Avoiding Danger On Deadly Streets

I guess what makes the horror-movie genre so appealing to studio executives is that if you have a film that is cheap, easy to make, and becomes a hit, you can follow it up with a sequel as quickly as possible to capitalize on the original’s success.  It worked for “Paranormal Activity” (three sequels and a spinoff since its 2009 release, and another sequel is set for 2016), 2011’s “Insidious” (a sequel was released last year, and a third installment is scheduled for May 2015), 2004’s “Saw” (six yearly sequels from 2005 to 2010), and even the creepy Annabelle doll from last year’s “The Conjuring” is getting her own movie, which will be released this October.

Last year, the genre found a hit with James DeMonaco’s home-invasion horror film, “The Purge.”  The story focused on a family defending themselves against a group of killers during a one-night-a-year murder spree that’s sanctioned by the New Founding Fathers of America.  It made a decent amount of money, which led to this second installment, “The Purge: Anarchy,” coming out a little over a year later.

DeMonaco returns to direct, and while it’s not at all as scary as it should be, the use of different characters and a new location make it an occasionally passable sequel.  

In 2023, one year after the events of the first film, the annual Purge is about to commence.  In the city of Los Angeles, Shane (Zach Gilford) and Liz (Kiele Sanchez), a couple, have to abandon their car when it breaks down on a deserted street, all the while being followed by a gang of purgers.  

Meanwhile, Sergeant Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) is determined to find and kill the man who’s responsible for his son’s death.  While on the road, he saves a mother, Eva (Carmen Ejogo), and her daughter, Cali (Zoë Soul), from a group of armed purgers.  After the three come across Shane and Liz, Leo promises to protect the four individuals as he navigates them through the city as they attempt to survive the deadliest night of the year.

Some of the characters in the original film were irritating in their behavior and actions, but those in this sequel are far less annoying.  Although the characters are predictably underwritten for this kind of film, they are at least given a tad more depth than those in the first installment.  Frank Grillo, however, gives the only performance that has some degree of memorability.

James DeMonaco wrote the screenplays for both films, and while the first suffered from the setting being limited to the main character’s house, this film benefits from an expanded location that allows you to see what’s happening on the streets.  This provides you with a better sense of the danger that goes on during Purge night.  The story, however, tends to get bogged down by the repetitive nature of the cat-and-mouse scenarios that play out during the film.

By focusing more on the outside world, the film also gives more detail of the sociopolitical factors behind the Purge, such as the richer citizens using this event to weed out the poorer citizens.  While this is interesting for a while, it gets rather overdone as the story goes on.

Unlike the original film, the sequel is structured more like an action-thriller than a horror-thriller, and because of that, there really aren't many scares to be had, but DeMonaco is able to establish a sense of dread in the film’s more tense moments.  If he ever gets a hold of stronger horror material, I’m sure he could make something better and scarier.

Right before the end credits, some screen text notifies the audience that there are 364 days until the next annual Purge.  In terms of this film series, I’m hoping “The Purge: Anarchy” is the last one.

Final grade: C

Once Trapped In Cages, the Apes Are Now In Control

In 2011, the “Planet of the Apes” franchise was given another chance to live on the big screen after Tim Burton’s forgettable 2001 remake of the original.  “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” directed by Rupert Wyatt, was a prequel that set up a sequence of new stories that would chronicle how Earth became overrun by apes.  Equipped with a fascinating story and striking visual effects, the film provided hope in the direction where this prequel series was going.

The story of the apes’ rise to supremacy continues in Matt Reeves’ breathlessly exciting prequel-sequel, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”  He not only improves on the visuals and furthers the story into a bigger scope, but manages to make a film that’s even better than “Rise,” which was already great to begin with.

In the 10 years since the events of the previous movie, a viral drug that began as a cure for Alzheimer’s disease has caused a global pandemic and killed most of the world’s population, but has given advanced intelligence to apes who have been exposed to it.  As the remaining humans try to live on, apes have become the ruling species.  

