Lion

Once again we enter the world of films based on true stories as we have seen many times in the past. The range of different people and events that have captured the attention of many a Hollywood writer is both intriguing and, in many cases, unforgettable. Now we are offered "Lion", a film based on a true story of survival, discovery and closure.

In this adaptation of the memoir "The Long Way Home" by Saroo Brierley, a five-year-old Indian boy, Saroo (Sunny Pawar) is adopted by an Australian couple, Sue (Nicole Kidman) and John (David Wenham) after he gets lost from his brother, Guddu (Abhishek Bharate) in Calcutta. He ends up being put on a train traveling thousands of miles from home with many challenges along the way.

As much as 20 years later, Saroo (Dev Patel) struggles with his memories of his birth family and decides, through his girlfriend, Lucy (Rooney Mara) to begin an exhaustive search for them. He loves his adoptive family, however he must find his biological family in order to achieve the closure he truly needs.

Others to rounds out the cast are Priyanka Bose as Kamla, birth mother of Saroo, Tannishtha Chatterjee as Noor and Divian Ladma as Mantosh, Saroo's adoptive brother.

This was soulfully directed in a heartfelt way by Garth Davis ("P.I.N.S." (Documentary) 2000) plus TV. This filmmaker doesn't have a plethora of experience, but after watching this, this guy has quite the future in Hollywood. The emotions in these characters ranged from a slow crawl to a gallop within the same scene. It was creatively written by Luke Davies ("Candy" '06, "Reclaim" '14, "Life" '15) plus a short. I've never read Saroo Brierley's memoir, but Davies certainly gave us a heartfelt screenplay that was adventurous, intensely dramatic and allowed us to somewhat step in the same shoes of Saroo and what he must've gone through considering the separation from his family, the adoption from Sue and John and the subsequent turmoil he went through to reconnect with his biological family once again. Other than a couple of small places of slowness in script, this screenplay was intense, concise and cohesive.

This is a film not so much as entertaining, but one where we are allowed to witness the riggers of what this child and man had to endure in order to find the closure he so desperately needed to obtain that happiness everyone strives to obtain given the same situation.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                 Rated: PG-13                                   118mins.

Sing

Even though animated films are typically released during the summer movie season, once in a while we are offered some animated films during other times of the year--the Christmas season being one of them. Since this is a festive season, the timing of the release of "Sing" was crucial and needed to be presented at this time--the film being a festive one itself.

Set in world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once--grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal--some might even say delusional-optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life's ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world's greatest singing competition.

As he opens up the theater for the different auditions, he and his assistant, Miss Crawley (Garth Jennings) finally make their selections in choosing Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), Gunter (Nick Kroll), Johnny (Taron Egerton), Mike (Seth MacFarlane), Ash (Scarlett Johansson), Meena (Tori Kelly) and others.

Others to round out the cast are John C. Reilly as Eddie, Jennifer Saunders as Nana, Peter Serafinowitz as Big Daddy, Jennifer Hudson as Young Nana, Nick Offerman as Norman, Beck Bennett as Lance and Jay Pharoah as Meena's Grandfather.

This was whimsically directed in an entertaining way by Garth Jennings ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" '05, "Son of Rambow" '07) plus shorts and TV. What is interesting is that a good deal of this director's experience is live film as opposed to animated. Most directors of an animated film typically work in their comfort zone, but this filmmaker likes to mix it up: live and animated. I can actually appreciate this because it shows that this guy is willing to go out on that limb and show us that he can be versatile. And he proved it amazingly. It was creatively written by Jennings (""Son of Rambow" 07) plus shorts. This script was cohesive, concise, and with clarity. When a storyline flows well and entertains us from the first minute until the end credits, this speaks volumes. What's amazing is the lack of theatrical experience, yet this production simply soared. McConaughey as Moon was pure genius. The emotion and pathos of his character was near perfection. And what can I say about Illumination Mac Guff? Considering this is the same company that created the animation of the "Despicable Me" films, "The Secret Life of Pets", and "Minnions", it is in incredible company.

This film is definitely for those that want and crave a story that is entertaining, fun, fluffy, with no controversy and total escape. Go to the multiplex, grab the popcorn and enjoy this gem. I know I did.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                     Rated: PG                                    108mins.

Fences

The genre of drama comes in many different layers: light drama, heavy drama and ones that are based on plays and/or musicals. When you get an amazing playwright, actors and director together in one production, the course of that film is destined to become a classic as soon as it is released which makes "Fences" a truly awesome experience.

 

This story centers on an African-American garbage collector named Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington) in 1950's Pittsburgh. Bitter that baseball's color barrier was only broken after his own heyday in the Negro Leagues, Maxson is prone to taking out his frustrations on his loved ones specifically oldest son Lyons (Russell Hornsby) and younger son Cory (Jovan Adepo) who wants to play professional football but Troy only works to squelch his dreams. The main stable stronghold here is wife Rose (Viola Davis) whose compassion, patience, perseverance, long-suffering and diligence help to keep the family intact at all in spite of the other's shortcomings.

 

Others to round out the cast are Stephen McKinley Henderson as Jim Bono, a great friend/ work colleague of Troy's, Mykelti Williamson as Gabriel, Troy's mentally-challenged brother, Saniyya Sidney as Raynell, Christopher Mele as Deputy Commissioner, Leslie Boone as Evangelist Preacher and Jason Silvis as Garbage Truck Driver.

 

This was brilliantly directed by Denzel Washington ("Antwone Fisher" '02, "The Great Debaters" '07) plus TV. He hasn't directed very many films, however the one's he's chosen are of incredible caliber as if his choices have been delineated with extreme caution. He truly knows how to make his characters come alive with just the right amount of pathos and emotion. It was equally well written by August Wilson based on his Pulitzer Prize winning play, "Fences". The delineation of each character was rich in development as it was three- dimensional. there were scenes that were fraught with intensity, grit and acknowledgement of self worth, fear and redemption which is the mark of extremely talented writing. Then there is the acting by Washington and Davis. What can I say be that it was jaw dropping. Both actors won Tony Awards in a 2010 revival of this play. The intensity, pathos, and so many other emotions rang true in each and every scene as these characters were peeling off each layer of that onion to show their respective issues one at a time.

