Have you ever noticed how dark appearing submarine films are and can be? Think about it, we have "Das Boot" '81, "U-571" 2000, "The Hunt for Red October" '90, "Crimson Tide" '95 and the like. It might be because they're shot in an enclosed environment and/or that these films typically have a tension-filled plot, so 'dark' might give a better look and feel to the films. This must be true because then why would "Black Sea" be shot in that similar way?
Through Daniels (Scoot McNairy), Captain Robinson (Jude Law) meets potential financial backer Fraser (Ben Mendelsohn) so as to seek out a fortune in gold. According to Daniels, there is a fortune aboard a WWII German U-boat on the floor of the Black Sea for the taking. So, Fraser plans on taking his part of it once found for backing the mission. Robinson agrees and puts together a misfit crew including Daniels, Reynolds (Michael Smiley), Kurston (Daniel Ryan), Tobin (Bobby Schofield) and others to go after the sunken treasure. As greed and desperation take control onboard their claustrophobic vessel, the increasing uncertainty of the mission causes the men to turn on each other to fight for their own survival. This crew comprised of both English and Russian might just have bitten off more than they can chew.
Others to round out the cast are David Trelfall, Konstantin Khabenskiy as Blackie, Sergey Puskepalis as Zaytsev, Branwell Donaghey as Gittens, Tobias Menzies as Lewis, Karl Davies as Liam, all other crew members, and Jodie Whittaker as Chrissy.
This was directed with such clarity, grit and intensity by veteran Kevin MacDonald ("Chaplin's Goliath" (Documentary) '96, "One Day in September" (Documentary) '99, "Touching the Void" (Documentary) '03, "The Last King of Scotland" '06, "State of Play" '09, "The Eagle" '11, "Marley" (Documentary) '12, "How I Live Now" '13, "Christmas in a Day" (Documentary) '13). With all the documentaries this guy has done, making this film looked almost as a documentary, if not a story based on a true facts was not a stretch for him to pull off, but this was based in pure fiction, which is interesting considering his resume. Considering this writer's lack of feature film writing, Dennis Kelly did an exquisite job with this story of this crew trying to survive each other than just the Black Sea itself. Sure, it wasn't an Oscar worthy script, but I've seen worse screenplays by exceedingly more experienced screenwriters than with Kelly. He's got the talent; he just needs more work to hone this raw talent. I've never seen Law more intense than he was in this.
The eclectic cast in this film will keep you riveted while you're watching this story unfold, wondering if they're going to kill each other before they even find the gold. Even if submarine films aren't your thing, the chemistry between all these guys is something you can't miss.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: R 114mins.
We've seen many films that have or had a racial theme to the story (of all races or people with color), but "Black or White" clears showcases these issues in a way that hits home with us all, whether we be black, white or whatever. The only other film that dealt with this issue healthily as this was "Crash" '05, whereas people in the film and in the audience were forced to face their respective prejudices head on. Will this start a trend in future films?
This is the 'based on true events' story of a grandfather, Elliot Anderson (Kevin Costner) who is suddenly left to care for his beloved granddaughter, Eloise Anderson (Jillian Estell) after his wife, Carol (Jennifer Ehle) dies in a car accident. When Eloise's paternal grandmother, Rowena Jeffers (Octavia Spencer) seeks custody with the legal help from her attorney brother, Jeremiah (Anthony Mackie), the little girl is torn between the two families who love her deeply. Add in the girl's father, Reggie Davis (Andre Holland) who has his own personal demons, and you have a recipe for tension. With the best intensions at heart, both families fight for what they feel is right and are soon forced to confront their own true feelings about race, forgiveness, and understanding. The movie is a definitive look at two seemingly different worlds, in which nothing is as simple as black or white.
Others to round out the cast are Bill Burr as Rick Reynolds, Elliot's attorney and work associate, Mypho Koaho as Duvan Araga, Eloise's math tutor, Gillian Jacobs as Fay, Rick's girlfriend, Paula Newsome as Judge Cummins and Bertha Bindewald as Rosita, Elliot's housekeeper.
This was effectively directed by Mike Binder ("Crossing the Bridge" '92, "Indian Summer" '93, "Blankman" '94, "The Sex Monster" '99, "Fourplay" '01, "The Search for John Gissing" '01, "The Upside of Anger" '05, "Man About Town" '06, "Reign Over Me" '07). The fact that this guy hasn't directed anything since "Reign Over Me" proves that one can maintain true professionalism even after so many years. This has got to be one of Binder's better efforts. The way that Costner exuded this man walking an extreme tightrope between love for his granddaughter and his drinking problem was executed with perfection, because it was such a subtle performance. Clearly Binder and Costner are good for each other--they've worked together in the past, so seeing them team up on this film clearly proved that team effort. This is the best thing Costner has done in a while, although his "Draft Day" was also well done, this was clearly a film that will bring Costner back and in spades. This was also written by Binder and clearly delineated well. With the exception of a couple of slow moments in storyline, it was clear that this was expertly executed by a seasoned talented writer as Binder definitely is.
