We’re the Millers

movie review

We’re the Millers **

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Will Poulter, Emma Roberts, Nick Offerman, Kathryn Hahn,  Ed Helms
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Tagline: If anyone asks

A generic dysfunctional-family comedy runs into a giant puddle of raunchiness in We’re the Millers, a profanity laden road trip that offers some laughs but more often mistakes cringe-worthy for hilarious.

The story commences as debt-ridden drug dealer David (Jason Sudeikis) is coerced by his supplier (Ed Helms) into smuggling a “smidge” (which eventually turns out to be a massive heap) of marijuana across the border. Concerned that he might seem conspicuous and get busted if he makes the journey alone, David hatches the scheme to hire a fake family. Posing as his wife is his neighbour, struggling stripper Rose (Jennifer Aniston), while playing the part of their kids are surly runaway teenager Casey (Emma Roberts) and a misfit kid from their apartment building Kenny (Will Poulter). They’re the Millers, and together they set off on an RV trip to and then from Mexico, smuggling two tons of drugs into the United States.

Things obviously don’t go as smoothly as David would have hoped, and they predictably run into problems that are usually more preposterous than amusing. The premise is ripe for some dark comedy, but instead director Rawson Marshall Thurber and his writers chose to go down the obvious, formulaic route. While the plot often takes nonsensical turns, you’re never really in any doubt where this road trip is heading. The character arcs lead exactly where you think they will. Obligatory romances and schmaltzy heart-warming moments eventually creep up as the film stumbles on, frequently confusing crude for edgy along the way.

The dodgy characters struggle to be likable. Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston are no strangers to this genre and both seem on autopilot. British actor Will Poulter is well cast as the awkward Kenny and perhaps essays the most sympathetic role in the movie. Ed Helms plays the eccentric drug lord with gusto, although he never comes off as believable. And Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn are shoehorned in for convenience and provide some laughs as the Fitzgeralds, a couple who are on a vacation with their daughter Melissa (Molly Quinn) and befriend the Millers on the road.

Its uneven script and predictable storyline keep the movie from feeling interesting or fresh. None of that, however, means that the film won’t make you laugh – it might or it might not. Humour is notoriously subjective. Realism isn’t a necessary requirement for comedy. Plus a number of movies that rely on crudity have done well at the box office, which means they clearly have an audience. We’re the Millers is aimed at a particular audience who will enjoy its zany proceedings, but it is very unlikely to appeal to everyone. This isn’t a film with clever writing and award-worthy acting or direction. And it could’ve easily used a more thorough edit that could have done away with some of slower, weaker moments in its 110 minute running time. Still, you might be entertained if you don’t go in with high expectations, and fans of its cast members will be more likely to forgive its many flaws. Enjoying crude humour is a prerequisite to liking this film; not expecting originality or complexity will also help. And if you do watch We’re the Millers, make sure you stick around for the outtakes before the end credits, which deliver the biggest laugh of the movie. Then again, what does it say about a film when its funniest scene is in the gag reel?

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 22nd December, 2013 *

Catchy as ever

album review

One Direction's Midnight Memories recalls musical legends in the band's sugary signature style

Band: One Direction
Album: Midnight Memories

They might not have won The X Factor, but One Direction has achieved something that has eluded even the winners of that show: massive worldwide success, powered by a rabid global fan base. The fact that the said fan base is comprised mostly of tween and teen girls is completely beside the point. What matters is that One Direction is the most successful product manufactured by the Syco pop laboratories, and it isn’t even hard to see why they have such widespread appeal in their target demographic. They seem like a group of charming young men who are having a good time and making some saccharine, easy-to-market pop music. And that hair … have you seen the hair?

Since being put together in 2010 for the seventh series of the British singing competition, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik have together become a pop phenomenon, selling millions of singles and albums and decimating a number of sales records in the process. This year has not only seen the boy band issue a book, release a 3D documentary movie, and launched a fragrance (yes, really!), but the group has also released a new album.