 

This film will be studied in film school for its depth, clarity of character and resonance in the future, because of its quality and assurance of great writing. It's no wonder why this film has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards. It undoubtedly will be nominated for Academy Awards as well. If you can appreciate fine writing, directing and acting, you will hit the jackpot with this one.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                Rated: PG-13                                   137mins.

 

 

 

Passengers

I may have mentioned in prior reviews that sci-fi is not one of my favorite genres, probably because so many of them are amazingly similar. A few exceptions come to mind: "2001: A Space Odyssey" '68, "The Day the Earth Stood Still", '51, "Silent Running" 71, "Event Horizon" '97 to mention a few. So when I saw my first trailer of "Passengers" I felt this would be one of those sci-fi films that would have that uniqueness that is important in this day of mediocrity.

 

The spaceship, Starship Avalon, in its 120-year voyage to a distant colony planet known as the "Homestead Colony" and transporting 5,259 people, has a malfunction in two of its sleep chambers. As a result of two hibernation pods opening prematurely and two of the people awakening, Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) and Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence), are stranded on the spaceship still 90 years from their destination. What actually caused them to wake up and are they able to get back to 'sleep' as to be able to make their destination?

 

Others to round out the cast are Michael Sheen as Arthur, Laurence Fishburne as Gus Mancuso, Andy Garcia as Captain Norris, Vince Foster as Executive Officer, Julee Cerda as Instructor (hologram) and Jon Spaihts as Voice of Autodoc.

 

This was well directed by Morten Tyldum ("Buddy" '03, "Fallen Angels" '08, "Headhunters" '11, "The Imitation Game" '14) plus shorts and TV. The way he was able to get his actors to exude an alarming and lonely character is well executed. His lead character in "The Imitation Game" was similar in that he was an extremely lonely character, however he chose to be. It was uniquely written by Jon Spaihts ("The Darkest Hour" '11, "Prometheus" '12, "Dr. Strange" '16). This writer certainly isn't a prolific one, but the films he's written are outright quality. If you like his writing, a reboot of "The Mummy" is in post production and will be released in 2017. Other than a couple of very small slow places in script, this storyline was amazingly unique. It is extremely difficult to capture an audience's attention for nearly a 2 hour running time with only four people with any sizeable part in the film, and this writer was actually able to pull it off. As with other big-budget films, the visual effects predominantly designed by MPC (Moving Picture Company) were amazingly seamless.

 

Whether you are a sci-fi fan or not, this is not only an interesting sci-fi flick, but one that is an incredibly well-crafted film as well. It entertains and the chemistry between Lawrence and Pratt is delineated with perfection. This one is worthy of viewing on the large screen, because it will lose everything on a 40 incher.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                  Rated: PG-13                                   116mins.

 

Collateral Beauty

Philosophical films are a fairly new entity for filmmaking today--not that there haven't been a number of them produced, but as compared to other genres, it is a relatively newer one. Whether it be "Hereafter", The Greatest Story Ever Told", "The Passion of the Christ", Seven Years in Tibet", "Sole Surfer", "God's Not Dead", or even something comical like "Bruce Almighty" we all have a tendency to learn while in some way, be entertained as well. So now we have in the offing, "Collateral Beauty" to add to that ever growing list.

 

When a successful New York advertising executive, Howard (Will Smith) suffers a great tragedy by losing his child, he retreats from life. While his concerned work associates/friends, Whit (Edward Norton), Claire (Kate Winslet) and Simon (Michael Pena) try desperately to reconnect with him, he seeks answers from the universe by writing letters to Love (Keira Knightley), Time (Jacob Latimore) and Death (Helen Mirren). He is soon visited by representatives of the three concepts, and they, along with his close friends, help Howard return to some semblance of a normal life. As these letters bring their unexpected personal responses, he slowly begins to understand how these constants interlock in a life fully lived, and how the deepest loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty.

 

Others to round out the cast are Naomie Harris as Madeleine, a support group officiator and Ann Dowd as Sally Price, a private detective.

 

This was delineated well by director David Frankel ("The Devil Wears Prada" '06, "Marley & Me" '08, "The Big Year" '11, "Hope Springs" '12, "One Chance" '13). Interestingly, most of his films fall into the comedy genre, which, of course this film is not. Going out of one's comfort zone is certainly to be commended as long as the filmmaker knows what they are doing, and this director did in spades. It was effectively written by Allan Loeb ("Streak" '08, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" '10, "The Switch" '10, "The Dilemma" '11, "Just Go with It" '11, "Rock of Ages" '12, "Here Comes the Boom" '12, "So Undercover" '12) plus TV movies, TV and shorts. Whereas the beginning and especially the end of this film was inviting and compelling with some surprises, the center of it was a bit non cohesive and choppy. There were basically places that I wasn't sure what was going on until maybe later in the film, so it seemed confusing. Even though Loeb is a seasoned writer--look at his resume, he just didn't have the polish in this to truly cut the mustard.

 

Certainly this film does have some surprises, but more over, it has a lot to say for those that are grieving over loved ones--in this case a child. But what starts out to be a way that Howard's friends are attempting to 'save his life', ends up giving us all something more to think about in this game called life.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                    Rated: PG-13                                    97mins.

 

 

 

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

We've all seen film franchises grow up around us--franchises have almost become their own genre considering how many there are, past and present. Hold on to your britches--I'm not a true 'Star Wars' fan! Hey, don't judge me! Even when I saw the original "Star Wars" in the theater back in 1977, it just didn't wow me. It wasn't terrible--ILM's state-of-the-art visuals were stunning, but, com'on it was good vs. evil with a sci-fi backdrop. So, after ALL the many films that have come along, including its newest, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story", we're still getting the same basic premise.

 

This prequel to the very first "Star Wars" film chronicles the thrilling story of how a ragtag band of freedom fighters--including a former soldier-turned-prisoner, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), a Rebel Alliance insider, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), A Jedi, Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen) and a sentient robot, K-2SO (voiced by Alan Tudyk)--worked together to steal the Death Star's secret blueprints. Through this eclectic team, with all the harrowing situations they must go through, will it be enough to succeed in the absconding of the elusive Empire's Death Star blueprints?

