“50/50” (Drama/Comedy: 1 hour, 40 minutes)

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anjelica Huston         

Director: Jonathan Levine

Rated: R (Profanity, sexual innuendo, drug usage and sexuality)

Movie Review: Inspired by a true story, a 27-year-old Adam (Gordon-Levitt) receives a cancer diagnosis of a rare back cancer. He copes and fights to remain healthy. He must also maintain relationships with his best friend Kyle (Rogen), his girlfriend Rachael (Howard), and his over-protective mother Diane (Huston). In return, they must deal with Adam’s medical diagnosis. Even more, a hospital provides Adam with a very young doctoral psychology student to counsel him. She makes matters worse before making them better.  

Although this film is both a comedy and drama, it is a serious look at how one man deals with surviving a horrible ailment while also maintaining relationships with friends and family. The films works, mostly due to a talented Gordon-Levitt (“500 Days of Summer,” 2009).

Gordon-Levitt is a superb actor. He makes this film work. He may not appear to be the typical leading man, but the title fits. He knows exactly how to create laughs without being goofy or out of character. Opposite him, however, is Rogen, who is annoying as all get out. Rogen is a comedy genius sporadically. Here, he is like a gnat or a fly, swatting at him does nothing to deter his return.

The rest of the cast is an A-list of feminine talent, including Kendrick, Howard and an always impressive Huston, who is award-ready in this role.

This film could have been better as pure drama with bits of comedy, instead of being a 50 percent drama, 50 percent comedy production. Still, it works to provide worthwhile entertainment.

Grade: B- (Chances are it entertains most audiences.)

 

“What’s Your Number?” (Romantic Comedy: 1 hour, 46 minutes)

Starring: Anna Faris, Chris Evans and Ari Graynor   

Director: Mark Mylod

Rated: R (Profanity, sexual innuendo, alcohol usage and nudity)

Movie Review: Faris and Evans are likable actors, but this plot should make audiences want to dial 911. Faris plays Ally Darling, a woman who has slept with multiple men. She has slept with 20 to be exact. To keep from going over that number, she decides to find all of her past lovers to see if any of them would like to rekindle a relationship with her. She concocts a list, and her playboy neighbor, Colin Shea (Evans), finds the men for her. In return, she acts as his alibi when he needs to hide from his one-night stands. While Darling dislikes Shea, they form an arranged, beneficial friendship.  

Smart viewers will easily deduce what happens when two young and beautiful characters meet but dislike each other. In movies, this usually signals the beginning of a soon-to-be romantic relationship.

A goofy but adorable Faris is intriguing. A handsome Evans (“Captain America: The First Avenger”) is nude often in this comedy to apparently show that he has been hitting the gym. They are an odd couple, but they have chemistry in an indescribable manner. The problem is this screenplay is haphazardly put together. Even more, their characters do not appear believable, especially Evans’ role.

Both characters behave as if they are in their mid-teens, not adults. They are childish until about the last 25 minutes of this romantic comedy that lacks focus. Directed by Mylod (television’s “Entourage), the screenplay is more juvenile.

Grade: D+ (1-800-Bad-Film)

 

“Dream House” (Drama/Mystery: 1 hour, 32 minutes)

Starring: Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts       

Director: Jim Sheridan

Rated: PG-13 (Thematic elements, violence, some sexuality and profanity)

Movie Review: Writer-editor Will Atenton (Craig), his wife Libby (Weisz) and their two daughters (Taylor and Claire Geare) move from New York to suburban-like New England area, where they renovate their two-story house. They soon find the house was once a place where a mother and two daughters were believed to have been killed by the husband who survived. Atenton investigates, but he finds some disturbing answers as to how the family died and who killed them.

Sheridan (“In America,” 2002; “In the Name of the Father,” 1993) has directed a number of good films. Do not count this as one of them.

“Dream House” is very much a like a two-story house. You get one story before and another after. Here, this photoplay could be divided into thirds; each third having its own flavor and being distinctively different movies.

This film is advertised as a horror flick, yet it is really a psychodrama with mystery to solve. Before the end, it is a paranormal piece. Each part is unique as separate films. Together, each is an utter mess that clashes like wearing a suit of three primary colors.

Writer David Loucka helmed this screenplay, but he appears to have multiple personalities. “Dream House” appears as if it is written by three different people. It is not what one expects. Then again, all appears as if the producers did not know what to expect either.

Grade: D (Delusional)

 

“Courageous” (Religious Drama:  2 hour, 9 minutes)

Starring: Alex Kendrick, Ken Bevel, Ben Davies and Kevin Downes

Director: Alex Kendrick

Rated: PG-13 (Violence and thematic elements, including drug content)

Movie Review: After a tragedy, four men — law-enforcement officers and a carpenter in Albany, Ga. — are moved by their faith to sign a contract to be better husbands and fathers. The message of this faith-based film is to inspire people via a good message. This is indeed a motivational production, using modern media to relay a big message.

With roughly a low $2 million budget for a movie, Sherwood Pictures put this movie together nicely under the direction of Alex Kendrick. This film is not meant to win any grand awards. Its purpose is to deliver a message for the faithful, but its theme is worthy for many audiences.  

As a person of faith, one can appreciate this film tremendously. As an objective viewer, one must also courageously note areas needing improvement.    

A major problem of this film is that it is too preachy when its message is a good one from the start. Signs adorn multiple scenes with notes reading “Jesus loves you” or crucifixes installed on multiple walls to remind people you are watching a Christian film. A film should never have to remind audiences of what they are watching. Most people know what they expecting upon entering. The gestures are understandable but overdone.  

Also, it drives home its message by being a sob-fest. Its entire intent appears, other than delivering a Christian theme via biblical intent, making its audience cry with one dire incident after the next. It goes overboard in its intent to relay a “good” message. Sometimes, too much is too much.

In addition, some of the same actors are used that graced the movie screen in “Facing the Giants” (2006) and “Fireproof” (2008). This makes “Courageous” appear unoriginal. This is especially noteworthy since a scene in this film uses a story segment from “Fireproof.”

The comedy bits are good and provide a needed relief from the gloomy moments. The comedy makes the film very valuable. If the entire movie could have delivered the same message in the happy manner which provides comedy, this film would be worth seeing twice for both a good message and its entertaining appeal.

Grade: C+ (It tries courageously)