REVIEW: Get Smart

Get Smart
Starring: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin
In a nutshell: Get Smart is a typical spy comedy, but the talents provide some real laughs that make for an enjoyable ride.

But first, the story:
Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) is an incompetent member of a secret organization called CONTROL, and he wants to be promoted from analyst to field agent. But after CONTROL's enemy- KAOS- infiltrates CONTROL headquarters and hacked through the files thus making them know the identity of every agent, and this forces CONTROL's boss (Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine) promote Smart, this therefore puts Smart's idol, Agent 23 (The Rock), out of the field, but for now, let's just say it's an irrelevant piece of information.

Anyway, Smart is not alone as he is accompanied by Agent 99 whose identity was not compromised for some reason (let's just leave it at that). At first, they don't get along, but in time they do. Explosive things are abound, and likewise do the laughs. But in the end, will the duo be able to stop KAOS' plan to destroy the Walt Disney Concert Hall?

I have been waiting for this movie since I first saw the trailer in the Internet, and to tell you the truth, I was not disappointed contrary to what the critics say.

"I was not disappointed"
One factor to it all is probably because I haven't seen the source material, although, yes, episodes keep popping up on YouTube. Another reason to that was probably because of the fact that I had the expectation that it was gonna be a typical summer spy comedy, so yeah, I definitely got what I was expecting, and then some.

"And then some..."
What made it a little bit more special was probably the star power invading this casting coup of a movie. I mean, Steve Carell is definitely one of the best comedians around, and Anne Hathaway, always a charm to see her act, is going back to comedy after a slew of serious films- and she's more beautiful than ever!

Noticeably, The Rock has been removed from Dwayne Johnson's name, probably wanting to distance himself from his wrestling persona so that people can see him as a serious actor. Of course, he still plays the same idiotic buff guy personality he's been playing all the time, but this time it's a little bit funnier.

The comedy
Steve Carell is always the king of awkward silences, and he puts this to good use, along with his other comedic skills to make this typical summer comedy into a more enjoyable one. So yeah, the film's really funny- not exactly ROTFLMAO, but a little closer to LOL if you want me to use Leet speak.

There is one really goofy highlight that's probably gonna be kept in tight wraps for now, but if you want to really know, then you'll have to find out for yourself, cause it's definitely the funniest part.

Of course, not all jokes work, but most of them somehow manage to anyway.

Action-packed!
Of course, there's always the rudimentary gadgets and horsing around, but the thing is, the film could might as well be as well-made as a real Bond film.

There are explosions, gunfights, and stunts abound as well as the typical red lasers and such. Truly, the budget for this film was obviously high.

Overall
Get Smart is worth a watch if you've already watched all the other heavyweights (Wanted, Wall-E), and will make you laugh, even if it's for a little bit. And that's because it's hard not to like the great cast, even though yes, the plot is definitely generic. Still, the people have successfully translated a 60's series into the contemporary world, and I applaud them for that, so yeah, I'm definitely gonna watch all those old Get Smart episodes on YouTube.

Summer Movie Watchlist

The movie season is at its prime yet again, and summer started out with the magnificent Iron Man and opened up more box office gold with Indy Jones and Narnia. But the question is, what's next? I introduce you to some movies that are of interest.

You Don't Mess With the Zohan
Adam Sandler isn't exactly the best comedian in the movies, but his new comedy has a pretty bizarre plot that goes like this: He is an Israelite fighting terrorism, and he fakes his death to go to New York to achieve his dream of becoming a hairstylist. He becomes famous immediately after giving a customer some "special treatment" and his skyrocketing fame isn't fast enough to not let his past catch up, though.

Why is an Adam Sandler movie of interest to me this time around? Well, Judd Apatow's (40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Dewey Cox) one of the writers of the script, so it's automatically a must-see in my book.

The Incredible Hulk
I personally haven't watched the Ang Lee version, but this re-telling of the Green Giant's origin and re-casting makes it seem that it's gonna be huger and better than aforementioned version. And with that also comes new enemies, obviously.

The Happening
Talented actor Mark Wahlberg topbills a new M. Night Shyamalan horror flick. And to get you up to speed with who the heck this director is, M. Night Shyamalan is the one responsible for making the acclaimed movie The Sixth Sense. So yeah, you will again be seeing more dead people- this time looking even more grotesque because the film's R-rated.

As for the plot, it's about apocalypse caused by something unknown. People are dying like hell, and everything's turning into a big wasteland. Will the schoolteacher Elliot (Wahlberg) and his family escape their eminent doom?

Get Smart
I featured this one the last time I made a list, and I am still putting it in this one because I just want to watch it. Not only was I instantly sold by Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway being the on-screen duo (oh, the comical opportunities!), but because the trailer also makes it seem very promising! Watch out for this one, but if you forgot what it's about, here's a synopsis:

Maxwell Smart (Carell) is an analyst for CONTROL and has always dreamed about working in the field like Agent 23 (The Rock), and when the Chief is forced to send him on a mission to thwart crime syndicate KAOS' plot for world domination, all the laughs break loose. But there to accompany him on his mission is Agent 99 (Hathaway) especially because she has the brains. Still, will the duo be enough to save the day?

