Top 10 Favorite Animated Disney Films

Yesterday in the weekly DVD Roundup, I chose "The Fox and Hound" as my New to Blu Pick of the Week and even went so far as to call it a top 5 animated Disney film of all time. That statement set the blogosphere ablaze (no it didn't) and numerous readers clamored to their keyboards (no they didn't) to lodge complaints. This (fictional) outrage has forced me to do two things: 1.) Revise my statement to be, "top 5 favorite Disney animated films of all time" and 2.) Make a list. I love lists and I don't do nearly enough of them. So today I present to you my Top 10 Favorite Animated Disney Films of All Time. (Pixar obviously does not count.)

10. "Sleeping Beauty" - 1959
This one is somewhat of a departure from the majority of the other films on this list in that it's all about a princess. Still, you have to appreciate a "chick flick" (so to speak) that features a totally wicked dragon. Of all Disney's princess films, "Sleeping Beauty" is the one I've always liked the most.

9. "Tarzan" - 1999
I'm going to be honest here: the reason this film makes the list is the killer soundtrack. As a hardened fan of rock and folk, I know that I should dislike Phil Collins but I have found this to be an impossible principle to live up to. "Tarzan" is a quality piece of children's entertainment but Collins' musical backing pushes it over the edge towards excellence.

8. "The Emperor's New Groove" - 2000
Also known as the last really good film Disney made before "Tangled." "Groove" is fun, it's lively, and the voice talent (David Spade, John Goodman) is solid. This is one of those films that probably no one will remember in 10 years (or maybe right now for that matter) but the rewatchability of "Groove" is incredibly high.

7. "Tangled" - 2010
In my mind, Disney spent the 10 years between "Emperor's New Groove" and "Tangled" building new theme park attractions and riding the coattails of Pixar with little attention paid to the animated films coming from their own studio. You could perhaps get me to watch "Lilo and Stitch" again but every other film from the decade is awful. I had low expectations for "Tangled" but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this film recaptured the Disney magic that had been lost for so long. It is also an excellent example of how to create a kid's movie that appeals to both genders.

6. "The Sword in the Stone" - 1963
Often forgotten when considering the great Disney films, "Stone" reached out to a group of young viewers (read: "boys") who had been placed on the backburner during the preceding three films ("Lady and the Tramp", "Sleeping Beauty", "101 Dalmatians"). King Arthur is always interesting to guys  (with the exception of "The Once and Future King", the "literary classic" that ruined my life during the summer before my sophomore year) and this is a great introduction to legend. Also, Archimedes is awesome.

5. "The Jungle Book" - 1967
Has any orphan EVER had a cooler life than Mowgli? He gets protected by a rockin' panther (Bagheera), pals around the jungle with a fun-loving bear (Baloo), and learns some of the catchiest songs in animated movie history. What a life! It's probably been 15 years (at least) since I've seen "Jungle" but I can still blow through the lyrics of "Bear Necessities" with ease.

4. "Aladdin" - 1992
At one time this was probably my second favorite Disney film. But then I had to take choir in the 6th grade and my teacher forced us to sing "Never Had a Friend like Me" every day for an entire semester. (That woman would probably get some hateful Facebook messages if I could remember her name.) Still, the narrative in "Aladdin" appeals to both genders and they managed to grab Robin Williams when he was still funny and put him in a role that was perfect for him. Great film.

3. "The Fox and the Hound" - 1981
And you thought I might back off my "top five" statement from yesterday. Well, you should know better by now. I love "Fox and Hound" so much that I should probably be its official spokesman. It seems like no one remembers this film and that fact gives me great pains. I can tell you right now, when I have kids they will either love or hate "Fox and Hound" due to the number of times I make them watch it but they will definitely remember it.