Their third record in as many years, Midnight Memories sees the band trying to show growth but being too timid to try anything too drastically different. While they previously took their cues from dance pop, here they have traded that sound in favour of McFly styled pop rock anthems and some folksy ballads. With the help of numerous songwriters and a handful of producers (most prominently Julian Bunetta and John Ryan), One Direction have come up with a set of 14 songs (18 in the deluxe edition) that lyrically revolve around routine, PG-rated relationship-related fluff, although things do take a slightly seedy turn once or twice.

Album opener and lead single ‘Best Song Ever’ might not be the best song ever but it is a catchy, bouncy earworm. And the mid-tempo, guitar-driven second single ‘Story of My Life’ might not be as instantly catchy as its predecessor, but its folksy leanings help widen the group’s repertoire. Things, however, start to get a little dull towards the second half, with songs like the Ryan Tedder co-written ‘Right Now’ (which sounds predictably OneRepublic-ish) and the Gary Lightbody and Jacknife Lee effort ‘Something Great’ (which sounds predictably Snow Patrol-ish), which could have potentially been replaced by a couple of the bonus tracks.

What’s hard to ignore though, is that many of the songs sound like watered down versions of something that we have already heard elsewhere. Whether it’s the punchy Def Leppard reminiscent ‘Midnight Memories’, the Van Halen-esque ‘Little Black Dress’, or the Mumford-lite folk pop of ‘Story of My Life’ and ‘Through the Dark’, you can hear their influences loud and clear. And after all the hoopla about ‘Best Song Ever”s similarity to The Who’s ‘Baba O’Riley’, you can only hope no one ever hands a copy of this album to Rick Springfield because if he hears bonus track ‘Does He Know’, then we will really have some trouble on our hands.

So yes, it borrows sonically from all sorts of places and is highly derivative. But then again, none of that will keep it from seeming interesting to its intended audience, most of whom are too young to remember the music and artists it approximates from (and who seemingly take pride in not knowing who The Who are). Ultimately, Midnight Memories might be ambitious by One Direction’s standards, but it isn’t willing to really be adventurous and is just inoffensive, polished, generic pop rock. It’s fun and catchy, but all a bit too vanilla. From their perspective though, it is safe enough to help them retain their fan base and perhaps even help the group’s longevity.

Now that that’s all settled, could someone please tell me if I should be embarrassed that the title track is now stuck in my head? And why do I have a sudden urge to listen to ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’?

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 22nd December, 2013 *

Art(less) Pop

album review

Only the Gaga-ists will like Artpop, because it takes that kind of loyalty to hear the same thing for the third time

Singer: Lady Gaga
Album: Artpop

After a number of female pop singers – primarily Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Britney Spears – released new music within the span of a few weeks, the resulting comparisons were inevitable. The prime targets of this chatter were Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, after the first singles from their respective new albums ended up coming out within days of each other. Katy Perry unsurprisingly won the sales battle (as she often does), but it was still hard to figure out whether Perry’s lacklustre ‘Roar’ or Gaga’s bland ‘Applause’ had more merit. What seemed fairly obvious though was that (despite what the Grammy nominations might suggest) neither delivered a pop masterpiece. Now it turns out that neither of them has delivered a remarkable album either, albeit for completely opposite reasons: Katy didn’t try hard enough; Gaga tried way too hard.

That, however, isn’t exactly a revelation. Ever since Stefani Germanotta donned the persona of Lady Gaga, she has gone out of her way to seek attention and court controversy, often leaving commentators wondering whether she is a serious artist or a hackneyed joke with a stale punch line. All too often, it seems like she talks a big game, overhypes her projects, leaves the listener expecting too much, and then just can’t deliver. And following the incessant spotlight-hogging antics, the music itself feels like a middle-of-the-road letdown. Her latest album Artpop suffers the same fate. There’s no art here – or at least no more than any other piece of mainstream music – but a lot of pop. Messy, laboured, all-over-the-place pop.

