Thank You for Your Service

As the old adage goes: "there are 8 million stories in the naked city, and everybody has their story". Truly, films based on real stories and people are hot today since there are so many being produced--again, truth is stranger than fiction, so when "Thank You for Your Service" came along, we, as an audience, almost expect the film to be based on a true story as opposed to fiction.

 

A group of U.S. soldiers, including Sgt. Adam Schumann (Miles Teller), Billy Waller (Joe Cole), Solo (Beulah Koale), Emory (Scott Haze) and SFC James Doster (Brad Beyer) return home after serving in Iraq, but their attempts at reintegrating into civilian life are complicated by their traumatic memories of war and pressure from military brass to remain stoic as an example to others. However, with their repeated nightmares and lapses of routine memory ensuing, the wife of Schumann, Saskia (Haley Bennett), girlfriend of Solo, Alea (Keisha Castle-Hughes) and wife of Doster, Amanda (Amy Schumer) are at their wits ends of what to do with these guys. Even the VA is inept and overwhelmed to know, in detail, of what and how to help these soldiers.

 

Others to round out the cast are Patrick Brown as Staff Sergeant White, Omar J. Dorsey as Dante, Phil Armijo as Specialist Page, Dennis L.A. White as Jay, Han Soto as Army Doctor and Hunter Burke as Jake Schumann.

 

This was directed by a new director debuting his first film in the director's chair, Jason Hall. He also wrote this and others including "Spread" '09, "Paranoia" '13 and "American Sniper" '14, so being a writer has given him the ability to know a thing or two about directing--he obviously has worked with several directors before. He's a virtual natural to directing and will undoubtedly receive more work. His script was well thought out, especially with focusing on the personal aspects of these soldiers in how they are basically incapable of transitioning into life from their severe traumatic experiences in Iraq. Hall's willingness to incorporate the intense frustration from the wives/girlfriend was equally integral, and this writer conveyed this in spades. Seeing only the war experiences of these soldiers, although is important, isn't all there is to it, for when these guys come home, we as the audience, need to see how devastating it is for guys to even try to survive their families, society and the system--in order to receive benefits. Other than a couple of places of jumpiness in script, this storyline will keep you riveted and sober. We've seen these types of films before: "Jarhead" '05, "Stop-Loss" '08, "Hurt Locker" '08 and even the recent "Only the Brave", but this film had that different twist in how these soldiers were just trying to survive the best they knew how. The ensemble cast was chosen carefully and was powerful in their respective roles, especially Teller. He is a fine actor and has proven himself with other films, but he really shined in this.

 

If you're one who like war based films, especially based on a true story, this is the film for you. But even if you're not, this film speaks to all who watch it, in that it shows us a side of war that is all too often not brought up in conversation. And when a topic is not addressed, we, as humans, have a tendency to sweep it under the carpet.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                  Rated: R                                 109mins.

 

Suburbicon

With all the formulaic, commercial films out there that Hollywood has a plethora to offer, it is so refreshing to come across a quirky, different, odd film not only to entertain, but also enjoy the talented people behind the film. As with the case of "Suburbicon", not only is this an odd film, but the very name reeks quirky.

 

Suburbicon is a peaceful, idyllic suburban community with affordable homes and manicured lawns... the perfect place to raise a family, and in the summer of 1959, The Lodge family, Gardner (Matt Damon), Rose (Julianne Moore), Gardner's wife, Maggie (Julianne Moore), Rose's twin sister, Nicky (Noah Jupe) is doing just that. But the tranquil surface masks a disturbing reality as husband and father Gardner Lodge must navigate the town's dark underbelly of betrayal, deceit, prejudice and violence. This is a tale of very flawed people making very bad choices. This is Suburbicon.

 

Others to round out the cast are David Isaac as Roger, Gary Basaraba as Uncle Mitch, Glenn Fleshler as Ira Sloan, Alex Hassell as Louis, Tony Espinosa as Andy Mayers, Karimah Westbrook as Mrs. Mayers, Leith M. Burke as Mr. Mayers, Richard Kind as John Sears, Jack Conly as Hightower and Nancy Daly as Linda, Gardner's secretary.

