When I watch most horror films, the star that typically shines more than most is the sound design and editing. Think back and you can see it in films such as "The Exorcist" '73, "The Others" '01, "The Haunting" '63, "The Strangers" '08, even Hitchcock's "The Birds" '63. The sound is so integral to the effect it gives to the storyline that, at times, it can and has overshadowed the cast of these films. With "The Lazarus Effect", we have yet another film that is far more motivated by the sound design than by the acting and its characters combined.
This story follows a group of researchers led by Frank (Mark Duplass) and his fiancée Zoe (Olivia Wilde) who've achieved the unimaginable--bringing the dead back to life. After a successful, yet unsanctioned, trial on a newly deceased dog, the team is ready to unveil their breakthrough to the world. They are actually pushed to shove to bring a human back only after Zoe inadvertently dies during an experiment, so Frank convinces the others to assist him in bringing her back to life. Meanwhile, when the dean of their university learns of their underground experiments, the Lazarus Project, as it is called, is unexpectedly shut down and their materials are confiscated. What ensues after bringing Zoe back to life epitomizes the whole concept of leaving nature alone lest you reap the horrific consequences.
Others to round out the cast are Sarah Bolger as Eva, Evan Peters as Clay, Donald Glover as Niko, Amy Aquino as Dean Dalley, Sean T. Krishnan as Lawyer, Scott Sheldon as Security Guard, Emily Kelavos as Little Girl, James Earl as Security Guard Terrence, and Cato as Rocky the Dog.
Considering the lack of theatrical experience, the directing by David Gelb ("A Vision of Blindness" (TV movie documentary) '08, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" (documentary) '11) was certainly better that I thought. This doesn't make it great--there were areas of choppiness and staginess, but not bad. With more work, this guy does have the potential of directing solid work, as long as the Hollywood community can be patient enough. It was written by Luke Dawson and Jeremy Slater. Again, considering the newness of these writers, even though the storyline is as old as dirt, it was still conveyed in a thrilling way that keeps one on the edge of their seats. There is really nothing remarkable here, except a place to hone some young filmmakers' talents so as to receive more work, which they probably will.
If you're a fan of the horror genre, this is definitely a film that you will keep you riveted, but one must be a fan, otherwise this will not be a film that you'll remember by the time you reach your car in the multiplex parking lot.
Out of 4 Stars: 2 Rated: PG-13 83mins.
Well, it's that time of year again. You know, when the Hollywood community comes out to back themselves on the back for three plus hours. This year, the coveted host of the ceremony went to Neil Patrick Harris. His first year doing this seemed effortless, but since he has hosted both the Emmy Awards and the Tony Awards, this was certainly an easy risk for the producers. He's a song and dance man with an incredible dry sense of humor which is something every host needs to be truly effective. His opening tribute to movies was staged well and again, seemed effortless. Hey, if they can't woo Billy Crystal to host next year, they can bring Harris back anytime.
In any rate, here is the complete list of those who received the Oscar. The list is exhaustive
so all have a chance to see who won whether it be Best Film or Best Visual Effects and all
in between.
Best Film:
"Birdman"
Best Leading Actor:
Eddie Redmayne ("The Theory of Everything")
Best Leading Actress:
Julianne Moore ("Still Alice")
Best Supporting Actor:
J.K. Simmons ("Whiplash")
Best Supporting Actress:
Patricia Arquette ("Boyhood")
Best Director:
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("Birdman")
Best Original Screenplay:
"Birdman" (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)
Best Adapted Screenplay:
"The Imitation Game" (Graham Moore)
Best Animated Film:
"Big Hero 6"
Best Foreign Language Film:
"Ida" (Poland)
Best Cinematography:
"Birdman" (Emmanuel Lubezki)
Best Editing:
"Whiplash" (Tom Cross)
Best Production Design:
"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pinnock)
Best Costume Design:
"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Milena Canonero)
Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier)
Best Original Score:
"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Alexander Desplat)
Best Original Song:
"Selma" (Common, John Legend) "Glory"
Best Sound Mixing:
"Whiplash" (Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins, Thomas Curley)
Best Sound Editing:
"American Sniper" (Alan Robert Murray, Bub Asman)
Best Visual Effects:
"Interstellar" (Paul J. Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter, Scott R. Fisher)
Best Documentary Featurte:
"Citizenfour"
Best Documentary, Short Subject:
"Crisis Hotline: Veterans Pass 1"
Best Short Film, Animated:
"Feast"
Best Short Film, Live Action:
"The Phone Call"
There weren't too many surprises within the ceremony--most of the winners either were favored or expected by many to win. The one surprise was the tribute to Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music" sung by Lady Gaga which has a beautiful voice. Then the next presenter was introduced being Julie Andrews to present the Best Original Score award. She received an instant standing ovation, and she looked like she hasn't aged very much within the last ten years. She was as graceful now as she was then.
