As a society, we are fascinated by things or ideas that could further develop mankind into something better. This must be true since Hollywood has delved into such an array of films with the hope that we can evolve into a greater, better species. We can go all the way back to "Frankenstein" '31 of bringing a corpse back to life, "Flatliners" was just a modern day version of the same thing, "A.I." delved into these same ideas putting in a kid as an artificial intelligence. Hey, even the animated marketplace has taken a slice of the pie with the recent "Frankenweenie", basically a homage to Frankenstein. So why not explore another production of this ever changing notion that mankind needs a jolt--in the form of "Ex Machina".
Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), a 26 year-old coder at the world's largest internet company, wins a competition to spend a week at a private retreat belonging to Nathan (Oscar Isaac), the reclusive CEO of the company. But when Caleb arrives at the remote location, he finds that he will have to participate in a strange and fascinating experiment in which he must interact with the world's first true artificial intelligence, housed in the body of a beautiful robot girl, Ava (Alicia Vikander). Nathan enlists Caleb to evaluate everything he can about Ava--her likes, her dislikes, how she feels about Caleb, etc., not realizing that, after Caleb starts interviewing her, she actually has a mind of her own.
Others to round out the cast are Corey Johnson as Jay, Sonoya Mizuno as Kyoko, Symara A. Templeman as Jasmine and Claire Selby as Lily.
For this being his first feature directorial debut, Alex Garland certainly helmed this with precision and determination. The way the emotions slowly developed as this exercise of evaluation started to crumble was believable and realistic. He will continue getting more work in the director's chair--in fact he will be directing "Annihilation" soon. It was also written well by Garland ("28 Days Later..." '02, "Sunshine" '07, "Never Let Me Go" '10, "Dredd" '12). He is certainly treading on familiar ground, hence his resume. Obscure, gritty, intense seems to be his thing, and he knows it well. This is such a cat-and mouse game with Caleb and Nathan with Ava basically pitting one against the other. Who's lying and who's telling the truth. With this happening, there are several twists and turns that will keep you wondering. I can't give out any of the twists, lest it could spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that it will keep you glued to the screen even though there are only three actors virtually in the cast. Now that's good writing. As this is not a formulaic storyline, the ending is a bit bittersweet, but life, many times, can and is like that.
Whether one is into the sci-fi genre or not, this is a film for all who are into people being thrown into situations that they find they might not be able to recover from, but certainly hope that they can.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 109mins.
With all the films out there now and in the recent past, it's refreshing to see something that not only is based in fiction, but is based in pure fantasy. We really don't see enough of these where one's imagination can go places that is, in so many ways, a direct contrast of our very lives which can be routine, frustrating with a lot of reality. It's no wonder why these films typically do well in the multiplex, and Hollywood used to show them all the time. Well, just maybe "The Age of Adaline" can spawn more of these gems our way in the not too distant future.
After surviving a potentially fatal car accident in 1935 and miraculously remaining 29 years old for almost eight decades, Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) has lived a solitary existence, never allowing herself to get close to anyone who might reveal her secret, and that if she did become close to anyone, they would surely die way before her. But a chance encounter with charismatic philanthropist Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) reignites her passion for life and romance. When a weekend with his parents, William and Kathy (Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker) threatens to uncover the truth, Adaline makes a decision that will change her life forever.
Others to round out the cast are Ellen Burstyn as Flemming, Adaline's daughter, Amanda Crew as Kikki, Ellis' sister, Lynda Boyd as Regan, Hugh Ross as Narrator, Richard Harmon as Tony, Hiro Kanagawa as Kenneth and Anjali Jay as Cora.
This was passionately and compassionately directed by Lee Toland Krieger ("December Ends" '06, "The Vicious Kind" '09, "Celeste & Jesse Forever" '12) plus different shorts. It was passionate because its character of Adaline had this purpose and drive to protect her and her family from what she figured would be treating them like a freak show by society, and it was compassionate, because Adaline was just that kind of individual, and although Krieger was able to extract these attributes from Lively, Lively is a honed actor in her own rights. Krieger has not worked on 'A' list productions, perhaps, but after this film, I suspect we'll see more of his work. It was chronologically and orderly executed in its writing by J. Mills Goodloe and Salvador Paskowitz based on a story by the same two guys. Other than losing a little tracking between time elements, but certainly not enough to cause the audience to lose track, this script was precise and coherent in every other way. Certainly the way the narrator describes what happens to Adaline during the crash almost gives the appearance as what happened to Adaline could have, in fact, happened, but this is great storytelling at its best.
