Jesus Revolution

We've seen many inspirational films for quite a number of decades, and there have been some that have given the message of God in a lukewarm fashion, but "Jesus Revolution" is anything but lukewarm. It doesn't apologize for its message while at the same time coming across in an accepting, compassionate way toward its audience. Funny how when back in the late 60's we were a divided nation, and now we are experiencing that same issue. 

This is the true story of one young hippie's quest in the late 1960's for belonging and liberation that leads not only to peace, love, and rock and roll, but that sets into motion a new counterculture crusade--a Jesus Movement--changing the course of history, inspired by a true movement, this tells the story of a young Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney) being raised by his struggling mother, Charlene (Kimberley Williams Paisley) in the late 1960's. Laurie and a sea of young people descend on sunny Southern California to redefine truth through all means of liberation. Inadvertently, Laurie meets Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), and Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer) who have thrown open the doors of Smith's languishing church to a stream of wandering youth. What unfolds becomes the greatest spiritual awakening in American history. Rock and roll, newfound love, and a twist of faith lead to Jesus Revolution that turns one counterculture movement into a revival that changes the world. 

Others to round out the cast are Anna Grace Barlow as Cathe, Devon Franklin as Josiah, a journalist, Victoria Paige Watkins as Katy, Jean St. James as Kathryn Kuhlman and Jackson Robert Scott as young Greg Laurie. 

This was expertly directed by Jon Erwin ("The Cross and the Towers" '06, "Alumni" (TV movie) .09, "October Baby" '11, "Fully Alive" '12, "Moms' Night Out" '14, "Woodlawn" '15, "Steve McQueen: American Icon" '17, "I Can Only Imagine" '18, "I Still Believe" '20, "American Underdog" '21, "The Jesus Music" (documentary) '21) plus TV, videos and a music video, and Brent McCorkle ("The Rift" '09, "Unconditional" '12) plus TV. I'm not sure why they felt a need to have two directors on this project, but the staging and pacing was seamless in its ability to have the production flow like water. Even though Erwin has the brunt of the experience here, McCorkle certainly was pivotal with his input. The emotions that the cast had emitted in such a realistic way that one felt they were watching and listening to regular people and not a film with actors. Its writing was written in a heartfelt way by Jon Erwin ("Alumni" (TV movie) '09, "October Baby" '11, "Moms' Night Out" '14, "Coffee Shop" '14, "Woodlawn" '15, "I Can Only Imagine" '18, "I Still Believe" '20, "American Underdog" '21, "The Jesus Music" (documentary) '21) plus videos, and Jon Gunn ("Mercy Streets" 2000, "The Week" '15, "I Still Believe" '20, "American Underdog" '21), based on the book by Greg Laurie and Ellen Vaughn. It was shot as a flashback, as a number of films has used similar formats, however with this film, it takes us back to a year prior and is amazing of all that transpired within that year between 1968 and 1969. The script was sequenced with amazing delineation and crispness, and allowed the two hour running time to move right along. The actors used in this were mostly actors that most people wouldn't recognize, but their presence made an amazing impact toward conveying the story. This screenplay was concise and cohesive which allowed the audience to follow easily.

If you are a Christian, you will obviously revel with this, however even if you're not, there is something to be learned from this. As said prior, this is an in-your-face film about Jesus and why he died for the sins of the world, but it is presented in such a compassionate, heartfelt and assuring way that it makes it very easy to take in and be able to ask yourself questions of where we stand as a people with God.  This is a film for all to see and experience, especially in a world that has been totally turned upside down.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                     Rated: PG-13                                              120mins.

                     

    

Marlowe

Noir films are typically produced in a 'clean' element showcasing fine writing, directing, acting, photography, costumes, production design and even editing. As with the case of "Marlowe", we have all these attributes and then some. Not only do I like films shot a in a film noir style, but most of them are typically whodunits--this being of no exception.

