The Town Gives Great Tour of Criminal Element By Art Byrd

Bank heist movies seem to be the rage of late. First came Takers, now The Town seeks to entertain audiences with a story about bank robbers in Boston. 

The movie stars and is directed by actor Ben Affleck. He plays Doug, a guy with a job at a gravel company who moonlights as a bank robber. Doug and his career-criminal friend, Jem, played by dynamic hot head Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), rob banks with a precision and intelligence you would expect from Harvard graduates --not from guys who seem to have a degree in street crime.

The opening sequence has Doug, Jem and two other members of their crew robbing a Boston bank. They definitely know what they are doing; their moves are well planned as they microwave the security tapes and pour bleach all over the bank to ruin traces of DNA.

During the robbery, the crew takes Claire, a bank manager played by Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), hostage because the silent alarm was set off and they want her as negotiating tool if necessary.  Later, the crew releases Claire near a river.

Now enters FBI agent Frawley, played by Mad Men’s Jon Hamm, to talk with Claire and investigate the bank robbery. Hamm is very good with his pit-bull attitude in trying to find the bank robbers.

Jem is worried that Claire can identify them because she lives in their neighborhood. He wants to hurt Claire, where Doug wants to try another approach. Doug follows Claire and gets her routine as if he is scoping out a bank job.

Finally, he makes contact with her at a Laundromat. They start to get to know each other. Doug starts to fall for Claire and she for him. She has no idea that Doug is one of the crew that took her hostage, which was a nice twist by Affleck.

Agent Flawley is gathering information on Doug, Jem and the others. Now, he must catch them in the act.

Meanwhile, Fergus “Fergie” Colm, a local crime boss played by Pete Postlethwaite, has a flower shop where he actually cuts flowers. He wants the crew to do another heist.

Doug wants to leave Boston with Claire and doesn’t want anything to do with the upcoming job. But Fergie threatens Doug because he knows about his relationship with Claire. With Claire in possible danger, Doug agrees to do the job but has a bad feeling about it.

The job is not at a bank but targets concession money at Boston’s Fenway Park baseball stadium. Of course, things go wrong during the heist. The crew is trapped. The highlight of this movie is the shootout scene with the crew and law enforcement. It was so realistic, you felt you were in the middle of the shooting. Bullets chipping walls and spilling into the actor’s eyes.

One of the standout performances in the movie is from beautiful Blake Lively (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, TV’s Gossip Girl) as Krista, a single mom with an Oxycontin addiction. She and Doug had an on-and-off relationship. She had the Boston accent and a look that took her natural beauty down a couple notches.

The Town is a very stylish film with a great car chase scene, realistic bank and stadium robberies.

The movie’s results are predictable with who dies and lives, but the ending has interesting twist with a softness to it which is a relief after the extreme hardness throughout the film.

The Town gives an interesting look at the kind of people you don’t want to bank on. 

Edited by Michele Ristich Gatts

Let Us Introduce You Meet: Natalia Lepore Hagan Position: Actress/Dancer currently starring in The Youngstown Playhouse production of Chicago as Velma.

A BYRD’S EYE VIEW: How have you prepared for your role as Velma?


 NATALIA LEPORE HAGAN: I was really lucky to land Velma Kelly because she is so similar to me. She is sarcastic, witty, spunky and edgy, so it was easy to pull from my own experiences to create her character. I also took some pointers from the greats by watching clips on YouTube of Bebe Neuwirth and Brenda Braxton. But in the end our director, David Jendre, told us to make the characters ourselves and that’s what I believe the whole cast is doing amazingly.



ABEV: What can people expect from the playhouse production of Chicago?


NLH: People can expect to be wowed! The production is amazing, from the talent of the cast to the outstanding 14 piece orchestra on stage with us. The sound is booming, the girls look gorgeous, the guys look great. All together, David has put together a knockout. I don’t think Youngstown has seen a production like this in a while; I think it will be remembered for a long time. People don’t usually expect Chicago to be as funny as it is and that’s what I think will surprise them the most. It truly is a comedy and a drama smashed into two hours on stage with minimal scenery and huge talent.



ABEV: Has your background in ballet helped in your Velma role?


NLH: Absolutely! Velma is mainly the dancing role. Every time she shows up there’s no doubt something fun is going to happen. I have about three major dance numbers that I could have never pulled off without my training. There are some difficult tricks on a chair, some splits and high kicks that would have definitely been impossible.



