Have I mentioned before that I love well written movies? Yeah, I thought I did. Not only do I expect on a good script (whether it's fluff or heavy-handed), I count on it, because this IS supposed to be an art form. Well, art form simply describes "Boyhood" in spades!
Filmed over 12 years with the same cast, "Boyhood" is a groundbreaking story of growing up as seen through the eyes of a child named Mason (a breakthrough performance by Ellar Coltrane), who literally grows up--from 6-18 years of age, on screen before our eyes. Starring Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette as Mason's parents and newcomer Lorelei Linklater as his sister Samantha, "Boyhood" charts the rocky terrain of childhood like no other film has before. Snapshots of adolescence from road trips and family dinners and graduations and all the moments in between become transcendent, set to a soundtrack spanning the years from Coldplay's Yellow to Arcade Fire's Deep Blue. "Boyhood" is both a nostalgic time capsule of the recent past and an ode to growing up and parenting.
Others to round out the cast are Marco Perella as Professor Bill Welbrock, Libby Villari as Grandma, Steven Prince as Ted, Jamie Howard as Mindy, Andrew Villarreal as Randy, Shane Graham as Neighborhood Friend #1, Tess Allen as Neighborhood Friend #2, Charlie Sexton as Jimmy, Barbara Chisholm as Carol, Zoe Graham as Sheena, Maximillian McNamara as Dalton, Richard Robichaux as Mason's Boss, and Sam Dillon as Nick.
This was directed by the incomparable Richard Linklater ("It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books" '88, "Slacker" '91, "Dazed and Confused" '93, "Before Sunrise"'95, "SubUrbia" '96, "The Newton Boys" '98, "Walking Life" '01, "Tape" '01, "School of Rock" '03, "Before Sunset" '04, "$5.15/Hr." (TV movie) '04, "Bad News Bears" '05, "Fast Food Nation" '06, "A Scanner Darkly" '06, "Inning by Inning: A Portrait of a Coach" (Documentary) '08, "Me and Orson Welles" '08, "Bernie" '11, "Before Midnight" '13). By his very resume, this guy has an eclectic array of projects he's worked on, and with such a difference in his work, Linklater has proven himself as quite the chameleon. He knows his actors and how their characters should interact together, and it shows all too well with this film. He wrote this film as well which is where he shined the most. First of all, to take a film and stretch it out as long as 12 years is cutting edge in and of itself, secondly taking a subject matter that has been done many times over (a basic rights of passage film), and be able to write it in a way that is funny, sad, tragic, poignant, rebellious and happy and keep your attention for a whopping 162 minute running time is miraculous. The script was real as were the performances. An example of real--Dad: (Mason bowls a gutter ball) Alright, don't worry about it. Mason: I wish I could use the bumpers... Dad: You don't want the bumpers, life doesn't give you bumpers. It was as though you were just observing a family in the living mode. The interaction between these actors also seemed real and effortless.
This is a film you need to watch. As the selling slogan dictates: "12 years in the making". Literally you get to see this boy age before your eyes and if that isn't original enough for you, then there's nothing out there that will take care of that request.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: R 162mins.
It being the summer movie season, I thought that more animated films would have been released by now. Other than the clever "How to Train Your Dragon 2", "Planes: Fire & Rescue" is the only other one thus far. Of course, with films like "Maleficent", "Transformers: Age of Extinction", "Earth to Echo" and the "X-Men" sequel, with these including so many visuals, one might include them as animated to a degree.
On the heels of winning his around-the-world air race, world famous air racer Dusty Crophopper (Dane Cook) learns from his mechanic Dottie (Teri Hatcher) that his engine can no longer fly at high speeds and he may never race again, so he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger (Ed Harris) and his team including Lil' Dipper (Julie Bowen), Windlifter (Wes Studi) and their mechanic Maru (Curtis Armstrong) which are known as smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire, and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero.
Others to round out the cast are John Michael Higgins as Cal, Hal Holbrook as Mayday, Brad Garrett as Chug, Stacy Keach as Skipper, Cedric the Entertainer as Leadbottom, Danny Mann as Sparky, Barry Corbin as Ol' Jammer, Regina King as Dynamite, Anne Meara as Winnie, Jerry Stiller as Harvey, Fred Willard as Secretary of the Interior, Patrick Warburton as Pulaski, Erik Estrada as Nick 'Loop'n' Lopez and John Ratzenberger as Brodi.
