As a society, we have a fascination with death and dying, however we rarely talk to each other about with any sobriety. Hollywood has dealt with this taboo subject in many films i.e. "The Hereafter", "Ghost", "What Dreams May Come", and even in some wacky comedies such as "Heaven Can Wait". What's interesting is the fact that people watch these films and afterwards go on with their lives in a 'business as usual' mindset instead of pursuing a real meaning to it. I don't know if "If I Stay" will promote any such discussions with people after viewing this, but it can certainly remind us of a subject we need to ponder ever so often in our lives.
Mia Hall (Chloe Grace Moretz) thought the hardest decision she would ever face would be whether to pursue her musical dreams at Julliard playing the cello or follow a different path to be with the love of her life, Adam (Jamie Blackley). But what should have been a carefree family drive changes everything in an instant, and now her own life, being in a coma, hangs in the balance. Caught between life and death in an out-of-body situation for one revealing day, Mia has only one decision left, which will not only decide her future, but her ultimate fate as well. Her life turning on a dime, as it can with anyone, changes drastically in ways that she couldn't even imagine.
Others to round out the cast are Mireille Enos as Kat, Mia's mom, Joshua Leonard as Denny, Mia's dad, Liana Liberato as Kim, Mia's best friend, Stacy Keach as Gramps, Mia's grandfather, Gabrielle Rose as Gran, Mia's grandmother, Jakob Davies as Teddy, Mia's young brother, Ali Milner as Liz, Aisha Hinds as Nurse Ramirez and Lauren Lee Smith as Willow.
This was directed with earnestness by R.J. Cutler ("A Perfect Candidate" (Documentary) '96, "The September Issue" (Documentary) '09, "The Ordained" (TV movie) '13, "The World According to Dick Cheney" (Documentary) '13) plus a ton of TV. This guy is obviously, according to his resume, a documentarian which is interesting that he was able or willing to go out on that proverbial branch and, heaven forbid, think outside the box. For this alone I have to give this guy much credit and not stay in that comfort zone that so many filmmakers gravitate toward. And on top on everything, he's not a bad director of commercial films. It was written by Shauna Cross based on the novel by Gayle Forman, and this is where the trouble with this film ensues. As aforementioned, it's a life/death related film, and I believe the problem is that Cross jumped from one scene to the next in non-sequential order. Films of past have done this, but with a purpose as one realizes by the end of the film. The difference here is this film could have been written in sequential or non and the end product would have been the same. If the end of a film is dependent on how or what order the screenplay is written, the non-sequential approach will excel, otherwise it's really better to just stick to a more traditional approach perhaps with a twist or two later in the film. The chemistry between the lovelorn couple was very effective as was the supporting cast.
If this film teaches us anything it is that how important are our priorities when something tragic happens in our lives? Are we ready or able to 'switch gears' and have the emotional ability to reassess, or will we just fall apart because we cannot deal with 'plan B'?
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG-13 104mins.
Espionage films have been a main staple genre that Hollywood can depend on for a number of decades, so it's no wonder that yet another spy flick would come crawling out from out of the woodwork. Hey, there have been so many novelists which these films have been based such as Tom Clancy, John Forsyth, John Le Carre, and the like, that it has been so easy to keep up that conveyor system to keep churning them out. As with "The November Man", this is one more to add to Hollywood's belt notch.
Code named 'The November Man' Peter Devereaux (Pierce Brosnan) is a lethal and highly trained ex-CIA agent, who has been enjoying a quiet life in Switzerland. He is retired because of a botched mission in 2008 with his then protégé, David Mason (Luke Lacey). When Devereaux is lured out of retirement by colleague Hanley (Bill Smitrovich) five years later, for one last mission which is to protect valuable witness Alice Fournier (Olga Kurylenko), he soon uncovers that this assignment marks him a target of his former friend and CIA protégé Mason. With growing suspicions of a mole in the agency, there is no one Devereaux can trust, no rules and no holds barred. This is the ultimate cat and mouse game set in a world of international espionage.