For all of you who are pure fantasy junkies, this is the film for you, but even if fact based films, or even documentaries are more of your thing, the story here is endearing speaking to the heart about love, acceptance, redemption and second chances, and isn't this something we all want or could certainly use?
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 114mins.
As I've mentioned in past reviews, Hollywood has jumped on that 'film based on a true story' bandwagon, and they have with a vengeance. Within the last 10-12 years, I'd be willing to estimate that half the films, or close to it, have been based on a true story or person or, at least, based on true events. And with this, here is another film based on a true story which is called..."True Story".
Jonah Hill portrays Michael Finkel, a recently terminated journalist for the New York Times, who is struggling to find work after a story he worked on went terribly wrong. Even though he's well known, his editors couldn't take a blind eye of what transpired. One day, he receives a phone call from a man regarding an FBI Most Wanted individual named Christian Longo (James Franco), who's been captured and claimed to be living as Finkel. Longo and Finkel meet and form an odd and kind of a cat-and-mouse bond while Longo is in prison awaiting his trial. Through their continued meetings, Finkel exchanges journalism tips for the real events behind Longo's alleged heinous acts of murdering his wife and children. Finkel's girlfriend Jill Barker (Felicity Jones) is as perplexed with Longo's motivations of these meetings with Finkel as is Finkel, who slowly builds a suspicion of what Longo really wants, hence the cat and mouse game. Through the twists and turns the film provides, only at the end will Finkel uncover the True Story.
Others to round out the cast are Ethan Suplee as Pat Frato, Robert John Burke as Greg Ganley, Gretchen Mol as Karen Hannen, Maria Dizzia as MaryJane Longo, Christian's wife, Conor Kikot as Zach Longo, Christian's son, Charlotte Driscoll as Sadie Longo, Christian's daughter, Stella Rae Payne as Madison Longo, Christian's other daughter, Byron Jennings as Judge Odenkirk, Robert Stanton as Jeffrey Gregg, and Betty Gilpin as Cheryl Frank.
As with any cat-and-mouse type of film, this was orchestrated with precision by director, Rupert Goold (TV series/mini-series). This guy has obviously gotten enough TV under his belt to achieve the chemistry of these two entirely different individuals where their bond is strong, but at the same time awkward and extremely cautious. It was equally well written by Goold (TV) and David Kajganich ("The Invasion" '07, "Blood Creek" '09) in that the way it was written was in the vein of Finkel believing Longo, and after thinking, he would then question him, then back again. So the cat-and-mouse situation was delineated in such subtle ways that us, as the audience wonder where the cat-and-mouse situation begins and where it ends, if it even does. Really, except for a couple of extremely small areas of slowness and odd timing, this script was spot on and well thought out. Of course, it coming from a seasoned writer, Michael Finkel's book, where the film is based, doesn't hurt this screenplay. Lastly, both Franco and Hill are stunning in their respective roles and obvious did their homework. These two guys actually excel better when involved in dramas much more than in their comedies, i.e. Hill in "Moneyball" and Franco in "127 Hours". I would love to see them in more dramas, because watching fine acting, in my opinion, is a natural high.
After the film gets going, it sort of reminds you of '05's "Capote" with an author obsessed with a cold, calculating killer while the killer sits in prison, but this film certainly is its own film and holds its own weight with painstaking clarity.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 100mins.
