The story of the release of Gangster Squad is reflective of the selective morality of Hollywood. Originally planned to be released in August of 2012, it was canned due to the Aurora Movie Theater Massacre. This was because Gangster Squad originally had a scene with a similar movie theater massacre. However, although there is a scene in this flick that recalls the Newtown Massacre, that mattered not to those in Hollywood who make releasing decisions. In any event, the real significance of this movie is not whether of not this movie resembles any real life atrocities, it is the fact that it is in itself an atrocity against good film making.
Gangster Squad is a bizarre mixture of slapstick and violence. For instance, there is the confusing car chase/gun battle. The bad guys are armed to the teeth with handguns, sub-machine guns and German hand grenades from the Second World War. They also have seemingly unlimited ammunition. The good guys had only handguns and very limited ammunition. As you would expect from a bad movie such as this, the bad guys are all slain, while hardly any of the good guys suffer even so much as a scratch.
There are some fundamental flaws to Gangster Squad. For one thing, many of the action sequences are confusing. Much of the movie is stupid and seems amateurishly put together. Most importantly, there is no evidence that the Los Angeles Police Department ever had a vigilante squad that enforced the laws while breaking them in wholesale fashion. This movie would have you believe that the legendary chief of police, Bill Parker, who was known for his strict by the books approach and his unflinching honesty, would ever stoop to this level. The series of newspaper articles that this movie was based on, has been widely criticized for its journalistic shoddiness.
All in all, Gangster Squad is a mess. It takes a story that is almost certainly made up and tells it in an incoherent fashion. It is littered with all sorts of cliches and many of its best lines are ripped off from other, better films. This is a movie that needs to be avoided like the plague.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Battleship (2012)
Battleship is one of the most fraudulently advertised movies of all time. It is in no way based on the classic game from Milton Bradley. Nor does it feature the classic line, "you sunk my battleship!" A movie that was really based on the game would pit opposing fleet commanders against each other. Perhaps the best way that this could be accomplished would be by portraying the greatest battleship vs. battleship combat action, the 1916 Battle of Jutland. Or there could be a flick about the last time that battleships were used in a fleet action, the 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Instead what we get is the improbable story of two brothers and a blonde bimbo. Of course one of the brothers is a winner and the other is a loser, Of course, the blonde is the daughter is the daughter of a big shot admiral who loathes the loser brother who the blonde loves. What we have here is just another movie combination of a formulaic plot, poor acting and a glorified special effects festival.
Battleship is also notable for its scientific ignorance. Spaceships are able to travel faster than the speed of light. Likewise radio waves also travel at speeds far faster than what are actually able to do. All this ignorance is in service of a truly idiotic plot of an awful screenplay.
To be sure, there is also a redeeming aspect to this movie: patriotism. In an age when all too many Hollywood productions trash America and American institutions, it is notable that Battleship the U.S. Navy is depicted in a positive light. The ending scenes of this flick are wonderfully patriotic. Another redeeming aspect of Battleship is that it offers two hours of mindless entertainment to audience members who can turn their brains off amd who do not mind huge plot holes. Likewise, if you do not care for such things as acting, direction, screenplay not too mention logic and reason, then this movie is for you.
On the other hand, if you appreciate a good well made movie, the avoid Battleship like the plague. For starters, this an incredibly vulgar flick with all sorts of four letter words being thrown around. The acting and direction are poor. Neither the cinematography are up to the level that you would expect in a blockbuster type movie. Battleship is, at best, a lackluster movie that is a waste of both your time and money.
Instead what we get is the improbable story of two brothers and a blonde bimbo. Of course one of the brothers is a winner and the other is a loser, Of course, the blonde is the daughter is the daughter of a big shot admiral who loathes the loser brother who the blonde loves. What we have here is just another movie combination of a formulaic plot, poor acting and a glorified special effects festival.
Battleship is also notable for its scientific ignorance. Spaceships are able to travel faster than the speed of light. Likewise radio waves also travel at speeds far faster than what are actually able to do. All this ignorance is in service of a truly idiotic plot of an awful screenplay.
To be sure, there is also a redeeming aspect to this movie: patriotism. In an age when all too many Hollywood productions trash America and American institutions, it is notable that Battleship the U.S. Navy is depicted in a positive light. The ending scenes of this flick are wonderfully patriotic. Another redeeming aspect of Battleship is that it offers two hours of mindless entertainment to audience members who can turn their brains off amd who do not mind huge plot holes. Likewise, if you do not care for such things as acting, direction, screenplay not too mention logic and reason, then this movie is for you.
On the other hand, if you appreciate a good well made movie, the avoid Battleship like the plague. For starters, this an incredibly vulgar flick with all sorts of four letter words being thrown around. The acting and direction are poor. Neither the cinematography are up to the level that you would expect in a blockbuster type movie. Battleship is, at best, a lackluster movie that is a waste of both your time and money.
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