TROPIC THUNDER

Photos courtesy of Dreamworks PicturesActor, writer and director Ben Stiller mocks Hollywood and its movie conventions in the comedy, TROPIC THUNDER. Stiller is Tugg Speedman, a legendary action star whose latest efforts have been less than stellar. Speedman, along with well-acclaimed Kirk Lazaraus, played by Robert Downey, Jr., and comedian Jeff Portnoy, played by Jack Black, star in the latest war adaptation TROPIC THUNDER. After several half-hearted shoots of the film, TROPIC THUNDER director Damien Cockburn decides these prima donnas need some tougher terrain. Damien flops the three, and two other actors, in the middle of a hostile region, hoping to toughen up the crew and land some quality footage for the film.

No one gets through TROPIC THUNDER unscathed which is good and bad, hilarious, but sometimes offensive and off-putting. Stiller throws everything he has at Hollywood, and several other assuming and unassuming groups, and finds much to laugh about. Some targets are easy, such as the big Hollywood action star, the gross-out comedian and the pretentious artist, while others seem less noteworthy such as studio executives and agents. Stiller and co-writers Justin Theroux and Etan Coen hit the bulls eye with opening trailer spoofs of Speedman, Lazaraus and Portnoy’s work, particularly THE FATTIES trailer which spoofs the most recent NUTTY PROFESSOR films, with twice the flatulence. Although TROPIC THUNDER is often times laugh-out-loud funny, it does stumble along the way. The film goes to the well too many times with the characters one-note jokes, and a satire targeting Hollywood actors who play the mentally disabled is insensitive at best. In spite of the missteps, TROPIC THUNDER provides plenty to laugh about.

Grade: B-

THE WACKNESS

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

A recent high school graduate tries to work his way out of depression in the Big Apple in the mid 1990’s in the eccentric coming-of-age film, THE WACKNESS. Luke is not your average high school grad. Sure he struggles with finding a girlfriend, can’t deal with his parents and burns away endless hours on the Nintendo, but he also is a drug dealer, a depressed one, who finances his trips to the psychiatrist by peddling dime bags to the doctor. In addition to his psychiatric trips, Luke is also crushing on his doctor’s stepdaughter, Stephanie.

THE WACKNESS has all of the make-up of a vanity project, so when I looked up whether or not these were the real life experiences of the film’s writer-director Jonathan Levine, and the answer was “no”, it left me scratching my head. Levine claims the film is semi-autobiographical, in terms of the backdrop, details and perspective, and in these terms Levine gets it right. The soundtrack is chalk full of catchy and appropriate, if not important R & B and rap hits of the era, and the attitude of Luke, Stephanie and other young adults seems dead-on. Since this is a coming-of-age film, I guess I expected some of, if not all, of the characters to mature. Luke, his psychiatrist Dr. Squires, played by Ben Kingsley and Stephanie don’t grow up much, leaving THE WACKNESS feeling shallow. Levine is more concerned with providing an edge to the film, and in the process, it suffers in terms of substance. Levine has mixed his semi-autobiographical high school years, with an actual biographical essay, but the core of the story must have been lost in translation. It’s a shame because Josh Peck, as Luke, is good, and Olivia Thirlby as Stephanie, turns in a star-making performance. THE WACKNESS isn’t as dope as it thinks it is, despite Peck and Thirlby’s efforts.

Grade: C

THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures Brendan Fraser returns to battle ancient warriors in the third mummy movie, THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR. Fraser reprises his role as Rick O’Connell, but Maria Bello replaces Rachael Weisz in the role of Evelyn, Rick’s wife. The O’Connells are now retired, but not happily, as Rick struggles with hobbies and Evelyn with her latest action-adventure novel. The two become intrigued by a discovery made in the tombs of the Far East, regarding the statue of an ancient Chinese emperor. Little do the O’Connells know, that the Emeror Han is not dead, but merely resting due to a curse.

I’ve always felt that the MUMMY movies were second-rate INDIANA JONES adventures, with worse acting, special effects and storylines. With the latest MUMMY and JONES movies falling just months within each other, it’s obvious I was wrong, the MUMMY is a third or fourth rate version of the JONES series. Although the acting is more forced in TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR than its predecessors, and the special effects still an eyesore, the distinct problem with the film is in its storytelling. Although I didn’t care for either of the previous two MUMMY movies, the storylines were rather simple, to the point and were delivered with reasonable success. TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR belabors an idea that is suited for a swift 90-minute runtime. New rules involving the immortality of the Emperor Han seem to change at the film’s convenience, allowing director Rob Cohen several opportunities to engage our heroes and heroines with fireballs, tumbling rocks, hundreds of warriors and of course, a dragon-emperor. As with this summer’s JONES adventure, TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR makes the film a family affair by introducing the O’Connell’s son, Alex. A mere bit part in THE MUMMY RETURNS, Alex’s character intends to bring some tension to the mix between he and dear old dad, but the chemistry isn’t there, making the father-son moments flat. THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR is a JONES wannabe that should have remain buried, and would have, if it wasn’t for the treasure it would find at the box office.

Grade: D+