There was a day when documentary feature films were considered boring, uninteresting and sort of like watching the news that one could do at home...free. But filmmakers have, through the years, strived to create a feel in which one could learn as well as be entertained when viewing their documentaries. Believe me, the movie going audience did not instantly warm up to them at first, but as soon as enough people saw the documentaries through time, the popularity started to grow. Now it has gotten to the point where documentaries are hot! This is why we have a plethora of them today, such as Disneynature creating practically a documentary a year since 2007 starting with "Earth" '07, then going to "Oceans" '09, "African Cats" '11, "Chimpanzee" '12, "Bears" '14, and now releasing on Earth Day weekend, as with its predecessors, "Monkey Kingdom".
This documentary is set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia where the monkey kingdom has taken over and these animals actually have a competitive social hierarchy which is crucial to their survival. One of the monkeys, Maya is in a place where her world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip into her complicated family. Like all families, Maya's has more than its share of colorful personalities--and she's determined to give her son a leg up on the social ladder. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya's whole family is forced to relocate, where she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to lead them to untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings. Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son's future.
This was incredibly well directed by Mark Linfield ("Earth" (Documentary) '07, "Chimpanzee"
(Documentary) '12) and Alistair Fothergill ("Deep Blue" '03, "Earth" '07, "African Cats" '11, "Chimpanzee" '12, "Bears" '14--all documentaries). These guys obviously know their genre, and this film simply furthers that proof of their expertise. This was informational yet entertaining, especially choosing Tina Fey as narrator--what a stroke of genius! How they achieved so many of the shots they did was amazing, which takes me to the true stars of this film...the cinematographers, Martyn Colbeck and Gavin Thurston. Their ability to achieve the different shots of the animals was awesome and the photography was just stunning. This coupled with Andy Netley's incredible editing made this film soar as with all the Disneynature films. There was even a few minute summary before the film letting us know about the progress made with each film to help save the planet and the different animals in it, and, like the other films, if one sees the film within the first week of release, a certain percentage of the gross tickets will go to the preservation of these wonderful monkeys in South Asia, so go see this film.
This is a great film--informational, entertaining, and made with the idea of helping the planet. What a great cause. I never hawk a film in regard of its financial gain, but when the proceeds go to such a great cause as this, I couldn't resist mentioning this aspect.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: G 81mins.
Since we have seen so many films that have been based on a true story, another film that comes along would seem to prove to be based on yet another true story, especially when it is set as a period film about politics, murder with a thriller feel to it. However "Child 44" is actually based on a novel and not a true story at all ,even though it has the feel of one.
Based on the first of a trilogy by Tom Rob Smith and set in the Stalin era of the Soviet Union in 1953, this story centers on an idealistic pro-Stalin MGB security police agent, Leo Demitov (Tom Hardy) who decides to investigate a series of child murders in a country where supposedly this sort of crime doesn't exist. The state would not hear of the existence of a child murderer let alone a serial killer. Meanwhile, the state is killing those who are considered traitors, and since the suspicion of treason is placed over the head of Leo's wife, Raisa (Noomi Rapace), his boss, Major Kuzmin (Vincent Cassel) of the state decide to demote and exile Leo for not denouncing her. He and Raisa are sent to the militia lead by General Mikhail Nesterov (Gary Oldman), but decides, once there, with just the help of his wife, to continue pursuing the case, even with the politics of it all trying to come down around Leo and Raisa.
Others to round out the cast are Joel Kinnaman as Vasili, Paddy Considine as Vladimir Malevich, Fares Fares as Alexei Andreyev, Jason Clarke as Anatoly Brodsky, a suspected traitor, Nikolaj Lie Kaas as Ivan Sukov, Josef Altin as Alexander, Mark Lewis Jones as Tortoise, Sam Spruell as Dr. Tyapkin and Charles Dance as Major Grachev.
This was intensely directed by Daniel Espinosa ("Babylonsjukan" '04, "Outside Love" '07, "Easy Money" '10, "Safe House" '12). Considering the era which this took place, the austere coldness in which these actors exuded was spot on, and his staging of these actors was real and showcased these actors well. It was written by Richard Price ("The Color of Money" '86, "Sea of Love" '89, "Clockers" '95, "Ransom" '96, "Freedomland" '06) plus other films and TV, based on Smith's novel. This was extremely developed as far as character development was concerned, however it did get a bit bogged down as the storyline went from the espionage aspects to the child murder investigations and back again, and it was a little slow at times. But all in all it was one film that definitely had you on the edge of your seat biting your nails. Between Hardy and Rapace, I'm not sure which one shined more. Their intensity and grit was amazing especially as you saw there normal routine lives slowly coming to a halt.