 

Others to round out the cast are Wen Jiang as Baze Malbus, Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic, Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera, Riz Ahmed as Dodhi Rook, the pilot, Mads Mikkelsen as Galen Erso, Jyn's father, Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa, Alistair Petrie as General Draven, Ben Daniels as General Merrick, James Earl Jones as Darth Vader and Genevieve O'Reilly as Mon Mothma.

 

This was directed by a filmmaker that certainly was in his comfort zone, Gareth Edwards ("End Day" (TV movie) '05, "Monsters" '10, "Godzilla" '14) plus TV. By his very resume, this is the kind of film that Edwards was born to direct. With the intensity, amazing visuals, the good vs. evil backdrop, Edwards made his characters come alive which one has come to expect considering the franchise involved. It was written by Chris Weitz ("Antz" '98, "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" 2000, "About a Boy" '02, "The Golden Compass" '07, "Cinderella" '15) plus TV and Tony Gilroy ("Dolores Claiborne" '95, "The Bourne Identity" '02, "Michael Clayton" '07, "State of Play" '09) plus many others, based on a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta, which is based on characters created by George Lucas. OK, this is where the difficulty lies: first of all, this was a good 15 minutes longer than it needed to be, and secondly, there were a bit too many slow and slightly choppy areas in storyline. Considering the seasoned writers here, especially Gilroy, I'm actually surprised by the script. Did they not put their best in this and decided to let the Star Wars name carry its audience? Or did they just have a bad day at the laptop? Not sure, but when the next installment is produced, Hollywood needs to encourage its writers to be a bit more cohesive and concise when the storyline is developed. Of course, the visual effects by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) were seamless, but one already knows this before they walk into the theater.

 

Don't get me wrong, this certainly wasn't a wash, it had merit, but the storyline is about as old as dirt, and like a ton of other franchises, to continue the franchise isn't so much for the audience as much as it is for the box office. Ca-ching! All in all, if you're planning to see this, it's definitely better to see it on the large screen if for no other reason than to enjoy the Super Panavision 70 format it is filmed in. Grab the popcorn!

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                  Rated: PG-13                                    134mins.

 

La La Land

Hollywood has been fascinated with the musical genre ever since movies have been made. Audiences could go to the theater and escape into a song and dance world where they would be entertained and just have fun with. As the genre has evolved, there has become more of a connection between the storyline and the songs at hand. So when "La La Land" came along, it proved that one could enjoy, not only the song and dance, but the storyline as well.

 

Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress in Los Angeles, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail party gigs in dingy bars. They subsequently meet and start a whirlwind romance as they continue to pursue their dreams. But as success mounts, they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart. Will they end up another statistic like so many other successful people end up or are they completely committed to each in spite of the friction involved?

 

Others to round out the cast are John Legend as Keith, another musician, Rosemarie DeWitt as Laura, J.K. Simmons as Bill, a boss of Sebastian's, Finn Whittrock as Greg, Josh Pence as Josh, Miles Anderson as Alistair, a photographer, Tom Everett Scott as David, Valarie Rae Miller as Amy Brandt and Damon Gupton as Harry.

 

This was whimsically and wistfully directed by Damien Chazelle ("Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench" '09, "Whiplash" '14) plus a short. As "Whiplash" was a fresh, concise, well paced and staged film, this film was treated with the same technique. This is a musical with a fantastical side to it that, not only worked well, but actually enhanced the production. It was also well written by Chazelle ("Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench" '09, "The Last Exorcism Part II" '13, "Grand Piano" '13, "Whiplash" '14, "10 Cloverfield Lane" '16). This writer knows how to take a subject matter and give it that shot in the arm so as to make it fresh, and seemingly more original than it very well might be otherwise. "Whiplash" was an incredibly well-crafted film, which I believe surprised many people. This film surely will do the same thing.  Choreography is key to any musical and this being choreographed by Mandy Moore ("Silver Linings Playbook" '12, "American Hustle" '13, "Sleeping with Other People" '15, "Joy" '15), it was amazing. First frame of the film, we see drivers in bumper to bumper traffic. All of a sudden, a driver starts singing, gets out of her car a dances toward other cars, then other drivers get out of their cars and start singing and dancing, singing about another day with sun in LA. And when the number ends, it ends abruptly and the title of the film is emblazoned on the screen. What a way to start a film! The photography, editing and music and lyrics are all incredible. It was enough to encourage me to want the soundtrack.

 

Whether the musical genre is your cup of tea or not, this film has something for all to revel in. The well panned photography tightly edited with the choreography, the crisp writing and directing will give its audience that good feeling because of the sheer escape factor involved.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                     Rated: PG-13                                  127mins.

 

Miss Sloane

There have been many political thriller films based on a true story and/or person, but finally we get treated to one of these films that is straight out of a writer's head--pure fiction, which makes "Miss Sloane" refreshing as well as entertaining. All in all, it's simply a pleasure to see a film based on pure imagination for a change.

 

In the high-stakes world of political power-brokers, Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is the most sought after and formidable lobbyist in D.C. Known equally for her cunning and her track record of success, she has always done whatever is required to win. But when she takes on the most powerful opponent of her career, she finds that winning may come at too high a price.

Sloane, through a Brady Bill advocate company run by Rodolfo Schmidt (Mark Strong) takes on a powerful gun lobby headed up by George Dupont (Sam Waterston) and Pat Connors (Michael Stuhlbarg) in the wake of several mass shootings, but Sloane's mission quickly becomes a frustrating ordeal that threatens to derail her career.

 

Others to round out the cast are Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Esme Manucharian, Alison Pill as Jane Molloy, Jake Lacy as Forde, John Lithgow as Senator Ron M. Sperling, Ennis Esmer as Brian, Douglas Smith as Alex, Dylan Baker as TV Host, Lucy Owen as Cynthia, Al Mukadam as Ross and Chuck Shamata as Bob Sanford.

