When I watch a comedy film from Wes Anderson ("Moonrise Kingdom"), Paul Thomas Anderson ("Boogie Nights") or even The Coen Brothers, I think quirky, dry-witted and even weird. Well, when seeing "St. Vincent", it seemed to have a similar style of these notorious writers and directors, however I soon realized that it wasn't which surprised me. This being so dry that it seemed almost serious made this even a more appealing film than you'd expect.
Maggie (Melissa McCarthy), a newly divorced single mother, moves into a new home in Brooklyn with her 12-year old son, Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher). Forced to work long hours, she has no choice but to leave Oliver in the care of their new neighbor, Vincent (Bill Murray), a retired, bawdy curmudgeon with a penchant for alcohol and gambling. An odd friendship soon blossoms between the improbable pair. Together with a pregnant stripper named Daka (Naomi Watts), Vincent brings Oliver along on all the stops that make up his daily routine-- the race track, a strip club, and the local dive bar. Vincent helps Oliver grow to become a man, while Oliver begins to see in Vincent something that no one else is able to: a misunderstood man with a good heart.
Others to round out the cast are Chris O'Dowd as Brother Geraghty, Oliver's teacher, Terrence Howard as Zucko, a loan shark, Kimberly Quinn as Nurse Ana, Lenny Venito as Coach Mitchell, Dario Barosso as Ocinski, a classmate of Oliver's, Donna Mitchell as Sandy, Ann Dowd as Shirley, Sunnyside Administrator, and Nate Corddry as Terry.
This was well written and directed by Theodore Melfi ("Winding Roads" '99) plus many shorts. Granted, this guy is no Wes Anderson or Paul Thomas Anderson, but considering this guy has only written and directed one other feature film, this filmmaker is definitely going to go places. The subtle, dry comedy is not easy to accomplish, especially when it is coupled with some dramatic aspects that can pull the heartstrings. This is usually accompanied with a veteran, seasoned professional. This is one of Murray's better efforts and it was certainly interesting to see McCarthy in a 'straight' across the board actor, obviously giving center stage to Murray. This being the young actor, Lieberher's introduction to films, I can safely say he will be in more projects. He was a natural and held his own while around Murray. And Watts' Slavic dialect was a hoot! She had to have had a ball making this. Melfi's a little rough around the edges, however given more work, he will become yet another Wes Anderson and the like.
Between the premise, acting, writing and directing, this certainly has something for all kinds of people. It's quirky, fun, odd and entertaining all in the same film.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 102mins.
As the old adage states, "truth is better than fiction" seems to apply with so many films we have seen recently, i.e. "Zero Dark Thirty", "Pain & Gain", "When the Game Stands Tall", "Soul Surfer" and the most recent "Kill the Messenger". All of these films plus others are as diverse in their subject matter as they are in their genre. So when "23 Blast" came along with that 'based on a true story' disclaimer, as with its predecessors, I just couldn't resist.
In the prime of his youth, up and coming football star, Travis Freeman (Mark Hapka), lost his sight due to a sinus infection caused by a rare disease. Practically overnight, he became irreversibly blind, and subsequently had to cope with all the trials and tribulations awaiting him. With the love and support from his family, mom, Mary (Kim Zimmer), dad, Larry (Dylan Baker) and closest friends, Jerry Baker (Bram Hoover) and Ashley (Alexa PenaVega) and his 'tough love' physical therapist Patty Wheatley (Becky Ann Baker), he finally learned to push himself to extraordinary heights. Relying on his other senses and his instincts, he did the unthinkable! Displaying unconditional determination, he learned a lot through Coach Farris (Stephen Lang), he proved nothing could dampen the spirit of a champion.
Others to round out the cast are Max Adler as Cameron Marshall, one of the football players, Kevin Cooney as Coach Burley, Scott Sowers as Mr. Marshall, Cameron's dad, Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Dr. Connelly, Crystal Hunt as Molly, Timothy Busfield as Duncan, the Athletic Director and Fred Dalton Thomas as Coach Powers.
This was directed by newcomer, at least to the director's chair, Dylan Baker. He has a ton of acting experience, however this is his first theatrical film as director. some of the pacing was a bit stagy and looked a bit forced, but considering his minimal experience in that chair, he did an exemplary job. It was also written by first time writers for theatrical films, Bram Hoover and Toni Hoover. Even though this was based on a true story, these two still had the task of writing this story in the sequence as the original story went. There were few inconsistencies in script, but overall, this was written far better than one would think again, considering the experience. These artists will surely receive more work whether in front or behind the camera, but they were gutsy in that this director and writers were willing to go out on that precarious limb and live to tell the tale.
