Allow me to introduce myself

My name is Michael, and I am a man with opinions. Opinions about movies. And you lucky dogs get to hear them!

I'm Adam's brother - but don't let that give you the wrong idea, I'm actually quite sophisticated and intelligent. Seriously though, Adam and Ben have created an excellent blog which I've been following since its inception, and I'm happy to say that I'll be contributing now and then.

Although the scope of Adam's movie-watching résumé baffles even me, I know a bit about film myself, as I am currently studying it at school and hope to someday work in the medium. So I'll be posting some reviews and insights here, and I hope that you enjoy them!

12 Angry Men

So when I started this blog, I meant to have a fairly even mix of the old and the new. Recently we have been on a new release or in theater binge, so to switch things up, I thought I would review one of my all-time favorite movies... Sidney Lumet's first-ever film, the 1957 drama 12 Angry Men.

The film opens in a court house on a hot night, right before the jury deliberates on a murder trial. As you may have guessed from the title, it revolves around the twelve members of the jury. An all middle aged or older, all-male, all-white, all-middle class or up jury is about to decide on the fate of an 18 year-old boy who is clearly not white and not middle class. He is accused of stabbing his father to death and if found guilty, must be sent to the chair. After the judge reads the jury their instructions, the movie moves into the jury room and stays there for essentially the remainder of the film. Once inside, we quickly discover that the vast majority firmly believe the boy is guilty. One man, however, has his doubts.

The cast is spectacular. All twelve members of the jury are given ample dialogue and screen time to create full fledged characters, and the actors do not disappoint. None of them are cardboard cutouts. We are reminded many times over the course of the movie that these are all ordinary people with their own lives and experiences that they are bringing to bear on the evidence, and how that causes each of them to have their own unique viewpoint.

Henry Fonda as the lone dissenter, Juror #8, is terrific and brings a great deal of intelligence to the role. Lee J Cobb is equally charismatic as the "excitable" nemesis to Fonda, Juror #3. E.G. Marshall's coldly logical Juror #4 and Ed Begley's racist Juror #10 both deserve mention.

The filming of this movie would seemingly be simple. Sidney Lumet, making his first feature film, displays the ability he would show several times later on in his career as he places the viewer inside the jury room. While the film progresses, Lumet changes angles and uses close-ups to great effect, slowly constricting the room and increasing our claustrophobia. It is a masterful debut.

12 Angry Men is a simultaneously optimistic and pessimistic view of the American judicial system. It extolls all its virtues (including the idea of reasonable doubt), and it appears to be praising the ability of twelve ordinary people to come to a consensus. Unspoken however, are grave concerns. Racism is an ever present danger, and a jury is just a likely to have a Lee J Cobb as it is to have a Henry Fonda.

A must see.

27/30

Greenberg

What's that, boy?  Greenberg is playing at the Little Theater?  Let's go, quick! 

Greenberg is about a brief period in the life of Roger Greenberg, played wonderfully by Ben Stiller, a socially impaired man just about to turn 41.  Just released from a mental hospital (the reason for his stay is left tantalizingly unknown for the most part), Greenberg moves into his brother's house for a spell to set his life in order.  There he meets Florence (Greta Gerwig), a much younger personal assistant that he engages with in what can barely be called a relationship.

Greenberg's plot is dolled out slowly, but expertly, over the course of the movie.  Hints of Greenberg's past are alluded to at first, but the viewer do not fully understand the emotions driving him until well into the movie.  The immediate satisfaction derived from the film is the interactions between characters.  Far from what I expected, Greenberg is an extremely easy movie to watch.  It is filled with comedy, and cut almost like a Adam McKay film (Anchorman and Talladega Nights), with punchlines ending scenes with a bang and the audience's laughter transitioning Greenberg from one location to the next.