A return to familiar territory, her third record finds her singing about – prepare to be shocked – lust, fame, and fashion, and sees her co-write each of its 15 tracks and work with producers including Paul Blair, Nick Monson, and Dino Zisis among others. Neither focused nor coherent, Artpop offers a lot of grandstanding and showcases a singer with a chronic aversion to lyrical subtlety and sonic restraint. The record often finds its songs buried under layers of effects and in insufferable lyrical territory. As a result, the songs sound overdone and convoluted. And then the repetition of phrases or the song titles (“Venus, Venus, Venus”, “artpop, artpop, artpop”, “gypsy, gypsy, gyspy”, “applause, applause, applause”) over and over, the use of the same tempo for much of its run, and the application of similar styles on multiple ditties makes the album seem musically tired.

Not to say that it all sounds the same, but sometimes the different ones aren’t very impressive either. The R. Kelly duet ‘Do What U Want’ works better than the T.I., Too Short, and Twista assisted detour into hip hop in the shape of ‘Jewels n’ Drugs’ which feels misplaced. The synth drenched ‘Donatella’ is so witless that it doesn’t quite make it clear enough if it’s a glorification or a send-up of its subject, Donatella Versace. And while the will.i.am and David Guetta produced ‘Fashion!’ starts with a promising piano intro, it then descends into an uninspired, generic tune. When she gets to the simpler tunes towards the end of the set, though, she truly shines as a singer. ‘Gypsy’ might be a more straightforward, and perhaps even uninventive ditty that could have found home on her previous disc Born This Way, but there is no denying that it is an irresistible, solid pop song. Sure she over-sings on ‘Dope’, producer Rick Rubin’s sole contribution to the album, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is an impressive ballad.

Ultimately, while listening to Artpop, it often becomes hard to decide if she’s taking herself too seriously or not seriously enough. Of course mixing art and pop isn’t a novel idea, but it’s a concept that becomes trickier to carry out when the artist trying to execute it isn’t willing to stray from the mainstream. A generic execution obviously doesn’t work; the songs might be catchy, but the singer seems to be going the ‘vocals on a layer of techno beats’ route that has become commonplace at this point. Yet, even the flaws of this record – and there are many – can’t hide the talent of the singer who made it. It has been obvious from the start that underneath all the makeup and costumes and ridiculousness is a good singer who can come up with strong melodies and infectious tunes. Unfortunately, on Artpop, she seems a little too enamoured with her own shtick, and it’s a pity that her pretentious persona has overshadowed her music, and her focus on spectacle is becoming a hindrance. Or maybe it’s just that flamboyance just doesn’t stand out as much today as it did five years ago. Since she arrived, strange has become the new normal, and the only thing shocking at this point would be if she appeared simple, fully clothed, and makeup-less, and sang a clean, bare pop song without pretending that it’s anything more than just that. And perhaps that’s exactly what she should do – see the art in simplicity, show restraint, and put her powerful vocals to better use, because at this point, creating an album that is raw but powerful might give her career a boost, widen her appeal, and increase her longevity, and truly surprise the jaded audience.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 15th December, 2013 *

Bone

book review

Comic book series: Bone

Writer and artist: Jeff Smith

A few pages into the first volume of the Bone series, a character comes across some comic books and comments that she has never seen one before. “You haven’t?” her companion replies. “You must’ve had a deprived childhood”. If by those standards your childhood has also been deprived, then now would be a good time to rectify this dearth of graphic novels in your life by seeking out some of the best works in this medium. And you couldn’t really ask for a better introduction to the world of comics than Jeff Smith’s high fantasy series Bone.