Hey, this, as were "Soul Surfer" and "When the Game Stands Tall" are inspirational films, and isn't it time that we learn a thing or two from others who went through, in some cases, tremendous obstacles so we hopefully can get back to trying to connect once again with each other?
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG-13 98mins.
When one thinks of the term, hit man, usually they conjure up a film such as "The Godfather" or some other mafia related movie. However, ever since the film, Death Wish" back in '74, it sort of gave the term hit man or vigilante a more respected and even good connotation--good vs. evil, because the law won't protect the innocent. Since then we've seen "Diary of a Hitman" '91, "Hitman" '07 and even the recent "Equalizer" with Denzel Washington. So when "John Wick" came on the scene, the filmmakers undoubtedly wanted to market on a genre that people want to see more, especially when we are seemingly living in a society where people, quite literally, get away with murder.
An ex-hitman, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters, Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist), his son, Iosef (Alfie Allen) and others, that robbed him of his reason for living. With New York City as his bullet-riddled playground, this is an interesting stylized take on the 'assassin genre'.
The huge mistake that Viggo's son makes is when he steals Wick's classic muscle '60s Mustang and kills his puppy dog, all the while having no idea who he just attacked. His father clues him in, only to let his son know that he will be coming after him, because this was no ordinary man--this was John Wick. He has been nick-named 'The Boogyman', where he will stop at nothing and is totally lethal. Of all people Iosef had to tamper with, this guy was not the one to force out of retirement. Talk about opening up Pandora's box.
Others to round out the cast are Willem Dafoe as Marcus, Dean Winters as Avi, Vitto's assistant, Adrianne Palicki as Ms. Perkins, Omer Barnea as Gregori, one of Viggo's goons, Ian McShane as Winston, Toby Leonard Moore as Victor, another one of Viggo's goons, Daniel Bernhardt as Kirill, Vitto's top henchman, John Leguizamo as Aureilo, Bridget Moynahan as Helen, Bridget Regan as Addy, Lance Reddick as Hotel manager/Charon and Keith Jardine as Kuzma.
Remarkably, this was directed by two stunt coordinators--David Leitch (81 films doing the stunts) and Chad Stahelski (71 films doing the stunts). The even more remarkale aspect of this is that it was directed as well as some seasoned directors could muster up. This is their first film in that director's chair, and considering their lack of experience in that chair, I'm curious to see what they'll do next, and undoubtedly there will be a next time. It was effectively written by Derek Kolstad ("One in the Chamber" '12, "The Package" '12). With all honesty, there were some areas of lack of continuity, but not really enough to distract from the intensity this film surely produced. It certainly shows what happens when a person is as driven as Wick is and that they will stop at nothing to right that incredible wrong. This is certainly something we've seen Reeves do before, but when he pulls off this similar character as well as he does, we can be all that more forgiving.
If your passion is clearly one of seeing wrongs made right, this will surely hit that cord, but even if you just want to escape for a 100 minute running time, this will fit the bill and then some.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 101mins.
We've seen many films in which they are either a fairy tale or a fairy tale is at the core of the film. Films such as "The Princess Bride", "Pans Labyrinth", even "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" have been able to bring us into some other world or worlds where we can simply escape in true fantasy. These worlds put us into a way to relate or repel, yet we always still keep coming back for more. "The Book of Life" is truly the quintessential fairy tale all can enjoy, whether you be a child or not.
This is the journey of Manolo (Diego Luna), a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family, namely his father, Carlos Sanchez (Hector Elizondo) into the realm of bull fighting, and following his heart and the desire to go into music. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans three fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears.
La Muerte (Kate del Castillo) is the ruler of the Land of the Remembered, where the spirits live on with their memories kept by their loved ones, and Xibalba (Ron Perlman), ruler of the Land of the Forgotten, where the forgotten souls decay into oblivion, decide to make a wager. Wager? Since three childhood friends have grown up and the two men, Manolo and Joaquin (Channing Tatum) have since fallen in love with Maria (Zoe Saldana), Xibalba bets La Muerte that Maria will end up marrying Joaquin, while La Muerte bets on Manolo. The winner will be allowed to rule over the Land of the Remembered, therefore, the wager is set. Who will win and who will lose? Let the games begin.
