audioBoo Reviews: "The Raid 2", "The Final Member" and "Oldboy"

At the moment, #cineNOLA Weekly is on hiatus. In the interim, here is a new series, using audioBoo, that will focus on movies I missed in theaters, didn't get to write about previously, or classics I'd like to talk about. Enjoy!

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Review: "Fast & Furious 6"

Over on the official MovieBoozer Facebook page, a question was posed to readers: When does a film cross the line from stupid-fun to just plain stupid? This being the season for big and loud Hollywood blockbusters, it's a perfect time to provide an answer. So many sequels, so much potential money to be made, so much money to burn - and so many fine examples.

What is a "plain stupid" movie? There are many components that are considered; plot, logic, character behavior, etc. But, for me, none of those necessarily equal "plain stupid" by themselves or even together. Movies like The Room and Birdemic may be incompetent technically, and laughter usually ensues from this, but they remain fun to watch. Why? Aside from laughing at the incorrect skills and unusual moments of the film, there is sometimes a genuine effort going on that shines through the screen. Sure, the cast and crew were over their heads, but they at least tried. That's admirable.

"Plain stupid", for me, is when there is no joy or redeemable quality to be had from a film. No effort to attempt to elevate the material from stupid to fun, just a paycheck and a job to do.

The Fast and the Furious franchise didn't start on the right side of the line, but it eventually crossed over.

Review: "Birdemic 2: The Resurrection"

There’s something charming about certain kinds of “bad” movies. For me, I can say that they remind me of my middle school days, when I’d run around the neighborhood, making short films on my palmcorder and S-VHS camera. I cringe whenever I view this old footage - it is just horrible. However, there is an earnestness that comes through clearly; a wanting to make a movie because you love movies, skills be damned.

Birdemic: Shock and Terror was made and put out into the world with the kind of passion that some mainstream directors lack. Through word of mouth, midnight screenings and an excellent Rifftrax commentary, the movie became a cult success. And, like with most successful films, plans for a sequel came out.

Would the same charm that people loved carry over?

Review: "G.I. Joe: Retaliation"

When getting ready to watch a movie, there are few things worse to see in the opening credits than the following word: Hasbro. If a movie begins by announcing Hasbro as one of its production companies, that’s your hint to duck for cover. The Transformers Trilogy, Battleship and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra are prime examples of bad movies based on toy lines. The special effects might be there, but the writing of the characters and dialogue implies either a low perception or hatred of children and young adults (the target audience). I understand that not everyone can be like Pixar, but you don’t have to treat your viewers like morons.

And so, there I was, watching Hasbro flash across the screen. What fate would befall my viewing of G.I. Joe: Retaliation?

Actually, I left satisfied. Seriously.