In the devastated city of San Francisco, a large group of survivors (who are immune to the virus) are led by Dreyfus (Gary Oldman).  They are coming up on the last of their power, and their city will soon be in darkness.  Malcolm (Jason Clarke) convinces Dreyfus to let him lead a group, including his son Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and his partner Ellie (Keri Russell), into the forest outside the city, where they will convince the apes, led by Caesar (Andy Serkis), to let them stay for a few days while they attempt to fix a hydroelectric dam in their territory, which has the potential to be a long-lasting power source for the city.  The humans and the apes get along with each other, but that relationship is at a risk when the second-in-command ape named Koba (Toby Kebbell) begins to question Caesar’s compassion for the humans, and a power struggle soon puts everyone, both human and ape, in danger.  

Andy Serkis, a virtuoso of motion-capture performances, makes a kingly return as Caesar.  It’s a true cinematic wonder how he’s able to inject so much emotion into his character, despite the fact that it’s a MC role, and not his actual self onscreen.  Just as he has done with roles such as Gollum and King Kong, his success with interpreting these characters is more than a product of impressive visuals, but is also a new way to act for film.  With the way he’s committed to embracing this moviemaking technology to deliver excellent work, he gives one of the best performances in a summer tentpole this year.

Toby Kebbell provides the film’s other masterful motion-capture performance as the violent and war-hungry Koba.  Kebbell maintains an aggressive attitude throughout the movie, and really triumphs in presenting himself as the anti-Caesar.

Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Kerri Russell and Kodi Smit-McPhee’s characters are rather underdeveloped, but we still learn a little bit about them concerning what they lost in the 10 years since the virus outbreak, and they’re able to work their abilities, despite the somewhat limited material they’re given.

Michael Seresin’s cinematography has an abundance of bleak, yet gorgeous imagery, both in the ruined San Francisco and the forest home of the apes.  Although it’s all post-apocalyptic landscapes, they’re undeniably beautiful to look at.  
There are two shots in particular that are very memorable.  One comes in the sequence where the apes raid the city, which includes a long take where an ape overtakes a tank and rides on top as it hits a building.  I know I’m not doing justice in describing the scene, but you’ll understand its impressiveness when you see it.  

The other shot comes when Malcolm has to go into the city to find medical supplies, and must dodge a horde of apes in a thrilling long-take through one of the city’s buildings.

The screenplay by Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver provides extensive detail on the societal structure of the apes and how they live as the dominant species, and adds to the characterization of the apes that was presented in “Rise.”  The apes have a set of rules to live by, continue using sign language (which is always neat to watch), are more accomplished at talking, and are skilled hunters, as exemplified in the opening scene.  This gives you an idea of how far they have come since the events of “Rise,” and it all leads to some very interesting viewing.  There are some holes in the narrative, as well as a few plot points to be continued, but those story threads will surely be further established in the next film.

Jaffa and Silver also wrote the script to “Rise,” and are accomplished in creating these stories detailing with how humans interact with intelligent beasts.  Seeing as they’re also two of the screenwriters for next summer’s “Jurassic World,” I’m very much looking forward to seeing them switch out apes for dinosaurs.  Even naming the main human character “Malcolm” could be a nod to Dr. Ian Malcolm, who is Jeff Goldblum’s character in the first two “Jurassic Park” films. 

Director Matt Reeves is someone with experience in telling stories that involve human characters coexisting in a world with strange creatures.  His first major film, “Cloverfield,” had a group of friends dodging a rampaging monster in New York City, and his second film, “Let Me In” (an American remake of the Swedish horror film, “Let the Right One In”), had a child befriending a young vampire girl.  He continues this storytelling trend by expanding the “Planet of the Apes” mythology in a narrative that places humans and intelligent apes in close proximity to one another.

The action sequences he creates have an abundance of sci-fi thrills, just like the Golden Gate Bridge scene from “Rise.”  The apes’ attack on the city is especially well-done and has some highly memorable visuals, especially those of the apes riding on horseback while wielding machine guns, which is something that must be scene on the big screen. 

Reeves is already signed on to direct the third installment, which is set for a July 2016 release.  Having created a sequel that exceeds the film that came before it, I’m looking forward to finding out how he plans to move the story forward, seeing as “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” crafts its ending to prepare you for a continuation of the narrative.

Caesar is a devoted leader, and I can’t wait to see where he brings his apes next.

Final grade: A-

Around the World for 17 Years, and Counting

As much as I enjoy sci-fi summer blockbusters, there’s something special about seeing a smaller, different kind of movie from that genre, even more so if it’s a piece of international cinema.  This allows you to see how directors from other countries approach a certain type of film.

