Much in the same vein as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" 2000 and "Hero" '02, we have the lavishly produced "47 Ronin". Like the others, this is a beautifully wrapped good vs evil storyline that with the incredible production values, keeps one riveted to their seat for the 2 hour running time.
After the treacherous and ruthless warlord, Kira (Tadanobu Asano) kills their master, Lord Asano (Min Tanaka) and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and restore honor to their people. Driven from their homes and dispersed across the land, this band of Ronin must reluctantly seek the help of Kai (Keanu Reeves)--a half-breed they once rejected for being different--as they fight their way across a savage world of mythic beasts, shape-shifting witchcraft, especially one witch (Rinko Kikuchi), and wondrous terrors. As this exiled, enslaved outcast becomes their most deadly weapon, Kai will transform into the hero who inspires this band of outnumbered rebels to seize eternity.
Others to round out the cast are Ko Shibasaki as Mika, daughter of Lord Asano, Masayoshi Haneda as Yasuno, Takato Yonemoto as Basho, Hiroshi Sogabe as Hazama, Jin Akanishi as Chikara, Hiroshi Yamada as Hara, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Shogun Tsunayoshi, and Shu Nakajima as Horibe.
Given the quality of this, it's difficult to comprehend that this is director Carl Rinsch's first feature film in the director's chair. Some of the scenes were a bit stagy, but like I said, considering, the pacing, the continuity was amazing. It was written by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini based on a screen story by Morgan and Walter Hamada. Again, as aforementioned, the storyline is your basic good vs evil with amazing visuals, costumes and photography. Speaking of photography, one of the stars here is certainly John Mathieson, bsc ("Bye-Bye" '95, "Twin Town" '97, "Gladiator" 2000, "Hannibal" '01, "K-PAX" '01, "Matchstick Men" '03, "Trauma" '04, "The Phantom of the Opera" '04, "August Rush" '07, "Cracks" '09, "Robin Hood" '10, "X-Men: First Class" '11, "Great Expectations" '12). His sweeping photography is rich with color and just the right application of lights and darks which adds hugely to the feel of this film.
Even though the writing isn't as crisp and cohesive as it could have been, this production turns out to one of the best forms of pure escapism which is much needed in this world today.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 119mins.
The films of Scorsese are typically fraught with an over the top approach of getting our attention and keeping it throughout the film's entire running time. If anyone watches films often, you will know this, but his newest "The Wolf of Wall Street", took that concept up many notches in order to grasp our attention and then some.
Believe it or not this IS a true story. In 1987, stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) takes an entry-level position at a Wall Street firm headed up by Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey) who shows Belfort the ropes of Wall Street early on. By the early 1990s, while still in his 20's, Belfort founds his own firm, Stratton Oakmont. Together with his trusted lieutenant, Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill) and an oddball, merry band of brokers, Belfort makes a huge fortune by defrauding wealthy investors out of millions. However, while Belfort and his cronies partake in a hedonistic brew of sex, drugs and thrills whether in or out of the office, the SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) and the FBI headed up by Agent Patrick Denham (Kyle Chandler) close in on his empire of excess in order to thwart his wrongdoings.
Others to round out the cast are Margot Robbie as Naomi Lapaglia, Belfort's wife, Rob Reiner as Max Belfort, Jordan's dad, Jon Bernthal as Brad, Jon Favreau as Manny Riskin, Jean Dujardin as Jean Jacques Saurel, Joanna Lumley as Aunt Emma, Cristin Milioti as Teresa Petrillo, Jordan's ex-wife, Christine Ebersole as Leah Belfort, Jordan's mom, Shea Whigham as Capt. Ted Beecham, P.J. Byrne as Nicky 'Rugrat' Koskoff, Kenneth Choi as Chester Ming, Brian Sacca as Robbie 'Pinhead' Feinberg, Henry Zebrowski as Alden 'Sea Otter' Kupferberg, Ethan Suplee, as Toby Welch, Barry Rothbart as Peter DeBlasio, Jake Hoffman as Steve Madden, Katarina Cas as Chantelle, Mackenzie Meehan as Hildy Azoff, Donnie's wife, and Jon Spinogatti as Nicholas the Butler.