Even though the telecast was more than three and a half hours, it didn't really seem that long, what with Harris' entertaining presence and the different numbers that were presented. All in all, this was an Oscar presentation that was worthy of the time spent. It may not have been Billy Crystal, but with Harris' ability to entertain and make us laugh, we will all be the better for it.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: NR 3hrs.43mins.
As I've stated in previous reviews, we've all seen films based on true stories. We've even seen films based on a true sports story, but other than a select few, "Remember the Titans" 2000 and last year's "Million Dollar Arm" come to mind, we haven't seen too many sports films based on a coach of a particular team than is destined to succeed. Now we have "McFarland, USA" to add to that slowly growing list.
This is the against-all-odds story of the 1987 McFarland high school cross-country team in an economically challenged predominantly Hispanic community. Jim White (Kevin Costner) is hired as a physical education teacher only through observation, realizes these kids in his class which include Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts), Johnny Sameniego (Hector Duran), Damacio Diaz (Michael Aguero), Jose Gardenas (Johnny Ortiz), Danny Diaz (Ramiro Rodriguez), Victor Puentes (Sergio Avetar) and David Diaz (Rafael Martinez) can run like the wind. He himself needs a shot in the arm professionally, and equally notices these guys could use a break as well--they are agricultural pickers that are destined to a live of picking and that's it. So he takes these novice runners and creates a team of what he believes are winners begging to happen. As they start winning meet after meet, they realize they are state champion regional material. Do they make the grade?
Others to round out the cast are Maria Bello as Cheryl White, Jim's wife, Morgan Saylor as Julie White, Jim's daughter, Diana Maria Riva as Senora Diaz, the brothers' Diaz's mom, Omar Leyva as Senor Diaz, the brothers' Diaz's dad, Valente Rodriguez as Principal Camillo, Danny Mora as Sammy Rosaldo, and Elsie Fisher as Jamie White, Jim's younger daughter.
This was directed by Niki Caro ("Memory & Desire" '98, "Whale Rider" '02, "North Country" '05, "A Heavenly Vintage" '09, "42 One Dream Rush" '09). By her resume, she certainly knows her way around films that are message oriented. Costner had a certain realness to his character for which I'm sure is due to her ability to bring that side of Kostner out in the open, not to mention Costner's ability to shine as an actor. It was written by Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson based on a story by Cleveland and Gilois. Since this was based on a true story and the story wasn't what I would call difficult to follow, this wasn't that much of a stretch for a seasoned writer. The script was well thought out as far as the order of events so as to make it easy to follow. This was clearly more about the eventual growing as a team between these guys more than the story itself. And with that, this film soared. The comraderie between these guys was amazing. They became more than a team...they were a family.
As with other sports based on true story films, this was definitely a stand up and cheer type of film. Believe me, in a world where there are so many obstacles, we need more films like this, not only to escape, but to teach us the way we should be more often to one another.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG 128mins.