Others to round out the cast are Christina Applegate as Mary Beth, Ice Cube as Candle Maker, Danny Trejo as Skeleton Luis, Carlos Alazraqui as Gen. Posada/Dali/Chuy, Ana de la Reguera as Skeleton Carmen, Emil-Bastien Bouffard as Young Manolo, Elias Garza as Young Joaquin, Genesis Ochoa as Young Maria, Placido Domingo as Skeleton Jorge and Dan Navarro as Chakal.
For a basically newcomer to feature films, director Jorge R. Gutierrez ("Carmelo" (short) 2000) is a visual, stimulating brilliance. If this is his first theatrical film, I personally cannot wait to see what he will direct next. It was equally well written by Gutierrez and Douglas Langdale. With the exception of a couple of choppy areas, this premise, plot and script was amazing. The reference to the Land of the Remembered being Heaven, the Land of the Forgotten being referenced to Hell, and even a serpent being used by Xibalba, all symbols from the bible were intelligently and whimsically used so all could get a message here, but be entertained here as well. There is another message to this film as well, but to tell you could ruin a part of the story.
Of course, the real star here is the animation and visual effects created by Reel FX Animation Studios. This was a visual feast for the eyes, especially the Land of the Remembered. The story and the visuals actually complimented one another and helped it all flow as well as it did.
This fantasy is as stunning in visuals as story, and as you witness the beauty of this, you'll forget about all the problems and issues you might have while watching this delightful story.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG 95mins.
Usually the genre of romantic dramas are fraught with sentimentality, mushiness and characters that have mediocre chemistry from first frame to last, but every time I see a romantic drama that is based on a Nicholas Sparks' novel, it is a well delineated story with interesting characters that actually connect. Wow, what a concept! And "The Best of Me" is one of those dramas that is set apart from the usual fare we see all too often.
This tells the story of Dawson Cole (James Marsden) and Amanda (Michelle Monaghan), two former high school sweethearts who find themselves reunited after 21 years apart, when they return to their small hometown for the funeral of a beloved friend, Tuck (Gerald McRaney) their bittersweet reunion reignites the love they've never forgotten, but soon they discover the forces that drove them apart 21 years ago live on, posing even more serious threats today. Spanning decades, this epic love story captures the enduring power of our first true love, and the wrenching choices we face when confronted with elusive second chances.
To better understand what actually happened to Dawson and Amanda, this film is presented with a series of flashbacks where younger Dawson (Luke Bracey) and younger Amanda (Liana Liberato) meet and subsequently get to know one another. After a point, a series of events occur causing this separation of the two of them.
Others to round out the cast are Sebastian Arcelus as Frank, Amanda's present day husband, Jon Tenny as Harvey Collier, Sean Bridgers as Tommy Cole, Robert William Mello as Ted Cole, Hunter Burke as Abee, Robby Rasmussen as Bobby/Aaron, Schuyler Fisk as April, Clarke Peters as Morgan Dupree, Caroline Goodall as Evelyn and Ian Nelson as Jared.
This was directed by veteran Michael Hoffman ("Promised Land" '87, "Soapdish" '91, "One Fine Day" '96, "A Midsummer's Night Dream" '99, "The Emperor's Club" '02, "Game 6" '05, "The Last Station" '09, "Gambit" '12) plus others. The pacing was spot on, especially considering there was a huge difference in time where pacing can become a bit confusing. Also his characters weren't weak, unlike other characters in similar genres. It was written by Mills Goodloe and Will Fetters based no the novel by Sparks ("Message in a Bottle" '99, "A Walk to Remember" '02, "The Notebook" '04, "Nights in Rodanthe" '08, "Dear John" '10, "The Last Song" '10, "The Lucky One" '12, "Safe Haven" '13). Other than a few inaccuracies within the script, i.e. How could Dawson look so different 20+ years ago, but his brothers didn't seem to change in looks at all?, this was a solid film. A couple of things where the continuity was off also occurred, but these being small, the impact of the film was still spot on. The best thing about films based on Sparks' novels is the they usually do not end all tied up in a neat Hollywood bow. They, as this one too, have a somewhat bittersweet ending which is the way life is much of the time.