Divided into nine volumes that were originally drawn and released in black and white (1995 to 2004) and then reissued in colour (2005 to 2009), the series, which is also available as a one volume edition, follows the adventures of the Bone cousins – the money-obsessed Phoncible P. “Phoney” Bone, goofy Smiley Bone, and responsible Fone Bone. After being run out of their hometown of Boneville, the Bones wander across a desert where they are chased by (stupid, stupid) rat creatures, eventually making their way to a mysterious valley where they meet a young girl named Thorn and her grandmother Rose Ben. Little do they know that an epic conflict is brewing; an ancient war is about to reignite and it will soon have them all struggling for survival as dark forces threaten the world.

The yarn gets off to a humorous start and captivates the reader right from the get go before turning into a more complex and thrilling tale that gets darker as it progresses. It never really loses its sense of humour though, and always finds the right balance between comedy and fantasy.

Drawn with skill, written with zeal, and clearly put together with a lot of passion, Bone is as masterful an example of storytelling as you’re likely to find. One of the best fantasy tales in this or any format, this award-winning series is an impressive blend of excellent artwork, effective writing, engaging characters, a riveting story, unexpected plot twists, remarkable depth, and meticulous attention to detail. And that’s why it has so quickly turned into such an endearing classic and become a testament to Jeff Smith’s remarkable talent.

It’s The Lord of the Rings of comic books (a comparison that is apt on many levels as you will discover when you read it), and deserves to be more popular than many of the fantasy series that have taken mainstream traction. And it’s practically begging for a big (or small) screen adaptation (although seeing Hollywood’s track record, perhaps it’s a good thing that there hasn’t been one yet).

All in all, Jeff Smith’s magnum opus is a whimsical and exciting combination of fantasy, action, and adventure, and a riveting tale of perseverance. If you are one of those who haven’t read this 1300 page epic yet, then grab a copy immediately. It doesn’t matter if you like comics or not, and you don’t necessarily have to be a fantasy buff to enjoy this novel. And it wouldn’t be a bad idea to suggest it to youngsters (or even grown ups for that matter) who aren’t into reading. You have a variety of formats to choose from, and no reason to not at least give it a try. This fun filled, action packed adventure graphic novel is very impressive and waiting to take you on an exciting journey.

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 13th December, 2013 *

R.I.P.D.

movie review

R.I.P.D. **

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker, and Stephanie Szostak
Director: Robert Schwentke
Tagline: To protect and serve the living

Every once in a while, a movie comes along that gives you no clear reason why it exists and leaves you in doubt about the competence of everyone who was involved in its creation. R.I.P.D. is one of those films.

Based on a comic book, the movie follows the story of a man who is recruited by a covert agency and forced to team up with a difficult, veteran partner in order to capture monstrous creatures living on Earth disguised as regular people. Sounds familiar? The premise is such a blatant rip-off of Men in Black that they should owe the M.I.B. crew some sort of royalties. Of course the aliens have been replaced by the undead, and the charm has been replaced by full-on tedium, but the basic backbone remains suspiciously similar.

The supernatural comedy kicks off when detective Nick Walker (Ryan Reynolds) is gunned down by his partner (Kevin Bacon) after he decides not to go along with their plan of keeping stolen pieces of gold that they acquired during a bust. But instead of being sent to the hereafter, he is recruited by the Rest in Peace Department, an agency that hires deceased police officers to capture “deados”, the spirits that have escaped and returned to Earth. To his dismay, his tart commanding officer (Mary-Louise Parker) teams him up with Roy (Jeff Bridges), a marshal from the late 1800s era Wild West. Friction obviously results, before the duo stumble upon a plan wherein the deados aim to rebuild an ancient device and return to the planet, and thenceforth it is up to our mismatched heroes to stop this cataclysmic event and save the living – including Nick’s bereaved wife (Stephanie Szostak) – from an undead invasion.

Okay, so there’s something vaguely like a plot in there somewhere, but what’s bewildering is why no one bothered to fine tune it. Did someone actually think that taking the M.I.B. template and changing “aliens” to “deados” would be a good enough attempt at starting a new franchise? Who decided that this was worth shelling out $130 million over? And why wasn’t any of that budget spent on hiring good writers?

