Everyone likes underdog movies. Rather, I should say most of us enjoy movies about underdogs. Deep inside, we all want to get the upper hand when pitted against superior forces, be it in the schoolyard as children or in any sport or hierarchic situation.
Going back to such classics as Rocky, we just love seeing the little guy get the upper hand. That's exactly why the new Disney family film Real Steel works so well. It's also why I proudly choose it as this week' top pick.
Real Steel (4 out of 5)
Starring Hugh Jackman as a down-on-his-luck former boxer-turned-fighting robot jockey, the film follows the man's adventure as he starts to bond with his estranged 11-year old son, as the pair try to make some money using old clunker bots, pitting them against much larger opponents throughout the course of the film.
In what I can only describe as a futuristic game of Rock'Em Sock'Em Robots, in a mixture of Stallone films like Over the Top and the aforementioned Rocky films, Real Steel combines familial elements of father/son bonding, personal redemption and can-do attitude, pairing an emotionally charged story with state-of-the-art special effects, courtesy of the late Stan Winston's creature shop, who provides the film's awesome metal warriors.
Young newcomer Dakota Goyo holds his own as Max Kenton, son to Charlie Kenton (Jackman) whose ex-flame passes on, leaving the lad in the care of his absentee father. Since the film is set in the year 2020, human boxing has become a thing of the past, resulting in big matches being set up between large, violent droids intent of beating the circuits out of each other.
When young Max locates an abandoned early generation robot in the mud of a decrepit scrap yard, he soon decides to bring the aged robot back to top shape (well, relatively speaking), thus proving that just because something's old, doesn't mean it doesn't fulfill any sort of usefulness. After all, like Indiana Jones once said, "it's not the years, honey, it's the mileage."
As this old but sturdy bot named Atom goes on to fight much bigger and better opponents in improvised rings, it makes its new owners proud, all the while helping father and son find common ground for a renewed relationship.
I really enjoyed seeing Jackman having some fun in a harmless but heartwarming family film, especially given his excellent but darker track record as an action star with, ahem, lethal claws and a gift for vulgarity. Despite his character's hardship, you can still tell the actor is having a blast.
I give credit to director Shawn Levy (A Night at the Museum) for keeping the story tightly focused on the two leads, while including simple yet touching moments, such as the brief inclusion of an old family friend (Lost's Evangeline Lilly) who may also be a romantic interest for the fallen boxer. That Levy kept this romance down to a minimum while still acknowledging it, only strengthened and streamlined the core of the film, namely the father/son bonding and onscreen robot mayhem.
Filled with some excellent fights (made plausible and entertaining thanks to special advisor/former world champion Sugar Ray Leonard) and visual magic, Real Steel made me cheer out loud, something I hadn't done since watching Rocky Balboa defeat a certain unstoppable Russian fighter in the 80s. I dare you not to do the same when you see this film.
50/50 (3.5 out of 5)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception) plays Adam Lerner, a relatively stable young adult who learns he has a rare cancer near his spine, sending his life into considerable disarray. With the moral support of his happy-go-lucky best friend (Seth Rogen, playing another variation of the same funny guy he's been playing throughout his career), nervous and timid therapist (Up in the Air's Anna Kendrick) and neurotic, overbearing mother (Anjelica Huston, a scene-stealer here), Adam decides to face his illness, refusing to give up without a fight.
This film could easily have gone the sappy route, but enough well-placed jokes and harmless puns, along with involved supporting actors, make this one worth seeing. As someone who has lost people top the disease, I can tell you the movie does have a therapeutic effect. Also, it's damn funny.
The Doors Mr. Mojo Risin: The Making of L.A. Woman (3 out of 5)
A well-executed documentary about the making of the legendary California band's final album, prior to Jim Morisson' departure for Paris, where he died in 1971. While some of the interviewees irritatingly won't stop waxing philosophical about the way the Lizard King's lyrics affected them, the more honest and personal moments with the band's remaining members make this piece all worthwhile.
Also, I recommend you cherish any scene with former producer Bruce Botnick, as he uses his sound board to break down classic Doors tunes to their essential components. Groovy indeed.
