[Review] Tasting Menu

I’m a huge fan of cooking, but have never found myself to enjoy films that center around someone who enjoys the same hobby as I do. Regardless of my stubborn belief, I always do my best to keep an open mind to things that I have already labeled as pointless by giving them another try. On this note, I decided to view Tasting Menu, and just like with my food, I was disappointed when I discovered the lack of spice this film brought to me. It’s attempt at complexity was diminished with the over-utilization of plot lines, and to be honest I still have no idea what I was supposed to take away from my viewing.

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Tasting Menu
Director: Roger Gual
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: April 18, 2014

At the height of her success, Chef Mar Vidal (Vincenta N’Dongo) has decided that she is going to close down her world famous restaurant. Marc (Jan Cornet) and Rachel (Claudia Bassols) made a reservation at this restaurant a year beforehand without the knowledge that it would also be the last night of the establishment’s existence. The event, for this reason, makes the occasion even more important, yet Marc and Rachel are no longer together. The dinner is the first reunion between the pair since their split a year earlier, and neither of them were stubborn enough to give up their seats at the coveted restaurant. The night is still young, and it seems that everyone in the restaurant is going to have a memorable experience on this evening of conclusions.

The initial premise of this film sounds kind of charming. A couple rekindling their lost fire of a relationship over a once in a lifetime opportunity dinner seems like something that a person could relate to in one way or another. However, on top of this plot there’s a lot of other minor ones, such as a widowed countess who was close friends with the chef and two Japanese men escorted by a Spanish girl who becomes interested in Marc. Not to mention Rachel’s boss shows up with the hopes of extending their relationship to a very new level. Because of all of these different plot lines, I endured the whole film hoping that they would all come together to make one. To my dismay, I felt as if I endured a whole 90 minute introduction into what could potentially be a few good movies. In fact, it felt like I was just getting a few samples from a Tasting Menu of the whole film. 

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I thought that there were a lot of ideas from this film that could have been very great as different films. The countess’s relationship with the chef would have been a nice coming of age film about sharing old experiences with youth, the escort of the Japanese men could have possibly been the other woman in a shaky relationship with a woman and her ex, or it could have solely centered around the woman and her ex. Regardless, these are all very strong plot points that might just have been too independent to bounce off one another. In the end, the movie came off to me as a collection of cliches, and unfortunately I still have no idea what I was to take away from my viewing of it. Potential lies underneath the surface of all of these different plots, but it’s too scattered to follow. A bit of narrowing in topic choice would turn this film that was very bland and two-dimensional into a work that is a bit more full of life. 


[Trailer] God's Pocket

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Philip Seymour Hoffman was a man of so much talent, and his unexpected death was one that shook not just those involved in Hollywood, but also fans around the world. With a variety of works under his belt ranging from the acclaimed Capote to the successful Hunger Games, he has displayed his large range of capabilities and thus capturing the attention of people everywhere. While the great actor may no longer be here to create new works, he has left a few films behind that have yet to be viewed. He will appear in Anton Corbijn’s thriller A Most Wanted Man later this year, but first he will be featured in John Slattery’s latest drama God’s Pocket along with John Turturro.

Based on the novel by Pete Dexter and including Christina Hendricks, the film features Hoffman as Mickey Scarpato, a man who works to cover up his stepson’s death by claiming it as a “construction accident.” While the cast is excellent and the trailer looks great in my opinion, those who saw the film at Sundance, including RH’s very own Geoff, say it's a film that isn’t quite sure which direction it wants to take. It is still managing to pull a large amount of interest from critics, though, and I hope that it has been improved a bit since its shaky Sundance debut.

Whether you are a fan of Hoffman or not, I think that this would be a film worth checking out. It arrives in theaters on Friday, May 9, 2014.


