Kick-Ass 2

ACTION/ADVENTURE, COMEDY

Super Reality

8.75 out of 10 | Movie or DVD

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Rated: R Strong violence, pervasive language, crude and sexual content, and brief nudity
Release Date: August 16, 2013
Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes

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Director: Jeff Wadlow
Writers: Jeff Wadlow, from comic book by Mark Millar, John Romita Jr.
Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, Morris Chestnut, Claudia Lee, Clark Duke, Augustus Prew, Donald Faison, Garrett M. Brown, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Yancy Butler, John Leguizamo, Jim Carrey

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SYNOPSIS: The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect everyone Kick-Ass knows.

REVIEW: Never Back Down and the upcoming X-Force writer/director Jeff Wadlow takes over the reins and returns to a world where superheroes are not super powered, just super dedicated to truth, justice, and the American way. Based on the comic series written by Mark Millar and drawn by John Romita Jr., the hero comic made successful by Matthew Vaughn, Taylor-Johnson, and Grace Moretz, Kick-Ass 2 promises to kick ass.

The Internet costumed sensation turned drug kingpin killer Dave Lizewski a.k.a.Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Savages) has hung up his tights, paving the way for other costumed adventurers and vigilantes to patrol the streets and keep the city's citizens safe. Mindy Macready a.k.a. Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz, Let the Right One In) has even given up her blue hair and butterfly knives to just be a normal teenage girl under the care of her father's former partner Detective Marcus Williams (Morris Chestnut, Identity Thief). A new hero, Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone), leads the cadre of heroes against the evils of the night. Meanwhile, the former Red Mist / Chris D'Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, The To Do List) seeks his own vengeance against Kick-Ass, leaving his innocence behind and taking the more brutal moniker of The Motherf%&*‏^r, and assembling his own legion of villains and criminals. Kick-Ass and Hit Girl must return to the fray as heroes in order to stop The Motherf%&*‏^r and his minions from destroying both their lives and the lives of those they love.

Taylor and Moretz brought the original comic to screen adaption to life to moderate box office, with greater success on DVD. Moretz's Hit Girl was brilliant, Nicolas Cage's Big Daddy was Adam west and William Shatner all rolls up into a vengeful, psychotic father, and Taylor managed to bring to screen a non-powered hero with all the hope of Peter Parker and all the heart of the caped crusader - without the gadgets or fighting prowess. It was faithful to the tone of Mark Millar's graphic limited series as best as it could be, changing things up with visuals and plot points that worked better on camera. Now we return to a non-powered superhero universe not unlike the real world, where a young hero like Kick-Ass can exist without much of a second look.

With Dave now a senior in high school and Mindy a freshman it seems that everyone is figuring out what to do next. Mindy struggles against wanting to help people as Hit Girl and Dave struggles with the mundane existence without being Kick-Ass. This film ups the ante like many sequels need to, with Kick Ass back out in the streets joining with other superheroes. Instead of being a couple heroes against a bunch of mobster, Kick-Ass 2 brings heroes and villains out by the dozens. No longer are Kick-Ass and Hit Girl the only masked avengers. More people have taken up the call to go to try to right the wrongs that they feel nobody else can – even the police.

From Colonel Stars and Stripes, to Kick-Ass girl Night Bitch (Lindy Booth, Dawn of the Dead), to Battle Guy (Clark Duke, The Croods) who ends up being unmasked as Dave's friend Marty, to Insect Man (Robert Emms, Mirror Mirror), to Dr. Gravity (Donald Faison, Pitch Perfect), the film fills the screen with ordinary people trying to do extraordinary things. In this world the bullets are real and people die, but fear of death does not deter the mission of these men and women. But Chris D'Amico has other plans for the lot of them, still brooding over the death of his father by the hands of Kick-Ass's bazooka.