Queen: Days of our Lives (3 out of 5)
Another excellent music doc about rock royalty, this well produced look back at Freddie Mercury and his band's ascent will probably make you go hunting through your CD shelves for another go at that Classic Queen compilation you haven't touched in a while. Once again here, you get a mixture of genuine talent and pompous pedants throwing in their two cents about what happened for twenty years, but altogether this piece should satisfy existing fans, if not create new ones.
The Whistleblower (3 out of 5)
Rachel Weisz plays real-life policewoman Kathryn Bolkovac, an American cop who gets recruited by the United Nations to help keep the peace in war-torn Bosnia. One there she realizes her peers and superiors are engaging in human trafficking, and decides to expose them all. Some poignant drama to be had here, as well as a valiant attempt to raise awareness of the real world issues which still permeates the area to this day.
All the same, other than being a dramatic vehicle for Weisz, the film does suffer from some pacing issues, resulting in what feels like a much longer film than it really is. Vanessa Redgrave and David Strathairn do offer good supporting work, however.
Restless (2.5 out of 5)
Going the opposite direction that 50/50 chose, Restless is Gus Van Sant's tale of a cancer-ridden girl (Mia Wasikowska) who befriends a curious boy (Henry Hopper) whom she meets at a funeral. From there the movie takes some weird turns, especially when the young pair start conversing with the ghost of a kamikaze pilot from the Second World War. Confused? Join the club.
Paranormal Activity 3 (2 out of 5)
The third film in the series takes us back to the late 80s, when the sisters from the first two films were but young girls living with mom and step-dad. Luckily for us, strange things happened then, too, prompting the folks to install VHS cameras throughout the house, capturing all of the chills and thrills for a curious audience.
I'll admit the film seemed to work in its first half, but then directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman opted to try and reinvigorate the franchise by throwing wayyyy too much back story at us, ruining the creepy mystique the first two films succeeded at. If ghosts and demonic apparitions can in fact jump the shark, they have done so here.
ALSO ON BLU-RAY AND DVD THIS WEEK
A great deal of classic goodies have been hitting the shelves of late, especially for collectors of all genres. MGM opened its vault doors a bit wider, with the hi-def release of Woody Allen's Annie Hall and Manhattan. I've always felt that the latter acted as a faux sequel to the former. what with its similar story. Given Allen's resurgence with the success of Midnight in Paris, I strongly urge you to check these two out.
MGM also offers a trio of Hitchcock classics, Rebecca, Notorious and Spellbound, each excellent examples of the master's brilliance, decades before his more popular films like The Birds or Psycho. If hard pressed to choose only one, I'd recommend Spellbound, with Gregory Peck playing an amnesiac who may turn out to be a killer. The suspense is palpable in every frame.
Paramount is giving some Academy Awards love with the spiffy release of the first ever Oscar winner for Best Picture, 1927's WWI epic Wings. Given the time during which this movie was produced and released, you'll marvel at how easily you can get taken in by an aerial tale mixed in with your usual love triangle. It's no Top Gun, but it's worth checking out. They did an excellent job restoring this classic.
Not feeling the old black and white classics? Fair enough, there are a few more recent choices to be had. Music fans can get an early taste of current Oscar nominee Gary Oldman in his memorable turn as Sex Pistols lead singer Sid Vicious, in Alan Cox's music biopic Sid & Nancy, recounting the tumultuous relationship between the troubled singer and his ill-fated lover Nancy Spungen, as the pair descended into a heroin-fueled abyss.
Finally, fans of good drama can enjoy a pair of worthwhile Robin Williams features, with the blu-ray release of Dead Poets Society and Good Morning Vietnam. I heartily recommend the former for its inspirational impact upon generations of students who have gone on to honor their teachers, as well as providing a solid piece for Williams to show that he wasn't just some manic alien from Ork. Both blu-rays offer plenty of bonus features, but seemingly no audio commentary by Williams. A real pity.
Dominic Messier - Dominic Messier is a Toronto-based Film & TV writer, Sci-Fi TV and Film Dramas Topic Editor, and creator of PopCultureLandscape.com
