Remakes and reboots are as plentiful as the number of films that Hollywood produces. Fresh and original films are more difficult to find as rehashed movies become the common norm. This has to be one of the oldest franchises Hollywood has produced starting with "The Invisible Man" 1917, then '33, '58, '75, 2000, with yet another titled "Hollow Man" in 2000 also.
Trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, Cecilia Kass (Elizabeth Moss) escapes in the dead of night and disappears into hiding, aided by her sister, Emily (Harriet Dyer), and their childhood friend, James Lanier (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter, Sydney (Storm Reid). But when Cecilia's abusive ex, Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) commits suicide and leaves her a generous portion of his vast fortune contingent on Cecilia isn't arrested or found mentally unstable, Cecilia suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences turns lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia's sanity begins to unravel as she desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.
Others to round out the cast are Michael Dorman as Tom Griffin, Adrian's brother, Benedict Hardie as Marc, an architect, Renee Lim as Dr. Lee, Brian Meegan as Lyft driver, Nick Kici, as Taylor, a waiter and Sam Smith as Detective Reckley.
This was rivetingly and intensely directed by Leigh Whannell ("Insidious: Chapter 3" '15, "Upgrade" '18). This filmmaker has written many screenplays, but he's relatively new to the director's chair. This film, through his actors, simply keeps you on the edge of your seat. But what makes this different from other horror flicks is that the responses from these characters, especially Cecilia, isn't what you'd expect from this genre, and this is something I'd revel in seeing more. If this style of directing is to your liking, his remake of "Escape from New York" is in pre-production. It was creatively and suspensefully written by Whannell as well ("Saw" '04, "Saw II" '05, "Saw III" '06, "Dead Silence" '07, "Insidious" '10, "Insidious: Chapter 2" '13, "Cooties" '14, "The Mule" '14, "Insidious: Chapter 3" '15, "Insidious: The Last Key" '18, "Upgrade" '18) plus shorts, video shorts, a video game and a video. Writing is where this filmmaker shines, or at least where he is prolific. Apparently he is from Australia and has always liked telling stories--why they all happen to be majorly horror stories? Not sure, but certainly he is consistent. This writer's talent sold me after seeing Clint Eastwood's "The Mule" '14. It was such a complex story where the story could've been convoluted, but this writer pulled it off. Also, it was a genre he's not typically used to delving into. This was an amazing retelling of an old story where it was certainly a horror film, but it was equally an interesting sci-fi film as well. It actually goes into the process that becoming invisible could be done scientifically--of course we all know it's not possible, but Whannell lays out the story where it still makes the audience wonder. Other than a couple of very small things that weren't addressed, this screenplay was delineated meticulously.
If this franchise is of interest to you, this probably is one of the best renditions of them all. Elizabeth Moss gave a riveting portrayal of a woman on the brink of her jeopardizing her sanity due to her desperately attempting to convince others that her sociopathic boyfriend is, in fact, alive and somehow has been able to make himself invisible. If you want to see this up, close and personal, it's also presented in an awesome IMAX format.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 125mins.
There have been many classic novels transposed into films--"Little Women" being the most recent, But this version of "Call of the Wild" has got to be one of the most effective and heart-wrenching of the franchise--the other films released in 1935, 1972, 1997, 2000 and 2009. It's a classic story that truly begs to be remade every decade or so, so a new generation can benefit from the incredible message this film carries.
Adapted from Jack London's beloved literary classic novel, "Call of the Wild" vividly brings to the screen the story of Buck, a big-hearted dog whose blissful domestic life is turned upside down when he is suddenly uprooted from his California home and transplanted to the exotic wilds of the Alaskan Yukon during the Gold Rush of the 1890's. As the newest rookie on a mail delivery dog sled team--and later as its leader, lead by Perrault (Omar Sy) and Francoise (Cara Gee), Buck experiences the adventures of a lifetime. After a while, the sled team is discontinued due to the invention of the telegraph, so Buck is inadvertently put into the hands of John Thornton (Harrison Ford), a guy whose escaping his past. But ultimately Buck ends up finding his true place in the world and becoming his own master.
