Archives for March 2013

Taken 2 starring Liam Neeson & Maggie Grace: Doesn’t Kick Ass As Much as Taken

Posted on March 28, 2013 Written by ripitup

taken2-2012-movie-poster — Taken 2 starring Liam Neeson, Famke Jenssen & Maggie Grace. Image via tophollywoodmovies.com

If you haven’t seen Taken, I suggest seeing it first. It will probably make you appreciate Taken 2 less, but it is the reason of the second movie was made and the third is probably in the works. Because, even though Taken 2 is not as cool or impressive as Taken, I am not ready to stop watching Liam Neeson kicking ass around Europe saving someone he cares about.

Oh, and I might be dropping Taken spoilers.

That said, let’s roll:

Our favorite badass ex-CIA Brian Mills (Liam Neeson) is now closer with his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace), though he is worried about how she is coping (or if she is being careful enough) after he saved her from a human trafficking gang (and killed everyone who was responsible) in France.

Unfortunately , the father of one of those men is incredibly pissed and wants justice. And he gets the perfect opportunity when Brian travels to Istanbul for a private security job and his daughter and ex-wife (Famke Jenssen) visit him.

This time, they manage to take her, and Brian. But of course Kim tries to be daddy’s daughter, and with her help, Brian starts kicking ass again.

Taken > Taken 2

It pretty much sums it up. Taken is bigger, better, cooler. Brian kicks more ass, and kicks it better in Taken. As much as there are probably things that defy rationale in the first film, I don’t remember noticing because I was too busy getting caught in the action.

This is not to say that Taken 2 isn’t entertaining. It is. But because it is more over-the-top in many ways that is less cool and often less logical, you notice the flaws. You notice how stupid the criminals are.

And then there is the over-stereotyping of Istanbul that doesn’t go unnoticed by anyone who has been there. Granted, France wasn’t shown in the best light in Taken, but again, we were too “taken” by the film to realize or care.

That said, if you liked the first one, you should at least try to give the second one a shot. I belong to the club that really enjoys Liam Neeson kicking ass all around Europe. I loved Taken and I loved Unknown. Taken 2 is alright, and yes, I’ll see the third one if they make it.

But I’d say: Taken> Unknown> Taken 2

Also on Liam Neeson:

Unknown starring Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones & Aidan Quinn

The A-Team starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson, Sharlto Copley & Quinton Rampage Jackson

Chloe starring Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore and Amanda Seyfried

Seraphim Falls starring Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan

The Other Man starring Liam Neeson, Antonio Banderas and Laura Linney

Battleship starring Taylor Kitsch, Liam Neeson, Rihanna, Brooklyn Decker & Alexander Skarsgard

Famke janssen:

City of Industry starring Harvey Keitel, Stephen Dorff and Timothy Hutton

Maggie grace

Lockout starring Guy Pearce & Maggie Grace

Havana starring Robert Redford & Lena Olin: Love, Life and Politics

Posted on March 16, 2013 Written by ripitup

havana-robert redford-lena olin — Havana starring Robert Redford, Lena Olin and Alan Arkin. a Sydney Pollack film. Image via mrqe.com

Plot Summary

1958. Pro card player Jack Weil (Robert Redford) is in Havana once again, this time to organize the biggest game of his life. While travelling there by boat, his situation-handling skills intrigues fellow passenger/revolution supporter Roberta “Bobby” Duran (Lena Olin) and she hires him to pass her car through the border safely.

After he succeeds, he expectedly hits on Bobby, but she turns him down saying she’s married. An unfazed Jack goes about his business, trying to convince casino owner Joe Volpi (Alan Arkin) to let him organize a big stakes game, hanging out with women and not giving a damn about revolution.

Even after Bobby introduces him to her husband Arturo (Raul Julia), a important rebel, and he tells Jack that they could use his skills, Jack turns them down.

But when the police start capturing rebels, Arturo is announced dead, and Bobby goes missing, Jack decides to use his resourcefulness to help out Bobby. Only Bobby will turn out to be even more stubborn than he is, and will awaken things in Jack that he never knew existed.

Can Jack manage to win his biggest game and get out of Cuba without getting into trouble, or will he become as crazy about Bobby as she is about the revolution and do the unexpected of him?

A Beautiful, Political Journey of Internal Change

Havana is an alluring period drama/romance in a political background in an exotic city. Jack’s latest experiences in Havana, and his change and growth as a person, get more focus than the romance, so the movie will be better appreciated as an interesting drama than a romantic film. That’s not to say we don’t get some extremely brave and romantic gestures from Redford, and as usual, he seduces his co-star as he also easily seduces his audience.