 

This  was directed by the incomparable George Clooney ("Good Night, and Good Luck" '05, "Leatherheads" '08, "The Ides of March" '11, "The Monuments Men" '14) plus TV. Even though this filmmaker doesn't have a ton of directing experience, what he has helmed is amazing quality. Being an actor, he is an actor's director where he has the ability to make these characters come to life as with his past films as well. He delineates what needs ro be conveyed in each and every scene and does so with finesse and aplomb. It was creatively written by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen ("Raising Arizona" '87, "Fargo" '96, "The Big Lebowski" '98, "Intolerable Cruelty" '03, "No Country for Old Men" '07, "Burn After Reading" '08, "A Serious Man" '09, "Bridge of Spies" '15, "Hail Caesar!" '16) plus others and shorts, and George Clooney and Grant Heslov ("Good Night, and Good Luck" '05, "The Ides of March" '11, "The Monuments Men" '14). If I were to akin this film to another one, it would probably be "Fargo" '96, since both are about the greed, deceitfulness, and self-centeredness of its different characters. Couple that with being incredibly over-the-top, and these films are similar, however this is where the similarity ends, because the premise is certainly very different in how the script is carried out. Both films are written by the Coen Brothers which makes them quirky, and this adjective is the trademark of these brothers. Other than a couple of places of slowness in plot, this storyline soared. As this story unfolds, one cannot believe the situations of these characters could get any worse until you watch the next scene. And along with the Coen Brothers, both Clooney and Heslov are accomplished writers themselves. Surely a lot of writers, however with this talent, a film can get away with it since the film had a well thought out story.

 

If quirky and odd is a combination you can appreciate in a film, this is the film for you. But even if you are a commercial freak, the acting, directing and writing should be enough to satisfy the most hardcore of formulaic films. This is touted as a drama, but since it is so odd, one can see the comedic moments in it just as with "Fargo". Grab the popcorn and enjoy.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                               Rated: R                                  105mins.

 

Only the Brave

I continually root for films simply based in fiction which is why films were created in the first place, but after seeing "Geostorm" a mere four days ago, I opted to see "Only the Brave"-- a film based on a true story and I got a cohesive and well thought out script as well as a visual feast  Makes one want to give up on fiction based films--just kidding!

 

All men are created equal...then, a few become firefighters. This film, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, is a heroic story of one unit of local firefighters including but not limited to Eric Marsh (Josh Brolin), leader of the unit, Brendan McDonough (Miles Teller), Jesse Steed (James Badge Dale), Christopher MacKenzie (Taylor Kitsch), Travis Turbyfill (Geoff Stults), Andrew Ashcraft (Alex Russell), Scott Norris (Thad Luckinbill) and Wade Parker (Ben Hardy), that through hope, determination, sacrifice, and the drive to protect families, communities, and our country become one of the most elite firefighting teams in the country. As most of us run from danger, they run toward it--they watch over our lives, our homes, everything we hold dear, as they forge a unique brotherhood that comes into focus with one fateful fire.

 

Others to round out the cast are Jeff Bridges as Duane Steinbrink, Jennifer Connolly as Amanda Marsh, Eric's wife, Scott Haze as Clayton Whitted, Jake Picking as Anthony Rose, Scott Foxx as Travis Carter, Dylan Kenin as Robert Caldwell, Ryan Busch as Dustin DeFord, Kenneth Miller as Sean Misner, Ryan Jason Cook as William Warneke, Brandon Bunch as Garret Zuppiger, Michael McNulty as Kevin Woyjeck, Nicholas Jenks as John Percin Jr. and Sam Quinn as Grant McKee.

 

This was directed by a relative newcomer to feature films, Joseph Kosinski ("TRON: Legacy" '10, "Oblivion" '13) plus a short, "The Dig" '17. Even though there is a number of years between projects, he is remarkably limited in experience. However what he lacks in experience, he makes up with quality. This director will be able to expand his horizons given that "Top Gun: Maverick" is in the pre-production process. It was cohesively well written by Ken Nolan ("Black Hawk Down" '01, "Transformers: The Last Knight" '17) plus TV and Eric Warren Singer ("The International" '09, "American Hustle" '13) plus TV, which is based on the GQ article, "No Exit" by Sean Flynn. As with Kosinski, neither of these writers have a ton of experience, but what they have created has been exemplary. Nolan continues to be a busy writer with "Transformers 7", "Transformers 8" and "Luna Park" all being announced, whereas Singer's "Top Gun: Maverick" is in pre-production. These guys have gotten and will continue to receive work, because their technique is extremely thorough and tight. Each one of the men of this firefighting unit had their own personality which was well delineated and came across in a very real way--like normal guys. And what can I say about ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) who designed the visual effects? When they design, they simply make the effects effortless as with this film.

