We have all seen obscure films that may or may not have a message behind them, however obscure nonetheless. Obscure? Com'on, let me scratch your brain: "Eraserhead" '77, "The Cell" 2000, "The Tree of Life" '11, last year's "A Cabin in the Woods", even "2001: A Space Odyssey" '68. So, when I viewed "Oldboy", my thought was that I could put this film on that ever growing list.
This visceral thriller about an advertising executive, Joe Doucette (Josh Brolin) is kidnapped and held hostage in 1993, surviving in a single room basically in solitary confinement for 20 years. When he is inexplicably released, he embarks on an obsessive, vengeful mission to discover who orchestrated his incredible punishment, only to find he is still trapped in a web of conspiracy of why he was set free.
Joe realizes he needs help to discover the one who imprisoned him so he calls upon long time friend, Chucky (Michael Imperioli) and new found friend, Marie Sebastian (Elizabeth Olsen) to assist him, because he's well aware that the man he seeks is incredibly psychotic and extremely dangerous. Before Joe ultimately meets his nemesis, he plays a cat and mouse game with Chaney (Samuel L. Jackson), the main henchman for 'the stranger'.
Others to round out the cast are Sharlto Copley as Adrian/The Stranger, Pom Klementieff as Haeng-Bok, James Ransone as Dr. Tom Melby, Max Casella as James Prestley, Linda Emond as Edwina Burke, Elvis Nolasco as Cortez, Rami Malek as Browning, Lance Reddick as Daniel Newcombe, Hannah Ware as Donna Hawthorne, and Richard Portnow as Bernie Sharkey.
This was directed by a director one wouldn't expect in that this isn't a message film, unless you want to count a moral dilemma of the different characters. However, this was incredibly directed with a great deal of intensity by veteran Spike Lee (" School Daze" '88, "Do the Right Thing" '89, "Mo' Better Blues" '90, "Malcolm X" '92, "Crooklyn" '94, "Clockers" '95, "Girl 6" '96, "Get on the Bus" '96, "4 Little Girls" (Documentary) '97, "He Got Game" '98, "Summer of Sam" '99, "Bamboozled" 2000, "25th Hour" '02, "She Hate Me" '04, "Inside Man" '06, M.O.N.Y. (TV movie) '07, "Miracle at St. Anna" '08, "Da Brick (TV movie) '11, "Red Hook Summer" '12, "Bad 25" (Documentary) '12). Certainly Lee's earlier anti-racism films were looked at as being obscure by some, visionary by others, so with films like this, maybe they might be looked at as being message laden instead of weird and odd by many now. This was adequately written by Mark Protosevich based on a manga by Garon Tsuchiya and Nobuaki Minegishi. It was a fair attempt, script wise, however there were places where the stranger would have to have the ability to read Joe's mind to be able to set this guy up in certain situations that I can't go into, lest it would kill the plot for you.But suffice it to say, this flaw made it difficult to grasp what was happening to Joe, because it lacked elements of what is real and what's not. You be the judge.
I suspect that the manga which the film is based on is quite gratuitous, because this IS rated R for a reason. This is an adult film, and not one for teens, so when you go to the multiplex, get a babysitter for this one, or little 'Johnny or Suzy' will get a quick education probably before they're ready.
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: R 104mins.
When it come to dry-witted comedies, Alexander Payne is probably the king--close second being the Coen Brothers. His comedies usually take very ordinary people and places them in dysfunctional situations with the possibility that these characters can learn something from their predicaments, and "Nebraska" is no exception.
In a nutshell, this is a story about an aging, confused, booze-addled father, Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) who makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son, David (Will Forte) in order to claim a million dollar Mega Sweepstakes Marketing prize. However, if you want to go into more detail, this is a father and son road trip, from Billings, Montana to Lincoln, Nebraska that gets waylaid at a small town, Hawthorne, in central Nebraska, where Woody grew up and has scores to settle with others there, especially with old friend, Ed Pegram (Stacy Keach). The rest of Woody's family, wife Kate (June Squibb) and other son, Ross (Bob Odenkirk) decide to subsequently meet Woody and David in Hawthorne and, at that point, the family dysfunctions start to fly.