Others to round out the cast are Lazar Ristovski as Arkady Federov, Russian president elect, Eliza Taylor as Sarah, Mason's neighbor, Amila Terzimehic as Alexa, Russian assassin, Will Patton as Perry Weinstein, Devereaux's boss, Patrick Kennedy as Edgar Simpson, investigative reporter, Caterina Scorsone as Celia, a CIA agent, Ben Willens as Agent Jones, Akie Kotabe as Meyers, Mediha Musliovic as Natalia Ulanova and Milos Timotijevic as Federov's Chief of Staff.
This is directed by one of the best directors of espionage films to date, which is why Roger Donaldson ("The Bounty" '84, "No Way Out" '87, "Cocktail" '88, "Cadillac Man" '90, "The Getaway" '94, "Dante's Peak" '97, "Thirteen Days" 2000, "The Recruit" '03, "The World's Fastest Indian" '05, "The Bank Job" '08, "Seeking Justice" '11) is lured back time and again to direct yet another spy or political oriented film. His work on "No Way Out" was brilliant in that the way he was able to get the lead character played by Kevin Costner, and others for that matter, to exude an extremely caged, frenetic, trapped feeling, kept one riveted to the edge of their seats. This film was very reminiscent of the aforementioned film, because you could see the desperation and trapped feelings these characters were displaying. It was written by Michael Finch and Karl Gajdusek based on the book, "There Are No Spies" by Bill Granger. It was a solid premise and was carried off well, however it was a bit non-cohesive in parts, and a bit choppy. But all in all, this keep moving you in the direction of a very good twist near the end.
As espionage flicks go, this is a very solid one and once you get into the plot of this, the 'cat and mouse' game will be the thing that will keep you on that roller coaster ride until the end credits roll.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 108mins.
When times have been hitting people hard, whether financially, unable to land work, emotionally and physically, it's time for Hollywood to produce inspirational films in order to ease one's pain, even if it's only for an hour and a half to a two hour running time. We've seen a plethora of these films, whether based on a true story or not, in recent past: "Soul Surfer", "Courageous", "Heaven is for Real", Million Dollar Arm", "50 to 1", "Son of God", "A Dolphin's Tale", and many more than I could list. So, it is no surprise that when "When the Game Stands Tall" came along that there wouldn't be an audience for which there should be.
Inspired by a true story, this tells the remarkable journey of legendary football coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel), who took the De La Salle High School Spartans from obscurity to a 151-game winning streak that shattered all records for any American sport. When the streak is broken, and tragedy strikes the team Coach Lad must teach his players including assistant coach Terry Eidson (Michael Chiklis), Chris Ryan (Alexander Ludwig), Cam Colvin (Ser'Darius Blain), Beaser (Joe Massingill), and Danny Ladouceur (Matthew Daddario), the coach's son--and the entire town--that it's not about how you fall, but how you get back up and who's going to be there to help you get back up. And by this, they all become the victors as they will find out.
Others to round out the cast are Laura Dern as Bev Ladouceur, Bob's wife, Clancy Brown as Mickey Ryan, Chris' overbearing dad, Stephan James as T.K. Kelly, Jessie Usher as Tayshon Lanear, Matthew Frias as Arturo, LaJessie Smith as Jamal, Richard Kohnke as Rick Salinas, Chase Boltin as Manny Gonzales and Gavin Casalegno as Michael Ladouceur, the coach's younger son.
This is directed by Thomas Carter ("Under the Influence" (TV movie) '86, "Swing Kids" '93, "Divas" (TV movie) '95, "Metro" '97, "Bronx County" (TV movie) '98, "Save the Last Dance" '01, "Partners and Crime" (TV movie) '03, "Hitched" (TV movie) '05, "Coach Carter" '05, "Company Town" (TV movie) '06, "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story" (TV movie) '09) plus a ton of episodic TV. This guy is clearly into projects which involve a message, and there is definitely a place for these type of films whereas many people need to be reminded of the difference of right and wrong. It certainly can be refreshing in a society that's believes anything goes. He knows just the right emotions that his actors need to emit to bring home that message. It was effectively written by Scott Marshall Smith based on a story by Smith and David Zelon which is based on the book by Neil Hayes. this was a very thought out script and the way in flowed from where the film started which was in 2003, to where it finally ended which was August 2004 was fluid. The characters were distinct and well delineated. Of course, the original source by Hayes didn't hurt in that he gave us all a great deal to think about.
Let's face it, this was based on a true story and not only do these young football players learn something about how we should treat each other, it is with the hope that we, the audience, will learn as well.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG 115mins.