 

This film seems similar to "Backdraft" '91 in that they both were about a camaraderie between the firefighters--a brotherhood if you will, but, of course, the plots were quite different which made them unique in their own way. "Only the Brave" is a sobering film that it holds family and community to heart, so when its audience sees this will learn something from it. At the same time, it has an entertaining factor to it so as to have something for everyone. And it's in a great IMAX format as well.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                 Rated: PG-13                                       133mins.

 

Geostorm

If there was a time that disaster films reigned, it was probably the decade of the 1970's. Just about every year, a disaster film was released. Since then, this genre has resurged at different times, such as "The Day After Tomorrow", "Twister", "San Andreas", "The Impossible" and even "Titanic". If you take all these films and combine them into one film, you will have "Geostorm".

When catastrophic climate change endangers Earth's very survival, world governments unite and create the Dutch Boy Program: a world wide net of satellites, surrounding the planet, that are armed with geoengineering technologies designed to stave off natural disasters. After successfully protecting the planet for three years, something is starting to go wrong. Two estranged brothers, Jake Lawson (Gerard Butler) and Max Lawson (Jim Sturgess) are tasked with solving the program's malfunction before a world wide Geostorm can engulf the planet. Jake actually designed and implemented the satellite system, however his brother, Max was also instrumental in assisting Jake. So with fighting the clock, Jake has a team including Ute Fassbinder (Alexandra Maria Lara), Al Hernandez (Eugenio Derbez), Duncan Taylor (Robert Sheehan) and Ray Dussette (Amr Waked) to help him in solving this potentially cataclysmic situation.

Others to round out the cast are Abbie Cornish as Sarah Wilson, Daniel Wu as Cheng Long, Ed Harris as Leonard Dekkom, Andy Garcia as President Andrew Palma, Adepero Oduye as Eni Adisa, Richard Schiff as Senator Cross, Mare Winningham as Dr. Cassandra Jennings, Zazie Beetz as Dana and Talitha Bateman as Hannah Lawson, Jake's daughter.

This was directed by a seasoned writer who's directorial debut is with this film, Dean Devlin ("Brain Trust" (TV movie) '11) plus TV. Considering this is his first feature film in the director's chair, this was effectively executed. These actors were effective in there respective roles and this is all about the directing. Certainly Devlin has worked with some talented directors since he is a seasoned writer in this genre, so it should not be too surprising that he would be the director he's turned out to be. His next project, "Bad Samaritan" is in post production as we speak. This was predictably written by Devlin ("Universal Soldier" '92, "Stargate" '94, "Independence Day" '96, "Godzilla" '98, "Independence Day--Resurgence" '16) plus others and TV and Paul Guyot (TV). This was adequately written, however it is extremely predictable. With Devlin writing similar screenplays in his other films, predictability reigns king: a brooding lead actor at odds with another, an horrific event that's tied to the lead actor. They try to warn but to no avail, so when the chips are really down, they are wooed in to solve the problem. Sound familiar? To give this film credit, there is an odd political subplot that holds your attention to a degree. So since Devlin has the lion's share of the experience--Guyot has no feature film experience--Devlin has to carry the brunt of the responsibility to produce a decent script. And with this we get a storyline that is so similar as we've seen in other 'disaster' films.

This film wasn't actually made for an incredible script or fine acting as much as it was for the seamless visual effects produced. When one watches a disaster flick, it's all about the excapism factor so one can watch something to take them away from their problems for a couple of hours while munching on their popcorn. And with this being presented in an IMAX format, it makes that escape even more entertaining.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                     Rated: PG-13                                      109mins.

American Made

Hollywood's fascination with films based on true stories continues and is virtually never ending. Anymore, Hollywood slips in fictional stories once in a while within all the films based on true stories or events. And more to the point, there have been several films about drugs and arms: "Traffic" 2000, "Lord of War" '05, "Kill the Messenger" '14 and now we have tossed to us "American Made".

