Film Review: Bridesmaids (2011)

Disappointed with The Hangover: Part II (2011)?  Well Bridesmaids (2011) more than makes up for the shortage of real, laugh-out-loud pre-wedding humor in the sequel to the hilarious The Hangover (2009).  Furthermore, this movie has more heart and thus is more relatable than either of the two bachelor party-driven comedies combined.  Yet that was probably assumed given that this is more of a romantic comedy/chick-flick than the straight-up Hangover comedies.   Nonetheless, it is a movie that guys can enjoy almost as much as their dates will, or perhaps more so because of its raunchy humor.  Bridesmaids is a surprisingly hilarious and heartfelt movie that is easily the best comedy from (at least) the first half of 2011.   And while the comparison to The Hangover is inevitable, it is equally unnecessary, as this film firmly stands on its own.

Film Review: X-Men: First Class (2011)

Don’t doubt the mutant powers – they are alive and well in the supremely entertaining X-Men: First Class (2011).  Following the weak and disappointing X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men: Origins: Wolverine (2009), most moviegoers had given up on the franchise.  So when the studio announced its decision to make another X-Men movie, many people, myself included, were skeptical.  The poor early marketing campaign for First Class only made more cynics; it boasted posters and pictures of tacky suited mutants.  However, anyone doubting the film’s potential should have had more faith in its creators; this installment may be campy but it is a ton of fun and even moving at times.  In fact, it is perhaps the new king of the series, with X2: X-Men United (2003) as its counterpart.  X-Men: First Class is highly engaging thanks to cool, 1960s James Bond-like direction and impressive performances, especially from its leading cast members.  While it cannot avoid the common setbacks found in prequels, it overcomes them for the most part to make the journey enjoyable.

Film Review: Insidious (2011)

Don’t let the PG-13 rating fool you – this is a truly scary movie.  Many times PG-13 horror flicks fail to deliver real scares and give too many cheap ones.  On the other hand, countless R-rated horror movies forget to make a genuinely creepy atmosphere or story and simply splash more blood in your face, which is especially the case in the past decade.  With this film, director James Wan and screenwriter/actor Leigh Whannell, creators of the astounding original Saw (2004), make a 180-degree turn away from the torture-porn type horror film to induce terror, which they do quite forcefully.  Despite a polarizing second-half, Insidious (2011) is genuinely frightening, expertly crafted, and boasts strong, largely credible performances, something missing from a majority of horror films.  But what makes it a cut above the rest of many in the genre is its ability to build atmospheric tension and actually scare you without cheap tricks or gore.

Like any good horror flick, the less you know about the plot before seeing it for the first time the better.  In fact, I’d advise you even not to watch the trailer so you won’t be taken out of the moment when certain plot points are revealed or tension is built-up. However, if you must view it beforehand, watch it only once.  Still, the trailer certainly does not ruin hardly any of the truly terrifying moments or scenes in the film, and there are plenty of them.  Of course, spoilers will NOT be included in this review.