This gripping noir crime thriller set in the late 1930's Bay City, California, centers around a brooding, down on his luck detective: Philip Marlowe (Liam Neeson), who is hired to find the ex-lover, Nico Peterson (Francois Arnaud) of a glamorous heiress Clare Cavendish (Diane Kruger), daughter of a well-known movie star Dorothy Quincannon (Jessica Lange). The disappearance is the first twist in a series of bewildering events, and soon Marlowe is embroiled in a deadly investigation and web of lies that he's determined to bring to light. 

Others to round out the cast are Ian Hart as Joe Green, Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje as Cedric, Alan Cumming as Lou Hendricks, Danny Huston as Floyd Hanson, Colm Meaney as Detective Bernie Ohls and Daniela Melchor as Lynn Peterson, sister of Nico.

This was directed with such style and finesse by veteran Neil Jordan ("Angel" '82, "The Company of Wolves" '84,"Mona Lisa" '86, "High Spirits" '88, "We're No Angels" '89, "The Miracle" '91, "The Crying Game" '92, "Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles" '94, "Michael Collins" '96, "The Butcher Boy" '97, "In Dreams" '99, "The End of the Affair" '99, "The Good Thief" '02, "Breakfast on Pluto" '05, "The Brave One" '07, "Byzantium" '12, "Greta" '18) plus a TV movie, TV, a video, a music video and a short. This filmmaker certainly knows what it takes to produce a well-honed film project. His ability to collaborate with his cinematographer and editor simply show in this film. The nuances of each character's emotion was incredibly realistic for the period. The writing was well penned by William Monahan ("Kingdom of Heaven" '05, "The Departed" '06, "Body of Lies" '08, "Edge of Darkness" '10, "London Boulevard" '10, "The Gambler" '14, "Mojave" '15, "The Tender Bar" '21) and Neil Jordan ("High Spirits" '88, "The Miracle" '91, "The Crying Game" '92, "Michael Collins" '96, "The Butcher Boy" '97, "In Dreams" '99, "The End of the Affair" '99, "The Good Thief" '02, "The Actors" (story) '03, "Breakfast on Pluto" '05, "Ondine" '09, "Greta" '18) plus TV, based on the book "The Black-Eyed Blonde" by John Banville, which is based on characters created by Raymond Chandler. Obviously these two writers have quite the resume between them and this film showcases this experience in spades. It was cohesive, tight, well played out and certainly kept its audience's attention all the while entertaining us in an extremely artful way. Really, other than a couple of very small places of continuity issues, this script rocked! The numerous twist were captivating and I was just wanting for more.

The one adage that kept going through my head while viewing this was, "Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive". With the exception of Marlowe, these characters, with all the money and notoriety, were so prone to issues galore, and these actors pulled it off convincingly. If you like a whodunit,, film noir thriller, you will like this. It had it all: adventure, intrigue, drama, all in a thrill ride that will entertain. 

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

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

When it comes to franchises, I don't know what Marvel Studios would do if they didn't exist. Suffice it to say, their film library would be a fraction the size, so when "Ant-Man" was wrapped up, it was a forgone conclusion that there would be another, and here we have "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania", which actually is the third installment after "Ant-Man and the Wasp"--too many films to keep track of.

Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope's parents Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), and Scott's daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible. Within the realm, they must attempt to combat the evil Kang the Conquerer (Jonathan Majors) in order to save many other worlds. 

Others to round out the cast are Corey Stoll as M.O.D.O.K., William Jackson Harper as Quaz, Katy O'Brian as Jentorra, Bill Murray as Lord Krylar, David Dastmalchian as Veb, James Cutler as Xolum and Randall Park as Jimmy Woo.