Filmmakers like Woody Allen have been around for so long that their reasoning for making a film has the time to make a complete cycle. Let me explain: when Allen started making films, he was totally into whacky, funny, somewhat weird content and how they were played out. Then as the 1980's rolled in, he started getting a bit more serious, if not more message oriented in his content. Then as the 1990's were coming close to being over, he then shifted to more of his whacky style again, until approximately the mid 2000's, whereas he would go from serious to humorous and back again, sometimes combining drama and comedy as we see in "Magic in the Moonlight".
The year is 1928. Chinese conjuror Wei Ling Soo is the most celebrated magician of his age, but few know that he is the stage persona of Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth), a grouchy and arrogant Englishman with a sky-high opinion of himself and an aversion to phony spiritualists' claims. Stanley goes on a mission to the Cote d'Azur mansion in southern France belonging to the Catledge family: mother Grace (Jacki Weaver), son Brice (Hamish Linklater) and daughter Caroline (Erica Leerhsen). He represents himself as a businessman named Stanley Taplinger in order to debunk the alluring young clairvoyant Sophie Baker (Emma Stone) who is staying there with her mother (Marcia Gay Harden). Sophie arrived at the Catledge villa at the invitation of Grace, who is convinced that Sophie can help her contact her late husband of approximately a year prior, and once there, attracted the attention of Brice, who has fallen for her head over heels. What follows is a series of events that are magical in every sense of the word and send these characters reeling. In the end, the biggest trick this story plays is the one that fools us all.
Others to round out the cast are Jeremy Shamos as George, Catherine McCormack as Olivia, Stanley's fiancé and Peter Wollasch as Stage Manager.
The writing and directing is, of course, by the incomparable Woody Allen ("Take the Money and Run" '69, "Bananas" '71, "Sleeper" '73, "Annie Hall" '77, "Manhattan" '79, "Broadway Danny Rose" '84, "Hannah and Her Sisters" '86, "Crimes and Misdemeanors" '89, "Manhattan Murder Mystery" '93, "Bullets Over Broadway" '94, "Deconstructing Harry" '97, "Sweet and Lowdown" '99, "Small Time Crooks" 2000, "Hollywood Ending" '02, "Match Point" '05, "Scoop" '06, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" '08, "Whatever Works" '09, "Midnight in Paris" '11, "Blue Jasmine" '13) plus many more. Of late, Allen hasn't actually starred in his films, and I believe it's a good thing in that writing and directing IS his niche. He knows when good actors come along and knows who is going to right for a given part, but this doesn't mean he can necessarily act. In his heyday, his roles really fit his persona, however with creating a number a films that don't entail that persona he does, he knows to stay out from in front of the camera to behind. Films like "Take the Money and Run" and "Small Time Crooks"-- his being in those films worked because his persona was utilized perfectly, whereas "Match Point" or "Midnight in Paris" he would've been a disaster in those. He's an actor's director, make no mistake about that.
In this film, it gets a bit slow at approximately half way through, but be patient, this is actually purposed--don't ask me why or it would spoil the film for you. Suffice it to say, there is a twist in this that you will not see coming. So even though the writing may seem bogged down, it's a ploy to deceive you
Whether you're an Allen fan or not, there is something for everyone in this. Just be careful, because the slight of hand will catch you by surprise.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 97mins.
Franchises. Has Hollywood really become that huge money-making machine we see way too often via through so many franchises that are created? Seems like if a film does well (I mean financially), then it's time to do it again, not for art sake as much as for profit sake. And since people also seem to be into the 'series' mindset, I don't see the popularity in franchises waning any time soon. I'm sure this is why "The Expendables 3" will surely make even more money.
Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Doc (Wesley Snipes) and the rest of the team come face-to-face with Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), who years ago co-founded The Expendables with Barney. Stonebanks subsequently became a ruthless arms trader and someone who Barney was forced to kill... or so he thought. Stonebanks, who eluded death once before, now is making it his mission to end The Expendables-- but Barney has other plans. Barney decides that he has to fight old blood with new blood, and brings in a new era of Expendables team members recruiting, through his buddy, Bonaparte (Kelsey Grammer), Smilee (Kellan Lutz), Luna (Ronda Rousey), Thorn (Greg Powell) and Mars (Victor Ortiz). It is through these individuals who are younger, faster, and more tech-saavy that Barney feels can help him to get the job done. The latest mission becomes a clash of classic old-school style vs. high-tech expertise in The Expendables' most personal battle yet.