ABEV: Where do you hope your performing career is heading?


NLH: I just got accepted into The Ohio State University’s dance program as a transfer student. I’m hoping this will really make me 100 times better, and that when I graduate I can go out into the world of performing. I am hoping to see myself choreographing major Broadway shows someday and maybe starring in one of those productions. I have had high hopes for my career ever since I was three. There’s no turning back now. I am just so happy to have been cast in this role; Velma Kelly has been a dream of mine for years. This show has really been one of the greatest experiences in my performing career so far.

 

Natalia Lepore Hagan was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio. She was classically trained at Ballet Western Reserve for 14 years where she studied dozens of genres of dance. She attended Baldwin Wallace College last year for Music Theater but recently transferred to The Ohio State University for dance. She has been performing in Youngstown since she was four years old. You may have seen her in The Oakland's production of Reefer Madness, where she also was one of three choreographers.

The musical Chicago will play Sept. 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 or 19, at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays.  The Youngstown Playhouse is located at 600 Playhouse Lane, on Youngstown’s south side. For tickets contact the Playhouse for a reservation at 330-788-8739

Edited by Michele Ristich Gatts

The American Could Be Foreign to the Audience By Art Byrd

Call me a sucker, because I got sucked into seeing The American. Months ago, I saw the trailer for the film featuring George Clooney as a hit man in a foreign land. Even the poster looked cool. I watched the behind-the-scenes of the making of The American on Yahoo. I was psyched.

At this point, I followed my usual mantra about not reading or watching any reviews, as I wanted my experience to be fresh. Big mistake. They might have saved me from a very frustrating experience. 

Even my friend Jason from Los Angeles tried to throw me a movie life preserver by advising me to instead see Machete, the action flick about a man bent on revenge -- my kind of movie.

Then, at a Labor Day picnic, Scooter, another friend, said he wanted to see Machete with me for fun and laughs. But when we couldn’t see the movie until the end of the week, The American surfaced again.

The movie starts with Clooney’s character Jack with a beautiful woman, Ingrid, played by Irina Bjorklund, lying on a bed. The next morning, Jack and Ingrid take a winter’s walk in an open field. He notices some tracks and his hit man “Spidey Sense” kicks in. Jack and Ingrid take cover. Of course, someone starts shooting at them. Jack just happens to have a gun in his parka pocket and kills the shooter. Ingrid is bewildered. Jack tells her to call for help and as she is walking away, he shoots Ingrid execution style.

Jack calls his boss, Pavel, a scary-looking guy played by Johan Leypen. He tells Jack, “Don’t make friends,” so he can find out who is coming after Jack. But Jack goes to a small town in Italy and starts to make friends with a priest and a call girl.

Pavel gives Jack a job -- not to kill, but to make a weapon -- for another assassin, Mathilde, played by Thekla Reuten. Then things get crazy as Jack is hunted, betrayed and hunted again.

The film was directed by Anton Corbijn, who comes from a background of still photography. The movie scenes are long and drawn out. The characters -- including Clooney -- do things that have the audience wondering why but never getting a satisfactory answer. Clooney was dry and pouty in the movie; his charm was there but it got lost in the slow, dragging plot.

In some foreign films, they throw in things they want you to figure out later. Here’s my conclusion: the movie should have been called The Foreigner instead of The American.

Edited by Michele Ristich Gatts

Takers Will Not Steal Your Time By Art Byrd

I was on the phone with my dad when he mentioned seeing one of the best pictures of the year. For my dad to say a movie is the best, I have to take notice; Dad will walk out of a movie if he doesn’t like it. This is the guy who walked out on Star Wars because the robots were too loud!

The movie my dad loves is Takers, a bank heist movie. He’s right, it is good movie. But I don’t agree that it’s a great movie because of one word -- “greed.”

The movie begins with the Takers, the robbers, having pulled-off a flawless bank heist. The film stars Paul Walker (Fast and Furious) as John, Idris Elba (The Wire) as Gordon, Michael Ealy (Three Pounds) as Jake, Hayden Christensen (Star Wars) as A.J., and singer Chris Brown as Jesse. They take a news helicopter from an overzealous and stupid news reporter and her crew. A brilliant move as the Takers fly away with the money while the police think they have surrounded the bad guys in the building.

