Second Act

One of the perennial favorite film plots is that of the underdog, or as aptly put, "everybody loves the underdog". We've seen it in many genres: "Rocky", "Working Girl", "Maid in Manhattan", "Legally Blonde", even the animated "Cinderella", and they get the audience on their feet to cheer. So, with all this popularity, Hollywood had to offer us yet another one in the form of "Second Act".

 

This is a comedy in the vein of "Working Girl" and :Maid in Manhattan". Jennifer Lopez stars as Maya, a 40-year-old woman struggling with frustrations from unfulfilled dreams. Until, that is, she gets the chance to prove to Madison Avenue that street smarts are as valuable as book smarts, and that is never too late for a Second Act.

Through her people, Joan (Leah Remini), Big Ant (Dierdre Friel) and Suzi (Lacretta), she decided to apply at a prestigious firm to test the waters. After Anderson Clarke (Treat Williams) gave her the job as a consultant, Maya, being shocked she even got the job, preceded to go into the position head first and working with Clarke's daughter, Zoe (Vanessa Hudgens), she was beginning to prove herself until things started to get out of hand. Can she cut it or will she be able to prove herself before all realizes that she doesn't have all the credentials she claims she has?

 

Others to round out the cast are Milo Ventimiglia as Trey, Maya's boyfriend, Annaleigh Ashford as Hildy Ostrander, Charlyne Yi as Ariana, Alan Aisenberg as Chase, Freddie Stroma as Ron Ebsen, Dave Foley as Felix Herman and Larry Miller as Weiskopf.

 

This was wittingly directed by Peter Segal ("The Road Warriors" (TV movie) '92, "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult" '94, "Tommy Boy" '95, "My Fellow Americans" '96, :Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" 2000, "Anger Management" '03, "50 First Dates" '04, "The Longest Yard" '05, "Get Smart" '08, "Grudge Match" '13) plus others, TV and shorts. This filmmaker is the quintessential comedy director that knows and does what he knows and does best. He even gravitates to the same caliber of projects--safe, predictable and fun. While I would like to see any filmmaker think outside of the box, I certainly can understand why one would hover on that safe limb. His direction isn't cutting edge, however he is an accomplished director--look at his resume. So it is no surprise to see that he has yet another film in post-production for a 2019 release titled "My Spy".It was adequately written by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Justin Zackham ("Going Greek" '01, "The Fastest Man in the World" (Documentary) '03, "The Bucket List" '07, "The Big Wedding" '13, "One Chance" '13) plus TV and a short. Interesting that Zackham received second billing on the writing credit with Goldsmith-Thomas having no feature film experience. Not sure what that's about unless he was attempting to giving the other writer a chance. However the writing was palatable and showed its audience that journey one must go through to get that second chance, it simply suffered a little from a lack of cohesiveness and it was a bit choppy. Mind you, these are only structural issues, whereas the idea and the follow through with it was admirable and the audience could definitely feel the pain that Maya went through on several levels. Maybe there were too many levels Maya was having to deal with. Not sure, but it is still a film with heart done in an entertaining way.

 

This was certainly better than the trailer which didn't really sell it to me, but after viewing it, I felt it was worthy of others viewing it. The ensemble cast was endearing and had their funny moments, the script just needed more polish structurally. This was definitely one of Lopez's better efforts along with "Monster-In-Law".

 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                               Rated: PG-13                                   103mins.

 

Bumblebee

What would the end of the year film season be without a well-known movie franchise to entice those 18-34 year-old single males in those theater seats--cha-ching? Pretty empty, since so many of this demographic are fairly free during this time. Hollywood isn't stupid for yhey know who will like whatever the films they are attempting to push. The film offered is that of "Bumblebee"--you know, the next installment of that "Transformers" franchise.

 

On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small San Francisco bay area beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary yellow VW bug.

The problem in keeping a 25 foot robot is that others are looking for him, namely Agent Jack Burns (John Cena), Dr. Powell (John Ortiz) and others. So Charlie;s next door neighbor, Memo (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) inadvertently helps her help Bumblebee in combatting Transformer foes attempting to kill Bumblebee so they can take over the Earth.

 

Others to round out the cast are Jason Drucker as Otis, Charlie's younger brother, Pamela Adlon as Sally, Charlie's mom, Stephen Schneider as Ron, Charlie's stepdad, Ricardo Hoyos as Tripp, Glynn Turman as General Whalen, Len Cariou as Uncle Hank and Kollin Holtz as Craig.

