Anywhoo, on to The Ruins.
The Ruins is based on a 2006 novel of the same. The film, as I have not read the book, revolves around four Americans (Jeff, Amy, Stacy, and Eric) and their German friend (Mattias) as they seek out an ancient Mayan pyramid that is pretty much newly discovered. What they find instead is something much more terrifying.
Okay, for the most part, The Ruins is a pretty fun, intense horror film. What's great about the film is that it's not a typical teen slasher flick that relies heavily on gore and boobs. The Ruins is all about tension, the construction of the atmosphere and mood of The Ruins. It feels like a throwback to the old-school horror films that were so great to watch. It's a moody, disturbing (and I do mean disturbing) film that is bloody, but depends more on the atmosphere that is has built up to give the audience a good scare. Now, we do have a group a young, good-looking twentysomethings who look like the type of people that tend to make the stupid decisions that kill off people like them in other horror films. Thankfully, that isn't the case here. The movie shows that they're smarter than the average horror film denizens and does a good job at it. It allows us to connect with the characters on a level not apparent in today's tennie-bopper slasher flicks. Watching the characters try and survive the sheer psychological madness that surrounds them is interesting, but it truly becomes horrifying when they are forced to make decisions that curl your skin. That really helps The Ruins stand out of the crowd. Of course, this aspect would still not work out were it not for the actors who portray our heroes. Johnathan Tucker (Jeff) and Jena Malone (Amy) are the best performers here and really make their characters their own. A surprise here is Shawn Ashmore (Eric) whom you last saw as Iceman in X-Men 3. Didn't like him there? Neither did I, yet I really enjoyed his performance in The Ruins. This goes for Laura Ramsey (Stacy) as well.
All this good word, is there anything wrong with the film? Yes, actually. The one big thing is the ending. The ending is so disappointing, it brings down the movie a few notches. The movie goes from great to pretty good by the time the finale goes around. It's not that the end is bad, it's just unfinished. It makes you believe as of there's still one act left, and then it ends. Just. Like. That. In all, The Ruins is a breath of fresh air in the horror genre, but that damn ending really puts a bad, but not intolerable smell, into the whole thing. The Ruins gets a 7.5/10.
Okay, now here's Leatherheads.
Leatherheads tells the story of Dodge Connelly (George Clooney), a pro football player in a league that sucks. See, the pro football league is extremely unpopular and only draws tiny crowds. College football, on the other hand, is a monster of a sport that draws crowds that number in the tens of thousands. Dodge knows this, so he proceeds to convince war hero-turned-football hero Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski)to join his underdog team, the Duluth Bulldogs. All seems to be going well until the beautiful reporter Lexi Littleton (Renee Zellweger) gets in the middle of things (as all situations turn out).
A comedy period piece. That term can either mean a really good movie or a real stinker. Fortunately, Leatherheads is the former. It turns out to be a great mixture of clever, witty writing and good ol' slapstick comedy. Whatever your flavor, Leatherheads gives. Now first off, this whole things begins with the chemistry between our leads (Clooney, Zellweger, Krasinski). Had there been no chemistry at all between them, the movie would have been a bore. However, I am pleased to say that is not the case. It really is a pleasure watching these characters engage in witty, funny banter, especially when it comes to Clooney and Zellweger portraying a hilarious mix of flirting and downright insults. From there, everything falls into place nicely. Clooney does a wonderful job of directing everything on screen and doesn't make it feel like a big jumbled mess. The film makes you like all the characters in one way or another, or at not like at all (depending on the person). The movie just clicks. Plain and simple. It might not work for some folks, but almost everything works well for Leatherheads. From the soundtrack and music used, to the way the games are filmed, to the ridiculous antics that the characters engage in throughout the movie, Leatherheads doesn't fail to deliver. The movie doesn't try to beat you over the head with some sort of moral or get you to think one way or another. The film was made to make you laugh and enjoy the movie for what it is (like all films should in the end). For the all the movies that try to be one thing and end up failing, Leatherheads is an honest film that wants to make you have a good laugh and enjoy it. You can tell I really like this film. Leatherheads scores a 9.0/10.
Okay, people. Enjoy your week. I'll check out Street Kings for ya next week. However, I refuse to see Prom Night. Dear God, I will not see Prom Night...
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