If you like a true dramatic love story with a twist that you clearly don't expect, this is definitely for you. It has Sparks' name stamped all over it, but with this particular genre, that is definitely a much needed ingredient.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 117mins.
Hollywood has and still has an amazing love affair with war films. I could list them, but suffice it to say, the list would be a bazillion. And I must admit, I do enjoy the genre especially when it is crafted with the right amount of integrity, realism and accuracy. I have to say that when I saw my first trailer on "Fury", I thought it would be an incredible film on several levels and after viewing it, my first impressions were founded.
April 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened army sergeant named Don 'Wardaddy' Collier (Brad Pitt) commands a Sherman tank with his loyal, mighty crew, Boyd 'Bible' Swan (Shia LeBeouf), Trini 'Gordo' Garcia (Michael Pena), Grady 'Coon-Ass' Travis (Jon Bernthal) and newcomer, Norman Ellison (Logan Lerman) on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered and outgunned, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the hearts of Nazi Germany.
In Wardaddy's eyes, things don't get any better when one of his men is killed so he's replaced by Norman, an office clerk who's never seen battle. Norman feels so out-of-water in this new endeavor that Wardaddy, although knows he will learn, thinks their odds are even worse in combating the Nazis. This definitely becomes a huge right of passage for Norman as he cowers, trips up and blunders his way to, not only to survive, but to be accepted as a peer by the other men.
Others to round out the cast are Jim Parrack as Sgt. Binkowski, Brad Henke as Sgt. Davis, Kevin Vance as Sgt. Peterson, Xavier Samuel as Lt. Parker, Jason Isaacs as Capt. Waggoner, Anamaria Marinca as Irma, Alicia von Rittberg as Emma, Scott Eastwood as Sgt. Miles, Laurence Spellman as Sgt. Dillard and Daniel Betts as Burgermeister.
This was directed with incredible intensity and grit by David Ayer ("Harsh Times" '05, "Street Kings" '08, "End of Watch" '12, "Sabotage" '14). As with his past films, this film was treated with situations that definitely made its audience think--what would you do given the same situation. This guy just gets better with each project he's involved with. It was also written by Ayer ("U-571" 2000, "The Fast & the Furious" '01, "Training Day" '01, "Dark Blue" '02, "S.W.A.T." '03, "Harsh Times" '05, "End of Watch" '12, "Sabotage" '14), which, by his very resume, is where he even excels more at. His scripts simply flow and the characters are richly developed. Each and every one of these characters were extremely different, however their comraderie was amazing in that when it's time to get the job done, they will watch each other's backs at all costs. Ayer can keep writing scripts for a long time to come, considering that there are so many mediocre screenwriters out there today. The cast had great chemistry as the crew--you felt that these guys had known each other for years.
Whether you like the genre of war or not, this is a great character study in how people can stick together in spite of the insurmountable odds handed them. And this is something we all can take from this film.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: R 134mins.
Politics and political cover ups have been a great source of material that Hollywood can't resist to showcase, and the more controversial the better. As far back as "The Philadelphia Story" to "All the President's Men" to "Michael Clayton" to "The Ides of March" do we see time and again exposure to corruption, deceit and wrongdoings all the name of national security. So, since Hollywood just couldn't help themselves by bringing "Kill the Messenger" to the screen, we can reap the benefits by watching, yet another cover up being exposed for all to see.
Based on the true story of journalist Gary Webb (Jeremy Renner), the film takes place in the mid 1990s, when Webb inadvertently uncovered the CIA's past role in importing huge amounts of cocaine into the U.S. that was aggressively sold in ghettos across the country to raise tons of money for the Nicaraguan Contras rebel army back in the 1980s. Despite enormous pressure not to, especially by his boss Jerry Ceppos (Oliver Platt) and editor Anna Simons (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Webb chose to pursue the story and eventually went public with his evidence, publishing the series "Dark Alliance". As a result he experienced a vicious smear campaign fueled by the CIA. At that point, Webb found himself defending his integrity, his family, specifically his wife, Sue (Rosemarie DeWitt) and his life, all the while desperately hanging onto his sanity.
Others to round out the cast are Barry Pepper as Russell Dodson, a prosecutor, Michael Sheen as Fred Weil, Paz Vega as Coral Baca, an informant, Ray Liotta as John Cullen, Tim Blake Nelson as Alan Fenster, an attorney Webb consulted, Michael Kenneth Williams as Ricky Ross, Andy Garcia as Norwin Meneses, Josh Close as Rich Kline, a journalist at The Washington Post, Robert Patrick as Ronald J. Quail, Jen Harper as Ricky Ross Trial Judge, Lucas Hedges, Matthew Lintz and Parker Douglas as Ian Webb, Eric Webb and Christine Webb, Gary and Sue Webb's children.
