Director: Mark Waters
Writers: Richelle Mead (novel), Daniel Waters (screenplay)
Stars: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky, Olga Kurylenko

Synopsis: Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human/vampire, guardians of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discretely within our world. Her legacy is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi. This is her story.

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INTRO
You can blame the Twlight Series for the sudden urge to make all books of that nature into a film. The only successful film thus far in my eyes is the Hunger Games series and it is simply because of Jennifer Lawrence. Nevertheless, the next batter is Vampire Academy. Vampire Academy is a movie that I never heard about until last week and after finding it was a book I knew right away what to expect.

DIRECTION
Vampire Academy is directed by Mark Waters-if you are best known for directing Mean Girls and Freaky Friday than that cannot be a good thing. As soon as the film starts it is a train wreck with a very fast paced moving storyline and a plot that has more layers than a Stephen King novel. I noticed that half the theater was either asleep or bored within the first 20 minutes of this film. Waters does the one thing I cannot stand in films and that is flashbacks and dream-like sequences. Those two can be used efficiently if it enhances the film but in Waters’ case it simply makes you even more lost and confused. The fighting scenes also were not shot very well and in fact I think I have seen better shot videos on a Blackberry. I am also tired of all these Twlight inspired movies using vampires because this film embarrassed vampires so badly that I would not be surprised if Dracula files a lawsuit.

Grade: D

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SCRIPT
The plot follows Dhampir (half-human/vampire) guardian-in-training Rose Hathaway (Zoey Deutch) and her royal Moroi (the peaceful, mortal vampires) best friend Lissa Dragomir (Lucy Fry) as they are dragged back to their school-St. Vladimir’s Academy. The two girls soon realize that the threat of the Strigoi (bloodthirsty, undead vampires) is bigger than ever. The dialogue was very cheesy and I hope the novel was written more coherently because this film had too many characters and we hardly knew much about any of them. I think the script was written for people who already read the book. The plot is so dry that 5 people walked out during the middle of the film.

Grade: F

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MOVIE REVIEW: The Monuments Men

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PERFORMANCES
There is not much to say about the performances of the film except that the film has a weird love relationship between Rose and her much older mentor, Dimitri Belikov (Danila Kozlovsky). The movie never really gives us a chance to get to know any of the characters because the plot went quicker than a NBA basketball game.

Grade: F

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SCORE
If there is any shining light on this movie, it would have to be its score. The music was composed by Rolfe Kent. Kent is no stranger to films like these as he also did the score for Freaky Friday. The music he selected was crafted to fit perfectly for the target audience and featured songs from such artists such as Katy Perry, Sky Ferreira, Natalia Kills, Au Revoir Simone. This of course was not enough to save the film.

Grade: B

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IS IT WORTH IT?
Based on the crowd reaction and my thoughts on the fail I predict this film to fail at the box office and also make my top 10 worst movies of 2014. Thankfully, I did not waste my money and I’m hoping you will go see The Lego Movie if you must watch a movie this weekend

Overall Grade: F

Director: George Clooney
Writers: George Clooney (screenplay), Grant Heslov (screenplay)
Stars: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman

Synopsis: An unlikely World War II platoon are tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners.

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DIRECTION
When you put George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray and John Goodman in the same movie, it can’t be bad right? Well, Clooney’s The Monuments Men is unfortunately in that boat and it’s sad for me to say that. Clooney is trying to play off of the art theme and plays the film artsy, but also tries to keep it dramatic at the same time. Some parts are artsy, while the next scene is dramatic, which is followed by scenes that are cartoonish and comedic. The movie has no idea what it wants to be and what kind of tone it wants to deliver. Clooney tries to hit on all those beats but mostly it just falls flat and is too messy for any sort of cohesiveness it needed to solidify it’s foundation. The third act of the film was much stronger when there was a clearer sense of direction and more focus. Overall though, Clooney had the right heart, but just didn’t know what to do with the story and actors he got to be involved.

