cult film freak: zac efron

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Written by James M. Tate / 1/21/2016 / No comments / 2016 , comedy , road movie , robert deniro , zac efron

THURSDAY REVIEW OF DIRTY GRANDPA

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>year: 2016 cast: Robert DeNiro, Zac Efron and a bunch of completely worthless nobodies</u></td></tr>
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NEIGHBORS has put pretty boy Zac Efron into the anything-goes comedy genre, ignited by Judd Apatow over a decade ago, and the veteran "I'll do any movie to remain relevant" legend Robert DeNiro is along for the ride in this literal road comedy where Efron's uptight lawyer takes his grandfather, a day after Zac's Jason's grandmother died and who, obviously, was married to the title character, Dick Kelly, played by the man himself, DeNiro, trying way too hard to be outrageous without using his old-age-card, uttering modern pop culture references like a snappy Millennial as the more old fashion character is the grandson: thus the plot, involving the odd couple duo rolling into Daytona Beach, Florida, competing with buff bullies while Efron, on the verge of getting married back home, meets a too-perfect hippie girl while his grandpa just wants to get some... really, really bad. <br>

2016, comedy, road movie, robert deniro, zac efron

THURSDAY REVIEW OF DIRTY GRANDPA

year: 2016 cast: Robert DeNiro, Zac Efron and a bunch of completely worthless nobodies NEIGHBORS has put pretty boy Zac Efron into the a...

SOUTHPAW, WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS & MISTRESS AMERICA

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KYJEkWR9Ahpn__5oz2qgpU97zgLATOC80ppzzkX0ChdMZP1K1gwDq-li-gxzCkZ2HwXkoWMkG5d7GR7_HwioMTl0GFcRAbFfoZS3P1J0MrSuK_NiO0vc3Kzlhd94fYXV-kLvI4TKf44/s1600/1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KYJEkWR9Ahpn__5oz2qgpU97zgLATOC80ppzzkX0ChdMZP1K1gwDq-li-gxzCkZ2HwXkoWMkG5d7GR7_HwioMTl0GFcRAbFfoZS3P1J0MrSuK_NiO0vc3Kzlhd94fYXV-kLvI4TKf44/s320/1.png" width="206" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 2015</td></tr>
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<b>SOUTHPAW:</b> Here's an untrue story made to seem very real in a biopic sense, yet mirroring just about all the awesomely fictional ROCKY films...<br />
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From being a SOUTHPAW (left-handed boxer) goaded by a shunned opponent who obnoxiously flirts with his wife during a press conference (Mr. T in ROCKY 3) to losing his fortune (ROCKY 5) and then starting from scratch in an urban gym, morphed from a bruiser into a real boxer (via Apollo Creed in ROCKY 3) who can actually dance, dodge, and score...<br />
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Only in this case it's not a former rival, but the rival's former manager, who teaches street-urchin turned bad boy brawler Billy Hope the ropes when he desperately needs a comeback for his professional and personal life: After Billy's wife is murdered and his only child/daughter is taken by the government, Forest Whitaker's world-weary trainer Tick Willis and Jake Gyllanhaal (attempting his own edgy FIGHTER style performance) share the most genuine scenes, both actors finally getting lost in their roles without the melodramatic distractions.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 2015</td></tr>
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<b>WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS: </b>Would you believe a movie centering on Zac Efron as a Rave-DJ who yearns desperately for greatness would channel the Film Noir template? Well it does, and that aspect is somewhat intriguing as a slightly older, semi-famous guy allows (and fully trusts) Efron's climber to hang around his girlfriend ala POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE.<br />
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The real story involves Zac figuring out how to acquire his own unique sound while the characters mean very little by the end when, after a SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER vulnerable-sidekick turnaround, the people, connected to the music, are supposed to really matter... and they just don't. Yet FRIENDS is breezy, entertaining filler nonetheless.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINw8w2jfuFFFqj7nno03i4akv_dSyneClb88pEXOuVpfYSilUXSTcv_tcNedh6VmoSJ9WE12KP-Mf8lNwwVqWDayr1Y5kPV3Suj1XokqM9qgMMpI1Z-Qf18SSIyk3XLgm2Zg8DWgAAVs/s1600/3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINw8w2jfuFFFqj7nno03i4akv_dSyneClb88pEXOuVpfYSilUXSTcv_tcNedh6VmoSJ9WE12KP-Mf8lNwwVqWDayr1Y5kPV3Suj1XokqM9qgMMpI1Z-Qf18SSIyk3XLgm2Zg8DWgAAVs/s200/3.png" width="158" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 2015</td></tr>
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<b>MISTRESS AMERICA:</b> Certain indie art films are supposed to be like stage plays, but "stagey" is never good, even for... a stage play. And if you throw in a John Hughes style synth and two polar opposite females with zero chemistry, this 90-minute gabfest is a complete misfire: The passive narrator is too aloof while her forced mentor/muse never shuts up, or says anything to drive the story along. <br />
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Meanwhile, to make us forget that, in real life, shallow good looking guys land pretty girls in college, two complete duds are being fought over by beauties and... if the Millennial generation needs their comedy denial-driven and fantastical while subliminally attempting Woody Allen/Judd Apatow bantering neurosis, than this could be the CITIZEN KANE of pretentious crap: and not even that interesting.<br />
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RATINGS:<br />
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SOUTHPAW: ***<br />
WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS: **1/2<br />
MISTRESS AMERICA: *

2015, biopic, boxing, comedy, jake gyllenhaal, zac efron

SOUTHPAW, WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS & MISTRESS AMERICA

year: 2015 SOUTHPAW: Here's an untrue story made to seem very real in a biopic sense, yet mirroring just about all the awesomely fi...

