We've all seen CIA/espionage/spy related films before. The list is too numerous, however "Abduction" had enough difference to it to give it that edge, certainly an element of originality.
This is a thriller centered on Nathan (Taylor Lautner), a young man who sets out to uncover the truth about his life after finding his baby photo on a missing persons website. This only comes about when he and classmate, Karen (Lily Collins) are paired up for a sociology class project. Their assignment is to research missing kids and how it has effected our society. When going online, they see him as a child and Nathan starts putting two and two together, because now he must come to grips with who are these people claiming to be his parents. He confronts Kevin and Mara (Jason Isaacs and Maria Bello), his 'parents' and as they try to explain, two men break in and kill the parents. Nathan and Karen are now on the lam, being pursued by Burton (Alfred Molina), Dr. Bennett (Sigourney Weaver) and others. Nathan has valuble information that a Russian operative, Kozlow (Michael Nyqvist) wants, and will do anything to get it. Denzel Whitaker plays Nathan's buddy Gilly.
This was amazingly well directed by veteran director John Singleton ("Boyz n the Hood" 91, "Poetic Justice" '93, "Higher Learning" '95, "Rosewood" '97, "Shaft" 2000, "Baby Boy" '01, "2 Fast 2 Furious" '03, "Four Brothers" '05). This guy knows how to put an edge on a film and have you begging for more. It was written by newcomer, Shawn Christensen ("Walter King"- short '06), and if this script is without a lot of experience, I'd like to see more films by this guy. He will surely go far. There were a few places where things could've gotten really bad for Nathan and Karen that he left out, but certainly the road he took was a workable plot to use. Given more experience, Lautner will shine. How he transformed from this scared kid to this guy on the run was truly a realistic journey.
If you like nail-biting, explosive, action-packed films with a decent plot, you'll love this. Certainly, it was a marketing genius to release this before Lautner's next "Twilight" film, which, of couse, Lautner is best known for.
Out of 4 stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 106min.
The first frame of "Moneyball" includes a quote from Mickey Mantle. He said, "It's unbelieveable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing all your life". This really sums up the entire feel of this film with a GM actually going out of his way to think 'outside the box'.
Oakland A's GM, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) is handicapped with the lowest salary constraint in baseball. If he ever plans on winning the World Series, Billy must find a competitive advantage. Billy accidentally finds an economics major from Yale, Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) who, through Brand's statistical data ends up turning baseball on its ear after analysis and placing value on the players he picks for the team. Players, such as Scott Hatteberg (Chris Pratt), a retired catcher whom Billy wants to recruit as the first baseman isn't exactly Oakland's head coach, Art Howe's (Philip Seymour Hoffman) idea. After more analysis, Billy 'cleans house' which really angers Howe even more to the point where you think he may just quit.
As aforementioned, Billy, through Peter, is going 'outside the box' to get the best players for the least amount of pay and it finally starts paying off after much hassle from others.
The subtlety and sublimeness of the direction by Bennett Miller ("The Cruise" '98, "Capote" '05) was amazing. Not a lot of experience, but this is a seasoned director. I believe he chooses his projects extremely carefully. It was incredibly well written by Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin based on a story by Stan Chervin which was based on Michael Lewis' book "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game".
Others to round out the cast are Robin Wright as Sharon, Billy's ex-wife, Stephen Bishop as David Justice, Jack McGee as John Poloni, Ken Medlock as Grady Fuson, and Glenn Morshower as Ron Hopkins.
Whether you're a baseball fan or not, you will not only love this, but you will leave the cineplex with a whole new respect for a man who defeated the odds when not many were supporting him except for Peter, his stat guy. This says, when one believes in something, stick with it until the end no matter the insurmountable odds.
Out of 4 stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 133min.
Ryan Gosling is one of those actors that comes along once in a while that just intrigues you so much that you'll see him in just about anything because he'll put that little zip in his performance that will keep you riveted, such as "Fracture", "Half Nelson", Lars and the Real Girl", "The Notebook", even "Crazy, Stupid Love".
This is about a Hollywood stunt driver/performer (Gosling) who moonlights as a wheelman who discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist that got turned upside down. He befriends his neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son, Benecia (Kaden Leos) and comes to realize that her husband, Standard (Oscar Isaac) is in prison and is soon being released. After his release, he is faced with owing a huge debt he racked up in prison, so Driver (Gosling) offers to be the wheelman only so he can pay these thugs off and that will be the end of his criminal activity. This, of course, is all being done without Irene's knowledge. An accomplice is used, Blanche (Christina Hendricks) and Driver's Work associate, Shannon (Bryan Cranston) who gets him stunt gigs is in on it. Suffice it to say, it goes completely awry. Who's the brains to this? This might give it away.