Wanted
The movie looks like a screamer!

Wesley Gibson is a man who is living a routine life until his father gets murdered. This happening sets to motion a lot of otherworldly happenings, that involve a woman checking him out in which he discovers is actually an assassin who worked with his dad before. He also discovers that he has inherited his father's special powers which are used- obviously- to kill people. Will he use them just to avenge his father? Or will he continue working with Angelina Jolie anyway?

Complete with explosions and butt-kicking action, the new Jolie-McAvoy flick looks like it will have what the typical summer movie has. I won't come in with high expectations though, because it also seems like the type of summer movie that is also dumb. You know, like Kung Fu Panda? But still, Iron Man surprised everyone when it went out of the stereotype because it provided not only what a typical summer movie would offer, but also a bit more humor and brains.

Wall-E
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG. Just kidding. Maybe if it gets released, I'd say that. And for good reason, Wall-E is shaping up to be a real masterpiece, and I can't just resist waiting for its release, which is the around the 26th or 27th of June.

Hancock
If you're an avid theater patron, you probably would've seen the trailer by now. But if not, let me get you up to speed.

This new Will Smith blockbuster tells the story of a man with supernatural powers named Hancock. However, Hancock isn't exactly like any other superhero in the planet as he drinks alcohol while saving the world, among other deeds you wouldn't expect your normal superhero to be doing. However, when he saves the life of a guy named Ray Embrey, the guy becomes determined to reform him and turn him into a real hero. Question is, will that endeavor actually work for very long? I mean, he's even flirting with Embrey's wife in the midst of his comeback!

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
I haven't watched the first Hellboy, however, the name Guillermo del Toro raises eyebrows- and I mean that in the best way possible. Why? Well, for starters, he's the director of the acclaimed Pan's Labyrinth and producer(?) of last year's horror movie The Orphanage. So basically, yeah, he's a damn good director. And I can't wait to see what he does to the costumed freaks of hell (corny pun intended).

Batman: The Dark Knight
Yet again directed by Christopher Nolan, this new movie is the sequel to Batman Begins. All the actors reprise their roles from the first (except Katie Holmes) one and now a new crime lord has settled in Gotham. And of course, everyone knows by now who it is: it's Heath Ledger as the Joker! As if the movie hasn't got enough buzz already, Ledger's tragic death will make movie-goers want the movie even more, I mean, who wouldn't want to watch Heath Ledger's genuinely chilling performance? (It's not his last, though.)

Mamma Mia!
The ABBA musical gets the big-screen treatment- and the star power to match. Meryl Streep in particular is definitely gonna make the movie an instant must-watch, but the funny plot will definitely intrigue others. Speaking of plot, it's a lighthearted movie about a girl named Sophie. She's gonna be marrying to Sky- her true love- but she has no father to give her away. Fiddling with mother's diary only complicates things, because three of the men in the book might be her father! So, she sends a letter to them to see which one of them gets the right to escort her down the aisle, only to find out that the wedding's gonna become a big fat Greek wedding. No, really, it's in Greece... with accompanying Swedish tunes... Hmmm...

Step Brothers
Yay, another Judd Apatow! OK, maybe he didn't direct it, but when his name is plastered onto a movie, regardless of role, it's bound to be good, and I loved John C. Reilly in the hilarious Walk Hard!

Anyway, here's the story: it's about a slacker living with his dad and another slacker living with his mom. When the parents of the two slackers get together, the slackers instantly hate each other at first sight. However, if they don't get along, and get a job, and get out of the house, the lives of the married couple might get destroyed.

Promising Movies (My picks for the new season)

I love watching movies, and it's all the better in the cinema. But in the many movies you're able to watch, only few stand out, for me at least. And without further ado, here are the movies you'll have to keep an eye out for:

Where In The World Is Osama bin Laden?
With such an eye-catching Indiana Jones style poster, who wouldn't stop and take a glance at this, at first glance, knock-off? Well in reality, this is the newest work of the director of the acclaimed fastfood docu Super Size Me and is about a man's quest for, well, finding Osama Bin Laden. Of course, his motive for this is to make the world safe(r) for his about-to-be-conceived child, but from the trailer, it looks like a hell of a comic search. I mean, just the witty line "If I learned anything from big budget action movies, it's that complicated global problems are best solved by one lonely guy." would make me want to see it. And clips of President Bush saying, "He may be hiding in a cave with the door open." LOLOLOL. Or maybe a line to save your life ("How do you say 'don't take me, take the cameraman'?")?

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Get Smart
Though I have bad feelings that the movie won't get many raves, Steve Carell is at it again with his signature comedic acting, now with Anne Hathaway in the new spy satire Get Smart. Based from the trailer I saw, I think it starts with an agent named Maxwell Smart being assigned to a mission and is promoted but definitely not doing good with it. Therefore, Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) is there to help him discover the schemes of the KAOS organization of terrorists. You know what? Expect it to be a comedy in the vein of Johnny English, only funnier hopefully. It gets even more attractive when you see its huge roster of stars like The Rock (though I haven't really regarded him as an A-list actor), Alan Arkin (of Little Miss Sunshine fame) and even Heroes' Masi Oka!!!

