Hollywood is simply fascinated with films based in the future where the Earth is or was going through some devastating event, war, pestilence, famine, alien attack, etc. The list of these films is as endless as the films are commonly rueful. Yet, we all still come back to the multiplex to catch a glimpse of these epics, in some cases. "Interstellar" certainly can be added to that ever popular list, and the results are cerebral as well as interesting and refreshing.
In the distant future Earth has been devastated by drought and famine, causing a scarcity in food and extreme changes in climate. When humanity is facing extinction, a mysterious rip in the space-time continuum, or wormhole, if you will, is discovered by Professor Brand (Michael Caine) and his daughter, Amelia (Anne Hathaway), giving mankind the opportunity to widen their lifespan for generations to come. One of the past's pilots, Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) along with Amelia, Doyle (Wes Bentley), and Romilly (David Gyasi) as explorers, must travel past our solar system in search of a planet that can sustain life. The crew of the Endurance are required to think bigger and go further than any human in history as they embark on an interstellar voyage--into the unknown. Cooper, the pilot of the Endurance, must decide between seeing his children again and the future of the human race. Can this work, and if so, how could it possibly be achieved?
Others to round out the cast are Jessica Chastain as Older Murph, Cooper's daughter, Matt Damon as Dr. Mann, Mackenzie Foy as Young Murph, Casey Affleck as Older Tom, Cooper's son, Topher Grace as Getty, Ellen Burstyn as Old Murph, John Lithgow as Donald, Cooper's Father-in-law, Leah Cairns as Lois, Tom's wife, Timothee Chalamet as Young Tom, Bill Irwin as TARS (voice), and Josh Stewart as CASE (voice).
Christopher Nolan ("Memento" 2000, "Insomnia" '02, "Batman Begins" '05, "The Prestige" '06, "The Dark Knight" '08, "Inception" '10, "The Dark Knight Rises" '12) directed this epic piece. One thing that can be said for Nolan is he typically gives us films that will cause a great deal of thinking. These films just aren't high-budget, high explosive films with amazing visual effects, but rather they are vehicles sparking a barrage of thinking--cerebrally in some cases. He consistently goes out on that ever extending limb breaking all the rules without giving us 'fluff' as with so many other films that mostly market on being explosive, highly visual where story certainly takes a back seat to effects. This was written by Jonathan Nolan and again, Christopher Nolan. This could've been so easily convoluted in plot sequence, but these consummate pros simply pulled it off. The only thing that puzzled me a bit was that, at times, the film's music had a tendency to overtake some of the voice over sequences, otherwise this production was spot on. I saw this in a pre-released 35mm cut version which was stunning, and I'm sure when it's formally released on Friday, the IMAX version should be captivating, to say the least.
Nolan is such a talented filmmaker and anything he's connected with is quality with a capital 'Q'. I recommend this film to one and all, because if the premise throws you a bit, the visual effects, acting, directing and cinematography will keep you glued for that 169 minute running time.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 169mins.
Quirky, odd films are becoming a fairly main staple of the film industry. I feel that since Hollywood has produced some very ordinary, banal films throughout the last several decades, the independent film companies have jumped on the band wagon and have offered us movies that not only we can sink our teeth into, but have a clever premise all the while entertaining us on many levels. "Lars and the Real Girl", "Juno", "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", "The Fault With Our Stars", "Boyhood", "Locke", or any of the Coen Brothers films have captured our interest, certainly our attention while entertaining us with fresh writers, directors, and acting. "Birdman" is a film which definitely is quirky and original, but could use some work.
Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton), once known quite well to movie theater goers as an iconic super hero called "The Birdman", had recently turned down a fourth installment of the franchise. Now washed up, he attempts to reinvent himself as a director, writer and actor by staging a new retelling of a classic Broadway dramatic play called "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love". The events leading up to the Saturday night premiere prove to be one disaster after another as the original lead actor is injured while on set and Riggan and his producer, Jake (Zach Galifianakis) scrambles to find a replacement, but the replacement, Mike (Edward Norton) proves to be exactly who these two need-- a method actor who takes the job way too seriously. But as Riggan has a difficult time juggling between the set, his replacement actor, and his equally washed up daughter, Sam (Emma Stone), a host of other disasters happen that prevent a proper staging of the play. Meanwhile, a New York Times critic (Lindsay Duncan) who Riggan has to woo threatens to kill his play without even seeing it because she can't stand Riggan-- his plastic, commercial movie star status whom she feels is not an actor.
Others to round out the cast are Naomi Watts as Lesley, Riggan's ex-wife, Andrea Riseborough as Laura, Amy Ryan as Sylvia, Merritt Wever as Annie, Jeremy Shamos as Ralph, Michael Siberry as Larry and Clark Middleton as Sidney.
The pacing in this--the in-your-face approach with these different characters, and amazing grit was extremely well delineated by director Alejandro G. Inarritu ("Amores Perros" 2000, "21 Grams" '03, "Babel" '06, "Biutiful" '10) plus several shorts. His direction keeps getting better with each project he's connected with. It was written by Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo. Whereas the film more than exceled in the direction, the writing could've been a bit more polished. Trust me, the script was good, however there were scenes that really had not to do with the premise that could've been left out. Plus, there weren't a very strong difference between the 'dream' sequences and reality which added to a fair amount of confusion. But the premise and story was certainly fresh and original, which is what actually keeps you going throughout this. Emmanuel Lubezki, asc/amc ("Like Water For Chocolate" '92, "The Birdcage" '96, "Meet Joe Black" '98, "Ali" '01, "The Assassination of Richard Nixon" '04, "The New World" '05, "Burn After Reading" '08, "The Tree of Life" '11, "Gravity" '13) plus many others, photographed this and it shines with intricate detail within the gritty lights and darks which simply adds to the feel of this. Even Keaton gives the performance of a lifetime in this-- possibly could receive an Oscar nod come that time.
If you like more of the formulaic films, this probably isn't for you-- this being made for a select audience, however if you like quirky with a weird bent, this is one that will certainly fit the bill.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 119mins.
I'm sure you've heard that people will do just about anything to get their 15 minutes. Well, let's turn that around where the freelance camera crew will do just about anything to achieve their 15 minutes, for a price of course. "Nightcrawler" is basically about the latter, and the job done by these individuals basically match the name, because the name Nightcrawler emphatically gives me the creeps.
This is a thriller set in the nocturnal underbelly of contemporary Los Angeles. Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a driven young man desperate for work discovers the high-speed world of L.A. crime journalism. Finding a group of freelance camera crew, one crew lead by Joe Loder (Bill Paxton), film crashes, fires, murder and mayhem, Louis muscles into the cut-throat, dangerous world of nightcrawling-- where each police siren wail equals a possible windfall and victims are converted into dollars and cents. Aided by news director, Nina Romina (Rene Russo), a veteran of the blood sport that is local TV news, Louis blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.
Others to round out the cast are Riz Ahmed as Rick, Louis' assistant, Kevin Rahm as Frank Kruse, Michael Hyatt as Detective Fronteiri, Ann Cusack as Linda, Rick Chambers as KWLA Anchor Ben Waterman, Holly Hannula as KWLA Anchor Lisa Mays, Eric Lange as Ace Video Cameraman, James Huang as Marcus Mayhem Video, Michael Papajohn as Security Guard, and Marco Rodriguez as Scrapyard Owner.