Told with deadpan, powder-dry humor and a unique visual style, it's ultimately the story of a son, David trying to get through to a father he clearly doesn't understand.
Others to round out the cast are Mary Louise Wilson as Aunt Martha, Rance Howard as Uncle Ray, Tim Driscoll as Bart, Devin Ratray as Cole, Angela McEwan as Peg Nagy, Gelndora Stitt as Aunt Betty, Elizabeth Moore as Aunt Flo, Kevin Kunkel as Cousin Randy, Dennis McCoig as Uncle Vern, and Ronald Vosta as Uncle Albert.
This was brilliantly directed by visionary director Alexander Payne ("The Passion of Martin" '91, "Citizen Ruth" '96, "Election" '99, "About Schmidt" '02, "Sideways" '04, "The Descendants" '11). This guy is a consummate pro at the ability of emitting dysfunction out of a dry presence in his actors that is so hilarious that one must look at his resume to understand this statement. Even though this writer only has TV experience, before this project, to his name, Bob Nelson wrote an incredibly tight, clearly delineated screenplay about the possible re-connection of a father and son all done in a very dry, but dysfunctional way. I believe a lot of us can relate to, at least, one of these characters in this story, which makes it that much more compelling. This guy will receive future work.
Speaking before of a visual style, the cinematographer, Phedon Papamichael, asc, gave an amazing look of middle America--showing the dry, worn, and cool look of the terrain, buildings, and people which more than connects with the dysfunction, and quirkiness of the people there. Papamichael definitely did it justice; just look at his resume to understand: "After Midnight" '89, "Prayer of the Rollerboys" '90, "Cool Runnings" '93, "Unstrung Heroes" '95, "Phenomenon" '96, "Mousehunt" '97, "America's Sweethearts" '01, "Moonlight Mile" '02, "Identity" '03, "Sideways" '04, "Walk the Line" '05, "The Pursuit of Happyness" '06, "3:10 to Yuma" '07, "W." '08, "The Ides of March" '11, "The Descendants" '11, "This is 40" '12. Using the black and white look by implementing the Deluxe process in a digital intermediate format was a stroke of genius, because it, too, just gives that deslolate look, considering the desolation within this family. This film could be up for nods come Oscar time, including Payne, Dern, Forte, and Papamichael.
This is truly golden Alexander Payne which is character development, a stylized look, with that right amount of dysfunction we have come to expect. So with these elements in check, we have an incredibly well crafted American film that will leave you only wanting more.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: R 115mins.
Whenever I see a commercial comedy trailer at the multiplex, my first reaction is to cringe, because of the fear of a mediocre film. As the adage goes, history does repeat itself, however, when I finally went to see "Delivery Man", I definitely got a little more than the usual schtick, probably for the reason it being a comedy/drama combination.
Amiable underachiever David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn) drives a delivery truck for his family's company and is content with a life of mediocrity. However, when he learns that he is the biological father of more than 500 offspring and many are suing the fertility clinic where he sold his sperm for much needed cash 20 years ago, so as to learn his identity, he decides to hold himself accountable for his actions. Through his buddy and attorney Brett (Chris Pratt), he finds some of his progeny and attempts to be involved in their lives; however, when David's girlfriend, Emma (Cobie Smulders) announce her pregnancy to him, she continues to keep her expectations low because of David's past attribute of being unreliable.
Others to round out the cast are Andrzej Blumenfeld as Mikolaj, David's dad, Simon Delaney as Victor, brother of David's, Bobby Moynihan as Aleksy, another brother of David's, Dave Patten as Adam, Adam Chanler-Berat as Viggo, Britt Robertson as Kristen, Jack Reynor as Josh, Amos VanderPoel as Taylor, Matthew Daddario as Channing, Jessica Williams as African American Spa Worker, Leslie Ann Glossner as Young Romantic Girl, and Derrick Arthur as Young Boozer.