Others to round out the cast are Dan Stevens as Hal, Karen Gillan as Mercedes, Bradley Whitford as Judge Miller, Jean Louisa Kelly as Katie Miller, Colin Woodell as Charles, Adam Fergus as James and Terry Notary as Buck.
Interesting that this was directed by Chris Sanders ("Lilo & Stitch" '02, "How to Train Your Dragon" '10, "The Croods" '13) which has only helmed animated films. Usually a director that has other live action feature films to their credit is offered to direct a live action film, but Sanders certainly has directed his films well and certainly felt that he could handle this, and he proved himself correct. The interaction between the actors and Buck was amazing, even though Terry Notary performed the movements of the dog to give it the possibility of the dog being able to perform tasks that any dog couldn't clearly do. Sanders will clearly receive more live action films. It was adapted from the novel with a heartwarming and heartbreaking feel by writer Michael Green ("Green Lantern" '11, "Gotham" (TV movie) '12, "Logan" '17, "Alien: Covenant" '17, "Blade Runner 2049" '17, "Murder on the Orient Express" '17) plus TV, shorts and a video, based on Jack London's beloved classic novel. The script was cohesive, concise and fluid in the way that the story was developed. What's even more important about this story is the incredible message we all can learn. First of all, it shows how much dogs love unconditionally, and second, how much we can learn from a dog about empathy and compassion. This film should be required viewing in pubic schools. Certainly with the experience Green has, it should be no surprise that this rendition of the classic story would be honed well. If you can appreciate his style, both his "Jungle Cruise" and Death on the Nile" are in post-production for a 2020 release. The amazing visual effects predominantly designed by MPC (Moving Picture Company) were seamless and were so subtle, it was definitely difficult to see them in the film.
If you have enjoyed this classic novel or any of the past films, you will love this version. This is a great family film which is something all should see. The action and adventure all with an effective message is heartwarming, but also can be heartbreaking.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG 100mins.
For unexplainable reasons Hollywood has been fascinated with converting past TV shows into feature films, i.e. "Starsky and Hutch", "Charlie's Angels", which had been produced twice, and they typically do not fare well at the box office. So, why do they continue to do so with the likes of "Fantasy Island"?
The enigmatic Mr. Roarke (Michael Pena) makes the secret dreams, or fantasies, of his lucky guests, including Gwen Olsen (Maggie Q), Melanie Cole (Lucy Hale), Patrick Sullivan (Austin Stowell), J.D. Weaver (Ryan Hansen) and Brax Weaver (Jimmy O. Yang) come true at a luxurious but remote tropical resort. But when the fantasies turn into nightmares, the guests have to solve the island's mystery in order to escape with their lives.
Roarke chooses the guests extremely carefully given the fact that these guests, unbeknownst to them actually have a connection which needs redemptive intervention. As these guests begin to live out their fantasies, the fantasies start to bleed into each other. So as the guests become more and more perplexed, their connection becomes that much more clear.
Others to round out the cast are Michael Rooker as Damon, Portia Doubleday as Sloane, Parisa Fitz-Henley as Julia, Nick Slater as Greg, Evan Evagora as Nick Taylor and Joshua Diaz as Alejandro.