Jack makes for an interesting romantic lead, as even with all the gambling, smoking, women and drinking, he never strikes us as unworthy or disreputable. If anything, his character seemed more realistic than selfish to me. He’s an American card-player who is in Cuba for business and fun, and not every foreigner would jump to risk his life to get involved in the dangerous and complicated politics of another country. Sure, it is noble to help others. Ideally, we should. But then it isn’t in everyone. And it would raise the question: why is the survival of others more important than his own?

So I can totally relate to his noninvolvement in the beginning, as it is a logical self-preservation strategy. But what he does for Bobby, doesn’t come as an unrealistic development either. Her passion, beauty and her highly different background intrigue him and brings out a passion in him he never experienced. He follows his heart rather than logic, and this is what magnetically draws Bobby to him later on.

That said, be prepared to give the lead to Havana and Jack rather than Jack and Bobby.

Written by Judith Rascoe and David Rayfiel, directed by Sydney Pollack. 1990.

Havana Movie and Cast Trivia

– Onscreen, Robert Redford’s often romantically paired with actresses younger than him:

* Havana: Lena Olin 19 years his junior

* Out of Africa: Mery Streep 13 years

* Up close and Personal: Michelle Pfeiffer 22 years

* Indecent Proposal: Demi Moore 26 years

* The Horse Whisperer: Kristin Scott Thomas 24 years

Interestingly enough, although some moviegoers make an issue of age differences on the screen, nobody seems to be bothered when it is Robert. I know I’m not. Although I have to say my favorites among these pairings are with Lena Olin and Michelle Pfeiffer.

-Robert worked with Lena’s Swedish director husband Lasse Hallström for the movie An Unfinished life. Lena often works with her husband as well (Chocolat, Casanova…).

-Redford is an Oscar-nominated actor, but an Oscar-winning director. But unlike Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves) he wasn’t nominated for both for the same movie. He wasn’t in acting in Ordinary People, the 1980 movie that got him the Oscar. Ordinary People also earned Timothy Hutton Oscar for Best Supporting actor.

Redford’s other Best Director nomination was for Quiz Show, a 1994 movie starring Ralph Fiennes. Quiz Show didn’t feature Redford as an actor either.

– Havana was directed by actor/director Sydney Pollack who guest-appeared on the sitcom Will & Grace as Will’s father.

-Havana was nominated for Grammy, Golden Globe and Oscar for its music.

Also on Robert Redford:

Lions for Lambs starring Robert Redford, Meryl Streep & Tom Cruise

Up Close and Personal starring Robert Redford and Michelle Pfeiffer

Ordinary People starring Timothy Hutton, Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore and Judd Hirsch

Also on Lena Olin

Mr. Jones starring Richard Gere and Lena Olin

Remember Me starring Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Pierce Brosnan, Lena Olin and Chris Cooper

The Following 1×08 Welcome Home Review: Mike Weston Proves He’s More Than Computers

Posted on March 13, 2013 Written by ripitup

Annie Parisse as Parker and Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy. Image via seat42f.com

1×08 was a really fun episode. Yes, the FBI makes some really ridiculous calls (again!), but I’ve come to accept it as a part of this show’s universe. I’m just having too much fun to care at this point. However I’m still hoping someone in charge will develop more brain cells and realize people’s lives are more important than a serial killer and his followers’ rights.

Here we go:

1×07 Let Me Go- Quick Reminder

Last episode ended with Caroll (James Purefoy) being taken safely taken to a mansion where all his followers, except Paul and Jacob-who we still haven’t heard of, are waiting for him. He also got to meet his son, who did recognize him. Claire (Natalie Zea) is placed in protective custody and presumably no one (that Ryan knows) knows where she is. He doesn’t know, either.

1×08 Welcome Home Summary

Joe is playing the unwillingly estranged, misunderstood good father to a very timid, silent Joey. Emma (Valorie Curry) looks for ways to hook up with her hero, and we finally get to meet Roderick who turns out to be the sheriff of the small town the mansion is located in.

FBI has a new man in charge, Nick Donovan (Mike Colter, Malcolm of Ringer) who makes more horrible calls to supposedly remedy “the mistakes Ryan and others did”. Considering Ryan (Kevin Bacon) is the only one that got breakthrough with the help of Mike and sometimes Parker, Nick’s attitude has only caused a lot of viewers, me included, that he is a follower. Either he is a follower, or he is stickler for good manners and authority and got to be where he is through luck and/or connections. Or Kevin Williamson really hates his fictional FBI.

