RANGO

Photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures
A chameleon with an identity crisis discovers who he is in the middle of the desert in the animated film, RANGO.

Rango, voiced by Johnny Depp, is the chameleon, a nameless household pet who is inadvertently lost during transit on the open highway. Along the side of the road, the chameleon is given some profound advice by an animal that was nearly roadkill. The advice leads the chameleon into the desert town of Dirt, where the water is scarce, the townsfolk fearful and the threat of death always in the air.

The chameleon creates an alter ego, calling himself Rango and building a name for himself as a rough, rugged and ruthless gunslinger. This all bodes well for Rango, until someone calls his bluff.

Twisting the old west into a comedic playfield, RANGO owes as much or more credit to Chuck Jones as it does John Ford.

Rango, the character, is one-third Bugs Bunny, one-third Kermit the Frog and one-third Johnny Depp. This equation amounts to 100% hilarity, as writer-director Gore Verbinski, and writers John Logan and James Ward Byrkit have crafted one of the more memorable cinematic figures in recent memory. Rango has the physical make-up and mannerisms of Kermie, the wisecracking charm of Bugs and the quick wit and voice of Depp.

Although Rango is the central character, the Western screenplay is also smothered with several other funny and lively figures from Rango’s love interest Beans, a shy, but wise girl named Priscilla, Rattlesnake Jake, Bad Bill, Waffles and the Mayor, voiced by Ned Beatty.

The humor is matched by a terrific looking setting and action scenes which not only exhilarate, but place one in the midst of all the excitement. Various angles and looks at Rango’s near-death experience with an eagle, a draw between Rango and Bad Bill, and a vintage shoot-out are original without being pretentious.

Although the character of Rango and visual style are memorable, the underlying plot is also a nice change-of-pace. I’ve failed to mention, but RANGO is more for older children and adults. In addition to the violent action and tone, the story also skews older. The chameleon’s identity crisis and subsequent finding of himself is certain to appeal to teens and adults.

RANGO is one-of-a-kind, in humor, aesthetics and character. I hope this isn't the last we've heard from this crafty chameleon.

Grade: B+

CEDAR RAPIDS

Photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight
A mild-mannered insurance agent takes a trip to an annual insurance conference in search of the top prize in the comedy, CEDAR RAPIDS.

Ed Helms, of THE HANGOVER fame, is Tim Lippe an insurance agent with Brown Valley Insurance, who after the untimely death of a fellow agent is tagged to represent Brown Valley at the convention, and more importantly vie for the coveted Two Diamonds Award, an award granted to the insurance company that best exhibits professionalism and moral and ethical standards.

Tim’s boss, Bill, has provided him with agents to avoid and one’s to attach himself to. Tim meets up with Ronald, from the nice list, and also Dean, from the naughty list at the conference.

CEDAR RAPIDS views itself as a coming-of-age comedy, but not as a young adult coming into his or her own, but rather a naïve, ignorant Midwesterner learning the ropes of life.

Tim is a likable guy. Sure he enjoys the occasional rendezvous with his former grade-school teacher, played Sigourney Weaver, at his home, but Tim sees his occupation, and people in general, as honorable. This is frowned upon by director Miquel Arteta and writer Phil Johnston, who lead Tim on an insurance convention escapade filled with extra-marital affairs, prostitutes and cocaine. The heavy-handed nature by Arteta and Johnston undermines some effective moments the two craft in between the nonsense.

As previously mentioned, Tim has been warned about Dean, played by John C. Reilly, yet as we get to know the obnoxious, blow-hard Dean, the more we like him. O’Reilly is outrageously funny as Dean, giving CEDAR RAPIDS some much needed life and laughs, while also serving as an eye-opening figure for Tim.

Ann Heche also turns in a good performance as Joan, another middle class insurance agent, and mom, that views the annual get-together as a getaway from reality, and Isiah Whitlock is solid in the thankless role of straight man, Ronald.

Tim is the least interesting of the bunch, but this is no fault of Helms. Tim more or less serves as the middle-class, middle America punching bag for Arteta and Johnston to have their way with.

CEDAR RAPIDS pulls no punches, but also doesn’t land as many as it should.

Grade: C

I AM NUMBER FOUR

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures
A rare breed of alien is on the run from his predators in the film I AM NUMBER FOUR.