Taking in both the Kick-Ass 2 and Hit Girl miniseries by Mark Millar, this film is funny, thoughtful, and utterly brutal. The fight scene scene end up being bloody melees, especially in the battle royale climax at the end. Hit Girl has some great choreographed scenes of action against D'Amico's thugs and against Mother Russia (Olga Kurkulina). What could have been considered a throwaway sequel actually has both teeth and something of a story backing it up.

Kick-Ass 2 is touted as this summer's last must-see film. Fans of the original film will get a kick out of watching Dave and Mindy trying to get on with their lives. Hit Girl may be less shocking than she was in the first film, but she is more grown up than ever. Sacrifices are made, blood is shed, and the reality of the wounds and scars collected are painful and deep.

Kick-Ass 2 is the perfect catharsis for the super powered summer blues. Snarky and comic-y, this film still holds a grain of humanity that the other genre films may have to marvel at.

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The To-Do List

COMEDY

Sex in a Primitive Age

7.0 out of 10 | Rental

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Rated: R Pervasive strong crude and sexual content, including graphic dialogue, drug and alcohol use, and language (all involving teens)
Release Date: July 26, 2013
Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes

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Director: Maggie Carey
Writers: Maggie Carey
Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons, Bill Hader, Alia Shawkat, Sarah Steele, Scott Porter, Rachel Bilson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Andy Samberg, Donald Glover, Connie Britton, Clark Gregg

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SYNOPSIS: Feeling pressured to become more sexually experienced before she goes to college, Brandy Klark makes a list of things to accomplish before hitting campus in the fall.

REVIEW: Funny or Die Presents writing and directing alumni Maggie Carey promotes herself to the big leagues by writing and directing a semi-autobiographical tale of a teenage girl trying to discover her sexual identity in an age before the Internet.

Brandy Klark (Aubrey Plaza, Safety Not Guaranteed) is valedictorian at her high school, with a full ride scholarship waiting for her in the fall. She intends to work at the local Boise public pool, earn money, and go through her check list to get ready for college. The year is 1993 and Brandy has excelled at everything she put her mind to - from the time she was a little girl. The only think she has been conquered is her virginity. With her friends Fiona (Alia Shawkat, Ruby Sparks) and Wendy (Sarah Steele, Last Kind Words), Brandy sets out with an ambitious plan to create a sexual to do list to get through before she ships off to college. With muscular musician man hunk Rusty Waters (Scott Porter, Dear John) in her sights as her sexual prize, Brandy starts 'scamming' her guy friends and a good friend Cameron (Johnny Simmons, 21 Jump Street) who had a crush in her to help check off each bullet point of her list.

The writer/director creates a to do list from her own life, bringing to the screen a taste of her own teenage sexual self discovery. From Brandy's friends, to her broken down excuse for boss Willy (Bill Hader, Turbo), to her overly promiscuous sister Amber (Rachel Bilson, Jumper), to parents who are worlds apart on the reviews of sexual awareness, Brandy is faced with one of the most dire decisions a teenager could face - When am I going to have sex? To a teenager, sex is one of the most important what-ifs of their lives. What starts up being the most important thing before adulthood, sometimes ends up not being important at all after the fact.

As Brandy goes through her journey between high school and college, she is faced with corndog friends like Duffy (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, This is the End), a lovesick lab partner named Cameron, the college-aged public pool Adonis named Rusty, and a pair of girlfriends more than willing to dish out poor advice on a topic they know little about. Of course, sometimes the advice of 'mature' adults do is little better. Brandy's mom (Connie Britton, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World) is all about giving her girls 'the talk' while their father (Clark Gregg, The Avengers) would rather his daughters stay virginal until well into their 40s. And semi homeless public pool manager Willy, who can't even swim, worries more about his next beer than in the safety of the kids in his chlorinated water.

The To Do List hearkens back to a simpler age before the Internet, cell phones and Google. When Brandy needs to find out what certain sexual terms mean she has to do her research through the Encyclopedia Britannica or making a note as a reminder to ask the local librarian. The film could even be a cautionary tale about how quickly a young person's age of innocence disappears in our modern technological age.