 

This was effectively directed by Travis Knight ("Kubo and the Two Strings" '16) plus a ton of animation experience, Considering the amount of animation work this filmmaker has been involved with, it is surprising that the producers would've been comfortable in Knight helming this. Although this film is somewhat like an animated film--the Transformers are cartoonish like, it is still surprising that they would've been given Knight the responsibility to direct a film that would profit considering the price tag of this. Well, all that animation work must have paid off, because the characters were effective and well thought out. He should receive more work. It was well written by Christina Hodson ("Shut In" '16, "Unforgettable" '17) based on her story, which is based on the Hasbro Transformer Action Figures. As with many other franchises, we find this film introducing Bumblebee's origins. After we've gotten to know a character well enough, it becomes high time that we know where this character came from and more about them as individuals. Hodson does an effective job of allowing us to see that in this installment replete with befriending a young earthling and the pitfalls of attempting to coexist with the military. When this franchise started back in 2007 with "Transformers", I really thought this wasn't going very far since it was actually based on a toy--wow, I was way off! This was certainly as well pulled off as its predecessors and with that, it will definitely profit well so we can come back in 2-3 years and see another installment. It did get a bit bogged down, script-wise, where there was a bit too much going back and forth, but all in all, this storyline was a fun ride. Obviously, the visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), Scanline VFX and Rodeo FX were seamless and gave an incredible look.

 

As aforementioned, the visual effects were grandiose, so if you have any plans to see this, you've got to see this on the large screen, otherwise it will be lost on a 50 incher. In fact if big-budget films are your thing, this has an impressive IMAX format to really take it in.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                      Rated: PG-13                                 114mins.

 

 

                                                                      

Vice

Of all the biopics that Hollywood has tackled throughout the years that depicts any individuals that have been considered world leaders, I feel that there hasn't been any that has been as aloof, quiet, yet powerful enough to sustain an effect on our country then that of Dick Cheney. I thought I'd seen it all--biopic wise--until I saw "Vice".

 

This explores the epic story about how a bureaucratic Washington insider quietly became the most powerful man in the world as Vice-President to George W. Bush during the 2000 presidential election.

Although Cheney (Christian Bale) is extremely reluctant to be Gov. Bush's (Sam Rockwell) running mate, Bush was only able to convince him after Cheney said he would do it assuming he could make some changes to the otherwise 'figure only' position that it is. No stranger to politics, Cheney's resume includes stints as White House chief of staff, House Minority Whip and defense secretary. Through his years in politics, it is his wife, Lynne (Amy Adams) that is tenacious in making sure her husband obtains the power that he wants and feels he deserves. When Bush wins by a narrow margin (537 votes), Cheney begins to use his newfound power to help reshape the country and the world in ways we still feel today.

 

Others to round out the cast are Steve Carell as Donald Rumsfeld, Alison Pill as Mary Cheney, Dick and Lynne's daughter, Lily Rabe as Liz Cheney, Dick's and Lynne's other daughter, Eddie Marsen as Paul Wolfowitz, Tyler Perry as Colin Powell, Jesse Plemons as Kurt, LisaGay Hamilton as Condoleezza Rice, Justin Kirk as Scooter Libby, Bill Camp as Gerald Ford and Shea Whigham as Wayne Vincent.

 

This was superbly directed by Adam McKay ("Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" '04, "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" '06, "Step Brothers" '08, "The Other Guys" '10, "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" '13, "The Big Short" '15) plus TV and shorts. I haven't been a huge fan of McKay until he directed "The Big Short". I felt that he had grown as a director, and a writer for that matter, since he also wrote it. His prior films were written and directed well, but nothing like with Big Short. The character development in this film as with Big Short was amazing delineated, so much so that it seems like another filmmaker wrote and directed these films. He simply captured the proper staging and pacing and a steely sense of realism as these characters came alive. One can tell that McKay centered on perfecting the gut-wrenching performances of his actors, specifically Bale. However Bale is an accomplished actor in his own right, McKay's direction was spotlighted. It was also written by McKay (all the above films plus "Ant-Man" '15) plus TV and shorts. The script was solidly written, however there were some places of lack of continuity. There were scenes where a character in it was narrating, but it isn't explicitly detailed about his importance in the story, so it seemed a bit confusing. There was a lot going on here, so I can see how difficult it would be to keep certain areas of script in check. If you like the directing here, McKay's "Bad Blood" has been announced. What can I say about this ensemble cast but they were perfect in their respective roles, especially Bale. He carried the look, the tonality and the mannerisms of Cheney down cold, but considering Bale is the quintessential method actor, it should come as no surprise. He and the film will undoubtedly be nominated for Academy Awards.

