Reviews of American Son, Fighting, Adventureland and The Informers

American Son
Miramax
$30

Plot: 96 hours before he’s shipped off to Iraq, a young Marine (Nick Cannon) returns to his hometown of Bakersfield, CA to reconnect with his family and friends.

Opinion: Until Katherine Bigelow’s deservedly acclaimed The Hurt Locker came along, it seemed like every movie made about the Iraq War couldn’t actually take place in Iraq.  Instead, the stories focused largely on the homefront, chronicling what happened before or after the soldiers embarked on their tour of duty.  In this post-Hurt Locker world though, movies like Home of the Brave, In the Valley of Elah and now American Son-which premiered at Sundance in 2008 and is just now arriving on DVD after bypassing theaters almost entirely-can’t help but feel irrelevant at best, forced and phony at worst.  The movie’s one saving grace is its star; although he remains best known for his Nickelodeon comedy shows (and being married to Mariah Carey), Cannon actually delivers a credible low-key dramatic turn here.  His natural performance stands in marked contrast to the contrived screenplay, which forces him into an unlikely romance with a girl he meets on a bus (Melonie Diaz).  While the film does deserve some credit for avoiding the usual happy ending, the overriding feeling one takes away from American Son is “been there, done that.”

Bonus Features: A self-congratulatory commentary track with the movie’s director and producers, two deleted scenes and ten-minutes worth of behind the scenes footage.

Verdict: Skip It

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Fighting
Universal
$30
Blu-ray: $40

Plot: An ex-high school wrestler-turned-NYC sidewalk salesman (Channing Tatum) enters the world of underground fight clubs with the help of a small-time hustler (Terrence Howard).

Opinion: It’s safe to say that most moviegoers are going to go into a movie called Fighting expecting to see some good…well, fighting.  And I’m happy to report that the movie delivers on that level.  Director Dito Montiel eschews the overly choreographed rumbles of street-fighting flicks like Lionheart and Never Back Down for rough and tumble brawls filled with cheap shots, wild punches and narrow escapes.  This makes the actual battles much more exciting than if the hero suddenly morphed into a young Muhammad Ali or Jet Li during each bout.  Too bad the rest of the movie is such a bore.  Still, those fight sequences are so creative, so well-executed, so much fun to watch, it’s hard to dismiss the movie entirely.  The nice thing about DVD is that you can chapter skip every time Tatum stops fighting and starts talking.

Bonus Features: The disc includes both the theatrical and unrated cuts of the movie as well as a batch of deleted scenes.

Verdict: Rent It

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Adventureland
Miramax
$30
Blu-ray: $45

Plot: When his affluent family falls on hard times, on overeducated college grad (Jesse Eisenberg) takes a low-paying job at a local amusement park, where he falls for a gorgeous fellow wage slave (Kristen Stewart) with a screwed-up personal life.

Opinion: Greg Mottola’s follow-up to Superbad is less riotously hilarious than that modern comedy classic, but at least it has its heart in the right place.  Unlike a lot of contemporary comedies about young adults, Adventureland actually seems to like its characters and wants viewers to like them-flaws and all-as well.  And even though the ending is never really in doubt, the likable cast (particularly scene-stealers Martin Starr, Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig) make it a smooth ride.

Bonus Features: Mottola, who based the movie on his own experiences growing up, reminisces on a lively commentary track and a featurette and deleted scenes offer a few hi-jinks left on the cutting room floor.

Verdict: Buy It

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The Informers
Sony
$25
Blu-ray: $35

Plot: A group of wealthy power players live it up, get it on and in general do horrible things to each other in late-’80s LA at the height of the city’s cocaine-fueled hedonism.

Opinion: The novels of Bret Easton Ellis have been notoriously difficult to bring to the screen.  And even when they do result in good movies (like Mary Harron’s clever adaptation of American Psycho) they remain cult curiosities instead of mainstream hits.  The same fate will no doubt befall The Informers, Gregor Jordan’s adaptation of Ellis’ 1994 short-story anthology.  Co-written by the novelist (the first time he’s been directly involved in an adaptation of his work) The Informers is strangely compelling viewing, filled with bizarre bits of deadpan comedy and moments of “I-can’t-believe-he/she-did-that!” shock and awe.  The film wears out its welcome well before the final credits roll, but as Ellis adaptations go, this is one of the few to capture the dark, diseased spirit of the author’s words.

Bonus Features: A commentary track with the cast and director Gregor Jordan and a 15-minute making-of featurette.

