Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Through the years as biopics have only gotten more popular, we've seen a plethora of them, i.e. "Ray", "A Complete Unknown", "Get on Up", "Respect"--and these are just singers, not to mention the other biopics of famous people of all walks of life. But to add to that ever growing list, we are offered "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere".

This film chronicles the making of Bruce Springsteen's 1982 "Nebraska" album. Recorded on a 4-track recorder in Springsteen's New Jersey bedroom, the album marked a pivotal time in his life and is considered one of his most enduring works--a raw, haunted acoustic record populated by lost souls searching for a reason to believe. This follows Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White) as he traverses some pitfalls in his life with his manager, Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong) and his producer Chuck Plotkin (Marc Maron) behind him as he goes through a difficult time with creativity and along with that, depression. With his work buddy, Mike Batlan (Paul Walter Hauser) and his semi girlfriend, Faye Romano (Odessa Young), his buddy Matt Delia (Harrison Sloan Gilbertson) and the persistent manager, Bruce seems to be holding fast until the floor bottoms out. 

Others to round out the cast are Stephen Graham as Douglas Springsteen, Bruce's father, Gaby Hoffman as Adele Springsteen, Bruce's mother, David Krumholtz as Al Teller, Matthew Anthony Pellicano Jr, as young Bruce Springsteen and Jayne Houdyshell as Viv. 

This was directed with pathos along with an abundance of reality by Scott Cooper ("Crazy Heart" '09, "Out of the Furnace" '13, "Black Mass" '15, "Hostiles" '17, "Antlers" '21"The Pale Blue Eye" '22) plus TV. Certainly, by this filmmaker's resume, he stays to what he does best, and that's drama, and more to the point, fairly intense dramas. He doesn't branch out, but considering his expertise in the film work he has and is doing, I can definitely understand. His characters simply jump off the screen with his incredible staging and pacing. It was also penned well by Scott Cooper ("For Sale by Owner" '09, "Crazy Heart" '09, "Out of the Furnace" '13, "Hostiles" '17, "Antlers" '21, "The Pale Blue Eye" '22), based on the book by Warren Zanes. As with many other directors where they have a tendency to write and direct their films, this is definitely a film that Cooper has by the reins in that he can choose how this story is to be aligned. His work is traditionally written with a tight, well sequenced format, however, this seemingly had a difficult time 'finding' the film, but once it unfolded further into the film, the story became clearer and more defining. And for this reason, it seemed a little long, but only because of a difficult beginning. As aforementioned, once this story continued, it became more interesting and intriguing whereas the cohesiveness and conciseness improved dramatically. 

Certainly if you like biopics, you'll love this. The format is something you've certainly seen before, but it's direction and acting, especially by Jeremy Allen White and Jeremy Strong is amazing. Both could be up for potential Oscar nods come that time. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: PG-13                                 120mins.

After the Hunt

The genre of thrillers has always been a favorite of mine, and more to the point, psychological thrillers have a tendency to be more intriguing. Quite often they can have an interesting twist in plot along the way or and the end, and when I saw my first trailer of "After the Hunt", I thought it would be a very gripping and well thought out story...but the execution of it lacked.

A gripping psychological drama about a college professor at Yale University, Alma Imhoff (Julia Roberts) who finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star student, Maggie Resnick (Ayo Edebiri) levels an accusation against one of Alma's colleagues, Hank Gibson (Andrew Garfield), and a dark secret from her own past threatens to come to light. Because of personalities and politics, the sexual assault accusation balloons into something as a threat from Maggie...or is it. The more Maggie confides to Alma, the more confused Alma becomes since Hank is a colleague and very good friend.

Others to round out the cast are Michael Stuhlbarg as Frederik Mendelssohn, Alma's husband, Chloe Sevigny as Dr. Kim Sayers, Lio Mehiel as Alex, David Leiber as Dean RJ Thomas, Thaddea Graham as Katie, Will Price as Arthur and Christine Dye as Patricia.