 

If you yearn for biopics, you will revel with this depiction, but even if not, the fact that this is an incredibly well acted and directed film should more than compensate. This is one of those films one expects to see at this time of year, when Hollywood brings out the big guns for those films under consideration.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: R                                      132mins.

 

Welcome to Marwen

So much of the time, Hollywood has produced films in which lavish visual effects are implemented and those that are 'smaller' films using only actors and set design for the final product. Then occasionally, we are offered a film in which the makers of the film insert visuals, cutting edge photography, unique editing, odd sound effects to create something new and challenging for an audience looking for something different. So Robert Zemeckis has offered us "Welcome to Marwen".

 

No one expects Mark Hogancamp (Steve Carell) to recover from a devastating assault that wipes away most, to all his memories prior to the attack. Putting together pieces from the past and present, Mark meticulously creates a Belgian town called Marwen and becomes an heroic World War II fighter pilot. His astonishing art installation soon comes to life with breathtakingly realistic dolls--a testament to the most powerful women he knows including Nicol (Leslie Mann), Deja Thoris (Diane Kruger), Caralala (Eiza Gonzalez), Anna (Gwendoline Christie), Roberta (Merritt Weaver), GI Julie (Janelle Monae) and others. Through this fantasy world, Hogancamp finds the strength to triumph in the real world and face his attackers.

 

Others to round out the cast are Leslie Zemeckis as Suzette, Siobhan Williams as Elsa, Stefanie von Pfetten as Wendy, Neil Jackson as Kurt, Matt O;Leary as Benz and Conrad Coates as Darius Johnson, Mark's attorney.

 

This was extravagantly directed by veteran Robert Zemeckis ("Back to the Future" '85, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" '88, "Death Becomes Her" '92, "Forrest Gump" '94, "Contact" '97, "Cast Away" 2000, "The Polar Express" '04, "A Christmas Carol" '09, "Flight" '12, "The Walk" '15) plus many others and TV. Truly, a Zemeckis film means something different yet entertaining, especially if his resume indicates anything. His use of photography, editing, visuals and music transforms the story into an intriguing, different approach that only Zemeckis can do so well. If you like his kind of directing, his "The King" has been announced. It was written well by Zemeckis ("1941" '79, "Used Cars" '80, "Back to the future" '85, "The Polar Express" '04, "A Christmas Carol" '09, "The Walk" '15) plus TV and videos, and Caroline Thompson ("Edward Scissorhands" '90, "The Addams Family" '91, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" '93, "Black Beauty" '94, "Corpse Bride" '05, "City of Ember" '08) plus others and a video short. If there was a more difficult screenplay to write, this would be the one, considering how many times the story would have to weave in and out from the real world to that of Mark's fantasy world through his town and doll characters. And other than a couple of small places of lack of cohesiveness, this was a solid, tight and interesting tale, especially with the fact that it's based on a true story. I never tire of seeing a Zemeckis film, because when I do see one, I leave the theatre feeling like I was truly entertained which is something I can't say for most films out there today. Between the amazing miniatures designed by Creative Consultants and the visual effects predominantly created by Atomic Fiction and Framestore, this film was a visual feast for the eyes.

 

I'll tell you, for this being the Christmas season, this is a film that would be fitting to watch considering the shear creativeness involved. This has adventure, fear, excitement, hope and redemption all rolled up in one movie that has a definite message. It leaves one with a bittersweet ending, but one that is palatable which gives it that realistic approach. Considering all this film has to offer, this needs to be seen on the large screen. This is a film where one individual was beaten and he gave us a glimpse of how he was to overcome the horrific event. We can all learn from this film whether we've been attacked or not, but even with that, hopefully we can reach out to someone that needs our help.

 

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

 

Aquaman

As we continue with the Christmas film season, or sometimes called the end of the year movie season, we are offered a comic book film that is actually not a Marvel film but a DC comic film. With "Batman", "Superman" and "Venom" are dealt with, DC then offers us an origins film of "Aquaman", the newest jewel in their crown, and I must say, jewel is the perfect word.