This was brilliantly directed by film legend Martin Scorsese ("Mean Streets" 73, "Taxi Driver" '76, "Raging Bull" '80, "The King of Comedy", '82, "The Color of Money" '86, "Goodfellas" '90, "The Age of Innocence" '93, "Casino" '95, "Gangs of New York" '02, "The Aviator" '04, "The Departed" '06, "Shutter Island" '10, "Hugo" '11) and many others. His pacing and ability to get his actors to emit the right emotion at the most strategic moment is unsurpassed. It was written by Terence Winter based on Jordan Belfort's book. This where the problem was with this. This was way too long of a running time (3 hours) to justify the plot of this story. As I said early on, why this guy had to go on and on and on about how slimy, crooked and manipulative this guys were was so unnecessary. I mean, I got it in spades! It was like beating a dead horse--keep beating the horse and it's still dead, not more dead. And the gratuitousness was way too much, even by Scorsese's standards. Again, I got it. Unfortunately, the meatiest of the roles in this was not in this but for a very short time. This was by McConaughey as Hanna. What a performance! Kudos!
If you're a Scorsese fan, you'll love this, and if you're not, you can appreciate how well the film was made, and it was, however, this is rated R for a reason. This is definitely not one for the kids, because many adults will be squirming in their seats as this running time goes on and on.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 180mins.
There are many storytellers out there whether they be alive or not. So when they pass away, what better tribute on their behalf can we do than to allow them to entertain us via a film based on their creative work. Earlier we saw Disney's "Frozen" based on the Hans Christian Andersen classic story, "Snow Queen", and now we have another film based on the classic story by James Thurber called "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty".
Ben Stiller stars as Walter Mitty in the Thurber classic story of a day-dreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job at Life Magazine along with that of co-worker Cheryl Melhoff (Kristen Wiig) are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.
As Life Magazine comes to a close, they decide to choose a particular negative taken by famed photographer Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn) for its cover, but inexplicably, that particular negative comes up missing from the submitted roll of film. So after Mitty and co-worker Hernando (Adrian Martinez) comb their lab, so as the boss Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott) not finding out it's lost, Mitty decides to crack the case and purse the whereabouts of O'Connell.
Others to round out the cast are Shirley MacLaine as Edna Mitty, Walter's mom, Kathryn Hahn as Odessa Mitty, Walter's sister, Jonathan C. Daly as Tim Naughton, co-worker of Walter's, Marcus Antturi as Rich Melhoff, Cheryl's son, Patton Oswalt as Todd Maher, Olafur Darri Olafsson as Helicopter Pilot, Ari Matthiasson as Trawler 1st Mate, and Kai Lennox as Phil Melhoff, Cheryl's ex-husband.
This was dryly directed by Ben Stiller ("Reality Bites" '94, "The Cable Guy" '96, "Zoolander" '01, "Tropic Thunder" '08, "The Station" (TV movie) '09). Even though Stiller is truly adept at over-the-top film fare, he himself realizes that Thurber's story is a story about a sad-sack sort of person which exudes a more subtle feel than that of physical comedy. The screenplay and screen story by Steven Conrad ("Wrestling Ernest Hemingway" '93, "Lawrence Melm" '04, "The Weather Man" '05, "The Pursuit of Happyness" '06, "The Promotion" '08, "Connie Banks the Actor" (TV movie) '11), also keeps that subtleness that Thurber continually brings to each and every one of his stories. This was a great homage to a great storyteller which was one of our best American humorists of the 20th century. I was concerned that Stiller couldn't pull off the same role that Danny Kaye did back in 1947, but after seeing a small quirky dry comedy called "Greenberg", I felt that Stiller would succeed, and I was correct.
We all go to that place in our minds that Mitty goes to, but the problem we have with that concept is that Mitty has much more fun with it, and I believe that is the success of this story about a man that can find adventure, action and romance merely by turning on his imagination. And isn't this where we all would like to be?
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG 114mins.
Biopic films are usually a mixed bag of emotions that can run from a slow crawl to a gallop going back a forth like a tennis match, so when I went to see "Saving Mr. Banks", this film was certainly no exception. Don't believe the trailer, because this film can get a bit dark in places which actually gives it more richness than an otherwise fluffy two-dimensional piece the trailer would have you believe.
When Walt Disney's daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers' "Mary Poppins", he made them a promise--one that he didn't realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt (Tom Hanks) comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer, Travers (Emma Thompson) who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney's plans for the adaptation. For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers--Richard and Robert (Jason Schwartzman and B.J. Novak), Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author won't budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp. It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.