Stiller plays Greenberg fearlessly and unflinchingly; a nearly unlikable protagonist.  Stiller's charisma and the brilliant writing allow you to root for a main character who does everything possible to sabotage his relationship with the one woman in his life who is accommodating, sweet, and attracted to him.  Gerwig's Florence is also well played, understated and yet still bubbly and likable.  Similarly, Noah Baumbach does not draw attention to direction of the movie, allowing the characters to focus the movie behind their personal issues.

If you have the means, see Greenberg.  It is terrific.

25/30

News Hour with Routinely Average

Here are some news stories about whats going on in the movie business, accompanied by RA's take.

News: The notorious Tom Cruise might be reprising his wildly popular role as Les Grossman, the foul-mouthed movie exec from the 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder, in a spin-off movie with Grossman as the main character. He also recently made an appearance as Grossman at the MTV movie awards where he performed a dance number with J. Lo. LINK
RA's Take: I'm not usually a big fan of spin-offs, but Cruise was hysterical in Tropic Thunder. Some smart writing, and maybe Ben Stiller back to direct could lead to very funny things. Plus its nice to see Tom back in the spotlight in a positive way.

News: It sounds like Sony has settled on Jamie Bell as the new Peter Parker for the upcoming Spider Man reboot. Cinematical looks at how appropriate the choice is. LINK
RA's Take: I don't really get why we need a reboot anyway considering we just finished a trilogy with a significantly more popular actor in Tobey Maguire. Cinematical raises some interesting points though, and who knows. I try not to write off a project before it has even begun filming.

News: Guillermo Del Toro is no longer directing The Hobbit. The director of Pan's Labyrinth seemed to be the perfect fit to bring the world of Middle-Earth to life in his own distinct way. Apparently filming delays and uncertainty surrounding the financial side of the movie were too much for Del Toro. LINK
RA's Take: I was truly excited about a Del Toro version of The Hobbit and it seems that this troubled production might never get made. MGM's financial woes, combined with the difficulty of finding a new director to not only step in so late, but also be up to the task artistically seem like they might be insurmountable obstacles. Very disappointing news.

News: Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl's new comedy, Killers gets panned by critics once they were finally able to see it. LINK
RA's Take: Not all the surprising. It looked crappy, and then gave the figurative finger to movie critics everywhere. Can't imagine Lionsgate execs are shocked.

News: The annual actresses under 30 power rankings by lovefilm.com were just released with some surprising entries. LINK
RA's Take: It's not that the usual suspects aren't on there, but many of them are much lower than expected as a new group of young women have burst onto the scene in the past year.

News: Since we are getting so close to the World Cup, here is an interesting LA Times article for you about why there is no definitive Hollywood soccer movie. LINK
RA's Take: I love soccer, and have often lamented the lack of a major soccer movie. Maybe one is coming down the pike as soccer (or should I say football) continues to increase in popularity in the US.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Sorry about the long layoff there guys. I'm gonna try to get back on it and post at least once a week here. Here is an interesting one to start us off again.

Terry Gilliam has always been an inventive director. One of the members of the famed British comedy troupe Monty Python, Gilliam brings a zaniness to his films that few can match. His latest effort, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, is no exception. With a story that ranges from bizarre to totally nonsensical, Gilliam and his cast and crew construct a film around it that actually succeeds as entertainment, if not as a philosophical discussion.

Unfortunately, this film's legacy will not be tied to anything other than Heath Ledger, making his last appearance ever here, as he tragically died halfway through filming. Instead of halting production or re-filming Ledger's scenes with another actor, Gilliam made the decision to continue with three other actors taking on Ledger's role at various points in the film. Thanks to an ingenious plot device, this endeavor works pretty well, and gives us one last chance to watch Ledger at work.

To give you a brief summary of the incredibly complicated plot; it revolves around the extremely ancient Dr. Parnassus, who claims to be immortal, and his ragtag group of traveling thespians, as they attempt to battle the Devil, also known as Mr. Nick, for souls within Parnassus' Imaginarium. Parnassus and the Devil are also locked in a wager where the winner gets Parnassus' beautiful daughter Valentina as soon as she turns 16. When all is seemingly lost, in steps the mysterious Tony (Ledger), who offers a chance to best the Devil, but has hidden motivations of his own.