 

This is an action-packed adventure that spans the vast, visually breathtaking underwater world of the seven seas, "Aquaman" with Jason Momoa in the title role. The film reveals the origin in story of half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry and take him on the journey of his lifetime--one that will not only force him to face who he really is, but to discover if he is worthy of who he was born to be...a king.

As the war between his half brother, Orm (Patrick Wilson), who is the King of the sea for now, ignites, Mera (Amber Heard) and Arthur's mentor, Vulko (Willem Dafoe) swim along side of him to combat Arthur's foes so they can overt the war that Orm is attempting to start with the people on land and those under the sea.

 

Others to round out the cast are Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, Arthur's mother, Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus, Yahya Abdul-Mateen as Manta, Arthur's nemesis, Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry, Arthur's father, Ludi Lin as Captain Murk, Michael Beach as Jesse, Manta's father, Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin, Graham McTavish as King Atlan, Leigh Whannell as Cargo pilot and Kekoa Kekumano as Young Arthur (16yrs old).

 

This was effectively directed by the horror/action king, James Wan ("Stygian" 2000, "Saw" '04, "Dead Silence" '07, "Death Sentence" '07, "Insidious" '10, "The Conjuring" '13, "Insidious: Chapter 2" '13, "Furious 7" '15, "The Conjuring 2" '16) plus TV and shorts. One of my least favorite genres is that of the horror one, which is why I probably hadn't seen a lot of Wan's work, but after I viewed "Furious 7", I felt that I had missed a great deal, because this filmmaker is truly effective. so when I prepared to see this film, I felt that it would be directed with that one two punch that "Furious 7" gave us. He was able to convey to us Momoa's ability to come across as this 'regular guy' that's flawed and down-to-earth. Certainly Momoa did his homework, but his presence on the screen has to go to the direction. It was thoroughly well thought out by writers David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall, based on a story by Geoff Johns, James Wan and Will Beall. "Aquaman" is created by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris. Usually when a film exceeds a 2 hour running time, I have a tendency to get very fidgety, however this reaching close to a 2 hour and 25 minute running time, this storyline simply moved right along. What really kept this story moving was not only the cohesive, tight script, but Jason Momoa as well. His presence as this confident yet flawed individual with many issues was real as it was entertaining. These writers should collaborates on other films. And the visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial Light & Magic), MPC (Moving Picture Company) and Framestore, not only enhanced the story, but were absolutely seamless.

 

If this rocked for you as much as for me, not to worry, there will be a next installment. I know, what a shock, but with a story and cast as this had, I yearn for another one. And make sure you see this on the large since it's in a nifty IMAX and 3D format as well.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                          Rated: PG-13                                    143mins.

 

 

 

Mary Poppins Returns

When I saw "Mary Poppins" back in 1964, little did I know that 54 years later a sequel would be produced, but then again, back then I had no idea how many sequel, remakes and reboots would ever be produced to the number that they are today. Certainly waiting this long to release "Mary Poppins Returns" not only works, but makes this film fresher and a delight in every sense of the word.

 

In 1930's depression-era London, now an adult with three children, bank teller Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) learns that his house will be repossessed in five days unless he can pay back a loan. His only hope is to find a missing certificate that shows proof of valuable shares that his father left him years earlier. Just as all seems lost, Michael and his sister, Jane (Emily Mortimer) receive the surprise of a lifetime when Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt)--the beloved nanny from their childhood--arrives to save the day and take the Banks family on a magical, fun-filled adventure with the aid of her friend Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda).

 

Others to round out the cast are Pixie Davies as Anabel, Nathanael Saleh as John, Joel Dawson as Georgie, Julie Walters as Ellen, Colin Firth as Wilkins, Meryl Streep as Cousin Topsy, Dick Van Dyke as Mr. Dawes Jr., Jeremy Swift as Gooding, Kobna Holbrook-Smith as Frye, David Warner as Admiral Boom, Angela Lansbury as Balloon Lady and Jim Norton as Binnacle.