This was directed with intensity and humor by veteran Peyton Reed ("Bring It On" 2000, "Down with Love" '03, "The Break-Up" '06, "Yes Man" '08, "Ant-Man" '15) plus TV movies, TV, TV shorts and music videos. With a production the size of this, it would be extremely easy for the pacing and staging to get off track and become disjointed at best, but this filmmaker was able to keep this massive production from becoming confusing. Of course, helming the original "Ant-Man" didn't hurt to keep continuity afloat. There will be another installment (I know, what a shock), but it would behoove Hollywood to bring this director back. It was written by a relative newcomer to feature films, Jeff Loveness (TV and shorts). Unfortunately, this is where the film starts having issues. What starts out as a promising premise, slowly ends up becoming a story with simply too many subplots and with this, starts to get bogged down with confusion and choppiness. certainly for this writer's first feature film, the attempt was admirable, but writing a script with this many scenes, characters, and angle shots, perhaps a smaller project would've been better for him to hone his obvious talent. The script did pick up somewhere around the last quarter of the film, but a little too much, a little too late. The characters were developed well, and the actors made each character come alive, but putting it all together just needed more polish. And, of course, the visual effects predominantly designed by SPI Sony Pictures Imageworks), ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), Luma Pictures and Digital Domain were incredibly seamless, but the audience has to know this before entering the theater. 

Certainly if you're a Marvel and/or Ant-Man fan, you'll revel with this. It has all the 'stuff' a good action film has: adventure, humor, high-adrenaline, action and incredible visual effects. And, if you plan to see this, because of its grandiose basis, you must see this on the large screen which is being presented in IMAX and 3D as well. See you at the next Ant-Man!

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                            Rated: PG-13                                       124mins.

Magic Mike's Last Dance

As I was prepping in doing the research for reviewing "Magic Mike's Last Dance", I was suddenly made to realize that this franchise is eleven years old. What started out to be a small film showing us what Channing Tatum did as a precurser to his acting career, has ended up with Magic Mike live shows around the world and has spawned two more films. 

"Magic" Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) takes to the stage again after a lengthy hiatus, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartending gigs in Florida. For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite Maxandra Mendoza (Salma Hayek Pinault) who lures him with an offer he can't refuse...and an agenda all her own. With everything on the line, once Mike discovers what she truly has in mind, will he--and the roster of hot new dancers he'll have to whip into shape--be able to pull it off?

Others to round out the cast are Caitlin Gerard as Kim, Ayub Khan-Din as Victor, Alan Cox as Roger Rattigan, Jemelia George as Zadie Rattigan, Ethan Lawrence as Woody, Vicki Pepperdine as Edna Eaglebauer, Suzanne Bertish as Renata and Gavin Spokes as Matthew.

This was directed with showstopping speed by Steven Soderbergh ("Sex, Lies, and Videotape" '89, "Out of Sight" '98, "Erin Brockovich" 2000, "Traffic" 2000, "Ocean's Eleven" '01, "Solaris" '02, "The Good German" '06, "The Informant!" '09, "Contagion" '11, "Magic Mike" '12, "Side Effects" '13, "Logan Lucky" '17, "Unsane" '18, "Let Them All Talk" '20, "Kimi" '22) plus others, TV, shorts and videos. Clearly by his very resume, Soderbergh cannot be pigeonholed into any one genre or subject matter which can be healthy, because it then allows the audience to be able figure out what this filmmaker is attempting to convey. Sure these dancers were obviously consummate pros, but Soderbergh was truly able to showcase them, along with Tatum, in a way that was definitely captivating. It was written with the similar feel of the same writer of its predecessors, Reid Carolin ("Earth Made of Glass" '10, "Magic Mike" '12, "Magic Mike XXL" '15,"Dog" '22). If you are expecting a tighter, more cohesive script than in the previous films, you will be sorely disappointed. Although this wasn't a terrible story, it wasn't with any more substance than in its predecessors. It's basically a story that has Mike in a quandary about where and if he can get one of his shows done, and suddenly he meets the right people for this to happen. The story or script is not why you are seeing this film. this was made to showcase the incredible dancing and choreography this film gives its audience. It's a chick flick replete with handsome guys strutting their stuff on a stage with great lighting to showcase those amenities. Tatum is still an awesome dancer, and the new roster of dancers are incredible, and this speaks volumes for Tatum being able to produce not one,but three of these films. Carolin's best script to date has to be "dog" '22 also with Channing Tatum.