The overly convoluted story line and nearly indecipherable figurative and philosophic meanderings of the movie make it a tricky one to follow. But that is not where this film gets its juice from. Gilliam's wild imagination is always fun to watch when he unleashes its full force, combined with a cast that embraces the weirdness of it all, it provides a very watchable film. Ledger is solid as Tony. Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell play the various other incarnations of Tony, with Depp standing out. Christopher Plummer and Tom Waits steal the show as the continuously gambling Parnassus and Mr. Nick respectively. Lily Cole makes an impressive film debut as Valentina.

Overall it is a flawed film. Gilliam let the plot get away from him, Verne Troyer has way too much dialogue as Parnassus' sidekick, and Ledger's character probably would have benefitted from only having one actor. In the end though, it will always be remembered as Ledger's fairwell role, and as that, it works reasonably well.

22/30

Robin Hood

The film opens upon a spectacular battlefield. Steely men from the pages history stare each other down as they prepare to engage in vicious battle and hand-to-hand combat. One man stands apart from the throng, noticeably distinct from all the rest. General Maximus, leader of the Roman army readies himself... wait, hold on... wrong movie. Unfortunately I think Ridley Scott also got confused during the filming of his new movie. The recently released Robin Hood bares many similarities to Scott's masterpiece, Gladiator (2000). Not the least of which is the main character, portrayed by Russell Crowe in both pictures. Crowe appears to have perfected the ability to display the nobility of the common man with uncommon valor. While the character of Robin was often known to crack jokes and make witty comments at King John's expense, in this update, Robin is more of the strong silent type.

As a film, Robin Hood is simply decent. A bit long with a tendency to drag, it is populated by epic action scenes, and highly regarded character actors. What Scott and Co. attempted is to create a realistic origin story for the lovable legend. That means King Richard the Lionheart (Danny Huston) is actually violent and egotistical, and King John (Oscar Isaac) and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Matthew Macfadyen) both make appearances but are not the main villains. That distinction belongs to the French, and the English traitor Godfrey, played by the leering Mark Strong. Robin Hood returns home from the crusades right as the French are attempting to use political intrigue to split England in two. Of course impassioned speeches, ambushes, lovely maidens, and Scott's trademark ability to film a battle all ensue.

Like all Scott films, the technical side is well done. He knows how to shoot an adventure, and he knows how to shoot a period piece. The only complaint is that the pacing lags a bit in the middle. The cast side fares just as well. Crowe is always a solid lead, Cate Blanchett handles the role of Maid Marion with grit and aplomb, and Mark Strong is creating a really fun bad guy persona. Other notables include William Hurt, Max Von Sydow, Eileen Atkins combine with Danny Huston as they bring some acting cred to the table.

As adventure films go, it is well done. The film is entertaining, and well-acted. This particular film however, had a larger responsibility than that. Robin Hood is one of the most beloved legends of all time, and while Scott and Crowe provide a gritty and exciting update, they fail to revive any of the spirit and jauntiness of previous incarnations. The band of merry men, while frequently present, have little in the way of lines of character development. The bottom line is as a movie, Robin Hood is fine. As an update of an old story, it fails to live up to is predecessors.

20/30

Time to get linked in...

Hello again RA fans and followers. Sorry for the long layoff, but I am back at it, and ready with some links for your viewing pleasure.

News: Patrick Dempsey is joining the cast of Transformers 3. He will take on the role of the Megan Fox character's boss. LINK
RA's Take: Not interesting in and of itself (unless you're a big Dempsey fan), but look at the cast list for this movie now. It is pretty breathtaking. Which is all the more astonishing considering just how bad (and even offensive) the second one was. Can all of these A-list actors need money that badly?

