THE SCENESTER: Vamps, an aviatrix and the most badass fight scenes you'll ever see

The Web site for the award-winning alternative weekly, the Philadelphia City Paper.

options

THE SCENESTER: Vamps, an aviatrix and the most badass fight scenes you'll ever see

POSTED: Friday, October 23, 2009, 9:03 PM

Filed Under: Movies Scenester

Admit it, you want more from this week's Movies section.

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant - B-

Darren is a normal teenage boy. He's popular, has a good family and gets good grades. But things start go awry for Darren (Chris Massoglia) when his best bud (and complete opposite), Steve (a much-more-interesting-than-Massoglia Josh Hutcherson), persuades him to cut out on his grounding (also Steve's fault) and check out the Cirque du Freak, a WTF vaudeville-style freak show, anchored by the mysterious Crepsley (John C. Reilly), who performs with a spider named Octa. Darren makes the terrible decision to steal Octa (because, as we're told, he's obsessed with spiders), which leads Crepsley to turn him into a half-vamp (he's not daylight-allergic). Too bad the creepy Mr. Tiny (Broadway great Michael Cerveris) has other plans for our hero and wants him for himself. Cirque du Freak is one of those movies that's clearly meant to set up a franchise. It's a lot of exposition for little payoff. But the visual effects are fantastic, and watching the cavalcade of freaks ' like The Daily Show's Kristin Schaal's toothy Gertha, Salma Hayek's sultry bearded lady and Patrick Fugit's rock 'n' roll-loving snake boy ' is fun enough to keep it going. Still while Reilly is characteristically awesome as the theatrical Crepsley, you have to wonder: Is he doing it for the part or because he knows he's got paychecks coming down the pipe when the other tent poles go up?

Amelia - C

Director Mira Nair knows how to set up a shot. She can work the light and create scenes of pure beauty, as she's shown in movies like Monsoon Wedding. But that doesn't help her when it comes to the story of Amelia Earhart, played in all of her buck-toothed glory by Hilary Swank. Beginning with Earhart's doomed flight around the world, Nair gives us a brief look at Earhart's childhood and hits the ground running with her meeting with eventual husband/publishing magnate George Putnam (Richard Gere), who ostensibly needs a woman flier to play passenger on a trans-Atlantic flight, but really wants a star who can sell books. Nair's version is full of positive women-can-do-it-too! platitudes but glances over the interesting parts ' like Earhart's unseen alcoholic dad who gets more than a few mentions or the necessary celebrity associated with keeping her up in the air. Even her affair with Gene Vidal (father of Gore ' yeah, that Gore), played by Ewan McGregor, feels like an afterthought. Swank, who has garnered praise for the gritty realism she brings to her performances (Boys Don't Cry), plays Earhart like a character, rather than embodying the aviatrix (although Gere is far guiltier of this than Swank). The film only gets interesting when we get a glimpse inside Earhart's final ride before she disappeared without a trace, but by that point, Amelia's already crashed.

Art & Copy - C+

Astro Boy

Bronson - A-

The Damned United - B

An Education - B

Good Hair - C

Ong Bak 2 - B

You have to read Drew Lazor's review. It's hilarious.

Saw VI

Posted by Molly Eichel @ 9:03 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Comments (0)

Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
SEXY TIME Q&A: I've never had an orgasm during sex with a man — and I'm 30!
NOW SEE THIS: Transit cop arrests marijuana activist for alleged disorderly conduct.
What we're trying to do this weekend
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
Q&A with Tony Goldwyn: "Life is gray, and relationships are, too"
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Indian fare rules, Dunder Mifflin lives on, Tom Jones is a god
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: The Archbishop meets the Geator, the Mayor goes suit shopping, Le Bec Fin fin.
Q&A with Goon’s Seann William Scott
Bradley Cooper promises he's not an asshole

About this blog

Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

Follow Critical Mass editors Patrick Rapa and Emily Guendelsberger on Twitter:

@mission2denmark | @emilygee

Search this blog:

Topics:

Blog archives:

May
April
March

February
January

Past Archives: