Rated G for Good

Monsters University:
            In order to be a good scarer, first you have to be a hard studier. The moral of Mike Wazowski and Sulley's prequel of how they met in college is something any young boy or girl can learn from if they want to become the best in whatever field they want. I know this isn't a film adaptation, it's a film review... right? So I guess I'll start now. With a movie theater filled with parents and grandparents taking their little ones to a kid-friendly movie, one could get rather annoyed whenever one of the small individuals gets up and walks around in the middle of the film but, luckily, said film is pretty entertaining and is filled with a lot of recognizable voices if you happen to have a trained ear. Pixar hasn't really let an audience down when they attempt to produce a heartwarming end (or beginning, in this case) to a story we have come to know, love, and constantly quote over the past decade and Monsters University is no exception to this trend.

            After first seeing commercials for this prequel to the 2001 recent classic, Monsters, Inc., I was relatively excited and knew I'd find myself setting in a theater watching it sooner or later. Pixar has given us classics such as Toy Story 1-3, Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, Wall-E, and the list goes on and on but not one of these blockbuster hits have disappointed viewers from all walks of life and it has proven to dominate the animated film industry since its inception. Seeing that little lamp hop across the screen and stomp down the "i" in Pixar like a boss is something that has become an icon in film history and, even now in my early twenties, is a sign that what I'm about to see will stand apart from other animated films simply because of one company's reputation... This is what goes through my head, can you believe that? Good, then believe that Monsters University delivers like its predecessors.

           You have the usuals: Billy Crystal and John Goodman head up the cast as Mike Wazowski and James P. "Sulley" Sullivan. Two names that are Hollywood icons all by themselves. The supporting cast includes Steve Buscemi returning as the slithering, invisible Randall along with some newcomers like Helen Mirren (The Queen), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2), and Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Afraid that they may not have what it takes to make it to Monsters Inc. after college, Mike and Sulley have to prove to a certain legendary professor (Mirren) that they are scarier than what meets the eye(s). The cast is a blend of greatness and humor that keeps the kids as well as the adults chuckling. One would not expect a "college movie" to have a G rating but this pulls through as a family fun time appealing to a 7 year old, a 22 year old, or a 60 year old--take your pick. But still check under your bed before sleep. Grade: 7.1/10

           

A Cowboy and An Indian

The Lone Ranger:
            Before I begin I have a quick scenario: Imagine you're walking through a museum and one of the exhibits comes to life starts telling you its story--would you stop and listen or would you call security? It would probably have some cool stuff to say of course, but, then again so would a person being kept on display 24 hours a day for the general public. Do you follow me? Neither do I. You could say it's a little confusing when an American classic such as The Lone Ranger is made to be almost a mockery of what it stood for by Hollywood and even more baffling when one of the most beloved actors in the world is a part of it.

            Johnny Depp has portrayed almost every personality one can think of and has made is career of three decades one of the most mesmerizing to hit the screen. It's really difficult to find a starting place when addressing an actor of Depp's caliber because he has done so many things and it's easy to find yourself saying, "Oh yeah...I forgot he played that character too!" Truly this man is a chameleon in character and his choice of movies to act in have proven to be of great taste--this one being an exception. Another highly-anticipated film of the year has come up short and this guy is sorry to admit its short comings.

            There's really not that much that goes into the phenomenon that is The Lone Ranger. A white hat, white horse, white guy wearing a black mask, accompanied by a wise Native American riding a horse as well. Pretty simple concept that should be kept simple, right? Well Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) thought differently when taking this movie as his next directing job and decided to make it 150 minutes long. Jumping through time periods, stretching out scenes, making jokes that may be funny but just did not fit the subject or the era can't be put any simpler than "unnecessary". Verbinski's take on the Lone Ranger is a lead up of how he became what the legend from the 1950's made famous and tell more of the back story. Too much story and not enough Ranger.

            Armie Hammer (The Social Network) is our hero, the man behind the mask, if you will. Standing next to the likeness of a raven-clad Johnny Depp on screen while attempting to be the star of the same film is not an easy task, my friend, and Hammer was over-done and kind of annoying if I am going to be blunt. Sorry, nothing personal. To be more of an optimist, the cinematography was very well done and some of the camera shots alone were creative and captivating. The bad-ass "walking through the desert dust away from an explosion" was cool and worked for a film like this but I wish there was just more of that. In the favor of the characters themselves, I will say that Hammer does look the role well and pulls off the intimidating, skillful horse riding Clayton Moore established back in '49. Tonto has the sarcasm, stoic looks, monotoned voice, and wisdom that comes when Depp is doing his thing. Think of the facial expressions (and skin complexion) of Edward Scissorhands and then the mannerisms of Captain Jack Sparrow, that is how I picked out the transformation into The Lone Ranger's loyal sidekick. Not exactly how Tonto is imagined but is tolerable to some degree in this movie and, the last time I checked, Tonto did not use more than four or five words in a sentence.

            Some final thoughts include a weak supporting cast. These are more great actors such as Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech) and Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan) just not firing on all cylinders- literally- in this film. If I seem to be coming down hard, I am, but you should still see The Lone Ranger for yourself if you feel the need. Hey, my buddy sitting next to me in the theater seemed to disagree on what I had to say. Still following me, Kemosabe? Grade: 5.7/10