When watching the indie sci-fi drama, “Snowpiercer,” I was able to get a taste of how South Korean director Bong Joon-ho works behind the camera in his English-language debut.  With an ability to meld stunning visuals with an inventive and stimulating post-apocalyptic story, Joon-ho gives us a gift of a movie that’s one of the finest contributions of the decade to the sci-fi genre.

In 2014, an experiment to help lessen the effects global warming throws the world into an ice age  that kills nearly all life on Earth.  As a result, the last of humanity is rounded up and placed on a train to live.  This train is powered by a perpetual-motion engine, and travels a railway that spans across the globe.  A class system is put into place, with the more affluent individuals being placed in the front cars, while the downtrodden are relegated to the cars towards the back.

Seventeen years later, Curtis Everett (Chris Evans), one of the back passengers, puts his plans into effect for a revolt, where he intends to lead a group of rebels to the front of the train to gain control of the engine and confront the train’s designer, Wilford (Ed Harris).  As Curtis and his group get closer to the engine room, the obstacles become more dangerous from car to car, and it becomes unlikely that many of the rebels will make it to their destination alive.

Seeing as Chris Evans is widely known for his role as Captain America, it was fun to see him break out of that mold and partake in a sci-fi story as artistic as this.  Although most of his performance just calls for him to be gruff and angry, it’s justified for the film because of what is character has been through after having spent half of his life in the back of the train.  After seeing this hardened side of him for a majority of the film, we’re given a scene in the last half hour where Evans’ character reveals a very dark segment of his past on the train, and you can tell that this piece of his life shatters him as he reveals it.

There are also some distinctive supporting performances throughout the film.  Tilda Swinton practically melts into her role as the stern and occasionally quirky Minister Mason, and her introductory scene is one of the film’s finest.  Alison Pill makes the most of her short screen time as a teacher in the school car who spouts her train-history lessons to her students in a manner similar to a crazed cult leader to a group of devoted followers.  There is also John Hurt as the sage-like Gillian, Octavia Spencer as Tanya, a brave and kind-hearted mother who joins the rebel group, and Ed Harris as the disarming and friendly Wilford.

Hong Kyung-pyo’s cinematography is something to be commended here.  The film has many impressive shots, but there are some that truly stand out, few of which occur in a brutally choreographed fight scene with Curtis and his troops going up against the train’s security forces.  One is a slow-motion long-take tracking shot where Curtis moves through the car, hitting away at different targets, and the way this is staged calls to mind the famous hallway fight of Park Chan-wook’s “Oldboy” (Chan-wook served as one of the film’s producers).

There are also some shots during the fight where, once the train is passing through a tunnel, the armed guards put on night-vision goggles to kill some rebels in the dark.  Of course, you worry for the protagonists in this scene, but that doesn’t make the POV shots any less praiseworthy.

Although the train serves as the film’s sole location, the cars are very different from one another, with all of them representing parts of a world that doesn’t exist anymore.  There’s everything from a greenhouse to a seafood bar to a classroom to a sauna to a dance club, but the one that is most memorable is the beautifully rendered aquarium car.

The screenplay by Bong Joon-ho and Kelly Masterson, which is based on the French graphic novel, “Le Transperceneige,” by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette, scorches with its interesting characters, strange setting and the questions the story asks you.  I can’t go into much detail about what those questions are for fear of spoilers, but I can say that the big revelation at the end turns into an ethical conundrum that will have you ponder what you would do in that given situation.  Although the story does have a couple of plot holes concerning the logistics behind living in a perpetual-motion train, you're able to let your suspension of disbelief take over because of how inventive the movie is.

This is the first film of director Joon-ho’s that I’ve experienced, and I was able to see that he possesses an adept hand at creating stylish action scenes that are as gripping as anything you would catch in mainstream sci-fi.  He effortlessly sweeps you into this futuristic world that engages you in the characters’ journey, and establishes a mood of untiring tension as the narrative brings you closer to the engine room.

Much like last month’s “Edge of Tomorrow,” “Snowpiercer” is a non-sequel film that deserves to be given a chance because of how divergent it is from popular franchises.  I suggest you take two hours of your time to ride these rails.