 

This is directed by, what I have deemed as a chameleon, John Madden ("Ethan Frome" '93, "Golden Gate" '93, "Mrs. Brown" '97, "Shakespeare in Love" '98, "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" '01, "Proof" '03, "Killshot" '08, "The Debt" '10, "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" '11, "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" '15) plus TV and TV movies. I say chameleon because of the eclectic resume this filmmaker has been able to acquire. Each one of his projects are completely different--so much so that he doesn't really have a trademark to his films which makes his work definitely artistic. The subtlety of emotions in his characters in this production is amazing. Interesting, this was written by a newcomer, Jonathan Perera who has never written anything before, not even TV. Considering the obvious lack of experience, this screenplay was definitely played out well. Besides a number of choppy areas in script, this was a well honed storyline. This format has certainly been executed before--where the story starts at a pivotal point, and then flashbacks to a certain time and then builds up to the place you came in at and then goes beyond that point to its final conclusion. This format is not an easy one--even seasoned writers can have a problem with continuity and cohesiveness. So with this knowledge, Perera actually was able to pull this off. Jessica Chastain was certainly at the top of her game as Sloane. Although she is a consummate actor, she definitely shined in this film

 

If you like pure fictional political thrillers, you will revel, because this is certainly as good as it gets for excitement and adrenaline. The script definitely jumps around a bit, but between Chastain's performance and the sheer tenseness of the storyline, this will surely entertain you all the way until the film's end.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                  Rated: R                                   131Mins.

 

Moana

Have I mentioned that Disney is the largest marketers on the planet? Yeah, I thought I did. And because of this, I figured that quality has to take a back seat for the bottom line. When I saw the trailer of "Moana", it didn't actually wow me, but after viewing it, I came to realize that you can't judge a book by its cover.

 

Young navigator Moana (Auli'i Cravalho), the daughter of a Polynesian chief, Tui (Temuera Morrison), is chosen, through the eyes of her Gramma Tala (Rachel House), to find a precious artifact that could save her people. She eventually teams with reluctant demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) to locate a legendary island, and together the pair explore fantastical islands and encounter incredible sea creatures. Their team efforts are tested time and again as their banter back and forth increases which hampers the success of their journey. Will their bickering interfere with succeeding in the mission at hand?

 

Others to round out the cast are Jemaine Clements as Tamatoa, Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Alan Tudyk as Heihei/Villager #3, Oscar Knightley as Fisherman, Troy Polamalu as Villager #1, Puanani Cravalho as Villager #2 and Louise Bush as Toddler Moana.

 

This was effortlessly team directed by Ron Clements and John Musker ("The Great Mouse Detective" '86, "The Little Mermaid" '89, "Aladdin" '92, "Hercules" '97, "Treasure Planet" '02, "The Princess and the Frog" '09). It was co-directed by Don Hall ("Winnie the Pooh" '11, "Big Hero 6" '14) and Chris Williams ("Bolt" '08, "Big Hero 6" '14), One would think that with four directors in tow, this would be a mismashed film with little to no continuity, but each director obviously had their section of film in which to work. The pacing, staging and clarity with this was executed with expertise. It was well written by Jared Bush ("Zootopia" '16) plus TV, based on a story by Clements, Musker, Williams, Hall, Pamela Ribon, Aaron Kandell and Jordan Kandell. For a screenwriter with the limited experience that Bush has, this script was amazingly well thought out. I would expect less from seasoned screenwriters. There was a couple of small places of choppiness, otherwise this storyline soared. The characters were delineated with clarity, conciseness, and richness. And, of course, the visuals and animation were seamless, but you'd have to know this before entering the theater, this being a Disney production.

 

Trust me, the trailer doesn't sell this film. It was superiorly different and better than the trailer depicted. The animation, the music, the writing and directing were all worthy of seeing this in the multiplex. It has humor, heart all wrapped up with an entertaining theme. Grab the popcorn and enjoy this one.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                 Rated: PG                                 108mins.

 

 

 

Manchester by the Sea

With all the films that are based on a particular person or situation, it's a pleasure to see a story of pure fiction. It's getting quite common place to see biopics these days, so when I saw my first trailer of "Manchester by the Sea", I felt it was going to be an extremely well-crafted film and my suspicions were fulfilled.

 

After the sudden death of his older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler), Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is shocked to learn that Joe has made him sole guardian of his 16 year-old nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges). Taking leave of his job in Boston, Lee reluctantly returns to Manchester-by-the-Sea to care for Patrick.

A hardened handyman, Lee, soon after his arrival, also unearths his checkered past. Soon Lee comes back in contact with his estranged ex-wife, Randi (Michelle Williams) as he deals with life in his tight-knit former community. As he continues to meet with the people of his past, he becomes more and more convinced that he cannot reside in this community even though Patrick is firm on his inability to live anywhere else but in this seaside community.

 

Others to round out the cast are C.J. Wilson as George, Gretchen Mol as Elise, Kara Hayward as Silvie, one of Patrick's girlfriends, Anna Baryshnikov as Sandy, another one of Patrick's girlfriends, Matthew Broderick as Jeffrey, Christian Mallen as CJ, Oscar Wahlberg as Joel, Tom Kemp as Stan Chandler, Lee's dad, Liam McNeill as Josh, Tate Donovan as Hockey Coach and Josh Hamilton as Wes, Joe's lawyer.

 

This was painstakingly directed by Kenneth Lonergan ("You Can Count on Me" 2000, "Margaret" '11). Surely this filmmaker doesn't have a ton of experience, but he is an incredible director. His experience is mostly in the writing realm, but he has obviously learned his craft as director just being around so many others. The way he was able to get his actors to emit just the right type and amount of emotion is mind-bogging. Other than writing, this filmmaker has found his niche. It was also written by Lonergan ("Analyze This" '99, "You Can Count on Me" 2000, "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle" 2000, "Analyze That" '02, "Gangs of New York" '02, "Margaret" '11). Certainly after writing "Gangs of New York", one can see why he could easily write this film considering the pure seriousness of each production. This film definitely has similarities to that of '08's "Revolutionary Road" in that each film was played out in a way that it was as if the audience was eavesdropping in on the characters, because these actors seemed so real, and each film had a depressed feeling to them, otherwise these films were definitely their own films. The audience watches films like these for the artistry of the film as opposed to the entertainment package. Other than a few slow areas in story (the running time could've been about 10mins less), this screenplay was powerful. Affleck could be looking at an Oscar nod come that time.

 

As stated, you are not seeing this film for the entertainment factor as much as the fact this is an incredibly well crafted gem, but as the film comes to an end, this will leave the moviegoer thinking quite a lot after the end credits roll.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: R                                  137mins.