Others to round out the cast are Albert Brooks as Bernie Rose, Ron Perlman as Nino, and Russ Tamblyn as Doc.
This was rivetedly paced by director Nicolas Winding Refn ("Pusher" '96, "Bleeder" '99, "Fear X" '03, "With Blood on My Hands: Pusher II" '04, "I'm the Angel of Death: Pusher III" '05, "Bronson" '08, "Valhalla Rising" '09). It was quirkily written by Hossein Amini ("Jude" '96, "The Wings of the Dove" '97, "The Four Feathers" '02, "Killshot" '08, "Shanghai" '10). I'm not sure that the script was quirky or was it Gosling's performance that gave it that quirky, odd feeling. Or maybe it was a combination.
The trailer doesn't sell this film. If it didn't star Gosling, I might not have seen this, because the trailer gave it the feeling that it was like any other action, explosive, guy type flick we've all seen too many times. But it wasn't! It actually had substance, an oddness to it that just made it so intriguing that you couldn't keep your eyes off it.
Out of 4 stars: 3.5 Rated: R 100min.
With all the animated features that Disney has produced, I'm not sure why they chose "The Lion King" to implement a 3D format. As it turned out, It was effective and just seeing those characters again was just a hoot.
A young lion prince, young Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) is born in Africa to parents, King Mufasa (James Earl Jones) and Sarabi (Madge Sinclair), thus making his Uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons) the second in line to the throne. Scar plots with the hyenas, Shenzi, Ed, and Banzai (Whoopi Goldberg, Jim Cummings, and Cheech Marin) respectively to kill Mufasa and Prince Simba, thus making himself king. The King is killed and Simba is led to believe by Scar that it was his fault, and so flees the kingdom in shame.
After years of exile of living with friends, Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), adult Simba (Matthew Broderick) is persuaded to return home to overthrow the usurper and claim the kingdom as his own thus completing the "Circle of Life".
Others to round out the cast are Moira Kelly as adult Nala, Rowan Atkinson as Zazu, Robert Guillaume as Rafiki, Zoe Leader as Sarafina, Nala's Mom, and Niketa Calame as young Nala.
This was effectively directed by Roger Allers ("Open Season" '06) and Rob Minkoff ("Stuart Little" '99, "Stuart Little 2" '02, "The Haunted Mansion" '03, "The Forbidden Kingdom" '08, "Flypaper" '11). And It was written with such ease by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton with Brenda Chapman as Story Supervisor.
How could anyone not like "The Lion KIng"? It has it all: a sound story, good directing, great characters, original songs by Elton John and Tim Rice that simply ROCK and marvelous animation. The only negative thing I could say about this would be that Disney, who created Disney Digital 3D, opted not to use their 3D process, but used Real 3D instead. This was clearly a mistake considering their digital process is superior next to Real 3D, because it is so much more eye-popping. The 3D version definitely helped, and that's a stretch considering I'm not completely sold on the 3D process generally.
If you liked this film when it released back in the 90's, you'll love this version enhancement. As I said, you'll love the characters all over again humming with the great original songs all the way to the end.
Out of 4 stars: 3.5 Rated: G 89min.
Boxing, fighting type films have been done many times prior such as last year's "The Fighter" and others, but with "Warrior", I wasn't quite expecting the polished film that unfoled before my very eyes.
The youngest son, Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy) of an alcoholic former boxer, Paddy Conlon (Nick Nolte) returns home, where he reluctantly asks his father to train him for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament--a path that puts the fighter on a collision course with his older brother, Brendan (Joel Edgerton).
Brendan is physics instructor at a high school and boxes at night to help keep the home he, his wife, Tess (Jennifer Morrison) and kids are living in. When Principal Zito (Kevin Dunn) finds out he's boxing at a strip club, Zito is forced to put Brendan on an unpaid suspension. So to make ends meet, against his wife's approval, he decides to get back into boxing professionally and asks his long time friend/trainer, Frank Campana (Frank Grillo) to train him again. Will the boxing bring these brothers closer or drive them even farther apart?
Others to round out the cast are Maximiliano Hernandez as Colt Boyd, Bryan Callen and Sam Sheridan as themselves, Fernando Funan Chien as Fenroy, Jake McLaughlin as Mark Bradford, Vanessa Martinez as Pilar Fernandez, and Denzel Whitaker as Stephon.