 

This was directed by the consummate showman himself, Rob Marshall ("Chicago" '02, "Memoirs of a Geisha" '05, "Nine" '09, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" '11, "Into the Woods" '14) plus TV. Because of his impressive resume, he is basically the Broadway director of Hollywood. Through the years, he hasn't helmed a plethora of films, but those he's done have amazing quality. He simply makes his characters come alive, and the audience is given a Broadway performance that can be seen in a movie theater. If you like his brand of directing, his "The Little Mermaid" has been announced. It is equally well written by David Magee ("Finding Neverland" '04, "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" '08, "Life of Pi" '12), based on a screen story by Magee, Marshall and John DeLuca, which is based on the "Mary Poppins" stories by P.L. Travers. The transition from the last film and this one was incredibly spot on, however the only thing wrong with this is that it is just a bit long-in-the-tooth. It was just a wee bit slow in a couple of places, but otherwise it was amazing. Of course, this, as with most musicals, was made more for the production numbers and its music more than the storyline, so this didn't have to be necessarily well written to win its audience. Between the musical songs by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the costumes by Sandy Powell and the visuals, this was quite the enjoyable ride.

 

Certainly if musicals are your thing, this will be the film for you, but even if you're not, the nostalgic feel with this will definitely win you over. The songs were so well created, that you'll find yourself humming along with them. Not many musicals can say this. Grab your family and head to the multiplex, because this is one you'll want to see on the large screen in all its grandiose.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                    Rated: PG                                       130mins.

 

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Through a plethora of years, we have see a gazillion of live-action films based on comic books, or what I call, comic book films. Now we have one of the many franchises that has been produced in the animated version, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse", which is actually in its truest format since it was animated from its origins.

 

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the creative minds behind "The Lego Movie" and "21 Jump Street", bring their unique talents to a fresh vision of a different Spider-Man Universe, with a groundbreaking visual style that's the first of its kind. "Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse" introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask.

The story chronicles Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) mentoring Miles after Miles was bitten by a radio-active spider. Once Miles came to this realization, he came upon Parker to help him out. Along the way, they came across other 'Spider' people, Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Spider-Ham (John Mulany), Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn) and Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage). As a team, they must defeat and destroy enemies, Wilson Risk (Liev Schreiber) and Doc Ock (Kathryn Hahn).

 

Others to round out the cast are Mahershala Ali as Uncle Aaron, Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis, Lily Tomlin as Aunt May, Chris Pine as Peter Parker, Luna Lauren Velez as Rio Morales, Zoe Kravitz as Mary Jane and Natalie Morales as Miss. Calleros.

 

This was directed with an electric pulse by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsay ("Rise of the Guardians" 12) plus TV and Rodney Rothman. Even though there were three directors to helm this, there was certainly enough segments of this production to warrant the number of these filmmakers, especially considering that two of them have virtually no feature directing experience. All the Spider people definitely had their own personality and owned their individual presence in this. It was surely written well by Phil Lord ("Extreme Movie" '08, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" '09, "The Lego Movie" '14) plus TV and Rodney Rothman ("$5.15 Hr. (TV movie) '04, "Early Bird" (TV movie) '05, "Grudge Match" '13, "22 Jump Street" '14) plus TV, based on a story by Lord, which is based on the Marvel comics. When I saw the trailer of this, it did not sell it to me--it was only after I watched it did I really appreciate the fresh originality of it. This being a franchise that has been repeated enough times, I was impressed with this one. Other than a couple of small places of slowness, this new version of the franchise truly rocked! The imagery and animation designed by Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI) was not only seamless but gave that feel of the comic book back in the day that it was at its popularity.

 

This production of the Spider-Man franchise soared in its visual imagery, and at the same time, impressed me with a concept that worked. I'm not particularly a Spider-Man fan, but after viewing this, it not only put my faith back into the franchise, but in the comic book films, at least to a degree. You gotta see this--and it's also in a nifty IMAX and 4DX format as well. Grab the popcorn and enjoy this ride.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                   Rated: PG                                       117mins.

 

The Mule

As Hollywood has produced many times over, we are offered yet another based-on-a-true-story film. But instead of the movie centering on a well known figure in history, it's about a character we barely have heard of, much like the character Robert Redford played in :The Old Man and the Gun" released recently. With that said, we have "The Mule" in the offing about an old man that unwittingly becomes involved being a driver for a Mexican Cartel.

