Image courtesy of ScreenGems

By: Gregory Brand, Jr.
Entertainment Editor
SOTG Magazine

Obsessed
Rating: 3 out of 5

Breathing life into the old school, suspense subgenre of the female stalker, "Obsessed" proves to be satisfying despite also being very predictable.

The film feature loads of modern star power and as a result the film ends up coming off as somewhat real and extremely relatable.

Every man can relate to having a happy home and a sexy co-worker and every woman can agree to either being or knowing the hot girl at the office.

The twist comes once the hottie begins to show that she is a little (or a lot) crazy.

The film opens with Derek (Idris Elba) moving into a new home with his wife, Sharon (Beyonce Knowles), and their son, Kyle.

The opening scene allows the viewer to see that the two are happily married and still very much in love. The viewer also quickly learns that Derek is a very successful businessman and Sharon is a homemaker that used to be Derek's assistant.

For a while everything is seemingly perfect in Derek's life until he meets a smart and beautiful temp, named Lisa (Ali Larter).

At first Lisa appears to be the perfect temp. She is fast, efficient and even funny. This soon becomes a distant memory after she uses alcohol as a weapon on Derek at the annual Christmas party.

In a scene that mixes sexy intrigue with over-the-top execution. Lisa reveals, under the cover of being a little tipsy, he plans and desires for the handsome and successful Derek.

Following the party she begins to force herself into his life and under the cover of civility, Derek keeps tolerating her until his rejection forces her over the edge.

The film that follows takes an interesting look at the issues that lead to office obsession along with an extreme look at the ramifications. While Lisa's antics are outrageous, there is a sting of truth lurking within the film.

Viewers will question (often out loud) is Derek is making the right decisions regarding the villain here, considering how innocently the debauchery begins.

Acting in the film has an interesting range. Elba is brilliant while Knowles and Larter have highs and lows. Despite several performance levels, the overall chemistry between the characters is nice.

This film is also and interesting conversation piece as well. The realistic and ridiculous discourse between the married couple is sure to catch attention. As will the employment of office politics like gay and older assistants to curb the possibility of interoffice affairs.

Once the film reaches the climax, viewers will not only know what's coming but will be waiting in anticipation. The result will gain a couple of enthusiastic yells and claps but nothing takes it to the level needed to make this a true classic.

In short, it pulls too many punches (literally!).

Bottom Line: Obsessed does a good job of reintroducing a thrilling genre even if it never jumps past average in storytelling.

Labels: movies, reviews

Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures

By: Gregory Brand, Jr.
Entertainment Editor
SOTG Magazine

The Soloist
Rating: 3 out of 5

Though "The Soloist" at first reads as the typical music biopic of a down-on-his-luck musician, it is so much more. While the work is an adaptation of a worked penned by the real-life Steve Lopez, the origin is from a very different place than the typical desk of a biographer.

Working as a reporter and columnist for years, Lopez simply ran into a man on the street and found not only a source or inspiration for a story but a friend and subject for a whole book.

The film focuses its attention on the life and activities of noted columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) and homeless classically trained musician, Nathanial Ayers (Jamie Foxx) and the relationship they form after Lopez writes about Ayers.

While walking down the street, Lopez is captured by the sound of a violin playing a riff of Beethoven with only two stings.

Upon him gaining a closer look at the man playing the beautiful music he learns that there is something more going on. The man playing is blind, African American, in his 50s and somewhat mentally disturbed.

The disturbance Ayers suffers from is schizophrenia and while it holds him in a semi-coherent state, it does not prevent the talent inherent him from coming out.

Instantly, Lopez is interested in Ayers and writes his first of many columns about the blind man with an enormous talent.

When he first finds Ayers, Lopez attempts to ask straightforward reporter-like questions to no avail. It takes a little more effort and dialogue to tunnel down to the truth.

In his interest he learns much about his subject and as a result changes the life of his friend and teaches the a world that is too quick to judge those less fortunate a lesson that may never forget.

Lopez uncovers that Ayers was once a Julliard trained Cellist but his unstable mental state prevented his functioning in that environment. He also later discovers that Ayers has a sister (played by Lisa Gay Hamilton) who has been searching for him.

The film that follows shows the viewer, with comical and unnerving events, the story of man at first seeking a story but later finding an unconventional friend.

While the film's trailer makes it seem like a sappy music version of the Cuba Gooding Jr. nightmare, Radio, this film shows how life isn’t always black and white.

By taking the viewer on a ride through a story surrounding loss and struggle, the ultimate finish is both satisfying but also laced in reality.

The reality is reflected in the performances put on screen as well. Foxx and Downey do amazing jobs as the leads here. Foxx is interesting and believable as the somewhat crazy virtuoso and Downey is also sharp and interesting as the writer that inspired the film.

The film's only weakness is in the way the film tells this story. In a word the movie is LONG.

Though the film has an enormous story too tell, the length of the film makes the subject matter a chore to take in all at once.

Bottom Line: "The Soloist" is an interesting movie experience despite the condition of being a tad too long.