This was directed with clarity and creepiness by Jeff Wadlow ("Cry Wolf" '05, "Never Back Down" '08, "Kick-Ass 2" '13, "True Memoirs of an International Assassin" '16, "Blumhouse's Truth or Dare" '18) plus TV and shorts. What's intriguing about this filmmaker is that he has the ability to add just the correct amount of creepiness to his films, specifically this one, and still has a certain realness about it. If Wadlow's style of directing interests you, his "Danger Girl" is in pre-production. It is interestingly written by Wadlow, Christopher Roach and Jillian Jacobs, based on the TV series. While all these writers have a connection with certain films, Wadlow has the lion's share of the experience here. It would've been easy to write this like the series considering the series was written where each guest had their own fantasy by itself. But instead, these writers developed the film whereas the different fantasies by the guests ended up being connected by a past event involving them all. This added mystique to the storyline. There were a couple of situations that were seemingly unanswered, however to divulge these could spoil the plot. And some of the characters seemed a bit over the top, but at least that did produce more adrenaline.
All in all, this film was certainly far better than I ever thought it would be. Could it survive during the summer or end of year film season? Probably not, this definitely will keep one on the edge of their theater seat, and isn't this what's fun about a creepy film?
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG-13 109mins.
This time every year Hollywood releases a number of Valentine's Day themed films to woo those couples into the multiplex, so as to profit on yet another holiday. In recent years, they typically lean toward the comedy genre, however "The Photograph" is in the offing as a romantic drama.
When famed photographer Christina Eames (Chante Adams) dies, she leaves her estranged daughter, Mae Morton (Issa Rae) hurt, angry and full of questions. When a rare photograph of Christina tucked away in a safe deposit box is found, Mae finds herself on a journey delving into her mother's life and ignites a powerful unexpected romance with a rising journalist, Michael Block (LaKeith Stanfield).
Michael receives a job at the newspaper he works at from his editor, Sara (Chelsea Peretti) to travel from New York to Louisiana to speak with a man, Isaac Jefferies (Rob Morgan), who had a early relationship with Christina to find out more about her. Through their discussion, he had mentioned to Michael that she had a daughter whom subsequently Michael happened to inadvertently came to meet in New York. From there, their relationship starts to blossom. As this story unfolds, it goes from present to the past and back in order to tell this story.
Others to round out the cast are Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Andy, an intern at the paper, Jasmine Cephas Jones as Rachel, a friend of Mae's, Courtney B. Vance as Louis, Y'lan Noel as young Isaac, Lil Rel Howery as Kyle, brother of Michael's and Marsha Stephanie Blake as Violet, Kyle's wife.
This was poignantly and compassionately directed by Stella Meghie ("Jean of the Joneses" '16, "Everything, Everything" '17, "The Weekend" '18) plus TV and a short. Although the ensemble cast was effective as well as pivotal, clearly the chemistry between Michael and Mae was seamless. From the moment they met, the courting was as real as it comes, and this is the mark of a talented director. If you like her style, her "American Princess" is in pre-production. It was also effectively written by Meghie ("Jean of the Joneses" '16, "The Weekend" '18) plus TV and a short. While Meghie certainly can write a screenplay that is accurate and somewhat effective, this film doesn't really leave its audience thinking about this story very much by credits end. The connection between the different characters was interestingly written, however, by the end, it's not a memorable film. As mentioned prior, the best thing about this is the chemistry between Michael and Mae. It simply gave us an extremely realistic view of a young couple meeting and, through some difficult situations, are able to work things out, even though Mae is extremely practical and Michael will and can solve a situation by turning 'lemons into lemonade'.
Will this go down into the annals of classic Valentine's Day films? Probably not, however this is certainly a crowd pleaser mostly due to the connection between these two young lovers. And isn't this what Valentine's Day is all about?
Out of 4 stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 111mins.
Remakes or reboots have become a rather staple item in Hollywood and certainly the last two decades have proved that. Although "Downhill" is a remake of "Force Majeure", I frankly had no idea this was a remake until this film was released. It claims to be a comedy/drama, however after viewing it, it rings true of a drama with an underlying small element of comedy.
Barely escaping an avalanche during a family ski vacation in the alps, a married couple, Pete and Billie Stanton (Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus) respectively, is thrown into disarray as they are forced to reevaluate their lives and how they feel about each other.