Grade: D+

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SCRIPT
The script, like the direction, is just all over the place. The story itself is a pretty interesting one and a story that most of us probably had never known before. And to credit the story a little bit, the editing for this film is awful and probably chopped up the original scrip quite a bit. However, either way, you had the opportunity to do something really special with a relatively unknown story about saving culture and art and how that matters. And while the story does touch on that a little, it’s mostly fickle and frail. Each of the characters are not explored well and you’re never engaged with what’s going on. It almost feels like a few short stories trying to work together but there’s not much that ties them up. There are elements that are interesting but the pacing isn’t great and nothing to solidify it.

Grade: C-

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MOVIE REVIEW: About Last Night

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PERFORMANCES
This is actually a hard topic to breakdown because the story and the characters aren’t really delivered very well so the acting isn’t anything that will blow you away. That being said, the performances are fine, despite a lack of direction. Clooney is the leader of the bunch and has some pretty solid scenes, including one with German officer toward the end of the film. Matt Damon plays his character pretty straight forward, as does John Goodman and Bill Murray. Goodman and Murray do have some comedic scenes but they don’t work very well within the context of the story. The performances are never distracting though and they do a fine job, just needed better direction.

Grade: B+

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SCORE
This is also very tough to breakdown and again, it comes down to a lack of focus and direction. Alexandre Desplat is a fantastic composer and the music itself was very good. If you listen to it without seeing the movie, you’ll like the tone and themes Desplat bring to the table. It has that 1940’s, World War II kind of feel that you’d expect from a period piece like this one. However, much of the music doesn’t really work within the movie because it enhances the unfocusness of Clooney’s direction and only supports the messiness of the film.

Grade: B- (Music itself is an A though)

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FINAL THOUGHTS
The Monuments Men is incredibly disappointing, not just because it involves great actors, but because this story is actually really great and deserves a better adaptation than what we see here. That being said, you still get a good idea of what happened and the heroism these guys had to save modern art and what they went through to save that culture.

Overall Grade: C-

Director: Steve Pink
Writers: Leslye Headland
Stars: Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Regina Hall, and Joy Bryant

Synopsis: A modern reimagining of the classic romantic comedy, this contemporary version closely follows new love for two couples as they journey from the bar to the bedroom and are eventually put to the test in the real world.

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INTRO
I said it once and I will say it again, Hollywood loves remaking movies and I never see any point in remaking a classic great film. “About Last Night” is an upcoming remake of the same movie which released in 1986. The 1986 version starred, Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. The 2014 version stars Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Regina Hall, and Joy Bryant

DIRECTION
My worst fear about this remake was that it was going to exactly like the previous one without any major changes. As soon as the casted was announced it was interesting that it went with an all-black cast and that the film would be based in Los Angeles instead of Chicago. Director Steve Pink and screenwriter Leslye Headland do a tremendous job in keeping key components of the original play and film but providing a fresh mix on things that are more relevant to our society now. The characters are all relatable and it makes us appreciate the film even more. One big difference between the original and this film is that the women they encounter. In the original the women were more full figured and have more diversity while the current version has your typical stereotypical women that we as a society praise shamefully I may add. Steve Pink was also able to keep things going between the two couples without missing a break.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT
I thought this film was written well and the choice of actors made this film blend perfectly to a certain degree. The movie is written much like a new relationship would go. First couple meets, 2) have chemistry, 3) Move in together (to test their love), 4) one or both parties become bored and they break up, 5) one or both members realize their life is not the same without the other and finally they rekindle. What happens between steps 1-6 is what makes the movie and in this case it was filled with what I call “Kevin Hart Syndrome”. The script was written with a nice balance of humor and seriousness. In comparing the dialogue to the original this version was more scripted towards the original screenplay which I like because the more sex and dirty talk there is the more I like the film. Changing the location and the characters made the script more exciting as it brought new light as I stated before.

