. Again, nitpicking, but I can't help it if certain bits of hammy writing rustle my jimmies. If I haven't mentioned before, the film is rather funny. Bell's own experience on shows like Children's Hospital comes through, and if you don't at least chuckle at her disdain for the "sexy baby voice," I may have to question as to whether you'r even human on the inside. Martin is actually playing it rather straight here, but he does get to sneak in some dry humor here and there. Co-stars Tog Notaro and Nick Offerman also get a chance to shine, and I was especially pleased that the former was cast, as she is probably one of the most underrated standup comics working today.


Most of In A World...'s tones will be construed as feminist, which is certainly not a difficult argument to make, but most of it comes down to one simple, but easily identifiable message: don't give up on any dream you may have, no matter the criticism, whether it has been done before/is thought to be nigh-impossible, or goes against any principles or long term structure. It also encourages us to find our own, unique voice, literally and figuratively. If you're one of the lucky cities playing this little gem, I urge you to find a screening. If you aren't, I'm sure this will hit VOD (Video On-Demand) services and DVD before the end of the year, and you can catch it there.

Identity Thief (2013) Review

Sandy Patterson lives a good life. He has a good job, a good wife, two children (with another on the way), and generally nothing major to worry about. Things are about to take a very scary turn for the worse though, when the man discovers that his identity has been stolen by Diana, a woman in Winter Park, Florida who has been living a rather plush lifestyle using the information obtained from his credit cards. After the initial confusion and shock, Patterson decides that he himself must travel down from Denver to Winter Park to confront the woman, and bring her back in order to clear his name and right what is wrong.


This is where I, Ryan Wishnia, begin my future heel turn. I don't think Melissa McCarthy is funny. True, she had a couple of lines in Bridesmaids that made her easily the funniest thing in the film, but it wasn't hard considering the boring and bitchy characters she was surrounded by. I also think Jason Bateman is the very definition of one-note, and he seems to be accustomed to playing the exact same character in every project he chooses, be it a movie or television project. Seth Gordon, however, I do happen to have quite a good amount of respect for. He directed the surprisingly amusing Horrible Bosses, and more impressively, the must-see documentary King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. Certainly not an odd mixture when one looks at it on paper, and despite what the very small amount of you who read my blog may think, I don't go into any motion picture wanting to hate it from the very start.

My GOD does Identity Thief have very few things to admire though. Please, take your pick with what turns out to be its biggest faults: the script, the cast, the running gags, or just the awfully-written characters. Approximately twenty seconds of research shows that McCarthy's character was initially written as a man, but Bateman insisted that change after watching the aforementioned Bridesmaids. I don't think gender would matter in the case of Diana, as she is just loathsome and irritating in every sense of the word. There's "annoying" and then there's "please go away." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which category she falls under. Diana is a sociopath, and not like the amusing ones with better comedic timing found on television shows like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. An attempt at humanizing her in the third act feels desperate, and will most likely enrage those who are more wise to the fact that they're simply trying to make up for a lackluster effort.


Hmm, perhaps I should retract using that word. Effort implies that they tried, which I don't believe they did. Not even halfway through its running time, the movie turns into yet another "mismatched couple on the road" flick. If you've seen one, you've seen them all. The running gags get tiresome in near record time too. How many times can you crack jokes about "Sandy" being an asexual name? Or with having Diana throw a punch to the throat? Or with reminding us that she's a big woman? I assumed that everyone could do better than this. But then again, what does it say about your finished product when the only real laughs that come from such a varied cast come from rapper T.I.? Besides that your direction and script are poor that is.


I mentioned the third act above, but while typing and going over my notes jotted down (which didn't consist of profanity-laden tirades), I really did remind myself of why I disliked this film as much as I did. Well, aside from everything mentioned already. I truly do hate inconsistent and idiotic scripts. I've been willing to make exceptions and enjoy a fun film with a weak script if the direction is good, but the smallest of tidbits and actions in here are just so confusing to any relatively intelligent and well-versed moviegoer. Why in the world were the Detectives helping Sandy so incredibly worthless? Why was Jon Favreau's character (Sandy's boss) even in the film? How lethargic are the people behind fraud claims? Why did the sideplot involving Robert Patrick even exist? Why does the movie attempt to make you think that NOT ruining someone's life is "boring?"