 

 

Rules Don't Apply

We've all seen biopics chronicling famous people many times before--in fact too many to even list, but how about a biopic about a famous person done, not only presented dramatically, but comically as well. Well, "Rules Don't Apply" has both. In fact it is more of a comedy than drama, which is unusual for most biopics.

Blending equal measures of humor and heart, this is the love story of an aspiring actress, her determined driver and the eccentric billionaire who they work for.

In 1958 Hollywood, a romance blossoms between a new and shy actress, Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins), and a conservative chauffeur, Frank Forbes (Alden Ehrenreich) even though they happen to work for reclusive Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty), who forbids his employees to date each other. Their secret liaison plays out while Hughes' aviation innovations keep pace with his debilitating eccentricities. All the while as these two young people are getting to know one another--for the good and the bad, Hughes is constantly paranoid about his business deals, such as his dealings with Robert Maheu (Alec Baldwin) and Forester (Oliver Platt) to a point where he simply drives these businessmen absolutely as crazy as he is.

Others to round out the cast are Annette Bening as Lucy Mabrey, Marla's conservative mother, Haley Bennett as Mamie, Candice Bergen as Nadine Henly, Matthew Broderick as Levar Mathis, an assistant of Hughes, Dabney Coleman as Howard's dad, Steve Coogan as Col. Nigel Briggs, Taissa Farmiga as Sarah Bransford, Ed Harris as Mr. Bransford, Sarah's dad, Martin Sheen as Noah Dietrich and Megan Hilty as Sally.

This was well directed by Warren Beatty ("Heaven Can Wait" '78, "Reds" '81, "Dick Tracy" '90, "Bulworth" '98, "Dick Tracy Special (TV movie) '10). As one can see, with the vast time span this director has been behind the camera, his resume isn't immense, but certainly is quality. He chooses his projects extremely carefully and I feel that makes for a much more effective filmmaker. So much of the time, it seems that when directors crank out film after film, they can become unoriginal and banal--not every director, but this can happen too easily. It might take some time to see another Beatty film, but the wait will be worth it. It was also written by Beatty ("Shampoo" '75, "Heaven Can Wait" '78, "Reds" '81, "Love Affair" '94, "Bulworth" '98, "Down to Earth" '01, "Dick Tracy Special (TV movie) '10). Along with Beatty's directing talent, he can also write an interesting yarn. This film is a biopic of sorts. It certainly speaks of Hughes' paranoia, his reclusiveness, and his just plain nutty behavior, but Beatty did take liberties in the script which undoubtedly was purposed, which emphasized the comedic aspects of the film that is much more delicious. His characters are rich, diverse and three-dimensional. This is such a lost art in so many other films. What or who will he write about next? This is beautifully photographed by one of my favorite cinematographers, Caleb Deschanel asc ("Black Stallion" '79, "Being There" '79, "The Patriot" 2000, "The Passion of the Christ" '04, "Jack Reacher" '12, "Winter's Tale" '14). The crispness of the detail he showcases in his work is amazing.

This isn't your typical biopic--certainly this isn't "The Aviator" '04, another serious biopic about Hughes, but this is one that one has got to laugh at or, at least, smile at, if for no other reason than to see the great humorous fodder that comes from such a wild individual as Hughes. Sit back and enjoy!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                  Rated: PG-13                                  127mins.

Allied

Although espionage films aren't one of the oldest genres Hollywood has to offer, it is certainly one of audience's favorites. One thing about this genre is that it can be presented as a drama or a comedy which makes it more versatile than some other genres. What makes "Allied" intriguing is that it is basically centered around a couple that get caught up in the world of betrayal and Nazism in a WWII period.

 

In 1942, an intelligence officer in Northern Africa, one Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) encounters a female French Resistance fighter, Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard) on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war.

In this WWII spy thriller, Airman Max and Marianne pose as a married couple for a dangerous mission in Casablanca. Their cover story soon leads to an actual love affair and their starting a family together, but Max's happiness is shattered when an S.O.E. official  (Simon McBurney) and Max's friend, Frank Heslop (Jared Harris) tells him that he must take part in an investigation to determine whether Marianne is really a double agent working for the Nazis.

 

Others to round out the cast are Lizzy Caplan as Bridget Vatan, Max's sister, Matthew Goode as Guy Sangster, Sally Messham as Margaret, Daniel Betts as George Kavanaugh, Marion Bailey as Mrs. Sinclair, Charlotte Hope as Louise, Josh Dylan as Captain Adam Hunter and Thierry Fremont as Paul Delamare.

 

This was directed by veteran Robert Zemeckis ("Used Cars" '80, "Back to the Future" '85, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" '88, "Back to the Future Part II" '89, "Back to the Future Part III" '90, "Death Becomes Her" '92, "Forest Gump" '94, "Contact" '97, "What Lies Beneath" 2000, "Cast Away" 2000, "Polar Express" '04, "A Christmas Carol" '09, "Flight" '12, "The Walk" '15) plus others. What interests me is that, besides "What Lies Beneath", this film is somewhat uncharted territory for Zemeckis. He normally delves into films with a special process involved where the film is either comedy or has a number of comic reliefs in them. This is petty much a straight on board drama, which makes it all the more intriguing. I can truly respect a filmmaker that is willing to go outside their comfort zone and try something either new or that isn't as familiar. Zemeckis keeps the audience on the edge of their seats with this indeed. This is written with expertise we've come to expect from the likes of Steven Knight ("Eastern Promises" '07, "Redemption" '13, "Locke" '13, "The Hundred-Foot Journey" '14, "Pawn Sacrifice" '14, "Seventh Son" '14, "Burnt" '15) plus others and TV. By his very resume, it's no wonder why he's considered one of my favorite screenwriters. This writer knows how to write an effective script. Other than a very small area of slowness--and that could have been intentional, this storyline soared. One of my favorites of his screenplays has got to be "Locke". Look it up if you haven't seen it. Both Pitt and Cotillard's chemistry was spot on and the supporting cast was solid.

 

This isn't your average or typical spy or espionage film what with the film centering on a couple more than the 'big picture' itself. So if your yearn is for creative character development, this film will certainly fit the bill.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                 Rated: R                                      125mins.