Grade: B

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MOVIE REVIEW: That Awkward Moment

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PERFORMANCES
First off, I am not a Kevin Hart fan, so seeing him in a leading role makes me cringe. For the most part the dialogue is fine between the characters but then the “Kevin Hart Syndrome” kicks in where we have too many times where Kevin Hart is being Kevin Hart. Hart was not completely bad in this movie but the way he delivers his lines took away the film for me. Regina Hall’s character Joan is just as witty as Hart’s character (Bernie) but her delivery was more natural and kept me in the film and Hall easily stole the show in this movie. Michael Ealy (Danny) and Joy Bryant (Debbie) had wonderful chemistry together and played their roles very well, but I think Joy Bryant should have been replaced by Sanaa Lathan or Nia Long as they perform very well in these types of roles (Best Man Holiday). I just wished that Paula Patton had a larger role (sigh).

Grade: C

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SCORE
About Last Night featured songs from artist such as John Legend and Bruno Mars. The best song of this movie is Get Up (I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine) by James Brown. Movies in this time of genre usually have great scores that fit the more perfectly. About Last Night continues the tradition of successful scores in a comedy movie.

Grade: A

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IS IT WORTH IT?
Being a film lover, this movie cannot hold a candle to the original because it was perfect on all cylinders. The newer version is intended for a different demographic and based on other people that viewed the film, they absolutely loved it. For me I would have liked Kevin Hart more in a supporting role but if you enjoy his acting then you will enjoy this film. If this film was an original I may have liked it but if I had to choose between the original and this version I would have to choose the 1986 version.

Overall Grade: B-

Director: Jason Reitman
Writers: Jason Reitman (screenplay), Joyce Maynard (based on the novel by)
Stars: Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith, Tobey Maguire

Synopsis: Depressed single mom Adele and her son Henry offer a wounded, fearsome man a ride. As police search town for the escaped convict, the mother and son gradually learn his true story as their options become increasingly limited.

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DIRECTION
This is a pretty sad day for me, as I love Jason Reitman in general and Juno was one of my favorite movies of 2007. However, what Reitman does with Labor Day is just dreadful on all accounts. Although his screenplay was much of the culprit, his direction wasn’t great either. There are many elements that are introduced that aren’t explored very well and the pacing was very poor. The set up to the story in the first act was amateur and contrived on almost every level. Reitman uses flashbacks or dream-like sequences in several instances but none of it is used to further the story well. This elements not only lack depth but almost add a layer of ambiguity that works against the film. Reitman tries to add elements of suspense but not one time do yu feel that nor do you believe in the situation. You never feel the mystery of the characters or the story and instead it just feels like a big yawn. The 80’s aesthetic works on some occasion, which was a nice touch, but there’s not much else working for it. The use of Tobey Maguire to narrate the story seems odd at first but is used well and is one of the other few good parts of the film.

Grade: D+

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SCRIPT
Seriously, I don’t even know where to begin. The dialogue for this film is atrocious, forced and in some cases unbelievable. And I don’t mean that sarcastically. Reitman forces situations and themes into this story that on their own merits are great, but make absolutely no sense in this film. If he would of explored one of those elements well, the movie could of worked but instead there are several themes not explored well and it works against itself, especially in this context. The romantic dynamics are rushed and never feel natural. There are characters introduced with no real purpose and humor that was badly needed, but when it arrives it feels very distant still.

Grade: D-

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MOVIE REVIEW: That Awkward Moment

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PERFORMANCES
It’s pretty hard for me to imagine how Kate Winslet was nominated for a Golden Globe for this performance. Don’t get me wrong, she’s pretty good but I wouldn’t classify this as a nomination worthy role. This isn’t a make-up performance for Josh Brolin either, which he needed after last year’s Oldboy. That being said, it’s not really their fault. Reitman wasn’t sure what to do with this film or where to take this story and it’s reflected in the ambitious performances from Winslet and Brolin. Their chemistry wasn’t quite there either, but again, that can be blamed on awful, awful writing. Shout out to Gattlin Griffith though, who play Winslet’s son and he was easily the most believable. He plays a young boy who’s timid, scared and unsure of what to do with his young teenage life. Clark Gregg has a small role as Winslet’s ex-husband and is fine in the role.