As a history lesson, this was a very stoic time for mankind--one where it had society as a whole paranoid and scared to death, quite literally in some cases. So it was a tough watch for this certainly, but if you're into accuracy, the look of this, the attitude of different characters and the coldness of it all will keep you glued to the screen if all else fails.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 137mins.
When it comes to comedy, we typically see two different kinds: 1) ones which are fraught with frat falls, toilet humor, lots of four-letter words, and characters that are totally over-the-top to the point that one tires of these characters quickly, or 2) ones that are quirky, with powder-dry humor, usually with some four-letter words and characters that are much more low-key as compared to their counterparts. Sometimes I yearn for a nice in between where a healthy combination would be refreshing. We have in the offing a quirky, dry comedy, drama in the form of "While We're Young".
This story centers around Josh (Ben Stiller) and Cornelia (Naomi Watts), a childless New York married couple in their mid-forties. As their other friends all start having children, the couple gravitates toward a younger hipster couple named Jamie (Adam Driver) and Darby (Amanda Seyfried). He's an aspiring documentary filmmaker, a vocation Josh is already involved in. Soon the older couple begins enjoying the energy they feel hanging out with the younger generation, but eventually Josh begins to suspect his new best friend might not be as straightforward as he thought. Why is this a suspicion? Could it be that Jamie is merely sucking up to Josh since his father-in-law, Leslie Breitbart (Charles Grodin) is an acclaimed documentarian or maybe that Cornelia being Breitbart's daughter, is a producer herself, or could it be that because of all this that Jamie is using Josh, or could Josh be working off of pure paranoia? Who knows?
Others to round out the cast are Adam Horovitz as Fletcher and Maria Dizzia as Marina, both friends of Josh and Cornelia, Dree Hemingway as Tipper, Brady Corbet as Kent, Matt Maher as Tim, an associate of Josh's, Peter Yarrow as Ira Mandelstam, Dean Wareham as Shaman, and James Saito as Dr. Nagato.
This was quirkily directed by Noah Baumbach ("Kicking and Screaming" '95, "Mr. Jealousy" '97, "The Squid and the Whale" '05, "Margot at the Wedding" '07, "Greenberg" '10, "Frances Ha" '12). This filmmaker certainly knows how to exact an amazing amount of dysfunction to his characters in most of his films. With so much dysfunction in this world today, he has definitely tapped into a characteristic that many people can relate to, because people have issues--there's no getting around this. It was very quirkily, however well written by Baumbach (list includes the above plus ""Thirty" (TV movie) 2000, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" '04, "Fantastic Mr. Fox" '09, "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" '12, "The Corrections" (TV movie, adaptation) '12). As with filmmakers Wes Anderson, Paul Thomas Anderson and the likes, this guy obviously markets on odd, quirky, dry wit with interesting non-formulaic premises--this can be a negative or a positive. His scripts are structured accurately with well thought out characters, but his style does take some getting used to. Every time I see one of his films, my opinion of the film does improve, just because, using objectivity, he is a talented filmmaker. He's simply not a filmmaker who creates for the mass audience appeal, but there is a very definite audience which still keeps him in demand.
If before you enter the theater, if you could just wrap your head around the quirkiness of this filmmaker, I truly believe you will see that this guy is talented. But one has only to be patient and wait and see--and if you do, you will see this guy in the same light as I do.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 97mins.
There have been many films that have been based on true stories, but have you ever seen a disclaimer at the start of a film that reads: This is kind of a true story. A little bit"? I thought not. So, which part of "Danny Collins" is based in fact and which has been embellished? As you view this film, it slowly becomes evident.
