Reviews for May 6th, 2011
The Beaver
Directed by Jodie Foster
Walter Black (Mel Gibson), the CEO of a toy company, suffers from depression which threatens his business and leads to him separating from his wife, Meredith (Jodie Foster). After a suicide attempt that causes him to become unconscious, he awakens on his living room floor where he finds a box with a beaver hand-puppet in it. He wears the puppet on his left hand and, before you know it, the beaver starts talking with a British accent (voice of Brendan Gleeson). From that point on, the beaver serves as Walter’s alter ago, a form of therapy to deal with his depression. Meredith allows him back into their family home even though she’s not quite happy with Walter’s strange new friend. She calms down when he lies to her that his own psychiatrist recommended that particular therapy. Soon enough, the beaver not only becomes a new member of Walter’s family, but also takes over his toy company. If only that plot were nothing more than a small subplot because the more compelling and believable moments occur during the subplots involving Walter’s bonding experiences with his teenage son, Porter (Anton Yelchin), and Porter’s blossoming romance with Norah (Jennifer Lawrence), a schoolmate.
Screenwriter Kyle Killen blends drama and drama with very uneven results because the tone shifts too often and jarringly from offbeat to dark comedy to sweetness. A particularly awkward, cringe-inducing scene occurs when the beaver comes in between Walter and Meredith as they lie in bed and have sex. Pretty much any scene involving the beaver feels either downright silly or just too bizarre to lead to the requisite suspension of disbelief. It’s no help that there’s not enough development of Walter’s character to help you care about him as a human being. On a positive note the performances all across the board are terrific, and director Jodie Foster makes the most out of the interesting set designs, but that’s not nearly enough to make for a truly captivating film. At fortunately running time of just 1 hour and 33 minutes, The Beaver is an awkward, uneven amalgamation of drama and comedy with more cringe-inducing moments than laughter or poignancy, despite uniformly strong performances.
Number of times I checked my watch: 2 Opens in select theaters.Released by Summit Entertainment. 
The Beaver
Directed by Carlos César Arbeláez
Please check back soon for a full review.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1 Opens at the Cinema Village.Released by Film Movement. 
Harvest
Directed by Marc Meyers
Please check back soon for a full review.
Number of times I checked my watch: 3 Opens at the Quad Cinema.Released by Monterey Media. 
Hobo with a Shotgun
Directed by Jason Eisener.
Rutger Hauer stars as the titular hobo who buys a shotgun from a pawn shop to kill all the criminals in town one at a time. What he must do to afford that $49 shotgun won't be spoiled here, but let's just say that you don't want to try anything the angry hobo does at home. Throughout his bloody quest as a vigilante, he teams up with a sexy prostitute (Molly Dunsworth).
Anyone going into Hobo with a Gun expecting even an ounce of realism or some interesting character development should look elsewhere because what the film delivers instead is nothing but sheer, mindless fun with oodles of over-the-top, stylized blood-'n-guts. Director Jason Eisener bathes many scenes in a variety of colors that adds plenty of style. Who needs substance when there's so much style to be found? Fans of grindhouse will laugh at the hobo's hilarious one-liners and at the ludicrous action sequences. You'll find yourself rooting for him through his acts of vengeance from start to finish. Hauer has a lot of fun in his role, and it certainly shows onscreen with his wildly energetic performance. It feels as though he was born to play this role. Hobo with a Shotgun is ultimately destined to become a cult classic that will have audiences laughing at it as well as with it. It must be seen on the big screen with a packed audience, otherwise it won't be so exciting. Just be sure to check your brain at the door before entering the theater.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1Released by Magnet Releasing.Opens at the Village East Cinema 
Forks Over Knives
Directed by Lee Fulkerson
Please check back soon for a full review.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1 Opens at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema.Released by Monica Beach Media. 
I'm Not Jesus Mommy
Directed by Vaughn Juares
Please check back soon for a full review.
Number of times I checked my watch: 0 Opens in Minneapolis at the St. Anthony Main, White Bear Township Theater and Lakeville 21 Theater.Released by FilmDemic. 
Jumping the Broom
Directed by Salim Akil
Please check back soon for a full review.
Number of times I checked my watch: 3 Opens nationwide.Released by TriStar Pictures. 
Last Night
Directed by Massy Tadjedin
Please check back soon for a full review.
Number of times I checked my watch: 4 Opens at the Angelika Film Center.Released by Tribeca Film. 
Octubre
Directed by Daniel and Diego Vega Vidal
Please check back soon for a full review.
Number of times I checked my watch: 5 Opens at the Angelika Film Center and Lincoln Plaze Cinemas.Released by New Yorker Films. 
Passion Play
Directed by Mitch Glazer
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Please check back soon for a full review.
Number of times I checked my watch: 2 Opens at the Quad Cinema.Released by Image Entertainment. 
The People vs. George Lucas
Directed by Alexandre O. Philippe
Please check back soon for a full review.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1 Opens at the Cinema Village.Released by Wreckin Hill Entertainment. 
Something Borrowed
Directed by Luke Greenfield
Please check back soon for a full review.
Number of times I checked my watch: 4 Opens nationwide.Released by Warner Bros. Pictures. 
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There Be Dragons
Directed by Roland Joffé
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Number of times I checked my watch: 6 Opens in select theaters.Released by Samuel Goldywn Films. 
Thor
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a warrior in the realm of Asgard, could be next in line to become king. When he reignites an ancient war with the Frost Giants, his father, King Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins), disapproves of his actions, takes away his power in the form of a very strong hammer, Mjolnir, and banishes him all the way down to Earth. He lands right smack in the middle of a desert in New Mexico where Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård), Jane (Natalie Portman) and Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) accidentally crash into him with their SUV before bringing him to a hospital. Thor desperately needs to retrieve Mjolnir so that he can regain his power, but his brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), soon becomes an obstacle in his path.
The screenplay has a total of three writers, namely, Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz and Mark Protosevich, and, sadly, neither of them seems capable of generating much in terms of palpable excitement because there are few surprises and thrills to found. Moreover, every action adventure needs to have a fair share of comic relief, but, in this case, the attempts at relief fall flat. Chris Hemsworth has the right good looks to be an appealing hero onscreen; he lacks charisma, though, which will make you feel indifferent about what transpires to Thor. Director Kenneth Branagh keeps the pace moving swiftly enough and there are plenty of nifty CGI effects that serve as pure eye candy. Branagh could have easily chopped of a good 15 minutes or so from the film because some of the scenes in the second act on Earth eventually tedious and ho-hum as if they were just there to serve as filler. At an excessive running time of 1 hour and 55 minutes, Thor is an overlong, mildy entertaining blockbuster that could have used a more charismatic lead as well as more palpable thrills and excitement. Please be sure to stick around after the end credits for a stinger.
Number of times I checked my watch: 2 Opens nationwide.Released by Paramount Pictures. 
Under the Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story
Directed by Kevin Tostado
Please check back soon for a full review.
Number of times I checked my watch: 3 Opens at the Quad Cinema.Released by Rhino Films and Toastie Productions. 
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