Last Breath

We've all seen films based on true stories, but with "Last Breath", its director Alex Parkinson, actually directed a documentary of this story in 2019,and even though this screenplay was based on the book by Metfilm, the documentary was produced by Metfilm as well. Other films based on true stories typically aren't followed by a documentary chronicling the film.

This story is a heart pounding film that follows seasoned deep-sea divers, including Duncan Allock (Woody Harrelson), Dave Yuasa (Simu Liu) and Chris Lemons (Finn Cole), as they battle the raging elements to rescue a crew mate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface. Between this crew and the captain, Andre Jenson (Cliff Curtis) and Craig (Mark Bonnar), time is everything. Based on a true story, "Last Breath" is an electrifying story about teamwork, resilience and a race against time to do the impossible.

Others to round out the cast are MyAnna Buring as Hanna, 1st officer, Josef Altin as DPO, Bobby Rainsbury as Morag, Chris' fiance, Connor Reed as Andrew, ROV pilot, Nick Biadon as Stuart, B Team, Riz Khan as Kirk, B Team and Aldo Silvio as Brad, B Team.

This was seamlessly and intensely directed by Alex Parkinson ("The Born Free Legacy" (TV movie) '10, "Seven Days That Made the Fuhrer" (TV movie) '13, "Last Breath" (documentary) '19, "Lucy, the Human Chimp" (TV movie) '21,"Living with Leopards" '24) plus TV. Since this filmmaker has experience that relays to productions that are based in reality including a documentary, that experience would definitely allow this director to chronicle a film that is based on a true story and make it more realistic than that of most other directors. He certainly knows how to create an atmosphere of sheer tension and intensity to convey to the audience this horrendous story. It was penned well by writers, Mitchell LaFortune, Alex Parkinson and David Brooks, based on the book, "Last Breath" by Metfilm.  None of these writers have a tremendous amount of experience, however, what they bring to the table is helpful. What experience they do have has served them, and will ground them as better writers when they receive more work. This script, considering the limited experience, is a juggernaut of a script--what with Parkinson's incredible input in the documentary of "Last Breath" back in 2019. 

If you're into a real nail-biter, this is the film for you. I understand now why it's only 90 minutes long. With all these divers went through, this length of a running time probably is all an audience could endure. The large screen is where this needs to be viewed since the ship is is the middle of a horrible storm at night in the North Sea. Grab your seat and hold on tight!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                       Rated: PG-13                                              92mins.

The Unbreakable Boy

As we approach spring with Easter being in the near future, the inspirational films begin to emerge. As an occurrence that happens yearly, we are offered "The Unbreakable Boy" to kick off this period. Based on a true story, it is a film that will inspire all who sees it, whether one has a soft or a hard heart. 

When Scott and Teresa LeRette (Zachary Levi and Meghann Fahy) respectively, learn that their son Austin, 13 yr. old (Jacob Laval), is autistic and, has Brittle Bone Disease where he has broken, at least, 45 bones, they initially worry about his future, however with Scott's growing faith and Austin's incredible spirit, they become unbreakable as they find joy, gratitude and courage in the most trying times. As Scott says at one of his trying moments, "I wish I could enjoy anything as much as Austin enjoys everything."

Others to round out the cast are Drew Powell as Joe, Patricia Heaton as Marcia, Scott's mom, Todd Terry as Dick, Scott's dad, Peter Facinelli as the preacher, Gavin Warren as Logan, Austin's brother (11yr. old), Pilot Bunch as Tyler, Bruce Davis as Autism doc, Kurt Yue as Brittle Bone doc and Eleanor Threatt as Principal Ilene.

This was directed with compassion while driving to a point by Jon Gunn ("Mercy Streets" 2000, "My Date with Drew" '04, "Like Dandelion Dust" '09, "Do You Believe?" '15, "The Week" '15,  "The Case for Christ" '17, "Ordinary Angels" '24). In the past, inspirational films used to be made with a maudlin and sentimental approach which ended up predictable, however as these films continue to be produced, the fresher, yet more realistic approaches have taken hold. This film isn't about Austin getting cured as much it's about Austin, in spite of his diseases, can meld into the public with a refreshing and captivating way, and this was showcased in spades through this director. He has proven himself many times over--just look at his resume.  It was also effectively written by Jon Gunn ("Mercy Streets" 2000, "The Week" '15, "I Still Believe" '20, "American Underdog" '21, "Jesus Revolution" '23), based on the book by Scott LeRette and Susy Flory. This film, as with many films based on a true story, is written as a flashback with the meeting of Scott and Teresa and subsequent birth of their kids, their marriage and their trials with having a child with Brittle Bone Disease and Autism. And considering it was penned in a flashback format, there were a couple of very small places of continuity issues, but one would have to be quick to pick them up. The emotions from these actors were real, whether they showed pain or excitement. Obviously Scott was one of the writers of the book that the film was based on, but this story had to be journaled. 