Al Pacino stars as aging 1970's rocker Danny Collins who can't give up his hard-living ways. But when his manager/best friend Frank Grubman (Christopher Plummer) uncovers a 40 year-old undelivered letter to him by John Lennon, he decides to change course and embarks on a heartfelt journey to rediscover his family, namely his long-lost son, Tom Donnelly (Bobby Cannavale) and daughter-in-law Samantha (Jennifer Garner). During his quest, he decides to woo the hotel manager Mary Sinclair (Annette Bening) where he's staying in hopes that she will agree to go out to dinner with him, and also it is the hope that he can redeem himself with attempting to begin a second act since he hadn't written anything in the last 30 years. This is quite the tall order for someone that is hard-pressed in taking care of himself much less trying to reconnect with others and create anything in his life except a mess.
Others to round out the cast are Josh Peck as Nicky, the front valet, Melissa Benoist as Jamie, clerk at the hotel desk, Katarina Cas as Sophie, Danny's much younger wife, Giselle Eisenberg as Hope Donnelly, Tom and Samantha's child, Brian Smith as Judd, Eric Lange as Dr. Silverman, Scott Lawrence as Dr. Kurtz, Nick Offerman as Guy DeLoach, Eric Schneider as Young Danny Collins and Aarti Mann as Nurse Nikita.
It is remarkable that this was helmed by director Dan Fogelman considering this is his directorial debut. This is unprecedented, because most directors with this limited amount of experience would fold under the pressure. Of course, Fogelman is a seasoned producer and writer, so I'm sure that has plenty to do with it, but still his pacing and staging was simply spot on. This was brilliantly written by Fogelman ("The 12th Man" (TV movie) '06, "Cars" '06, "Fred Claus" '07, "Lipshitz Saves the World" (TV movie) '07, "Bolt" '08, "Tangled" '10, "Cars 2" (Original Story) '11, "Crazy, Stupid, Love." '11, "The Guilt Trip" '12, "Las Vegas" '13) plus TV. This writing was amazingly well thought out, was cohesive and totally as fluid as water pouring from a glass--no wonder that this guy obviously excels in an arena that he clearly is comfortable with. This sort of has a Cameron Crowe ("Jerry Maguire", "Almost Famous") feel to it which is complimentary in my book--I'm a huge fan of Crowe. It's dramatic, but with just the right amount of comedic moments to make it seem that much more real. There are many amazing scenes in this, but one of my favorites was the last scene in the film. I can't tell you lest it could spoil it for you, but suffice it to say, it is so tense, but at the same time so heartfelt, and this is a tough combination to write and have it come across as a real situation and not just over-the-top. This could seriously be considered come Oscar time, but obviously time will tell.
This film has it all: dysfunction, love, fear, anger, redemption, drama and comedy which much of it is presented in such heartfelt ways. Along with a good script, directing and acting by this incredible ensemble cast, one can't go wrong when you land at the multiplex.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: R 106mins.
We've all seen romantic dramas before which are usually fraught with sappiness and sentimentality, however when they are based on a Nicholas Sparks novel as "The Longest Ride" is, then an ordinary romantic drama becomes deeper, with more than meets the eye. I'm not sure how he does it, but his novels stand out with amazing distinction beyond others in the same genre. His resume proves my point: "The Notebook" '04, "Dear John" '04, "The Last Song" '10, "The Lucky One" '12 and others.
This story centers on the star-crossed love affair between Luke Collins (Scott Eastwood), a former champion bull rider looking to make a comeback, and Sophia Danko (Britt Robertson), a college student who is about to embark upon her dream job in New York City's art world. As conflicting paths and ideals test their relationship, Sophia and Luke make an unexpected and fateful connection with Ira Levinson (Alan Alda), whose memories of his own decades-long romance with his beloved wife, Ruth (Oona Chaplin) deeply inspire the young couple. Spanning generations and two intertwining love stories, this story explores the challenges and infinite rewards of endearing love.
Others to round out the cast are Jack Huston as Young Ira, Lolita Davidovich as Kate Collins, Luke's mother, Melissa Benoist as Marcia, a dorm 'sister' of Sophia's, Elea Oberon as Mrs. Pfeffer, Kate Forbes as Ira's mother, Tiago Riani as Luiz, Danny Vinson as Larry Hill and Tracey Bonner as Nurse Wilson.