Mae Whitman

Mae Whitman in Talks to Star as The DUFF

I have a lot of guilty pleasures that I don’t really share with many people, and I must say that NBC’s Parenthood falls under that category. It’s a show that probably has a hold on me due to my ability to relate the Braverman family’s antics to those of my own family’s. However, there is one person from the show that I absolutely adore more than most other people in Hollywood, and that is the young, talented Mae Whitman. While she may hold a pretty successful role in the show, she is currently in negotiations with CBS Films to star in their latest comedy The DUFF. A tale adapted by Josh A. Cagan from Kody Keplinger’s novel The D. U. F. F., Whitman will be playing Bianca, a 17-year-old high school senior whose life is rattled when she finds out that her friends refer to her as the Designated Ugly Fat Friend (DUFF). The discovery of her supposed friends kind words drive her to team up with fellow “DUFFs” and bring down the school’s evil queen.

Whitman has been great at playing these coming of age high school roles. She’s best known for playing Ann Veal on Arrested Development and in the popular teen movie The Perks of Being A Wallflower. The film is expected to be shot in Atlanta this summer. The young actress may not be a household name just yet, but I think that the world is going to be seeing a whole lot more from Mae in these upcoming years.

[via Variety]


[Trailer] Palo Alto

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High school is certainly a time full of hormonally driven decisions and rebellious actions. There is this need to be full of angst yet a simultaneous desire to have complete affection. However, this angst can sometimes lead a teen to getting into too much trouble, whereas the need for affection can have one befriending a box of Kleenexes and a tub of Ben & Jerry's. It definitely isn't the easiest time for anyone, even when one seems to be succeeding pretty well. These multiple emotions that many feel throughout four short years are attempted to be captivated in dozens and dozens of films. While my own personal favorites are from the 80's generation, there are countless others made in recent years like Mean Girls, Juno, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower that take a bold stance on the controversial issues that American high schoolers face. Palo Alto is the latest film that will be taking on this challenge, covering the issues of teacher-student scandals and teenage rebellion.

Starring James Franco, Emma Roberts, Val Kilmer, and Nat Wolff, this dark drama covers a the lives of a few teens with the desire to find trouble. Roberts plays April, a 14 year old who just wants to feel love from a significant other who seems consistently disappointed by Kilmer's character Stewart's ignorance. However, Franco's character, Mr. B, sees this in April and is suddenly a bit more interested in being just her soccer coach and teacher. Simultaneously, Stewart is trying to make a better image for himself but is finding it difficult with the poor influence of his friend Fred (Wolff). The story lines appear to intertwine in order to make a film with just about as much complexity as that period in life is for all who experience it.

I must say, it's been awhile since a trailer had me so pumped up to go to the movies, but I'm eagerly anticipating this release. Franco and Roberts are two of my favorite performers, and I hope that it turns out as great as I'm hoping it to be. The latest film written and directed by Gia Coppola will be in theaters May 9, 2014.


Film still of Gabriel Iglesias and Marlon Wayans in A Haunted House 2

[Trailer] A Haunted House 2

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Countless scary movies cycle through movie theaters as the year progresses. People wait in lines for tickets with the hope that in a few hours they won't even be able to sleep with the lights off. They watch the movie for a little bit and more often than not are extremely disappointed in just how terribly not scary the experience was for them. In fact, if a majority of viewers are anything like me, they were probably laughing throughout the film instead of screaming.

A Haunted House 2 is the sequel to the popular flick A Haunted House, and it proudly embraces the humor that could come from scary movie situations. Malcom, played by Marion Wayans, was forced to exorcise his former girlfriend but is now working to  make things go smoothly with his current girlfriend and her two kids. However, the paranormal manages to follow him to his brand new house. A parody of many recent horror movies, it's a film that's sure to get some laughs.

A Haunted House 2 is directed by Michel Tiddes and produced by Rick Alvarz and Marion Wayans. Other cast members are Jaime Pressly, Gabriel Iglesias, Ashley Rickards, Steele Stebbins, Essence Atkins, Affion Crocket, Dave Sheridan, Hayes MacArthur, Missi Pyle and Cedric The Entertainer. The film will hit the theaters on Friday, April 18! Below is A Haunted House 2's parody poster of Insidious 2.