This was effectively directed with intensity and grit by Luca Guadagnino ("The Protagonists"'99, "Melissa P." '05, "I Am Love" '09, "A Bigger Splash" '15, Call Me by Your Name" '17, "Suspiria" '18, "Bones and All" '22, "Challengers" '24, "Queer" '24) plus other films, TV, shorts, music videos and videos. The slow build up with this story was gripping and definitely kept one on the edge of their seat. It was shot in a way where the characters were beginning to spiral as the story continued to unfold which is talented directing. It was written by Nora Garrett (Acting). Where the acting and directing was pivotal in this film, its downfall was within the writing. Certainly considering Garrett has no other writing experience under her belt, this was an amazing attempt at script writing. She's come from an acting world, which can be a help or a hindrance, however with this movie it was possibly the latter. The story's premise was intriguing, hence watching the trailer, but the inconsistencies were too numerous and it had a tendency to meander--possibly because it was a bit long-in-the-tooth. There were several subplots that were to be connected hopefully by films end. And there was a clock ticking sound at the beginning and another couple of times that were never explained--maybe they were self explanatory, not sure. Was this a total wash? No, of course not. The acting, especially by Julia Roberts and even Andrew Garfield were riveting, but not quite enough to save the writing. I believe this writer has promise--maybe she can start writing TV or shorts to hone her talent.

Certainly if you like thrillers and fine acting, you will probably enjoy this, but if tight screenwriting intrigues you more, this might miss. It was a bit disappointing considering how promising the trailer appeared, but with more work, the writer will surely improve.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                      Rated: R                                      139mins.

Truth & Treason

Wars have provided many stories that Hollywood has tapped into, such as "Schindler's List", "Sophie's Choice", "The Pianist", "Fury", "Inglorious Basterds", "1917", "All Quiet on the Western Front", and the like. Because there have been so many films of this subject matter, it's amazing that "Truth & Treason" is an film based on an incredible true story, and is a gripping story.

1941. As World War II rages, a teenage boy, Helmuth Hunener (Ewan Horrocks) in Germany is forced to confront a terrible truth--loyalty to his country now means loyalty to a lie. When his trusted bishop, Arthur Zander (Daniel Betts) urges obedience to the Nazi regime, he begins to question everything. And after his Jewish friend, Solomon Schwarz (Nye Occomore) is taken away, he secretly listens to banned radio broadcasts and launches a resistance including his friends, Karl-Heinz Schnibbe (Ferdinand McKay) and Rudi Wobbe (Daf Thomas), exposing the truth. But a nation ruled by fear, defiance comes at a cost--and as the regime closes in, headed up by Erwin Mussener (Rupert Evans), he must decide what it truly means to be a good German.

This is directed with intensity and soberness by Matt Whitaker ("Truth & Conviction" '02, "Small Fortunes: Microcredit and the Future of Poverty" (TV movie, documentary) '05) plus TV and a short. Even though this filmmaker doesn't have an abundant of experience behind the camera, what he has certainly has served him, The element of fear he was able to surface from his actors was realistic and haunting. He has written more work, however is he a natural? Maybe, but regardless he knows his craft. It was brilliantly written by Matt Whitaker ("Truth & Conviction" '02, "Saints and Soldiers" '03, "The Work and the Glory II: American Zion" '05, "Small Fortunes: Microcredit and the Future of Poverty" (TV movie, documentary) '05, "Stalking Santa" (additional writing) '06, "The Work and the Glory III: A House Divided" '06 , "Instrument of War" '17) plus TV, a short and a video, and Ethan Vincent ("The Romney Code: The Life and Ethics of George W. Romney" (TV movie) '08, "The Soul of Kalaupapa: Voices of Exile" '11) plus shorts. The sequencing, staging, pacing and continuity was truly spot on with the making of this film. Whitaker, the director had a passion about the premise of the film which helped him direct with more confidence and made ir easy to write, which made for an effective and sobering film. 

