Teen love and rebellion are just two of the subjects of the Michael Cera star-vehicle Youth in Revolt.
-- Local show times, theaters, trailer.
He plays Nick Twisp, a kid uncertain of his place in the world. Twisp creates an alter ego, the bold and fearless Francois Dillinger to help him commit crimes to get the girl of his dreams.
Also played by Cera, the two characters share less than lively screen time.
Hitting themes familiar to most twenty-somethings, Youth in Revolt is not-so-scathing satire based on three of C.D. Paynes popular books. The angst of self identity, not-fitting in with others, divorce, step-parents, distant parents, overly protective and non-understanding parents, sexual frustration and first love, drugs, popularity, school and a willingness to commit crimes for love and God knows what else are all hit hard in Gustin Nashs excellent screenplay and TV director Miguel Artetas first major movie.
The script is brilliant. A bevy of talented role players back Cera and newcomer Portia Doubleday: Steve Buscemi, Jean Smart, Ray Liotta, Justin Long, Zack Galifianakis and the always funny, Fred Williard who delivers the films funniest lines.
A great concept that is wonderfully executed is thrown completely away by the miscasting of one character. Youth in Revolt?
Forget that. Lets focus on critic in revolt. Even a little Cera is too much.
Early in his career, we were charmed. Cera possesses a certain geeky cool. Some want to shelter and protect him in a motherly way. Others want to do him physical harm. After a couple of big roles the boyfriend in Juno, Nick and Norahs Infinite Playlist, Year One the Cera mystique is starting to crack. Some find Ceras whispy voice and comedy schtick akin to fingernails scraping a chalkboard. Im in that camp.
Cera is more than just mildly irritating and ruins what could have been a great January movie.
Mr. Movie rating: 2 1/2 stars
Rated R for mature themes, language and drug use. It opens Friday, Jan. 8 at Regals Columbia Mall 8 and at the Fairchild Cinemas 12.
5 stars to 4 1/2 stars: Must see on the big screen
4 stars to 3 1/2 stars: Good film, see it if it's your type of movie.
3 stars to 2 1/2 stars: Wait until it comes out on video.
2 stars to 1 star: Don't bother.
0 stars: Speaks for itself.
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With the exception of one of my favorites, the movies on the list all revolve around Christmas.
While to some it is not politically correct to refer to the season as Christmas, I still like to call them Christmas movies. That’s the holiday and in the past Christmas was the reason for the season.
For some of us, it is still.
35th Annual Portland International Film Festival begins
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The 35th Annual Portland International Film Festival has begun. It runs through February 25. For film fans this one is loaded. There are 140 films from 36 different countries — 93 are features and 46 shorts.
Portland isn’t that far from Tri-Cities art film lovers. This entry reviews a few films from the first weekend and Monday. I’ll be posting reviews throughout the series until its conclusion February 25th.
Friday, February 10
'Real Steel' rocky sock 'em robots
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Here’s the premise. Set in the near future, Hugh Jackman is a loser robot boxer working fairs and rodeos with a robot destined for the scrap heap.
More con than kind, Jackman’s Charlie ends up signing the parental rights of his son, Max, over to the boy’s mother’s rich sister to finance his endeavors. He’s estranged from the boy anyway and doesn’t know him at all.
-- Local show times, theaters, trailer.
'Hugo' you go to perhaps this year's best
'Hugo' you go to perhaps this year's best
Set in the 1930s, Hugo is a family-friendly movie about a French child desperate to hang on to all he has left of his father.
It begins with the boy — Hugo — living by himself in a clock tower at a train station in Paris. To keep his freedom, he keeps the clocks wound, oiled and maintained. The station inspector — ever attentive to the city’s many pilfering orphans — would love to catch him and ship him off to an orphanage.
-- Local show times, theaters, trailer.
'My Week with Marilyn' elevates Michelle Williams' career
'My Week with Marilyn' elevates Michelle Williams' career
As a snapshot of history, My Week with Marilyn is fascinating.
Take that thought another step into good movie territory, and My Week with Marilyn isn’t that great. It’s not bad, but this is not a story that will wow you.
What does grab your attention are the great performances that dot its landscape and will have you leaving the theater jaw agape.
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