After the heist and the money spilt, the Takers are living the high life with houses, penthouse apartments, cars, motorcycles, and of course, hot women.

Then Ghost, played by rapper T.I., gets out of prison early. The Takers are shocked to see him. Ghost was part of their stealing crew, but during one of the heists he was shot, captured and sent to prison. Yet he didn’t rat the others out.

Now Ghost wants to rob an armored car carrying a lot of cash. The Takers have a rule that they do only one job a year. This job is to be done in five days.

Here is where greed steps in. Ghost gives the Takers a choice -- are you in or out. The Takers are in. Some of them have a bad feeling about the job. That bad feeling turns into bad things. Goodbye houses, cars, money and women, as the Takers will never be the same.

There were some great scenes, especially a running scene with Chris Brown. The supporting cast was excellent with Matt Dillon (Crash) playing marriage-damaged detective Jack Welles, his partner Eddie Hatcher played by Jay Hernandez ,and the amazing Zoe Saldana (Avatar) playing Rachel, Ghost’s ex and Jake’s fiancée.

A super performance was given by Marianne Jean- Baptiste (TV’s Without A Trace) as Naomi, Gordon’s drug-addicted sister.

The good thing is that Takers goes from being a bank heist film to something else, which I will not give away. If you like large on-screen action and a stylishly shot film, Takers will not steal your time.

Edited by Michele Ristich Gatts

The Expendables Tries to Bring Back ’80s and ’90s By Art Byrd

It was another time-warp moment for me at the movies. First, it was the A-Team, based on the TV series from the ’80s; now it’s The Expendables, with action stars from the ’80s and ’90s.

Writer, director and action icon Sylvester Stallone apparently gathered some ’80s tough guy buddies and said, “Let’s make a movie.” 

I have to admit -- even though I am huge action film fan -- when I saw The Expendables trailer, I thought it was going to be terrible one-liners, tough guy stares and excessive killing and huge explosions. Well, The Expendables was all of that, but I am not sure if it was a great action film ride. Like a roller-coaster, it had its up and downs.

The first 15 minutes is actually pretty cool, as guys known as the Expendables come in contact with Somali pirates who have American hostages. The Expendables actually give the pirates money for the hostages. Of course, the pirates want more money.

Stallone plays Barney Ross, the leader. But stop the presses -- C’mon, in a tough movie like this, Stallone…the writer! gives himself a name like Barney?! Well, Barney tells the pirates to take the money or leave it. The pirates have red lasers from the Expendables’ big guns pointed at their chests. They don’t take the money, so the Expendables take their lives.

The plot is a shaky one. Barney is talking with Mr. Church, played by Bruce Willis, about another job. When Trench, played (uncredited!) by Arnold Schwarzenegger, walks in with the sunlight behind him, his shadow is so big we know it’s him. He is a former friend of Barney’s who is going after the same job. After some verbal jibes, Arnold defers to Barney and walks out. It was a scene designed to put all three action stars in the same room. Cinematic magic went poof.

The supporting cast helps kick the movie into second gear. Jason Statham as Lee Christmas (Transporters movies), Jet Li (Lethal Weapon 4) as Ying Yang , Randy Couture (mixed martial artist) as Toll Road and huge Terry Crews as Hale Caesar (Everybody Hates Chris) give the movie its over the top crazy characters.

Mr. Church wants the Expendables to kill a South American dictator played by David Zayas (Dexter). Barney and Christmas go to South America to check the situation before the team goes. In the country, their contact is a beautiful woman, Sandra, played by Giselle Itie. 

During the recon, the military confront Barney and Christmas -- the only two white men in the country. A shootout and car/truck chase ensues. Barney, Christmas and Sandra barely get to the plane, but Sandra refuses to leave.

Later, Barney feels bad that he left Sandra. He decides to go to get her, but the team tells Barney he is not going alone. In the country, the Expendables wreak havoc on the bad guys, just blowing stuff up and killing soldiers.

The editing of the action scenes was so quick that I couldn’t make out who got shot unless they got stabbed. The movie is big on knives.

At the end, the bad guys are all gone. There is a tender moment between Barney and Sandra when she hugs him. For all the blowing things up, getting beat up and shot up  that Barney did in coming to Sandra’s aid – he gets a hug, not a passionate thank-you kiss? Even a tough guy need a kiss!