Verdict: Rent It

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Also on DVD:

Critics raved about the Clive Owen/Julia Roberts romantic heist flick Duplicity (Universal, $30) when it was released in March, but moviegoers largely stayed away.  Hopefully the movie will attract a wider audience now that its on DVD and viewers can use the rewind button to keep up with its tricky plot.  Eight years after their first on-screen pairing in Y Tu Mama Tambien, Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna teamed up again for Rudo y Cursi (Sony, $29) a surprisingly hilarious comedy about a pair of soccer-playing half-brothers who catapult to overnight stardom and then begin the equally quick descent to obscurity.  Ramin Bahrani’s third feature Goodbye Solo (Lionsgate, $28) takes the director back to his home state of North Carolina, where he spins a yarn about the odd friendship that develops between an African cab driver and the elderly man he ferries around.  That ’70s Show vet Mila Kunish stars in the direct-to-DVD horror title Boot Camp (MGM, $27), which sounds an awful lot like the Japanese cult classic Battle Royale minus the awesome teen-on-teen ultraviolence.  Speaking of ultraviolence, Oliver Stone’s controversial 1994 serial killer flick Natural Born Killers (Warner Bros., $30) makes the leap to Blu-ray with all its psychadelic imagery intact and enhanced in glorious Blu.

Recently gracing the cover of the July ’09 issue of GIANT, Mr. Cannon talks his definition of power, Barack Obama and his “unorthodox” marriage to Mariah Carey in this behind the footage of his photoshoot.

From the board room to the sidewalk, media mogul Nick Cannon is always fresh dressed. Check out the exclusive photos from his GIANT cover story below. 

GIANT’s July ’09 issue is on stands now! 

Click here to subscribe to GIANT! 

When you think of the word “power,” Nick Cannon doesn’t immediately come to mind. But when you consider that at 28-years-old, Cannon is a media-tycoon in the making, you may start rethinking that word’s definition.

For our July ’09 cover story of our annual “Power Issue,”  the actor/comedian/newly appointed president of Nickelodeon’s teen division breaks down the ups and downs of being a child star and how he’s kept his finger on the pulse of youth culture.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO GIANT  

A year ago Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon surprised everyone with their secret wedding in the Bahamas. Last night the power couple celebrated their Anniversary with an intimate dinner at the Palms Resort and Casino Las Vegas. Some of the guest included L.A. Reid, Chris Lighty, BET’s Stephen Hill and Ronda Cowan, Andre Harrell, Keanan Thompson, Sanaa Latham, Tyrese Gibson, Floyd Merriweather, Sanaa Hamri and Affion Crockett. Cannon made a poetic toast to his beautiful wife telling everyone “she is the love of my life.” The menu for the seated dinner included steak and lobster followed by a cake with two love birds on top. After the dinner, the party was moved to Club Moon where Cannon presented Carey with a home video of their last year togehter — complete with an accompanying M.C. soundtrack. Then the roof of the nightclub opened up and hundreds of balloon were released into the sky as Tony!, Toni!, Tone!’s” “Anniversary” played. The couple shared tears of joy and lots of kisses. Then Cannon jumped on the turntables and deejayed the night away. Viva Las Vegas!!! Happy Anniversary Nick and Mimi. 

If you don’t know who Peter Hadar is (think hip-hop hipster meets R&B singer), then you are reading this for Selita Ebanks. I don’t blame you — look at her. Anywho, Hadar was lucky enough to score the wonderful talents of Nick Cannon’s ex Ms. Ebanks for his new video, “Planets.” Check out the Coodie & Chike-directed clip here.

Now, this video makes no sense to me but I will definitely watch again. And that says a lot since I am not typically a fan of short hair. Just my personal preference.

Let me know what you think…

For more videos, click here to watch Ciara get her swirl on for “Love Sex Magic”!

And for more, click here to watch Padma eat a burger!

You can’t knock Nick Cannon by calling him Mr. Carey (he hears you; he likes it) or by poking fun at his pre-pubescent looks (peep the video below, he’s well aware). Never one to take the “no comment” approach—his blog boldly features snapshot images of MediaTakeOut rumors he goes on to disprove, and exposes private apology e-mails from those who publicly diss him—Cannon is making it pretty hard for industry folks and audiences alike to get enough ammo on him to fire an insult. If anything, we’ve got to respect the hustle.

Making history as the youngest writer ever for the Nickelodeon network, and as the first African-American actor to be honored at the Cannes Film Festival with the “Breakthrough Actor of the Year” Award for Bobby, Cannon is now well underway to becoming one successful (self-described) “entrepre-tainer.”