News: Quick news story about Anthony Hopkins' next few roles. Apparently he just signed on to play an evil sorcerer in the upcoming Arabian Nights. LINK
RA's Take: I love watching Hopkins, especially in weird villain roles. He can bring so much menace to a character. Count me in.

News: A Morena Baccarin interview with Movieline where she discusses her tv show V, and Joss Whedon's directorial abilities. LINK
RA's Take: Baccarin first stole my heart as Inara from Whedon's tv series Firefly, and the ensuing film, Serenity. I would listen to her talk on just about any topic, but especially Joss Whedon. At least for the purposes of this blog.

News: Danny McBride and Aziz Ansari are joining forces again. They have the upcoming 30 Minutes or Less, and now, an untitled project they are working on with 30 Rock writer, Matt Hubbard. LINK
RA's Take: This should be great news. Both are on hot streaks right now, and are pretty hysterically funny on their own. Hopefully they bring out the best in each other.

News: With the release of Robin Hood looming, here is a really nice NY Times piece on Ridley Scott. It breaks down the director's career and examines his relationship with frequent collaborator, Russell Crowe. LINK
RA's Take: Ridley Scott is one of my favorites. Despite less than consistent critical acclaim, the man makes extremely watchable movies. Alien and Blade Runner are two of my all-timers when it comes to sci-fi. I will be one of the first in line for Robin Hood.

Ali

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. 

Rumble young man, rumble.

This immortal battle cry, so closely associated with its author, the boxing legend Muhammad Ali, not only evokes images of his boxing style, but also provides an apt description of his biographical film. The 2001 movie, Ali, dances around Ali's life, much like the lightening quick Ali would move in the ring. But when the critical moment arrives, both the film and the boxer know when to strike. 

Michael Mann's vision of Ali's life stays mainly within the confines of the most public part of his life. It opens in 1964 just before Ali won the heavyweight title for the first time from Sonny Liston. It then covers his relationship with the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X, his refusal to be drafted, and his eventual return to boxing, including Ali-Frazier 1 and ending with the Rumble in the Jungle against George Foreman in 1974. The boxing historians who are searching for an encyclopedic recounting of Ali's career will be sorely disappointed here, as many of Ali's fights are barely even mentioned. Ali's second two bouts with Frazier, all three fights with Ken Norton, and the Cleveland Williams fight are all passed over. At two hours and forty minutes, the film could barely afford to cover what it did.

Mann is well known for his visual style of filmmaking. His tendency to elongate shots and draw out isolated images is on full display here. Despite several beautiful moments, there are times when Ali starts to drag. Mann does handle the boxing scenes well however. They are not only realistic, which is a rarity for boxing movies (I'm looking at you Rocky), but they capture Ali's style and personality in the ring as well. One of the best scenes in the movie is the weigh-in for the first Sonny Liston fight because it showcases one of Ali's most potent weapons. Psychological warfare. 

Mann also spends a great deal of time documenting Ali's relationships with those around him. Malcolm X (a friend and mentor), Drew "Bundini" Brown (his motivator), Angelo Dundee (his manager), the sportscaster Howard Cosell, and three of his four wives all receive ample screen time to showcase all the interesting people that flocked to Ali like moths to a flame. And make no mistake, in a film filled with luminaries, Muhammad Ali is the brightest of all.

The saving grace of this film is the acting. Will Smith plays Ali and has his mannerisms down to a science. The story goes that Smith refused to play the role until Ali called him and asked him to personally. What resulted was a wonderful, Oscar nominated performance really gets to the heart of this larger than life figure. Jamie Foxx as Bundini, Mario van Peebles as Malcolm X, and Jon Voight, who also received an Oscar nom, as Howard Cosell are excellent as well. Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith's real life wife, also deserves mention for her role as of Ali's wives. 

