Trio Review: Act of Valor, Wanderlust, and Goon

During the last weekend, I didn't have time to write three separate reviews, so here's a new structure where I'm low on time for that: a trio review. This last weekend, I saw Act of Valor, Goon, and Wanderlust, so I'm going to break up my thoughts on these three movies into much shorter reviews than my familiar reviewing style. Without further to do, enjoy the first edition of the Trio Review.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)

No matter what you can say about Nicolas Cage, he manages to entertain you in some way whether he's in a good or bad movie. Even when you watch him in an awful film like The Wicker Man, his over-the-top acting entertains the hell out of you. The first Ghost Rider movie didn't really showcase that exquisite talent of Cage's, but it's sequel Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance certainly showcases it! Directed by the frenetic style of the cult favorite Neveldine/Taylor duo, does this sequel fire on all cylinders, or should it have been extinguished before production went underway?

This Means War (2012)

The romantic comedy-action genre blend has been one that is very tough to pull off, unless it's handled by a competent crew of filmmakers. The two films that have gotten it the right way are 1993's True Romance and 1994's True Lies. However since the 1990s decade, there hasn't been a film of the same genre mash that's had the ability to stand alongside those two. This time around, director McG tackles on the challenge with the star power trifecta of Tom Hardy, Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon in the newest of several new releases this week titled "This Means War."

Safe House (2012)

Denzel Washington is one of the few actors left that has been able to put on incredible performances for almost every new generation of cinemagoers since the beginning of his career. Lately though, he has been starring in movies where his credibility as an actor is in fact too good for the movie itself. He hasn't worked with strong material since emulating infamous drug kingpin Frank Lucas in "American Gangster," and has since then starred in roles that have sadly misused his true talent as one of the finest actors in movie history. This time around, he stars in "Safe House," which is sadly yet another film that is too good for Denzel Washington's acting.

Chronicle (2012)

*Apologies for the different font used.

The found footage subgenre is one that has steadily gone downhill since several filmmakers attempted to cash in on its popularity since the release of 2009’s “Paranormal Activity.” Some of those films just used the technique with a static execution, while others tried to shamelessly make us think what we saw was actually real (cough…Apollo 18). However, fear no more, because the genre can still live on if it’s in the hands of a smart director, and the newest movie “Chronicle is certainly that.