Cannon and Nickelodeon have negotiated a two-year deal (beginning immediately) that will set the 28-year-old behind and in front of the camera. As Honorary Chairman, he’ll serve as creator, star, producerand director of original programming for its TEENick network (formerly The N as of later this year). First things first: he’ll host and executive produce the hour-long special “Halo Awards,” where he and his celebrity friends will travel around the country to surprise and celebrate ordinary teens who are doing extraordinary things for their community.

-Danielle Cheesman

Philippe on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is the place where all of the luminaries of music, fashion, film and media meet and eat. Chef/Owner Philippe Chow ran Mr. Chow for 27 years before opening his own restaurant in New York City and in Miami at The Gansevoort South along with his partner Stratis Morfogen. Chow takes traditional Chinese food and adds a modern and unique twist to the cuisine. Note: The chicken satay is to DIE for. Philippe is minimal, cozy and all about the delicious dining experience, of course the celebrities sightings adds to its mystique. Check out some of the famous patrons who dine at Philippe.

Weapons and Australia debut on disc this week.

Weapons
Lionsgate
$26.98

Plot: A casual hook-up brings about violent repercussions in a suburban wasteland populated by bored, gun-toting teens.

Opinion: It’s appropriate that the main feature on the Weapons DVD is preceded by trailers for Larry Clark’s Kids and Bully, both of which also revolve around dead-end teenagers doing awful things to each other.  Writer/director Adam Bhala Lough avoids lingering on the lithe bodies of his photogenic cast the way Clark does, but he shares the same fascination with youth violence and adolescent nihilism.  Told in short vignettes that are assembled out of chronological order, Weapons has nothing groundbreaking to say about why contemporary teenagers are so screwed up, but it’s not a total waste of time either, thanks to solid performances from its ensemble cast, which includes Paul Dano, Regine Nehy, Mark Webber and Nick Cannon, whose on-screen death is worth the price of a rental.

Bonus Features: None.

Verdict: Rent It

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Australia
20th Century Fox
$29.99
Blu-ray: $39.99

Plot: A cattle tycoon’s wife (Nicole Kidman) journeys to her deceased husband’s ranch in Australia and leads the herd on a cross-country trek with the help of a rugged cowboy (Hugh Jackman).

Opinion: One of last fall’s most anticipated studio pictures, Baz Lurhmann’s throwback to the romantic epics of Hollywood’s Golden Age proved to be an enormous critical and commercial stink bomb, barely grossing $50 million domestically (though it fared much better overseas) and earning scores of bad reviews.  While its not quite up to the level of Moulin Rouge! and Strictly Ballroom, Australia doesn’t entirely deserve its bad reputation.  In both its style and substance, the movie is unapologetically retro, relying on big, broad emotions that aren’t seen in most contemporary studio romances.  The movie’s greatest strength and weakness is its sprawling scope.  Luhrmann throws everything he can into the film–horses, cattle stampedes, Wizard of Oz-references, a Pearl Harbor-like bombing of an Australian port city–even when he should pull back and focus his energies a little more constructively.  Australia may be a folly, but at least it’s a grandly entertaining folly.

Bonus Features: Really Fox?  The best extras you could come up with are two measly deleted scenes?  What about all those alternate endings that Lurhmann reportedly shot? And surely there was some EPK footage you could assemble into a standard making-of featurette.  C’mon guys—give movie buffs who missed the film in theaters some reason to pick up the DVD.

Verdict: Rent It

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Also on DVD:
Warner Brothers still hasn’t been able to get a Wonder Woman live-action feature off the ground, but DC Comics’ animation division finally gives the Amazon princess her due with the full-length direct-to-DVD movie Wonder Woman (Warner, $29.98).  Keri Russell voices the title character and geek favorite Nathan Fillion plays her love interest, fighter pilot Steve Trevor.  The film comes with a PG-13 rating, so parents should be aware that the action gets pretty intense for an animated film.  If you’re looking for something a little more age-appropriate, you can give the surprise box-office hit Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Disney, $29.99) a whirl, provided you’re able to stand the sight of a talking Chihuahua for 90 minutes.  Elsewhere, The Scarlett Johansson Collection (Lionsgate, $19.98) collects three early films starring the new Mrs. Ryan Reynolds, including Girl With a Pearl Earring, A Good Woman and An American Rhapsody and critically beloved auteur Wong Kar-Wai revisits his confounding 1994 martial arts film in Ashes of Time Redux (Sony Pictures Classics, $28.96).

They’ve worked hard all year, and just before the new year hits, celebs show us how hard they can play.

Celebrities seem to always set the trends. The latest movement concerns affairs of the heart. NOTE: Being single is out and being in a relationship is in. Married, dating or keeping it on the low, the stars are connecting and making a lot of magic. Cupid was working overtime this year. Check out 8 of the hottest couples on the celebrity circuit in 2008.