This film is for all to see, because if we think we have it tough, put yourself in the parents of Austin or even Austin himself. It screams the adage, "for the grace of God...". The best thing about the story is that how positive, happy and carefree Austin comes across, where it seems to be tougher on the parents than that of Austin himself, and this is a great example of how we need to look at our different issues and think, how would Austin deal with this?

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                           Rated: PG                                         108mins.

Captain America: Brave New World

Ever since the 'comic book movie' came into being, we have seen many different franchises. Some franchises are connected with others, but at the end of the day, the number of franchises mostly created by Marvel Studios and DC Comics are everywhere. I'm not even sure which 'Captain America' film this is, but Marvel's "Captain America: Brave New World" is an interesting film even though it comprises a plethora of writers. 

Anthony Mackie returns as the high-flying hero Sam Wilson, who's officially taken up the mantle of Captain America. After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam and work buddy, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) finds themselves in the middle of an international incident. They must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red. Will they catch the foe responsible for bringing the world into a global war before time runs out?

Others to round out the cast are Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns, Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder, Xosha Roquemore as Leila Taylor, Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph, Takehiro Hira as Prime Minister Ozaki, Harsh Nayyar as Prime Minister Kapur and William Mark McCullough as Comm. Dennis Dunphy.

This was directed with grit and intensity by Julius Onah ("The Girl Is in Trouble" '15, "The Cloverfield Paradox" '18, "Luce" '19) plus shorts and a music video. This filmmaker's approach to staging and pacing was effective as it was cohesive. He doesn't have a ton of experience behind the camera with feature films, but what he has is compelling and keeps us on the edge of our seats. It was effectively written by Malcolm Spellman, Peter Glanz, Julius Onah and Matthew Orton, based on the screen story by Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson and Rob Edwards, which is based on "Captain America" created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. Even though the direction was cohesive in its delivery, the writing wasn't as connected as it could've been. None of these writers have a plethora of feature film experience which is probably why it was a bit disjointed in some areas. It certainly was better than I suspected it would be, especially bringing in a surprise character that I didn't see coming. Was it a wash? No; it was put together better that one would think considering there were four writers which is typically a no no in the script writing world. The visual effects predominantly designed by Digital Domain were seamless, but that should be no surprise. 

If you're into 'comic book films', and more to the point, the 'Captain America' franchise, wait through all the end credits since Captain America does return. I know, what a shock. If you like the film really big, it is presented in an IMAX format as well. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                      Rated: PG-13                                        118mins.

Paddington in Peru

When "Paddington" was released back in 2014, who knew that it would become the beloved classic film that we would enjoy all over again 11 years later? Then there was "Paddington 2" released in 2017 and it was clearly a hit, so now we have "Paddington in Peru" to sink our teeth into and it's as cleverly written and presented as it was back in 2014. 

In this sequel, the world's most beloved bear goes back to his roots in Peru. Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) is still living happily with the Brown family, Henry (Hugh Bonneville), Mary (Emily Mortimer), Judy (Madeleine Harris) and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), in Windsor Gardens. When he receives a letter from the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman), the blithe guitar strumming nun who runs the Home for Retired Bears, informing Paddington that Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton) misses him dearly, he knows he simply must visit her as soon as possible. With his shiny new British passport in hand, Paddington is joined by the Browns, including the ever-resourceful Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters), on an epic journey that none of them will ever forget. Along the way the group meet new friends, including the dashing riverboat captain Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Gina (Carla Tous). They join them on their thrilling escapades through the Amazon rainforest and up to the stunning mountain peaks of Peru, together they encounter unexpected challenges, and Paddington begins to uncover surprising secrets about the past. Throughout the ups and downs, his unwavering optimism and kindness shine brightly in this brand new Paddington cinematic adventure that reinforces the importance of family, and the joy of embracing one's heritage. 