Certainly if you like war films, you'll revel with this. When seeing this film, I can't help but compare the incredible antisemitism back in the early 40s as compared to now. Antisemitism is on the rise and increasingly more rampant, and this is how this issue started back in the 40s. So, unless we want to have history repeat itself, we could see the 40s happen in this country in the near future. All must see this film lest this does end up happening.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                         Rated: PG-13                                            121mins.

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Soul on Fire

Ever so often, we are offered an inspirational or religious film to cause us to think and reflect on our lives and those around us. Films such as "Ordinary Angels", "Angels in the Outfield","Soul Surfer", "Miracles from Heaven", "The Unbreakable Boy", "American Underdog", "Invincible", and the like are films to tug on the heart while allowing us to witness a sobering situation. Now, to add to that list, we have "Soul on Fire".

"Soul on Fire" is an emotional and faith-filled portrait of resilience as John O'Leary (Joel Courtney) not only battles to survive an awful fire at the age of nine with years of surgeries and rehab, but ultimately discovers what it means to truly live. From frontline workers including Nurse Roy (DeVon Franklin) and Dr. Ayvazian (Iyad Hajjaj) to family members including his father, Denny O'Leary (John Corbett), his mother, Susan (Stephanie Szostak), his then girlfriend, Beth (Masey McLain) and the support of the wider community including the owner of the St. Louis Cardinals, Jack Buck (William H. Macy), this film is a celebration of heroes. 

Others to round out the cast are James McCracken as Young John, Natalie Buck as Nurse Colleen, Stella Bratcher as Amy O'Leary, Mikey Cestone as Jim O'Leary, Lucy Panozzo as Susie O'Leary, Enya Flack as Mrs. Whittacher and Brandon Davis as Self. 

This was directed with heart and inspiration by Sean McNamara ("Hollywood Chaos" '89, "The Legend of Galgameth" '96. "P.U.N.K.S." '98, "Race to Space" '01, "Bratz" '07, "Soul Surfer" '11, "Space Warriors" '13, "Spare Parts" '15, "Hoovey" '15, "The Miracle Season"'18, "Orphan Horse" '18, "Mighty Oak" '20, "The King's Daughter" '22, "On a Wing and a Prayer" '23, "Vindicta" '23, "Reagan" '24) plus other films, TV movies, Shorts, TV and videos. This seasoned director obviously knows his way around a film set and like with other movies, his staging and pacing seems effortless. The emotions these actors exuded wasn't fraught with sentimentality while still tugging at your heartstrings and this is well delineated and structured direction. He has many films and TV shows in the workings whether they be in development or pre-production. It was penned well by Gregory Poirier (" Danger Zone III: Steel Horse War" '90,  "Death Riders" '94, "Wild Malibu Weekend!" '95, "Rosewood" '97, "Gossip" 2000, "See Spot Run" '01, "Tomcats" '01, "A Sound of Thunder" '05, "The Spy Next Door"'10, "A Warrior's Tail" '15, "Yaga i kniga zaklinaniy" '23, "Knox Goes Away" '23) plus TV and videos, based on the book, "On Fire" by John O'Leary. There were a couple of small areas of continuity issues where the film was formatted in a quasi flashback way, and with that it became a bit confusing as the script was traversing from one scene to another, but certainly not enough to detract from this incredible story of the resiliency of this young man. 

If films based on true stories, or more to the point, inspirational films also are your liking, this film will fit the bill in spades. The cast was very effective where they hinged on one another's characters, and in this type of film, that is crucial. It's a sobering, heartfelt yet entertaining movie that teaches us all what strength in God is about and how grateful we all are and should be. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                        Rated: PG                                        112mins.

Roofman

There are films based on true stories, then there are films based on unbelievable stories such as "Pain and Gain" with Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson--an outrageous story, and "Dog Day Afternoon" with Al Pacino. Now we have "Roofman" about a man who robbed fast food places entering through the roof--hence the name which remarkably was based on a true story.

