futuregiantsplayer Reviews

Monsters (2010)

An apocalyptic love/survival drama

[20 September 2011]

Extreme disappointment is what I felt when Monsters ended.One of the most unfortunately anti-climactic endings I have ever had to witness. This is just one big tease of a film. The premise is very interesting, full of tension and suspense. I have always been a bit of a sucker for sci-fi apocalyptic films, and I probably always will be. It's highly doubtful that I'm the only person who finds a film that just keeps you waiting for something major and shocking to happen, only to find out that there is barely anything of the sort. Most audiences going to see films like this are expecting loud explosions, tons of violence, and a outrageous amount of "monsters" (at least a handful is needed). So it doesn't surprise me at all that Monsters earned barely 3.5 million dollars worldwide. Using subtlety to power an emotional relationship in hard times, but not utilizing its setting or tension well. Monsters gets an A+ for how interesting it is, but relationship studies and sci-fi dramas do not mix well.

Acting is not a problem for this film, both Scott McNairy and Whitney Able do good jobs as the two leads. However two good performances don't do a film that much good unless the performances are mesmerizing (which they sure aren't) and the characters are iconic (definitely not). Scott Mcnairy plays Andrew Kaulder, a photographer who is accompanying his bosses' daughter Samantha Wynden (Whitney Able) back to the U.S., when Samantha misses her boat both her and Andrew must travel through a quarantined zone to get her home. Struggling to survive in the apocalyptic world makes their relationship fascinating to watch. McNairy and Able's chemistry is very nice and will appeal to young couples, but when the leads aren't sharing passionate talks or cuddling even easily amused teenagers with not be able to keep interest.

Newcomer Gareth Edwards make his feature fill directing debut in Monsters which is a sci-fi, travel drama. Edwards' directing skills show promise, starting a career with an apocalypse film is always a way to get your name out there. However it is also Edwards that wrote the script for the film, but I highly doubt his mediocre script writing will do him much harm in the long run. What Edwards attempts in Monsters is to create a newer look for the apocalyptic genre, I guess that isn't saying anything because it's safe to say just about every film maker is trying to create a new look for just about every genre they choose to work with. Something I should add is that Edwards shows real promise with how risky and intriguing his story of love and survival in a barren world is. In order to combine both alien invasions with love is to have to leave out major aspects of one, and that is something that just will not work out. Edwards also did the cinematography and how he creates a chilling atmosphere is impressive, he just didn't seem to use it to full effect, For alien invasions you need violence and creepiness, but for survival romance you need chemistry and emotion. Better luck on your next film Mr. Edwards, with Monsters you bit off quite a bit more than you could chew.

An argument that most fans of Monsters with throw out to the critics is the alien invasion/apocalyptic genre needed a film that wasn't just about cheap violence and endless clichés. In a way that is true, but Monsters takes that idea and doesn't do too much with it. For a genre to truly adapt it needs time and will take various attempts. I guess this is just one of those various attempts, and I wholeheartedly hope that this film will inspire other films to try something new. Although it's not right to give a film to much praise for potential, Monsters sure does have plenty of that and for progress to be made to there always needs to be potential. Director Gareth Edwards and his two leads Scott McFairy and Whitney Able all will have nice futures, and when they all look back on their career Monsters will bring back mixed memories with disappointment, but plenty of potential.

Observe and Report (2009)

A crude day at a shopping mall

[20 September 2011]

An anonymous flasher exposes himself to shoppers in the Forest Ridge Mall parking lot. The head of mall security, Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen), makes it his mission to catch the flasher. He is helped by Charles (Jesse Plemons), Dennis (Michael Pena), and the Yuen twins (John Yuan and Matthew Yuan). Ronnie's dream girl, Brandi (Anna Faris) is flashed the next day, and she becomes hysterical. Detective Harrison (Ray Liotta) comes and takes over the situation, this makes Ronnie very angry. Ronnie decides to take the case into his own hands.

A incredibly disgusting film where Seth Rogen is at his funniest, but a great performance by Rogen cannot save this crude film. Observe and Report is a very dark and unpleasant experience. A cliché thing to say, but I found myself looking at the clock waiting for this film to end. Besides for Rogen Observe and Report has very few laughs. The perfect example of why you can't base and entire films laughs on dirty humor. Some of the most unfortunate, and unwanted nudity I have even had to sit through. Jody Hill tries to shock and awe viewers will dark humor, and a unique storyline, but instead creates and unfortunate film. The most surprising thing about this film is that even while the film is very tough to sit through, Rogen's performance still almost carries the film.

Jody Hill is the co-creator and executive producer of the HBO series Eastbound and Down. Eastbount and Down has dark humor and a very outrageous plot as like Observe and Report, but Observe and Report is not able to link together as well. Hill's first film The Foot Fist Way was seen by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell who bought the distribution rights. And also developed a cult following. Hill was allowed on the set of Knocked Up, and he fell in love with Seth Rogen's acting style. He became even more of a Rogen fan after the release of Superbad. Hill both directed and wrote the script for Observe and Report. Unfortunately it just didn't have as great of an effect as his previous work. Observe and Report's script is very poorly made. Hill's direction is well done, but the film is an absolute mess.

Seth Rogen's performance is one of the best and hilarious performances from a comedy since probably Steve Carell's in 40 Year Old Virgin. Besides for Rogen there are no other performances worth mentioning. Anna Faris as Brandi is a very untalented performance. Ray Liotta as Detective Harrison is nothing special, no lines or scenes worth mentioning. One performance does not keep a film in motion. Each time Rogen is off the screen this film just crashes and burns.

Observe and Report only grossed about 25 million in the box office, one of the lowest grossing films that Rogen has stared in. This film had plenty of hype. Rogen as the lead, the co-creator of Eastbound and Down as the director, and also starring Ray Liotta. But like so many comedy films, it disappointed. It seems like each year there are more and more gross- out comedies that are released. Hopefully this film will help people realize that these films very rarely work, but probably not. The amount of awful nudity in this film will make you have to check and make sure you are not at a Jackass film. Observe and Report is a film you need to brace yourself to sit through. A film Rogen fans will want to pass on, and if you are a Jody Hill fan you too will be disappointed.