This was effectively directed by Michael Cuesta ("L.I.E." '01, "12 and Holding" '05, "Babylon Fields" (TV movie) '07, "Tell Tale" '09, "Roadie" '11, "Second Sight" (TV movie) '13). The slow intensity that Renner displayed as this plot became thicker was, not only fine acting, but also the mark of effective directing conveying a slow crumbling of this man trying to cope with a world that is anything but honest. It was well written by Peter Landesman based on the books, "Dark Alliance" by Gary Webb and "Kill the Messenger" by Nick Schou. The script simply flowed from scene to scene, where, if it was written questionably, it was have been convoluted since so much was going on here. Now, there were some areas of jumping a bit, but not enough to take away from the meat of this premise and story. Renner probably gave his best performance since "Hurt Locker", and it wouldn't surprise me if he got a nod come Oscar time.
If you're into political cover ups, conspiracy theories and the like, this will heaven for you, because this will undoubtedly fill that 'rebel against the government' mindset out there for all you political junkies.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 112mins.
How many incarnations of the Dracula franchise have we seen? Well, it all started with "Dracula" '31. Through its success the ball started rolling with "Dracula" '79, "Dracula" '92, "Dracula 2000", "Dracula 3D" '12, "Dracula" '13, and now we are served with "Dracula Untold". Not only do we have a continuation of a franchise, but also we have the beginnings of the infamous character. Beginnings of a character or characters have become quite popular: "Batman", "Star Wars", "Planet of the Apes", "Star Trek", and the like, so why not have a beginnings of someone as iconic as Dracula?
In the 15th century, the young lord Vlad (Luke Evans) and his family--wife, Mirena (Sarah Gadon) and son, Ingeras (Art Parkinson) live a peaceful life ruling over a small kingdom in Rumania, but when a Turk warlord, Mehmed (Dominic Cooper) and henchman, Hamza Bey (Ferdinand Kingsley) demands from Vlad a thousand boys and his son to create an army, Vlad seeks a terrible power, a master vampire (Charles Dance), which he knew of, that will allow him to protect his kingdom and family from the Turks at a terrible cost. Cost? To drink the vampire's blood in order to have the strength to overpower his enemies lest Vlad's kingdom and everyone in it would be killed. The price for this power? Vlad will recover to mortality in three days, however if he succumbs to drinking anyone's blood, only being dammed as a vampire for eternity. This is, of course, the origins of Dracula.
Others to round out the cast are Diarmaid Murtagh as Dumitru, Paul Kaye as Brother Lucian, William Houston as Cazan, Noah Huntley as Captain Petru, Ronan Vibert as Simion, Zach McGowan as Shkelgim, Joseph Long as General Omer, Thor Kristjansson as Bright Eyes and Jakub Gierszal as Acemi.
Where in the world is Hollywood getting these new directors? This was directed by relative newcomer, Gary Shore ("The Draft" (short) '06). Even though this had a few places of some jerkiness and awkward pacing, the direction is better than some of the seasoned directors out there today. I'd like to see what this guy could pull off given more work his way. It was written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless based on characters created by Bram Stoker. As a 'beginnings' of this character, it is truly easy to believe that the occurrences that happened to Vlad, although not being condoned, would be understandable what with the incredible tenseness he was under and the responsibility of all the people of his kingdom. I guess one might say that he was put between the proverbial 'rock and a hard place'. The main problem I had with this was the fact that when the Turks attacked Vlad and his kingdom, they would invariably attack either when it was overcast or in the evening--hardly ever in the day. Why is this? Well, there certainly wouldn't be much of a film if they didn't, since vampires cannot tolerate sunlight. Raybans anyone?
If you're a Dracula 'groupie' you'll love this, especially it being its beginnings, but even if not, the premise of this will still keep your attention, not to mention it has some nifty visual effects predominantly designed by Framestore that will knock your socks off.
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG-13 92mins.
