| By Thompson Wong
12 Aug 2011 |
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It's hard to describe a film that essentially mashes together two wildly different movie genres together, especially when they're from the opposite side of the spectrum - the American Western element of cowboys and the science-fiction element of extraterrestrials - but that's exactly what director Jon Favreau, last known for his smash hits in the two Iron Man movies, has come up with. Well, kind of.
Given Cowboys & Alien's inherently unusual premise, you'd think that the characters in the film would be equally out of this world as well. Not so. The film wastes no time in introducing us to Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig), the classic strong and silent loner (pun unintended) who wakes up remembering nothing, with a mysterious metal bracelet shackled to his wrist. After wandering into the local town of Absolution for answers, he then chances upon rich spoilt brat Percy Dolarhyde (Paul Dano), the son of an influential cattleman Colonel Woodrow (Harrison Ford). Throw in Sheriff Taggart (Keith Carradine), who subsequently recognizes Lonergan as a wanted criminal. And of course, don't forget the beautiful damsel Ella Swanson (Olivia Wilde), who also steps in with an agenda of her own. All these characters, though one-dimensional in nature, are thankfully well executed by their actors. Craig, with all his billowing forearms and rock-chiseled body, puts in an equally solid shift as the main hero. Ford is no slouch too, starting on the track as a potential villain - but ending up as one of the more reliable members of Craig's alien-busting team. It is far too easy for Cowboys to descend into a campy B-grade flick once the insectoid-like aliens appear with blue-hued weaponry and all, but Favreau keeps a tight leash on the events that unfold - providing enough pace to keep the story going, yet maintaining the suspension of disbelief that accompanies such an unconventional tale. Having said that, Cowboys & Aliens doesn't manage to elevate the imagination or story potential expected of such a genre pairing - instead it ends on a somewhat bewildering note that leaves more questions than answers for its viewers. However, for those merely looking for a popcorn flick to while your time away - Cowboys does do the trick - albeit a little sloppily. |
Labels: review
Dinner for Schmucks
by Thompson Wong
The bromance genre has scored its latest hit with Dinner for Schmucks, proving the buddy genre is still well and alive.
This outrageously hilarious comedy pairs the standard mismatched duo: Barry (Steve Carell), a bumbling social outcast whose hobby involves dressing up dead mice, and Tim (Paul Rudd), a financial executive who is on the brink of moving to an office on the coveted seventh floor once he completes a final task – find and bring an eccentric person to a “dinner for winners” organised by his bosses.
Tim soon finds out that the dinner is really a contest for his colleagues to bring the biggest idiot but decides not to participate due to his art curator girlfriend Julie’s (Stephanie Szostak) chagrin. However, when he literally bumps into the beady-eyed Barry with his car, Tim is convinced that the dinner must go on.
The film then takes the viewer on an unconventional ride of laughs involving an animalistic artist (played by the brilliant Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords fame), an obsessed stalker (Lucy Punch) who manages to edge Barry in the creepiness department, and Therman (Zach Galifianakis of The Hangover), the bearded colleague of Barry’s that also serves as his nemesis.
Director Jay Roach manages to balance the commotion and emotion well, a rare art in comedy films. Carell may be a disturbing nitwit who resembles a mouse himself, but he’s good at his craft and it is the reason why he doesn’t come across as annoying while barreling a “tornado of destruction”, to borrow a line from the movie, through Tim’s life. In fact, you’ll find yourself laughing at his antics, especially his varied and wild facial expressions, which will cement themselves firmly in your mind.
Even though the movie is rated NC16, sexual humour features heavily here, which might not be appropriate for teenage audiences. Fans of Carell will also love this movie - he is the star here, putting in a solid performance that oddly manages to make you laugh at him without feeling too mean about it.
Although the ending may seem slightly contrived, Dinner for Schmucks is a clever movie that will achieve its goal of providing laughs, while anchoring the humour with an undercurrent of heartfelt emotion (which thankfully only borders on the sappy), leaving you with a warm, fuzzy feeling long after the credits roll.
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funniest movie of 2010 so far, in my opinion. i went in expecting a boring film (what does schmuck mean anyway?) but left feeling good. a must-watch
Labels: review
