No matter how hard you try, a “Jack and the Beanstalk” movie can only be so good. Several talented people gave it their best shot but “Jack the Giant Slayer” is still woefully mediocre — as you would expect.
Also out on DVD this week a gleeful ode to being young and dumb and a delightful tribute to being old and slightly less dumb.
“Jack the Giant Slayer”
You would think with director Bryan Singer surrounding the likes of Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Ian McShane around charming young star Nicholas Hoult the results would be better than depressingly average. But then when you are adapting a centuries-old fairytale you can’t exactly expect it to crackle and pop with creativity. Your money is probably better spent on magic beans.
“21 and Over”
I actually liked “21 and Over” quite a bit more than I expected and found it to be more of a loving tribute to the memorable party movies of the last 30 years, as opposed to just another shameless retread. Connoisseurs of raunchy comedies should check this out and I promise you won’t hate yourself in the morning.
“Quartet”
So if hanging out in a retirement home for world-class musicians isn’t your idea of a good time then you are missing out. “Quartet” takes this setting and builds a delightful meditation on old-age around a geriatric version of the classic “Let’s put on a show!” storyline. It also marks the directorial debut of Dustin Hoffman and notably proves the movie’s main thesis that you are never too old to try and succeed at something new.