Barry Seal (Tom Cruise) was just an ordinary commercial pilot who worked for TWA before he was recruited by one, Monty 'Schafer' (Domhnall Gleeson) of the CIA in 1978. Seal's work in South America eventually caught the eye of the Medellin Cartel, associated with Pablo Escobar (Mauricio Mejia), who needed a man with his skill set. Barry subsequently became a drug trafficker, gun smuggler and money launderer, soon acquiring the title, "The gringo that always delivers". The 1980's clandestine operation would later be exposed as the Iran-Contra Affair, and this all comes crashing down after a new administraton has moved into the white house.

Others to round out the cast are Sarah Wright as Lucy Seal, Barry's wife, Jesse Plemons as Sheriff Downing, Caleb Landry Jones as JB, Lucy's brother, Jayma Mays as Diana Sibota, Lola Kirke as Judy Downing, Alejandro Edda as Jorge Ochoa, Benito Martinez as James Rangel, E. Roger Mitchell as Agent Craig McCall, Jed Rees as Louis Finkle, Fredy Yate Escobar as Carlos Ledher and Robert Farrio as Oliver North.

This was directed by the incomparable of action movies Doug Liman ("Getting In" '94, "Swingers" '96, "Go" '99, "The Bourne Identity" '02, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" '05, "Jumper" '08, "Fair Game" '10, "Edge of Tomorrow" '14, "The Wall" '17) plus TV. The way this filmmaker incorporates his actors, cinematographers and editors within his projects so as to reach his target audience with that level of ultimate action is phenomenal, as with this film as well. This is one busy guy with "Chaos Walking" being filmed for a 2019 release, "Live Die Repeat and Repeat" and "Attica" both in pre-production and "Luna Park" being announced. There is no stopping this director. It was written by relative newcomer Gary Spinelli ("Stash House" '12). Considering this writer is new to feature films, this was exemplary screenwriting. With all that was going on with Cruise's character, Barry, this plot could've been easily convoluted and confusing, but Spinelli simply stayed to following out the time sequences as planned so it didn't meander. Although there were a couple of places of slowness--this could've been cut a good five minutes, it still was compelling and showcased this writer as someone to contend with. He has worked with Liman again with "Chaos Walking" which he wrote and is being filmed.

Even though this is certainly a vehicle we've seen Cruise in more than once, he is still able to woo us to the multiplex as with others characters he has played. This, like a lot of his other projects, is a great popcorn film. It would be nice to see Cruise sink his teeth into more meatier roles like in "Born on the Fourth of July" or "Magnolia", but maybe we'll see.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                    Rated: R                                     114mins.

The Foreigner

With all the films out there that are based on true stories, it's refreshing to see films based on fiction as well. One thing about them being based on fiction is that the writer has more control over the story as opposed to factual based films. "The Mountain Between Us" was based on fiction as is this next film in the offing, "The Foreigner".

 

This is the story of humble businessman Quan (Jackie Chan), whose long-buried past erupts in a revenge-fueled vendetta when the only person left for him to love--his teenage daughter--is taken from him in a senseless act of politically-motivated terrorism. In his relentless search for the identity of the terrorists, Quan is forced into a cat-and-mouse conflict with a British government official, Liam Hennessy (Pierce Brosnan), whose own past may hold clues to the identities of the elusive killers. As Quan prods more and more into his search, the more complex and elusive answers are to come when certain situations are pressed.

 

Others to round out the cast are Ray Fearson as Commander Richard Bromley, Orla Brady as Mary Hennessy, Liam's wife, Rory Fleck-Byrne as Sean Morrison, Liam's nephew, Michael McElhatton as Jim Kavanaugh, Simon Kunz as Matthew Rice, Niall McNamee as Patrick O'Reilly, Lia Williams as Katherine Davies, Dermot Crowley as Hugh McGrath, Tao Liu as Lam and Katie Leung as Fan, Quan's daughter.

 