It turns out that as the hotel they were staying in ignites controlled avalanches, however one got out of control a bit, and came down the mountain toward the outside deck of the restaurant they were at and engulfed Billie and their two kids, but Pete grabbed his phone and ran inside. Everyone being OK, Billie was incensed that Pete ran off while she was left to protect the kids. Whether or not there is an underlying reason of the tenseness between these two and this incident was merely the straw that broke the camel's back, the steel coldness is chilling and unpredictable.
Others to round out the cast are Miranda Otto as Charlotte, Zoe Chao as Rose, Zach Woods as Zach, co-worker of Pete's, Julian Grey as Finn Stanton, Pete and Billie's son, Kristofer Hivju as ski patrol official, Giulio Berruti as Guglielmo, a ski instructor and Ammon Jacob Ford as Emerson Stanton, Pete and Billie's other son.
This was effectively directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash ("The Way Way Back" '13, "Fatrick" (TV movie) '14) plus TV. Considering their abundance of TV work, these filmmakers gave this film a biting, intense feel to it where the audience ended up walking on eggs as these two actors in this. One could feel their pain in expressly different delineated ways. And considering Ferrell has performed in limited dramas and Dreyfus has has virtually no dramatic experience, these two were able to pull this off, and this is talented direction. If you like these director's quirky style, their "The Heart" is in pre-production. It was adequately written by Jesse Armstrong, Faxon and Rash. Certainly Armstrong has the lion's share of the experience here, however with all the collaboration of talent, this film dragged greatly, even though it having an 86 minute running time. It took much too long to ignite, especially for having a relatively short running time, and when it finally found the film, it had some very interesting turns, but it protruded to a fairly flat position. The best thing about this was the quirkiness, and the acting by Ferrell and Dreyfus. The fact that these are basically two comedians in a basically dramatic film was different and refreshing. Because of their backgrounds, the audience was waiting for the 'punchlines' in many scenes, but they really didn't happen. There were some dry, humorous moments, but, by and large, this was a drama.
If you're a fan of these two stars, you'll like this. However if you like these two in only comedies, you'll be waiting for that elusive punchline and never really get it. This audience must be open to something new that is definitely out of the box, otherwise you will be disappointed.
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: R 86mins.
Well, another Academy Award presentation is in the books. It was one that actually spread the awards to many films--"Parasite" being the biggest winner. As with last year, this show was also hostless. I'm not sure why, however one could speculate that it was because of cost or possibly that what happened to Kevin Hart last year, other comedians didn't want the gig assuming that the Academy would find some sort of dirt on another comedian that requested to host. What amazed me was that the Red Carpet was almost as long as the presentation itself. I remember when growing up, the Red Carpet was maybe 30 minutes. Wow, things have changed. One sweet moment was where Shia LeBeouf and Zachary Gottsagen who both starred in "The Peanut Butter Falcon" were presenting an award and LeBeouf was helping Zack out with the words he was to say.
The musical numbers were varied as were the different films they're from, however, there was a rap song by Eminem who won best song for "8 Mile" that was played that I'm not sure why that was performed. It was performed at a place where we were led to believe that a nominated song was being presented, but that song wasn't from any of the films. Plus, the opening number by Cynthia Erivo was exciting and exhilarating, but getting some of these A-list actors to sing was odd, i.e. Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio--great actors, but not singers.
I believe that without a host, the presentation kind of stumbled around a bit, but once it found its footing, it flowed fairly well. Other than a few political statements during some people's acceptance speeches, the show was fairly void of politics, which I find as a breath of fresh air. During this presentation, I feel that political leanings aren't the time or place to bring those up. If these A-list actors want to preach their politics, they can make a public service announcement--they certainly have the money to produce one, plus more people can see it as many times as they wish.