2. "The Lion King" - 1994
This is the bookend to what you could argue is the best five film run in Disney's history. Think about it: "The Little Mermaid" (rebooted the studio, much like "Tangled" last year), "The Rescuers Down Under" (the low point in this run), "Beauty and the Beast" (won a pair of Oscars), "Aladdin" (another pair of Oscars and a TON of money), and then "The Lion King." Wow. This is nearly a perfect film; beautifully animated, well-voiced, magnificent soundtrack, and an awesome storyline. "King" also gets bonus points for spawning a hit Broadway show and several re-releases, including a 3D version that'll open next month.

1. "Robin Hood" - 1973
If you put a gun to my head and asked me what the best animated Disney film is, I would probably say "The Lion King." But my favorite? "Robin Hood" by a mile. I absolutely wore this VHS out as a kid so we re-taped it (back then it wasn't considered piracy somehow), and I wore that one out. I love this film so much that as a college freshman my mother gave me a DVD copy for my birthday and I was totally stoked. A COLLEGE FRESHMAN. I've always been enamored by the Robin Hood story so that's a plus but even beyond that, the characters are wildly entertaining and that soundtrack...if you were a guest in my house, there's a pretty solid chance that at some point you'd catch my humming or whistling one of the songs from "Robin Hood." I love this film. In fact, I'm going to watch it now.

That's my top ten. What films would make your list?

Movie News Today

In keeping with the theme "The Amazing Spiderman" set earlier this week, the second film in the "Hunger Games" series, "Catching Fire", has been slated for a November 2013 release date.

Mireille Enos, already scheduled to appear in "World War Z", will join Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, and Josh Brolin in the cast of "Gangster Squad", a '40s cops and robbers film. Sounds good to me.

Speaking of "World War Z", the film has officially been given a December 21, 2012 release date. Every time a news piece comes out about this film, I jump back and forth between serious anticipation and anxiety that it's not going to be done correctly. A December release could mean good things...

Fandango Groovers continues his series on his first time through the "Harry Potter" series with a look at "Prisoner of Azkaban." Wish I could watch these films for the first time again. 

Cinematic Paradox (a blog I just discovered and will soon be added to the blogroll) takes a look at the brilliant work of Christopher Nolan, a favorite around The Soap Box Office if there ever was one. 

DVD Roundup

Paul (2011) - Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen
Two nerds (Pegg, Frost) have their post-Comic Con road trip across America disturbed by a chance encounter with an alien named Paul (Rogen). On the run from the government agency that has held him captive for decades, Paul convinces the friends to aid him on his quest for freedom. There is a lot to like in "Paul" but for me, the film got tired over the final 30 minutes. The constant barrage of sci-fi references are fun at first and then become obnoxious and the narrative is a little too jumbled for me. Still, Pegg and Frost are always entertaining as always and "Paul" has some strong moments.

In Home Viewing Recommendation: If you're a nerd (like me), "Paul" would make an enjoyable rental. If not, skip it altogether.

Your Highness (2011) - Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman
From the team that brought you "Pineapple Express" comes a tale of a pair of princes (McBride, Franco) who are tasked with saving a princess with the aid of a female warrior (Portman). The rest is a mix of swords, magic, and pot jokes. I feel bad for Portman. She couldn't have known that "Black Swan" would be the career maker that it turned out to be so she filled up her 2011 docket with insignificant throw-away roles ("No Strings Attached", anyone?) of which "Your Highness" must certainly be the worst. I didn't enjoy "Pineapple Express" and every time I saw the trailer for this film, all I could think about was "Year One", one of 2009's very worst films. No thanks.

IHVR: If you enjoyed "Pineapple", you might get something out of this. Otherwise, stay far, far away.

Mars Needs Moms (2011) - Seth Green, Dan Fogler, Joan Cusak
Disney's much maligned entry for 2011 features a group of aliens who come to earth to take the world's best mothers off to Mars to take care of Martian children. It is TRULY unfortunate that this travesty followed "Tangled." That film grabbed hold of the old magic that had been missing from Disney films for over a decade and created significant momentum for the studio...and then "Mars Needs Moms" reminded everyone of why they haven't been paying attention to non-Pixar Disney films for so long. Many critics have panned "MNM" for its disturbing depiction of child abandonment and others (read: "me") have attacked it based solely on the atrocious animation that makes one want to stab oneself in the eyeballs to make it stop.