This was directed by the king of dramatically charged thrillers, Martin Campbell ("Criminal Law" '88, "Defenseless" '91, "No Escape" '94, "GoldenEye" '95, "The Mask of Zorro" '98, "Vertical Limit" 2000, "Beyond Borders" '03, "The Legend of Zorro" '05, "Casino Royale" '06, "Edge of Darkness" '10, "Green Lantern" '11, "Warriors" (TV movie) '14) plus others and TV. By his very resume, he knows how to extract the correct amount of emotion from his actors to make a drama or thriller that much more intense. "Casino Royale" has got to be one of his best. This was cleverly written by David Marconi ("The Harvest" '92, "Enemy of the State" '98, "Live Free or Die Hard"- (story) '07, "Collision" '13, "The Dark Side of the Moon" '15, "The Contract"- (story) '16) based on the novel, "The Chinaman" by Stephen Leather. Although this story had a plethora of different characters, Chan's and Brosnan's characters were the mainstay of this script. The cat-and-mouse game was the trademark of the story. There have been other films with a cat-and-mouse format to it, but this was one where Liam (Brosnan) was coerced into this deeply distraught man's world in which he lost his daughter senselessly, so this makes it a bit different from the normal cat-and-mouse type film. Other than a couple of slow places in script, this storyline really kept its audience on the edge of their seats. Given that both Chan and Brosnan aren't polished actors, they gave incredibly polished and riveting performances.

 

As political thrillers go, this is one of the most effective ones I've seen in a while mostly because of the chemistry between its two main characters. And the fact that this is derived from a fictional story makes this that much more entertaining. Grab the popcorn and enjoy!

 

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

 

The Mountain Between Us

Films about survival whether they're based on fact or fiction has always fascinated me as I believe it does with a plethora of others. Whether we're talking about "Alive" or "The Revenant" or even "Titanic", these stories keep us on that proverbial edge of our seats. So when I saw my first trailer of "The Mountain Between Us", I simply had to venture out to the multiplex see if they were going to survive.

 

Two strangers headed from Salt Lake City to Baltimore-- one a surgeon, Ben Bass (Idris Elba) who has to perform a surgery, the other a photojournalist, Alex Martin (Kate Winslet) who's about to get married, hail a chartered flight together after their initial plans fall through. Unfortunately, they end up stranded on a remote snowy mountain when their plane crashes, and soon realize they must trek hundreds of miles over treacherous terrain to safety since no one knows they are out there so subsequently no one is coming to rescue them. Will they make it considering their odds are grim?

 

Others to round out the cast are Beau Bridges as Walter, the pilot, Dermot Mulroney as Mark, Alex's fiancé, Vincent Gale as Airline Customer Service, Marci T. House as Airline Rep and Raleigh and Austin as the Dog.

 

This was intensely yet sensitively directed by Hany Abu-Assad ("Nazareth 2000 (Documentary) '01, "Dana's Wedding" '02, "Ford Transit" (Documentary) '03, "Paradise Now" '05, "Do Not Forget Me Istanbul" '10, "The Courier" '12, "Omar" '13, "The Idol" '15). I say sensitively because this shows two human beings slowly connecting from being total strangers and this filmmaker's ability to transition these actors to show this was subtle and effective. It was well thought out by writers Chris Weitz ("Antz" '98, "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" 2000, "About a Boy" '02, "The Golden Compass" '07, "Cinderella" '15, "Star Wars: Rouge One" '16) plus TV and J. Miles Goodloe ("A Gentlemen's Game" '02, "Pride" '07, "The Best of Me" '14, "The Age of Adaline" '15, "Everything, Everything" '17) which is based on the novel by Charles Martin. Considering these two writers have approximately the same amount of experience, their resumes are both amazingly eclectic. Both have drama and comedy to their credit, but where the irony comes in is neither of them have extreme survival films under their belts. Usually this would present a problem, but considering they both are seasoned writers, they were able to pull off this screenplay with cohesiveness and sensitivity. These attributes are not found as often as they should from Hollywood, so I was pleasantly surprised. Other than a couple of places of stillness in story, this script simply soared. I would like to see them write their next screenplay together if this is what they produced with this story.

 

If you're a filmgoer that's into intense, grueling survival films, this will fit the bill. Although this is based on a novel--being fiction, this could've easily been based on a true story, because the way it was written and acted-- both Elba and Winslet were stunning, one would have to keep reminding themselves that this is not a true story.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                 Rated: PG-13                                    112mins.

 

Victoria & Abdul

Interesting people in our past can and have been fascinating fodder for stories based on truth. We've seen many: "The King's Speech", "Philomena", "The Queen", "Frost/Nixon", "Jackie" and the like--the list is endless. But now we have in the offing, "Victoria & Abdul",  a story not only based on true events but one with heart as well.