 

Earl Stone (Clint Eastwood), a 90-year-old man who is broke, alone and facing foreclosure of his business as a horticulturalist is offered a job that simply requires him to drive. Easy enough, but, unbeknownst to Earl, he's just signed on as a drug courier for a Mexican Cartel. He does well--so well, in fact, that his cargo increases exponentially, and Earl is assigned to a handler, Julio (Ignacio Serricchio). But he isn't the only one keeping tabs on Earl; the mysterious new drug 'mule' has also hit the radar of hard-charging DEA agent Colin Bates (Bradley Cooper) and his assistant (Michael Pena). And even as his money problems become a thing of the past, Earl's past mistakes start to weigh heavily on him, so he must decide whether to right those wrongs before law enforcement and cartel thugs catch up to him.

 

Others to round out the cast are Laurence Fishburne as DEA special agent, Dianne Wiest as Mary Stone, Earls's ex-wife, Alison Eastwood as Iris, Jill Flint as Pam, Taissa Farmiga as Ginny, Robert LaSardo as Emilio, Andy Garcia as Cartel leader, Eugene Cordero as Luis, Katie Gill as Sarah, Manny Montana as Axl and Noel Gugliemi as Bald Bob.

 

This was solidly and boldly directed by consummate veteran Clint Eastwood ("Play Misty for Me" '71, "The Outlaw Josie Wales" '76, "Sudden Impact" 83, "Unforgiven" '92, "True Crime" '99, "Mystic River" '03, "Flags of our Fathers" '06, "Gran Torino" '08, "American Sniper" '14, "Sully" '16, "The 15:17 to Paris" '18) plus many others. Every film that Eastwood directs simply showcases his ability to bring the characters involved to life. His cohesiveness, pacing and staging are flawless, not to mention the emotions he is able to extract from his actors. Is this film as caliber as some of his past films? No, but it is still a solid film and his performance has the impact that one would expect from his films. What's amazing is how Eastwood is still able to direct and star in his films at his age! It is solidly written by Nick Schenk ("Gran Torino" '08, "The Judge" '14) plus TV, a short and a video, and is inspired by the New York Times Magazine Article "The Sinaloa Cartel's 90-Year-Old Drug Mule" by Sam Dolnick. Even though this writer has a good deal of TV under his belt and the two films he has written are both written well, this film was a bit choppy in places and there were a couple of slow places in script, otherwise this was a gripping storyline. The intense build-up of plot was enough to put its audience on the edge of their seats, all the while wondering what is going to happen in Earl's situation. As with a number of Eastwood films, this is not a warm and fuzzy feeling film so one would not be seeing this for the entertainment factor as much as for the well-made crafted film that it is. The ensemble cast is believable and the characters they play are well delineated. The feat of directing and starring in a film is almost more that a much younger actor could endure, however for this 88-year-old veteran pro, he certainly makes it look effortless.

 

When one believes that Eastwood has completed his last film, just because of the shear age, he astounds us all and cranks out yet another one. He's like the Eveready bunny where he just keeps going on and on. This is a tight, intense thriller that will leave you intrigued at every turn.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: R                                        116mins.

 

The Wife

As we continue to see films at this strategic time of year--you know, those for your consideration come Oscar nominations, we are barraged with extremely well-crafted, entertaining and messaged films. With film companies vying for coveted Academy Awards, we, as the audience, get to reap with the enjoyment of quality films. Which brings us to "The Wife", an amazingly well-crafted character study of a great novelist and his ever-sacrificing wife.

 

After nearly forty years of marriage, Joan and Joe Castleman (Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce) are complements. Where Joe is casual, Joan is elegant. Where Joe is vain, Joan is self-effacing. And where Joe enjoys his very public role as Great American Novelist, Joan pours her considerable intellect, grace, charm, and diplomacy into the private role as Great Man's Wife. Joe is about to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for his acclaimed and prolific body of work. Joe's literary star has blazed since he and Joan met in the late 1950's. "The Wife" interweaves the story of the couple's youthful passion and ambition with a portrait of a marriage, thirty-plus years later--a lifetime's shared compromises, secrets, betrayals and mutual love. This is the perfect example of the old adage, "behind a great man is a greater woman".

 

Others to round out the cast are Max Irons as David Castleman, Joe and Joan's son, Christian Slater as Nathaniel Bone, Harry Lloyd as Young Joe Castleman, Annie Starke as Young Joan Castleman, Elizabeth McGovern as Elaine Mozell, Johan Widerberg as Walter Bark, Karin Franz Korlof as Linnea and Richard Cordery as Hal Bowman.