Labels: movies, reviews

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

By: Gregory Brand, Jr.
Entertainment Editor
SOTG Magazine

X-Men Orgins: Wolverine
Rating: 3 out of 5

On the cusp of several hugely successful films within the Marvel superhero franchises, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" explodes on the big screen with lots of action but not much else.

The story of Wolverine is now legendary for readers of the comics and the character himself has garnered a heavy fan base in film due in large part to Hugh Jackman's portrayal in the previous three films.

This film gives viewers and fans of the film franchise an opportunity to final know what readers already know: Wolverine is awesome.

Unfortunately, the film attempts to do more than it should have.

By being a little too concerned with including as much as possible, they overload the film and lose the essence of what should have been a total fun yet interesting action flick.

The film opens with a young Wolverine, still being called Jimmy by his family, living his life, sickly and frail. The film then shows him in a close relationship with a animalistic looking boy named Victor and while many comic fans will scoff at this piece of movie-based fiction, it works in the film.

This situation presents the film's hero as a child sick and in need of a lot of care. After an eruption of emotion following a tragic event, the boy's powers manifest and he is revealed to have bone claws that release between his knuckles and a healing factor that heals all wounds and illnesses in mere moments.

In effect, a boy that was sickly and defenseless in early childhood would never again be sick or weak.

Next, the film's prologue shows Wolverine and his brother Victor AKA Sabretooth, fighting in a number of wars, cutting a bloody path through history.

This union appears to be both happy and fruitful until Wolverine inexplicably loses his stomach for the violent efforts of his military employer and even more violent older brother.

When he defects from the mercenary lifestyle, he settles into a cozy life with his lover, a touch-based mind reader named Kayla Silverfox. The domestic happiness is short-lived however. Soon the people he left behind come looking for him with horrific results.

From here the film gives an even more movie-altered rendition of a classic and much storied history. While elements of the character's history are kept and referenced in the story, it fails to make the connections where it counts.

In the aim of putting lots of comic book favorites in the film, the storyline ends up being more fragmented than solid and as a result the film has tons of action but not a lot of substance.

The CGI is also below standard in the film as well. Several of the examples of the powers are poorly rendered and as a result the viewer will not full believe what is being shown.

The acting in the film is about where it should be for a summer blockbuster but some people are worth a look. Jackman as Wolverine is still a good fit and his brother/nemesis Sabertooth (Liev Schrieber) is as well. Wil.I.Am is also an interesting fit as the Department H mutant warrior, John Wraith.

Honestly, it is very cool to see the antics of several famous superheroes and villains in action on screen but the film should have done more than given them live-action form. The story should have matched the on-screen magic.

While the movie is not at all horrible, it could have done a better job explaining why this character is interesting in the first place. Sure he has powers and loves to fight but he is also human and the film never explores that part deep enough.

Bottom Line: Fans and action junkies alike may like what they see but it is not as legendary as the title suggests.

Labels: movies

Image courtesy of Universal Pictures

By: Gregory Brand, Jr.
Entertainment Editor
SOTG Magazine

Fighting
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

The Rogue Pictures release of the brawler flick, "Fighting," makes attempts at mixing action and emotion, yet the resulting film just barely reaches average.

Featuring a mixed cast of known talent and relative newcomers, the films has been able to generate a considerable amount of buzz surrounding its potential to be a real knockout.

From the first glance, the film has all of the makings of a dirty, brawling classic.

Imagine tons of physically fit, modern-day gladiators duking it out in slugfests to earn their living while entertaining the rich and bored.

The film could be considered an advertisement for underground MMA (mixed-martial arts) extravaganzas with women in mind.

While the film shows promise in the trailers, the resulting feature bounces along clumsily between awesome fight sequences. Indeed the fights themselves are the stars in this film despite all of the star power lurking within the cast.

The film opens with Shawn McArthur (Channing Tatum) bootlegging on a crowded New York street. While on the street, he is robbed and hustled by a team that will soon become his allies and eventually his friends. Before becoming his friends, he has to beat the crap out of them.

While he is selling his bootlegged materials, he is robbed but succeeds in slamming a few of the would-be thugs and impresses their handler Harvey Boarden (an annoying Terrance Howard).

At a lightning fast pace, Shawn is fighting in one of the illegal fights and the man who had him robbed in the first place becomes his friend and promoter.

The film that follows is entertaining but drags a lot.

Fighting's strong suit are the fights themselves. While there are not as many as the title suggests, they are all well choreographed and exciting to watch.

While the fights themselves look awesome, the overall camera work is deadpan average. No visual risk is taken and as a result lots of the shots are uninteresting and boring.

The film's additional weaknesses include but are not limited to, the fantasy attached to Shawn winning all of the fights and the film’s overall crapy dialogue.

While Tatum appears athletic in the film, his character battles a real boxer, martial artist, gigantic grappler and a professional MMA fighter, and while Shawn has a background in college wrestling, he manages to pummel ALL of his foes. Although he could simply be beastly in the ring, this is highly improbable.

Some of the performances also fall flat as well. While Tatum does well as the films main attraction, Howard is more annoying than captivating.

Overall the film has the look and action but not much else.

Bottom Line: "Fighting" gives moviegoers an appealing look inside the underground fighting world but fails to make them feel it.

Labels: movies