“The Expendables” (Action: 1 hour, 43 minutes); Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Eric Roberts and Mickey Rourke; Director: Sylvester Stallone; Rated: R (Graphic violence, profanity, sexual innuendo and thematic element)

Movie Review: Actor-director Stallone penned this piece with Dave Callaham. Their attempt is one where old friends get a chance to hang out and reminisce how they were once the biggest action stars of the 1970s, 1980s and the early 1990s. While nice to see this many action heroes of yesteryear in one place, Stallone and Callaham also involve new action stars, such as Jason Statham and Randy Couture.

Stallone, playing Barney Ross, leads a varied team of mercenaries called “The Expendables.” A U.S. government official, Mr. Church (Bruce Willis), hires the team to take down a cartel headed by James Munroe (Roberts), who is working with a South American dictator to make millions.

The story is not new; it is the typical good guys versus bad people. The plot is straightforward, but it deviates to add a little humanity to its characters. Still, the plot is clichéd, right down to the lady in distress needing rescuing. Fascinatingly, this action movie does not try to be anything but fun.

Some clever humor exists, especially a scene involving Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as a rival mercenary leader. “Expendables’” charm is it is an entertaining action film, one reminiscent of the archetypal films of the past. It has humor and plenty of gunfire and explosions, yet the spaces between the action parts are less energetic.     

Grade: B- (Expendables)

“Eat Pray Love” (Drama/Adventure: 2 hours, 20 minutes); Starring: Julia Roberts, Hadi Subiyanto, Billy Crudup, Viola Davis, James Franco, Richard Jenkins and Javier Bardem; Director: Ryan Murphy; Rated: PG-13 (Profanity, nudity, and sexual innuendo)

Movie Review: “Eat Pray Love” follows a part of Elizabeth Gilbert’s life as detailed in her 2006 memoir. After wanting to have a child with her husband, Stephen (Crudup), Liz Gilbert (Roberts) decides her life is not as she likes. She divorces her husband and travels around, staying in Italy, India and Indonesia. Along the way, Gilbert meets interesting people, and she learns a number of life lessons, including eating, praying and loving.

Julia Roberts has an exceptional trait as a mega-actress known around the world. Her fame never gets in her way to be a down-to-earth character, who appears real. This aspect increases her ability to be relatable to her viewers.

Roberts brings that believability to the screen as Liz Gilbert. As Gilbert’s life changes, audiences easily become entangled and evolve along with Roberts as she presents a very genuine performance. Roberts proves why she is one of the highest paid actors in the world.

A brilliant and talented cast joins Roberts. Franco is charming as a lover. Jenkins (“The Visitor,” 2007) is as talented as ever, providing good dramatic scenes. Bardem is moving as Felipe, another love interest. In addition, this film’s surprise is Hadi Subiyanto, who plays Ketut Liyer, a wise psychic of sorts. Newcomer Subiyanto’s scenes with Roberts are humorous and enlightening. The cast charms.

This screenplay, while overly long, never bores, but it never reaches the apex of a good drama. Good-looking food, interesting people and beautiful views of exotic and unique places make this an adventure instead. Even more, the film suffers from poor editing problems. In between takes, objects appear in different places during the same scene.  

Again, this screenplay is not moving. It just details one woman’s life abroad. However, laughter and enjoyment are ever-present, making all a unique journey.  

Grade: B- (Eat, pray but only like this movie)

 

“Scott Pilgrim vs the World” (Action/Fantasy: 1 hour, 51 minutes); Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Kieran Culkin; Director: Edgar Wright; Rated: PG-13 (Violence and strong language)

Movie Review: Scott Pilgrim (Cera), the bass guitarist for a rock band, meets Ramona Flowers (Winstead), the lady of his dreams. In order to be with Flowers, Pilgrim must battle an evil army of Flower’s ex-boyfriends, who wish to inflict harm on Pilgrim.

Edgar Wright directs this production that is cutting-edge originality in its presentation. This photoplay nicely combines elements of comic books to provide an artistic action piece with humor. The problem is not the presentation. The problem is the reuse of Michael Cera — a seemingly affable guy — in recurring nerdy roles. Too often, certain actors are cast in similar roles too often. Cera is one such actor, although he always performs adequately. Since “Juno” (2007), his performances rarely vary. He plays an eccentric type repeatedly until every time he is on screen, one begins to expect Ellen Page to enter at any moment.

Besides the stylish manner of presentation, a few actors stand out from the crowd. Ellen Wong is nice as Knives Chau. Winstead is bodacious as Ramona Flowers, and Kieran Culkin is dynamic as Cera’s roommate.   

Grade: C+ (Interesting, but a too familiar, silliness exists.)