Others to round out the cast are Antonio Banderas as Galgo, Jet Li as Yin Yang, Dolph Lundgren as Gunnar Jensen, Randy Couture as Toll Road, Terry Crews as Caesar, Harrison Ford as Drummer, Arnold Scwarzenegger as Trench, Robert Davi as Goran Vata and Ivan Kostadinov as Krug.
Even though he has only one other feature film to his credit, "Red Hill" '10, Patrick Hughes is a director to contend with. His ability to mix passion, humor with the usual degree of masculine comraderie is truly played out well here. He could be the next John McTiernan (Die Hard films) or John G. Avildsen (some of the Rocky films). It was written by Stallone, Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt based on a story by Stallone which is based on characters created by David Callaham. Considering there were as many as three writers involved, it was surprisingly written well--albeit not great, but not bad. It was just a bit too predictable, however, there were a few places where one would be waiting for the next obvious move, and it would go a slightly different way. The best thing was seeing all these actions stars--both past and present mixing it up in one film which made this formulaic film work. The stunt work coupled with the editing was also well implemented. Oh, and not to worry all you guys out there, there has already been an "Expendables 4" announced. What a shock! Not!!
Certainly if you like action films, this franchise is the king of them and you will be in action heaven, but even if you're not, it still has talent in the stunt work and editing that will take you on the ride of your life. Hasta la vista, baby!
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG-13 124mins.
Is it that post-apocalyptic films are so grim because they make our society look good as is, or does someone know something we others don't know? Either they are very grim as in "The Book of Eli" or as seemingly palatable with an underlying grimness as with "Elysium", and anywhere in between. So now we have "The Giver" laid before us to dissect so as to let us know what's coming or to warn us lest we fall into the same trap.
This is a post-apocalypticfilm in the future after 'The Ruin' focused on Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), a young man who lives in a seemingly ideal, colorless world of conformity and contentment whereas society's memories have been erased for the sake of peace and tranquility. This is a society where they are polite, never lie even if they seem like robots. But as the children become of age, they are given their position in life. Jonas turns out to be special and is given the honorable 'Receiver of Memories' position and is then tutored by The Giver (Jeff Bridges) who is the sole keeper of all the community's memories. As he teaches Jonas about the memories, Jonas quickly discovers the dark and deadly truths of his community's secret past. With this newfound power of knowledge, he realizes that the stakes are higher than imagined-- a matter of life and death for himself and those he loves most. At extreme odds, Jonas knows that he must escape their world to protect them all-- a challenge that no one has ever succeeded at before. But he must succeed in escaping the clutches of the Chief Elder (Meryl Streep) and her henchmen to obtain this task.
Others to round out the cast are Alexander Skarsgard as Father, Katie Holmes as Mother, Odeya Rush as Fiona, Cameron Monaghan as Asher, Taylor Swift as Rosemary and Emma Tremblay as Lilly.
This was directed by veteran director Phillip Noyce ("Backroads" '77, "Heatwave" '82, "Dead Calm" '89, "Patriot Games" '92, "Clear and Present Danger" '94, "The Saint" '97, "The Bone Collector" '99, "Rabbit-Proof Fence" '02, "The Quiet American" '02, "Catch a Fire" '06, "Salt" '10, "Americana" (TV movie) '12, "Mary and Martha" (TV movie) '13) plus others. This guy is a consummate pro one can bank on to see how he get his actors to emit just the right amount of emotion, or lack of, to make you believe that these actors are the characters they are playing. Of course it doesn't hurt to have Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep to show these emotions to make one think this way. The writing was by Michael Mitnick and Robert B. Weide based on the book by Lois Lowry. Even though this has a little "Divergent" in it, with a bit "Pleasantville" thrown in, and has the Utopian backdrop of "Elysium", this premise, in how it was handled, was one of the best stories based on a young adult novel I have seen to date. Brenton Twaites as Jonas gave a very believable performance and will definitely receive more work. If this film teaches us anything, it is that we must have choices in order to make definitive decisions in our lives. We must experience the pain, pleasure, happiness, joy, heartache, and sadness in order to keep us 'in check' and to help us stay as well-rounded individuals. If others dictate our very thoughts and emotions, we become mere robots who have no purpose that become void of what humanity is supposed to be.