This was expertly directed by George Tillman Jr. ("Scenes for the Soul" '95, "Soul Food" '97, "Men of Honor" 2000, "Notorious" '09, "Faster" '10, "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete" '13). This isn't the typical fare that Stillman is best known for, but it is vital that directors branch out and attempt other areas that they aren't as familiar with, especially if they don't feel pushed. It not only helps one's creativity, but also makes a filmmaker that much more marketable. And besides, this guy pulled it off in spades. It was written by Craig Bolotin ("Black Rain" '89, "Straight Talk" '92, "That Night" '92, "Light It Up" '99, "Salem Falls" (TV movie) '11), based on Sparks' novel of the same name. As said in the preface, when one has a good basis of which to work from, you would have to be a terrible writer to botch a screenplay that's based on a Sparks novel. This was a solid script, however there were a couple of very small slow areas, but certainly not enough to take away from this endearing, charming story that just takes one away to another place and another time to escape into and simply enjoy. As long as Sparks keeps writing interesting and entertaining novels, there will be a bevy of great screenplays based in the romantic drama genre. And even the chemistry between Eastwood and Robertson was well played out where these two actors clearly clicked and Alda's Ira was deftly acted with perfection.
Certainly if you are a Sparks fan this is one you won't want to miss, but even for the moviegoers out there that may have not heard of Sparks--this is a story that all can really get into, because, at the end of the day, we all want and need to connect with each other. We just need a small push that way, and this film fits the bill.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 128mins.
We've all seen films based on true stories before--you know, major well known stories that can go back years and decades ago, but it's always interesting to see the 'smaller' stories that mainstream society rarely if ever knows about. We saw one a year ago in February called "The Monuments Men" about a small band of men who, during WWII, recovered a ton of art in Europe stolen from the Nazis. Now we have a little known true story also within the WWII arena entitled "Woman in Gold".
This is the remarkable true story of one woman's journey to reclaim her heritage and seek justice for what happened to her family, and for the deaths, destruction and massive art theft perpetrated by the Nazis. Sixty years after she fled Vienna during WWII, an elderly Jewish woman, Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren), starts her journey to retrieve family possessions seized by the Nazis, among them Klimt's famous painting "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I", her aunt (Antje Traue). Together with her inexperienced but plucky young lawyer Randy Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds) and an Austrian requisitions investigator, Hubertus Czernin (Daniel Bruhl), she embarks upon a major battle which takes them all the way to the heart of the Austrian establishment and the U.S. Supreme Court, and forces her to confront difficult truths about the past along the way.
Others to round out the past are Katie Holmes as Pam Schoenberg, Randy's wife, Tatiana Maslany as Young Maria Altmann, Max Irons as Fritz Altmann, Charles Dance as Sherman, Randy's boss, Jonathan Pryce as Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Frances Fisher as Barbara Schoenberg, Elizabeth McGovern as Judge Florence Cooper, Henry Goodman as Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, Allan Coruner as Gustav, Nina Kunzendorf as Therese Bloch-Bauer and Rolf Saxon as Stan Gould.
This was incredibly well directed by Simon Curtis ("My Summer with Des" (TV movie) '98, "The Prince of Hearts" (TV movie) '98, "David Copperfield" (TV movie) '99, "Man and Boy" (TV movie) '02, "Born in the USA" (TV movie) '07, "A Short Stay in Switzerland" (TV movie) '09, "My Week with Marilyn" '11). I say incredibly because considering his minimal feature film experience, the pacing and staging was definitely seasoned. What actually served this guy was the amount of TV movies he's directed. He has proved himself worthy to delve into feature films. Have you seen "My Week with Marilyn"? This was an amazing film! Part of it might be that this guy is simply a natural, but whatever reason, Curtis knows actors and knows what emotions to extract from them. It was written by Alexi Kaye Campbell based on the life stories by E. Randol Schoenberg and Maria Altmann. Other than a ton of acting credits to her name, Campbell has only one other screenplay to her credit. Knowing this, this screenplay should've been mediocre at best, however, this script was well thought out, cohesive, especially when going from past to present and back again. There were a cople of places that were a bit slow and didn't follow as well as they could have, but I've seen films that are similar to this by seasoned writers that didn't come close to the caliber as this presented. The story isn't what I'd call a 'stand up and cheer' film, but there's a certain resolve that lends a sense of peace when watching it.