As to whether these questions are answered, Mr. BLU Engineer is here to let you know!

I've seen worse than Identity Thief. Hell, I'd even take viewing it over the worst of the worst from last year's Unseen Terror marathon (cheap plug!), but that still doesn't excuse its overall quality being less than stellar. Did I mention that the film is predictable as well? Honestly, if you can't tell how it ends, you just haven't seen enough films in this genre. There have been better released comedies this year, some of which I'll discuss further over the next few days (second cheap plug!), so it should be in your best interest to not bother with this one.

Mud (2013) Review

Traveling down the Mississippi River one day, two teenage boys named Ellis and Neckbone discover a small island housing two notable objects: a boat stuck in a tree, and a man calling himself "Mud." After some simple conversation, as well as several visits back, the boys discover how and why Mud came to be on said island: the man is a fugitive, a former local on the run for murder, and all Mud wants is to reunite with his girlfriend, so that they may leave town together.


Well, the hits just keep on coming, and in the case of this past week's worth of releases that I've managed to observe, they're getting better and better. I never thought I'd put something starring Matthew McConaughey in a potential "Best of the Year" list, but there's always time for firsts in my book of often strange movie opinions.


I was terrified that Mud's hype would its own undoing, but if anything, it hasn't been receiving enough in the public eye. It could be the best "southern" film I've seen in recent memory, and may be up there with some of the all time classics of the "coming-of-age" genre. You know what I'm referring to, yes? Films that feature a colorful cast, mostly focused on a younger man or woman, and let us the audience watch them grow up or down over the course of its running time usually qualify as such. Pictures like Stand By Me are often the most easily remembered of the bunch. Mud also takes influence from pictures like Slingblade and even modern day classics like Winter's Bone, with its very raw and often times real vibes felt throughout.


He might be the butt of several jokes for the rather silly roles he occasionally signs on to, but my goodness is Matthew McConaughey excellent in this. I don't recall liking him this much in a film since at least the days of Frailty. The Texas actor seems more suited and remarkably comfortable in roles like the title character, who is a fascinating individual and deeply sympathetic, through thick and thin. There isn't much more rewarding than a well-written tragic character whose layers we have to continuously peel back. But while watching the unraveling and confessions of Mud's past is great, the film really isn't about him once one sticks with it.


No, Mud is more about the growth and maturation of teenager Ellis, played absolutely fantastically by Tye Sheridan. If you can promise to keep him away from the destructive and terrible lifestyle that Hollywood seems to subtly encourage, this young man has a real future as a potential Oscar winner. You also need to steer him clear of any douchebag directors who may cast him more as a typical "southern kid" rather than for his, you know, talent. Anyways, back on topic. It isn't hard to see some of yourself in Ellis. He's struggling with parental problems (a potential divorce), a girl who may or may not return her affections, and even may have to bare witness to his childhood home being demolished if things don't get increasingly better. It can tug at your heartstrings more than you may realize.


Truth be told, there isn't a weak performance to be found in the two hour running time. Reese Witherspoon, for what time she is seen here, is great as Mud's girlfriend, as is Sam Shepard as Tom Blankenship, the equally mysterious stranger who lives near Ellis and his family. The character count does get to be a tad bit much in the third act, but it doesn't overwhelm or stress you out. Speaking of the third act, Mud's script gets to be fairly heartbreaking as time goes on, with distinct moments and revelations in said third act making it easy to identify with the supporting cast's frustrations. It is a good reminder of humanity's simplest, but cruelest flaws, and of the classic quote "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Oh! That quote may also play a minor part in a future review...