This was effectively directed by virtual newcomer to feature films, Bobs Gannaway ("Secret of the Wings" '12) plus video and plenty of TV. This guy will undoubtedly receive more theatrical film work since his style and quality is as talented as any veteran director out there. The story and screenplay were by Gannaway and Jeffrey M. Howard, and it really wasn't a sequel as much as it was somewhat of a continuation of "Planes" '13. After his win, he now has no choice but to have to reinvent himself since he is unable to race, so joining the aerial firefighters, he doesn't have to race, but still feels he has worth if this works for him. If, a huge word as he finds out all too clear. So the premise was quite clever--definite, obvious similarities, however with a good dose of originality in premise and script to hold its audience's attention. And the animation by the Disney Toon Studios was superb.
Yes, I still feel like it's Pixar Animation's "Cars" with wings, but with a cohesive plot and effective characterization, it is extremely difficult to fault it too much. A great family film in the 3D format to entertain all.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG 83mins.
When I saw the first trailer of "Begin Again", I suddenly realized that this would be a worthy film to see, but after watching it, I only came to realize how well-crafted this film really is. This is a film that 'burns' slowly to get you to that place of pure enjoyment of what you are witnessing on the screen.
Gretta (Keira Knightley) and her long-time boyfriend Dave (Adam Levine) are college sweethearts and songwriting partners who decamp for New York when he lands a deal with a major label as a singer. But the trappings of his new-found fame soon tempt Dave to stray, and a reeling, lovelorn Gretta is left on her own. Her good friend Steve (James Corden) talks her into going to a favorite East Side stage and her world then takes a turn for the better when Dan (Mark Ruffalo), a disgraced, fired record-label exec and producer happens to stumble upon her while she's performing at that stage, and is immediately captivated by her raw talent. From this chance encounter emerges an enchanting portrait of a mutually transformative collaboration, set to the soundtrack of a summer in New York.
Others to round out the cast are Hailee Steinfeld as Violet, Dan and Miriam's daughter, Yasiin Bey AKA Mof Def as Saul, Dan's record-label partner, Cee Lo Green as Troublegum, singer star Dan helped, Catherine Keener as Miriam, Dan's ex-wife, Aya Cash as Jenny, Ian Brodsky as Malcolm, Shannon Maree Walsh as Rachel, Jennifer Li as Mim and Paul Romero as Bartender.
This was brilliantly and refreshingly written and directed by consummate filmmaker John Carney ("November Afternoon" '96, "Park" '99, "On the Edge" '01, "Once" '06, "Zonad" '09, "The Rafters" '12). This is one director that is able to emit so much communication between his actors with so few words, it's staggers the mind. I'd give you specifics in this, but it could ruin certain scenes for you. It is written in a way that starts at the end of one day and then backs up and Carney does this more than once which makes this more unique because of its non-sequential format. This isn't an easy format to convey without becoming convoluted, but this guy does it effortlessly. Carney doesn't work on a plethora of projects, but what he does is a guaranteed work of quality and art. Ruffalo and Knightley's chemistry is pure perfection as one can obviously see.
As aforementioned, this film 'burns' slowly, but this is to get its audience set up so when these two artists finally meet, it's fireworks in collaboration and friendship that will give everyone a sense that art and passion can triumph over money, fame and all the 'looking good' stuff which traps so many in this field.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: R 104mins.
Franchises are a sure-fire way for Hollywood to keep that 'gravy train' just chugging right along, because they are money making avenues. GHA-CHING! There are many film franchises out there, but one of the most profitable ones has got to be 'Planet of the Apes'. With five films back in the late '60s and 70s to its credit, along with the remake in 2001, then the "Rise of the Planet of the Apes", it all leads us up to "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes". Oh, and if you like this installment, don't worry, another installment has already been announced. What a shock!
Some years after the previous "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" ended, a growing number of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar (Andy Serkis) is threatened by a small group of human survivors led by Malcolm (Jason Clarke) to attempt to find any electricity in a nearby dam which happens to be in the same area of the ape's home ground. The search for electricity is from a fallout of the devastating Simian virus unleashed a decade earlier. Through talks with Caesar and Malcolm and Dreyfus (Gary Oldman)--the actual leader of the humans, each species reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, mostly because of both sides having amongst them certain ones who have no intension of allowing peace. So through a great deal of assuming and manipulation on both sides, they are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.
Others to round out the cast are Keri Russell as Ellie, Toby Kebbell as Koba, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Alexander, Malcolm's son, Kirk Acevedo as Carver, Nick Thurston as Blue Eyes, Terry Notary as Rocket, Karin Konoval as Maurice, Judy Greer as Cornelia, Jon Eyez as Foster, Enrique Murciano as Kemp, Doc Shaw as Ash and Lee Ross as Grey.