Others to round out the cast are Annie Rose Buckley as Ginty, Colin Farrell as Travers Goff, Ruth Wilson as Margaret Goff, Paul Giamatti as Ralph, Bradley Whitford as Don DaGradi, screenwriter of "Mary Poppins", Lily Bigham as Biddy, Kathy Baker as Tommie, assistant of Disney, Melanie Paxson as Dolly, Andy McPhee as Mr. Belhatchett, Rachel Griffiths as Aunt Ellie, and Ronan Vibert as Diarmuid Russell.
This was directed by John Lee Hancock ("Hard Time Romance" '91, "The Rookie" '02, "The Alamo" '04, "The Blind Side" '09). This guy's ability to get his actors to emit emotions that run the gambit without them appearing unbalanced was simply amazing. And with his eclectic resume, he will not be allowed to be pigeon-holed. It was equally well written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith. The way these writers were able to present this story going from the past to the present and back again to show correlation with past and present was incredibly well structured. This is a very difficult thing for a writer to lay out and not lose cohesiveness, but these two were able to pull it off with finesse and style. There were a couple of very small choppy areas, but not even enough to miss any continuity in storyline.
This was a moving, yet entertaining film with expertise acting we've all come to expect from Hanks, Thompson, Giamatti and Farrell, and all were outstanding. This is definitely a worthy film to view at this time of year or at any time.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 125mins.
We've all seen con films before, but how many films have we seen where it's a con conning a con who's conning a con? Not too many, especially ones whereas the script, direction and acting were as superb as we see in "American Hustle".
A fictional film set in 1978 about the alluring world of the most stunning of scandals or stings to rock our nation, this tells the story of a brilliant con man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale), who along with his equally cunning and seductive 'British' partner Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) is forced to work for a wild FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). DiMaso pushes them into a world of Jersey Pawnbrokers and the mafia that's as dangerous as it is enchanting. Jeremy Renner is Mayor Carmine Polito, the passionate, volatile, New Jersey political operator caught between the con-artists and the Feds. Irving's unstable, unpredictable wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) could be the one to pull the thread that brings the entire world crashing down, just by her cluelessness and screwed up demeanor.
Others to round out the cast are Louis C.K. as Stoddard Thorsen, DiMaso's boss, Jack Huston as Pete Musane, Michael Pena as Paco Hernandez/Sheik Abdullah, Shea Whigham as Carl Elway, an associate of Polito's, Alessandro Nivola as Anthony Amado, Elisabeth Rohm as Dolly Polito, Carmine's wife, Paul Herman as Alfonse Simone, and Said Taghmaoui as Irv's Sheik Plant.
This was superbly directed by David O. Russell ("Flirting With Disaster" '96, "Three Kings" '99, "I Heart Huckabees" '04, "The Fighter" '10, and "Silver Linings Playbook" '12). Both "The Fighter" and "Silver Linings Playbook" were winners, quality wise and Academy Award wise, and after seeing this, I see the same pattern. This guy only gets better with each film he touches. Equally, writers Eric Warren Singer and Russell ("Fighter" and "Playbook"), wrote an absolutely winning screenplay worthy at Oscar time. Films with this con-artist theme, as said prior are favorites, and the last time I saw one this good was '73's "The Sting" with Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Interestingly, "Sting" was also an Academy Award winner, and if history repeats itself, 40 years later, the Oscar gold could very well happen again.
This film just keeps you riveted more and more as the film progresses, and if you think you've seen the sting in this, just wait, because as the old adage goes, "you ain't seen nothin' yet". The selling slogan really says it all, "Everybody hustles to survive".
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: R 138mins.
Adventure and fantasy. By Peter Jackson's very resume, he is really into this particular genre BIG time. I say this because so few filmmakers can really pull this off well in Hollywood today. So when one does come along, we want to jump on that 'wagon' and enjoy the ride. He repeats his fantastical storytelling with "The Hobbit"'s next installment properly titled, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug".
After successfully crossing over (and under) the Misty Mountains, Thorin (Richard Armitage) and his band of dwarves must seek aid from a powerful stranger before taking on the dangers of Mirkwood Forest-- without their wizard, Gandalf (Ian McKellen). If they reach the human settlement of Lake-town it will be time for the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) to fulfill his contract with the dwarves. The party must complete the journey to Lonely Mountain and burglar Baggins must seek out the Secret Door that will give them access to the hoard of the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch). And where has Gandalf got off to? And what is his secret business to the south?