IHVR: Let's all just pretend this movie never happened and move on with our lives.

Super (2011) - Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon
A regular dude (Wilson) takes justice into his own hands and transforms himself in a quasi-superhero after his wife (Tyler) is stolen away by a drug dealer (Bacon). Written and directed by James Gunn ("Slither"), "Super" is yet another entry into the ever-growing collection of home made superheroes. Some labeled it a "Kick Ass" rip off but Gunn has a history of creating smart, if low brow, dark comedies that border on spoofs and he always manages to get excellent casts. The reviews were mixed but this is definitely interesting to me.

IHVR: "Super" is hyper-violent so if that bothers you, stay away. Otherwise, this is worth a rental.

Jumping the Broom (2011) - Laz Alonso, Paula Patton, Angela Bassett
A prominent family and a low/middle class family are brought unceremoniously together through a wedding. The trailer is painful, the reviews were bad, and even though this film made a solid profit, you would have to give me quite a large sum of money to get me to watch this movie.

IHVR: No thanks.

New to Blu
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) - Sean Penn, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Jennifer Jason Leigh
The comedic classic that put Cameron Crowe on the map and made people think Sean Penn might not be a total tool (he is), "Fast Times" contains some of the more memorable scenes of the time period and holds up remarkably well. I saw it for the first time a couple of years ago and found it to be strong to quite strong. Of course, I am a huge Cameron Crowe fan so I'm biased.

Dazed and Confused (1993) - Jaosn Landon, Rory Cochrane, Matthew McConaughey
A look at high school culture in mid-seventies Texas featuring a group of stoners, a conflicted quarterback, and the true embodiment of the former "big man on campus" who can't move on with life. "Dazed" is one of those films that can be enjoyed for what it is (a stoner comedy) or can be dissected and worked into any metaphor you might want to illustrate. And if nothing else, it contains one of (by my count) four useful performances Matthew McConaughey has given to date.

Dead Man (1995) - Johnny Depp, Crispin Glover, Gary Farmer

New to Blu Ray Pick of the Week
The Fox and the Hound (1981) - Kurt Russell, Mickey Rooney, Pearl Bailey
Okay, okay, I know. How can you pick a middle of the row Disney film as the Blu Ray of the week on a week that features "Fast Times" and "Dazed and Confused"? Well, because I love "The Fox and the Hound" and this is my pick of the week, not yours. Suck it. One of Disney's forgotten classics, "Fox and Hound" focuses on the unlikely friendship between (duh) a fox and the young puppy who is charged with catching him. I know exactly one other person who would list this in his top five Disney films (as I would) but I'm sticking with it: top five Disney animated film ever. Deal with it. (Apparently a 2006 sequel is included with this film but I don't really care about that.)

Movie News Today

Bryan Cranston has been added to the cast of "World War Z" based upon the bestselling oral history of a fictitious zombie outbreak. Loved the book but skeptical about the film; lots of ways to screw that up. Cranston is a great actor but his big screen roles lately have been pretty awful. Time will tell.

Even though "The Amazing Spiderman" won't be released for another 10 months, the sequel has been booked for May, 2014. So I guess we're all hoping this thing works out.

Care for a look at Anne Hathaway as Catwoman in "Dark Knight Rises"? Follow the link.

The Guardian gives up 50 films that could be big players come Award Season. Though I must say, any list that contains a film starring Channing Tatum ("Haywire") is fishy in my book.

Reelz Channel presents 25 things you might not know about "Stand By Me." Love it!

Scarlet Spider lists the top 10 fun cameos. Excellent list. For my money, this list belongs to Bill Murray and Tom Cruise.

Marshall and the Movies reviews the laugh fest that is "Blazing Saddles" in his classics corner.

