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A whip smart group of high stakes bank robbers are coerced by an old colleague named Ghost (T.I. Harris) to take on their biggest heist ever. Led by the unflappable Gordon Jennings (Idris Elba) the group hustle to make their move and get the job done; meanwhile, detective Jack Welles (Matt Dillon) is on to the plan. But what about the Russian mafia’s interest in the cash, why does Ghost feel so untrustworthy, and what doesn’t detective Welles know about his closest associates?

 Almost completely forgettable, lazy screen writing and poor character development make this one a bit of an eye roller. Conceptually the film has potential but there’s nothing here that hasn’t been done better a zillion times before. Paint by number action continues with, fights, parkour, helicopters blowing up, impossible shoot outs, and fraternal love that’s thicker than thieves….so to speak. The overall impact feels kind of like eating a bunch of rice cakes, there’s not much sustenance. On the positive, Elba and Dillon both feel genuine in their roles and this helps add a little gravity to the film. Regardless I’m still thinking this is a rental when you’re truly bored this winter. Takers is rated PG-13.
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Summing up and roughly following the plot lines of the first few Twilight films in parody form, Becca Crane (Jenn Proske) is a angsty teenage girl caught in a love triangle with vampire Edward Sullen (Matt Lanter) and werewolf Jacob White (Chris Riggi). Meanwhile, the town of Sporks is being ravaged by a new trio of dangerous vampires and Becca’s friends are busy spinning drama of their own. But how can this all shake out, who will Becca be with in the end and how will teams Edward and Jacob make out?
First and foremost, let’s be clear about this, this is a spoof film, it’s not meant to be taken seriously, anyone who is expecting to see cinematic greatness is sure to be disappointed– that’d be sort of like expecting a Kindergartner’s finger painting to trump a Monet. That said, this is not a great film, but it does have it’s merits, it’s irreverent, it’s crass, it’s crude, and for what it’s skewering, it’s not half bad. If you’ve been subjected to the Twilight series thus far, rolled your eyes and wondered what exactly do people see in this garbage, Vampires Suck will serve as a train wreck that exploits a large handful of the problems, inconsistencies, and directorial choices that have lead to the misery you’ve felt. To that end it’s delicious, but only delicious in the way you might compare a happy meal to a cut of prime rib. Probably not worth shelling out the big bucks for this one, but perhaps a rental for a mindless watch later. Vampires Suck is rated PG-13.
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Based on a graphic novel, this is the epic tale of Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), a sensitive 23 year old with aspirations of being a rock star. Currently dating a 17 year old high school student named Knives (Ellen Wong), and taking flack from all of his friends and band mates, things could be going better for Scott. Enter Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), the uber cool and mysterious hip chick. But as Scott’s attention and heart turns towards Ramona he discovers she has something akin to a bizarre curse, to win her affection he’ll need to defeat her seven evil exes, all jaded past lovers out for revenge– an insurmountable task, or is it? Can Scott defeat the seven exes and win Ramona’s heart, and what about his hopes for rock stardom?

 Directed by Edgar Wright the film definitely gets points for creativity, quick wit, and its showiness. Visually the film is packed with graphics, and artistic flare which helps to maintain the graphic novel feel. For all the actors involved, the right amount of camp, and comedic timing adds a real wallop yet still feels genuine. The fight scenes feel well choreographed and play well too. However, towards the end of the film each fight does begin to feel a bit drawn out, there are after all seven exes that need to be defeated. So here’s the flaw, for all of it’s zaniness and color, the film begins to drag for the last third because we kind of already know where things are headed but now need to see how the whole thing plays out. Despite this, I can honestly say the film does offer a lot to chew on and smile about and almost certainly demands a second viewing to catch all the nuances. A good date film (if you need an excuse). Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is rated PG-13.
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