Others to round out the cast are Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel, Lee Pace as Tranduil, Luke Evans as Bard/Girion, Orlando Bloom as Legolas, Stephen Fry as Master of Lake-town, John Bell as Bain, Ken Stott as Balin, Graham McTavish as Dwalin, William Kircher as Bifur, James Nesbitt as Bofur, Stephen Hunter as Bombur, Dean O'Gorman as Fili, Aidan Turner as Kili, John Callen as Oin, Peter Hambleton as Gloin, Jed Brophy as Nori, Mark Hadlow as Dori and Adam Brown as Ori.
This was directed with the expertise we've all come to know and expect from Peter Jackson (" Braindead" '92, "Heavenly Creatures" '94, "The Frighteners" '96, "The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy '01-'03, "King Kong" '05, "The Lovely Bones" '09, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" '12). His ability to pace his actors in a film, especially with the magnitude of this production, is amazing and does keep the audiences attention. This was written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Jackson, and Guillermo del Toro which is based on the novel, "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien. Considering the 161 minute running time, one can realize that it's credible to believe that a project would or could take this many writers to pull it off, however I wonder how much tighter the script could have been with half the writers? This was a little long-in-the-tooth which can cause a script to be less tight, so if about 15 minutes could have been eliminated, I believe it would have moved a bit quicker on so many levels. Of course, one of the real 'stars' here is Weta Digital, Ltd. who created the visual effects and animation ("The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy). They were seamless as usual, and will undoubtedly receive a nod come Oscar time.
For those who are into adventure and pure fantasy, this is the film for you, especially considering it's presented on a huge screen and 3D. Of course, there are a ton of Tolkien fans out there eager to see films based on his work, and Hollywood knowing this, these films will be made forever.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 161mins.
Even though Tyler Perry's brand of humor is similar from film to film, he is a consummate pro when it comes to effortlessly extracting big laughs from his audience. One can look at his Madea films and see a pattern, but still I find my self in stitches every single time. This is one of the trademarks of a honed comedy writing, which is a far stretch from most comedy writers out there today.
Madea (Tyler Perry) gets coaxed into helping a friend, Eileen (Anna Maria Horsford) pay her daughter, Lacey (Tika Sumpter) a surprise visit in the country for Christmas, but the biggest surprise is what they'll find when they arrive. As the small, rural town prepares for its annual Christmas Jubilee, new secrets are revealed and old relationships are tested while Madea dishes her own brand of 'Christmas Spirit' to all who, God forbid, end up in her path. Tempers fly, good times roll, rumors and secrets come out of the woodwork, but Madea is there to help pick up the pieces much to her chagrin.
Others to round out the cast are Kathy Najimy as Kim, Chad Michael Murray as Tanner, Eric Lively as Conner, Larry the Cable Guy as Buddy, JR Lemon as Oliver, Alicia Witt as Amber, Noah Urrea as Bailey, Lisa Whelchel as Nancy Porter, Whitney Christopher as Supervisor, and Steve Boles, as Mayor.
This was written and directed with the kind of expertise we've come to expect from the likes of Tyler Perry (" Dairy of a Mad Black Woman" '02, "Madea's Family Reunion" '06, "Daddy's Little Girls" '07, "Why Did I Get Married?" '07, "Meet the Browns" '08, "The Family That Preys" '08, "Madea Goes to Jail" '09, "I Can Do Bad All by Myself" '09, "Why Did I Get Married Too?" '10, "For Colored Girls" '10, "Madea's Big Happy Family" '11, "Good Deeds" '12, "Madea's Witness Protection" '12, "Madea Gets a Job" '13). The difference between Perry's comedies and someone like the Adam Sandler comedies is that Perry is a much better writer. One doesn't feel forced or coerced into laughing watching Perry's films, even though the two, Perry and Sandler while producing similar comedies, this is the huge difference. Like I've stated in past reviews, I believe the popularity with Madea with a good deal of people is that Madea says and does things that a lot of people wish they could say or do, but don't have the guts to. With this as a premise, Perry can teach us a lesson in ways that are not preachy, however they are extremely funny.
While this film is not perfect--I've seen a bit better from Perry with this character, it is still a hoot to just sit back and laugh and learn something new all the while being entertained all in an hour and forty minute running time.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 100mins.
