Redeeming Love

The genre of westerns have been around since the beginning of films, and, although most are justified in being produced as this genre, "Redeeming Love" really could've been in any genre since it is more about than just being a western. This story is about fear, rejection, humiliation, hope and redemption all rolled up into one film. 

Based on the bestselling novel by Francine Rivers, this tale is a powerful story of relentless love and perseverance as a young couple's, Angel (Abigail Cowen) and Micheal Hosea (Tom Lewis) relationship clashes with the harsh realities of the California Gold Rush of 1850. It is a life-changing story of the power of unconditional and all-consuming love that shows there is no brokenness that love can't heal. Interestingly, this is also inspired by the Old Testament biblical story of Hosea, a prophet, who married Gomer, an unfaithful woman. As Michael becomes more determined to win Angel's love, she fines it more unbelievable that anyone would want her since she comes from a life of prostitution. She has the wrong people in her life, Duchess (Famke Janssen), Magowan (Brandon Auret) and Duke (Eric Dane), whereas Michael is a loner, however the community reveres him as an upright man. Can Michael win Angel over, or is she just that self-loathing and self-destructive?

Others to round out the cast are Logan Marshall-Green as Paul, Nina Dobrev as Mae, Livi Birch as Sarah Stafford, Jamie-Lee O'Donnell as Lucky, Josh Taylor as Alex Stafford, Willie Watson as John Altman, Tanya van Graan as Sally, Ke-Xi Wu as Mai Ling, Tayah Ronen Abels as Ruthie Altman, Clyde Berning as Rab and Sean Coltman Dr. Smith.

This was passionately and grittily directed by D. J. Caruso ("Cyclops, Baby" '97, "Black Cut Run" (TV movie) '98, "Mind Prey" (TV movie) '99, "The Salton Sea" '02, "Taking Lives" '04, "Two for the Money" '05, "Disturbia" '07, "Eagle Eye" '08, "I Am Number Four" '11, "Standing Up" '13, "Tin Man" (TV movie) '14, "The Disappointments Room" '16, "xXx: Return of Xander Cage" '17) plus TV and a short. The chemistry between Michael and Angel is probably the most important ingredient of this story, and Caruso simply was able to pull it off in that even though these two characters were truly as opposing as water and oil, he was still able to find that connection to adhere these two amidst all of the trials that were happening. This is an incredible balancing act that this filmmaker pulled off in spades. It was creatively written by Francine Rivers ("The Last Sin Eater" (novel) '07) and D.J. Caruso ("Standing Up" '13, "The Disappointments Room" '16) plus TV and a short, based on the book by Francine Rivers. This was a heart-wrenching story of what Angel went through, but also Michael as well since, to Michael, it was love at first sight toward Angel for him. Between trying to rely on God and being as patient with Angel as he knew he had to be, her issues were simply tearing him apart, and this was conveyed with such aplomb by these writers. I suspect that Rivers received first on the credits even though Caruso has the lion's share of the writing because it was based on her novel. These writers definitely were pushing a severely important message of human traffiking and how it is so abhorrent in our society--so much so that there is an email to help with that cause at the end of the credits. Really, other than a couple of places of slowness and some inconsistencies as Angel is remembering her dark past and then it goes back to present, this was a story that is so important and these writers certainly conveyed that well. As mentioned in the preface, this film is about forgiveness, hope and redemption and the endurance of the human spirit.

If you like westerns, you'll appreciate this, however, as I've said prior, this is so much more than a western. It could've be placed in present day and carried the same intensity and importance, but since this is based on a book, it was left intact. It's an inspiring story about the healing of this troubled woman, but being healed by the patience, compassion and love that only God could've given this man, Michael. It's a great family film, because there's something we all can learn from this story, if one is open to it. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                              Rated: PG-13                                               134mins.

The 355

Espionage films are about as plentiful as westerns or sci-fi flicks when it comes to the selection of genres that Hollywood produces. We've seen so many in decades upon decades: "Three Days of the Condor", "Body of Lies", "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy", "I Spy", "Bridge of Spies", "Spy", Spy Game" and the like. So now, we have "The 355" to add to that ever growing list.

