Saturday 19 May 2012

Review Revue: ‘Battleship,’ ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting,’ ‘The Dictator’

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This week at the movies brings us a trio of cinematic adaptations from disparate source materials: a board game (“Battleship,” starring Taylor Kitsch, Rihanna, and Liam Neeson), a self-help book (“What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” starring Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, and Elizabeth Banks), and a Charlie Chaplin classic (“The Dictator,” starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Anna Faris). Find out what the critics have to say.
“Battleship”
A big-budget blockbuster based upon a board game, “Battleship” all but promises empty-headed thrills. On that count, critics say, it succeeds, though they also note that a few mindlessly awesome set pieces can’t totally compensate for the film’s thuddingly silly script. Years after NASA has sent a message to a nearby planet, a group of alien ships visit earth – and they do not come in peace. A group of naval officers leads the charge against the invading armada, and explosions ensue. “Battleship” is currently at 38 percent on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer; check out some of the reviews here:
Rotten: “Hey, if you’re Hasbro and Universal, and you’ve agreed to make a movie based on nothing more than brand recognition of a game, you’ve got to fill two hours with something.” — Tom Russo, Boston Globe
Rotten: “‘Battleship’ has the IQ of a rutabaga and doesn’t require much more intelligence than that to watch.” — James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Rotten: “As big, dumb summer movies go… this is just another big, dumb summer movie. And one that makes you feel slightly dumber for having watched it.” — Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger
Fresh: “‘Battleship’ is big, dumb fun that knows it’s big, dumb fun and enthusiastically embraces its big, dumb, fun nature.” — Christy Lemire, Associated Press
“What to Expect When You’re Expecting”
Since it was first published in 1984, the popular self-help book “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” has helped to guide women through the turbulent months of pregnancy. Unfortunately, the big screen version lacks the unpredictability of real life, stranding its talented cast in a sitcommy plot. Starring Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, Dennis Quaid, and Chris Rock, “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” is the story of five interconnected couples dealing with a variety of pregnancy and childbirth-related issues, and it features plenty of spirited discussions from both male and female perspectives. “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” is currently at 30 percent on the Tomatometer; here’s what some of the critis are saying:
Rotten: “‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ doesn’t find new laughs, just layers on attempts at the tried-and-true ones — think one scene in which a woman howls and makes funny faces during labor is funny? How about many of them together?” — Stephanie Zacharek, Movieline
Rotten: “Several ensemble scenarios have rich promise for interplay, but the manner in which they are staged, photographed and edited undercut their reality.” — Brent Simon, Screen International
Rotten: “Expect that two hours will feel like nine months, and that before it’s over you’ll be screaming for an epidural to your brain.” — Ann Lewinson, Kansas City Star
Fresh: “As sociology, it’s skin-deep, but if you’re a parent or preparing to be one, you might see yourself in a few of these folks and have a good time doing so.” — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
“The Dictator”
With the gonzo documentaries “Borat” and “Bruno,” Sacha Baron Cohen established himself as one of contemporary cinema’s most merciless satirists. Now he’s graduated to scripted comedy, and critics say that while “The Dictator” isn’t as outrageous or as teeth-clenchingly funny as “Borat,” it’s just funny and un-P.C. enough to prove that Cohen hasn’t gone soft. This loose remake of Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” is the tale of an oppressive, buffoonish North African despot who survives a coup attempt that leaves him wandering the streets of New York City until a kindly hippie grocer (Anna Faris) takes a shine to him. “The Dictator” is currently at 62 percent on the Tomatometer; here are some of the reviews:
Fresh: “‘The Dictator’ is loose and slap-happy and full of sharp political barbs and has funny actors moving in and out — and at a lickety-split 83 minutes, it doesn’t wear out its welcome.” — David Edelstein, NPR
Fresh: “By cracking wise about subjects most people are hesitant even to mention, Cohen shows us where our boundaries are and then makes us question why we’ve put them there in the first place.” — Mathew DeKinder, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Rotten: “‘The Dictator’ has a few laughs along its bumpy path, but not enough of them to indicate that Cohen has found a means to escape the shadows of his early career and forge a second act for himself.” — Shawn Levy, The Oregonian

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