Hollywood has made action movies about as long as any genre out there--even before all the wizardry of the visual effects companies. The genre is as old as sliced bread itself. Along with the genre, we have seen a plethora of action stars that have come out of obscurity: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Channing Tatum, even Harrison Ford in his earlier years. Another one that has been on that list, but is an action star gaining more notoriety is Jason Statham. His next film, "Homefront" shows what he does best, which is predictable, but effective.
Phil Broker (Statham) is a former DEA agent who has gone through a crisis after his action against a biker gang went horribly awry and cost the life of his boss' son, Jojo Turrie (Linds Edwards). He is recently widowed and is left with a 9-year-old daughter, Maddy (Izabela Vidovic). He decides to quit the turbulent and demanding life of adrenaline for Maddy's sake and retires to a small town. As his daughter fights off a boy, Terry Klum (Austin Craig) who was bullying her at school, this then sets in motion a round of events that end in his direct confrontation with the local Meth drug lord, Morgan 'Gator' Bodine (James Franco). His past history with the biker gang, lead up now by Cyrus Hanks (Frank Grillo) also enters the arena, making matters more complex. But Broker has a mission in his mind to protect his daughter and he is ready to pay any cost that it demands.
Others to round out the cast are Kate Bosworth as Cassie Bodine Klum, Gator's sister, Marcus Hester as Jimmy Klum, Gator's brother-in-law, Clancy Brown as Sheriff Keith Rodrigue, Winona Ryder as Sheryl Marie Mott, girlfriend of Gator's, Omar Benson Miller as Teedo, Rachelle Lefevre as Susan Hetch, Chuck Zito as 'Danny T' Turrie, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Werks, and Owen Harn as Clay.
This is directed by Gary Fleder ("Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead" '95, "Kiss the Girls" '97, "Falcone" (TV movie) 2000, "Don't Say a Word" '01, "Impostor" '01, R.U.S./H." (TV movie) '02, "Runaway Jury" '03, "The Express" '08, "Identity" '10), and looking at his resume, he definitely likes to stay in his comfort zone. Certainly this is a safe move, but sometimes it pays to venture out a bit, lest we become stale in what we do. It was written by the action king himself, Sylvester Stallone ("Rocky" '76, "Rocky II" '79, "Rocky III" '82, "First Blood" '82, "Rocky IV" '85, "Rambo III" '88, "Rocky V" '90, "Cliffhanger" '93, "Driven" '01, "Rocky Balboa" (Characters) '06, "Rambo" '08, "The Expendables" '10, "The Expendables 2" '12). Stallone has certainly been around the block for decades writing screenplays, and even though none have been of Academy Award caliber, over the years he knows how to breathe life into an otherwise stale script like so many action films are today. I guess practice makes perfect. And this film is certainly better with Stallone's 'stamp' on it. It isn't a great film, but one that excels considering what's out there in the same genre. This is based on the novel by Chuck Logan.
Most guys between the age of 18-35 will love this if for no other reason than that of the 'good vs. evil' premise which dates back to year one, but with the perennial favorite of this genre-- Stallone, how could they go wrong?
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: R 100mins.
Intense, violent dramas is a genre Hollywood has made a plethora of. Look at their resume and you'll see "The Godfather", "The Deer Hunter", "Goodfellas", "Raging Bull", "The Departed", even earlier this year's "Ain't Them Bodies Saints". This just scraping the surface of what Hollywood has produced, we have yet another gripping violent drama in the form of "Out of the Furnace".
Russell Baze (Christian Bale) and his younger brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) live in the economically-depressed Rust Belt, and have always dreamed of escaping and finding better lives. But when a cruel twist of fate lands Russell in prison, his brother is lured into one of the most violent and ruthless crime rings in the Northeast-- a mistake that will cost him everything. Once released, Russell must choose between his own freedom or risk it all to seek justice for his brother who mysteriously disappears by the hands of a psychotic back woodsman, Harlan DeGroat (Woody Harrelson) who's deeply involved in the violent and crime-ridden fist fighting underground.
When law enforcement namely Chief Wesley Barnes (Forest Whitaker) fails to follow through in investigating Rodney's disappearance, in Russell's way of thinking, he feels he has to take matters in his own hands to find justice.
Others to round out the cast are Willem Dafoe as John Petty, Zoe Saldana as Lena Taylor, Sam Shepard as Gerald 'Red' Baze, Russell and Rodney's Uncle, Tom Bower as Dan Dugan, Bingo O'Malley as Rodney Baze Sr., Dendrie Taylor as DeGroat's Date, Charles David Richards as Chaplain, Carl Ciarfallo as Man at Drive In, Angela Kauffman as Woman at Bar, and Nancy Mosser as Woman at Drive In.