This is good, because it brings that message all too well that we need to hear all the while entertaining us with good acting and some neat visual effects--hey, this is the future.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 97mins.
If anyone had told me a couple of years ago that I would be seeing a film version of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", I would have said they were crazy. After seeing this version, they should have left well enough alone by keeping it in animated form.
Darkness has settled over New York City as Shredder (Tohoru Masamune) and his evil Foot Clan have an iron grip on everything from the police to the politicians. The future is grim until four unlikely outcast brothers, Raphael (Alan Ritchson), Michelangelo (Noel Fisher), Leonardo (Pete Ploszek and voiced by Johnny Knoxville), and Donatello (Jeremy Howard) rise from the sewers and discover their destiny as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles only after intense training from their master, Splinter (Danny Woodburn and voiced by Tony Shalhoub) teaching them all he knows of martial arts. The turtles must work with fearless reporter April O'Neil (Megan Fox) and her cameraman Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett) to save the city and unravel Shredder's diabolical plan.
Others to round out the cast are William Fichtner as Eric Sacks, Whoopi Goldberg as Bernadette Thompson, April's boss, Minae Noji as Karai, Abby Elliott as Taylor and Madison Mason as Councilman.
This was adequately directed by Jonathan Liebesman ("Darkness Falls" '03, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" '06, "The Killing Room" '09, "Battle Los Angeles" '11, "Wrath of the Titans" '12). Interestingly, this guy chose a comedy (which this basically is) for a project in which to attempt. Considering his resume, which mostly represents the dark side of humanity, this is not the project he should've delved into. The real culprit here is the writing ,or lack thereof, which is by Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, and Evan Daugherty based on The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman.
It is amazing that it took as many as three writers to come up with a plot that is as old as dirt itself. This premise has been produced a bazillion times, and even though I realize this is a fantastical, big-budget, high adrenaline, multi visual effects flick, it should still have some sort of interesting premise to work from. Actually, the real star here is ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), which created the nifty, seamless visual effects. If these effects were not part of this production, there would not have been a film. Don't get me wrong, it's not a terrible film--there were some funny and interesting moments in this, but the overdone premise mixed with adequate acting and directing made this unremarkable. The recent "Guardians of the Galaxy" may have had a familiar premise, but its development of characters, fast paced directing, and how the premise was handled made that film rock! Take note writers.
Certainly if you have to see this, it best be on the large screen, if for no other reason than to take in those brilliant visual effects all rolled up into a neat 3D format. Cowabunga man!
Out of 4 Stars: 2 Rated: PG-13 101mins.
There are commercial films and there are independent films, but what if you could go see a movie that combined these two worlds? Most films are one or the other, but once in a while, one will come across a film that is what "The Hundred-Foot Journey" actually is. And that is the best of both worlds.
Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) is a culinary ingénue with the gastronomic equivalent of perfect pitch. Displaced from the native India, the Kadam family, led by Papa (Om Puri), settles in the quaint village of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val in the south of France. Filled with charm, it is both picturesque and elegant--the ideal place to settle down and open an Indian restaurant, the Maison Mumbai. This is, until the icy chef proprietress of Le Saule Pleureur, a Michelin starred classical French restaurant run by Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren), gets wind of it. Her cold protests against the new Indian restaurant a hundred feet from her own, escalate to all out war between the two establishments--until Hassan's passion for French haute cuisine and for Mme. Mallory's enchanting sous chef, Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon), combine with his mysteriously delicious talent to weave magic between their two cultures and imbue Saint-Antonin with the flavors of life that even Mme. Mallory cannot ignore. Even though Hassan, at first, was a culinary rival, she soon recognized his gift as a chef and takes him under her wing.
Others to round out the cast are Amit Shah as Mansur, Farzana Dua Elahe as Mahira, Michel Blanc as Mayor, Clement Sibony as Jean-Pierre, Dillon Mitra as Mukthar, Aria Pandya as Aisha, Vincent Elbaz as Paul, Juhi Chawla as Mama, Alban Aumard as Marcel, Shuna Lemoine as Mayor's Wife, and Antoine Blanquefort as Thomas.