The Expendables was okay fun. Lots of killing, explosions, car chases and corny one liners may have made the movie a throwback to the ’80s and ’90s.  I am not sure if I enjoyed the time warp experience.

Edited by Michele Ristich Gatts

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Is Real-Life Video Game/ Romantic Comedy By Art Byrd

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World  takes boy-meets-girl to a different level. When Scott Pilgrim, played by Michael Cera (Superbad, Juno), sees purple-haired Ramona Flowers, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Live Free or Die Hard, Death Proof), across the room at a party, he falls hard for her. Ramona is interesting with her take on life. Scott’s world literally changes as he tries to woo Ramona and finds that the outside world has plans for him.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World  is a visual experience that some will enjoy and other will think childish. The movie is based on a popular graphic novel. Scott, who is in a band, pursues Ramona. After a rocky start, she begins to like him.

This is where the story takes an interesting twist as people start showing up to fight Scott. Soon he learns that they are the seven evil exes of Ramona -- not necessarily boyfriends, but romantic links. The exes represent different times in Ramona’s love life from elementary school to adulthood. There is one ex, a girl Roxy Richter and played Mae Whitman ( TV’s Parenthood), which gives the movie a quick comedic moment. Scott must battle them all to the death to win Ramona’s heart.

Before Ramona, Scott was dating a high school girl named Knives Chau, played by Ellen Wong. She is very good with her over-the-top crush on Scott, which is both scary and funny.

One of the gems of the film is Wallace, Scott’s roommate, played by Kieran Culkin. His character is very comfortable in his sexuality and offers Scott some level-headed advice.

The movie’s dialogue is hip and snappy, thanks to writer and director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz). Scott Pilgrim vs. the World  feels like a real life video game. The fight scenes are very good; when someone gets punched, the words describing the sounds come on the screen -- like “Pow” and “Wham” from the old Batman TV series.

Anna Kendrick (Twilight, Up In The Air) is great as Stacey Pilgrim, Scott’s sister, who alternates from being very straight-faced to very chatty, which gives her a certain charm. Jason Schwartzman is Gideon, the villain, who treated Ramona badly in the past and wants her back. Scott defends her, which of course sets up a huge fight scene between the two.

Scott Pilgrim vs. World  was a good visual movie experience. So fellows, if you meet girl with multi-colored hair who is cool and the world wants to fight you for her, you should put up your dukes like Scott Pilgrim did.

Edited by Michele Ristich Gatts

‘Dinner For Schmucks’ Serves Feast of Laughs By Art Byrd

I am not a frequent texter, but I know “LOL” is shorthand for “laugh out loud.” And let me tell you, this film is LOL funny!

First of all, I love the title “Dinner For Schmucks” because it tells exactly what the movie is about. Dictionary.com defines “schmuck” as a “noun-slang- an obnoxious and despicable person.” Steve Carell (“The Office”) is both funny and obnoxious as Barry in the film, but not despicable.

Oddly, the word schmuck wasn’t used in the movie itself, but idiot was. The movie has a strange premise -- executives from a financial company invite weird people, or idiots, to dinner to make fun of them.

Rising executive Tim, played Paul Rudd (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”), is invited to the exclusive dinner -- but he must find an idiot. He tells his girlfriend, Julie, played Stephanie Szostak (“The Devil Wears Prada”), about the dinner. She makes him feel guilty for even thinking of attending. But the dinner will be good for his career.

As Tim is driving and talking on his cell phone, he hits Barry, who jumps in the street to save a dead mouse. We find out that Barry is a budding taxidermist. His mouse art is very good.

The movie has a lot of characters, with Zach Galifinanakis (“The Hangover”) as Therman, a strange IRS agent with supposed mind power; Darla, played by Lucy Punch (“The Class”), is Tim’s crazy stalker; Jermaine Clement (who, like Carell, did a voice in “Despicable Me”) plays an egomaniacal artist, Kieran.

Director Jay Roach (“Austin Powers,” “Meet the Fockers”) knows how to do comedy well, and he continues his streak with this movie.

Rudd and Carell are hilarious together. Carell looks crazed as Barry when he is on screen. Rudd’s straight-faced confusion makes you feel sorry for him, but you laugh anyway.

“Dinner For Schmucks” is overboard in reality but right on course for laughs. If you are starving for comedy, you need to attend “Dinner for Schmucks.”

edited by Michele Ristich Gatts