Grade: B

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SCORE
Rolfe Kent’s score is subtle, quite and doesn’t add much to this movie. Normally, scores for these kinds of films need to be in that ballpark, however, Reitman wanted to add suspense and urgency in some parts of the film and the score doesn’t reflect that well. This score would of worked more if some other themes were more prominent but as an overall package, it doesn’t fit the bill.

Grade: C

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Labor Day is a tragic mess on all kinds of level. It’s not that you’d expect this movie to win awards or anything, but you can expect a lot more from Reitman, who really misses the mark big time here. While the aesthetic was fun to see a little, there’s not much to like about this film. It tries to be playful and subtle but really just falls flat and shallow.

Overall Grade: D+

Director: Tom Gormican
Writers: Tom Gormican
Stars: Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Imogen Poots, Mackenzie Davis, and Jessica Lucas

Synopsis: After their friend Mikey’s break-up, Jason and Daniel promise to stay single with him. However, they both end up falling in love thus affecting their promise.

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DIRECTION
The beautiful thing about Love is that it is one of the few things that can break the Brotherhood amongst men. Newcomer Tom Gormican was faced with the challenge of seeing how three different types of men view women and the consequences of it. One thing that movies do that always makes me cringe is when films open up with the ending and then starts as a flashback. Gormican employs that same strategy and in this case it was not a plot giveaway. The film is structured like a typical love story but offers a bad balance of humor and realism. On the surface this movie looks like it well appeal to both men and women, but do not be fooled this film is more of a chick flick and it seemed like each male character is designed to appeal to a certain gender. The role of Daniel will appeal mainly to men as he is the comical one and more sex driven. Jason (the main character) will appeal to both genders equally as he plays a more balanced role. Mikey is the ideal “ladies man” as he is considered with reuniting with his wife and becomes Awkward around other women. Despite all this, Gormican does an excellent job of having the three different stories blend nicely with each other to provide a nice coherent movie. The problem that I have with the direction of the film is that it simply fails to keep your attention as it is repetitive for most of the movie and Michael B. Jordan should have stayed at Fruitvale Station because he was very out of the place in this film.

Grade: D

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SCRIPT
The problem with doing a love film is doing something different because the audience already knows the love cycle where the guy finds a girl that will change his thought process, but falling in love is not for men. Guy eventually falls in love and messes up with girl and does some elaborate display of affection and the girl takes him back. That Awkward Moment sadly is set up exactly in this way and it attempts to fill in the missing pieces with humor. The first half was strong as we learn about how each male lead feels about relationships and women. The jokes worked well when introduced the first time. The middle of the film is when in my opinion the script went dry and become repetitive with the same poop jokes and characters doing the same thing day almost daily. Not sure if the bad script is a result of the dialogue or the subject matter. How was the dialogue you say? I’ll say this 2 Chainz could probably write better dialogues (not a good thing). The absolute best scene that is a perfect example of what not to write for any upcoming screenwriters is when Jacob (Zac Efron) and Ellie ( Imogen Poots) first meet in a bar.

Grade: F

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MOVIE REVIEW: Spike Jonze’s Her

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PERFORMANCES
Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan delivered homerun hitting performances in The Spectacular Now and Fruitvale Station respectively, so in this film their roles were not as great but they did the best with what they had. Zac Efron was the performance I wanted to see the most as I just remember him from the High School Musical series. Zac Efron played the role perfectly and he surprisingly has a comedic side (credit his next film The Neighbors?). The female leads all played wonderful roles as well. As well as the performances were it could save the awful script.

Grade: B+

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SCORE
The score was done by David Torn and is mostly just background noise that you won’t notice very much. For what it was though, it was okay. There was a couple of uses of soundtrack music as well but nothing is really stand out worthy. For the most part it fills the space but doesn’t add anything.