 

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

War films are about as old of a Hollywood genre as dirt itself, and with this, we all have seen a plethora of them. Every generation has had their respective films about the war they're being confronted with: WWII films, Korean War films, Vietnam War films and the Iraqi War films. Since this last film war listed has lasted as long as it has, it's no wonder we've seen so many produced with an Iraqi theme. Certainly "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk" is not only one to add to that list, but also with amazing quality as well.

 

This film is told from the point of view of 19-year-old private Billy Lynn (newcomer Joe Alwyn) who, along with his fellow soldiers in Bravo Squad including Sergeants, Dime (Garrett Hedlund) and Shroom (Vin Diesel), Mango (Arturo Castro), Foo (Mason Lee), Lodis (Brian 'Astro' Bradley), Crack (Beau Knapp) and others, becomes a hero after a harrowing Iraq battle and is brought home temporarily for a victory tour. Through flashbacks, culminating at the spectacular halftime show of the Thanksgiving Day football game, the film reveals what really happened to the squad--contrasting the realities of war with America's preconceptions of what they think the war is all about and what these guys really went through while over there. This basically gives a blow by blow account of what leads up to this halftime walk including numerous flashbacks so as to get the many emotions these guys are really going through as they make that halftime walk.

 

Others to round out the cast are Kristin Stewart as Kathryn, Billy's sister, Chris Tucker as Albert, a promoter, Ismael Cruz Cordova as Holliday, Steve Martin as Norm, Makenzie Leigh as Faison, a new girlfriend of Billy's, Barney Harris as Sykes, Ben Platt as Josh, Bruce McKinnon as Billy's Father and Deirdre Lovejoy as Billy's Mother.

 

This was exquisitely directed by two timer Academy Award winner Ang Lee ("Pushing Hands" '92, "The Wedding Banquet" '93, "Eat Drink Man Woman" '94, "Sense and Sensibility" '95, "The Ice Storm" '97, "Ride with the Devil" '99, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" 2000, "Hulk" '03, "Brokeback Mountain" '05, "Lust, Caution" '07, "Taking Woodstock" '09, "Life of Pi" '12) plus shorts. One thing to be said for Lee is that he cannot be pigeon-holed. His work is extremely eclectic in that he consistently works outside the box. In this film, Lee used new technology, shooting at an ultra-high frame rate for the first time in film history, to create an immersive digital experience helping him dramatize war in a way never seen before. Of course, to help him create this look, he used cinematographer, John Toll asc. ("Braveheart" '95, "The Last Samurai" '03, "Cloud Atlas" '12) plus many others. This was written by Jean-Christophe Castelli based on the novel by Ben Fountain. Although Castelli's script encapsulated the feel of the vision novelist, Fountain and director, Lee had, there were some places of choppiness as the script was unfolding going from present time and its flashback scenes. It certainly wasn't enough to take the impact from what one was to expect of the importance these filmmakers were obviously attempting to convey, but it definitely needed just a bit more polish. Castelli has worked with Lee on other film projects--just not as writer, so he must have felt Castelli was ready. This being the first film he has written, it would be interesting to see what he could do next.

 

For depth and how war not only impacts soldiers, but also how it effects us, this has to be one of the most gripping and emotional films of its genre that has come along in a while. Ang, as usual, is a consummate artist and he has proven this more than once. Whether this is entertaining or not, the message should ring loud in a way most haven't seen in films of the like.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                        Rated: R                                        113mins.

 

 

 

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Movies originally were created to allow us to be able to go to a different place with different characters potentially at different times so we can escape into a world that is not our own. So, needless to say, the fantasy genre is probably one of the oldest genres in the biz. And with this, there have been a plethora of these films produced--certainly too many to list. Suffice it to say, people love these films. After the Harry Potter films ended, J.K. Rowling had to create something for her audience to escape into, so what a better film in to escape but with "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them".

 

This spin-off of the Harry Potter franchise jumps back in time to explore the wizardry world of 1926 New York, which is being threatened by both mystical acts of destruction and a group of extremist No-Majs (the American term for Muggles, i.e. those unable to use magic). Author Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in the city as part of a global study of fantastic beasts, but he gets caught up in this conflict when some of the magical creatures in his care are accidentally released.

Newt inadvertently meets and befriends Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) when Newt starts attempting to retrieve his magical creatures. He delagates Jacob's help since he just happens to be there. Soon these two end up being arrested by one, Porpentina Goldstein/ Tina (Katherine Waterston), a mystical wizardry officer, only then realizing she just made a huge mistake. So as they go on the lam, they decide to hold up at Tina's sister, Queenie's (Alison Sudol) place so as to figure out what to do. The one that is the real problem here is Percival Graves (Colin Farrell), a wizard who's a self proclaimed judge, jury and executioner for any other wizard to even get in his way. What is this mild-mannered wizard to do where he feels like he is a stranger in a strange land?

 

Others to round out the cast are Samantha Morton as Mary Lou, Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone, Jon Voight as Shaw Senior, Carmen Ejogo as Seraphina Picquery, Ron Perlman as Gnarlak, Sam Redford as Customs Official, Faith Wood-Blagrove as Modesty Barebone, Credence's younger sister, Jenn Murray as Chastity Barebone and Josh Cowdery as Sen. Henry Shaw Jr.

 

This was whimsically and creatively directed by David Yates ("Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" '07, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" '09, "Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows: Part 1" '10, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" '11, "The Legend of Tarzan" '16). plus tons of TV. One thing I can say for the likes of Yates is he sticks to what he knows best and he certainly is the king of this type of film, hence his resume. The sad thing is that I would like to see what this guy would do with a film out of his comfort zone. He's a consummate director, so he would undoubtedly fair well. This was expressly written with whimsy and humor by the Harry Potter queen herself, J.K. Rowling. She really isn't a screenwriter--she penned all of the Harry Potter novels, so when she decided to pen the original screenplay of this, it had to be a huge jump for her. This isn't Academy Award writing, but certainly is entertaining and whimsical to watch. This being a prequel, if you will, Rowling really didn't need to have exquisite writing to get her audience in those seats, but it was definitely strong enough to keep one glued to the screen.