Wow, did I seriously go an entire review without truly bitching once? Hmm. Well, in all honesty, I couldn't find anything to truly complain about or nitpick, other than perhaps the character of Neckbone sporting a Fugazi t-shirt during their first encounter with Mud. Someone please remind me, do rednecks listen to Fugazi? Well, I guess if I ever believe anybody in this cast would've introduced the young man to the world of alternative music, it would be Michael Shannon, the boy's uncle. McConaughey looks like the type who would be into really awful modern country (or worse, bad southern post-grunge). Otherwise, this is a really, REALLY well done film, and worth watching as soon as you finish reading this review (for which I thank you).

Elysium (2013) Review

Long into the future of the human race, Earth has been utterly torn apart and left in ruins, thanks to a combination of overpopulation, disease, and other contributing factors. The wealthiest faction of human beings have taken to the stars, building a large space station dubbed "Elysium," which is free of poverty, sickness, and conflict. On Earth, an industrial worker with limited time on his hands devises a plan to reach this near-paradise, but those above are not so willing to let just anyone enjoy their way of life...


After I had complained about 2013 unofficially being dubbed the year of "meh," it seems like this irrational statement is slowly being phased out, and the pictures being released by studios are slowly getting better and better. True, we are still in August after all, but that has been eight solid months of varying quality. I regret that it took this long for me to be brought out of this dreadful slump, and I'm just as perplexed that Matt Damon was one of the names who assisted in it. Apologies if that sounded slightly arrogant.


Director Neil Blomkamp is still a relative newcomer to the realm of full-length film, but his previous effort District 9 had nearly every individual on the market talking and in awe, save for a select few who aren't worth mentioning here, as did his work on the shorts that he shot for the release of video game phenomenon Halo 3. The man understands how to keep the audience's attention with a good story and coercive characters, as well as a pseudo-documentary feel at select times, but doesn't skip out on the moments that most mainstream crowds come to see, such as mechanical contraptions & weapons that blow things up rather well. Considering what Neil was able to accomplish with the thirty million dollar budget of his previous effort, I thought he did a splendid job with having nearly four times that film's budget this time around. Having the assistance of Weta Workshop certainly helps as well, with the design on the robots seen throughout Elysium looking remarkable, and a particular scene with one being blown apart in slow-motion gives you an indication that these machines are certainly not as easy to build as one would think. Blomkamp most certainly seems to have a love for cybernetics, with Matt Damon being enhanced after the end of the third act (put away your bats, it isn't a spoiler), and reminding us of the sheer power and potential of future technology.


Elysium is also highlighted by notable performances, some good and some unfortunately mediocre. Don't be surprised if most of the buzz you hear after some time has passed is in relation to Sharlto Copley, who manages to pull a complete 180 from his likable protagonist in District 9, and goes into full on psychopath mode as a sleeper agent who enjoys his job of preventing a potential merging of the two worlds. He isn't a revolutionary villain by any means, but he is damn good, and blows Jodie Foster's Elysian government official out of the water. I regret having to say that Foster was very average, but it didn't seem like she tried to bring anything truly unique to her character, and it felt like a very common evil, upperclass politician. On the side of heroism, Matt Damon is fine, and his character is much easier to relate to than Copley's Wikus in the aforementioned motion picture. Alice Braga, Wagner Moura, and Diego Luna play different friends and associates of Damon's from over the years, and all of their side stories tie in well without seeming forced. That being said, a potential director's cut could help with the feeling that we just didn't see enough of them. I refuse to believe that a running time of 109 minutes was the final decision of everyone involved.


Where District 9 had noticeable parallels with immigration issues we face today, there is also a heavy emphasis on the war between classes and issues with health care, and lack thereof, observed by the crowds in the film and outside of it. Most of the Earth's population is comprised of Latinos and African Americans, while most of the gathering we see on Elysium itself is upper class caucasian males and females. I'm certain that this wasn't a coincidence, but I imagine those bothered by it may be of the more conservative variety, or looking to nitpick for nitpicker's sake. In fact, careful examination shows an eerie similarity to Blomkamp's previous effort in terms of entire structure, resolution, and even the classic "Good and Evil Chart (google it if you have the time). I've heard theories that this could in fact be set in the same universe that housed the Prawns and MNU, but I'm far too lazy to research this at the moment, and may save that bit of banal geekiness for the end of the year. Besides, nearly every director, from Spielberg to Boll, has most likely been accused of copying and pasting in some way, shape, or form.