This was directed with a good dose of realism and pathos by Ken Scott ("Sticky Fingers" '09, "Starbuck" '11). This wasn't the typical prat-fall physical comedy we see a fair deal from Vaughn such as in "The Internship" earlier this year. Even though Scott is new to feature film directing, I think he's found his niche. This was touchingly written by Scott based on the original screenplay, "Starbuck" by Scott and Martin Petit. I personally believe that this film succeeded because there was some drama in it, which gave it that 'heart' it probably wouldn't have had if it was a straight out comedy. There were some areas of script that needed polish, but this definitely had you laughing and tearful in the same scene, which happens so often in actual life.
Trust me, the trailer doesn't sell this film, because I almost didn't bother with this by solely viewing the trailer. But after seeing this, it was the the film I was hoping it would be, assuming it would be like all the rest of the mediocre comedies out there.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 105mins.
Quite frequently film franchises are born from what will sell on a marketing level. Even if a particular franchise has quality, it originally took a back seat to what will get that target audience in those seats.It usually starts with a helping of the age bracket being looked at, throw in an author who, in this case, is a younger writing author, coupled with a few actors with smoldering good looks, to be released in either summer or the holiday time, the latter in this case, and viola, we have "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire", an instant money-maker.
Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is shimmering, but the capitol is still very much in control as President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and a 'game creator' he hired, Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell)--a competition that could change Panem forever. As the time grows closer to the next games, can their team, Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), Effie (Elizabeth Banks), and Cinna (Lenny Kravitz) even prepare them for this next round of potentially lethal exercises?
Others to round out the cast are Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, Jeffrey Wright as Beetee, Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman, Jena Malone as Johanna, Willow Shields as Primrose Everdeen, Katniss' younger sister, Sam Claflin as Finnick, Lynn Cohen as Mags, Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Thread, Alan Ritchson as Gloss, Toby Jones as Claudius, Stef Dawson as Annie, and E.Roger Mitchell as Chaff.
This was directed with just the right amount of emotion and adventure by Francis Lawrence ("Constantine" '05, "I Am Legend" '07, "Water for Elephants" '11, "Gotham" (TV movie) '12). I say right amount, because since this is already a 'cash cow' franchise, we don't either need to veer or want to veer away too much when it comes to character development and how they connect with each other, lest we make our audience (cash cow) uncomfortable. Heaven forbid! This was written by Simon Beaufoy (""The Full Monty" '97, "Among Giants" '98, "The Darkest Light" '99, "Running Time" 2000, "Everyone's Happy" 2000, "Blow Dry" '01, "This Is Not a Love Song" '02, "Yasmin" '04, "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" '08, "Slumdog Millionaire" '08, "127 Hours" '10, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" '11), and Michael Arndt ("Little Miss Sunshine" '06, "Toy Story 3" '10, "Brave" (additional material) '12, "Oblivion" (as Michael deBruyn) '13). As you can see by the resumes of these guys, this was written far better than I ever would have dreamed. It was a little long-in-the-tooth, but all in all, was cohesive, and kept you moving very smoothly. Let's only hope these same guys will be writing the next installment to this ever popular franchise which is out next year.
I believe that when "The Hunger Games" was released last year, for one to assume that it would be the only film was obviously living under a rock, because to give up on this goose who lays the golden eggs would be equivalent to shooting yourself in the foot.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 146mins.
Throughout motion picture history, we have seen many epic, lavish productions about important people and events. They are too numerous to mention all, but a handful include "Gone With the Wind" '39, "Lawrence of Arabia" '62, "Gandhi" '82, "The Last Emperor" '87, "Empire of the Sun" '87, "The Passion of the Christ" '05, last year's "Anna Karenina" '12, and now we have Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations". It is a novel, so even though the characters are fictitious, it is still epic.
This is a story about one young orphan boy named Pip (Toby Irvine) who's raised by his angry aunt (Sally Hawkins) and her affable boyfriend, Joe (Jason Flemyng). During this childhood, Pip is approached by the unruly, Abel Magwitch (Ralph Fiennes) whose presence haunts Pip through his life. After a point, young Pip receives the chance to visit the odd, but curious, Miss Havisham (Helena Bonham Carter) and her precocious and snooty daughter, Estella (Helena Barlow) which Pip falls for. Young Pip's humility impresses both Havisham and young Estella, so after much time when Pip becomes an adult, Jaggers (Robbie Coltrane) approaches his and Joe's blacksmith shop and offers Pip (Jeremy Irvine) a Gentleman's position in London with all the notoriety on two conditions: 1) he never changes his name--Pip and 2) he never knows or inquires the name of the benefactor. He agrees and off he goes to London. Even though Pip goes from poverty to wealth, he soon realizes that all is not a piece of cake as he learns more about his past.