 

An Indian clerk named Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal) travels to London to present Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) with a ceremonial coin for her Golden Jubilee. The pair form an unexpected bond upon meeting, but the lifelong friendship that develops is threatened by the disapproval of Victoria's inner circle comprising of her son, Bertie, Price of Wales (Eddie Izzard), Sir Henry Ponsonby (Tim Pigott-Smith), Lord Salisbury (Michael Gambon), Dr. Reid (Paul Higgins) and others. As the Queen contemplates what her life of service has meant and the restrictions it has placed on her, Abdul brings her joy as he indulges her fascination with the country she rules over from half a world away.

 

Others to round out the cast are Adeel Akhtar as Mohammed, Olivia Williams as Lady Churchill, Fenella Woolgar as Miss Phipps, Julian Wadham as Alick Yorke, Robin Soans as Athur Bigge, Ruth McCabe as Mrs. Tuck, Simon Callow as Puccini and Sukh Ojla as Mrs. Karim.

 

This was directed by the incomparable Stephen Frears ("Mary Reilly" '96, "High Fidelity" 2000, "Dirty Pretty Things" '02, "The Queen" '06, "Tamara Drewe" '10, "Philomena" '13, "Florence Foster Jenkins" '16) plus others and TV. Besides Kenneth Branaugh, Frears is the consummate pro when it comes to period films. Because this is certainly similar territory, this director could probably direct these types of films in his sleep. His team--production designer, cinematographer, music composer, editor and actors are chosen with extreme carefulness in order to establish that feeling of realism to each of the stories, this being of no exception. It was beautifully written by Lee Hall ("The Prince of Hearts" (TV movie) '97, "Billy Elliot" 2000, "Toast" (TV movie) '10, "War Horse" '11) plus others, which is based on the book by Shrabani Basu. I think what makes this stand out above the other period films based on a true story is the ability to show heart and inspiration as a main ingredient to showing the logistical aspects of the film--the time period, the meeting of these two and the responses of her staff. This young clerk was just being himself by attempting to bring joy to the Queen's otherwise boring life, but with her staff's jealousy always as an interruption, this clerk never seemingly had a chance. This is truly a message of kindness, heart, and true friendship vs. jealousy, selfishness and envy with this friendship winning, but not without a price. It's is sad when a person can't be themselves without retribution because of others' insecurities, and writer Lee Hall definitely brought this home in spades.

 

This is about the meeting of two unlikely characters and these two actors pulled it off well. This, among the message, is why you are seeing this film, because without these elements, it would be like any other biopic that we've seen many times over.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                    Rated: PG-13                                  111mins.

 

 

Blade Runner 2049

If sequels, prequels and the like must exist, the least Hollywood can do is to wait a decent amount of time so it makes the successor fresher than churning it out a mere few years later. We've seen it done before: "The Pink Panther", "Murder on the Orient Express", The "Star Wars" series, and now we have "Blade Runner 2049" sunsequent to "Blade Runner".

 

This sequel to Ridley Scott's landmark 1982 sci-fi film picks up the story 30 years later, giving its audience another detailed look at the future in which humanity live in polluted, overcrowded cities and rely on androids known as 'replicants' for slave labor created by sinister, Niander Wallace (Jared Leto). In 2049 Los Angeles, K (Ryan Gosling) works as a 'blade runner', a specialized law-enforcement agent dedicated to tracking down and killing rogue replicants. But when he uncovers a shocking conspiracy involving the robot laborers, he searches for the one person who might have answers: a former blade runner named Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) who vanished decades earlier.

 

Others to round out the cast are Ana De Armas as Joi, Robin Wright as Lt. Joshi, K's boss, Sylvia Hoeks as Luv, Carla Juri as Dr. Ana Stelline, Lennie James as Mister Cotton, Dave Bautista as Sapper Morgan, a rogue replicant, Mackenzie Davis as Mariette, Mark Arnold as Interviewer and Wood Harris as Nandez.