This was effectively directed by Matt Reeves ("The Pallbearer" '96, "Cloverfield" '08, "Let Me In" '10) plus a ton of TV. He was so effective in portraying these apes as a species in the middle of evolving due to the chemical given in the previous installation, that Reeves is slated to direct the next installation as well. This was written by Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver and Mark Bomback based on characters created by Jaffa and Silver which was originally based on the novel, "La Planete des Singes" by Pierre Boulle. If you haven't figured out why there are so many installments of this franchise, other than the money, it's because these films are slowly leading us up to the original, "Planet of the Apes", explaining just how our society got so turned upside down. So these are a series and not merely sequels to the original. This was a bit long-in-the-tooth, but once it got going, it had a together, consistent and exciting pace to it--you just have to be patient until it gets there. Certainly the visual effects predominantly created by Weta Digital, Ltd. were seamless, but since this company is the same one that's produced the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and the "Hobbit" films, it's no wonder that the visuals would be anything but.
If you're into a total escape summer film to spend two plus hours all in a neat 3D process, look no further, because this 'ride' will get you from point A to point B walking out of the theater feeling as if you just came off a roller coaster. Have fun!
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 130mins.
There have been a plethora of documentaries made in the recent past that have been controversial and/or political in nature. I believe that people out there want and feel they need to be more informed about certain serious topics since the actual sources of where these documentarians get there info are not trusted by people as a whole. Films such as "Michael Moore Hates America" '04, "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" '05, "Exposed" '08, "Capitalism: A Love Story" '09, "I Want Your Money" '10, "Hating Breitbart" '12, "Fed Up" '14 plus many others, are basically a backlash of how much frustration there is in our population about many topics under the sun. "America" screams so much of this country's frustration, the title even carries a sub title: "Imagine the World Without Her".
Someone once observed: America is great because she is good; if she ever ceases to be good she will cease to be great." Today that notion of the essential goodness of America is under attack, replaced by another story in which theft and plunder are seen as the defining features of American history-- from the theft of Native American and Mexican lands and the exploitation of African labor to a contemporary foreign policy said to be based on stealing oil and a capitalist system that robs people of their "fair share". Or are all these notions simply the other way around? This examines, by Dinesh D'Souza, both sides of that coin and allows its audience to draw their own opinion and obvious conclusion.
Others to round out the cast are Josh Bonzie as Frederick Douglass, Rick Bentz as Saul Alinsky, Chris Bruza as John Fer, Corey Dykes as Christopher Columbus, Michael D. Arite as Maj. Henry Rathbone, Don Taylor as Abraham Lincoln, Michelle Swink as Mary Todd Lincoln, John Koopman as Young George Washington, Caroline Granger as Young Martha Washington, Jodie Moore as Old George Washington, Lynette Bennette as Old Martha Washington, Danny Marroquin as John Wilkes Booth, Todd Trice as Steven Douglas, Juanitta Swain as Madame C.J. Walker, Rett Terrell as Alexis de Tocqueville and Jennifer Pearson as Young Hilary Clinton. Interviewed: Alan M. Dershowitz, Charmaine Whiteface, Noam Chomsky, Charles Truxillo, Ted Cruz, Michael Eric Dyson, Ward Churchill, Jagdish Bhagwati, Allen Guelzo, Ron Radosh, Niall Ferguson, Rand Paul, Stanley Fish, Brian Westbury, Arthur Brooks, Star Parker, Harvey Silverglate, Leslyn Wallace, Dan Robinson, Temo Muniz and Casey Allen.
This was directed with stark reality loaded with stats and figures by Dinesh D'Souza and John Sullivan ("2016: Obama's America" (Documentary) '12). Depending on whichever side you find yourself, this is loaded with a ton of information. These guys bring its audience in an multi-faceted way. Sure, one can tell where these guys' hearts lie, but they still convey this in a way that allows you to draw that conclusion or, at least, make one think. It was written by D'Souza, Sullivan and Bruce Schooley and using re-enactments tucked in between different interviews was a very clever presentation in that it allowed the audience to learn something all the while being entertained in the process.
Whether one even is able to conclude their opinion of this documentary, it will certainly keep anyone who watched this thinking for a while after leaving the theater door. And this is a healthy characteristic of any quality documentary.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 103mins.
Have I mentioned before that I love documentaries? If I have, the reason is because of multi- faceted aspects including vital information with facts and figures and the entertainment element to tie all this info together so as to leave the audience with something important to think about. As with the case of "Life Itself", this has all the ingredients of a well delineated, well thought out documentary with just the right amount of drama and comic relief to keep us riveted.