Written by James M. Tate / 5/09/2014 / No comments / 2014 , comedy , dave franco , rose byrne , seth rogen , zac efron

SETH ROGEN VERSES ZAC EFRON IN NEIGHBORS

2014, comedy, dave franco, rose byrne, seth rogen, zac efron

SETH ROGEN VERSES ZAC EFRON IN NEIGHBORS

year: 2014 A young married couple, played by Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne, suddenly feel old when their new next-door NEIGHBORS, consisti...

Written by James M. Tate / 4/25/2012 / No comments / 2012 , blythe danner , romance , zac efron

THE LUCKY ONE

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<b>title:</b> THE LUCKY ONE<br />
<b>year:</b> 2012<br />
<b>cast:</b> Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling<br />
<b>rating:</b> **1/2 <br />
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At the end of TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, Tim Holt sets off for Texas to visit the wife of slain Bruce Bennett. This always seemed an intriguing premise. Years later... change wife to sister and you've got THE LUCKY ONE centering on a U.S. Marine in the Middle East who, on the battlefield, finds a picture of a beautiful blond that ends up saving his life – he picks it up just outside the perimeter where a bomb goes off. Once back home, suffering the aftereffects of war (ala flashback editing), he sets off with his German shepherd to find that special someone who was his “angel in hell.” Logan winds up in Louisiana and meets Beth, an assertive beauty running a dog shelter – more of a dream camp for wayward hounds. But she doesn’t trust this stranger one bit; those shiny blue eyes permeating within a stern elfin countenance just aren't enough. But this is one snag for our hero, who still can’t explain the reason for his visit. He soon meets Beth’s ex husband (and father of an utterly delightful son born of every mainstream film). Local cop Keith, the biggest jerk in history and as one-dimensional as they get, wants Logan out of town. And using every bully tactic in the book – including blackmail – he tries his best (or worst) to make that happen. But most of the film centers on Beth slowly defrosting to the mysterious stranger – inevitably leading to steamy generic sex scenes. Although chemistry between newly-buff Zac Efron and lithe damsel Taylor Schilling works best when they’re not getting along. And it’s Blythe Danner as Beth’s wise mother, providing sly input every time her daughter can’t make a decision, who grounds this chick flick that, while going on too long and resulting in a predictable conclusion, isn’t that bad. Guys forced to watch this with their girlfriends or wives are the real lucky ones; at least it ain't THE VOW or THE NOTEBOOK.

2012, blythe danner, romance, zac efron

THE LUCKY ONE

title: THE LUCKY ONE year: 2012 cast: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling rating: **1/2 At the end of TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, Tim H...

Written by James M. Tate / 3/04/2012 / 1 Comment / animated , children , comedy , danny devito , ed helms , zac efron

GROUCHY GROWNUP REVIEW OF THE LORAX

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 2012 rating: *1/2</td></tr>
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If you think Hollywood is the greediest moneygrubbing plastic city in the world, think again – and welcome to Thneedville, where every overly promoted, abundantly commercialized item costs bundles and, scariest of all, there are no trees.<br />
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Enter Ted, a kid smitten with a gorgeous girl Audrey, who has only one wish – painted along the back of her house are tall skinny things resembling straws harboring wispy windblown cotton candy. These are the long forgotten trees, and she wants one, a real one, badly. Through his wise old granny, Ted learns of The Once-ler, a hermit residing on the outskirts of the shallow metropolis: walled in and policed by a wicked, and very short, dictator O’Hare. But Ted gets easily past the border and, using his power scooter, zips into a dark flatland where he finds a faceless hermit in a spooky house.<br />
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Here he learns the backstory and what the film’s all about: Once-ler was once a poor farm boy who discovered a land abundant in nature and cutesy animals. He realizes, to make his dream invention – what he calls the Thneed (think of a Bionic Snuggie) – he has to chop down a tree: which summons our titular hero, The Lorax.<br />
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This mustached, peanut-shaped, blunt yet lovable orange creature (voiced by Danny DeVito) is an underdog environmentalist that can only point the Once-ler toward wisdom. But becoming a powerful businessman is Once-ler’s priority – and his Thneed's a big hit until all the trees are gone.<br />
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Now we’re back with Ted, whose input means very little – especially since the title character (who has surprisingly minimal screen time and plot relevance) is history and the real tale has been told. Nevertheless, Ted’s final mission is to plant one last seed. Although the greedy O’Hare – who sells clean air in cans and fake trees for big bucks – wants him stopped.<br />
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Kids will enjoy the wonderfully vivid animation and the cutesy characters, especially a bear cub and singing fish residing in the tree-laden forest. Here’s where the most involving, fast-paced action occurs. And the overly obvious environmental message works in scenes where each tree falls: like best friends dying slowly, and painfully, before your very eyes.<br />
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But once the movie ends with a corny singalong about <i>letting it grow</i>, you’ll realize this ninety-minute tale was really just a message with vibrant color: Other than a greedy entrepreneur cutting down trees to make money and then realizing his mistake, not much really happens.<br />
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Yet the real moral of this anti-capitalist movie is that it grossed a whopping $70 million this weekend. But since spending, and making, large amounts of money is a supposedly bad thing, you can do the producers a favor: instead of paying $14 bucks to watch THE LORAX, go plant a tree!

animated, children, comedy, danny devito, ed helms, zac efron