A Haunted House 2 Insidious 2 Parody Poster


Bad Words

[Review] Bad Words

Jason Bateman isn’t exactly an actor on the up-and-coming. With successful television series Arrested Development and other films like Horrible Bosses and Up In the Air, he’s definitely already made a name for himself that has a pretty strong following. Bad Words, however, is his first step into directing a feature length film, and I must say that this comedy full of quick wit and, well, bad words was an enjoyable movie worth seeing if in need of a few laughs.

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Bad Words
Director: Jason Bateman
Rating: R
Release Date: March 14, 2014 (limited)

Guy Trilby (Jason Bateman) is introduced as a 40-year-old man in the crowd at The Golden Quill National Spelling Bee competition. As an adult in an environment that is intended for the thriving of kids, it is believed that he’s a parent of one of the competitors until he steps up onto the stage. While his enrollment in the tournament doesn’t go uncontested, he proves his right to be up there competing by finding a few loopholes in the rule book. Without giving much of a reason as to why he’s doing this, parents are becoming enraged for the sake that their children won’t have a fair chance in the competition. He isn’t alone in this though. Jenny Widgeon (Kathryn Hahn) is a journalist following Trilby from competition to competition in the hope that she will catch the moment in which the estranged man reveals his real reasons for competition as he escalates higher and higher in the tournament. Along with her is young Chaitanya Chopra (Rohand Chand), a young boy that is completely unfazed by Guy’s choice to be a loner in life and forms a bond with the man after much persistence to be friends.

I went to this film without knowing too much about it other than a faint memory of seeing the trailer just a few months earlier, but what little expectations I had were not let down whatsoever. It’s full of quick wit and great comebacks from Bateman’s asshole of a character, and there was rarely a scene in which I wasn’t laughing. Trilby doesn’t have any intent on befriending anyone as an adult at this grade school competition, but the non-stop efforts of young, fellow competitor Chaitanya Chopra to be friends with Guy has a great impact on the humor displayed in the film. Most of the jokes are from the things that Bateman says to this naïve kid and the situations he puts them both into. In fact, the overall inappropriateness of the whole film is the driving force of this comedy, and I enjoy the seemingly mature level of immaturity that this movie took on.

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I truthfully don’t have too many complaints about what I was privileged to watch. This wasn’t a comedy that changed my life forever, and I don’t see it doing any better in theaters than any other average comedy that has been put onto the market. Regardless, it was a genuinely easy viewing that kept me laughing throughout it’s entire duration, and I feel like it accomplished its goals.

Everyone in the cast put in some of their best effort for this production. Bateman is excellent at playing this person who is seemingly one of the worst human beings in existence, and his minimal evolution of a character was executed perfectly. Kathryn Hahn also brings some hilarity through her determination and underlying loneliness in the film. Allison Janney is great in comedic roles, but her character, Dr. Bernice Deagan, is the director of the spelling bee and remains serious while she’s featured.

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2014 seems to be stacked with a bunch of comedies to look forward to seeing, with a lot of them coming out in late spring. Bad Words is no exception to my anticipation of a string of good laughs to come. The plot line, while predictable, was simple and easy to follow. It wasn't created to change the world of comedy, and it was an equal balance of hilarity that works that made the film just right for pure enjoyment. I don't have a dying urge to see it in theaters once again, but I probably wouldn't contest it if someone were to pop it into the DVD player on another night. If you're in need of a good laugh and have nothing better to do, I would definitely confirm that seeing this movie is worth getting into theaters to see.


Paul Walker To Be Replaced By Body Doubles and CGI

The death of Paul Walker is one that saddened fans all over the world. The Fast and Furious franchise has a huge following, and the loss of this great actor left many devastated. As depressed as fans were though, many couldn't help but wonder what will happen for the next Fast and Furious installment, Fast and Furious 7.