This recounts the surprising and entertaining life of world-renowned film critic and social commentator Roger Ebert-- a story that's by turns personal, wistful, funny, painful and transcendent. The film, based on Ebert's memoir, "Life Itself" explores the impact and legacy of Roger Ebert's life: from his Pulitzer Prize-winning film criticism and his nearly quarter-century run with Gene Siskel on their "Sneak Previews" review show, to becoming one of the country's most influential cultural voices, and finally to Roger's inspiring battles with cancer and the resulting physical disability with his wife Chaz clearly at his side every step of the journey. And this also delves into how he literally and symbolically put a new face on the disease and continued to be a cultural force despite it.
This interviews those that were affected by him personally and professionally which include directors, Martin Scorsese and Werner Herzog, filmmaker Ramin Bahrani, critics A.O.Scott, Richard Corliss and Jonathan Rosenbaum, Siskel's wife Marlene Iglitzen, producer Nancy De Los Santos, friends Roger Simon, William Nack, John McHugh, and Rick Kogan, and Josh Golden who assisted him in chronicling his life and work for this film.
This was directed by documentarian Steve James ("Hoop Dreams" (Documentary) '94, "Passing Glory" (TV movie) '99, "Stevie" (Documentary) '02, "Reel Paradise" (Documentary) '05, "The Interrupters" (Documentary) '11, "Head Games" (Documentary) '12) plus others. James had always wanted to work with Ebert in some capacity, so when he had heard of Ebert's memoir was to come into being to be turned into a film, James jumped all over it, and won Ebert over after they met. This is extremely comprehensive and exhaustive including his upbringing, college years, the early years of reporting, his Pulitzer Prize to subsequently meeting and marrying his wife Chaz at the ripe age of 50 years. This man was phenomenal-- he was a film critic for half the time movies had been made and no other film critic had won the coveted Pulitzer before Ebert's win nor since then.
If you like documentaries, you'll love this. In fact this will probably go down in film history as one of the finest, most comprehensive documentaries made. So I beseech you to go see this and prepared to be amazed and entertained at the same time.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: R 119mins.
Being in the midst of the summer movie season, it's always nice, if not outright imperative to have a certain degree of family oriented movie fare so the kids, who are out of school, will have something to delve into without the parents worrying about what's flashing on that screen in front of their impressionable kids. This is why films like "Earth to Echo" work so well given the season it is in.
Alex (Teo Halm), Tuck (Brian 'Astro' Bradley) and Munch (Reese Hartwig) are a trio of inseparable friends whose lives are about to change. Their neighborhood is being destroyed to make way for a huge highway project that is forcing their families to move away. But just two days before they must part ways, the boys begin receiving a strange series of encrypted signals on their phones. Convinced something bigger is going on, they team up with another school friend, Emma (Ella Wahlestedt), and set out to look for the source of their phone signals. What they discover is something beyond their wildest imaginations: a small alien who has become stranded on Earth. In need of their help, the four friends come together to protect the alien, which they call 'Echo", and help him find his way home. This journey, full of wonder, and adventure, is their story and their secret.
Others to round out the cast are Jason Gray-Stanford as Dr. Lawrence Madsen, Alga Smith as Marcus Simms, Cassius Willis as Calvin Simms, Sonya Leslie as Theresa Simms, Kerry O'Malley as Janice Douglas, Virginia Louise Smith as Betty Barrett, Peter McKenzie as James Hastings, Valerie Wildman as Christine Hastings, and Mary Pat Gleason as Dusty.
This was directed by virtual newcomer to theatrical features, Dave Green (Shorts and TV). He should go places, because the comraderie between these three buddies came across so real and normal and their astonishment of the finding they found in Echo was carried out so effectively that this was clearly talented directing. It was written by Henry Gayden based on a story by Gayden and Andrew Panay. This is where the confusion comes in, because this screenplay was loosely based on a story by these guys, but it was really based on the motion picture, "E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial" '82. To give these guys credit, this might have been a homage to that film, but this was certainly not original. Com'on, the similarities are aplenty: both films contain three young kids that live in a suburban housing tract, both sets of kids find a friendly alien who has lost their way and need theses kids' help to get back home, both sets of kids protect the aliens from a government 'cover up', both sets of parents are basically clueless of what's going on, and lastly both aliens make it back to their respective homes only to leave the one's that helped them shedding a tear or two. Oh, come now, you know this alien makes it--it's a family film, it's just how does he do it is what makes this a fun ride. Hey, you be the judge.
The real difference here is the visual effects. In this film, they are much better than in E.T., but look how many years apart we are talking about. Suffice it to say, even though you know this is merely a remake of E.T. just from watching the trailer, it will still pull your emotional heart string enough for you to enjoy 'E.T.' all over again.
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG 91mins.
Have I mentioned before that I love well written movies? Yeah, I thought I did. Not only do I expect on a good script (whether it's fluff or heavy-handed), I count on it, because this IS supposed to be an art form. Well, art form simply describes "Boyhood" in spades!
