"Men in Black III" Review

When I was seven years old, I was introduced to a secret world of aliens, intrigue and Will Smith. The fanciful world of Men in Black was merely one out of the many that I experienced as a child, but I liked it. Honestly, I think the relationship between Agent Kay and Agent Jay is complex and moderately cliché, but lovable nonetheless. Fifteen years after the first film, their bro-mance is tested and examined in a new light - one that is expectedly sentimental.

Men in Black III
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Josh Brolin,
Jemaine Clement
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfield
My Opinion: Pretty good

The audacious Agent Jay finds himself in a new dimension: one very much like his own, but without Kay. Jay struggles in dealing with the loss, learning that in this present Kay was killed by an arch rival, Boris (played by The Flight of the Conchords, Jemaine Clement), in 1969. So, he goes back in time to stop his partner's murder.

The plot felt right for this stage of the franchise: the point is to prove Jay's devotion to Kay, and it does so successfully, but with a little less of the sharp comedy and ridiculous aliens that made the original. Like the celebrities that impersonate aliens in the current film, the creatures seem to drift into the background of the story. That being said, the aliens in the  Chinese restaurant are hilarious.

As far as the acting goes, Smith and Jones do their usual thing and the characters are depicted naturally. But for most of the film, Kay is played by Josh Brolin who does an equivalent job to Jones. Outside of a knack for similar films, there is little similarity between Brolin and Jones. Yet his portrayal of Agent Kay is uncanny. Not only does he look exactly like him, but he mastered the manners and the efficiency-oriented disposition. This may only be an excellant study in impersonation, but it is certainly the most impressive element of the film. In other news, apparently Nicole Scherzinger of The Pussycat Dolls played Boris's girlfriend. As usual, I was in "movie mode" (if you catch my drift), but I literally don't remember her. Her performance was just that underwhelming.

In conclusion, it's better than the last one. I'm hoping that the conclusive nature of the relationship as illustrated at the end of the film implies that there will not be a fourth, but those box office stats say otherwise. Though, if there is another, I hope that it is just as entertaining as this one.

"The Thing" Review

So, mistakenly believing that RedBox re-released The Thing, I rented it. After noticing some guy from Not Another Teen Movie was in it, I decided it probably wasn't the original. Nonetheless, I wasn't disappointed in the end.

The Thing
Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton
Ulrich Thomsen
Directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.
My Opinion: A remake worth the watch

Of course, most remakes end up as either laughable or acceptable - but this hits above mediocrity. First of all, the most impressive element is the shockingly flagrant gore. Each encounter with the Thing is more revolting than the last, but that's what makes it fun. Furthermore, these obscene moments are nearly realistic with the high-quality of CGI. The acting is moderately above average, which is always impressive for a horror film, and the direction is solid. I was even swayed by several shots, including long sweeps across the icy landscapes and a helicopter escape gone haywire depicted with point of view shots.

 For a remake that I thought was the original, I found it surprisingly satisfying. The film provokes anxiety in the viewer as well as puts the characters under pressure, forcing them against each other in dangerous ways. If the remake is as good as it is, the original has got to be worth the watch!