Matt at Cinema Slants delivers parts five (Oppression and Revenge) and six (Deep Cuts and Failures) in his Summer of Spielberg series. I'm enjoying this project, hope you are, too.

Weekend Box Office Results
1. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" - $54 million
2. "The Smurfs" - $21M ($76.2 million total)
3. "Cowboys and Aliens" - $15.75M ($67.37M)
4. "The Change-Up" - $13.5M
5. "Captain America" - $13M ($143.18M)
6. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" - $12.16M ($342.8M)
7. "Crazy Stupid Love" - $12.1M ($42.18M)
8. "Friends with Benefits" - $4.7M ($48.54M)
9. "Horrible Bosses" - $4.62M ($105.16M)
10. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" - $3.01M ($344.17M)

In Home Viewing - "The Lincoln Lawyer"

Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey) is a well-known but little-respected defense attorney with a knack for getting his often shady clients out of sticky situations. He operates exclusively out of his Lincoln and revels in the negative spotlight this puts him in in the eyes of prosecutors and cops alike. When Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe), the heir to a vast real estate fortune, is accused of the attempted murder of a prostitute and asks for him specifically, Haller thinks he's hit the jackpot. Before long, however, his entire life is thrown into flux as he finds his new client to be much more cunning and sadistic than anyone he's represented in the past. Knowing that he can't let Roulet get free, Haller must find a way to incriminate him without throwing his own life away in the process.

I have spent the last 10 or 15 years slamming on Matthew McConaughey's acting ability at every opportunity. It's not that I hate the guy or think that he's the worst actor in the world; I just don't think he's very good and I do not understand his appeal. I've never found him to be very charismatic and other than a few rare exceptions ("Dazed and Confused", "A Time to Kill") I usually hate his films. In his defense, he's been pigeon-holed into a relatively bad position wherein he's not getting offers for leading roles in high quality films so he ends up starring in worthless romantic comedies ("Failure to Launch") or dreadful action flicks ("Sahara") over and over again. His genuinely funny turn in "Tropic Thunder" suggests that he will be able to sustain a solid career if he can transition to a supporting role kind of actor but until then, we're all going to be treated to films like "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past."

With that in mind, "The Lincoln Lawyer" was a very odd experience for me. I'll be honest: I expected to hate this film. Instead, I found it to be quite entertaining and at least half-way intelligent. Even more shocking, McConaughey was without question the best part of the film. He's essentially the same character that he is in every film (overly confident, abundantly shallow, and constantly walking the line between sleazy and charming) but for some reason (and believe me, I'm having a hard time writing this), it just works this time. Haller is an absurd caricature, of course, and only a slight exaggeration of who I expect McConaughey is in real life, but there's more depth to him than to the majority of McConaughey's characters which I didn't expect. I actually rooted for Haller and McConaughey kept me interested in the film's plot even when it bogged down into the typical shenanigans that plague most courtroom thrillers.

On the flip side, though, there's Ryan Phillippe who yet again displays that he only has one skill: overacting. If you can harness that power for good ("MacGruber" and to a lesser extent, "Crash"), you can make Phillippe seem like a good actor. Most of the time, however, the result is painful. Not to bash on McConaughey again but the truth is, if you're the second billed star in a film starring McConaughey, you should dominate him from an acting standpoint. Instead, there are scenes in this movie in which you can almost feel the pain in McConaughey's voice as he delivers his line knowing full well that Phillippe is about to brutally murder any momentum he just created. Honestly, dear readers, this is one of the premier performances of the year if, in fact, you are a voter for the Razzies. Just terrible.

The rest of "Lincoln" pulls together nicely (with the exception of the stop-start-stop conclusion that lasts 10 minutes too long and involves at least two more scene changes than necessary). It seems far too easy to compare this film to those based on the works of John Grisham but that's exactly what this is: a Grisham byproduct. You know and expect there to be twists and turns but the film manages to prevent them from becoming too obvious and the methods Haller uses to work against Roulet are, at times, pretty darn smart. "Lincoln" is flawed but enjoyable and managed to keep my attention through each and every Phillippe assault on my brain.