Number Four is an alien on the run from the Mongadorians, another group of aliens who seek to destroy his kind. In an attempt to avoid extinction, Number Four has come to planet earth, along with his guardian, and has assumed the identity of John Smith, a teenager. The duo skips from town to town, hoping to avoid being detected, and their most recent stop is in a small Ohio town called Paradise.

Henri, John’s guardian played by Timothy Olyphant, wants John to lay low and stay within the confines of a rural house. John feels it would be better to blend in by attending the local high school. John wins this argument, enrolls at the local high school, and experiences many of the same events that a typical teenager would.

Films like I AM NUMBER FOUR bring out the 13-year old boy in me. Although the film is centered around an alien, the alien is always in the skin of John, and Number Four operates as such. He falls for a girl at school, is picked on by the jocks and defends the self-proclaimed science nerd from these same bullies. There’s also a Mongadorian beast that can be heard, but not seen.

I AM NUMBER FOUR has many elements of popular 80’s films that I grew up on. Although the film is centered around an alien, it’s real focus is on various teenagers and how they are trying to find their way in the world.

The theme is well incorporated, but never hits home, due in large part to the stoic performance by Alex Pettyfer as Number Four. Pettyfer is stuck between a rock and hard place, forced to play an alien unaccustomed to earthly pleasures, while still showing a sense of humanity in the skin of a young man. His dry performance doesn’t elicit any sympathy, despite director D-J Caruso’s manipulative tactic of not showing Number Four as anything else but human.

Pettyfer’s female counterparts are the ones which get to have the most fun. Teresa Palmer as Number Six arrives late in the game, but still leaves a lasting impression, while Dianna Argon, of Glee fame, gives a well-rounded performance that may lead to even stronger roles.

I AM NUMBER FOUR was a bit of a nostalgic trip back to alien and teen films from the 80’s for me, but I couldn’t completely check my 37-year old critical thinking mind at the door.

Grade: C+

DRIVE ANGRY 3D

Photos courtesy of Summit Entertainment

Nicholas Cage returns from the fiery depths to avenge his daughter’s murder and save his granddaughter from the same fate in the action pulp flick, DRIVE ANGRY 3D.

Cage is Milton, a man who has broken out of hell, returned to earth and is on a one-man mission to save his granddaughter from a satanic cult that believes she is the ultimate sacrifice.

The one thing Milton is missing is a car. Enter Piper, played by Amber Heard, who has just quit her job as a waitress and her wedding engagement, after finding her fiance sleeping with another woman. As part of the break-up with her cheating man, Piper takes her exes hot rod, since she's been making the payments on it anyways.

Although Milton has the drive and the ride, he must not only confront the ultra-violent cult that has his granddaughter, but he also faces a major hurdle in the form of The Accountant, played by William Fichtner, a man who’s keeping earthly tabs for Lucifer.

DRIVE ANGRY 3D had all the looks of a graphic, violent, insane and utterly fun and funny pulp film. Unfortunately the latter wasn’t true. There’s not much fun too be had, as writer-director Patrick Lussier and star Nicholas Cage seem content on merely achieving the status quo for this type of B-movie.

It has all the graphic elements you’d expect with an R-rated film titled DRIVE ANGRY 3D, sex, violence, language and nudity, but in spite of these sometimes controversial aspects, they fall drastically flat.

The film’s main problem is Cage. In a role that demands the abrasive and angry energy he’s brought to characters in films from HONEYMOON IN VEGAS to THE ROCK and MATCHSTICK MEN, in DRIVE ANGRY 3D he seems to be going through the motions. His deadpan nature might have played right in the stone-cold THE MECHANIC, but with all of the insanity going on around him in this manic and high-speed schlock fest, Milton should be tossing around a few zingers and eye rolls.

Heard, who looks the role of the standard sexpot and delivers the attitude, seems to be holding back a bit. She kicks butt and takes names, but doesn’t go full throttle in a role that demands it.

Fichtner, on the other hand, is right on the mark. The Accountant seems to relish every odd encounter, twisted character and devilish move he makes. Where Milton and Piper seem stuck in neutral, The Accountant is in overdrive, hamming up every minute he’s around.

DRIVE ANGRY 3D does properly use 3D for this type of film, utilizing more conventional pop-out tactics with the action and violence, in contrast to the depth-of-field technique that many modern films employ.

Although the 3D technology and Fichtner pop, everything else fizzles. I’d leave DRIVE ANGRY 3D in the garage.

Grade: C-