If the story isn't enough to keep you riveted to that theater seat, Mirren's performance certainly will. Her dialect was spot on and to just watch her act is pure enjoyment in and of itself. What more do you want for that price of admission--an interesting story, great acting, even by Reynolds, all backed up with a just message. You gotta love it!
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 110mins.
Could it be the starting of the summer movie season so early? Considering it's only April 3rd, I think not. But with the release of the much awaited "Furious 7" today, one might think summer has begun. This being the 7th installment of the franchise, hence the name, it feels like summer has already started. Hey, let's start early to get those 18-34 year old single males in those theater seats--cha ching!
Dominic 'Dom' Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) and their crew thought they had left the criminal mercenary life behind. They defeated an international terrorist named Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) and went their separate ways. But now, Shaw's older brother, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is out killing the crew one by one for revenge. Worse, a Somalian terrorist called Jakarde (Djimon Hounsou) and a shady government official called "Mr. Nobody" (Kurt Russell) are both competing to steal a computer terrorism program called God's Eye, that can turn any technological device into an all-seeing weapon. Toretto and O'Conner must reconvene with their team including Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), and Tej (Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges) along with Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) to stop Shaw and retrieve the God's Eye program while caught in a power struggle between terrorists and the United States government.
Others to round out the cast are Jordana Brewster as Mia, O'Conner's wife, Lucas Black as Sean Boswell, Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsay, the key hacker, Tony Jaa as Kiet, henchman of Shaw, and John Brotherton as Sheppard.
This was effectively staged and paced by director James Wan ("Stygian" 2000, "Saw" '04, "Death Sentence" '07, "Insidious" '10, "The Conjuring" '13, "Insidious: Chapter 2" '13) in that most of his experience lies within the horror genre. However, grit and intensity can and does crossover into many genres, so it's no doubt that this guy couldn't pull this off. It was written in the same vein as many of the other 'Fast and Furious' films by Chris Morgan ("Cellular" '04, "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" '06, "Wanted" '08, "Fast & Furious" '09, "Fast Five" '11, "Fast & Furious 6" '13, "47 Ronin" '13). As I said most, because he didn't write the original. This was the brain child of Gary Scott Thompson, and he couldn't have had any idea that the original film would ever become the mega-franchise it has become. This was slickly written by Morgan who, of course, knows this material almost as much as its creator-- Thompson. And the cinematography by Stephen F. Windon, acs. worked so well with the storyline in that when their was a vehicle rollover or two guys fighting and would rollover within the fight, the camera would 'roll' with the vehicles or actors which definitely helped with the feel of the film without making its audience dizzy. For this genre, it was certainly a worthy script-- it had a couple of choppy areas but not enough to detract from the intensity and the incredible stunts this flick provided. It was also a great send off for Paul Walker-- it being his last film. So, for Paul, he will be sorely missed, but we can still see him in so many films he had been involved with. Will there be another 'Furious' film? It remains to be seen. With losing one of the main characters, if it is decided to continue, the cast for another character to replace Walker will be the casting decision of a casting director's career.
Anything Academy Award worthy here? No. A great popcorn flick one can escape into and enjoy a simple but slick, gritty storyline? Sure. And believe me, this installment of this franchise will, no doubt, fill the bill of the enjoyment we all look forward to when heading to the multiplex.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 137mins.
As a society, we are fascinated by things or ideas that could further develop mankind into something better. This must be true since Hollywood has delved into such an array of films with the hope that we can evolve into a greater, better species. We can go all the way back to "Frankenstein" '31 of bringing a corpse back to life, "Flatliners" was just a modern day version of the same thing, "A.I." delved into these same ideas putting in a kid as an artificial intelligence. Hey, even the animated marketplace has taken a slice of the pie with the recent "Frankenweenie", basically a homage to Frankenstein. So why not explore another production of this ever changing notion that mankind needs a jolt--in the form of "Ex Machina".