Grade: B

Weekend Movie Guide

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" - James Franco, Andy Serkis, Frieda Pinto, Bryan Cox
Designed as a prequel to the Charlton Heston films of the '60s and '70s and living in a world in which Tim Burton's "Ape" vision never happened (a world I think we can all agree would be much better), "RPA" focuses on a scientist (Franco) who breeds extreme intelligence in a chimp named Caesar (Serkis). When his experiments begin to get out of hand, his program is shut down but not before Caesar liberates thousands of highly evolved apes. Mayhem ensues. It is no exaggeration to say that the fact that "RPA" is getting great reviews is the movie-related shock of 2011. I tossed aside any interest or care for this film upon seeing the first trailer and honestly assumed it would get panned. Instead, "RPA" went "certified fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes almost immediately and all of the critics I consider trustworthy have fallen in line with high praise. As a huge fan of the original "Planet of the Apes" and an equally huge hater of the most recent "Ape" film, I now find myself seriously considering a trip to the theater this weekend when I had expected to stay away.

Value: $7 I'm still not willing to declare this a smash hit in the making but if you'd asked me a week ago, I would have set the value at around $2. Also, the tag line ("Evolution Becomes Revolution") is pretty rockin'.

"The Change-Up" - Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Mann, Olivia Wilde
When two friends, one a family man (Bateman) and one a womanizing single man (Reynolds), pee in a fountain together after a night of drinking, they awake to find that they have swapped bodies. I suppose funny, raunchy things happen and then they switch back, each with a new appreciation for their lives. In a year that has been jam packed with R-rated comedies, is there really room for another one, especially one revolving around the tired concept of body switching? I love Bateman and Reynolds and I admit the trailers have done a nice job of making you think "Change Up" will be funny but unfortunately that appears to be all this thing has to offer.

Value: $1 If it shows up on HBO in a few months I might check it out. Otherwise, I'm totally out and you should be, too.

"The Whistleblower" - Rachel Weisz, Monica Bellucci, Vanessa Redgrave (limited)
Based on a true story, "Whistleblower" follows an American cop (Weisz) who takes a job in Bosnia and ends up discovering a UN cover-up of rampant sex trafficking. This is the first feature film for director Larysa Kondracki and has gotten some award attention in a decidedly award caliber-free year. Weisz is also drawing award consideration. I caught a few minutes of "The Constant Gardener" on TV today and was hit with what an excellent actress Weisz really is. I don't know why I forget that at times but I do. Regardless, "Whistleblower" could be a major player later this year.

Value: $5 This really isn't the type of film most of us want to see this time of year but when it's on DVD in a few months, it could definitely be worth a look.

"Bellflower" - Evan Glodell, Tyler Dawson, Jessie Wiseman (limited)
Two friends (Glodell and Dawson) have their plans of preparing for the coming apocalypse (by developing WMDs) thrown off by the introduction of a woman (Wiseman) into their lives. This is quite the concept film. I've no idea what to make of "Bellflower" to be honest but wow, it is getting some outstanding reviews. Consider me slightly intrigued.

Value: $3 With a little more buzz I could be convinced to rent this but as it is, I'd give this a shot on Netflix Instant.

Movie News Today

Next Movie asks, "why is Jason Bateman underrated"? Probably because he keeps appearing in movies like "The Change Up." Kidding, of course, I love Bateman.

If you've been looking for the Millennium Falcon, it's probably at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

Ruth over at Flix Chatter lists her 10 favorite seasoned actors. Check it out!

Care to see the new Superman (Henry Caville) in costume? Follow the link.

A new, longer trailer for "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" aka "The Film That Will Win Gary Oldman An Oscar" dropped today. Cannot wait!

