Streaking, excessive drinking, car chases, boyfriends trying to beat up heroes and even vicious animals on the loose – is there anything within the out-of-control party subgenre we haven’t seen? According to “21 and Over,” no, but since when does lack of novelty keep someone from going out and partying?
Miller, Casey and Jeff Chang (Miles Teller, Skylar Astin, Justin Chon) were best buddies in high school, but since heading off to college, have somewhat fell out of touch. However, there’s no better reason to reunite than to celebrate Jeff Chang’s 21st birthday. Miller and Casey opt for the element of surprise and while Jeff is thrilled to see his good ol’ pals, he can’t go out and party because he’s got a big med school interview in the morning. After a great deal of pleading and the incessant blaring of an air horn, Jeff gives in and agrees to have a single beer – that is until his legality hits him and he realizes he’s got every bar and bottle in town at his fingertips.
Similar to just about every party movie out there, “21 and Over” is an excuse to live the ultimate unrealistic bash vicariously through film. The narrative isn’t particularly believable or compelling, but Teller, Astin and Chon are talented and charming enough to keep you engaged and, for the most part, enjoying the party.
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With growth in the digital realm happening so often, so does the desire to develop big-screen epics with mythological creatures at the core. We’ve got hobbits, aliens, supersmart apes, and now Jack the Giant Slayer adds a community of giants to the list, too. Whether you’re into the film’s promo material or not, one thing Jack clearly has going for it is that, unlike werewolves, vampires and witches, giants are relatively untapped and new.
Thanks to her iconic chilling backbend, Ashley Bell’s been permanently engrained in our minds ever since Eli Roth and co. unleashed the very first poster for “The Last Exorcism.” Since, Bell’s been packing on the projects and making quite the name for herself beyond the horror genre, but after “Last Exorcism” hit it so big, how could Bell not return for another dance with the devil?
“Dark Skies” is far from a haunting masterpiece, but the February debut, lack of pre-release screenings and rather weak promotional effort gave the film a much poorer reputation than it deserves.
It’s been a slow week for big-budget wide releases, but even if the studios unveiled more trailers for their potential upcoming hits, the trio that went on to claim the top three spots still likely would have put them to shame.
“Dark Skies” and “Snitch” are the big ones making their way to theaters this weekend, but February 22nd also brings the less hyped, albeit very influential, “Bless, Me Ultima.”
It ain’t easy being a young-adult book-to-film adaptation in a post-Hunger Games world. Tone, topics and characters may vary, but the moment it’s revealed that a new film comes from source material in the YA realm, comparisons are inevitable, and when you’re going up against a film with an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and $686.5 million at the worldwide box office, that can be tough to handle.
Alex Karpovsky is making his way towards becoming a household name courtesy of “Girls,” but he’s also an accomplished filmmaker. In fact, Karpovsky is getting a double feature run at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center for his latest productions, “Red Flag” and “Rubberneck,” via Tribeca Film and the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
After 88 entries, it’s time for Best/Worst Movie Promos of the Week to get a little facelift and freshen up. While Monster’s University should have led the Best Stuff category for the column’s very first trailer-specific entry, sadly walking through the gates of MU didn’t rouse the same emotions as stepping into the Monsters, Inc. factory. However, three other upcoming releases did manage to step it up just enough to earn the honor being this past week’s best of the best.
“Warm Bodies” proved that “Twilight” didn’t expire the potential of big screen supernatural romances, but the sub-genre does take a big step back with “Beautiful Creatures.”