This was directed by seasoned writer Dan Gilroy. This guy was born to direct, because the pacing by the strategic actors was incredible. This being his first theatrical film, he will receive more work. Gilroy also wrote this gritty, on-the-edge-of-your-seat screenplay. The way that he used the actors to convey their own obsessiveness for being in this biz was so effective-- it made you feel as you were looking into the real world of nightcrawling almost as a documentary. One of the stars of this was that of cinematographer, Robert Elswit, asc. ("Boogie Nights" '97, "8MM" '99, "Magnolia" '99, "Heist" '01, "Punch-Drunk Love" '02, "Runaway Jury" '03, "Good Night, and Good Luck" '05, "Michael Clayton" '07, "There Will Be Blood" '07, "Duplicity" '09, "The Men Who Stare at Goats" '09, "Salt" '10, "The Town" '10, "Mission Impossible--Ghost Protocol" '12, "The Bourne Legacy" '12) plus many others. His ability to show just the correct amount of light in an overly 'dark' film is brilliant, and the photography is stunning--incredibly crisp as we saw in the film "There Will Be Blood", his Oscar winner. Gyllenhaal definitely out did himself in his performance. Playing a man teetering between self-driveness and sociopathic tendencies was an incredible tightrope to walk indeed.
For those into creepy, dark thrillers where each character looks questionable at best-- physically and mentally, this is the film for you. Otherwise, this might deem to be a movie some might squirm a bit too much at, like a... nightcrawler.
Out of 4 stars: 3 Rated: R 117mins.
When I watch a comedy film from Wes Anderson ("Moonrise Kingdom"), Paul Thomas Anderson ("Boogie Nights") or even The Coen Brothers, I think quirky, dry-witted and even weird. Well, when seeing "St. Vincent", it seemed to have a similar style of these notorious writers and directors, however I soon realized that it wasn't which surprised me. This being so dry that it seemed almost serious made this even a more appealing film than you'd expect.
Maggie (Melissa McCarthy), a newly divorced single mother, moves into a new home in Brooklyn with her 12-year old son, Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher). Forced to work long hours, she has no choice but to leave Oliver in the care of their new neighbor, Vincent (Bill Murray), a retired, bawdy curmudgeon with a penchant for alcohol and gambling. An odd friendship soon blossoms between the improbable pair. Together with a pregnant stripper named Daka (Naomi Watts), Vincent brings Oliver along on all the stops that make up his daily routine-- the race track, a strip club, and the local dive bar. Vincent helps Oliver grow to become a man, while Oliver begins to see in Vincent something that no one else is able to: a misunderstood man with a good heart.
Others to round out the cast are Chris O'Dowd as Brother Geraghty, Oliver's teacher, Terrence Howard as Zucko, a loan shark, Kimberly Quinn as Nurse Ana, Lenny Venito as Coach Mitchell, Dario Barosso as Ocinski, a classmate of Oliver's, Donna Mitchell as Sandy, Ann Dowd as Shirley, Sunnyside Administrator, and Nate Corddry as Terry.
This was well written and directed by Theodore Melfi ("Winding Roads" '99) plus many shorts. Granted, this guy is no Wes Anderson or Paul Thomas Anderson, but considering this guy has only written and directed one other feature film, this filmmaker is definitely going to go places. The subtle, dry comedy is not easy to accomplish, especially when it is coupled with some dramatic aspects that can pull the heartstrings. This is usually accompanied with a veteran, seasoned professional. This is one of Murray's better efforts and it was certainly interesting to see McCarthy in a 'straight' across the board actor, obviously giving center stage to Murray. This being the young actor, Lieberher's introduction to films, I can safely say he will be in more projects. He was a natural and held his own while around Murray. And Watts' Slavic dialect was a hoot! She had to have had a ball making this. Melfi's a little rough around the edges, however given more work, he will become yet another Wes Anderson and the like.
Between the premise, acting, writing and directing, this certainly has something for all kinds of people. It's quirky, fun, odd and entertaining all in the same film.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 102mins.
As the old adage states, "truth is better than fiction" seems to apply with so many films we have seen recently, i.e. "Zero Dark Thirty", "Pain & Gain", "When the Game Stands Tall", "Soul Surfer" and the most recent "Kill the Messenger". All of these films plus others are as diverse in their subject matter as they are in their genre. So when "23 Blast" came along with that 'based on a true story' disclaimer, as with its predecessors, I just couldn't resist.