When a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, wild card CIA Agent Mason 'Mace' Brown (Jessica Chastain) will need to join forces with rival badass German Agent Marie Schmidt (Diane Kruger), former MI6 ally and cutting edge computer specialist Khadijah Adiyeme (Lupita Nyong'o) and skilled Colombian psychologist Graciela Rivera (Penelope Cruz) on a lethal, breakneck mission to retrieve it, while also staying one-step ahead of a mysterious woman Lin Mi Sheng (Bingbing Fan) who is tracking their every move. As the action rockets around the globe from the cafes of Paris to the markets of Morocco to the opulent auction houses of Shanghai, the quartet of women will forge a tenuous loyalty that could protect the world--or get them killed. 

Others to round out the cast are Sebastian Stan as Nick Fowler, Jason Flemyng as Elijah Clarke, Pablo Scola as Santiago, Edgar Ramirez as Luis Rojas, Leo Staar as Grady and John Douglas Thompson as Larry Marks.

This was surprisingly effectively directed by a virtual newbie to the director's chair, Simon Kinberg ("X-Men: Dark Phoenix" '19) plus TV. The fact that this filmmaker is a seasoned screenwriter and producer of films has to speak volumes of his ability behind the camera. Certainly, there is a certain formula in which to use to stage, pace and be able to extract those emotions from the cast with this particular genre, but considering that there are such seasoned actors in this: Chastain, Cruz, Kruger and Nyong'o, it's no surprise that his direction was anything lackluster. Since he is seemingly a natural, if you like his brand of directing, his "Glimpse" is in post production for a 2022 release. It was written better than I thought it would by veteran writers, Theresa Rebeck ("Harriet the Spy" '96, "Gossip" 2000, "Sunday on the Rocks" '04, "Catwoman" (story) '04, "Seducing Charlie Barker" '10, "Poor Behavior" '16, "Trouble" '17, "The Russian Cousin" (TV movie) '18) and Simon Kinberg ("The Legacy" (TV movie)'02, "xXx: State of the Union" '05, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" '05, "X-Men: The Last Stand" '06, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" (TV movie) '07, "Jumper" '08, "Sherlock Holmes" '09, "This Means War" '12, "X-Men: Days of Future Past" '14, "Fantastic Four" '15, "X-Men: Apocalypse" '16, "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" '19) plus TV, based on a story by Theresa Rebeck. After seeing the trailer of this film the numerous times I did pre release, I certainly had great trepidation if this was going to be effective at all--the trailer really didn't sell it, but after viewing it, I left the theater with more of an appreciation for it. There were a number of twists and turns, which do occur in these types of films, but this was simply conveyed in a somewhat more of a surprising way. Was this film flawless? Absolutely not! There were some issues of continuity and of cohesiveness, however it definitely kept my attention for the two-hour running time. 

If this genre is your thing- you'll certainly revel, and even though this wasn't  Academy Award caliber in its writing, it surely will keep any audience's attention. Along with great stunts and photography, this film is certainly worthy of the price of admission. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                              Rated: PG-13                                              123mins.

The King'a Daughter

When it comes to fairy tales, Hollywood has been remiss in how many films of this genre they have produced. Other than films like "Pans Labyrinth" and "The Shape of Water", both by Guillermo del Toro, these much needed films have gone begging. Well, after enough years, we now have "The King's Daughter" to sink our teeth into as the quintessential fairy tale. 

Known as The Sun King, Louis XIV (Pierce Brosnan) is the most powerful and influential monarch on the planet. Obsessed with his own mortality and the future of France, Louis turns to his spiritual advisor, Pere La Chaise (William Hurt), and the royal physician, Dr. Labarthe (Pablo Schreiber) to help him obtain the key to immortality. Believing a mermaid (Bingbing Fan) contains a force that grants everlasting life, Louis commissions a young sea captain, Yves De La Croix (Benjamin Walker) to search the seas and capture the mystical creature. Further complicating his plans is his orphaned daughter, Marie-Josephe (Kaya Scodelario), who returns to court with an abundance of elegance and an inherent defiance of authority. With a rare solar eclipse approaching, Louis will discover where his daughter's true loyalties lie as he races against time to extract the mermaid's life-giving force. 