Final grade: A-

Top Three Favorite Films of 2014 (So Far), and the Top Three to Anticipate

For the past couple of years, I’ve done articles where I list my five favorite films of the year.  We’re officially halfway through 2014, so I’ve constructed a list of the best films I’ve seen from January to June.  Although I haven’t seen quite enough films to warrant a Top Five list, I’ve definitely seen enough to write a Top Three list.

Within the past six months, there was the surprisingly clever comedy sequel, “22 Jump Street,” and the enjoyable sci-fi adventure, “Edge of Tomorrow.”  There were also some intelligent and endlessly exciting superhero films, such as “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” 

There were also some low points, such as Clint Eastwood’s dull adaptation of the “Jersey Boys” musical, and the unnecessary and neutered “RoboCop” remake.

So, the following are my top three favorites for the first half of the year:

1) The Lego Movie: It’s been four months since I saw this film (twice in total), and I still can’t believe how hilarious and brilliant this animated adventure turned out.  Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the story centers on a construction worker named Emmet (voiced by Chris Pratt) who lives an ordinary life in Bricksburg, and must team up with the Master Builders to save the world from the reign of the evil Lord Business (voiced by Will Ferrell).  With an outstanding and talented voice cast, beautifully detailed animation, and a story loaded with smart humor and a third-act twist that deepens the film’s central theme, “The Lego Movie” is fantastic entertainment for both children and adults.  Although there’s an age recommendation for Lego blocks, this film is for everyone.

2) Chef: In Jon Favreau’s latest project as a director, he plays Carl Casper, a chef who quits his job one night after a dispute with his boss and a heated confrontation with a food critic.  Afterwards, he decides to purchase a food truck and goes into business for himself, all while trying to reconnect with his young son.  Favreau gives his best performance yet, and is backed up with an accomplished supporting cast, with John Leguizamo as a standout, who appears as Carl’s loyal friend and fellow chef.  The screenplay, also by Favreau, has memorable comedic scenarios, but also serious moments that are grounded in the main character’s family dynamics.  If you’re an adventurer of different cuisines and need an escape from the big summer tentpole films, don’t let this one escape you.

3) The Grand Budapest Hotel: Wes Anderson’s latest film tells the story of a teenage boy named Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), who becomes a bellhop at the titular hotel.  While working there, he finds a father figure in concierge Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), and soon must help him prove his innocence when he is framed after one of the hotel’s most notable guests (Tilda Swinton) dies of unknown circumstances.  The cast is wonderful all around, especially Fiennes in the lead role as the eccentric and philandering hotel attendant.  As Anderson has done with some of his other films, he places literary characteristics into the story, an aspect of his movies that I admire very much.  Similar to his films that have used this technique before, it works just as well for “TGBH” because, like a novel, it transports you to exciting and wondrous new places, and is filled with many interesting characters.  A stay at this hotel is highly recommended.

Will any of these films appear in my top five of 2014?  You’ll find out at the end of the year!

As for the second half of 2014, there are many films that are worth getting excited over.  The remainder of the summer will bring the post-apocalyptic prequel-sequel, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” and the next Marvel Comics adventure, “Guardians of the Galaxy.”  For the fall movie season, there will be David Fincher’s adaptation of “Gone Girl,” sci-fi drama “Interstellar,” the continuation of the “Hunger Games” saga with “Mockingjay - Part 1,” and “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” which will mark the end of the “Lord of the Rings” prequel trilogy.

Now, here are my top three to look forward to:

1) Foxcatcher (Nov. 14): Directed by Bennett Miller, this biographical film tells the story of champion Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and how his schizophrenic coach, John du Pont (Steve Carell), killed Schultz’s brother, Dave (Mark Ruffalo), also an Olympic champion.  Miller has only directed three other films up until now, which were “Moneyball,” “Capote” and the documentary, “The Cruise,” all three of which dealt with notable American figures.  He has shown a talent for going really in depth with his subjects, so I highly doubt that his new film will be any less detailed.  Miller won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival back in May, and “Foxcatcher” already seems to be becoming a significant Oscar contender.  It might very well turn out to be one of the big indie hits of the fall season.  The film also stars Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller and Anthony Michael Hall.