Others to round out the cast are Ewen Bremner as Wemmick, Holliday Grainger as Adult Estella, David Walliams as Mr. Pumblechook, Olly Alexander as Herbert Pocket, Ben Lloyd-Hughes as Bentley Drummie, Daniel Heyman as Arthur Havisham, William Ellis as Compeyson, Tamzin Outhwaite as Molly, and Edward Flemyng as Charles Pocket.
This was directed effortlessly by Britain's veteran, Mike Newell ("The Awakening" '80, "Bad Blood" '82, "Dance With a Stranger" '85, "The Good Father" '85, "Amazing Grace and Chuck" '87, "Soursweet" '88, "Enchanted April" '91, "Into the West" '92, Four Weddings and a Funeral" '94, "Donnie Brasco" '97, "Pushing Tin" '99, "Mona Lisa Smile" '03, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" '05, "Love in the Time of Cholera" '07, "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" '10). The pacing was so expertly done that as these actors moved around on those sets so believably, you'd swear it was filmed back in that era of time. This was effectively written by David Nicholls based on the classic novel by Dickens. This, as with all films based on a Dickens novel, was grim and oppressing, which was the way society was back in his day. Writers typically write about the time in which they live, and Dickens was certainly no exception. Helena Bonham Carter as Havisham and Ralph Fiennes as Magwitch really shined here and could possibly pull off an Oscar nod, otherwise the costumes, makeup, hair, and art direction were incredible.
This is certainly not the first time we've seen this novel as a film and undoubtedly will not be the last--it is a literary classic and deserves to be presented to each generation that comes along. And since we are a society who reads less, seeing a classic on film is needed lest we forget the classic writers of our past.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 128mins.
Between English comedies and American comedies, what once was an American majority of better work, is now proving to be an English majority of quality work. This is not exactly a compliment to English comedies since so many American comedies are mediocre at best, so when the English comedy, "About Time" comes along, it's basically a breath of fresh air.
At the age of 21, Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers he can travel in time...The night after another unsatisfactory New Years party, Tim's father (Bill Nighy) tells his son that the men in his family have always had the ability to travel in time. Tim can't change history, but he can change what happens in his own life. So he decides to make his world a better place--by getting a girlfriend. Sadly, that turns out not to be as easy as one might think. Moving from the Cornwall coast to London to train as a lawyer, Tim finally meets the beautiful but insecure Mary (Rachel McAdams). They fall in love, then an unfortunate time travel incident means he's never met her at all. So they meet for the first time again and again--but finally, after a lot of cunning time traveling, he wins her heart. Tim then uses his powers to create the perfect romantic proposal, to save his wedding from the worst best man speeches, to get his pregnant wife to the hospital on time. But as his unusual life progresses, Tim finds out that his unique gift can't save him from the sorrows and ups and downs that affect all families, everywhere. There are great limits to what time travel can achieve, and it can be dangerous too, assuming we can time travel.
Others to round out the cast are Lydia Wilson as Kit Kat, Tim's sister, Lindsay Duncan as Mum, Richard Cordery as Uncle Desmond, Joshua McGuire as Rory, buddy of Tim's, Tom Hollander as Harry, Margot Robbie as Charlotte, Will Merrick as Jay, Vanessa Kirby as Joanna, a friend of Mary's, Tom Hughes as Jimmy Kincade, Clemmie Dugdale as Ginger Jenny, Harry Hadden-Paton as Rupert, and Mitchell Mullen as Mary's father, Fitz.