 

This was poignantly directed by Bjorn L. Runge ("Harry och Sonja" '96, "Raymond - sju resor varre" '99, "Daybreak" '03, "Mouth to Mouth" '05, "Happy End" '11) plus TV. I say poignant since this was presented in such subtle ways. The characters simply come to life without being over-the-top to give that sense of realism. This is fine directing that is delineated with incredible precision. It was equally well written by Jane Anderson (" It Could Happen to You" '94, "How to Make an American Quilt" '95, "The Baby Dance" (TV movie) '98, "When Billie Beat Bobby" (TV movie) '01, "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio" '05, Packed in a Trunk: The Lost Art of Edith Lake Wilkinson" (documentary, co-writer) '15) plus TV, based on the novel, "The Wife" by Meg Wolitzer. Talk about subtlety. Assuming that the writing of this was executed in a common way, it would've been trite and banal, but Anderson took a somewhat familiar territory and with the subtlety she incorporated in this, it became the fresh and original screenplay it was. Another film that comes to mind in the subject matter having a common theme, but was written with subtlety with interesting nuances was that of Robert Benton's "Kramer vs. Kramer" '79. With this Nobel Prize ceremony looming, the dysfunction between these family members come to life which all tie into this award and was Joe worthy of it. This could garner possible Oscar nods for Close, Pryce, Anderson for writing and Runge for directing. Time will certainly tell. Close absolutely shines in this.

 

Is this film a crowd pleaser? Probably not, but suffice it to say, even though most people won't grasp this because of the subtle nuances, those that are into fine acting, writing and directing will have a treat waiting for them.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                           Rated: R                                       100mins.

 

 

Schindler's List

One of the most anticipated re-released films in film history has got to be that of "Schindler's List". This is the 25th anniversary of its release in 1993 which is director, Steven Spielberg's most personal film to date. It was so personal that it was reported that before principal photography was to begin, the cast would be required to, in full costume, break bread together. Spielberg mentioned, where else would one ever see SS Nazi officers and Jewish people breaking bread? Excellent point.

 

Based on a true story, Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List" stars Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler, a greedy German businessman in Poland who sees an opportunity to make money from the Nazi's rise to power. He starts a company to make cookware and utensils, using flattery and bribes to win military contracts, and brings in accountant and financier Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley) to help run the factory. By staffing his plant with Jews who've been herded into Krakow's ghetto by Nazi troops, Schindler has a dependable unpaid labor force. For Stern, a job in a war-related plant could mean survival for himself and the other Jews.

Through these events, Schindler becomes an unlikely humanitarian amid the barbaric German Nazi rein, who manages to save approximately 1100 Jews from being gassed at the Auschwitz concentration camp. The message to this is that even though Schindler was a shrewd businessman, this story is a testament to the good in all of us.

 

Others to round out the cast are Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth, Caroline Goodall as Emilie Schindler, Oskar's wife, Jonathan Sagalle as Poldek Pfefferberg, Embeth Davidtz as Helen Hirsch, Malgoscha Gebel as Wiktoria Klonowska, Shmuel Levy as Wilek Chilowicz, Mark Ivanir as Marcel Goldberg, Beatrice Macola as Ingrid, Andrzej Seweryn as Julian Scherner, Friedrich Von Thun as Czurda, Krzysztof Luft as Herman Toffel, Harry Nehring as Leo John and Norbert Weisser as Albert Hujar.

 

This was brilliantly directed by veteran Steven Spielberg ("Duel" (TV movie) '71, "Jaws" '75, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" '81, "The Color Purple" '85, "Empire of the Sun" '87, "Jurassic Park" '93, "The Lost World" Jurassic Park" '97, "Saving Private Ryan" '98, "The Terminal" '04, "Munich" '05, "War Horse" '11, "Lincoln" '12, "The Post" '17, "Ready Player One" '18) plus many more. Every time I watch a Spielberg film, I feel like I'm watching people living their lives instead of a film, because the characters simply come to life and the realism of the characters are amazing. What amazes me is that this filmmaker is a natural, especially since his earlier films have been directed with such delineation that he was born to direct. I'm truly excited to see his version of "West Side Story" which is in pre-production at this present time. It was equally well written by Steven Zaillian ("The Falcon and the Snowman" '85, "Jack the Bear" '93, "Clear and Present Danger" '94, "A Civil Action" '98, "Gangs of New York" '02, "All the King's Men" '06, "Moneyball" '11, "Exodus: Gods and Kings" '14) plus others, based on the book by Thomas Keneally. Even though this writer only had three films to his credit before this film was released, his ability to transcribe this incredible story to the screen was accomplished with such painstaking realism along with poignancy that it made it a tough film to get through. Of course, Janusz Kaminski's cinematography certainly helped create that stark reality, but it was only able to be done considering the consummate script Kaminski had to work with. With this film, Zaillian certainly has proved himself time and again if his resume means anything. In fact, his "The Irishman" is in post production as I'm writing this. Cinematically, this film was amazing: the powerful direction and writing, Kaminski's crisp photography, John Williams haunting score, even Michael Kahn's well-crafted editing, not to mention amazing visual effects by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), this film has got to be one of the 20th century's best films.