Based on an unbelievable true story, "Roofman" follows Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), an Army veteran and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald's restaurants by cutting holes in the roof, earning him the nickname: Roofman. After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys "R" Us, which was managed by Mitch (Peter Dinklage), for six months in their hidden storage area, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for Leigh Wainscott (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse as his past closes in. 

Others to round out the cast are LaKeith Stanfied as Steve, Ben Mendelsohn as Pastor Ron, Uzo Aduba as Eileen, Ron's wife, Emory Cohen as Otis, Juno Temple as Michelle, Tony Revolori as Duane, Alissa Marie Pearson as Becky, Jeff's daughter and Charles Cummings as Truck Driver. 

This was humorously yet interestingly directed by Derek Cianfrance ("Brother Tied" '98, "Blue Valentine" '10, "The Place Beyond the Pines" '10, "The Light Between Oceans" '16) plus TV and shorts. This director was absolutely able to get Tatum in that place where he could dig deep to strive to find the persona and character makeup of Manchester, His staging and pacing were also well structured. It was well written by Derek Cianfrance ("Brother Tied" '98, "Blue Valentine" '10, "The Place Beyond the Pines" '12, "The Light Between Oceans" '16, "Sound of Metal" (story) '19) plus TV and Kirt Gunn ("Lovely by Surprise" '07) plus a short. What makes this story so compelling is that, except for a neighboring Circuit City that Manchester also used that wasn't mentioned in the film, the rest of it was actually fact. I do remember hearing about this on the news back in the late 90s and found it unbelievable to think that anyone would rob a business from the roof--quite bizarre!. But he did get away with it for months simply by "hiding in plain sight" where no one looks. He was smart; calculating, but his dpwnfall was that he was so nice to everyone he came into contact with. The script was created in a way that one almost felt sorry for him since he wasn't the regular hardened criminal. He was just desperate. It was cohesive and concise and the casting of Tatum was spot on. 

This is definitely one film that is worthy of the price of admission. It was dramatic, funny an adventurous all rolled into the same movie. The supporting cast, especially that of Kirsten Dunst was equally effective and the roll of Mitch as the Toys "R" Us manager was uproarious. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                     Rated: R                                          126mins.

TRON: Ares

When "Tron" was released back in 1982, it was considered a film with amazing cutting edge technology. So with a huge box office draw, Disney, of course, took advantage of those profits, and then produced "Tron: Legacy" in 2010. It obviously wasn't as strong as its predecessor, so another sequel was quelled. But because of public input, Disney finally decided to release "Tron: Ares", and although this installment isn't as well thought as its original, itr was better than 'Legacy'. 

"TRON: Ares" follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares (Jared Leto), who is sent by his creator, Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters) from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind's first encounter with A.I. beings. Encom, Dillinger's rival company has found a way to make the A.I. beings last longer than 90 minutes, Eve Kim (Greta Lee) being the creator of this amazing program. So, her having this information, Dillinger wants it tremendously so he can make an incredible profit. 

Others to round out the cast are Arturo Castro as Seth Flores, Gillian Anderson as Elizabeth Dillinger, Julian's mother, Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, Jodie Turner-Smith as Athena, Hasan Minhaj as Ajay Singh, Cameron Monaghan as Caius and Sarah Desjardins as Erin. 