This was whimsically directed by Richard Curtis ("Love Actually" '03, "Pirate Radio" '09). His ability to make his characters connect in such a positive way, without the appearance of being forced is remarkable, if not incredibly profound. This was also written by Curtis ("Four Weddings and a Funeral" '99, "Bridget Jones's Diary" '01, "Love Actually" '03, "Mr. Bean's Holiday" '07, "Pirate Radio" '09, "War Horse" '11). This is one writer whereas he has actually improved with each screenplay he writes. With the exception of the fact that this film was a little long-in-the-tooth, it was an incredibly taught, well thought out screenplay, and is saying a lot since plots about time travel can easily get bogged down and confusing. Kudos to this writer. If this film says anything, it shows that we can't fix everything. Sometimes just living in the moment is the best one can do.
Yes, this is a romantic comedy, so it really shouldn't be very good, but this proves that if you have the right people working on a project, any genre can soar.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 124mins.
You know we just didn't get enough of the action adventure films you saw aplenty of during the summer movie season, so Hollywood couldn't resist, and...well...brought us one more to round out the year's end. And what a better one to watch that that of Marvel Studios' "Thor: The Dark World".
Thousands of years ago, a race of beings known as Dark Elves tried to send the universe into darkness by using a weapon known as the Aether. But warriors from Asgard stopped them, however their leader, Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) escapes to wait for another opportunity. The warriors find the Aether, and since it can't be destroyed, it being pure energy, they try to hide it. In the present day, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) awaits the return of Thor (Chris Hemsworth), but it's been two years, because he's been trying to bring peace to the nine realms. Jane discovers an anomaly similar to the one that brought Thor to Earth. She goes to investigate and finds a wormhole and is sucked into it. Thor wishes to return to Earth, but his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins) refuses to let him. Meanwhile, Thor learns from Heimdall (Idris Elba), the one who can see into all the realms, that Jane disappeared. Thor then returns to Earth just as Jane returns. When approached, Jane emits a kind of energy that repulses, so Thor then brings her to Asgard to have her examined. Malekith comes after her realizing the Aether has come into her. At this point, Thor has no other option than to enlist his unmanageable brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) to help him.
Others to round out the cast are Jaimie Alexander as Sif, Zachary Levi as Fandral, Ray Stevenson as Volstagg, Tadanobu Asano as Hogun, Rene Russo as Frigga, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Algrim/Kurse, Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis, Stellan Skarsgard as Erik Selvig, Alice Krige as Eir, Chris O'Dowd as Richard, Clive Russell as Tyr, and Jonathan Howard as Ian Boothby.
This was effectively directed by Alan Taylor ("Palookaville" '95, "The Emperor's New Clothes" '01, "Kill the Poor" '03, "1%" (TV movie) '08). He really brought the fervor out of Hemsworth as Thor while still allowing him to have a sense of humor. It was adequately written by Christopher L. Yost, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely based on a story by Don Payne and Robert Rodat which is based on the Marvel comic book by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby. The problem here was the script hopped back and forth with little continuity, so bringing one up to speed was constantly occurring. I realize that there was a great deal going on here, but with more cohesiveness, it would not have had the feeling of it wandering as much as it did. Where this did excel was in the visual effects mostly created by Double Negative, Framestore and Luma Pictures, which were absolutely seamless all in a 3D process.
If you like Marvel comic books or any comic books, or more to the point Thor, you'll love this installment. There is a little surprise, but you'll have to sit through the entire end credits right down to filmed in panavision. Even if you're not a comic book affictionato, this is a fun flick with all the action, explosions, adventure that one will enjoy to help get you in the mood for the holidays coming up.
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG-13 112mins.
Films based on true stories about a particular person(s) are typically well acted and written, especially when they are about a person that's not as well known as with most biopics. I believe this happens, because we can see this actor as more of a real person than when the actor is portraying a better known character. "12 Years a Slave" is certainly one of those films.
Based on the incredible true story of one man's fight for survival and freedom, in the pre-Civil War United States, 1841 to be exact, Solomon Northrup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery in the south. Facing horrid cruelty, personified by a malevolent slave owner, Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender), as well as unexpected kindnesses by former slave owner, Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) and others, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon's chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist, Bass (Brad Pitt) will forever alter his life.