Anyway, here is the usual list of the winners who picked up that elusive Oscar:
Best Picture:
"Parasite"
Best Actor:
Joaquin Phoenix-- "Joker"
Best Actress:
Renee Zellweger-- "Judy"
Best Supporting Actor:
Brad Pitt-- "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood"
Best Supporting Actress:
Laura Dern-- "Marriage Story"
Best Director:
Boon Joon Ho-- "Parasite"
Best Original Screenplay:
"Parasite"-- Boon Joon Ho, Jin Won Han
Best Adapted Screenplay:
"Jojo Rabbit"-- Taika Waititi
Best Cinematography:
"1917"-- Roger Deakins
Best Film Editing:
"Ford v Ferrari"-- Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker
Best Production Design:
"Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood"-- Barbara Ling, Nancy Haigh
Best Costume Design:
"Little Women"-- Jacqueline Durran
Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
"Bombshell"-- Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, Vivian Baker
Best Original Score:
"Joker"-- Hildur Gudnadottir
Best Original Song:
"Rocketman"-- Elton John, Bernie Taupin--"I'm Gonna Love Me Again"
Best Sound Mixing:
"1917"-- Mark Taylor, Stuart Wilson
Best Sound Editing:
"Ford v Ferrari"-- Donald Sylvester
Best Visual Effects"
"1917"-- Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler, Dominic Tuohy
Best Documentary Feature:
"American Factory"
Best Documentary Short Subject:
"Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're Not a Girl)"
Best Animated Feature"
"Toy Story 4"
Best Animated Short:
"Hair Love"
Best Live Action Short:
"The Neighbors' Window"
Best International or Foreign Film:
"Parasite"
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award:
Geena Davis
Honary Awards:
David Lynch, Wes Studi and Lina Wertmuller
All in all, this was certainly a better Oscar presentation that I ever thought it would be. Maybe because of familiarity, but the Academy should rethink the idea of having a host next year. I believe audiences like it and are certainly used to it, and a good host can connect all the segments of the show so it flows much better if not quicker. Where is Billy Crystal when we need him?
I did predict and guessed correct on the best actor, actress, supporting actor and actress, cinematography, film editing, foreign film and original song. Not bad, but I didn't guess the best film, direction or original score. Best picture was a shocker. I thought since "Parasite won foreign film, "1917" would pick it up. Also since "1917" won the DGA Award for directing, Sam Mendes would pick up that award. So much for assumption. At least this was far better than last years' award presentation. And with that, hopefully AMPAS can muster up a good, entertaining host for next year.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: NR 214mins.
Well, since "Suicide Squad" was released in 2016, there has been talk of yet another film with some of the characters. Not sure if there will be an actual sequel to "Suicide Squad", but the makers of it thought that taking one of the lead characters from that film would be a pivotal idea. So with that we are offered "Birds of Prey" (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).
You ever hear the one about the cop, the songbird, the psycho and the mafia princess? This story is a twisted tale told by Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) herself, as only Harley can tell it. When Gotham's most nefariously narcissistic villain, Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor), and his zealot right-hand, Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina), put a target on a young girl named Cass (Ella Jay Basco), the city is turned upside down looking for her. Harley, Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and cop, Renee Montoya's (Rosie Perez) paths collide, and the unlikely foursome reluctantly have no choice but to team up to take Roman and Victor down and save Cass from their deadly grips.
Others to round out the cast are Ali Wong as Ellen Wong, Daniel Bernhardt as Sionis' chauffeur, Francois Chau as Mr. Keo and Derek Wilson as Tim Evans.