It was directed by the consummate veteran of films, Lasse Hallstrom ("A Guy and a Gal" '75, "Tuppen" '81, "My Life as a Dog" '85, "Once Around" '91, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" '93, "The Cider House Rules" '99, "Chocolat" 2000, "The Shipping News" '01, "An Unfinished Life" '05, "Casanova" '05, "Dear John" '10, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" '11, "The Hypnotist" '12, "Safe Haven" '13) plus others. One thing one can count on with Hallstrom is that he always has something to say, and that the characters, through his visionary direction, are shaped into the people that they really need to be especially if they don't even realize it, which makes his subtlety that much more poignant. It was equally well written by Steven Knight based on the book by Richard C. Morais. This story flowed effortlessly with rich characters that no one could have ever imagined could connect or relate with each other at all, but this writer did so with wit, heart, poignancy, and ultimately resolution. Now I see why producers, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Juliet Blake jumped all over this one--they know quality when it slaps them in the face. This has the feel of an independent film, but the commercial clout i.e. actors, director, writer, and producers.
This is a film all must see, if for no other reason than the lush locales. But seriously, this film has everything one could be looking for in a film, and once you leave the theater, it will give you that all around good feeling which is worth the trip to the multiplex.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG 122mins.
We see comedy films quite often and sometimes we whince of how bad they are, or at other times, see them with a sense of elation at what we are witnessing on that screen, but rarely do we experience a film, that is considered a 'dramedy' (comedy/drama) that is of poor quality. Many have been made as far back as "Chapter Two" '79, to "Lost in Yonkers" '93, to "Juno" and "Lars and the Real Girl" both in '07. Now to add to this delicious list is "Wish I Was Here". I could mention comedies that don't even come close to the caliber of the films mentioned, but that list could fill an entire review. Later.
This is the story of Aidan Bloom (Zach Braff), a struggling actor, father and husband, who at 35 years old is still trying to find his identity; a purpose for his life. While he's between acting gigs, his wife Sarah (Kate Hudson) brings home the bacon only being frustrated herself. When Aidan learns that his father, Gabe (Mandy Patinkin) has terminal cancer and can no longer pay for Aidan's private school for his kids, Grace (Joey King) and Tyler (Pierce Gagnon). He winds up trying to home school them especially since the only public school available is on its last leg. Through teaching them about life his way, Aidan gradually discovers some of the parts of himself he couldn't find, such as attempting to reconcile his dad's and his brother's Noah (Josh Gad) relationship. It is though Aidan is forced, at an early age, to endure a mid-life crisis whether he realizes it or not.
Others to round out the cast are Jim Parsons as Paul, Mark Thudium as Terry, Alexander Chaplin as Rabbi Rosenberg, Michael Weston as Jerry, Allan Rich as Rabbi Twersky, Ashley Greene as Janine, Donald Faison as Anthony and Cody Sullivan as Jesse.
This was poignantly and honestly directed by the smart Zach Braff ("Garden State" '04, "Night Life" (TV movie) '08). It is difficult, at best, to direct actors in a dramedy, because their characters must change their mood, sometimes in the same scene, and make it look natural instead of forced. This is something seasoned directors have problems with, but Braff seems to succeed at this effortlessly. It was equally well written by Braff as well, and besides a couple of slow places in script, this screenplay was spot on. One scene where Sarah (Hudson) and Gabe (Patinkin) are conversing in his hospital room was so poignant and compassionate that I started to get misty-eyed. Braff obviously shined in this, but both Hudson and Gad also as well. Braff is certainly a filmmaker to contend with, and after this, will certainly be approached to write and direct another project.
Certainly after viewing this, one can tell that Braff is a natural filmmaker, and we will only be the victors when he is able to grace us with yet aaanother story as poignant, humorous, dramatic and compassionate as this one.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 105mins.
During the 1970's, we were thrown one disaster film after another until we cried 'uncle'. It all started with "Airport" '69, then "The Poseidon Adventure" '72 followed. These made a truck load of money, so a plethora more came out of the woodwork including "Earthquake" '74, "The Hindenburg" '75, "Airport 1975" '75, "Jaws" '75, "The Towering Inferno" '77, "Airport '77" '77, "Airport '79: The Concorde" '79, etc, etc, etc. Get the picture. Then in '05, "The Poseidon Adventure" was remade, and in 1996, the captivating film "Twister" was released to major audiences. Well, looks like disaster films could be back in the form of "Into the Storm".