R.I.P.D. plays like a bunch of borrowed, incongruous pieces that have been thrown together without any cohesion whatsoever. Its premise isn’t exactly the worst or weakest idea that anyone in Hollywood has ever come up with, but it’s an idea that needed a lot more work before and during its execution. And the profusely dreary script could have definitely done with a rewrite.

The opportunities that present themselves – like the idea that the R.I.P.D. agents don’t look like themselves to the living; Nick appears as an old Chinese man (James Hong), and Roy as a beautiful blonde woman (Marisa Miller) – are promptly squandered. There is no real tension or suspense; you can see it all coming from a mile. And the chemistry never seems to gel; the relationships you should be invested in leave you oddly indifferent, and it doesn’t even use the hackneyed buddy cop dynamic effectively. The actors can’t do much with the material they’re given and it isn’t very clear what attracted them to this project in the first place. Ryan Reynolds simply looks bored. Jeff Bridges tries too hard and his performance feels strained, but he probably had more fun playing the character than the audience will have while watching him. Mary-Louise Parker is charming but has little to work with. And James Hong and Marisa Miller aren’t used to their appearances’ full comedic potential.

But probably the most frustrating thing about R.I.P.D. is that this film could have easily been better. Instead of lazily replicating a formula that has been successful elsewhere, the filmmakers could have tried to be more innovative. There were plenty of chances to differentiate the movie from the franchises that it’s clearly influenced by, and a lot could have been done with its very sizeable budget as well as Jeff Bridges and Mary-Louise Parker’s acting talent. Ultimately the film doesn’t offer anything more than a few scattered laughs and a lot of scattered ideas that never cohere into a compelling movie. Basically imagine a cross between Men in Black and Ghostbusters, drain all its charm, and you’ll get R.I.P.D. Then forget about R.I.P.D. and watch Men in Black and Ghostbusters instead; you’ll probably have a better time.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 8th December, 2013 *

Katy Perry: Still stuck in a teenage dream

album review

Her loyal fans may lap it up but musically Prism is more of the same from Katy Perry

Singer: Katy Perry
Album: Prism

A few years after her attempts to become a contemporary Christian music star did not pan out quite as well as she would have hoped, Katy Perry emerged with a pop makeover, singing about kissing a girl and liking it, and courting controversy that only helped to fuel her popularity. She didn’t come with the most remarkable voice and she was hardly bringing anything new to the table, but turns out that wrapping controversial content in a catchy hook is as surefire a recipe for stardom as can be. Consequently, her subsequent releases broke a multitude of records, making her one of the most successful pop singers in the mainstream arena. It obviously helped that she seemed likable and came off as charming and interesting during her media appearances, but unfortunately that charm didn’t always make its way onto her records, and her new album Prism is no different.

Her third pop record, fourth studio release overall, Prism follows 2010′s curiously successful, chart-topping, record-breaking Teenage Dream, and comes after her highly publicized marriage to and subsequent divorce from British comedian Russell Brand. If you think that suggests the singer would have come up with a set of songs doused in dark and scathing tones, then think again, because that’s not the case here. Perry does seem to be attempting a slightly more mature sound and has toned down some of her flashiness, but the result is still not particularly different from her previous efforts.

As always, a host of eminent producers – most prominently Dr. Luke and Max Martin, who have worked on a number of these songs with the singer who has writing credits on every track in the album – have been enlisted to construct the 13 songs on this record and polish it off with a radio friendly sheen.

