Ani-MAY-tion: Planes: Fire And Rescue (2014)

Dane Cook returns to voice Dusty Crophopper in this strange sequel to Planes, a film that continues to present a world populated by living vehicles, but also complicates the central premise by featuring more scenes in which vehicles are transported along INSIDE other vehicles (this also happened in the Cars movies, but feels a bit a bit more bizarre, and even Cronenbergian, this time around).

In an idea that feels tired and desperate from the start, Dusty Crophopper is already past his racing prime. He has a mechanical issue that means he can no longer push himself to fly at the speeds he once experienced. Ah well, at least he can retrain alongside planes that keep themselves busy fighting fires. This leads to him being taught fire-fighting tactics by Blade Ranger (Ed Harris) while he works to overcome his own fears, and his dangerous cockiness.

I could add more to that plot summary. Of course there’s a raging inferno to be dealt with at some point. Of course there are valuable lessons to be learned along the way. And, of course, Dusty gets a chance to show that he really is up to the task of being a fire-fighter. This is as predictable as expected, and even more humorless than the film preceding it (which wasn’t exactly a chuckle-fest). Okay, there is no rule stating that this should be a comedy, but it needs something in place of heart and/or genuine tension.

Cook still doesn’t make for a great lead in this role, and he isn’t often surrounded by people who can pick up his slack. Harris is great, as you would expect, and there’s a fun turn from Julie Bowen, playing a character who inexplicably takes a shine to Dusty, but the better voice performers (Patrick Warburton, Fred Willard, and John Michael Higgins) are wasted in roles that have very limited screentime. A number of people return from the first film, essentially bookmarking the tale with some moments that help remind you about the first movie, and both Hal Holbrook and Wes Studi get paid to play characters that could have been played by absolutely anyone. I am happy they got the job, but I wish they had been more involved in the main storyline.

Writer Jeffrey M. Howard is responsible for the weak tale, having just limped along the first time around, and this time he shares writing duties with director Bobs Gannaway. The best thing I can say about Gannaway is that he is equally skilled at both directing and writing. Ahem.

The visuals are okay. I will admit that some moments look great, which is especially impressive when it is a story that includes numerous scenes with fire surrounding main characters. That’s about all I am willing to grudgingly compliment though, considering how this just felt like a waste of my time, as well as a waste of some great actors.

Younger viewers will enjoy this more, of course, and that’s just fine. My relatively high rating reflects the fact that this isn’t aiming to be a sophisticated modern masterpiece. There are so many better movies for them to watch ahead of this though. This is sub-par stuff, and hopefully remains the last time we see this character starring in his own feature film.

4/10

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Ani-MAY-tion: Planes (2013)

It isn’t always as straightforward as this, but the life of a cinephile is a life of finding films through various connections (directors, stars, writers, cinematographers, composers, themes, etc.). That is all part of the fun, and many connections lead you towards developing a taste for a full and varied smorgasbord of filmic delights. Which is why I ended up watching Planes, and will soon be watching the sequel next week. Planes is a spin-off from Cars, set in the same onscreen universe . . . but with the characters this time around all being, yes, planes.

Dane Cook plays a small cropdusting plane named Dusty Crophopper. He dreams of one day being a celebrated racing plane, but he may not have the ability to really compete with the champions. He also has a fear of heights, which is a bit of a problem for someone wanting to race through the skies. Finding someone willing to mentor him makes his dream edge closer to reality though, and it isn’t long until Dusty is causing quite the stir in the racing world. He’s still viewed as a novelty, but someone has to be last. And it’s the taking part that counts.

Writer Jeffrey M. Howard has a difficult job here. It’s an obvious template being used, and keeping things nice and simple can help keep younger viewers engaged, but it doesn’t ever feel as if it has been given enough care and polish. Things feel a bit rushed in the opening act, none of the characters feel developed enough, and there’s also the problem of Cook not really being a great fit for the lead role (although I have enjoyed him enough in live-action films over the years).

Director Klay Hall ensures that the basics are all delivered competently enough (there’s nothing to complain about when it comes to the visuals, but also nothing to really praise) and at least serves up something that aims to be just the right mix of fun and drama for the target demographic. A couple of the set-pieces work quite well, and older viewers will enjoy a couple of cameo voice roles for people who famously portrayed pilots of the kind of planes they portray here, but it generally lacks some extra ingredient to make it all feel worthwhile. Maybe that is down to the casting.

I have already criticized Cook, who doesn’t work in the lead role, and there aren’t too many cast members I want to rush to praise. Stacy Keach is pretty good as the gruff mentor, Brad Garrett is fun (although I thought he was Elliott Gould until I checked the credits), and Carlos Alazraqui provides a number of laughs. John Cleese works because he is recognizably John Cleese, but none of the female cast members get to make an impact, which is a real shame when you have Teri Hatcher, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Priyanka Chopra in your cast. As for Roger Craig Smith in the role of Ripslinger, the champ who you just know will play dirty to win, he’s sadly nondescript and non-menacing.

It looks fine and didn’t cause me to feel as if my time was wasted, but I won’t ever consider giving this a rewatch. And I am now more apprehensive about the sequel than I was last week.

5/10

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Dan In Real Life (2007)

There are parts of a nice movie hidden within Dan In Real Life. In fact, there are parts of a movie that the cast deserve a hell of a lot more than this one. Especially Steve Carell in the lead role.

Carell plays the Dan of the title. He’s a widower with three young girls who seem to test him more and more every day. He also writes a column in which he offers other people advice and helps them with their own family problems. If only he could sort out his own. He and the girls head off to a family gathering and it’s not long before Dan is encouraged to head off for a bit of time on his own. He heads to a local bookshop and, while there, meets the beautiful Anne-Marie (Juliette Binoche). The two of them have a wonderful time talking together and Dan gets her phone number as they go their separate ways. He’s shocked when he gets home and is introduced to the latest girlfriend of his brother (Mitch, played by Dane Cook). Yep, it’s Anne-Marie. So begins a family gathering from hell as Dan veers between playing things overly cool and letting his emotions cause no small amount of embarrassment.

Directed by Peter Hedges (who also co-wrote the movie with Pierce Gardner), Dan In Real Life benefits from an absolutely superb cast but doesn't give any of them enough moments in which to shine.

Carell is wonderful and Binoche is delightful but the great Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney are sadly underused while the not-so-great Dane Cook is sadly given plenty of screentime. Now, unlike some folks, I don't mind Dane Cook and have actually enjoyed a number of his movies and performances but he's not served well by the script here, his role being little more than harmless schmo oblivious to some rather obvious awkwardness between his new lady and his brother. If you like Emily Blunt then you may be disappointed to see that she's also given very little to do. In fact, her screentime amounts to little more than five minutes and her character is simply a bit of an antidote to all of the subtle treachery occuring while, let's face it, a guy tries to sabotage his brother's latest relaionship. Alison Pill, Britt Robertson and Marlene Lawstonare all quite good as Dan's three young daughters but even their characters aren't given all that much to do.

There were a couple of moments that made me laugh and many moments that made me cringe but I couldn't bring myself to rate the movie as something truly terrible. It's quite a disappointment but at least the performances are good.

4/10

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