2) Gone Girl (Oct. 3): Based on the 2012 bestselling novel by Gillian Flynn, David Fincher directs this film of a marriage gone horribly wrong.  On their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) finds that his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), has gone missing, and he’s soon listed as the prime suspect.  With Fincher having helmed strong thrillers such as “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “Zodiac” and “Seven,” I’m sure he will bring his signature dark atmosphere to this twisty narrative.  The film also stars Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Kim Dickens and Patrick Fugit.

3) Interstellar (Nov. 7): Director Christopher Nolan follows up the success of his “Dark Knight” trilogy and “Inception” with this new sci-fi drama.  Many of the plot details are still being kept a secret, but what has been revealed is that the film will tell the story of a group of explorers who use a newfound wormhole to break the limitations of human space travel.  Nolan is certainly not a stranger to making bold blockbusters, and “Interstellar” looks as though it has a lot of ideas to share.  The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine.

Jon Favreau Gives You a Movie That Will Satisfy Your Taste Buds

Over the summer before my senior year of high school, I had the opportunity to work in a local restaurant as a busboy.  If you have ever had the chance to work in such an environment, you probably have an idea of how hectic it gets in the kitchen, like the fast-paced nature of New York’s Penn Station confined to one room.  It’s a busy area, and unless you’re a chef, you go in for what you need and then must get out right away.  During the time you’re in the kitchen, however, you can get a glimpse of what it takes to make an acceptable meal.

In Jon Favreau’s comedy-drama, “Chef,” he tells the story of man who loves to cook for a living and yearns for the freedom to prepare whatever dishes he wants.  With a heartfelt lead performance from the director, a committed supporting cast and a narrative about the importance of never limiting your talents, Favreau brings us one of the best little surprises of the summer movie season.

Chef Carl Casper (Favreau) works at a Los Angeles restaurant where, one night, he and his kitchen crew must do their best to impress a food critic and blogger, Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt).  Although Carl wishes to change the menu up with different dishes, his boss (Dustin Hoffman) is against it, and makes the staff stick with the traditional menu.  After the restaurant is given a scathing review, Carl reprimand’s Ramsey on Twitter, invites him back to the restaurant and yells at him in front of the customers and staff before quitting.

Carl’s ex-wife, Inez (Sofía Vergara), invites him to accompany her and their son, Percy (EmJay Anthony) as she visits her father in Miami, and he accepts.  While they’re there, Carl attempts to reconnect with his son, and offers to purchase a food truck from Inez’s first ex-husband, Marvin (Robert Downey, Jr.).  After Carl’s fellow chef, Martin (John Leguizamo), joins them in Miami, and their creative abilities are soon able to flourish as they fix up the truck and open it for business.

Jon Favreau gives the best performance of his career, so far, as the film’s father figure.  Throughout the film, he easily displays his character’s need to branch out and be adventurous with his profession.  As mentioned before, there’s a scene early in the movie when he’s told by his boss that he has to stick to the regular menu and not make any changes.  When Carl has to notify the rest of the staff, you can see the subtle hints of frustration in his facial expressions and tone of voice that emphasize how much he wants to venture into his new culinary creations.

Although several of Favreau’s previous roles called for him to be strictly comical, this role requires him to find a balance between comedic and dramatic acting.  He tackles both of these styles equally well, but it was especially fresh to see him perform his more serious scenes, particularly when he angrily confronts the food critic and when he tries to reconnect with his son.

The screenplay by Favreau is one that tells a story of exploring your passion and keeping it alive by attempting new challenges to make it better.  We are given several scenes that show how much care and attention Carl puts into cooking his many different meals, as well as scenes where we see the work that has to be done to repair the food truck to get it ready for business.  These portions of the film really make you appreciate the hard work that Carl puts into making his edible visions possible.

In order to provide us with an idea of the detail and artistry that goes into what Carl makes, there are many shots of food during the film that instill a sense of the main character’s inventiveness when cooking.  These shots aren’t just there to make your mouth water, but also to show how much Carl’s talent grows throughout the story.

As far as how the characters are written, one thing that I favor about the screenplay is how Favreau and Vergara’s roles aren’t presented in such a way that paint them as bitter divorcees, but rather as two friends who try to make the best of their current situation.  The two are helpful to each other, seeing as Vergara’s character is the one who proposes the idea of the food truck to Carl, and Carl helps her take care of their son while she gets some work done while they’re in Miami.