Others to round out the cast are Ben Lloyd-Hughes as Jean-Michel Lintillac, Paul Ireland as Benoit, Crystal Clarke as Magali, Rachel Griffiths as Abbess, Virginia Bowers as Marie-Josephe's mother and Julie Andrews as narrator. 

This was dramatically and, at the same time, whimsically directed by Sean McNamara ("Hollywood Chaos" '89, "P.U.N.K.S." '99, "Treehouse Hostage" '99, "Race to Space" '01, "Raise Your Voice" '04, "Bratz" '07, "Soul Surfer" '11, "Space Warriors" '13, "Spare Parts" '15, "The Miracle Season" '18, "Orphan Horse" '18, "Mighty Oak" '20, "Aliens Stole My Body" '20, "Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite" '20) plus others, TV, TV movies and videos. The characters in this were presented dramatically, but in that 'once upon a time... and lived happily ever after' sort of format replete with Julie Andrews narrating in the background. Considering this filmmaker's resume and the type of films he's used to helming, he was definitely in his comfort zone and we are the victors of his conveyance. If you like this consistent, veteran filmmaker, both his "On a Wing and a Prayer" and "Reagan" are in post production and both looking at a 2022 release. This was well crafted by writers Ronald Bass, Barry Berman and Laura Harrington, based on the novel by Vonda N. McIntyre and James Schamus. Out of the three writers, Bass certainly has the lion's share of the experience here, although Berman and Harrington certainly were pivotal with their input. Other than a couple of very small places of inconsistencies, this storyline was spot on. This is the quintessential fairy tale replete with villains, good guys, a damsel in distress, a creature, all with a period era backdrop in which to house this story. This is essentially a more traditional version of a "Pan's Labyrinth" story. 

In a day where our world is so turned upside down, it sure is reassuring that there are filmmakers out there that are willing to give us a fairy tale that allows us to be able to escape into a world where the problems and issues outside the theater are something that we can forget even if it's only the running time of this film. I simply enjoyed the simplicity and the pure storytelling that we need to see in more films and just don't.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                                   Rated: PG                                                    98mins.

Scream

When the franchise "Scream" began back in 1995, who knew that it would take off like it did? I believe the main reason for it was the fact that the film was a parody of the 'slasher film' genre, so when the audience, who was looking for a fresher take on this topic, saw it, they simply jumped on the bandwagon and several more sequels spawned from it. Now, "Scream" is back whereas this is a parody parodying a parody. Did you get that?

Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, Calif., a new killer dons the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers, including Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), Wes Hicks (Dylan Minnette), Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding), and others, to resurrect secrets from the town's deadly past. And through all that is happening, ultimately leads Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), to assist Dewey Riley (David Arquette), Gail Weathers-Riley (Courtney Cox), Richie Kirsch (Jack Quaid) and Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) so as to uncover the truth. 

Others to round out the cast are Mary Shelton as Deputy Judy Hicks, Wes' mom, Mikey Madison as Amber Freeman, Jasmin Savoy Brown as Mindy Meeks-Martin, Chad's sister, Sonia Ammar as Liv McKenzie, Kyle Gallner as Vince Schneider and Chester Tam as Deputy Vinson.

This was intensely directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett ("It Came from Hollywood" (documentary) '98, "The Devil's Due" '14, "Southbound" (segments, "The Way In" and "The Way Out") '15, "Ready or Not" '19) plus shorts and TV. With the exception of the documentary which was Olpin's, this is obviously a directing team which works well for them. They simply were able to bring life to this new generation of characters from this small town. It was effectively written well by veteran James Vanderbilt ("Darkness Falls" '03, "Basic" '03, "The Rundown" '03, "Zodiac" '07, "The Losers" '10, "The Amazing Spider-Man" '12, "White House Down" '13, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" (screen story) '14, "Truth" '15, "Independence Day: Resurgence" '16, "Murder Mystery" '19) and Guy Busick (Ready or Not '19) plus TV, based on characters created by Kevin Williamson. Certainly the way this script was treated by parodying a parody was really the only route this franchise could've gone and be as fresh as it was, especially since the parody aspect is what actually made the original. Other than a couple of areas where some things would've ever happened due to the lack of reality, this script was well thought out, especially it's ability to be intertwined with the plot of the original. And there were a couple of very small places of inconsistencies, but the fact that the audience is taken down the 'whodunnit' road, makes this story captivating and the nail biter it is. 