In the span of a single day, the town of Silverton is ravaged by an unprecedented onslaught of tornadoes. The entire town including Gary (Richard Armitage), and his two sons, Donnie (Max Deacon) and Trey (Nathan Kress), is at the mercy of the erratic and deadly cyclones, even as storm trackers, Pete (Matt Walsh), Allison (Sarah Wayne Callies), Daryl (Arlen Escarpeta), and Jacob (Jeremy Sumpter) predict the worst is yet to come. Most people seek shelter, while others run towards the vortex, testing how far a storm chaser will go for that once-in-a-lifetime shot. These storm chasers will have to face the answer to the statement: you better watch out what you ask for, because you just might get it.
Others to round out the cast are Alycia Debnam Carey as Kaitlyn, Lee Whittaker as Lucas, Kyle Davis as Donk, Jon Reep as Reevis, Scott Lawrence as Principal Thomas Walker, David Drumm as Chester, Brandon Ruiter as Todd White, and Jimmy Groce as Studious Male.
This was adequately directed by Steven Quale ("Superfire" (TV movie) '02, "Aliens of the Deep" (Documentary) '03, "Final Destination 5" '11). This should not have been a chore for this guy considering his resume, but suffice it to say, he will receive more work, if for no other reason than the genre represented. This was written by John Swetnam ("Evidence" '13, "Step Up All In" '14). Interesting how he's competing with himself since "Step Up All In" also was released today as well. Even though this film was made in the past--the above mentioned "Twister", it still had a story to this huge visual effect extravaganza. We will see more of his work in 2015's "Breaking Through", because given more work, this guy definitely has potential. The visual effects predominantly created by Rhythm & Hues, Hy*drau*lx, Digital Domain, and Cinesite were obviously seamless. It was like watching "Twister" on steroids-- computer imagery has improved in 18 years since "Twister". Plus today's audiences have got to be grabbed by the juggler to get their attention anymore.
If you're going to see this, you've got to see it on the huge screen, otherwise it will lose everything in the transition. This is a visual, high adrenaline, explosive film created for the large screen and not for your 25 incher at home.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 89mins.
Why is it that biopics are hotter now more than ever? Could it be that the truth is, or can be, stranger than fiction? True stories, whether on film, or in our own lives, can truly be totally bizarre situations, especially if any embellishing is conveyed in the process. This year alone has offered us a plethora of films based on true stories: "The Monuments Men", "Son of God", "Walking with the Enemy", The Railway Man", "Cesar Chavez", "Million Dollar Arm", "50 to 1", "Jersey Boys", and now we have in our midst, "Get on Up".
Chadwick Boseman portrays James Brown in this incredible tale based on a true story of the 'Godfather of Soul'. The film gives a fearless look inside the music, his moves, or 'groove' as he called it, and moods of Brown, taking the audience on a journey from his impoverished childhood whereas he was barely raised by his parents-- his father Joe (Lennie James) being an abuser and his mother Susie (Viola Davis) being her husband's 'punching bag', left the situation so as leaving James' dad to raise him. When his dad enlisted in the Army and subsequently went off to war, he left young James with his sister Honey (Octavia Spencer) to finish raising him. As James grew he perpetually got into trouble and landed in jail where he met, also an inmate, Bobby Byrd (Nelsan Ellis), who later became his longtime friend and manager since they both loved to sing. As Bobby and James became more famous, they were then represented by Ben Bart (Dan Aykroyd) and James was then the icon people wanted. This fueled James' issues on having to feel constantly needed to a point where he was a genius, but obnoxious, unruly and totally out of control so much of the time. He evolved into one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.
others to round out the cast are Fred Melamed as Syd Nathan, Craig Robinson as Maceo Parker, Jill Scott as DeeDee Brown, Josh Hopkins as Ralph Bass, Brandon Smith as Little Richard, Tika Sumpter as Yvonne Fair, Aunjanue Ellis as Vicki Anderson, Tariq Trotter as Pee Pee Ellis, and Aloe Blacc as Nafloyd Scott.