I'm starting to realize that my personal favorite films released throughout the summer have fallen into the two genres that I've had a love for since childhood: science fiction and horror. Mind you, Elysium is certainly not a horror movie, but it is a well-crafted, well-acted, and overall very interesting entry into the science fiction genre. A viewing in a large theater with an even larger screen is recommended, and I wish nothing but the best for Mr. Blomkamp with future endeavors and projects, as this bearded weirdo will be sure to keep watching and supporting you.


Just don't pull an M. Night Shymalan on us please.

The Conjuring (2013) Review

In 1971, married couple Carolyn and Roger Perron move into a new home in Rhode Island. Along with their five daughters, the family settle in well enough on the first day, but things go sour rather quickly. Several strange instances occur which lead the family to believe that the residence may be haunted by spirits, and they make the decision to contact paranormal researchers Ed & Lorraine Warren for help.

Forgive me if I sound like a broken record, but the state of paranormal horror films is in a bit of a conundrum at the moment. It seems like the reliance upon cheap scares has replaced good tension, characters have been getting progressively stupider and harder to relate to, and the insistency to crowbar in scenes of extreme violence from time to time seems rather unnecessary. I'm not going to name specific pictures (as I'm still adhering to my promise from the last review I did), but you can guess what I'm referring to. Add to that my mixed feelings on director James Wan's body of work prior to the release of The Conjuring, and you can understand why I may have been cautious of a viewing that would cost more than a single dollar or two. I never thought he had a proper understanding of what makes a truly scary ghost story.

I, however, would like to present my hat to Mr. Wan, before I promptly eat it. Or something like that.

Perhaps what really drove me to like this picture as much as I did is in relation to the paragraph above. The film does so much with so little, and I think Mr. Wan may be slowly turning into an honest-to-god good horror filmmaker. The scares in The Conjuring are very much based in the old ghost and demonic stories from back in the glory days of horror. I could spot nods to films like The Exorcist and The Changeling fairly easily, but most of what makes this film work isn't just similarities, but simple things like camera work, proper place of music, and a story that, while somewhat predictable in what is sure to come, still keeps your eyes glued to the screen and creeps you out more than most films released in theaters.

Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson have good chemistry with one another, and if you had told me they were based on a real-life couple, you could have genuinely shocked me. The fact that this case is "based on" true events does merit some investigation, but I'm willing to throw my skepticism to the side and just try to enjoy the film. I honestly couldn't recognize Ron Livingston at first, given that I haven't seen him in anything of note in at least.......five years? Perhaps even more, if you don't count straight-to-DVD pictures. It pains me to say that he was the weakest link in the cast, though it may be unfair considering his tormented wife is excellently played by Lily Taylor, and he suffers in comparison to her. It is easy to get somewhat lost by the fact that this couple has five daughters, and alas, not all of them receive an equal amount of screen time. True, this was the case of the story behind the film, but I'd personally sacrifice one or two underdeveloped daughters in favor of one that had more character.

The Conjuring's body count is shockingly low, as is the actual blood that is shed throughout its near two hour running time (why this earned an "R" rating is baffling to me), but the sign of true strength in a horror film, especially one that deals with the subjects brought up here, is that you don't need those in order to create great atmosphere and in order to scare the audience and make them jump. There's even a scene midway through the picture that answers the age old question of "Why don't you just move out of the haunted area?," something which has always drove me a little bonkers. Sadly, a large portion of the story's more interesting developments were spoiled by its own trailers, so if you have seen little-to-nothing in terms of promotion for this film, that may benefit your viewing experience.

I know a lot of people were very high on Wan's Insidious, but I believe this blows it out of the water in every way, shape, and form. Though Evil Dead still holds the spot for my personal favorite horror film released in 2013 (so far), I may have more respect for The Conjuring, solely because of being able to not just make a known hater of "Ghost Investigation" material like me intrigued by a case that is over forty years old, but for attempting to remind audiences of when and why these stories have frightened many generations' worth of human beings.