Blu Ray Review - "Unknown"

Shortly after Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) and his wife Elizabeth (January Jones) arrive in Berlin, Martin realizes his briefcase was left at the airport. During the cab ride to retrieve it, his taxi is involved in an accident that leaves him in a coma. When he wakes up three days later, he finds that his wife doesn't know who he is and he had been replaced by another man (Aidan Quinn) claiming to be him. He begins to think he's gone mad until he is nearly captured and killed. With the assistance of the taxi driver Gina (Diane Kruger), he begins to piece his memory back together and tugging at a thread of a vast conspiracy.

"Unknown" has been unfairly branded as "Taken 2" when in reality the two are hardly similar beyond their star and European setting. Don't get me wrong, I quite like "Taken." I consider it to be one of the more enjoyable film experiences of 2009, a guilty pleasure if you will. But I have to be honest, it's an absurd movie. Actually, "absurd" might be putting it lightly. "Taken" is like "24" on steroids and that is saying something because as much as I love Jack Bauer (favorite TV character from an hour long drama/action ever), he is nothing if not absurd.

"Unknown", on the other hand, is a much more reasonable action-thriller, comparatively speaking. The film does an excellent job of keeping you guessing and refusing to allow you to get comfortable with one idea or another. You know Harris isn't insane because the film opens with him and his wife together but you start to wonder if perhaps he created all of that in his mind. When it becomes apparent that he really isn't nuts, you start working to piece together how anyone could pull a conspiracy of this magnitude off such a short period of time. And when the gears of the final twists and turns begin to whirl into motion, you're not sure exactly what's going to happen but you know it's going to be big. Throughout all of this, Harris serves as the voice of the audience. He wonders aloud throughout his searching and asks the questions that I myself was asking while sitting in my easy chair. As confused as we might be watching the mess unfold, it's no more confused than Harris is himself and it is this element that allows it to truly excel.

The actors that surround Neeson all range from marginally mediocre to half way decent and that at times can create an issue or two. In particular, Jones comes off as hollow and one note, just like everything else she's ever been in. But "Unknown" starts and ends with Neeson which is a pretty darn good bedrock on which to build a film's foundation. He's always been an excellent actor but in the last few years it seems that he's figured out how to make himself more approachable and therefore more enjoyable to watch. He plays characters that you root for no matter what and that's an underrated talent in Hollywood. He makes bad films pretty good and pretty good films very good. "Unknown" is the latter; the concept and subsequent twists would make a solid film regardless but Neeson sells his part wonderfully and pushes the movie to new heights.

Grade: B+

Movie News Today

Laurence Fishburne will play Daily Planet editor Perry White in 2013's "Man of Steel" film. Fishburne is a tough dude to nail down. Some of his performances are magnificent, some so bland as to induce a coma. Interesting cast Zack Snyder is putting together.

Vanity Fair provides a nice profile of the brilliant Emma Stone. Love her.

Should I See It takes a look at the less than stellar box office return of "Cowboys and Aliens."

NPR has an interview with Steve Carell that's worth a read.

I saw a teaser trailer for the new concept/sci-fi flick "In Time" this weekend and the full trailer hit yesterday. I am cautiously optimistic about this.

"Cowboys and Aliens"

The combination of the Western genre and science fiction is nothing new in Hollywood. In my mind, “Firefly” (briefly) perfected the mix in the early 2000s but it was only the descendant of “Westworld”, the original “Star Trek” series, and a host of other films and television shows that found a natural cross-pollination between the Old West and the vastness of space. I cannot, however, remember a film that so purposefully and blatantly threw the two themes together without any measure of pretense like “Cowboys and Aliens” does (at least not a mainstream film). Everything you really need to know about “Cowboys and Aliens” is right there in the title: it is two hours of cowboys fighting aliens. And on some level you have to respect director Jon Favreau and the powers that be behind this film for being so bold and open about the film’s subject matter, even if the finished product doesn’t quite live up to that boldness.

When Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) wakes up in the New Mexico desert, he finds a strange metal bracelet strapped to his wrist and he cannot remember who he is or where he came from. Upon his arrival in a local town, he is promptly identified and arrested as a notorious bandit who recently robbed a stagecoach carrying gold belonging to a tough rancher named Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). As Lonergan is about to be handed over to Dolarhyde, a group of alien spaceships roar into town firing devastating guns and snatching up hostages, including Dolarhyde’s son. Suddenly the bracelet on Lonergan’s wrist begins to makes noises and converts itself into a powerful gun with which he is able to shoot down one of the ships. Soon after he remembers that he and his woman (for lack of a better term) were also abducted at one point and so he joins in the hunt for the aliens along with Dolarhyde, Doc (Sam Rockwell), and Ella (Olivia Wilde), a mysterious outsider who seems to know a thing or two about him. What they discover forces all differences and conflicts between cowboys, outlaws, and Indians to be put aside as former adversaries must come together to defeat a common enemy.

“Cowboys and Aliens” enjoys a pedigree that most movies can only dream of. An incredible cast, a hot director, and a highly sought-after writing team including Damon Lindelof, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman. At the beginning of the year, it seemed almost impossible that this type of quality talent could turn out anything less than a spectacular action film and yet the end result excels in only a few moments and becomes stagnant in many others. It all boils down to the fact that there’s not much done with the concept as a whole. The story isn’t so much cliché as it is just a rather bland infusion of Old West and sci-fi. The aliens look the way you’d expect aliens to look, the cowboys act the way you’d expect them to act, and the arrival of the Indians just throws the whole film into a frenzy of Western generalities. There’s absolutely nothing new in “C&A” and that causes the film to bog down when it should build momentum. Lonergan and Dolarhyde move from a fight with one group of people to a fight with another group of people and there’s very little room for development beyond some mediocre flashbacks that feel more “C.S.I”-like than I’d really care for in a major motion picture. The script is neither consistently humorous nor particularly gritty or edgy which leaves the film to tread water in the middle of a fairly shallow pool of mediocrity. I would also say that the combination of the two genres is a bit rocky; Favreau builds a pretty solid base for a traditional Western in the first 15 minutes and then suddenly the aliens arrive and throw everything off. Honestly, in spite of being a huge sci-fi fan, I would have probably preferred to see Craig and Ford in a Favreau Western than I would in a rough combo film like this one is. And while most of the actors hold their own, Wilde continues to vex me. I don’t understand her or her appeal. Clearly she’s extremely attractive and I wouldn’t call her a bad actress but I am never affected by any of her performances. That’s no different here as she just embodies the blandness of the film as a whole.

That’s not to say that there isn’t a lot to like about “Cowboys and Aliens.” Craig and Ford are both excellent and perhaps even more important, as a friend of mine said, neither of their performances brings to mind their previous, more iconic roles. This isn’t James Bond and Indiana Jones riding around in the Old West and the fact that they avoid that trap is a testament to both their abilities and the ability of Favreau as a director. I might argue that this is the best Ford has been in many, many years but then you would counter with the fact that he hasn’t had a meaningful role in many, many years. Touché. Seriously, though, “C&A” serves as a reminder that Ford is still a very capable, charismatic actor who deserves better than middling rom-coms like “Morning Glory” or childhood-erasing disasters like the fourth “Indiana Jones” movie. Rockwell provides solid comedic relief though considering the overall humorlessness of the film he almost seems out of place. The action sequences are all very good and the infusion of CGI and special effects is seamless (even if the aliens themselves are somewhat lackluster). And it is, if nothing else, wholly entertaining, the base component of any summer blockbuster.

“Cowboys and Aliens” has some value and certainly provided me with an enjoyable afternoon in the middle of a busy work week. I would also hold out hope that it could lead to some better roles for Ford and a rejuvenation of his magnificent career. Yet it seems to be simply uninspired and that takes away from the immense fun I expected to get from a film as boldly titled as “Cowboys and Aliens.”

Grade: B-

I’ve found that "B-" films are the hardest to write about,
Brian

For a deeper look at the "could have been better as a Western" thought I expressed above, check out the coverage by Anomalous Material.