Although the story can get a little cliched in spots with the whole divorced-parent-trying-to-reconnect-with-his-child angle, the film is still a lot of fun and rewarding to watch because of how genuine the characters are.  Along with Favreau’s direction, he’s able to stage realistic interactions between the characters, with the scenes focusing on the main character’s family being standouts.

Not only will you leave the theater with the pleasure of having seen a great movie, but you might  even notice your stomach growling.

Final grade: A-

The Songs Are As Memorable As Ever, But Are Stuck In a Rather Unmemorable Film

Back in 2005, Broadway introduced audiences to “Jersey Boys,” a musical that told of how The Four Seasons became a singing sensation.  With the way it explored how the main characters were changed by their success told a classic, but true story of the fame that comes with hard work, and the troubles that come with conflicts within an artistic group.

Legendary director Clint Eastwood now brings an adaptation of the musical to his still-growing filmography.  Seeing as his last couple of movies had trouble matching the greatness of his previous films, I was worried about how he would approach this piece of music history.  Although the performances are up to par for an Eastwood movie, the film has difficulty translating the energy from the show that made it immensely appealing.

In 1950s Belleville, New Jersey, Frankie Castelluccio (John Lloyd Young) works at a barbershop and has dreams of becoming a famous singer.  After a few run-ins with the law, Frankie and his friend, Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza), decide to become more serious about their musical talents.  When the two of them and fellow band-member Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda) need a fourth person in their group, they recruit aspiring songwriter Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen) to join them.  

After receiving a few gigs, the band begins a steady climb to stardom.  They enjoy their fame at first, but tension begins to rise within the group when problems both inside and outside of the quartet threaten to jeopardize everything it has achieved.

One of the things that the movie does get right is the casting of John Lloyd Young, who originated the role of Frankie Valli for the Broadway musical and won a Tony Award for doing so.  A champ of falsetto and performance presence, it’s a treat to watch him sing if you didn’t get to see him act the role on the stage, especially when he gets to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”  Even in his more dialogue-heavy scenes, you can see he’s comfortable with the transition from stage to screen.  

Vincent Piazza exhibits a tough New Jersey personality as Tommy DeVito, an individual who seems to have never left the wrong side of the tracks.  With the thick Jersey accent and attitude that exudes unbreakable confidence, Piazza offers a forceful personality.  

Erich Bergen and Michael Lomenda round out the famous quartet, and are as proficient as Piazza and Young in their acting and singing.  Whatever liveliness is missing from other aspects of the movie, at least the four leads do what they can to keep some spirit throughout the film.

Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, who wrote the book for the musical, have penned the screenplay.  Although the show was lively and incorporated many of the band’s hits in interesting and entertaining ways to tell the story, the movie just doesn’t capture the same vibrancy, and the structure of the narrative is more like what you would see in a normal famous-musician biopic, such as “Walk the Line” and “Ray,” rather than an adaptation of a Broadway musical.   

Director Clint Eastwood, as much as I respect him, is not a decent match for this kind of film.  Sadly, this movie continues a steady decline in quality that has been seen in a few of his more recent films, starting with “Hereafter,” which was good, but not of the high caliber that was present in many of Eastwood’s films that came before.  

Even though the lyrics are beautifully sung, the scenes in which the band performs their songs could have had a lot more Broadway-style kick to them, and the scenes that are very dialogue-driven tend to slow the movie down considerably.  With this downtempo pace, it’s almost difficult to believe that this film is supposed to be based on a Broadway show.  There shouldn’t be problems like this in a movie about music legends.

The only real sequence that reminds you that this is supposed to be an adaptation of a musical is the end credits where The Four Seasons and the rest of the cast sing and dance to “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night).  Not only was it disappointing for me to see one of my favorite songs from the quartet get wasted in a sequence that feels out of place with the structure of the rest of the movie, but the scene is also a glimpse into what this movie could have been if it had landed in the hands of a director who has had success with directing movie musicals, such as Bill Condon, who did “Dreamgirls," or Rob Marshall, who did “Chicago.”  That song also could have been put to much better use if it had gone with the scene that it was supposed to, just like in the show.

Given the splendid experience of watching the history of The Four Seasons play out on Broadway, it’s unfortunate that most of the show’s spirit was lost in its move to film.  The material was all there for the screenwriters and director to properly use, but they weren’t able to retain the musical’s better qualities.  Oh, what a shame.