*On a side note, I recommend watching Perception to see a much more competent bureau. Even if they make mistakes, apart from Daniel and Kate, they usually compensate with backing them up when they are proven right.*

So Nick stops Ryan from getting information first hand, and then sends Mike (Shawn Ashmore) home for hacking his email. Shockingly, another “let’s leave our agents along when so many homicidal followers are around” move from the bureau results in Mike being kidnapped to a shipyard to be tortured for information. The kidnapper team involves Charlie, Roderick and the blonde stabber from last week’s episode.

When Ryan can’t reach Mike on his cell, he informs Parker (Annie Parisse) and goes to the motel. Parker arrives, and together they make Nick allow them to go check out the shipyard. Of course, no back-up.

While Ryan and Parker were busy trying to find out about the place despite Nick, Weston was being tortured in a fight club sort of way, so that he would spit out the whereabouts of Claire. But he doesn’t say anything.

Ryan arrives just in time to kill a couple of followers, and save an almost dying Mike. Charlie, Roderick and the blonde escape; and Ryan goes to the hospital with Mike. Parker informs Ryan that Mike is the only one who knows where Claire is.

In the meantime, Charlie and Roderick inform Joe that they have failed and Charlie willingly gets killed by Joe. And Emma finally gets what he wants, and has sex with Joe.

The funny:

– Joe Carroll thinks that he is a good that.

– He actually said “I love my wife.” Sure he does. He hasn’t killed her yet. Got to laugh (and cringe) at the guy’s concept of love.

The Cool: Favorite Quotes & Scenes

– The fight club scenes with Mike. He proves he is more than brains, and he can hold his own in a fair fight. We also learn that he did know where Claire was the whole time, while doing a good job making it seem like he didn’t. Oh, and he didn’t cave despite the pain and probable death.

– Finally Ryan proved that he was more than a witty yet grumpy badass and went to the hospital with Mike even though he was unconscious and would remain so for ours. This was even before he knew Mike knew about Claire and didn’t budge. Fair to say Weston has finally gained Ryan as a friend. Of course this will all look really lame if Weston later turns out to be a follower.

– After Nick gives the speech about Ryan no longer being an FBI agent, Parker stands up for him-which is really cool. After Ryan goes to Weston’s desk:

Ryan: Nobody likes me.

Mike: Well, you’re inconsistent and extreme. People don’t know how to respond to that.

Ryan: I was joking.

– Nick interviews David, the follower Ryan shot from this episode but he won’t talk to anyone by Ryan. So Nick brings in Ryan.

Ryan: How is the leg? Sorry, I don’t know your name.

Follower: You can call me David. He doesn’t say anything and just stares at Ryan)

Ryan: This is a staring contest? Because you asked to see me. Here I am.

Follower: How did you like the plot twist? Joe Carroll escaping twice.

Ryan: Yeah. That was good. Now you are boring me.

Also on The Following

The Following: Why I’m Still a Follower & Summary for 1×07 Episode Let Me Go

The Following: When Both The Protagonist and Antagonist Are Writers

Mad Love: The Following Episode 4 Review – The Mad Get Madder

The Following 1×03 The Poet’s Fire Review: What’s with the FBI?

The Following 1×02 Chapter Two Review: Still cool, and yes, Hardy Needs to Toughen Up. But how?

The Following starring Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy: Epic Start

The Following: Why I’m Still a Follower & Summary for 1×07 Episode Let Me Go

Posted on March 11, 2013 Written by ripitup

The Following 1X07 Kevin Bacon — Ryan Hardy chasing Carroll out in the world again. Screencap from 1×07. Image via ytimg.com

The Following: Why I’m Still a Follower & Summary for 1×07 Episode Let Me Go

I know I missed by summaries from 1.04-1.06, but not because I quit on the show in any way.

I kind of cheated on this blog with other writing, and I apologize.

But I’m back, and The Following has seen a lot of changes.

The Following 1.07 Let Me Go Summary with Spoilers!!

The ever manipulative Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) uses his three broken fingers (courtesy of Ryan, at the end of the pilot) to make the warden grant him a transfer. Ryan (Kevin Bacon) is rightfully pissed, and he gets Mike (Shawn Ashmore) to look into the Warden. Yes, breaking prison fingers is not exactly law enforcement code, but considering what Joe did (in addition to the murders of the girls that got him in the prison of the first time: he escaped from prison after killing several guards, having trained a guard to become a serial killer, have his cult members play his last surviving victim…….Yes, it goes on.), surely any guard in his right mind would have let that slide.