There have been several newer directors that have come along that have been called 'naturals', and I believe the director of this, Scott Cooper ("Crazy Heart" '09) has fallen onto that list. The emotion he was able to pull out of these characters was nothing less than perfection. With the exception of a couple of confusing non-cohesive places in script, this was equally well written by Brad Ingelsby and Cooper. The slight imperfection certainly wasn't enough to take away from the storyline, and with that, it'll keep you glued to your seat.
If you've enjoyed watching the aforementioned films, you will certainly be riveted to this dramatic yarn, but even not, the incredible acting, especially by Bale, Harrelson and Affleck will keep you glued at the same time asking for more.
Lastly, I would like to dedicate this review to the life and film legacy of actor Paul Walker. His unfortunate untimely death was a shock to his family, work associates, and fans alike. Being cut in his prime at the age of 40 years was not only tragic for his family, but for all of as well. He will be sorely missed for entertaining us on the big screen and for his charitable attributes. So long Paul.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 116mins.
While a good many films about World War II are typically based on a true story, i.e. a battle, a general, a situation, etc., "The Book Thief" is a fictional story, however the way it is played out, one might think it was based on a true story considering the acting, writing and directing we are witness to in this tearful, but hopeful drama.
Based on the beloved book of the same name, this tells the story of a spirited and courageous young girl, Liesel (Sophie Nelisse) who transforms the lives of everyone around her when she is sent to live with a foster family, Hans and Rosa (Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson) in World War II Germany. As Liesel is subjected to the horrors of war, she ultimately finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others in her neighborhood.
Years ago a Jewish family helped Hans and Rosa when they needed it most, and Hans told them that if they ever needed help in return, he would definitely promise to help them. Now the son of that Jewish family, Max (Ben Schnetzer) has to flee, but needs a place to stay. Hans and Rosa take him in and ends up having to hide him in their basement. After a point, Max and Liesel become fast friends especially while Max is recuperating from being ill.
While all this mayhem, war, death and destruction is occurring, Death (Roger Allam) narrates all the consequences that humans put themselves through, so he is there to reap the reward of their unwise actions.
Others to round out the cast are Nico Liersch as Rudy, friend of Liesel's, Rainer Bock as Buergmeister Hermann, Barbara Auer as Ilsa Hermann, Levin Liam as Franz Deutscher, Hildegard Schroedter as Frau Becker, Sandra Nedeleff as Sarah, Matthias Matschke as Wolfgang, Oliver Stokowski as Alex Steiner, Kirsten Block as Frau Heinrich, and Carina Wiese as Barbara Steiner.
The direction by Brian Percival ("Pleasureland" (TV movie) '03, "The Old Curiosity Shop" ("TV movie) '07, "Gracie!" (TV movie) '09, "A Boy Called Dad" '09) is helmed with the right balance of heart and intensity which blends perfectly. Considering this guy doesn't have a ton of theatrical film experience, I personally am eager at what this guy will do next. Its tightly written script was penned by Michael Petroni which is based on the novel by Markus Zusak. Another 'star' of this is that of cinematographer Florian Ballhaus, asc ("Flightplan" '05, "The Devil Wears Prada" '06, "Definitely, Maybe" '08, "RED" '10, "Hope Springs" '12), and a ton of others. The crispness of his photography exudes that grim, dark and solemn side of a war torn and oppressed WWII Germany. I smell several nods come Oscar time.
As mentioned prior, even though this wasn't based on a true story, if you're into historical events, you'll like this, because the way it is presented, looks as though an actual event could've occurred.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 127mins.
What would the Christmas season be without at least one animated film? The warm, fuzzy, fun feel of an animated flick just puts one in the spirit, and subsequently ends up putting a smile on one's face. Not only is "Frozen" an animated feature, it's one which has snow and ice, which is connected to the holiday itself.
Anna (Kristen Bell), a fearless optimist, sets off on an epic journey to find her sister, Elsa (Idina Menzel) who has fearfully run away. Along Anna's journey, she comes across a rugged mountain man Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven, and subsequently convinces him into helping her find her sister. Elsa's icy powers have trapped the Kingdom of Arendelle in an eternal winter creating Everest-like conditions.