 

This film should be taught in high schools as a history lesson of how we can be so callous to our fellow men and women and not even realize we are. This is a tough film to watch, but a much needed one for anyone past the age of 17. It is rated R mostly for the incredible point blank gun shots in the head and other violence, but these are all there because this is how hateful and violent bigotry can be and is. This is not a warm and fuzzy feeling film and was not meant to be, but rather an expose of how we, as a society, are not to be like. This is a limited release, so try and see this ASAP and bring a half a box of Kleenex with you.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                    Rated: R                                          190mins.

 

 

 

 

 

Ralph Breaks the Internet

As the end of the year film season continues, we are offered yet another animated film which is a continuation of "Wreck-It Ralph" '12 appropriately titled "Ralph Breaks the Internet". Considering this is nothing more than an animated cross between a Disney travelogue and a Disney infomercial plugging just about everything they've made, this still is a well made film as far as the visuals and animation is concerned.

 

Taking place six years after saving the arcade from Turbo's vengeance, the "Sugar Rush" Arcade cabinet has broken, forcing Ralph (John C. Reilly) and Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) to travel the internet via the newly-installed Wi-Fi router in Litwak's Arcade to retrieve the piece capable of saving the game.

In this installment, video-game bad guy Ralph and Vanellope leave the comforts of the arcade in order to save Sugar Rush. Their quest takes them to the vast, uncharted world of the internet where they rely on the citizens of the internet--the Netizens--to help navigate their way. Lending a virtual hand are Yesss (Taraji P. Henson), the head algorithm and the heart and soul of the trend-making site "BuzzzTube", and Shank (Gal Gadot), a tough-as-nails driver from a gritty online auto-racing game, "Slaughter Race".

 

Others to round out the cast are Jack McBrayer as Felix, Jane Lynch as Calhoun, Alan Tudyk as Knowsmore, Alfred Molina as Double Don, Ed O'Neill as Mr. Litwak, Sean Giambrone as Eboy, Flula Borg as Maybe, Timothy Simons as Butcher Boy and Ali Wong as Felony.

 

This was directed with the expertise we've come to expect from Disney by Phil Johnston (two shorts) and Rich Moore ("Wreck-It Ralph" '12, "Zootopia" '16,) plus video shorts and TV. For the limited experience these two filmmakers have in the director's chair, I'm amazed that these characters came across with the realism they obtained, especially it being animated. More work should come their way. Where the problem lies with this film, is with the writing by Johnston ("Cedar Rapids" '11, "Wreck-It Ralph" '12, "Zootopia" '16, "The Brothers Grimsby" '16) plus shorts and TV, and Pamela Ribon ("Moana" (story) '16, "Smurfs: The Lost Village" '17) plus TV, based on a story by Moore, Johnson, Jim Reardon, Ribon and Josie Trinidad. First of all, this film was truly too long-in-the-tooth. It could've easily gotten its point across minus 10 minutes. Secondly, the story meandered a bit, and thirdly, it was slow in places, then it picked the pace and became interesting, only to become slow again. These two writers certainly have enough experience to create something with more polish and creativity. The premise was an interesting one, however the execution need a shot in the arm. This does leave the story either closed or open ended, but if I know Disney--the marketers of the planet, there will be another installment, especially since this is making a profit. And, of course, the best thing about this is the animation and visuals, but Disney is famous for that.

 

Certainly if you're a Disney fan, you'll revel, and if you have kids, they will definitely love this, since this is a great family film with a good message. Since there are so few films out there for kids and their families, it is nice that Hollywood can and does still make films for this demographic.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                    Rated: PG                                     112mins.