Others to round out the cast are Paul Dano as Tibeats, Paul Giamatti as Freeman, Sarah Paulson as Mistress Epps, Lupita Nyong'o as Patsy, Alfre Woodard as Mistress Shaw, Michael Kenneth Williams as Robert, Scoot McNairy as Brown, Garret Dillahunt as Armsby, Dwight Henry as Uncle Abram, Kelsey Scott as Anne Northrup, Quvenzhane Wallis as Adult Margaret Northrup, Taran Killam as Hamilton, Christopher Berry as Burch, Tony Bentley as Mr. Moon, and Chris Chalk as Ray Clemens.
This was brilliantly and passionately directed by Steve McQueen ("Hunger" '08, "Shame" '11). Where did this guy come from? He has notoriety, but considering his minimal experience, the quality was as if a veteran director helmed this. McQueen will go far. It was written by John Ridley based on "Twelve Years a Slave" by Solomon Northrup. He wrote this in 1853. How he was even able to survive this ordeal was a miracle in and of itself, because this story was sobering and humbling. Another 'star' in this was the cinematographer, Sean Bobbitt, bsc.("Lawless Heart" '01, "Summer Things" '02, "Cargo" '06, "The Baker" '07, "Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution" '07, "Hunger" '08, "Africa United" '10, "Shame" '11, "Hysteria" '11, "Everyday" '12, "The Place Beyond the Pines" '12, "Byzantium" '12 and the upcoming "Oldboy" '13). The crispness of the lights and darks presented here really captured the intensity of a given scene. This film has Oscar nods written all over it.
This is a difficult film to watch, because it reminds us, in graphic detail, the horrors of that particular part of our past. What is conveyed here gives a whole new meaning of the phrase, "land of the free and the home of the brave", but one that is sorely needed to be seen time and again to remind us that ALL is free, not just a select few.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated:R 134mins.
Of all the actors in Hollywood today that are striving to reinvent themselves, that particular actor has got to be Matthew McConaughey. The king of the romantic comedy/fluff genre must have come to some sort of crossroads and realized his full potential. Earlier this year, he starred in the gritty, loner role "Mud". Now, he's in the role a lifetime in an amazing film titled "Dallas Buyers Club".
In mid 1980s Texas, electrician Ron Woodroof (McConaughey) is stunned to learn that he has AIDS. Though told that he has just approximately 30 days left to live by doctors, Sevard (Denis O'Hare) and Eve Saks (Jennifer Garner), Woodroof refuses to give in to despair. After realizing the slowness of 'the system' to provide proper medication, he seeks out alternative therapies/medications and smuggles unapproved drugs into the U.S. from Mexico. Woodroof relunctantly joins forces with a fellow AIDS patient, Rayon (Jared Leto) and begins selling, not the treatments, but memberships in the Dallas Buyers Club and subsequently gives the treatments to the clients. The number of members of those stricken with this hideous disease only grows, because they don't have the luxury of waiting for the medical establishments to save them thanks to entities such as the FDA and pharmaceutical companies.
Others to round out the cast are Steve Zahn as Tucker, a buddy of Ron's, Dallas Roberts as David Wayne, Griffin Dunne as Dr. Vass, Michael O'Neill as Richard Barkley, from the FDA, Rick Espaillat as Michael, Kevin Rankin as T.J., J.D. Evermore as Clint, A.J. Leitell as Corn Street Vendor (Mexico), Carl Palmer as FDA Customs Agent, Ian Casselberry as Hispanic Orderly, Bradford Cox as Sunny, Tony Bentley as Judge, and James DuMont as Rayon's Father.
This was brilliantly directed with grit, intensity and pathos by Jean-Marc Vallee ("Liste noire" '95, "Los Locos" '97, "Loser Love" '99, "C.R.A.Z.Y." '05, "The Young Victoria" '09, "Cafe de Flore" '11). Everyone, especially McConaughey, was paced strategically and the emotion Vallee was able to emit from these actors was perfection. This was equally expertly written by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack. What makes this a truly effective film is that it is based on a true story which has an incredible message--a true 'David and Golliath' story about the underdog, which everyone loves. What does a person have to do to get others to do the right thing? This has Oscar nods written all over it--McConaughey and Jared Leto in particular.