 

By his very resume, this film was intensely and boldly directed by Denis Villeneuve ("August 32nd on Earth" '98, "Maelstrom" 2000, "Happiness Bound" (Documentary) .07, "Polytechnique" '09, "Incendies" '10, "Prisoners" '13, "Enemy" '13, "Sicario" '15, "Arrival" '16) plus shorts. His ability to get his actors to extract a certain emotion is amazing. This was evident in the film "Prisoners" where the subtlety from the different characters gave it that realistic approach as this does also. It was incredibly well written by Hampton Fancher ("Blade Runner" '82, "The Mighty Quinn" '89, "The Minus Man" '99) plus shorts and Michael Green ("Green Lantern" '11, "Gotham " (TV Movie) '12, "Logan" '17), based on a story by Fancher which is based on characters from the novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick.  Ridley Scott, who exec produced this and who directed the 1982 film was brilliant in obtaining Fancher to reprise the sequel since he wrote the original. It gave this film that similarity that was so needed since there is a 35 year spread between the two films. Along with the talent of Green, a magical script was formulated. If you like Green's writing, his next film, "Murder on the Orient Express" is released on November 10th. Really, the only problem with this was that it was a little long-in-the-tooth, but certainly not enough to detract from this intriguing story. Also considering this originally was derived from the mastermind of novelist Philip K. Dick ("Total Recall" from short story, "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" '90, "Impostor" '01, "Minority Report" '02, "Paycheck" '03, "A Scanner Darkly" '06, "Next" from novel story, "The Golden Man" '07, "The Adjustment Bureau" from short story, "Adjustment Team" '11), how could any go wrong. This novelist gives us that 'what if?' scenario which causes us all to stop and reflect. Through his work he is basically saying not to trust 'big brother', and I can surely respect that. The chemistry between Ford and Gosling was intense and truly worked. It was great to see Ford reprising his role as Deckard for sure.

 

Anyone that has seen "Blade Runner" will love this continuation, but even if you haven't seen the original, there is enough preface in print at the beginning to bring one up to snuff so you don't feel like you're coming into this film in the dark. It's visually stunning which means you must see this on the large screen to get that full impact. Hey, it's formatted in IMAX and 4DX to give it even more of a grandiose feeling.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                   Rated: R                                 164mins.

 

Stronger

There are films based on true stories and there are films based on true stories based in terrorists attacks. Sociologically, as the increase of terrorists attacks become obvious, an unofficial category of films based on terrorist attacks practically have their own genre: "United 93", "The World Trade Center", "Patriots Day" and this year's "9-11". Now we can add "Stronger" to that ever increasing list.

 

This docudrama recounts the true story of Jeff Bauman (Jake Gyllenhaal), who lost both of his legs during the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. After providing crucial information on the bombers, Bauman faced a long, arduous road to recovery from the hospital--Surgical ICU to physical rehabilitation and must turn to his family including his mother, Patty (Miranda Richardson) and father, Jeff Sr. (Clancy Brown) and girlfriend, Erin Hurley (Tatiana Maslany) for support.

This story throws one average man into a world he or anyone else is ever ready for, and happens in mere moments. It shows him going through the shock period along with the seemingly impossible rehab that sends him, his girlfriend, his family and buddies into a tailspin that none are prepared for. 

 

Others to round out the cast are Lenny Clarke as Uncle Bob, Richard Lane Jr. as Sully, Patricia O'Neil as Aunt Jen, Nate Richman as Big D; Carlos Sanz as Carlos, Danny McCarthy as Kevin and Katherine Fitzgerald as Aunt Karen.

 

This was intensely yet quirkily directed by David Gordon Green ("All the Real Girls" '03, "Pineapple Express" '08, "Your Highness" '11, "Prince Avalanche" '13, "Joe" '13, "Manglehorn" '14, "Our Brand Is Crisis" '15) plus others and TV and shorts. I say quirkily because each character, especially Jeff Bauman is played out differently than most characters of this type in other similar films. The range of emotions that the Bauman character conveyed was as diverse as the situation this man was in. It was strategically well thought out and cohesive by writer John Pollono (Shorts) based on the book by the same name by Jeff Bauman and Bret Witter. As the story starts from pre bombing introducing us to the characters, it transcends us from an ordinary situation to an horrific one in the course of a few seconds and then we witness Bauman going from normal to both legs torn to shreds and the subsequent PTSD he continues to experience from this traumatic event. Considering this writer only has a couple of shorts to his credit, this is either a fluke or he is a natural. Only time will tell. If this is his first attempt at a feature film script, I will be eagerly awaiting the next film he writes.

 

Truly if you're into intense, traumatic and inspiring work, this film has it all. It does have some grueling scenes, so if some gruesomeness is bothersome to you, this will be a tough watch. Hey, terrorist attacks are not pretty. Certainly Gyllenhaal's work is one of his best and could possibly be looking at a nod come Oscar time.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                    Rated: R                                  118mins.