Final grade: C

These Two Aren’t Exactly Campus Security

A little over two years ago, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller took television drama “21 Jump Street” and adapted it into a comedy film.  It seemed like an unusual thing to do, but the bold experiment resulted in the film becoming a box-office hit and one of the best comedies of 2012.  With the sharp humor and natural energy that flew between the well-matched stars, Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, the film was a lot funnier than expected.

While we’ve had many bad sequels to hit comedies that failed to live up to their originals, “22 Jump Street” succeeds in continuing the story of young cops Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum).  Although it doesn’t quite top the original, directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have delivered something rare: a good comedy sequel.

After some successful case-solving in the Jump Street program, Schmidt and Jenko are patrolling the streets and cracking down on crime.  Following a failed attempt at arresting a group of drug dealers, they’re brought back to Jump Street and assigned a new task by their boss, Captain Dickson (Ice Cube).  He informs the two about the death of a student at a local college due to a new drug called WHYPHY (pronounced the same as “WiFi”), and the duo must enroll as students and find out the identities of the dealers and supplier.  While there, Schmidt and Jenko’s involvements with different on-campus groups will cause them to question if they are holding each other back, and whether or not they should pursue their individual interests.

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum return with every bit of the bromance connection they expressed in the first film, maybe even more.  Hill continues to savor his character’s memorable and hopeless awkwardness, particularly in a scene during a poetry slam, in which he has to come up with a poem on the spot.  As far as Tatum goes, he nails his character’s simplemindedness, and just like in the first film, it’s not the lazy, stereotypical dunce-jock stupidity.  Instead, this personality trait is downplayed to smart, little jokes here and there that give us an understanding of his comical, cranial emptiness. 

They’re so immersed in the verbal interactions and visual gags they share, that you almost wish they would do many more “Jump Street” films (you can get a taste of what that would be like during the very creative end credits), but at the same time, it would be awful to spoil what’s already an outstandingly funny cinematic pairing.  

There’s a recurring theme in the movie about things being in balance with one another, and that’s what Hill and Tatum are.  They support one another in their scenes and respond well to each other, making their time on screen together endlessly entertaining and a constant example of how efficient they are in making their characters’ friendship believable.

Ice Cube makes a hysterical return as the short-tempered captain of the Jump Street program.  He truly makes the most out of every scene he’s in, and is one of the funniest parts of the movie.

The screenplay by Michael Bacall, Oren Uziel and Rodney Rothman finds its strength in not trying to create a sequel that tries to outdo the original in the joke department.  Although the story provides us with a decent amount of jokes, it also engages to be more of an exploration of Schmidt and Jenko’s friendship and how it develops in their new college environment, where Schmidt is determined to work on their case, while Jenko is distracted by reveling in the joy of the acceptance of his peers and success on the school’s football team.

The screenplay also changes around how the two characters assimilate in college because, in the first film, it’s Schmidt who’s seen as the more popular of the two.  This time around, it’s Jenko who’s getting all of the attention from students, so it was interesting to watch how this switch in popularity would impact their friendship.

I was worried at first that the film was going to head in the same direction as “The Hangover – Part II,” in that it has a different location, but a similar story.  While that may be the case, the jokes and dialogue are clever enough that you can forgive the familiarity, seeing as part of what makes the movie work is how self-aware it is about being identical to the original. 

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are two highly talented comedic filmmakers, and it’s evident that these directors, Hill and Tatum work very well together.  Lord and Miller had a hit with “The Lego Movie” back in February, which, in my opinion, is one of the best films of the year, so far.  Now, they’ve delivered a surprisingly acceptable sequel in film comedy, a genre that doesn’t have a whole lot of worthy second installments.  Given how intelligent and comical the story material is, they’re able to get committed performances out of their cast that help make this sequel a lot better than it could have been.  They know how to treat audiences and bring well-written humor to the screen, rather than settle for what’s easy. 

As seen in “The Lego Movie” and “21 Jump Street,” this directing duo can also craft enjoyably frenetic action sequences, and that ability carries over to this film, particularly during the climactic spring-break chase scene.

With “22 Jump Street,” we are given a sequel that actually has some thought put into it, instead of one that’s released solely to make a quick buck off the success of its original.  As far as comedic sequels go, this one certainly makes the dean’s list.

Final grade: B+