The effectiveness of the characters in this was delineated well by director Gavin O'Connor ("Comfortably Dumb" '95, "Tumbleweeds" '99, "Miracle" '04, "Pride and Glory" '08). You could feel the gut-wrenching pain these characters were definitely experiencing. O'Connor could possibly receive an Oscar nod for his work. This was written by O'Connor, Anthony Tambakis and Cliff Dorfman based on a story by O'Connor and Dorfman. The writers really dug deep revealing all kinds of layers to the complexities of these characters which made the script that much more meaty. This family definitely puts the 'D' in dysfunction, and with the bitterness, unforgiveness and hatred practically destroying the family, you would think there is no hope ever for a reconciliation.
If you like excellent acting, directing, writing with a good story, you'll love this. Like "The Fighter", this wasn't so much a boxing film as much as a great character study with a boxing backdrop. The emotional roller coaster ride in this will take you on that same ride, so hold on to your hat.
Out of 4 stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 140min.
We've all seen films that are based on some sort of virus--usually contagious such as "The Andromeda Strain", "28 Days Later", "Outbreak", even "The Happening", but "Contagion" bumps up the notch a bit when people can contract this virus by merely speaking to someone, touching a door knob, touching someone's smart phone; the list is endless.
This is a thriller centered on the threat posed by an airborne, extremely contagious deadly viral disease called MEV-1 and an international team of doctors headed up by Dr. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne) of the CDC, Dr. Leonora Orantes (Marion Cotillard) of the W.H.O. and Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle), Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet), and Dr. Ian Sussman (Elliott Gould) contracted by the CDC to find the virus' initial host and track it down from there and hopefully find a cure before the disease kills millions if the fear doesn't grab them first. The selling slogan says it all: "Nothing spreads like fear".
One of the early victims is Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) who contracts the virus on a business trip. She comes home in Minnesota to her husband, Mitch Emhoff (Matt Damon) and she keels over only to be rushed to the hospital where she subsequently dies. Mitch is shocked only to find out, after being put in isolation, that he is immune to the virus. So at this point, with the help of his daughter, Jory (Anna Jacoby-Heron), he tries to find out what happened to his wife.
Others to round out the cast are Jude Law as Alan Krumwiede, a sensationalistic journalist with a conspiracy theory side to him, Bryan Cranston as Lyle Haggerty, Chin Han as Sun Feng, and Brian J. O'Donnell as Andrew.
This was heart-poundingly paced by veteran director Steven Soderbergh ("Out of Sight" '98, "Erin Brockovich" 2000, "Traffic" 2000, "Ocean's Eleven" '01, "Full Frontal" '02, "Solaris" '02, "Ocean's Twelve" '04, "The Good German" '06, "Ocean's Thirteen" '07, "The Informant!" '09, "Haywire" '11). By his very resume, this guy can really give a one, two punch. Of course, Soderbergh's trademark is when he will start somewhere into the film, and then he'll backtrack to the beginning and will end up conveying sense to his audience. Not many directors can achieve this kind of a feat. It was written by Scott Z. Burns ("Pu-239" '06, "The Bourne Ultimatum" '07, "The Informant!" '09) and I believe that if he had just a bit more experience, the script would've been a little more tight and thought out. It starts with a bang, then it kind of peters out somewhere in the middle, But then it does pick up momentum again. If it wasn't for Soderbergh's directing, I think the script would've suffered more, because Soderbergh knows how to keep a production going regardless of what is happening.
It's kind of like a roller coaster ride with about half the thrills. It's definitely worthy of a viewing, but don't expect too many answers to a plethora of questions looming in the background.
Out of 4 stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 106min.
I'm not overly in love with the sci-fi genre, and in the case of "Apollo 18", it's supossedly based in some sort of really. NOT! This was what I've deemed as a "reality movie" in that it's made to look like a documentary, the way it's shot, but there's nothing real about it at all, just like a reality show.
Decades-old found footage from Nasa's abandoned Apollo 18 mission, where two American astronauts, Nathan Walker (Warren Christie) and Ben Anderson (Lloyd Owen) were sent on a secret expedition, reveals the reason why the U.S. has never returned to the moon. The rest of the cast is Ryan Robbins as the other astronaut, John
What makes this anything palatable is the approach the writers, Brian Miller and Cory Goodman took to make this appear to look factual when, of course, it was not. This was, at least unique and original. Where it goes a bit flat is that, after a certain point, you see where the film is going, which makes the ending extremely predictable. For a couple of writers with limited experience, not a bad try. It was directed by Gonzalo Lopez-Gallero ("Nomadas" '01, "Sobre el arco iris" '03, "El rey de la montana"'07). Interesting that a Spanish director helmed this instead of an American one, considering its very American roots.