This is a film that is screaming for attention, and with justifiable reasons. This will certainly keep you riveted to your seat, while keeping you spellbound by the quality of acting all rolled into one.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: R 117mins.
Well, as we gear up for the holiday movie season, we have the first animated film in the offing. As we're approaching Thanksgiving all too soon, what a better animated flick to present than that of "Free Birds". Not to worry--there is also "Frozen" and "Walking with Dinosaurs" in 3D in December to help entertain us through the rest of the year.
In this irreverent, pretty funny, adventurous buddy comedy for most ages, two turkeys, Reggie and Jake (Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson) from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to 1621 to change the course of history--and get turkey off the holiday menu for good.
After a government experiment of developing a time machine goes awry, Reggie and Jake decide, at the last moment, to board the time machine and instruct S.T.E.V.E. (George Takei), the machine on-board computer, to take them to the first Thanksgiving. Once they reach their destination, they meet Ranger (Jimmy Hayward) and his sister, Jenny (Amy Poehler)--two turkeys of 1621, and try to convey to them the urgency of their visit. Can they convince the turkeys of that time period in order to save all turkeys in history?
Others to round out the cast are Colm Meaney as Myles Standish, Keith David as Chief Broadbeak, leader of the turkeys, Dan Folger as Governor Bradford, Jimmy Hayward as Leatherbeak/President/Hazmats, Kaitlyn Maher as President's Daughter, Carlos Alaraqui as Amos, Jeff Biancalana as General Sagan/Hazmats, Danny Carey as Danny, Carlos Ponce as Narrator/Alejandro, Robert Beltran as Chief Massasoit, and Lesley Nicol as Pilgrim Woman.
Considering his small amount of directing experience, this was helmed very effectively by Jimmy Hayward ("Horton Hears a Who!" '08, "Jonah Hex" '10). He has a good deal of experience in the animation field, so it's not tough to believe that this guy couldn't pull this off. Unfortunately, the culprit here is the writing by Hayward and Scott Mosier, which is based on a story by David I. Stern and John J. Strauss. On the most part, the script is written for kids and adults alike, then, all of a sudden, it starts sounding hokey and corny and veering from a script that most adults would have trouble with. Hey, I get it--this is a kid film, but since it started with writing geared toward all, why would it resort to sounding like a kid would only appreciate it? But, where the script may slip, the animation by Reel FX made up for any other discrepancies in plot and script.
This is clearly a kid/family film which clearly we need more of. It's just too bad that the film couldn't have made that more clear as we are viewing it.
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG 91mins.
Comedies, veteran cast--comedies, veteran cast. Now, why did I go see "Last Vegas"? Possibly a little of both, seeing as how much I like comedies, and the cast in this is killer. But nothing could have prepped me for what I eventually viewed. This was clearly a solid cast vs. questionable writing once again.
Sixty-something Billy (Michael Douglas), Paddy (Robert De Niro), Archie (Morgan Freeman) and Sam (Kevin Kline) have been best friends since childhood. So when Billy, the group's sworn bachelor finally proposes to his thirty-something (of course) girlfriend, Lisa (Bre Blair), the four head to Las Vegas with a plan to stop acting their age and relive their glory days, especially after meeting an affable lounge singer, Diana (Mary Steenburgen). However, upon arriving, the four quickly realize that the decades have transformed Sin City and tested their friendship in ways they never imagined. The Rat Pack may have once played the Sands and Cirque du Soleil may now rule the Strip, but it's these four who are taking over Vegas.
Others to round out the cast are Jerry Ferrara as Dean, Romany Malco as Lonnie, Roger Bart as Maurice, Joanna Gleason as Miriam, Sam's wife, Michael Ealy as Ezra, Archie's son, April Billingsley as Maid of Honor, Stephen Scott Scarpulla as Danny the Greaser, Andrea Moore as Bachelorette, Noah Harden as Young Billy, RJ Fattori as Young Paddy, Aaron Bantum as Young Archie, Phillip Wampler as Young Sam, Olivia Stuck as Young Sophie, and Lisa Young as Blackjack Dealer.