If you liked the two predecessors of this film, you'll love this. Eleven years has gone by since the original "Magic Mike", and Tatum still has it at the ripe old age of 42--he will be 43 in April. He has mentioned that this will probably be the last 'Magic Mike' film since the grueling regimen in preparing for these films is just exhausting. Hey, he is 42 after all. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                                 Rated: R                                               112mins.

The Amazing Maurice

Typically February is not the time we see most animated films released since they are usually reserved for the summer or end of year seasons, but as far as a marketing strategy, releasing "The Amazing Maurice" was pure genius. People love animated films whether it be in summer or now. In this film, suffice it to say, you get a whole lot more than you bargained for. 

Maurice (Hugh Laurie) is a streetwise ginger cat who comes up with a money making scam by befriending a group of talking rats, along with Keith (Himesh Patel) a simple but talented musician with a pied pipe. When Maurice and the rodents, headed up by Boss Man (David Thewlis), reach the stricken town of Bad Blintz, they meet a bookworm named Malicia Grimm (Emilia Clarke) and their little con subsequently goes down the drain. 

Others to round out the cast are Gemma Arterton as Peaches, Hugh Bonneville as the mayor, David Tennant as Dangerous Beans, Joe Sugg as Sardines, Ariyon Bakare as Darktan, Julie Atherton as Nourishing and Rob Brydon as the Pied Piper. This was brilliantly directed by Toby Genkel ("Dieter" (TV movie) '06, "Two Times Lotte" '07, "Thor: Legend of the Magical Hammer" (co-directed) '11, "All Creatures Big and Small" '15, "Little Bird's Big Adventure" '17, "Yakari, A Spectacular Journey" '20, "Two by Two: Overboard!" '20, "The Ogglies" '21) plus others, and co-directed by Florian Westermann. This film was incredibly well paced and staged and definitely had that fairy tale whimsical approach which made it even more captivating. This filmmaker is a consummate pro--just look at his resume which speaks for itself. It was equally well written with amazing cohesiveness and clarity by Terry Rossio ("Little Monsters" '89, "Aladdin" '92, "Small Soldiers" '98, "Shrek" '01, "Shrek 2" '04, "Deja Vu" '06, "The Lone Ranger" '13, "Godzilla vs. Kong" (story) '21) plus TV, shorts and videos. The way the script was handled practically as a parody on fairy tales was an amazing perspective. To say that this script is solely about a scam would be deceptive. It definitely goes well beyond that aspect. I just felt that going into the story more than I wrote here would divulge too much of the story. The cast was incredible, especially that of Hugh Laurie as Maurice--he simply owned that character. This could possibly be in the running come Oscar time for next year. 

If you like not only animated, but those films that have an English origin, this is the film for you. It's humorous, adventurous, with heart all the while entertaining the audience. It's a great family film for all to sit back, and escape into. Really, grab the popcorn and enjoy this gem !

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                        Rated: PG                                             94mins.

 

Knock at the Door

With as many films that M. Night Shyamalan has written and directed, he certainly has got to be one of the most original storytellers in Hollywood today. Even though "Knock at the Door" was based on a novel, this filmmaker still had his name all over this one. This was one part fact and two parts bizarre.

While vacationing at a remote cabin, a young girl, Wen (Kristen Cui) and her parents, Eric (Jonathan Groff) an Andrew (Ben Aldridge) are taken hostage by four armed strangers, Leonard (Dave Bautista), Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird), Adriane (Abby Quinn) and Redmond (Rupert Grint), who demand that the family make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. With limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost, because if they don't decide by a certain time, global devastation will start occurring. 

Others to round out the cast are McKenna Kerrigan as Andrew's mother, Ian Merrill Peakes as Andrew's father, Denise Nakano as TV newscaster, Bill Vargus as seismologist and Satomi Hofmann as TV newscaster #2.