So as it turns out Ryan was right. Joe’s followers have kidnapped warden’s daughter, and were using it as leverage to ensure his escape during transfer. The daughter happens to be imprisoned at the same garage where Emma (Valorie Curry) and Joey are waiting for. Of course Joey, being the nice and clueless kid that he is, tries to free her, gets into trouble, gets Emma in trouble but all but the hostage are saved by the arrival of Charlie (Tom Lipinski)-the guy who had kidnapped Claire (Natalie Zea) but later interrupted by the arrival of the FBI.

But by the time Ryan and Mike got their research results and stopped the transfer truck, Joe had already travelled safely in his lawyer’s car. To get his kicks, he gets the lawyer to call Ryan (who was on his way with Mike to them through lawyer’s cell) and kills her while she is still on the phone.

Ryan does get to Joe, but not before he is met by some followers who fly him out in a helicopter despite his best efforts. But he has one of them in custody, and with Parker’s approval, he tortures the information out of him, getting to where the daughter is held. Of course Joey and Emma are long gone, and a very frustrated Claire is taken under protective custody, and even Ryan, by choice, doesn’t know the location.

And Joe gets united with all of his followers in a secluded big house, where he also gets to see Joey and to his joy, his son recognizes him.

The Following 1.07: Let Me Go Breakdown: The cool, the improbable and the annoying

1.07 was a game changer, with Joe out of prison, reunited with followers and Joey, and Claire going into protective custody without Ryan to ensure her safety. It was fun and exciting, even its implausibility levels were a bit high.

Still it was cool to see:

1) Joe vs. Ryan outside the prison cell with Joe seeming on the verge of losing control and killing Ryan right then and there.

2) Ryan not buying the warden’s cooperation and waking up to the game before everyone else

3) Ryan disarming the follower and shooting him with the guy’s gun- and later torturing the info out of him.

4) Seeing the lawyer die. She was annoying as hell, and she was a victim of her stupidity all the way.

The weird, improbable and annoying:

1) I’m bored with Claire’s only interaction with Ryan her complaints about their failure to save Joey. Oh sure, FBI fails more than Joe’s followers commit crimes, but she does need to realize that her ex is such a talented psycho/actor that she didn’t have a clue something was wrong with him during their relationship- going on to have his baby and naming him Joey. She has to cut some slack when it comes to the number of his followers and how they are everywhere. Even during times when FBI would attempt at being successful, the followers screw things up. And Ryan? He has the only functioning brain in the department, but his alcohol soaked brain cells and weak heart, along with the moles and the mistakes of others do get in his way.

2) So Ryan won’t know where Claire is. Awesome. He is the only one he knows she can trust, and he’s leaving her to potential moles. Great move, Hardy.

3) After Joe kidnaps Claire, or Claire goes to him for the sake of Joey, we’ll see a more frustrated Hardy and Ryan. I’m more than willing to see too-lucky-to-be-true scenarios- but please let Hardy have them for a change, and not the followers.

What I want to see:

1) Ryan getting out of the kill-me-instead mood every time someone is endangered by Joe or his followers. What I want from him is to go all Brain Mills mode and stay there (you know-the famous: I’ll find you and I’ll kill you mode) or better yet, his character from Death Sentence. He might have a weak heart, but I’m sure he can pull it off as an FBI agent if his loving father-turned-into-ultimate avenger character can take down an entire group of villains.

2) Maybe Ryan getting his own set of rogue followers who defy law and rules to catch/kill Joe and followers. That’d up the stakes in their cat and mouse situation.

3) Have the followers turn on each other. Would be so fun if some of the followers turn out to be faking to get in and handle Joe themselves. Like maybe relatives/friends of victims? Or hired guns hired by the victim’s families?

Yeah, yeah. I’m big on revenge.

I still love The Following. Sure, the actions of the FBI drive me crazy too but it is still so much fun. I just need the lead character to go from part-time badass to full-time badass.

Favorite lines:

(parking lot scene- the guy is holding Ryan at gunpoint)

Ryan: You can’t kill me. He wants me alive.

The Follower: Then I’ll shoot you in the leg.

Ryan: (just before he moves to disarm him) Don’t miss.

Then Ryan maneuvers the gun out of him and shoots him in the leg.

(parking lot- the guy is on the stretcher- others have left Ryan alone with him)

As Ryan puts on medical gloves:

Ryan: So, the boy. Joey Matthews. Where is he?

The Follower: I’m not gonna tell you anything.

Ryan: You look like you’re in pain.

The Follower: I can handle it.