In the prime of his youth, up and coming football star, Travis Freeman (Mark Hapka), lost his sight due to a sinus infection caused by a rare disease. Practically overnight, he became irreversibly blind, and subsequently had to cope with all the trials and tribulations awaiting him. With the love and support from his family, mom, Mary (Kim Zimmer), dad, Larry (Dylan Baker) and closest friends, Jerry Baker (Bram Hoover) and Ashley (Alexa PenaVega) and his 'tough love' physical therapist Patty Wheatley (Becky Ann Baker), he finally learned to push himself to extraordinary heights. Relying on his other senses and his instincts, he did the unthinkable! Displaying unconditional determination, he learned a lot through Coach Farris (Stephen Lang), he proved nothing could dampen the spirit of a champion.
Others to round out the cast are Max Adler as Cameron Marshall, one of the football players, Kevin Cooney as Coach Burley, Scott Sowers as Mr. Marshall, Cameron's dad, Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Dr. Connelly, Crystal Hunt as Molly, Timothy Busfield as Duncan, the Athletic Director and Fred Dalton Thomas as Coach Powers.
This was directed by newcomer, at least to the director's chair, Dylan Baker. He has a ton of acting experience, however this is his first theatrical film as director. some of the pacing was a bit stagy and looked a bit forced, but considering his minimal experience in that chair, he did an exemplary job. It was also written by first time writers for theatrical films, Bram Hoover and Toni Hoover. Even though this was based on a true story, these two still had the task of writing this story in the sequence as the original story went. There were few inconsistencies in script, but overall, this was written far better than one would think again, considering the experience. These artists will surely receive more work whether in front or behind the camera, but they were gutsy in that this director and writers were willing to go out on that precarious limb and live to tell the tale.
Hey, this, as were "Soul Surfer" and "When the Game Stands Tall" are inspirational films, and isn't it time that we learn a thing or two from others who went through, in some cases, tremendous obstacles so we hopefully can get back to trying to connect once again with each other?
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: PG-13 98mins.
When one thinks of the term, hit man, usually they conjure up a film such as "The Godfather" or some other mafia related movie. However, ever since the film, Death Wish" back in '74, it sort of gave the term hit man or vigilante a more respected and even good connotation--good vs. evil, because the law won't protect the innocent. Since then we've seen "Diary of a Hitman" '91, "Hitman" '07 and even the recent "Equalizer" with Denzel Washington. So when "John Wick" came on the scene, the filmmakers undoubtedly wanted to market on a genre that people want to see more, especially when we are seemingly living in a society where people, quite literally, get away with murder.
An ex-hitman, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters, Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist), his son, Iosef (Alfie Allen) and others, that robbed him of his reason for living. With New York City as his bullet-riddled playground, this is an interesting stylized take on the 'assassin genre'.
The huge mistake that Viggo's son makes is when he steals Wick's classic muscle '60s Mustang and kills his puppy dog, all the while having no idea who he just attacked. His father clues him in, only to let his son know that he will be coming after him, because this was no ordinary man--this was John Wick. He has been nick-named 'The Boogyman', where he will stop at nothing and is totally lethal. Of all people Iosef had to tamper with, this guy was not the one to force out of retirement. Talk about opening up Pandora's box.
Others to round out the cast are Willem Dafoe as Marcus, Dean Winters as Avi, Vitto's assistant, Adrianne Palicki as Ms. Perkins, Omer Barnea as Gregori, one of Viggo's goons, Ian McShane as Winston, Toby Leonard Moore as Victor, another one of Viggo's goons, Daniel Bernhardt as Kirill, Vitto's top henchman, John Leguizamo as Aureilo, Bridget Moynahan as Helen, Bridget Regan as Addy, Lance Reddick as Hotel manager/Charon and Keith Jardine as Kuzma.