Time travel. Wow! Hollywood has certainly covered this particular topic many times over. We've seen dramas, comedies, thrillers and mysteries surrounded around this topic and always...always they are fraught with time paradoxes. Sorry, you cannot avoid them. They always happen when dealing with time travel--one can't help it. So, when I saw "Project Almanac" after the first 30 minutes, I thought, yeah, there are time paradoxes involved here, otherwise you can't explain away certain happenings.
A brilliant high school student, David Raskin (Jonny Weston) and his friends, Jessie Pierce (Sophia Black-D'Elia), Quinn Goldberg (Sam Lerner), Adam Le (Allen Evangelista) and David's sister, Christina (Virginia Gardner) accidentally stumble upon blueprints for a mysterious device with limitless potential. As they probe into the situation even more, they realize they have come upon the blueprints that involve time travel, or more precisely, a time machine device. Through improvising using different tools they find at Home Depot and the like, they decide to build it and use it to fix their problems and for personal gain. But, once built and they start to use it, the future starts falling apart with certain disasters. It becomes so horrific of a situation that as each of them start disappearing little by little, they must travel back to the past to make sure they never invent the machine in the first place, or face possible destruction of humanity.
Others to round out the cast are Amy Landecker as Kathy Raskin, David and Christina's mom, Gary Weeks as David and Christina's dad, Gary Grubbs as Dr. Lou, David and friend's teacher, Michelle DeFraites as Sarah Nathan, Christina's bully, Macsen Lintz as David, Age 7, and Courtney Bowers as Jess' Friend.
This was remarkably directed well by virtual newcomer, Dean Israelite (Shorts). Considering this guy is so new to the director's chair, this was surprisingly helmed with painstakingly delineated pacing and realness. If the actors were more seasoned, I could possibly understand that the actors could've 'carried' this director, but considering these actors were not seasoned, this speaks volumes toward the quality of Israelite. It was written by Jason Harry Pagan and Andrew Deutschman, both of which have limited experience as well. Since Hollywood has produced so many films about time travel, I realize that coming up with another original script would be a monumental task, but, even though this wasn't expressly original, there was a certain innocence and freshness to it. Part of the reason might be that usually movies based on time travel involve adults, but since this deals with teenagers, it makes it more captivating. The one thing that this, and others cover, is the constant problem of not truly realizing what they have in their midst, and end up attempting to use the machine for personal means, which never works. Then they try to limit their personal use, but not totally use it for loftier reasons. Wrong! Once all these self-absorbed tactics are exhausted, then they realize that they must make things right. This is a very typical premise of just about any film based on a time travel concept. At one point, this was very similar to that of the film, "Groundhog Day". In fact, this film was mentioned in this as almost a homage.
Time travel movies are certainly intriguing, and this is no exception, but it would be in a positive direction to see a film of this type that could go in a totally different way. Then again, if these similar premises keep working, why fix it if it isn't broken?
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG-13 106mins.
We've all seen espionage films before, even some that are a comedic version of the genre, but "Kingsman: The Secret Service" is actually a very well delineated version of both drama and comedy. Between the Bond franchise, a number of political spy flicks too numerous to list, and some spoofs this rendition not only is a fresh and original way to tell this story, but tells in a way that simply captivates its audience.
This tells the story of a super-secret spy organization lead up by Arthur (Michael Caine) that eventually recruits an unrefined but promising street kid, Eggsby Unwin (Taron Egerton) into the agency's ultra-competitive training program by one of the agency's best agents, Harry Hart/Galahad (Colin Firth) just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius, Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) and his lethal cohort, Amelia (Fiona Hampton).
Through the grueling training mostly by instructor Merlin (Mark Strong), several candidates are weeded out, but only one will remain 'standing' to replace another Kingsman that didn't make it on a previous mission he was on.
Others to round out the cast are Samantha Womack as Roxy, Bjorn Floberg as Scandinavian Prime Minister, Hanna Alstrom as Princess Tilde, Edward Holcroft as Charlie, Nicholas Banks as Digby, Jack Cutmore-Scott as Rufus, Corey Johnson as Church Leader and Jack Davenport as Lancelot.