Others to round out the cast are Hayley Atwell as Madison, Jim Broadbent as Mr. Gruber, Amit Shah as Zayden, Jessica Hynes as Miss Kitts, Ben Miller as Colonel Lancaster, Robbie Gee as Mr. Barnes and Sanjeev Bhaskar as Dr. Jafri. 

This was whimsically and charmingly directed by newcomer to feature films, Dougal Wilson (shorts, music videos and videos). Considering his limited experience, this filmmaker was able to pull off these characters and give its audience that similar feel how these characters were developed that coincided with its sequels. This is not an easy task. His other work obviously served him well. What really gave this film that direct familiarity was that it being written by Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamont and being based on a screen story by Paul King, Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton, which is based on "Paddington Bear" by Michael Bond, is that several of these writers are directly connected with their predecessors in one way or another. So we, the audience, felt very much at home with this continued story of Paddington's adventures. With the exception of one very small area of slowness which wasn't enough to take away any of the story, this script was spot on and was a joy to watch. Also, the visual effects predominantly designed by Framestore were seamless and the photography, production design, editing, and musical score were elements that simply connected all aspects of the production. The ensemble cast with Ben Whishaw continuing to voice Paddington was believable as it was supportive. Banderas' Captain Hunter was a hoot and the more he hammed it up, the better it was. 

Certainly if you liked the predecessors of this film, you'll revel with this as well. It has it all: adventure, thrills, humor, charm, and completely heartwarming, all rolled up in a story for the whole family. At the end, it looks like there may be yet another sequel in the works, but who knows? It is presented in an IMAX format as well for your liking. Why can't we see more films like these that are so entertaining?

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                       Rated: PG                                         106mins.

Love Hurts

As the 'dead zone' proceeds in this early part of the year, choosing a film to view and critique sometimes is a chore. One trailer that looked doable was that of "Love Hurts", and after seeing it, it was certainly better than I thought it would be. It's your typical 'bad guys double cross each other, so finding a certain person is imperative in order to make things right in the villain world. What could possibly go wrong?

Ke Huy Quan stars as Marvin Gable, a realtor working the Milwaukee suburbs, where 'For Sale' signs bloom. Gable receives a crimson envelope from Rose Carlisle (Ariana DeBose), a former partner-in-crime that he had left for dead. She's not happy. Now, Marvin is thrust back into a world of ruthless hitmen, filled with double-crosses and open houses turned into deadly war zones. With his brother Alvin "Knuckles" Gable (Daniel Wu), a volatile crime lord, hunting him, Marvin must confront the choices that haunt him and the history he never truly burned. 

Others to round out the cast are Cam Gigandet as Renny Merlo, Mustafa Shakir as The Raven, Lio Tipton as Ashley, Andre Eriksen as Otis, Sean Astin as Cliff Cussick, Rhys Darby as Kippy Betts, Drew Scott as Jeff Zaks and Stephanie Sy as Sherry Reeber.

This was directed by newcomer Jonathan Eusebio (stunt coordination). This filmmaker has walked through that door making the transition from stunt coordinator to working behind the camera. Like Chad Stahelski who made that transition (he directed the 'John Wick' films), others have made that transition as well. Vic Armstrong, Terry Leonard, Hal Needham and others have crossed over to the director's chair. And so, with this background experience, this film was chocked full of incredible stunts. This is to be expected since it is these coordinator's  forte. Eusebio's pacing, staging and high energy, where needed, was spot on, and can certainly see him with future work as both director and stunt coordinator. It was written with rapidity by Matthew Murray, Josh Stoddard and Luke Passmore. Even though the emphasis was on the stunts to partially carry this story, it still unfolded as a great high-adrenaline, high-explosive, all with a humorous backdrop that keeps its audience's attention. These writers have approximately the same amount of experience, which isn't a plethora, but certainly enough to write a tense script. Could it be that there were one too many writers? Not sure, but even though it could've been polished a bit more, it was still entertaining, especially with the humor laced throughout the story at just the most effective places. 

Not sure if you want to bring your Valentine's Day sweetie to this considering the language is a bit coarse, since it has a Valentine's backdrop, but it's story keeps you moving. Ke Huy Quan coming off his Oscar for "Everything Everywhere All At Once" was as captivating as his character from Everything... 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                            Rated: R                                            83mins.