We've seen several films which include estranged families: "August: Osage County", "Blue Jasmine" and the most recent "This is Where I Leave You". These we're incredibly well acted movies. So when "The Judge" came along, considering the consummate cast involved, I just felt this was going to be, yet another gem to add to that delicious list. and what I received was definitely what I was hoping for.
Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) is a big city lawyer who, after hearing of his mother's passing, reluctantly returns to his childhood home in small town, Carlinsville, In., where his estranged father, Joseph (Robert Duvall) still resides. After the funeral, Hank and his older brother, Glen (Vincent D'Onofrio) realize that their dad's car has been freshly damaged, and soon confront him, only with Joseph not fully realizing the details when he went to the nearby mini-mart. Subsequently Joseph becomes a suspect after the police find a body on the highway, and of which the blood matches the blood on Joseph's car. Hank sets out to discover the truth and along the way reconnects with, not only his father, but his brothers, Dale (Jeremy Strong) also included as well. As Hank stays and becomes his father's counsel, he realizes that maybe, just maybe, that he should've thought more about leaving his family years before, but not without going through some intense situations with his father.
Others to round out the cast are Vera Farmiga as Samantha Powell, an old girlfriend, Billy Bob Thornton as Dwight Dickham, the prosecuting attorney, Dax Shepard as C.P. Kennedy, an attorney, Leighton Meester as Carla Powell, Ken Howard as Judge Warren, Emma Tremblay as Lauren Palmer, Hank's daughter, Balthazar Getty as Deputy Hanson, David Krumholtz as Mike Kattan, Grace Zabriskie as Mrs. Blackwell, Denis O'Hare as Doc Morris, Sarah Lancaster as Lisa Palmer, Hank's estranged wife, Lonnie Farmer as Gus the Baliff and Matt Riedy as Sheriff White.
Interestingly, this was directed by a comedy director, and while this is a comedy, it's more of a dramedy (emphasis on the drama part). While David Dobkin ("52nd St. Serenade" '92, "Clay Pigeons" '98, "Shanghai Knights" '03, "Wedding Crashers" '05, "Fred Claus" '07, "The Change-Up" '11) at least directed fairly good comedies, it surprises me that he would be able to see this film, fraught with poignancy, pathos and concern, in any other way than zany or nutty, however this guy actually pulled it off. It was equally well written by Nick Schenk and Bill Dubuque based on a story by Dobkin and Schenk. While there were few slightly choppy areas, that was made up much more in scenes between Downey Jr. and Duvall. Obviously these actors are effortless in their own unique style, but they absolutely shined in the way they were at such odds with each other. They basically were looking at each other's 'mirror' and didn't like what they saw, too much alike, if you will, and it was conveyed extremely well which was seen through these writers, but through these incredible actors as well. If it takes good old fashioned dysfunction to get fine acting and writing, bring on the dysfunction. The photography by Janusz Kaminski ("War Horse", "Lincoln") was crisp and consise, just as these characters emulated.
I don't know about you, but I would much rather see a film that is comedic with talent than a silly comedy with mediocre talent any day of the week, because at the end of the day, my bet would be that I would feel so-o far better when I left the multiplex, and isn't that an important ingredient?
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 141mins.
We've all seen disaster films and inspirational films as well, but have you seen a film that is both disaster and inspirational? Interestingly, we have this combination in the form of "Left Behind".
One of the most important events in the history of mankind is happening right now. In the blink of an eye, the biblical Rapture, or to be caught up, strikes the world. Millions of people disappear without a trace. All that remains are their clothes and belongings, and in an instant, terror, chaos and pandemonium spread around the world. The vanishings cause unmanned vehicles to crash and burn. Planes fall from the sky. Emergency forces everywhere are devastated. Gridlock, riots and lootings overrun the cities. There is no one to help or provide answers. In a moment, the entire planet is plunged into darkness.
This story centers on Ray Steele (Nicolas Cage), a commercial pilot who, on his birthday, decides to pull an extra shift and do a flight only to end up leaving his daughter, Chloe (Cassi Thomson), coming to surprise him, at the airport. While she's there she ends up meeting well known investigative reporter, Buck Williams (Chad Michael Murray) whom happens to be booked on her dad's flight. Later, while Chloe and her young brother Raymie (Major Dodson) are at the mall, she goes to hug him and he suddenly vanishes. Chaos ensues from this point leaving all to wonder what in the world is going on.