If the story and writing doesn't necessarily grab you, the photography by Philippe Rousselet, afc/asc, is breathtaking and the music by famed James Newton Howard ("The Sixth Sense" '99, "Peter Pan" '03, "Blood Diamond" '06, "The Dark Knight" '08, "Maleficent" '14) plus tons of others, is as whimsical as it is haunting. Of course the costumes by Colleen Atwood and the visual effects predominantly by MPC, Double Negative and Framestore are seamless and actually enhances the production values.

 

If you're a Harry Potter junkie, you'll be in Potter heaven. This apparently takes place 70 years before Harry Potter reads Newt's book in school, so this is probably a must see for any Potter fan. It's an entertaining, whimsical film all in a nifty IMAX/3D format to bring it even closer to home.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                               Rated: PG-13                              132mins.

 

Shut In

One of the most intriguing genres out there is that of the thriller genre. If written well, it demands and keeps its audience's attention all the while scaring them which leaves the audience holding on to that proverbial seat. Most people like to be scared, or they wouldn't be so intrigued with the genre at hand. This is why Hollywood produces films like "Shut In" so as to keep us yet intrigued.

 

This is a heart-pounding thriller about a child psychologist, Dr. Mary Portman (Naomi Watts) who is a widow that lives an isolated existence in rural Maine. When a young boy, Tom (Jacob Tremblay) Mary is treating goes missing, and is presumed dead, she is convinced that his ghost is haunting her and her paraplegic teenage son, Stephen (Charlie Heaton).

Caught in a deadly snow storm, she must try fervently to find Tom and fears for his life. She repeatedly calls her associate, Dr. Wilson (Oliver Platt) for advice, because the longer time goes by, the more things don't seem to add up to why all these screwy incidences are even occurring. Can she find Tom before it's too late or will time take its toll?

 

Others to round out the cast are David Cubitt as Doug Hart, Clementine Poidatz as Lucy, Mary's secretary, Crystal Balint as Grace, Tom's mother, Ellen David as Joan, Alex Braunstein as Aaron Hart, Doug's teenage son and Ted Post as Sheriff.

 

This was creepily directed by relative newcomer to feature films, Farren Blackburn ("Hammer of the Gods" '13) plus a lot of TV and shorts. This filmmaker gave his characters that feeling of uncertainty or creepiness, depending on the character, that gave his audience that feeling of wonderment. He will go far in this biz, especially in this genre. It was written by Christina Hodson, a writer that has no other writing to her credit, but was able to produce a fairly coherent screenplay. Hey, don't get me wrong, this isn't Academy Award caliber work here, but considering her total lack of experience, this script wasn't bad. The main problem with this was the fact that it having only a 90 minute running time, there was too much time given to get to the meat of this story. Once it got going, the story simply soared. What will certainly help this writer is that she has other films that have been announced or in post-production. Of course, having Watts in this didn't hurt--she is a very talented, convincing actor that knows her characters well. Even Heaton who played Stephen was amazing in his role. As a new actor, he will go far, because he is undoubtedly a natural. This is certainly one of those small films that will take you by surprise whereas the sound effects were probably as much a star as the actors.

 

Certainly if you're a lover of the thriller genre, you'll be in heaven, but even if you're not, this still has enough to keep the most cynical in their respective seats until the end rolls around. You've got to cut this film some slack--considering the lack of experience from these filmmakers, this is still great escape fodder for an hour and a half to allow yourself to be scared.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                 Rated: PG-13                             91mins.

 

Arrival

As sci-fi is not necessarily one of my favorite genres, it certainly is a crowd pleaser with many an audience, which is why Hollywood has cranked out a plethora of them. Certainly I have my favorites: "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Silent Running", "Event Horizon" to mention a few, so when I decided to go and see "Arrival", I went with some trepidation, and got some surprises.

 

This story is about Earth's response to a possible alien invasion--whether good or bad. After extraterrestrial spacecraft plant themselves at various locations around the globe, a lindquist, Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) and a theoretical physicist, Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) must find a way to communicate with the mysterious visitors in order to learn what they want and whether they pose a threat to humanity.

As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks, Donnelly, Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker), Agent Halpern (Michael Stuhlbarg) and others of the team race time for answers-- and to find them, Banks will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.

 

Others to round out the cast are Mark O'Brien as Captain Marks, Tzi Ma as General Shang, Sangita Patel as Newscaster 1, Abigail Pniowsky as Hannah (8 yrs. old), Banks' daughter, Jadyn Malone as Hannah (4 yrs. old) and Julia Scarlett Dan as Hannah (12 yrs. old).

 

This was delineated with explicit detail by director Denis Villeneuve ("August 32nd on Earth" '98, "Maelstrom" 2000, "Happiness Bound" (Documentary) '07, "Polytechnique" '09, "Incendies" '10, "Prisoners" '13, "Enemy" '13, "Sicario" '15) plus shorts. By his very resume, this filmmaker is an eclectic artist which makes him a director that won't and can't be pigeon-holed. The feeling of the different characters in this seemed amazingly real and whole, with all their bravery and all their humanness. If you appreciate this director's style, he is filming "Blade Runner 2049" right now due to release in 2017. It was creatively written by Eric Heisserer ("A Nightmare on Elm Street" '10, "Final Destination 5" '11, "The Thing" '11, "Hours" '13, "Lights Out" '16) which was based on a story, "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang. As I watched the trailer on this film, I felt it would like what I finally received, however it was a bit more cerebral than I was expecting. Not that this is a bad thing, but since I wasn't ready for it, it made the viewing of this a bit strained. Surely it had cohesiveness and continuity, but with a couple a slow places in the middle and it was attempting to be on the cerebral side, I suspect it took me by surprise and became a bit too must to wrap my head around. Both Adams and Renner were very effective in their respective roles, and Whitaker, however having a smaller role, still was able to bring his amazing talent to the table.

 

If any moviegoer is expecting another "Independence Day", you will be sorely disappointed. The only similarity with these two films is that of being from the same genre. This is where the similarity starts and ends. This is a interesting expose of how we should confront a similar situation given the possibility. With that said, enjoy this gem--it is worthy of a view.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                             Rated: PG-13                                 116mins.