This was adequately directed by Jon Turteltaub ("Instinct" '99, "The Kid" 2000, "More, Patience" (TV movie) '01, "National Treasure" '04, "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" '07, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" '10). These guys are consummate pros and one can just tell that Turteltaub let these guys take this material and go with it. Directing them had to be pure joy. Where this film gets a bit bogged down is with the writer, Dan Fogelman ("The 12th Man" (TV movie) '06, "Cars" '06, "Fred Claus" '07, "Lipshitz Saves the World" '07, "Bolt" '08, "Tangled" '10, "Cars 2" (Original story) '11, "Crazy,Stupid,Love" '11, "The Guilt Trip" '12). Believe me, it started out with wit, great banter, and and an interesting build-up, then about two-thirds the way through, it got silly, and adolescent in its content. Then as it was starting to come toward the ending, it picked up again, but unfortunately not enough time to fully save this story. One would think that with this iconic cast, anyone could have written this and it would have been great, but not even these seasoned pros could save this. It isn't a total wash--there were some very funny parts in this, but it would certainly be refreshing to see Hollywood produce a comedy that has a fun, intelligent wit that is lacking in so many of their screenplays.
If you like a great cast of guys just having the time of their life and are not really concerned about a polished script, then this is one film that will have you rollicking along with them.
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated:PG-13 105mins.
As we get older, the cast of films seem to be getting younger. Ah, as it is with life. However, in "Ender's Game", youth does play an integral part of the plot. But I can't help but think that since a huge part of the movie watching audience is the 18-34 year old demographic, films like "After Earth", "Pacific Rim", the "Hunger Games" franchise, the "Twilight Saga" franchise, and the like become more popular than ever.
The Earth is ravaged by the Formics, an alien race seemingly determined to destroy humanity. Seventy years later, the people of Earth remain banded together to prevent their own annihilation from this technologically superior alien species.
Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a quiet but brilliant boy, may become a hope of the human race. He is separated from his beloved sister, Valentine (Abigail Breslin) and terrifying brother, Peter (Jimmy 'Jax' Pinchak) and recruited into battle school which is in orbit around Earth. Through instruction by Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford), Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley) and Sergeant Dap (Nonso Anozie), he will be tested and honed into an empathetic killer who begins to question and subsequently despise what he does as he learns to fight in hopes of saving Earth and his family.
Others to round out the cast are Hailee Steinfeld as Petra Arkanian, a classmate who shows him the ropes, Viola Davis as Major Gwen Anderson, Aramis Knight as Bean, Suraj Parthasarathy as Alai, Moises Arias as Bonzo Madrid, Khylin Rhambo as Dink Meeker, Conor Carroll as Bernard, Caleb Thaggard as Stilson, Cameron Gaskins as Slattery, and Gavin Hood as the Giant.
This was directed with an even balance of military strictness and human emotion by Gavin Hood ("A Reasonable Man" '99, "In Desert and Wilderness" '01, "Tsotsi" '05, "Rendition" '07, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" '09, "Tough Trade (TV movie) '10). This being a film about saving humanity, the combination of the two elements: strictness and emotion certainly spans the condition of what humanity is comprised of. This was written by Hood based on the book "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card, and other than a few inconsistencies in script, this was played out better than I ever dreamed of. This isn't a great film, but certainly a solid one--enough to keep me glued to the screen. Certainly the visual effects, predominantly created by Digital Domain didn't hurt this production, because they were effective without over shadowing the story which happens all too often in this particular genre.
Certainly if you plan on seeing this, I would opt to see it on the large screen, lest it will be lost on a DVD, for the visual ride is worth the price of admission alone.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 114mins.
We have all seen obscure films that may or may not have a message behind them, however obscure nonetheless. Obscure? Com'on, let me scratch your brain: "Eraserhead" '77, "The Cell" 2000, "The Tree of Life" '11, last year's "A Cabin in the Woods", even "2001: A Space Odyssey" '68. So, when I viewed "Oldboy", my thought was that I could put this film on that ever growing list.