Ali is far from perfect, but it creates a insightful look at one of the most fascinating lives of the 20th century. The narrative struggles a bit, as Mann tries to construct a beginning, middle, and end from the events in Muhammad Ali's life, but the subject material and the acting make this more than worthwhile.

22/30

Link me up Scotty!

Its been a while since we've had some current movie news here, so today's post is just going to be a bunch of news and rumors you may or may not find interesting. Enjoy.

News: Straight from the news desk of Ron Burgundy, Adam McKay announced over his twitter account that Anchorman 2 seems all but dead thanks to budget concerns. LINK

RA's Take: Twitter is far from the most reliable news source, but this certainly could be credible. It would have been hard to recapture the magic of the first one though, and Anchorman already had a psuedo-sequel anyway.

News: Richard Gere and Topher Grace will star in the new spy thriller The Double. LINK

RA's Take: Intriguing news, but those two are hardly a can't miss team, so I have a feeling the film will not belong in that category either.

News: Sean Bean's new movie Black Death, a movie about knights and witchcraft during the bubonic plague, just released a trailer. LINK

RA's Take: I'm a sucker for Mr. Bean and the trailer looks intense.

News: A brief Mickey Rourke interview on his upcoming Genghis Khan biopic. LINK

RA's Take: Rourke has always been a bit of an odd duck, but everything else I've heard about the movie sounds very cool.

News: Sharlto Copley has dropped hints about the possibility of a sequel to District 9. It sounds like he and director Neill Blomkamp consider this to be almost an eventuality. LINK

RA's Take: If you are like me and loved District 9, then this should be exciting news. If you aren't, well then you probably don't care.

News: Katherine Heigl's new film has been picked up by Lionsgate for distribution. LINK

RA's Take: While I tend to think the majority of Heigl's films are as predictable as they come, she is starting to assert her box office draw. I don't think Ms. Heigl will be fading into obscurity anytime soon.

News: Not news so much. This link is a clip of NY Times film critic, A.O. Scott, reviewing an old David Mamet movie, Glengarry Glen Ross. LINK

RA's Take: It is a terrific movie and a nice succinct breakdown of the film. Watch the clip and especially the film, if only to see that rarest of movie phenomena... a restrained Al Pacino performance.

RA Profile: Ellen Chenoweth

New feature time here at Routinely Average. Ben and I are going to start profiling some people in the movie industry, either that we have a unique take on, or maybe that don't get the media coverage they deserve. I thought I would kick things off with Hollywood's premier casting director, Ellen Chenoweth.

Casting directors are a key part of any film making process. They recommend and audition actors and actresses for every non-extra role in the film. While the final decision is usually made by a combination of the casting director, director and producer, the casting directors have tremendous influence, and some choices can completely change the way a film is created. They are also often forced to deal with both the business and artistic side of a film when considering who to hire. Not only must they find the right actor, but there is always a budget within which they have to operate. This gives them a unique and important role in the movie business.

Ellen Chenoweth has one of those names that will seem familiar to film goers that stay through the credits. Her filmography is wildly impressive including several features with the Coen Brothers, Clint Eastwood, and Barry Levinson. After casting her first film (the 1981 prehistoric adventure Quest for Fire), Chenoweth cast the Levinson classic Diner and her career took off. One of the amazing things about her career is the number of young actors she casts in small roles, who go on to have tremendous careers of their own. Chenoweth is known to have a preference for stage actors, and has given numerous actors their start or their break-through role. Mickey Rourke, Will Smith, Kevin Bacon, Scarlett Johansson and many others were cast in career making parts by Chenoweth. Some of her more impressive ensembles include the No Country for Old Men, Doubt, Wag the Dog, The Natural, and Broadcast News, and that is just a small portion.

I know the Academy Awards are not the be all, end all measure of critical success, but in general they are a pretty good standard. If you want the clearest example of the size of the mark Ellen Chenoweth has left on the film industry, that would be the fact that she has cast an astounding 30 different Oscar nominated roles. How's that for critical success.