He’s a Half-Empty Cause. He’s the…
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Week of November 21, 2014
Police states have too many donut shops. First up…
22 Jump Street
When assigning an undercover NARC to go to college, it’s
best if it’s not a dog from the K-9 unit.
Fortunately, the agents allocated in this comedy are
bipedal.
After failing to takedown drug czar The Ghost (Peter
Stormare), Officers Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) are busted
back down to the Jump Street.
There, their Captain (Ice Cube) tasks them with taking down
the supplier of a new drug killing college students.
While Jenko feels at home investigating the quarterback, an
ostracized Schmidt finds solace in an art student (Amber Stevens).
With a low laugh point average, this obligatory follow-up to
21 Jump Street revels in its self-awareness to the point of annoyance.
Not nearly as clever or comedic as the original, 22 Jump
Street becomes the asinine sequel it was trying to send-up.
Incidentally, undercover cops are usually the student’s bad
mouthing campus security all the time. Yellow Light
Let’s Be Cops
The key to impersonating a cop is timing your car siren to
every red light.
Good thing the imposters in this comedy know the tricks of
the trade.
When a video game designer, Justin (Damon Wayans, Jr.), and
his unemployed roommate, Ryan (Jake Johnson), attend an event dressed as cops
they immediately notice a difference in how they’re treated.
Adorn by women, respected by the elderly and fear by
criminals, Justin and Ryan fall under the sway of the uniform’s power.
But when an overzealous Ryan uses his bogus authority to
bust-up a drug czar’s (James D'Arcy) operation, his actions land him and Justin
in hot water with the kingpin - and his partner (Andy García).
Despite its implausible plot, Let’s Be Cops is a
surprisingly uproarious comedy, with great lead chemistry, endearing side
characters and an oddly inspiring script.
As for tells: real cops don’t hold their guns
sideways. Green Light
If I Stay
The worst thing about having to die young is living an
eternity wearing nothing but oshkosh b'gosh clothing.
Luckily, the half-dead girl in this drama doesn’t shop in
the kids’ section.
An aspiring cellist, Mia (Chloë Grace Moretz), is left in
limbo after a car accident kills both her parents (Mireille Enos, Jamie
Blackley).
Near death, Mia oversees her comatose body, as her
grandfather (Stacy Keach), best friend (Liana Liberato) and on-again/off-again
rock-star boyfriend Adam (Jamie Blackley) wait by her hospital bedside.
Reliving the events leading up to the collision, Mia’s
post-punk parents, her dream of Julliard, and her troubled romance with the
touring Adam are explored in-depth.
With its facile music factoids and obvious artistic love interest,
this adaptation of the YA novel caters to weepy teen girls.
However, more discerning minds will find it a trivial
idealization of death.
Besides, a real teen’s life flashing before their eyes
mostly consists of them texting. Yellow Light
***Freeze or Whatever***
The Mod Squad
The worst part about employing young undercover cops is they
binge drink at house parties and break cover.
Thankfully, the covert trio in this action movie are too
busy tracking a killer to attend ragers.
Opting to work for the police in a new department instead of
serving time, Julie (Claire Danes), Pete (Giovanni Ribisi) and Linc (Omar Epps)
are trained in the art of infiltration by their mentor Capt. Greer (Dennis
Farina).
But when Greer ends up on the wrong side of a drug lord’s
gun, the motley crew must bring his killer to justice.
A slapdash adaptation of the groundbreaking counterculture
cop drama from the ‘60s, this 1999 version lacks the social and political
undercurrent of its source material.
Instead, it’s a lifeless and shoddily acted knock-off -
similar to the original in name only.
Besides, immature undercover officers today can’t stop
posting on Twitter about being undercover.
He’s a Down Undercover Cop. He’s the…
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