This was directed with his usual gripping approach by M. Night Shyamalan ("Praying with Anger" '92, "Wide Awake" '98, "The Sixth Sense" '99, "Unbreakable" 2000, "Signs" '02, "The Village" '04, "Lady in the Water" '06, "The Happening" '08, "The Last Airbender" '10, "After Earth" '13, "The Visit" '15, "Split" '16, "Glass" '19, "Old" '21) plus TV and a music video. Any film that Shyamalan writes and/or directs is certainly original. His approach to his actors seemingly is that he seeks to have them show the intensity which he brings to all his projects, this film being of no exception. He allows and even counts on his actors to exude the raw emotion that he consistently brings to his films, and this film simply put you on the edge of your seat. If you like his brand of filmmaking, his "Labor of Love" is in development. It was creatively written by Shyamalan, Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman, based on the book, "The Cabin at the End of the World" by Paul Tremblay. This is where potential issues crop up. The way the audience will handle this depends on if they want to see it as something factual or pure fiction. It's based on a novel, which is typically fiction. Even though the apocalypse will happen someday--this part being fact--the decision on whether it will happen doesn't fall on a family's choice. But, if a decision wasn't so crucial, there wouldn't really be a premise to this film.The apocalypse will happen regardless who decides what or whatever is said or done. As far as the writing goes, obviously Shyamalan carries the brunt of the experience here, although I'm sure both Desmond and Sherman's input was pivotal. This is certainly a vehicle that has showcased Bautista's acting ability, in that I really didn't realize that he had the acting ability that he presented.

Please, don't get hung up on believing that the premise of this could even happen. Suffice it to say that the apocalypse will happen but is not contingent on the way this story was written. Enjoy it as pure fiction, and I think you'll enjoy it far more. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                           Rated: R                                                100mins.

80 for Brady

As we approach the day of Super Bowl LVII, it would be truly fitting to see a film that is based on a story surrounding the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI in 2017. Of course, the strategy behind its release was purposed and awesome, it made this film even more entertaining than if it wasn't released now. 

This film is inspired by the true story of four best friends, Lou (Lily Tomlin), Trish (Jane Fonda), Maura (Rita Moreno) and Betty (Sally Field) and New England Patriots fans, who take a life-changing trip to Super Bowl LI in 2017 to see their hero Tom Brady play, and the chaos that ensues as they navigate the wilds of the biggest sporting event in the country. First of all, the tickets being so expensive, they submitted letters of why they would be worthy of tickets via a competition and won. Secondly, when they arrived, they wound up meeting an eclectic group of people, such as Dan (Harry Hamlin), Guy Fieri, Billy Porter and Matt Patricia (Alex Bentley) to mention a few, and then so much happens and they even haven't gotten into the stadium yet. 

Others to round out the cast are Sally Kirkland as Ida, Sara Gilbert as Sara, Lou's daughter, Jimmy O. Yang as Tony, Ron Funches as Chip, Bob Balaban as Mark, Betty's husband, Glynn Turman as Mickey and Rob Gronkowski as himself.

This was surprisingly well directed by Kyle Marvin. I say surprisingly considering that this filmmaker has no other directing experience whether it be feature films, TV, shorts, etc. He has done some acting, writing and a lot of producing, so he has been working in the biz, which is probably where he was able to hone his talent. Was this a fluke? Maybe, but I somehow doubt it. A natural? More than likely is. He should receive more work his way. It was written with such heart and humor by writing team Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins ("Booksmart" '19) plus TV and a short. I went to see this film with trepidation and a certain element of curiosity, because how could a film about four friends going to see a Super Bowl game be interesting enough to capture my attention for a feature film? Well, the trailer really doesn't sell it in that once you find out more about these four women, and their extreme fandom toward Tom Brady, the story gets better as the films unfolds. These writers were able to present these four women with such distinctive personalities--I wonder if these women were anything like the actors on the screen--that they just pulled you into their lives. Of course, we have four Academy Award winning actresses, however it still takes talented writing in order to grab the audience, and I think they did in spades.

If you like the star power, Tom Brady, and a nice, fluffy, non-controversial film, this is the film for you. There was not too much to think about with this, and I say this with the utmost compliments. It is so rare lately that we see something that is well done, all the while purely entertaining us, that it was a joy to see back and laugh and have my heart tugged just a little. And isn't this what we really like to see in films that we don't receive so much of the time?

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                          Rated: PG-13                                           98mins.