The writer/director smartly uses all the most sexually laced music to properly backdrop her story. The movie even starts the opening titles with Luke Skywalker and the Too Live Crew with 'So Horny', a song banned from most households, but a mix tape classic passed between teenagers. And the early 90s choice of hair accessories are perfect for a little Flashback-ing.

The To Do List is a look back at a time when the age of innocence occurs when a teenager stood on the precipice of sexual discovery and adulthood. Today, innocence is lot as soon as a child ventures out their front door or turns on an iPad. A look at a simpler sexual era, The To Do List is interesting and silly, but somehow played out.

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Paranorman 3D

Nowhere Near Normal

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Rated: PG  Scary action and images, thematic elements, some rude humor and language
Release Date: August 17, 2012
Runtime:  1 hour 36 minutes

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Director: Chris Butler, Sam Fell
Writers: Chris Butler
Cast:  Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch, Bernard Hill, Tempestt Bledsoe, John Goodman

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SYNOPSIS: Norman has a strange gift, he can talk to the dead. Even though he is bullied and misunderstood, Norman digs deep to take on ghosts, zombies, and the town's grown-ups to protect his town from an ancient witch's curse.

REVIEW: Director Chris Butler, art department artist on Corpse Bride and supervisor on Coraline, is joined by co-director Sam Fell, writer and director of Flushed Away, in a stop-action action adventure tale on a subject that is regaining in popularity in the last few years - zombies! 

Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee, Let Me In) is the same as every other kid in town. He goes to school, takes out the trash, annoys his sister - and speaks to the dead! The subject of ridicule from the other kids and adults in town because of his perchance to speak to no one they can see, Norman is shunned, talked about behind his back, and called a freak. Even his father is afraid for what people may think of his son and what Norman is capable of. Although the townsfolk consider Norman strange, they do revel in the legend that a woman was executed as a witch hundreds of years ago by a judge and six of her peers. Before her execution, she set a curse on the seven who sentenced her to death, vowing that they would come back from the dead on the eve of the date of her death. When a strange hermit uncle tries to tell Norman that the curse is true and that Norman is the only one that can stop her and the undead that will rise, Norman realizes that he must try to stop the curse from coming to light. Paired off with new chubby friend Neal (Tucker Albrizzi, Spooky Buddies), Norman heads off to stop the curse, Norman must contend with his annoying sister Courtney (Anna Kendrick, 50/50), a school bully named Alvin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, How to Train Your Dragon), a dumb jock named Mitch (Casey Affleck, Tower Heist), an angry mob of adults, relentless zombies, and a powerful witch spirit that cannot be reasoned with.

Sam Fell and Chris Butler create a detailed world in ParaNorman that seems to have become a lost art. Except for a myriad of Tim Burton stop-motion movies, most studios seemed to have moved to a more full-CGI production of animation. ParaNorman is fresh and cool, at times tricking the brain that the film is CGI like the rest. But the few stuttering, tick-ticky movements in the film make you realize just how good and how much pain-staking work went into it. Add in great CGI effects on top of the stop-motion photography makes for a classic silly fright fest.

Most likely returning to their roots, Butler and Fell start the film with a schlocky tribute to bad 70s horror films everywhere. Norman eats up - no pun intended - all thing zombie and undead, from local late night shockers to a room filled with zombie memorabilia and posters. Why? Because he talks to the dead and has no fear of the unknown of death. It's the living that Norman has more trouble contending with. And with any zombie movie, its always the living you need to worry about for than the walking dead.