Grade: C+

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FINAL THOUGHTS
That Awkward Moment is a movie that will be enjoyed by few because the humor is nothing special and tells the same story we heard before. The nice thing about the film is that he does show us that Love can change a person for the better and shows us that being with the right person makes all your issues go away; and that you are happiest when you are together, however, all we have to do is search on Google and we will come to the same conclusion.

Overall Grade: D

Director: Stuart Beattie
Writers: Stuart Beattie, Original Screenplay by Kevin Grevioux
Stars: : Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Yvonne Strahovski, Miranda Otto, Socratis Otto, Jai Courtney and Kevin Grevioux.

Synopsis: In a dystopian era, Adam Frankenstein becomes involved in a war between a clan of gargoyles and a clan of demons in an ancient city.

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INTRO
We all know the story of Frankenstein a creation by Victor Frankenstein. Over the years the image of Frankenstein has changed but is the latest installment something that Mary Shelley would be happy about or is she turning in her grave? Director Stuart Beattie brings us I, Frankenstein, which stars Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighly, and Yvonne Strahoivski.

DIRECTION
Having the producers of Underworld (my favorite movie series) involved in this film is both good and bad. The great thing is that you can expect amazing visuals effects and a dark theme resonating in the film. The bad things, however, is that you can also expect very similar story lines in fact this film has the same basis that Underworld has. Beattie does a very poor job of representing Frankenstein as we get no real back story and he is hiding in the shadows most of the movie and it seems to me like he was better suited as a side act rather than the main attraction. I also understand that Frankenstein needs to look different but how it appeared on screen was that he simply had scars on his body and didn’t seem like he was “made”. The demons were also poorly done and I was unsure if I was supposed to laugh or be scared. One thing that I found annoying more than anything was the fact that every time a gargoyle or demon died there was a beam of blue light or flames respectively. The one bright spot for Beattie was the amazing work he did with CGI. The visuals in this film were amazing and nicely shot for the most part.

Grade: F

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SCRIPT
There is a war going on between good and evil and in between stands one Selene, I mean Frankenstein. Having the exact same premise of Underworld really blew it for me. The difference between Underworld and I. Frankenstein is that there is absolutely nothing that keeps your interest in this movie. The characters are boring and the dialogue is horrendous. The funniest part of the film to me is when Bill Nightly character reveals his demon and says, “I am a Dark Prince” because it is obvious by that point that he is the leader of the rejected cast from the 1991 TV series Dinosaurs. Beattie starts off by rushing through Frankenstein’s origin and then poorly explains why the demons and gargoyles are at war.

Grade: F

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MOVIE REVIEW: Reasonable Doubt

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PERFORMANCES
I know Aaron Eckhart and Bill Nighly are both better than this film so I am going to give Harvey Dent a pass for this movie. Eckhart did not play a bad role I think the character was just bad overall regardless of who played it. Jai Courtney brought the same skills from A Good Day to Die Hard, so you can imagine how things went. No Oscar worthy performances here.

Grade: C

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SCORE
Surprisingly, I,Frankenstein has a wonderful score. During the credits I saw two familiar names: Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek. Heli and Kilmek have done the score for such films as: Run Lola Run, The Princess and, of course, Cloud Atlas. The duo uses a nice mix of big orchestra sounds with strings and bass that help provide a “gothic” feel to the music. Being an action movie the movie will be slow at some parts and then fast at others and Heil and Kilmek are successful at keeping pace with the film. My two favorite songs are “Ride of the Gargoyles” and “This Body is mine”. If you were thinking about watching this film I think your money will best be spent on the Soundtrack.

Grade: A

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IS IT WORTH IT?
If it is not obvious by now, then NO I cannot recommend this film at any time including Redbox or Netflix. I watch over 100 movies a year and I say that this movie will probably end up on my worst list of 2014.

Overall Grade: F