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The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Walt Disney and Walden Media's successful adaptation of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe proved that an age-old bible-ish series of beloved books are still great escapism, especially for the kiddies. Therefore, they're doing it again with the same director, most of the same actors and of course, a few new things. Judging from the trailer, this installment was more or less how I pictured it while I was reading the Chronicles of Narnia books in elementary (este, during Chinese), only grittier, better and even more fantastic. I have a feeling that this will be a must-see for all those Narnia fans and newbies alike, and more people will be attracted because, well, it has a less juvenile feeling than Lion! And it also has an imaginative story. The effects look like a screamer as well.

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Iron Man
After Spiderman, Superman and the X-Men took the big screen, it's time for Tony Stark to get the modernization treatment. So what about this Marvel hero? Well, he's a rich inventor and industrialist who gets kidnapped to make a devastating weapon. Instead, using his cunning and wit, he makes himself a hella cool suit of armor to escape his captors. After that, he vows to be a superhero and do superhero stuff, including trying to keep the identity of the superhero undiscovered and separating that life from his corporate and personal life. The movie stars Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr. (Zodiac) and even Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow!

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Indiana Jones and The Crystal Skull
Ahhh, ask any movie buff what the funnest movie in history could be, and it's indisputably Indiana Jones. Though it's not the kind of franchise that doesn't get better each time, every one of them is a very fun and entertaining ride. Really, when I watched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (I think that was the installment I first watched, because it had this temple with all the babes who had the ability to sort of hypnotize Indy and make him do whatever they want) as well as the first movie (Raiders of the Lost Ark), I was pretty much hooked! He would dispatch all those Nazis and makes you jump out of your seat like crazy!

But also thanks to the legendary Steven Spielberg's direction (of all three!) and the equally legendary George Lucas (in case you didn't know, he made Star Wars and the THX movie system thingy) who wrote the story, the movie experience is completely free of bad err, experiences!
And 20 years after that last installment, they still got Harrison Ford at hand, as well as a few new faces (Shia LeBeouf, Cate Blanchett) for the fourth outing of an albeit older Indy. And even better is Steven Spielberg's reprising role as director, and judging from the trailer, it's gonna be really explosive. I don't think there are any Nazis left though, because the movie'll probably be set some 20 years later or something. Hopefully, its signature humor and wit and thrills also come to stay because I wouldn't want to look at a 2008 edition that would actually pale to its 80's predecessor. It's gonna have some technical polish for sure, but the feel will hopefully be the same as the last time we saw him. (Because the trailer does just that.)

There's also gonna be a lot of plotholes because of the 20 years of Harrison Ford's aging, as well as Shia LeBeouf's casting as his son.

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Batman: The Dark Knight
Why so serious?

Oh what list would be complete without this? With Heath Ledger's parting performance as the Joker, and the same director (Christopher Nolan) as the highly acclaimed Begins, you can just wonder what can go wrong with the flick. And once it releases, the movie will most likely spark a debate on who's the better Joker- Nicholson or Ledger. Why? Because even in the trailer, he looks pretty terrifying instead of funny even with the heavy make-up and all. It's also bound to be very explosive and not to mention dark and gritty, because that's what Batman movies are supposed to be. Plus, it also features a lot of star power: Christian Bale, the aforementioned and late Heath Ledger, Michael Caine (Sleuth), Gary Oldman (Harry Potter 3,4,5) and Maggie Gylenhaal (as replacement to Katie Holmes). But you know what? I'm restraining myself, so I'm just gonna say this flat-out:

I CAN'T WAIT! DAMMIT JULY 18 PA TALAGA!

Ahem. Here's a beautiful YouTube-uploaded trailer. Seriously, after the trailer loads (it's pretty slow), click Full Screen.


Will it be the Batman to end all Batmans? Most probably appropriately.

Persepolis
It may not be part of the new film season, but I haven't really seen this flick in local theaters. Hopefully it won't be relegated to Ayala Cinema exclusivity (like There Will Be Blood or Across the Universe). But anyway, it's about a girl named Persepolis who lives life as a child in Iran which was against the shah at the time. And then the police would wrongly apprehend her uncle. But when she becomes a teenager, her boldness would cause her trouble in her home country so her family decides to send her, even if it was a very hard choice, to Austria where she would experience liberation, drugs and people who have sexual intercourse casually. But after breaking up with her boyfriend, she becomes homesick and returns to Iran, which was actually even more turbulent than when she left despite the fall of the shah.

This movie is based on Marjane Satrapi's bestselling biographies (there are currently 2 under the same name- Persepolis) and Satrapi herself directs. And you know what, I think it deserves the Oscar more than Ratatouille though I haven't even watched both. Why? Because the trailer just looks so... promising! If I get the chance to watch it now, I'd watch. Oh, and did I mention it's black and white (with a few touches of color here and there)?

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