The film already pushed its release date in December to April 10, 2015 after the death of Walker. After setting this new release date, Universal suggested that Paul Walker will still appear in the upcoming film, regardless of his untimely fate. “They have hired four actors with bodies very similar to Paul’s physique and they will be used for movement and as a base,” said a source to the New York Daily News. "Paul's face and voice will be on top using CGI." Walker is known for playing cop Brian O'Conner in all of the Fast and Furious installments except for Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift. Because he is the star in the upcoming film alongside costar Vin Diesel, this may be a task that is difficult to pull off.

James Wan is to direct this next chapter in the widely successful series, and Vin Diesel and Neal H. Moritz are returning to produce it as well. The filming was delayed after 40-year-old Walker died in a car crash on November 30 in Valencia, California, just outside of Los Angeles. The cast and crew was about halfway done with production of the next film in the series when the tragedy struck, with Walker's performance unfinished. Vin Diesel is now determined to make this the best one in the series, and I could only hope that they're all brought to even more success after his loss.

[via Variety]


[Review] Awful Nice

The bond between siblings is an unexplainable one with many benefits and pitfalls. One day, your brother or sister could be giving you their leftover candy, but in the next they could be trying to rip your eyeballs out. Growing up with two younger brothers, I must say that the latter happened more so when we were younger, and sometimes I feel the need to continue this immature behavior. This only seems to be making up a small portion of the complexity that is sharing the same gene pool as other people who kind of look like you in one way or another. Regardless of the indifferences that siblings may face, it's a bond difficult to break.

Awful Nice is a comedy of its own breed that taps into the dysfunctional side of these sibling relationships. I saved myself from having a tainted opinion of what this film would entail by going into it completely blind, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the antics of the two brothers in the film. Perhaps it is because they reminded me of my own brothers in a way. Regardless, I think this was a story worth the viewing.

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Awful Nice
Director: Todd Sklar
Rating: R
Release Date: March 7, 2014

When Jim Brouillette (James Pumphrey) hears news that his father has passed away, he is forced to track down his brother Dave (Alex Rennie) for the upcoming services. While they may be brothers, there seems to remain very few similarities. Jim, a married family man and college professor, tries his best to be responsible in all of his efforts. Contrarily, Dave is quite a deadbeat with not much accomplished in his years of life. It's been awhile since they've been united, and their indifferences are brought to life in the most inopportune setting of a funeral. Their disagreements are put aside with the discovery that they both have inherited the family's lake house in Branson, Missouri, and thus prompts a road trip to check out the current conditions of the house and hopefully sell it for a check to be split between them. The house is a complete dump, and Dave convinces Jim to stay and help him fix it up and mend their lost bond.

The film follows the basic requirements of most sibling movies, but the execution of it was absolutely well-done. The humor of it all seems to be driven by Dave's crazy, bachelor-like antics, and the more Jim resists his behavior the more I found myself laughing. Even in the first scene alone we are introduced to a naked Dave laying on the ground of an indian reservation. However, this is a weird breed of humor, and I think that its just one of those movies that's either going to be loved or hated. The speed is fairly fast paced, and to not pay attention for even a minute could mean that something important in one way or another could be missed.

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Whether a viewer has siblings or not, I think there is a little bit of something for everyone who may watch this movie. The whole time I was watching it I felt this relation to Jim and his attempts to keep his head on his shoulders, but Dave definitely gave me the vibe of my younger brother Donnie who enjoys stirring the pot and being controversial whether he intends on doing so or not.

I think that Awful Nice is a pleasant addition to the spring release library. Film is really slow at this time of the year, and this is something that I believe would  be worth getting out of the house and seeing. It captures the essence of the inescapable bond that is family, and I felt like it was so relatable on many different levels.

Awful Nice

I firmly believe this a film that everyone could enjoy in one way or another, but even more so when a viewer has siblings that drive them nuts. Jim and Dave are very eccentric in their own unique ways, and a multitude of fist fights and arguments have a weird way of proving their sibling relationship. The jokes fell one after the other, whether they be contrived or situational. I really appreciated the humor peppered throughout, and I hope that someone else could enjoy it as well. A weirdly heartwarming tale with it's even weirder conclusion, I think this is the kind of dysfunctional tale that was entertaining in most of its efforts.