Remarkably, this was directed by two stunt coordinators--David Leitch (81 films doing the stunts) and Chad Stahelski (71 films doing the stunts). The even more remarkale aspect of this is that it was directed as well as some seasoned directors could muster up. This is their first film in that director's chair, and considering their lack of experience in that chair, I'm curious to see what they'll do next, and undoubtedly there will be a next time. It was effectively written by Derek Kolstad ("One in the Chamber" '12, "The Package" '12). With all honesty, there were some areas of lack of continuity, but not really enough to distract from the intensity this film surely produced. It certainly shows what happens when a person is as driven as Wick is and that they will stop at nothing to right that incredible wrong. This is certainly something we've seen Reeves do before, but when he pulls off this similar character as well as he does, we can be all that more forgiving.
If your passion is clearly one of seeing wrongs made right, this will surely hit that cord, but even if you just want to escape for a 100 minute running time, this will fit the bill and then some.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 101mins.
We've seen many films in which they are either a fairy tale or a fairy tale is at the core of the film. Films such as "The Princess Bride", "Pans Labyrinth", even "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" have been able to bring us into some other world or worlds where we can simply escape in true fantasy. These worlds put us into a way to relate or repel, yet we always still keep coming back for more. "The Book of Life" is truly the quintessential fairy tale all can enjoy, whether you be a child or not.
This is the journey of Manolo (Diego Luna), a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family, namely his father, Carlos Sanchez (Hector Elizondo) into the realm of bull fighting, and following his heart and the desire to go into music. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans three fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears.
La Muerte (Kate del Castillo) is the ruler of the Land of the Remembered, where the spirits live on with their memories kept by their loved ones, and Xibalba (Ron Perlman), ruler of the Land of the Forgotten, where the forgotten souls decay into oblivion, decide to make a wager. Wager? Since three childhood friends have grown up and the two men, Manolo and Joaquin (Channing Tatum) have since fallen in love with Maria (Zoe Saldana), Xibalba bets La Muerte that Maria will end up marrying Joaquin, while La Muerte bets on Manolo. The winner will be allowed to rule over the Land of the Remembered, therefore, the wager is set. Who will win and who will lose? Let the games begin.
Others to round out the cast are Christina Applegate as Mary Beth, Ice Cube as Candle Maker, Danny Trejo as Skeleton Luis, Carlos Alazraqui as Gen. Posada/Dali/Chuy, Ana de la Reguera as Skeleton Carmen, Emil-Bastien Bouffard as Young Manolo, Elias Garza as Young Joaquin, Genesis Ochoa as Young Maria, Placido Domingo as Skeleton Jorge and Dan Navarro as Chakal.
For a basically newcomer to feature films, director Jorge R. Gutierrez ("Carmelo" (short) 2000) is a visual, stimulating brilliance. If this is his first theatrical film, I personally cannot wait to see what he will direct next. It was equally well written by Gutierrez and Douglas Langdale. With the exception of a couple of choppy areas, this premise, plot and script was amazing. The reference to the Land of the Remembered being Heaven, the Land of the Forgotten being referenced to Hell, and even a serpent being used by Xibalba, all symbols from the bible were intelligently and whimsically used so all could get a message here, but be entertained here as well. There is another message to this film as well, but to tell you could ruin a part of the story.
Of course, the real star here is the animation and visual effects created by Reel FX Animation Studios. This was a visual feast for the eyes, especially the Land of the Remembered. The story and the visuals actually complimented one another and helped it all flow as well as it did.
This fantasy is as stunning in visuals as story, and as you witness the beauty of this, you'll forget about all the problems and issues you might have while watching this delightful story.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG 95mins.
Hollywood is simply fascinated with films based in the future where the Earth is or was going through some devastating event, war, pestilence, famine, alien attack, etc. The list of these films is as endless as the films are commonly rueful. Yet, we all still come back to the multiplex to catch a glimpse of these epics, in some cases. "Interstellar" certainly can be added to that ever popular list, and the results are cerebral as well as interesting and refreshing.