 

Hacksaw Ridge

I've said it before and I'll say it again, truth can certainly be stranger than fiction. Of all the films based on a real person, the one that stands above the rest has got to that of Desmond Doss in the new film, "Hacksaw Ridge". I've seen incredible characters based on actual people and stories, but none that were as amazing as this person. Why don't we hear about more people like this?

 

This, based on a true story, is a biopic about a World War II medic Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield). As a conscientious objector who refused to take a life or even carry a weapon--for religious beliefs, Doss was eventually awarded the Metal of Honor for saving the lives of 75 soldiers on the battlefield of Hacksaw Ridge, Okinawa.

His steadfast beliefs came at an early age when he almost  accidentally killed his brother, and his father Tom (Hugo Weaving) being an alcoholic--after his war days, became abusive toward his wife, Bertha (Rachel Griffiths), and after witnessing this Desmond almost shot him, but decided not to. All this impressed his hatred of not wanting to harm anyone. So with this and his incredible devotion to God, he just couldn't carry a rifle in combat, even though he knew he needed to help the war cause, which is why he went the medic role. So when he entered the Army, both his Sergeant, Sgt. Howell (Vince Vaughn) and Captain, Capt. Jack Glover (Sam Worthington) were at their wits end trying to convince this guy that war demanded killing. So what is a conscience ridden soldier to do in a wartime situation?

 

Others to round out the cast are Luke Bracey as Smitty, Teresa Palmer as Dorothy Schutte, Desmond's girlfriend, Matt Nable as Lt. Cooney, Nathaniel Buzolic as Harold Doss, Desmond's brother, Richard Roxburgh as Colonel Stelzer, Richard Pyros as Teach, Jacob Warner as James Pinnick, Milo Gibson as Lucky Ford and Darcy Bryce as Young Desmond.

 

This was brilliantly directed by Mel Gibson ("The Man Without a Face" '93, "Braveheart" '95, "The Passion of the Christ" '04, "Apocalypto" '06) plus TV. The way this filmmaker is able to encourage his actors to emit the correct emotion, especially the subtle ones, is short of perfection. He doesn't have a huge array of films to his credit, however the ones he has done are amazing productions on many levels. Like Steven Spielberg, Gibson's eye for detail has become something he's known for and this production shows that in spades. It was written with amazing continuity and cohesiveness by Robert Schenkkan and Andrew Knight. Even though these writers have limited feature film experience--Knight has a bit more than Schenkkan, this screenplay was amazingly well thought out and delineated with compassion, passion and fearlessness. These two writers will undoubtedly receive more work as they should. The realism of this film is stunning as is the photography--what one would expect from a Gibson production. There is so much the audience can and will take away after viewing this: an appreciation of fine filmmaking along with a moral dilemma. The dilemma? Given the same situation, would you stick to your guns (pardon the pun) and not carry a weapon assuming having the same belief convictions, or would you decide the opposite and let the chips fall where they may? Given that I am a Christian myself, I would like to think I would follow in Desmond's footsteps, but I suspect it would be difficult to say for sure until one would end up in a similar situation. What is amazing is every time Desmond would save a soldier, he would ask the Lord to let him save another one. His faith is what impressed me. Food for thought.

 

Whether one has religious convictions or not, the compassion and awe of this individual is something to behold. And if that doesn't get to you, the incredible craft of this film is something to sit back and revel in. Either way, enjoy this gem. Do I hear Academy Award nods calling?

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                 Rated: R                                 139mins.

 

Dr. Strange

Welcome to the first week of films where Hollywood breaks out the big guns to entice us to the theater so as to make that elusive December 31st deline for potential Academy Award nominations. It all starts with the much awaited Marvel's "Dr. Strange". Since films based on comic books and amazing visual effects are such a crowd pleaser, what better film to kick off this period of time than with this film?

 

This follows the story of the talented neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) who, after a tragic car accident, must put ego aside and learn the secrets of a hidden world of mysticism and alternate dimensions headed up by The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and assistants, Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Wong (Benedict Wong). Based in New York City's Greenwich Village, Dr. Strange must act as an intermediary between the real world and what lies beyond, utilizing a vast array of metaphysical abilities.

Dr. Strange lost all, but his ability of his hands in the accident, and with him being an extremely gifted surgeon, he wanted the use of his hands again. Although he tried every doctor and procedure known to man and nothing worked, he came across a man, Jonathan Pangborn (Benjamin Bratt) that told him about this 'Ancient One' he could seek in Nepal to help him. So his connection with these people in Nepal was to help him, through spirituality, to regain the neurological strength back in his hands. But he found out that he had so much more to learn than he ever realized.

 

Others to round out the cast are Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, a fellow doctor of Dr. Strange, Mads Mikkelsen as Kaecilius, Michael Stuhlbarg as Dr. Nicodemus West, Scott Adkins as Lucian/Strong Zealot, Zara Phythian as Brunette Zealot and Alaa Safi as Tall Zealot.

 

Interestingly, this was directed by a filmmaker that predominantly works in the horror genre, Scott Derrickson ("The Exorcism of Emily Rose" '05, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" '08, "Sinister" '12, "Deliver Us from Evil" '14). Certainly, pacing, staging and getting actors to emit the right emotions can be done with any genre, but one would think that a director would've been chosen that had a more varied resume, not that he didn't do an effective job.

It was written by Jon Spaihts, Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill based on the Marvel comic book by Steve Ditko. Again, Derrickson's resume is mostly horror and Cargill basically came along for the ride on Derrickson's coattails. However, Spaihts has "Passengers" being released soon and "The Mummy" is in post production for a 2017 release. This writer is a busy guy and probably why this script was as tight and cohesive as it was. Both Cumberbatch and Swinton shined in their roles. Even if the mysticism premise of this film isn't your preference, the visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) will knock your socks off. They were absolutely breathtaking--some of the best I've seen by ILM, and they're good. ILM could very likely be looking at an Oscar nod for best visual effects come that time.

 

I'm not really into the mysticism of this storyline, but certainly it does grip the audience of how it is conveyed so as to keep your attention for the almost two hour time slot it runs and all in a convincingly 3D format as well. Although there are a couple of very small slow areas, it has humor, adventure and fantasy which is why we go to the movies in the first place.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                Rated: PG-13                                  115mins.