If you're wondering if Costner will ever make a comeback to beat none, go see this, because if he didn't redefine his ability with "Draft Day", he certainly did with "Black or White". Not to mention, this film also speaks to us all in the ability for us to be forced to look into that proverbial mirror and re-examine our morals and values of how we perceive others. and how they perceive us.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 121mins.
Besides comedy, thrillers are probably my next favorite genre. The fact they you get to see a person or several people get into stressful and dangerous situations all in the safeness of your theater seat is intriguing to me. Thrillers have being around about as long as the invention of films themselves, and when they start, a cavalcade a problems ensue. "The Loft" is certainly one of those thrillers that keep one on the edge of that proverbial seat which makes nail-biting into a sport itself.
This tense psychological thriller is a story of five guys, Vincent Stevens(Karl Urban), Chris Vanowen (James Marsden), Luke Seacord (Wentworth Miller), Marty Landry (Eric Stonestreet) and Philip Trauner (Matthias Schoenaerts) who conspire to secretly share a penthouse loft in the city--a place where they can indulge in their deepest fantasies. But the fantasy becomes a nightmare when they discover the dead body of an unknown woman in the loft, and they realize one of the group must be involved, especially since they all had their own key and there were no others. Paranoia seizes them as everyone begins to suspect one another. Friendships are tested, loyalties are questioned and marriages crumble as the group is consumed by fear, suspicion and murder in this relentless thriller.
This film works as a series of flashbacks as the group are questioned by Detective Huggins (Kristin Lehman) and Detective Cohagen (Robert Wisdom) as they attempt to explain what transpired to bring them to the predicament they are now in.
Others to round out the cast are Isabel Lucas as Sarah Deakins, Rachael Taylor as Anne Morris, Rhona Mitra as Allison Vanowen, Chris' wife, Valerie Cruz as Barbara Stevens, Vincent's wife, Kali Rocha as Mimi Landry, as Marty's wife, Elaine Cassidy as Ellie Seacord, Luke's wife, Margarita Levieva as Vicky Fry, Ric Reitz as Joel Kotkin, Graham Beckel as Hiram Fry, Vicky's father, and Kathy Deitch as Dana.
This was paced with incredible grit and intensity by director Erik Van Looy ("Ad Fundum" '93, "Shades" '99, "The Memory of a Killer" '03, "Loft" '08). It's certainly refreshing to watch a film directed by a pro in the genre that's being presented, and in the case of this film, Looy has nailed this thriller. The tenseness and fear of being found about exuded by these five guys was honest and real and simply added to the suspense of this film. It was slickly written by Wesley Strick based on the 2008 film, "Loft" written by Bart De Pauw. Strick is definitely an experienced writer and since he already had a meaty screenplay in which to base this film, how could he go wrong? There were a couple of small places going back and forth with the flashbacks that caused minimal choppiness, but all in all this was a tight, crisp and intense script that kept the audience moving right along. The up side to the premise of this film is that this film will probably do for the male gender today that "Fatal Attraction" '87 did for that gender back in the day. In other words, men (or women) might just think twice about infidelity after seeing this film as they did back in '87.
Whether you like the genre of thrillers or not, this is certainly an intriguing film to make the male gender, or women for that matter, to think about what they are doing in life, and use a small amount of prudence to realize that if one makes the wrong decision, consequences will be a hell on earth.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 104mins.
Every once in a while, we get offered a film that has everything to do with an intricate character study of a individual or an ensemble cast dealing with dysfunction, emotional and/or physical upheaval whereas the plot isn't as integral as the character study and how the actor pulls off this role. As with the case of "Cake", this is a true character study rife with fine acting at its best.
The acerbic, hilarious Claire Bennett (Jennifer Aniston) become obsessed and fascinated by the suicide of a woman, Nina Collins (Anna Kendrick) in her chronic pain support group. As she uncovers the details of Nina's suicide and develops a poignant relationship with Nina's husband, Roy Collins (Sam Worthington), she also grapples with her own, very raw personal tragedy, much with the assistance of her housekeeper and confidant, Silvana (Adriana Barraza), who is able to deal with Claire's anger, whether outburst or suppressed, and a good deal of bitterness that others cannot or more precisely, will not accept.