Although some of the voice talent is under age, they make the story pitch perfect. Kodi Smit-McPhee and Tucker Albrizzi play Norman and Neal perfectly. Anna Kendrick strikes all of the right snarky, disgusted cords as the older sister Courtney. Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Casey Affleck are nearly unrecognizable as Alvin and Mitch, their ability to meld their voice-over talents to the character in the best way. Leslie Mann (The Change-Up) as Norman's mom Sandra, Jeff Garlin (Wall-E) as dad Perry, and Elaine Stritch (Monster-in-Law) as Grandma just add richness to a already solid voice cast. Rounding out the talent are cameo characters Bernard Hill (Wimbleton) as the walking dead Judge, Tempestt Bledsoe (N-Secure) as Sheriff Hooper, Alex Borstein (Ted) as teacher and school play director Mrs. Henscher, and John Goodman (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) as the creepy uncle known as Mr. Prenderghast.

ParaNorman is an example of quality craftsmanship, attention to detail, use of multiple visual media, rolled up into a funny, scary and great story perfect for pre-teens, teens, and adults alike. The story starts out strong with its homage to the horror fests of the past, and ratchets up the story, humor and action steadily until the final climatic sequence. Fell and Bulter turn some of the horror zombie conventions on its dismembered head, while keeping great classic elements in place. The 3D doesn't employ the obvious 'in your face' techniques, but adds an additional level of richness to the visuals.

ParaNorman is the tip of the fall season spear of horror films in all of its forms. Funny and filled with spills and silly chills, ParaNorman will be appealing to a wide audience. Some of the characters may be undead, but with Norman at the center of the story, the film definitely has heart.

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WORTH:  Matinee or DVD

Kick-Ass!

As Advertised!

[Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Nicolas Cage, Chloe Moretz, Mark Strong]

No matter how many times I hear it, I am amazed at people who complain about how many trailers precede a movie. Most theaters have 20 minutes of commercials and expanded "behind the scenes" of upcoming movies. I never hear a peep out of patron about how many times they get to answer a silly film trivia question or how often they get to figure out the movie title word jumbles. But when the movie doesn't start at exactly the time advertised, I get to endure the grumbles of the guy behind me about how many trailers he needs to sit through before the movie starts. Did I miss the memo that trailers were no longer being played? I didn't think so!

SYNOPSIS: Dave Lizewski, a geeky high-schooler decides you do not need super powers in order to be a 'super hero" and help people in the community. As Kick-Ass, he gains popularity, inspires others to become heroes, and attracts the attentions of the local drug boss.

Based on Mark Millar's and John Romita Jr.'s well-received comic series, Kick-Ass!, Director Matthew Vaughn brings it to life on the big screen. Keeping faithful to the original paneled story (for the most part), we follow high school loser Dave as he poses the question to his comic book buddies "Why hasn't someone tried to be a super hero in the real world?". And to his credit, he actually looks for the answer.

We are treated to a cross between "Spider-man" and "Kill Bill". We get a movie length narrative from Kick-Ass himself (Aaron Johnson) more snarky and philosophical than Peter Parker ever was. Kick-Ass is more enduring as a hero character than others. He was not bitten by a radioactive spider, not bathed in cosmic rays, no access to gadgets, no vast monetary resources, but he has something most of us should have - spirit and purpose.

As for the "Kill Bill" reference, we get phenomenal fight scenes riddled with bullets, blades and choreography. Layered on top of that is a pretty cool soundtrack. Chloe Moretz's Hit Girl steals the show with her innocent looks, dirty mouth and dirtier fighting skills. And Nicolas Cage's Big Daddy pays a hilarious homage to 60s television Adam West's Batman with his cadenced and clipped dialogue. Of course, every heroic story is only as good as the villain. Mark Strong delivers on that front, as crime boss Frank D'Amico. Even Christopher Mintz-Plasse from "Super Bad" semi-sheds his McLovin vibe as Frank's son.

As a fan of the genre, I found "Kick-Ass" excelled in the ass-kicking department, and above average in the hero motivation department. Great power, great responsibility, blah, blah, blah... I was much more interested in watching the birth of a hero when he is just like me. "Spider-man" may provide the spectacle, but "Kick-Ass" provides the heart.

Worth: Matinee and DVD