In their travels, they come across mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman Olaf (Josh Gad) as Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom. If Elsa doesn't stay away, she fears she will not be able to control her powers of creating ice and snow. It's a beautiful ability, but also extremely dangerous. Haunted by the moment her magic nearly killed her younger sister Anna, Elsa has isolated herself, spending every waking minute trying to suppress her growing powers. Her mounting emotions trigger the magic, accidentally setting off an eternal winter that she can't stop. She fears she's becoming a monster and that no one, not even her sister, can help her.
Others to round out the cast are Santino Fontana as Hans, Alan Tudyk as Duke, Ciaran Hinds as Pabbie/Grandpa, Chris Williams as Oaken, Stephen J. Anderson as Kai, Maia Wilson as Bulda, Edie McClurg as Gerda, Robert Pine as Bishop, Maurice LaMarche as King, father of Anna and Elsa, Livvy Stubenrauch as Young Anna, Eva Bella as Young Elsa, and Spencer Ganus as Teen Elsa.
This was adequately directed with just the right amount of emotion one would expect from Disney by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. They give us all the gasps, action, and sweetness in the appropriate places that makes this production like the well oiled machine that Disney knows so well and gives us in spades. This was written well by Lee, based on a story by Buck, Lee and Shane Morris, which was inspired by "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen. Since the writing was based on an Andersen story, it couldn't have been written too badly considering the awesomeness of Andersen's children's stories. He was an amazing storyteller.
Other than this being fairly predictable, and the directing being a bit stagy, this was a great story, and Disney Animation Studios' animation was amazing, not to mention families will love this and is all rolled into a 3D process. Have fun folks.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG 108mins.
Why is it that independent films tend to be produced with much more polish and artistic quality then that of their commercial counterparts? Go on, create your own list: independent and commercial and if you are extremely honest, the independent films will more than 'outweigh' in the quality realm. Well there is yet another quality film to add to that ever growing list of quality independent films which is in the form of "Philomena".
Based on the 2009 investigative book by BBC correspondent Martin Sixsmith, "The Lost Child of Philomena Lee", this story focuses on the exhaustive efforts of Philomena Lee (Judi Dench), mother to a boy conceived out of wedlock back in the early '50s--something her Irish Catholic community didn't have the highest regard for--and was given away, by the convent she resided in, for adoption to a family in the United States. In following church protocol, she was forced to sign a contract that wouldn't allow for any inquiry into the son's whereabouts. After starting a family years later in England and, for the most part, moving on with her life, Lee meets Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan), a BBC investigative reporter with whom she decides to discover the actual whereabouts of her long lost son.
Others to round out the cast are Sophie Kennedy Clark as Young Philomena, Mare Winningham as Mary, Barbara Jefford as Sister Hildegard, Ruth McCabe as Mother Barbara, Peter Hermann as Pete Olsson, Sean Mahon as Michael, Anna Maxwell Martin as Jane, Michelle Fairley as Sally Mitchell, Kate Fleetwood as Young Sister Hildegard, Amy McAllister as Sister Anunciata, Wunmi Mosaku as Young Nun, Cathy Belton as Sister Claire, and Charlie Murphy as Kathleen.
This was incredibly well directed with sensitivity, however with the right amount of directness by veteran Stephen Frears ("Gumshoe" '71, "Last Summer" (TV movie) '77, "Afternoon Off" (TV movie) '79, "The Last Company Car" (TV movie) '83, "My Beautiful Laundrette" '85, "Prick Ups Your Ears" '87, "Dangerous Liaisons" '88, "The Grifters" '90, "Hero" '92, "Mary Reilly" '96, "The Hi-Lo Country" '98, "High Fidelity" 2000, "Fail Safe" (TV movie) 2000, "Dirty Pretty Things" '02, "Mrs. Henderson Presents" '05, "The Queen" '06, "Skip Tracer" (TV movie) '08, "Tamara Drewe" '10, "Lay the Favorite" '12), and many others. This was well executed by writers, Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope based on Sixsmith's book. Coogan isn't known for his writing, so the question is: is this ability to write going to continue? I haven't seen some seasoned writers write this well. I smell possible Oscar buzz around this.
This film has a lot to say, and through Dench's sensitivity and Coogan's directness to find this woman's son, it is a 'road trip' you won't want to miss.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 98mins.
Much in the same vein as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" 2000 and "Hero" '02, we have the lavishly produced "47 Ronin". Like the others, this is a beautifully wrapped good vs evil storyline that with the incredible production values, keeps one riveted to their seat for the 2 hour running time.