This was slickly directed by Matthew Vaughn ("Layer Cake" '04, "Stardust" '07, "Kick-Ass" '10, "X-Men: First Class" '11). The way this guy was able to convey this film as a parody, however not a silly, stupid one was brilliance. Actors Firth and Caine have played snobby, upper-crust characters before, but in this, it was as they were parodying other dramatic roles they've played. It was effectively written by Jane Goldman and Vaughn based on the comic book "The Secret Service" by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. With the small exceptions of a couple of choppy areas in continuity, this script was written with slickness and tightness with a healthy dose of fluidity. I could go on about it, but suffice it to say, this film is amazing on so many levels. And Samuel L. Jackson as the badie was perfection--basically the more he hammed it up the better he was.
What can I say, great cast, direction and writing--all anyone could or would want out of this particular film. Even the visuals didn't distract from the storyline, but rather enhanced. This is pure escapism at its finest. Enjoy!
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 129mins.
Human tragedy comes in all forms whether it be death, financial ruin or a fatal illness, to list a few. We've all seen films about those who contract a deadly disease: AIDS, cancer (in a wide variety), Lou Gehrig's Disease, again, to list a few. Many people have known or know those who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease at some time in our lives, however after seeing "Still Alice", it opens up the door of striving to understand this disease even more.
Alice Howland (Julianne Moore), happily married with three grown children. is a renowned linguistics professor at Columbia University who starts to forget words and simple tasks. When she consults with a neurologist, Dr. Benjamin (Stephen Kunken) and necessary tests are performed, she with her husband John (Alec Baldwin) receive the devastating diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease. Even though she is only 50 years-old (most people diagnosed with this disease are typically older), she is diagnosed with a rarer form of it called Familial Alzheimer's Disease: a totally genetic form. Together, they confront their grown children, Lydia (Kristen Stewart), Anna (Kate Bosworth) and Tom (Hunter Parrish) who are devastated themselves. Through all this, family bonds are thoroughly tested as everyone strives to walk a tightrope between normality and taking care of Alice. Alice's struggle to stay connected to who she once was is frightening, heartbreaking and inspiring.
Others to round out the cast are Shane McRae as Anna's husband Charlie, Seth Gilliam as Frederic Johnson, Daniel Gerroll as Eric Wellman, Alice's boss at Columbia, Rosa Arredondo as Convention Facilitator, and Caridad Montanez as Elena, a caregiver.
This was subtly and passionately directed by Richard Glatzer ("Grief" '93, "The Fluffer" '01, "Quinceanera" '06, "The Last of Robin Hood" '13) and Wash Westmoreland ("The Fluffer" '01, "Gay Republicans" (TV movie documentary) '04, "Quinceanera" '06, "The Last of Robin Hood" '13). Granted, Moore is a consummate actor, and this is surely the best she's done in a while, but much credit of this slow decline of this articulate, detailed individual certainly has to be credited to these two directors. This was extremely well written also by Glatzer and Westmoreland based on the novel by Lisa Genova. The script simply flowed like water with amazing continuity and cohesiveness. As I mentioned before, this is a very stirring and phenomenal performance by Moore herself. One could see her slowly deteriorating before your very eyes. It's no wonder she was nominated for a best actress Oscar--she could possibly nab it come that time. You could feel her frustration, fear and pain by witnessing her as the film proceeded.
Even though the ending of this is bittersweet and poignant, this is not a warm and fluffy feeling film, however a movie that so many people should see, if for no other reason than to see what happens to a person going through this as well as for what families and friends go through.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 101mins.
Sci-fi/fantasy films are really not a new commodity, but when certain filmmaker's names are attached to the production, we will become curiously interested just to see what they are up to next. When I saw the trailer to "Jupiter Ascending", it certainly looked palatable enough to plunk down money to observe the visuals, if for no other reason, and the final verdict was it was definitely more interesting than the trailer depicted.
Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up day after day to the cold reality of a job cleaning toilets and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine Wise (Channing Tatum), a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along-- her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos. With this knowledge, siblings from the planet, Jupiter who 'own' many planets each, Balem Abrasax (Eddie Redmayne), Titus Abrasax (Douglas Booth) and Kalique Abrasax (Tuppence Middleton) have different reasons for tracking down Jupiter as well, but are their motivations admirable? Along with Caine's comrade, Stinger Apini (Sean Bean) they will do anything to make sure Jupiter does not get into the wrong hands.
Others to round out the cast are Nikki Amuka-Bird as Capt. Diomika Tsing, Nicholas A. Newman as Nesh, Doona Bae as Razo, Maria Doyle Kennedy as Aleksa, Jupiter's mother, Tim Pigott-Smith as Malidictes, Balem's right man advisor, Ariyon Bakare as Greeghan, Christina Cole as Gemma Chatterjee, Edward Hogg as Chicanery Night and James D'Arcy as Maximilian Jones, Jupiter's father.
This was directed with pure fantasy and excitement by The Wachowskis (Andy and Lana) ("Bound" '96, "The Matrix Triology" '99 & '03, "Speed Racer" '08, "Cloud Atlas" '12- Andy only). Whereas "The Matrix" was definitely on the cerebral side, this film was not. This doesn't mean that it was total fluff, however the premise wasn't overly original, but what these two did with it was pure entertainment at its finest. Both Tatum and Kunis could've done these roles in their sleep-- they're both better actors than this story could provide. The Wachowskis also wrote this film as well. Not to give too much plot away, even though this is a fantasy, there were areas that simply could not happen, but then it's a fantasy, whereas there can be so many more liberties in storyline. Suffice it to say, even though this script was fairly predictable, it was still a great, fun ride to see the good guys constantly beating up the bad guys. Perhaps after the cerebral aspects of "The Matrix", The Wachowskis needed something easier and more fun for us to watch-- a much needed rest for them as with us also.
This certainly was done in the same vein as "Guardians of the Galaxy", but without the originality. But maybe, just maybe we all need something fun and relaxing to enjoy instead of having to think. For this, you gotta love this, and all in a nifty 3D format.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 125mins.
Have you ever noticed how dark appearing submarine films are and can be? Think about it, we have "Das Boot" '81, "U-571" 2000, "The Hunt for Red October" '90, "Crimson Tide" '95 and the like. It might be because they're shot in an enclosed environment and/or that these films typically have a tension-filled plot, so 'dark' might give a better look and feel to the films. This must be true because then why would "Black Sea" be shot in that similar way?
Through Daniels (Scoot McNairy), Captain Robinson (Jude Law) meets potential financial backer Fraser (Ben Mendelsohn) so as to seek out a fortune in gold. According to Daniels, there is a fortune aboard a WWII German U-boat on the floor of the Black Sea for the taking. So, Fraser plans on taking his part of it once found for backing the mission. Robinson agrees and puts together a misfit crew including Daniels, Reynolds (Michael Smiley), Kurston (Daniel Ryan), Tobin (Bobby Schofield) and others to go after the sunken treasure. As greed and desperation take control onboard their claustrophobic vessel, the increasing uncertainty of the mission causes the men to turn on each other to fight for their own survival. This crew comprised of both English and Russian might just have bitten off more than they can chew.
Others to round out the cast are David Trelfall, Konstantin Khabenskiy as Blackie, Sergey Puskepalis as Zaytsev, Branwell Donaghey as Gittens, Tobias Menzies as Lewis, Karl Davies as Liam, all other crew members, and Jodie Whittaker as Chrissy.