Others to round out the cast are Lea Thompson as Irene Steele, Ray's wife, Nicky Whelan as Hattie Durham, a flight attendant, Gary Grubbs as Dennis, Martin Klebba as Melvin Weir, Jordan Sparks as Shasta Carvell, Stephanie Honore as Kimmy, another flight attendant, Quinton Aaron as Simon, Alec Rayme as Hassid, Han Soto as Edwin. Lance E. Nichols as Pastor Bruce Barnes and Kamryn Johnson as Katie.
Believe it or not, this film was directed by a stunt coordinator--Vic Armstrong ("Army of One" '93). Whether it be doing stunts or coordinator, he has been involved in 117 films. Wow! So, how does this make one a director? Being involved in coordinating stunts and working along side of one director after another will definitely rub off, especially if one is interested in soaking up as much knowledge as possible. This was written by Paul Lalonde and John Patus based on the novel by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. These guys basically wrote a novel and script using biblical scripture as its base source. The film uses the scripture: Mark 13:32 (But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.) There are others scriptures as well, but suffice it to say, these guys are definitely driving home a point. It is an effective story giving you a glimpse of what happens to those that are left behind, and allowing us to meditate over this event.
As both an inspirational and disaster film, this gives all something to gnaw on. With this event apparently coming soon, should those who definitely don't know where they stand with the Lord turn and change or do they, too, want to be left behind. Think about it.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 110mins.
When I saw the first trailer of "Gone Girl", I started yawning, because I just ascertained that this was going to be another Scott and Lacy Peterson ,'wife gone missing and husband is soon suspected of foul play' type of film. The main reason I was motivated to see this was for Affleck's acting. He's typically a hit and miss, however from the trailer, he looked like he was going to give a riveting performance which he did. After watching this film, I truly got much more than I bargained for.
On the occasion of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) after entering his home one morning, soon reports that his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike), has gone missing. Under pressure from the police, namely Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) and a growing media frenzy, Nick's portrait of a blissful union begins to crumble. Soon his lies, deceits and strange behavior have everyone asking the same dark question: Did Nick Dunne kill his wife? Or did he not due to some weird twists in this outlandish story?
Others to round the cast are Neil Patrick Harris as Desi Collings, longtime friend of Amy's, Tyler Perry as Tanner Bolt, Nick's attorney, Carrie Coon as Margo Dunne, Nick's twin sister, Patrick Fugit as Officer Jim Gilpin, David Clennon as Rand Elliott, Amy's father, Lisa Banes as Marybeth Elliott, Amy's mother, Missi Pyle as Ellen Abbott, Emily Ratajkowski as Andie Hardy, Lola Kirke as Greta, Boyd Holbrook as Jeff, Scoot McNairy as Tommy O'Hara, Sela Ward as Sharon Schieber and Leonard Kelly-Young as Bill Dunne, Nick's father.
This was brilliantly directed by David Fincher ("The Beat of the Live Drum" (Documentary) '85, "Alien 3" '92, "Se7en" '95, "The Game" '97, "Fight Club" '99, "Panic Room" '02, "Zodiac" '07, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" '08, "The Social Network" '10, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" '11). This guy has a true gift in being able to extract that certain intensity out of his actors so it's almost as if you're looking at real people and not actors at work. He has proved this time and again: "Fight Club" and "Se7en" in particular. Now the real question is: Where did the writer, Gillian Flynn come from? Wow, even though this was based on her novel of the same name, her experience in screenwriting is quite limited. Most novelists can't write themselves out of a wet paper bag, however this IS the exception. There is more work she is working on, and no doubt we will be seeing her name more than once in the very near future. I'll tell you, this script simply flowed like water from one scene to the next, and it could've been easily convoluded, because there was a bit of back-tracking here to lead us to the ultimate climax, and what a climax! This has many one, two punches in it that you do NOT see coming, so beware.
What can I say but that what I perceived as an ordinary plot/storyline was truly one well crafted American film that has possible Oscar nods come that time. If a good story, fine acting, directing and writing is your thing, look no farther--this has it all in spades!
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: R 149mins.
When I watch a comedy film from Wes Anderson ("Moonrise Kingdom"), Paul Thomas Anderson ("Boogie Nights") or even The Coen Brothers, I think quirky, dry-witted and even weird. Well, when seeing "St. Vincent", it seemed to have a similar style of these notorious writers and directors, however I soon realized that it wasn't which surprised me. This being so dry that it seemed almost serious made this even a more appealing film than you'd expect.