There are a handful of more upbeat songs on Prism: the disco-tinged ‘Walking On Air’ sounds like it was plucked from the ’90s, the innuendo laden ‘Birthday’ proves that Perry is still not a big fan of subtlety, and the catchy ‘This Is How We Do’ (which is already being touted as the song of the summer for 2014) sees her return to the ‘Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)’ territory. But for at least some parts of the record (and as the furor over lead single ‘Roar’ sounding like Sara Bareilles’ ‘Brave’ illustrates), the playfulness has been held back for more contemplative or inspirational songs, although most of them often come off as the singer hurling empowerment clichés at the listeners. ‘Roar’, for instance, purports to be a determined ode to survival, but its lyrics never rise above generic platitudes. And the treatment that has been applied to the record suggests that even the production team didn’t have much faith in her vocal abilities, which is why the more banal material, especially towards the end, leaves you wondering if someone with more vocal prowess could have breathed some life into those ditties.

Overall, Prism is Katy Perry’s measured attempt to be taken more seriously as an artist without straying too far from the sound that has made her popular. Fans will find comfort in the fact that she is still trying to be relatable and uplifting, and are likely to find inspiration in songs like the self-love anthem ‘Love Me’. It isn’t very exciting, inventive, or even particularly compelling for the most part, and if you aren’t a Katy Perry fan, then chances are that the album will fail to make much of an impression. But if her charm has worked on you so far, then you will probably find something to like about this set of songs.

- Sameen Amer 

Instep, The News on Sunday - 8th December, 2013 *

Electric elementals

album review

Pearl Jam offers a mix of all its thrilling sounds in its tenth studio album

Band: Pearl Jam
Album: Lightning Bolt

Few pioneers of the '90s era grunge scene are still intact, and even fewer can lay claim to any form of relevance in the current alternative rock sphere. Yet two decades on, Pearl Jam have not only survived but thrived, and they've done it all on their own terms, cementing their legacy and inspiring countless others along the way.

Now in their third decade, the group shows us why their career has maintained such longevity with their new album Lightning Bolt. The follow-up to 2009's Backspacer, their tenth album sees the band once again collaborate with longtime producer Brendan O'Brien, as they ponder life and mortality in 12 songs, all penned by the group members. Varying from joyous to somber and gentle to aggressive, the tracks span the various moods that have appeared throughout the band's discography, never straying too far from the standard Pearl Jam sound.

The record begins with an onslaught of hard hitting rockers ('Getaway', 'Mind Your Manners', 'My Father's Son') before giving way to mid tempo anthems ('Lightning Bolt', 'Infallible') and poignant ballads ('Sirens', 'Yellow Moon', and 'Future Days'). A detour into blues territory with the infectious 'Let the Records Play' offers one of the most fun moments of the album, while the folk of 'Sleeping By Myself' (a rework of the song which previously appeared on Eddie Vedder's album Ukulele Songs in 2011) offers more texture (although some will inevitably prefer the intimacy of the solo original).

Even though at times the material does feel less raw and more polished than their earlier records, Eddie Vedder's vocals are as powerful as ever, and Pearl Jam are still full of the angst and energy that initially made a generation fall for them. Their punk still has its edge, and their instrumentation is as strong as ever.

Overall, there is a sense of comfort in the familiarity of the sound that drives Lightning Bolt, as it demonstrates a band that is confident and perhaps a bit complacent. There isn't any drastic experimentation on this record, and Pearl Jam certainly isn't chasing contemporary trends to stay relevant, but at the same time they aren't stagnant or monotonous either. This is an album that their core audience will definitely appreciate, as, in essence, the band is still doing what they have been doing all along, which is what they're known for and what they're good at. There is enough familiarity here to invoke nostalgia, but not so much that it would make the record redundant. Yes, some listeners might think the set gets a little bogged down by predictability, but if at first it seems a little too familiar, give it a few spins, get to know its tracks, and let it grow on you; you will definitely be able to feel its various textures after multiple listens. Ultimately a few decades from now Lightning Bolt might not prove to be as memorable as Ten or Vitalogy, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it's a thoroughly enjoyable record by one of the most consistent and uncompromising bands in rock and roll history.

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 1st December, 2013 *