Others to round out the cast are Mamie Gummer as Bonnie, a physical therapist, Felicity Huffman as Annette, felicitator of the support group, Chris Messina as Jason Bennett, Claire's ex, William H. Macy as Leonard, Lucy Punch as Nurse Gayle and Manuel Garcia- Rulfo as Arturo.
This was directed looking through the eyes of this disturbing character by Daniel Barnz ("Phoebe in Wonderland" '08, "Beastly" '11, "Won't Back Down" '12). This guy doesn't have a ton of experience, but he has the ability to get his actors to emit just the right amount of emotion--whether positive or negative which is delineated with such precision. The writing by Patrick Tobin ("No Easy Way" '96) had to be purposely downplayed so as to showcase Aniston's character study of this woman in crisis unable to grasp the realities of pain and sorrow all the while attempting to deal with her pain issues and having a prescription med addiction on top of everything else. This woman is clearly walking a very fragile tightrope, both emotionally and physically, and the script was written accordingly. So even though the plot isn't overly original, the way Aniston pulled off this study of this problematic woman was spot on. The very way she physically moved and her expressions exuded an incredibly painful situation. No wonder she received a Golden Globe nod. I am always amazed how this actor showcases her acting ability when she does drama or even dramedy-- others being "Friends with Money" '06 and "The Break-up" '06. She should be in more dramas so she can really shine more often.
As I said, this needs to be seen for the acting--Adriana Barraza as Silvana also shines, much more than for storyline. The story is merely the backdrop for these fine actors to showcase what they can do best.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: R 102mins.
Comedy spoofs, and even more so, British comedy spoofs are often fraught with powder dry humor which can cut right to the core, but in the case of "Mortdecai", some lines, although very funny, seemed a bit stagy and tired. Writing or directing? Maybe a bit of both.
Juggling some angry Russians, the British Mi5 lead by Martland (Ewan McGregor), his impossibly leggy wife, Johanna (Gwyneth Paltrow) and an international terrorist, debonair art dealer and part time rogue Charlie Mortdecai (Johnny Depp) must traverse the globe armed only with his good looks and special charm in a race to recover a stolen Goya painting rumored to contain the code to a lost bank account rife with Nazi gold.
As Mortdecai is confronted by Martland to retrieve this painting, he must remind Mortdecai that his motivation to do so is the fact that Mortdecai is heading his way to becoming broke, so how could he refuse. So he and his man-servant/bodyguard Jock (Paul Bettany) set out on a global quest to find this painting and bring it back so, if for no other reason than to become solvent once more.
Others to round out the cast are Olivia Munn as Georgina Krampf, Jeff Goldblum as Krampf, Georgina's father, Jonny Pasvolsky as Emil, Guy Burnet as Maurice, Martland's assistant, Michael Culkin as Sir Graham, Ulrich Thomsen as Romanov, Alec Utgoff as Dmitri and Rob de Groot as Vladimir.
This was directed with lightness and good pacing by David Koepp ("The Trigger Effect" '96, "Stir of Echoes" '99, "Suspense" (TV movie) '03, "Secret Window" '04, "Ghost Town" '08, "Premium Rush" '12). Some of the scenes seemed a little stagy, however the pacing was executed well, although with the likes of Depp and Paltrow, how could you go wrong. The culprip here was actually the writing by Eric Aronson ("On the Line" (TV movie). The fact that this was based on the novel, "Don't Point That Thing at Me" by Kyril Bonfiglioli actually helped the writer, because otherwise, this script could've been more disjointed than it was. The only thing that kept this going at all was the cast, but even they, good actors that they are, could not save this. It had a promising premise, but when the writer only has one other writing credit to his name, the odds are that the project might suffer. Trust me, I know that people need to gain experience, but when the last script they've done was back in '01, maybe the best thing for these writers are to get more experience doing TV for awhile. It wasn't a total wash, Depp as this debonair, over-the-top British character was uproarious and hilarious, so as long as you keep your eyes on his character, you'll get through this.
It's a fun flick as long as one is not looking for a taught script. But if you like characters that are completely over-the-top, this will be a scream for all. It gave me enough laughs that kept me going until credits end.
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: R 107mins.
Ever so often amongst all the high-budget, commercial bonanza films out there to temp us into the multiplex, we are offered a small, independent film with the hopes that it will teach us, inspire us and maybe, just maybe cause us to stop, think and reflect. As with the case of "Spare Parts", this inspiring film based on a true story will hopefully do just that.