This was intensely directed with grit by Joachim Ronning ("Bandidas" '06, "Max Manus: Man of War" '08, "Kon-Tiki" '12, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" '17, "Doomsday" (TV movie) '17, "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" '19, "Young Woman and the Sea" '24) plus TV and shorts. What's extremely refreshing about this filmmaker is that he can handle the much size and complexity of a large big-budget film, as with this film, but also he can easily be as comfortable in manning the direction of a smaller production such as "Young Woman and the Sea", which was a very well executed film. It was written with the similarity of its predecessors by Jesse Wigutow ("It Runs in the Family" '03, "The Prince" (TV movie) '15) plus TV and shorts, based on a story by David DiGilio ans Jesse Wigutow, which is based on characters created by Steven Lisberger and Bonnie MacBird. "Tron: Legacy" incorporated two screenwriters for the script, which typically can be effective. However, this installment involved only one screenwriter which can make the story more adhesive and tighter, which made this a better script than that of 'Legacy". It was interesting how this writer was able to incorporate Kevin Flynn (Bridges) into this installment as well as 'Legacy', since the original chronicled Flynn and his issues with the grid. Other than a couple of small inconsistencies in script, this story soared. It did take a little time to get the story going, but once it did, it was much more entertaining. The visual effects, predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) were stunning, as was the cinematography by Jeff Cronenweth asc!

If you are an ardent fan of this franchise, you'll revel with this. It definitely does leave the door open for yet another sequel--assuming it makes a truck load of money. If you like the up, close and personal feel, it is presented in an IMAX and a 3D format as well. Assuming you want to see this, you must see it on the big screen to get the full grandiose feeling of it. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: PG-13                             119mins.

The Smashing Machine

Films based on true stories have been a common staple in Hollywood for decades. And with this, sports films based on true stories have grown. And even more to the point, boxing/wrestling films have become more popularized. Films like "Rocky", "Creed", "The Fighter", "Southpaw", "Raging Bull" have captured audiences. So to keep that list growing list,  we have "The Smashing Machine" in the offing. 

This film is based on the unforgettable true story of Dwayne Johnson portraying the former MMA/UFC champion Mark Kerr. This surrounds Kerr's life with his girlfriend, Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt), his coach and friend, Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader) and others, and his rise through the MMA world which unfortunately ended up being derailed by his opioid addiction. This part of his life was set between the years of 1997-2000 where he was to ultimately vie for the coveted top wrestler of the world being telecast in Japan. 

Others to round out the cast are Bas Rutten as himself, Oleksandr Usyk as Igor Vovchanchyn, Andre Tricoteux as Paul Varelans, James McSweeney as Varelans' cornerman, Jerin Valel as Sergio Batarelli. Jill Basey as Peggy, Ilan Rosenberg as Colema's cornerman and Yasuko Mitsuura as Pride Director. 

This was creatively directed by Benny Safdie ("Daddy Longlegs" '09, "Buttons" '11, "Lenny Cooke" '13, "Heaven Knows What" '14, "Good Time" '17, "Uncut Gems" '19) plus shorts and music videos. The amazing quality that this filmmaker has is his innate ability to give a stark and painstakingly vivid approach to his projects. This film was almost approached as though it was a documentary even though it obviously was not--via the photography, editing (which he also edited) and the staging. It definitely made the production much more real than it would've been otherwise. If you like his directing style, his "Lizard Music" is in pre-production. The film was also written with grit and intensity by Benny Safdie ("Daddy Lonhlegs" '09, "Uncut Gems" '19) plus shorts and a music video. Even though he has only two other feature films to his credit, his shorts has certainly served him well. His "Uncut Gems" was remarkable; not only for Safdie, but Adam Sandler as well, who should perform in more dramas. This. like the direction was formatted in a way that the audience was watching the layout of a documentary, or at least a reality show. It was like peering into the lives of Kerr and all he knows. It will be interesting to see how he handles his "Lizard Music" which, as aforementioned, is in pre-production. And being the editor of this film only helped him to convey the feel of the film in order to convince the audience of who this man truly is. It was shot well by Maceo Bishop and the acting by Johnson could possibly garner a nomination for him come Oscar time--it was stunning!

If you like biopics or sports films, or more to the point, boxing/wrestling films, this is one film you must see. The acting, directing and photography are all first rate. Other that a couple of very small areas of inconsistencies in script, this screenplay soared. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                      Rated: R                                          123mins.