Sunday, May 23, 2010

Kick-Ass (2010)

Jack, Amy, Emily, Kara, and I all liked this highly profane, violent, yet ultimately silly action comedy based on a graphic novel (we had saved it to see with Amy on our visit last week, and the other girls were our bonus guests). 

Shot in super saturated color, it delivered plenty of blood spurts and injuries that healed with magical speed. Kick-Ass is the name assumed by a geeky boy, Dave, when he decides to become a faux super hero. Supposedly invisible to girls when dressed in his plain high school garb and glasses, he is played by a gorgeous 20 year old, Aaron Johnson (portrayed Ed Norton's younger self in the excellent The Illusionist (2006), and some other movies on my to-see list). Johnson, like the director Matthew Vaughn (I was not a fan of his Stardust (2007), with Claire Danes and Michelle Pfeiffer, but liked his work with director Guy Ritchie, co-producing Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000)), is a Brit, but has a flawless American accent. 

Nicolas Cage (I listed my faves in The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans) has a small part as the father ("Big Daddy") of 13 year old co-star Chloë Grace Moretz (acting since age 7, she has an impressive resumé, including playing the lead's little sister in (500) Days of Summer) as Hit-Girl, another faux super hero. Supporting players include Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin in Superbad (2007), Role Models, How to Train Your Dragon); Lyndsy Fonseca (adorable in Hot Tub Time Machine); Clark Duke (also from HTTM); and Elizabeth McGovern (Ragtime (1981), She's Having a Baby (1988), The Wings of the Dove (1997)) in a cameo as Dave's mother –you probably won't recognize her. Jack and I didn't.

Here's the list of all the songs (I copied and pasted from the reelsoundtrack blog because there are some spoilers in there):
Stand Up – Prodigy
Can’t Go Back – Primal Scream
There’s A Pot Brewing – The Little Ones
The Barber of Seville Overture – Zagreb Festival Orchestra
Omen – Prodigy
(Banana Splits) Tra La La Song – The Dickies
Chi Mai Del Mio Provò, Piacer Piu Dolce! [Act 2], Idomeneo – Wiener Philharmoniker
Starry Eyed – Ellie Goulding
This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both of Us – Sparks
Crazy – Gnarls Barkley
In The House In a Heartbeat – John Murphy [from 28 Days Later]
We’re All in Love – New York Dolls
Per Qualche Dollaro In Piu – Ennio Morricone
Adagio In D Minor by John Murphy
Kanada’s Death, Pt. 2 from the Sunshine soundtrack
Bad Reputation – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Battle Hymn Of The Republic – Elvis Presley [version by the US Army Band]
The Surface Of The Sun (remix) by John Murphy
Make Me Wanna Die – The Pretty Reckless
Kick Ass – Mika
plus original score, some of which can be found on this page, credited on imdb to Marius de Vries, Ilan Eshkeri, Henry Jackman, and John Murphy (the clips on youtube credit Danny Elfman as well).

I predict cult status for this movie–it will have a long life on video. And the sequel. Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall, is already posted on imdb for a 2012 release.

The Cinebarre movie theatre in Charleston SC, where we saw this, has shelves in front of each row of seats, and wait staff watching for patrons to display slips of paper so one can get drinks and snacks brought in to the seats. Interesting concept. I was kind of glad no one in our group wanted anything, because I would not have been able to see over the waiter's head. The drinks probably enhanced the viewing experience of the other people in the audience, though; it was fun to hear one guy roar with laughter throughout.

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