Four undocumented Mexican-American students, Oscar (Carlos PenaVega), Cristian (David Del Rio), Lorenzo (Jose Julian) and Hector (J.R. Villareal) form a robotics club under the leadership of their school's newest teacher Fredi Cameron (George Lopez). With no experience, 800 bucks, used car parts, PVC piping and a dream, this rag tag team goes up against the country's reigning robotics team--MIT and other college teams at UCSB's annual National Underwater Robotics Competition. On their journey, they learn not only how to build a robot-- they learn to build a bond that will last a lifetime as well.
Others to round out the cast are Jamie Lee Curtis as the Principal, Marisa Tomei as Gwen, another teacher, Alexa PenaVega as Karla, Esai Morales as Mr. Santillan, Lorenzo's father, and Aubrey K. Miller as Maddy, Gwen's daughter.
This was directed by the inspirational film king himself, Sean McNamara ("Treehouse Hostage" '99, "Race to Space" '01, "Raise Your Voice" '04, "Bratz" '07, "Soul Surfer" '11, "Space Warriors" '13, "Field of Lost Shoes" '14). This guy definitely has the ability to pull our proverbial heart strings. I've seen other films of this type and it's extremely easy to make the film come across as sappy and sentimental, but McNamara creates the right amount of emotion so who the audience is looking at is someone that comes across as real with real issues that need solving. This was written by Elissa Matsueda based on the Wired Magazine article, "La Vida Robot" by Joshua Davis. With the exception of a few choppy areas in script, this story was conveyed with such pathos and urgency. Sure, there were also a bit of a lull in the middle of the film, but once it took off, it absolutely soared. This is truly an underdog does good overcoming incredible odds type of film. And as this reaches the end will have the toughest cynic standing up and cheering.
Once in a while, all must see these types of films, because they always give us something to think about and hopefully will look at someone else in a more positive light and cause us to lean on each other more than we do.
Out of 4 Stars: 3 Rated: PG-13 113mins.
Espionage. Intrigue. Action. These are all the ingredients of a nail-biting, adrenaline-packed computer spy-hacking film. Sound exciting huh? What a terrific premise to work with assuming one has the best writer working on it. Well, "Blackhat" had the cast and director, but the writing could've had a bit more polished.
Nick Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth), an extremely talented hacker who has gone astray, finds his way out of a 15 year prison sentence when parts of a computer code he once wrote with his then friend/colleague, Chen Dawai (Leeholm Wang) during his youth, appears in malware that triggered a terrorist attack at a nuclear factory in China. This opportunity will reunite him with his friend, Chen Dawai along with Dawai's sister, Chen Lien (Wei Tang) who is a software expert, but will also put him in the middle of a power game between the American and Chinese government as well as an arch villain hacker AKA a RAT (Remote Access Tool) whose identity Hathaway has to find if he wants to keep his freedom and also his life as well.
Others to round out the cast are Viola Davis as Carol Barrett, an FBI agent, John Ortiz as Henry Pollack, her boss, Holt McCallany as Mark Jessup, another agent, Archie Kao as Shum, William Mapother as Rich Donahue, Ritchie Coster as Elias Kassar, Andy On as Alex Trang, Yorick Van Wageningen as Sadak and Christian Borle as Jeff Robichaud.
This was directed with such clarity by veteran Michael Mann ("Insurrection" (Documentary) '68, "The Jericho Mile" (TV movie) '79, "Thief" '81, "The Keep" '83, "Manhunter" '86, "L.A. Takedown" (TV movie) '89, "The Last of the Mohicans" '92, "Heat" '95, "The Insider" '99, "Ali" '01, "Collateral" '04, "Miami Vice" '06, "Public Enemies" '09). This man knows how to pace and stage his actors with exact precision and he knows how to keep us on that edge of our seats. This was written by Morgan Davis Foehl, and this is where the problems ensue. First of all, this was clearly a bit long-in-the-tooth--it could have easily been encapsulated in a 2 hour running time or less, and secondly, the script had a tendency to jump around too much as the film went from locale to locale. However, this being this writer's first theatrical film, he performed better than some writers with more experience. I'm sure if given more work, he will improve in time, but this just needed more polish.
Certainly Mann's direction is crisp and precise and Hemsworth gives a worthy performance as this hacker in constant negotiation, but after this 133 minute running time, one might just be yearning for a bit meatier script.
Out of 4 Stars: 2.5 Rated: R 133mins.
Have you ever noticed how dark appearing submarine films are and can be? Think about it, we have "Das Boot" '81, "U-571" 2000, "The Hunt for Red October" '90, "Crimson Tide" '95 and the like. It might be because they're shot in an enclosed environment and/or that these films typically have a tension-filled plot, so 'dark' might give a better look and feel to the films. This must be true because then why would "Black Sea" be shot in that similar way?