This was directed by relative newcomer to feature films, Tate Taylor ("Pretty Ugly People" '08, "The Help" '11). I must say, there are seasoned directors that can't direct as well as this guy, although the directing was a bit choppy in isolated places, it was majorly helmed with expertise. Even though Boseman as Brown was performed well, Taylor's ability to exact that Brown look and intensity was delineated with fine tune guidance by Taylor. He WILL receive more projects. It was written by Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth which was based on a story by Steven Baigelman, Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth. The way the script went fom 1988 back to 1968, then later jumping ahead and eventually reaching 1988, where the film started, and then went beyond that time, was smart and original, but at times was a bit confusing. This can be a tedious balancing act in that it's a refreshing idea, but if overdone, can become convoluded. This takes a very professional and seasoned screenwriter to be able to pull this off. These guys were good, and besides a couple of areas that weren't addressed, this was solid. After seeing Boseman in "42", the story of Jackie Robinson, I felt he could pull off this role, and he did in spades. I smell possible Oscar nod for him this year.
Obviously being a James Brown fan would help in aseeing this, but even if you're not, the acting by Boseman, Davis, Aykroyd, Ellis, and Spencer will be worth the price of admission all by itself.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 138mins.
We have seen the usual plethora of summer big-budget, explosive, adventurous, high adrenaline fare since the season began. What with "Captain America: The Winter Soldier", "The Amazing Spider-Man 2", "Godzilla", "X-Men: Days of Future Past", "Edge of Tomorrow", "Transformers: Age of Extinction", "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes", and "Hercules" in that order so far, this next film called "Guardians of the Galaxy" is, by far, the most impressive movie of this genre thus far--bar none.
After stealing a mysterious orb in the far reaches of outer space, Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), a half man/half alien is now the target of a manhunt led by the villainous Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace). To help fight Ronan and his cohorts and save the galaxy from his power, Quill creates a team, or it just sort of happens due to certain circumstances, known as the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' consisting of Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel) and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) to save the world, or in this case, the galaxy.
Others to round out the cast are Michael Rooker as Yondu Udonta, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Djimon Hounsou as Korath, John C. Reilly as Corpsman Dey, Glenn Close as Nova Prime, Benecio Del Toro as The Collector, Laura Haddock as Meredith Quill, Sean Gunn as Kraglin/On Set Rocket, and Peter Serafinowicz as Demarian Saal.
This was directed by a man who has much more TV under his belt than that of feature films which was James Gunn ("Slither" '06, "Super" '10, "Movie 43" (segment "Beezel") '13), but one must start somewhere in order to pay dues. Considering this guy's limited experience in feature films, this was far better directed than most seasoned directors could muster up. The different emotions this guy was able to exude out of each character was amazing. But you will see more of his work in the already announced "Guardians of the Galaxy 2" coming up in '17. It was written by Gunn and Nicole Perlman which was based on the comic book by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. This is where it gets real interesting and juicy, because this actually had an interesting, well thought-out and entertaining premise which is more than I can say about most films of the same genre. This film had me riveted from frame one to last, and there aren't many films that can do that during the summer season. The cast was eclectic, but perfect in every way. Pratt's new sculpted body obviously helped him in this, and he has found his niche as far as genre, however he's still talented in comedy, which a lot of this was. Cooper's Rocket character probably stole the show, but then again it's Bradley Cooper. And the visual effects which were predominantly created by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), SPI (Sony Pictures Imageworks) and MPC (Moving Picture Company) were seamless, but you'd have to be living under a rock not to know this.
Trust me when I say, you will not have more fun at the movies all summer when you go to see this film. Where else can you go and see something that has humor, adventure, action, great visuals, even with a great message all rolled up in a neat 3D format? Not many places. Enjoy!
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 122mins.
As a society, we have a fascination with death and dying, however we rarely talk to each other about with any sobriety. Hollywood has dealt with this taboo subject in many films i.e. "The Hereafter", "Ghost", "What Dreams May Come", and even in some wacky comedies such as "Heaven Can Wait". What's interesting is the fact that people watch these films and afterwards go on with their lives in a 'business as usual' mindset instead of pursuing a real meaning to it. I don't know if "If I Stay" will promote any such discussions with people after viewing this, but it can certainly remind us of a subject we need to ponder ever so often in our lives.