This was interesting in that it was suspenseful, and that made it intriguing. If only, however, the writing could've stayed as original as when it started, this might have been nice, tightly executed project, instead of something that won't stay with you once you leave the cineplex.
Out of 4 stars: 2.5 Rated: PG-13 88min.
It's been my experience that 'inspirational films' have had the tendency to be somewhat sappy, with poor production values and not very good acting. With the exception of this year's "Soul Surfer", which was an incredibly good inspirational film, the same also can be said for "Seven Days in Utopia".
After a disasterous debut on the pro circuit, a young golfer, Luke Chisholm (Lucas Black) ends up having a meltdown right on camera. As he is traveling, he inadvertently finds himself stranded in Utopia, Texas. He is welcomed by an eccentric rancher by the name of Johnny Crawford (Robert Duvall) who, after Luke looks in his study, finds out that Johnny was also a golfer. Johnny proposes to Luke that if he stays in Utopia for seven days, he'll help him find his game back again. Luke reluctantly agrees and he is beseiged with unorthodox and quirky ways that Johnny comes up with to achieve this feat.
Others to round out the cast are Melissa Leo as Lily, Deborah Ann Woll as Sarah, Brian Geraghty as Jake, Joseph Lyle Taylor as Martin Chisholm, Luke's Dad, Madison Burge as Hannah Chisholm, Luke's Mom, Jerry Ferrara as Joe Buckner, K.J.Choi as T.K. Oh, pro golfer, and Diane Baker as Mabel.
This was deftly directed by virtual newcomer Matthew Dean Russell. This guy has done a bunch of visual work to his credit, but this being his first, he will surely see future projects. It was written by David L. Cook, Rob Levine and Russell based on Cook's novel, "Golf's Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia". It truly helps to have the novelist as, at least, one of the screenwriters. He knows all the nuances of the characters and the setting of the story, etc. Of course, it does hurt to have the likes of Duvall in the title role either. It is a joy to watch Duvall act. In fact, the chemistry between Duvall and Black was incredibly effective. And the fact that Black is a golfer in his own right made it even more convincing.
This is a film that is about failure, challenge, learning and redemption all rolled up in a 99 minute running time. It will make you laugh and root for Luke, especially considering what Johnny puts him through, and have you cheering by film's end.
Out of 4 stars: 3.5 Rated: G 99min.
You know fall is upon us, because that's when the spy/espionage films start their descent into the cineplex. As with the case of "The Debt", this is a somewhat grittier yarn than its predecessors which I believe can only make it a better, or at least, a different approach to a already done genre.
This espionage thriller begins in 1997, as shocking news reaches retired Mossad secret agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stefan (Tom Wilkinson) about their former colleague David (Ciaran Hinds). All three have been venerated for decades by their country because of the mission that they undertook back in 1966, when the trio (portrayed respectively by Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, and Sam Worthington) tracked down Nazi war criminal Vogel/Dr. Bernhardt (Jesper Christensen) in East Berlin. At great risk, and at considerable personal cost, the team's mission was accomplished--or was it? The suspense builds in and across two different time periods, with startling action and surprising revelations.
Others to round out the cast are Romi Aboulafia as Sarah Gold, Rachel's daughter, and Brigitte Kren as Frau Bernhardt, Dr. Bernhardt's nurse and wife.
This was well paced by director John Madden ("Ethan Frome" '93, "Golden Gate" '94, "Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown" '97, "Shakespeare in Love" '98, "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" '01, "Proof" '05, "Killshot" '08) who just kept you on the edge of your seat. It was written by Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman and Peter Straughan based on the film "Ha-Hov" by Assaf Bernstein and Ido Rosenblum. This script could've been so convoluted in its writings because of going back and forth from one time period to another, but, other than very few small inconsistencies in plot, these guys really pulled it off. I haven't seen Helen Mirren this good since "The Queen" '06.You could feel this woman's pain of what she went through back in 1966.
This is one of the best espionage films I have seen in a while, especially of its grittiness. It simply gives you feeling like you're watching these characters do their spying job, because of the realness of it.
out of 4 stars: 3.5 Rated: R 114min.
We've all seen CIA/espionage/spy related films before. The list is too numerous, however "Abduction" had enough difference to it to give it that edge, certainly an element of originality.