If you are a true fan of this franchise, you will enjoy yourself immensely, however, even if you're not, who doesn't like a whodunnit anyway? And seeing some of the original crew, i.e. Campbell, Cox and Arquette was a great walk down memory lane. If you would like to see it up, close and personal, it's also presented in an IMAX format as well.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                              Rated: R                                                     114mins.

Licorice Pizza

When it comes to the quintessential independent, quirky film, the names Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson certainly come to mind. Between the two of them, they have offered us many films that span topics that are as different as they are quirky. "Licorice Pizza" a film by Paul Thomas Anderson is offered to us about two young people that couldn't be any more different in their character and personalities than a writer could write about. 

Alana Kane (Alana Haim) and Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) grow up, run around and ultimately fall in love in California's San Fernando Valley in the 1970's. The film unfolds into several vignettes with other odd characters that Alana and Gary encounter, such as producer Jon Peters (Bradley Cooper), an actor Jack Holden (Sean Penn), Councilman Joel Wachs (Ben Safdie), Rex Blau (Tom Waits), Matthew (Joseph Cross), Lucy Doolittle (Christine Ebersole) and others, all the while using the main characters, Alana and Gary to keep these vignettes together. Gary is younger than Alana and they met at his high school photo shoot for school pictures, her being a photography assistant. Gary has been a child/teen actor and as he goes to his frequent acting gigs, he uses Alana as his assistant so he can stay near her. Back and forth, they endure bad times and enjoy good times, but all in all, they are in it for the long haul. 

Others to round out the cast are Will Angarola as Kirk, Griff Giacchino as Mark, James Kelley as Tim, John Michael Higgins as Jerry Frick, Danielle Haim as Danielle, Este Haim as Este, Donna Haim as Donna, Mary Elizabeth Ellis as Momma Anita, Skylar Gisondo as Lance Brannigan and Tim Conway Jr. as Vic, the director. 

This was eclectically directed by the incomparable Paul Thomas Anderson ("Hard Eight" '96, "Boogie Nights" '97, "Magnolia" '99, "Punch-Drunk Love" '02, "There Will Be Blood" '07, "The Master" '12, "Inherent Vice" '14, "Junun" (documentary) '15, "Phantom Thread" '17) plus TV, music videos, video shorts and shorts. Not only does Anderson direct his films, but also writes them as well, and each one of them, while being similar in the aspects of how he is able to get his actors to emit just the emotion he wants, they are very distinct in their storyline. It will be interesting to see what he directs next. As mentioned, it is also written by Anderson (see above resume), where he is incredibly clever at writing such different, eclectic, quirky screenplays. This wasn't his best to date, however considering his record of well crafted work, this is still high praise. Out of his impressive resume, I believe his shining moment was that of "There Will Be Blood". It was well acted with Daniel Day Lewis and Paul Dano, well shot by Robert Elswitt asc and, of course, well written and directed by Anderson. The meaty premise of the starting of and cutthroat oil rigging business was gritty while still being odd and quirky. With "Licorice Pizza", it got slightly bogged down with parts that didn't seem to have a reason why they were in the film, and it was a bit long-in-the-tooth, but otherwise this storyline simply moved and was captivating with his usual powder dry humor that he can write with expertise.

If you're an Anderson fan, you will certainly revel with this film. He gives his audience that quirky and odd premise and characters that only he can direct and write so well. Some of the characters that are represented here by Bradley Cooper, Tom Waits and Sean Penn are meaty, funny and odd. They weren't in the film for very long, but it looked as though they just wanted to be in an Anderson film, and I can't much blame them. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                                Rated: R                                         134mins.