Love Me

We all have seen a plethora of apocalyptic films through the many years they've existed, and one thing that rings true with them all is the fact that, not only are they depressing, but also typically leave you with no hope for any positivity for a future. There has been "The Omega Man", "The Book of Eli", "Fahrenheit 451", "Elysium", "District 9"and others to grace our screens and so to add to that ever growing list, we have "Love Me" to ponder over.

In an apocalyptic story that spans an eternity of years, a buoy, Me/Deja (Kristen Stewart) and a satellite, Iam/Liam (Steven Yeun) meet online long after humanity's extinction, as they survive a post-apocalyptic society, they learn what life was like on Earth, they discover themselves and what it means to be alive and in love. In this groundbreaking first feature from directors Sam and Andy Zuchero, "Love Me" explores contemporary topics surrounding technology and identity, though at its heart is a simple, emotionally resonant tale of transformation. Thrillingly utilizing filmmaking techniques from live action, practical animatronics, classic animation and game engines, and anchored in enthralling performances by Stewart and Yeun, this film culminates in the longest-spanning love story ever told. 

As aforementioned, this film was directed by first time directors Sam Zuchero and Andy Zuchero (shorts). Sure, Andy Zuchero has some shorts under his belt, but he and Sam have never directed a feature film until now. Considering their limited experience, the actors, the two of them, gave a very fluid performance and the transition of them getting to know one another was natural as it was captivating. Sam Zuchero (shorts) and Andy Zuchero (shorts) also wrote the film as well. Again, with the exception of some shorts, this is the first outing of them writing a feature film. For this film to clearly be the most understood, the story needed to be a bit longer as to explain certain elements of the film. Such as, what happened to humanity? How were these two able to transform themselves into a representation of humans? And there were a bit of disjointedness as well. This was a very interesting film, if for no other reason than that of its originality. And with this, given more time and work, these directors will become a powerhouse. They way that the live action, animatronics and classic animation was utilized was unique as it was intriguing. 

If you're into apocalyptic films, this will interest those, even though it dwells more on these two individuals. And even though visuals were used a good deal through this, it wasn't as noticed as many other films that have heavy visuals. This is not for every audience, but it is a film to peak one's curiosity.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                    Rated: R                                    92mins.

Dog Man

As we continue in the 'dead zone' film season, we have an animated film, which is typically offered in the summer film season, in the offing, Dreamworks Animation's "Dog Man". Obviously, the premise is impossible and absurd, but this is clearly why you're not seeing this film. This film hinges on teamwork and the message of unity in the disguise of an animated movie. 

When a faithful police dog and his human police partner, Officer Knight (Peter Hastings) owner are seriously injured together on the job, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together and Dog Man is born. Dog Man (Peter Hastings) is sworn to protect and serve--and fetch, sit and roll over. As Dog Man embraces his new identity and strives to impress his Chief (Lil Rel Howery), he must stop the pretty evil plots of feline supervillain Petey, the Cat (Pete Davidson). Petey's latest plan is to clone himself, creating the kitten Li'l Petey (Lucas Hopkins Calderon) to double his ability to docrime stuff. Things get complicated, though, when Li'l Petey forges an unexpected bond with Dog Man. When Li'l Petey falls into the clutches of a common enemy, Dog Man and Petey reluctantly joins forces in an action-packed race against time to rescue the young kitten. In the process, they discover the power of family (and kittens!) to bring even the most hostile foes together. 

Others to round out the cast are Ilsa Fisher as Sarah Hatoff, a reporter, Billy Boyd as Seamus, the cameraman, Stephen Root as Grampa, Ricky Gervais as Flippy, Poppy Liu as Butler, Cheri Oteri as Mayor, Luenell as Milly, Rahnuma Panthaky as Doctor and Maggie Wheeler as Nurse. 