This was surprising well directed by relative newcomer Cathy Yan ("Dead Pigs" '18) plus shorts. This film was amazingly as slickly directed as "Suicide Squad" and that obtained a different director. For a director to follow another filmmaker's work and pull off a similar feel is not an easy task to perform and this director executed this in spades. She will receive more work. It was frenetically and wildly written by Christina Hodson ("Shut In" '16, "Unforgettable" '17, "Bumblebee" '18). Evan though this writer doesn't have a ton of experience, she still pulled out all stops with how this story unfolded. Since this is narrated by Harley, I get that her storytelling style is a bit erratic--she is a psycho after all, but as the story went back and forth and back and forth again, it had a tendency to meander a bit and became a little choppy in a couple of places. Now, why are all these thugs wanting to track down this young girl? Suffice it to say, she has something that Roman and Victor are desperate in getting. That's as far as I want to go with that. Like "Guardians of the Galaxy", this is about bad guys coming after worse bad guys, but only a darker, more gratuitous film. If you like this writer's style, her "The Flash" and "Batgirl" have both been announced.
I'll tell you, the trailer did not sell this film--maybe to the 18-34 single male demographic, but not to a general audience. Its gratuitousness is certainly something that is not for all filmgoers. But if stunts are your thing, the stunt coordinators are as much the stars as the stars--they are incredible. This was certainly better than I ever thought it would be--not great, but certainly kept one's interest. Will there be another? Not sure, but if it makes a ton of money, Hollywood will definitely do it. Cha-ching!!
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 108mins.
The 92nd Academy Awards is presented on Sunday, 2-9-20, so sense the Oscar nominated film, "Parasite" has been re-released prior to the awards, I thought I should see it since its release date was back in November, and I'm sure glad I did. This was the epidome of a severe societal class war if I've ever seen one. "Crazy Rich Asians" definitely involved differences of class, however this takes that premise to a darker side with a dry underlying humorous way about it.
Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family: rich in street smarts but not much else. Be it chance or fate, these two houses are brought together and the Kims, headed by husband, Ki-taek (Song Kang Ho) and wife, Chung-sook (Chang Hyae Jin) sense a golden opportunity. Masterminded by college-aged Ki-woo, the Kim children, Ki-woo (Choi Woo Shik) and Ki-jung (Park So Dam) expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist respectively, to the Parks, namely Dong-ik (Lee Sun Keon) and wife, Yeon-kyo (Cho Yeo Jeong). Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. The Kims provide "indispensible" luxury services while the Parks obliviously bankroll their entire household. When a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims' newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out, threatening to destroy the fragile ecosystem between the Kims and the Parks.
Others to round out the cast are Lee Jung Eun as Moon-gwang, the housekeeper, Jung Ziso as Park Da-hye, Park Myeong-hoon as Geun-se and Park Seo-joon as Min, a friend of Ki-woo.
This was delineated incredibly well by director Boon Joon Ho ("Barking Dogs Never Bite" 2000, "Memories of Murder" '03, "The Host" '06, "Mother" '09, "Snowpiercer" '13, "Okja" '17) plus shorts. These characters simply came alive especially the Kim family and seemed real as opposed to just acting, and this is talented directing. It is no surprise That this filmmaker is nominated for his direction. It was cleverly written by Bong Joon Ho ("Motel Cactus" '97, "Phantom: The Submarine" '99, "Antarctic Journal" '05, "Tokyo!" '08, "Sea Fog" '14) plus shorts and the aforementioned list and Jin Won Han, based on a story by Boon Joon Ho. Even though there is a clever concept to this story, it subsequently takes a dark turn and without getting into a spoiler alert, causes both families, specifically the Kim family to have to unravel their lives as they are spiraling down the drain without any hope of recovery. Although this screenplay is concise and cohesive, there are things in this that either couldn't happen or that most people would never do to make those places in script plausible. But this is certainly a story that really begs the 'what goes around, comes around' concept. In any rate, these small blemishes certainly do not detract from the storyline and what the writers were attempting to convey to their audience. Boon Joon Ho certainly has the lion's share of the writing, however I'm sure Jin Won Han's ideas were pivotal, especially being the script supervisor of the film and one of its assistant directors.
Not everyone is interested in foreign or international films, but this story is so compelling that having to read the subtitles is a small price to pay in order to being able to sink your teeth into this film. It will undoubtedly win best international film come Oscar night deservedly so.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 132mins.