This was directed with such clarity, grit and intensity by veteran Kevin MacDonald ("Chaplin's Goliath" (Documentary) '96, "One Day in September" (Documentary) '99, "Touching the Void" (Documentary) '03, "The Last King of Scotland" '06, "State of Play" '09, "The Eagle" '11, "Marley" (Documentary) '12, "How I Live Now" '13, "Christmas in a Day" (Documentary) '13). With all the documentaries this guy has done, making this film looked almost as a documentary, if not a story based on a true facts was not a stretch for him to pull off, but this was based in pure fiction, which is interesting considering his resume. Considering this writer's lack of feature film writing, Dennis Kelly did an exquisite job with this story of this crew trying to survive each other than just the Black Sea itself. Sure, it wasn't an Oscar worthy script, but I've seen worse screenplays by exceedingly more experienced screenwriters than with Kelly. He's got the talent; he just needs more work to hone this raw talent. I've never seen Law more intense than he was in this.
The eclectic cast in this film will keep you riveted while you're watching this story unfold, wondering if they're going to kill each other before they even find the gold. Even if submarine films aren't your thing, the chemistry between all these guys is something you can't miss.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 114mins.
We've seen many films that have or had a racial theme to the story (of all races or people with color), but "Black or White" clears showcases these issues in a way that hits home with us all, whether we be black, white or whatever. The only other film that dealt with this issue healthily as this was "Crash" '05, whereas people in the film and in the audience were forced to face their respective prejudices head on. Will this start a trend in future films?
This is the 'based on true events' story of a grandfather, Elliot Anderson (Kevin Costner) who is suddenly left to care for his beloved granddaughter, Eloise Anderson (Jillian Estell) after his wife, Carol (Jennifer Ehle) dies in a car accident. When Eloise's paternal grandmother, Rowena Jeffers (Octavia Spencer) seeks custody with the legal help from her attorney brother, Jeremiah (Anthony Mackie), the little girl is torn between the two families who love her deeply. Add in the girl's father, Reggie Davis (Andre Holland) who has his own personal demons, and you have a recipe for tension. With the best intensions at heart, both families fight for what they feel is right and are soon forced to confront their own true feelings about race, forgiveness, and understanding. The movie is a definitive look at two seemingly different worlds, in which nothing is as simple as black or white.
Others to round out the cast are Bill Burr as Rick Reynolds, Elliot's attorney and work associate, Mypho Koaho as Duvan Araga, Eloise's math tutor, Gillian Jacobs as Fay, Rick's girlfriend, Paula Newsome as Judge Cummins and Bertha Bindewald as Rosita, Elliot's housekeeper.
This was effectively directed by Mike Binder ("Crossing the Bridge" '92, "Indian Summer" '93, "Blankman" '94, "The Sex Monster" '99, "Fourplay" '01, "The Search for John Gissing" '01, "The Upside of Anger" '05, "Man About Town" '06, "Reign Over Me" '07). The fact that this guy hasn't directed anything since "Reign Over Me" proves that one can maintain true professionalism even after so many years. This has got to be one of Binder's better efforts. The way that Costner exuded this man walking an extreme tightrope between love for his granddaughter and his drinking problem was executed with perfection, because it was such a subtle performance. Clearly Binder and Costner are good for each other--they've worked together in the past, so seeing them team up on this film clearly proved that team effort. This is the best thing Costner has done in a while, although his "Draft Day" was also well done, this was clearly a film that will bring Costner back and in spades. This was also written by Binder and clearly delineated well. With the exception of a couple of slow moments in storyline, it was clear that this was expertly executed by a seasoned talented writer as Binder definitely is.
If you're wondering if Costner will ever make a comeback to beat none, go see this, because if he didn't redefine his ability with "Draft Day", he certainly did with "Black or White". Not to mention, this film also speaks to us all in the ability for us to be forced to look into that proverbial mirror and re-examine our morals and values of how we perceive others. and how they perceive us.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 121mins.
When I watch most horror films, the star that typically shines more than most is the sound design and editing. Think back and you can see it in films such as "The Exorcist" '73, "The Others" '01, "The Haunting" '63, "The Strangers" '08, even Hitchcock's "The Birds" '63. The sound is so integral to the effect it gives to the storyline that, at times, it can and has overshadowed the cast of these films. With "The Lazarus Effect", we have yet another film that is far more motivated by the sound design than by the acting and its characters combined.