This was entertaingly well directed by Peter Hastings ("The Country Bears" '02) plus a short and a video. The encouraging aspect of this film is the fact that not only is this well animated (hey, it's Dreamworks), but it houses an incredible message of unity and teamwork. He truly knows how to delineate his characters to strive to this point--and he only has one feature film otherwise to he credit. It was also cleverly written by Peter Hastings ("Tiny Toons Spring Break" (TV movie) '94, Tiny Toons' Night Ghoulery" (TV movie)'95) plus TV, based on a book series by Dav Pilkey. Again, considering this filmmaker has only two TV movies, as films, to his credit amazes me. This was simple in its presentation, however, it is geared toward kids so simple was integral. There were a couple of small areas of choppiness, otherwise was a bright and exciting script for kids and families as a whole. This isn't Dreamworks Animation's typical style of their work, but I believe it was purposed in that they strived to give the look of the film a childlike presence so as to attract that demographic. What also made this a unique film was that after the fused surgery, Dog Man didn't speak, except typical dog sounds, i.e. barks, howls, whining, etc. Nut in the process, the way this was writte, that dog spoke volumes--more than a lot of people.

Certainly if you like animation films, you'll love this. As aforementioned, its message and it humor will capture kids and families alike, and this definitely is something we need to see more often, since so many films out there are geared mostly to adults, whether younger or older. This is a fun flick for all to enjoy for the 90 minute running time! This running time is actually 94 minutes if you include a 5 minute "Bad Guy" animated cartoon prior to the film.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                      Rated : PG                                       94mins.

                                                                            

The Brutalist

When the U.S. was first beginning while being immigrated from other countries, it was a great feat to say the least. Many were coming over to either escape WWII persecution or to leave what was left of their country to start anew in the new world. Some, it was a hardship while others were simply desperate. Suffice it to say, it was quite transitional for many for a great time span. 

When visionary architect Laszlo Toth (Adrien Brody) and his wife Erzsebet (Felicity Jones) flee Europe to rebuild their legacy and witness the birth of Modern America, their lives are changed forever by a mysterious and wealthy client. The seemingly charming industrialist Harrison Van Buren (Guy Pearce) offers Laszlo and his family the American Dream on a silver platter by commissioning him to design a grand modernist monument and help shape the landscape of the country he now calls home. It will be the most ambitious project of his career, one that will take Laszlo and Erzsebet to both monumental heights and devastating lows. 

Others to round out the cast are Joe Alwyn as Harry Lee, Harrison's son, Raffey Cassidy as Zsofia, Stacy Martin as Maggie Lee, Harrison's daughter, Isaach De Bankole as Gordon, Alessandro Nivola as Attila, Michael Epp as Jim Simpson, Ariane Labed as older Zsofia, Emma Laird as Audrey and Jonathan Hyde as Leslie Woodrow. 

This was intensely directed by Brady Corbet ("The Childhood of a Leader" '15, "Vox Lux" '18, "30/30 Vision: 3 Decades of Strand Releasing" '19) plus TV, a short and a music video. I actually haven't heard of this filmmaker, and as I was watching this movie, I was amazed by the deep rooted pathos and how he was able to delineate these characters to represent the people these actors were playing. Certainly Brody, Jones and Pearce are all consummate actors and with this, made it easier for Corbet to guide these actors through this production. It was effectively well written by Brady Corbet ("Simon Killer" (story) '12, "The Sleepwalker" '14, "The Childhood of a Leader" '15, "Vox Lux" '18) plus TV and a short, and Mona Fastvold ("The Sleepwalker" '14, "The Childhood of a Leader" '15, "Vox Lux" '18, "The Mustang" '19) plus TV. These writers, by their very resumes, obviously comprise of them being a writing team, and although this aspect certainly can help a screenplay, two different issues of this movie come to mind. One, there were a few areas of disjointedness in this which made it a bit confusing in places, and two, there were a couple of places that were a bit slow and needed a pick-me-up. The first part of the film was intriguing and the last hour or so was captivating. but the middle either could've been cut about 15 minutes here and there, or it needed to be restructured. Mind you, the story was intriguing and certainly caught my attention considering the running time, but it needed a bit more polish. The acting and directing were amazing--Brody, Jones and Pearce are all up for Oscars as is Corbet for directing. Time will tell who wins. 

This was written as if it was based on a true story, however it was fiction. And this needs to be seen for the craft it is more than for the story necessarily. It's also well photographed, edited and with amazing production design--again all up for Oscars in their respective categories. The three and a half hour running time isn't too bad considering it does have an intermission, but it does move fairly quickly. Whew!

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                             Rated: R                                          224mins.