MOVIE REVIEW: SOUL

 

Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn't quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz -- and he's good. But when he travels to another realm to help someone find their passion, he soon discovers what it means to have soul.

Director: Pete Docter

Cast: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Questlove, Angela Bassett

Release Date: December 25, 2020

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy 

Rated PG for thematic elements and some language

Runtime: 1 h 40 min

Review:

Pixar's latest Soul pushes the boundaries of abstraction and metaphysical meditation especially for what's considered a kids movie.  Pete Docter, who directed the equally abstract Inside Out, delivers a beautiful film, each frame is visually dense and detailed whether it occurs in the real world or on the astral plane.  The story's meditation on what makes life worth living is an interesting subject to tackle for a children's film and the story never dumbs it down.  As such, a bevy of references will fly right over smaller children's heads but the candy colored afterlife which is populated by abstract Picasso like overseers and adorable newborn souls puffs will offer plenty to keeps kids interested.  Throw in a fun bit of body swapping comedy in the middle act which should give them lots to enjoy even if the larger themes seemed aimed at their middle aged parents.  Those themes are handled with great care and consideration which the film brings to a thoughtful conclusion.  The voice cast is excellent across the board with Jamie Foxx & Tina Fey doing the largest part of the heavy lifting. They share a good rapport together which shines throughout the film.  The supporting cast of is made up of excellent actors and actress such Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad and Angela Bassett which each leaving their mark with their distinctive tenors.  Soul is a heady film that will probably linger with the adults longer than the children they see it with, it's a testament to the kind of storytelling that Pixar can pull off as they continue to push the envelope as to what these type "kids" movies can be.   

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE NEW MUTANTS

Magik, Wolfsbane and other teenage mutants try to come to grips with their superpowers while staying at a secret facility.

Director: Josh Boone

Cast: Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt, Henry Zaga
Release Date: August 26, 2019

Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for violent content, some disturbing/bloody images, some strong language, thematic elements and suggestive material

Runtime: 1 h 40 min

Review:

The New Mutants is a film that has faced more adversity than any film should.  Delays and possible reshoots because of studio issues then Covid-19 made it seems like the film had been snake bitten.  Finally the film hit the screens and you wonder if any of it was worth it.  Sadly, Josh Boone’s film isn’t really worth the wait since it’s a generic superhero film with just hints of horror in its soul.  The latter is the biggest issue since the movie can’t seem to make up its mind if it wants to go all in with the horror aspect it toys with.  It never really makes up its minds leaving the film a hodgepodge of both genres worst impulses while never nailing one.  Boone’s film feels like a relic from the 90s or early 2000s with its wooden thinly drawn characters and dialogue.  The biggest problem is that there is a talented capable cast on board who are all wasted throughout.  Maisie Williams & Anya Taylor-Joy come out looking the best but you can tell both are screaming for better material.  Taylor-Joy in particular is seeping with talent and she would have nailed a better interpretation of her character given the chance.  Blu Hunt is the defacto lead of the whole thing which is a terrible thing since she and her character are the most boring thing about the whole endeavor. At some point during its incredibly predicable finale, you wonder if all it’s trial and tribulations coming to screen happened for a reason.


C

MOVIE REVIEW: ELYSIUM

In a future in which the privileged reside on an Earth-orbiting space station named Elysium and the less fortunate live on the surface of the blighted, overpopulated planet below, one man dares to defy the strict anti-immigration laws that separate the two disparate worlds in order to save all of mankind in this visceral sci-fi action thriller from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp. Alice Braga, Diego Luna, William Fichtner, and Faran Tahir, Sharlto Copley co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Neill Blomkamp

Cast: Matt Damon, Alice Braga, Jodie Foster, Faran Tahir, William Fichtner, Sharlto Copley

Release Date: Aug 09, 2013

Rated R for Strong Bloody Violence and Language Throughout

Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama

Review:

Neill Blomkamp’s follow up to District 9 is heavy on allegory but surprisingly light on plot. It’s a steady effective and exciting sci-fi film which is full of cool gadgets and intense action. Blomkamp though is content to take us on a guide tour through this dystopia as we follow Damon’s damaged hero on his journey. We get some glimpses into this world but the film only scratches the surface of themes and systems presented. Additionally there are a handful of plot holes present specifically the final resolution. I would have preferred a headier film, Elysium deliver plenty of spectacle throughout pepper with some impressively graphic violence. Damon’s delivers solid work as usual even though the script doesn’t give him much meat to chew on. Flashbacks, usually heavy hand and unnecessary, give the character a bit of depth and motivation but it’s all fairly routine. To his credit, Damon is strong enough to make us care about his character throughout. Jodie Foster though is surprisingly bad as the primary villain. She sports a distractingly bad French accent while spouting out some terribly clunky dialogue which never hits the mark. Sharlto Copley fares much better as the maniacal Kruger. Copley gives his character a crazed energy which makes him the most interesting thing on screen whenever he’s on it. Blomkamp is working with a bigger budget than he did on his first film and he leaves it all onscreen. As a result the film flies with nary a lag in the action. I just wish it was a slightly deeper excursion.

B

Cindy Prascik’s Reviews of Elysium / Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Dearest Blog, today it was off to the cinema as usual. On the bill: Elysium and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

First up was Elysium, Neill Blomkamp's followup to the critically acclaimed District 9.
In the not-so-distant future, most folks live on a ruined Earth that's long on people and short on resources. The wealthy, however, spend their days on a luxurious outpost called Elysium, where there's no pollution, sickness, crime, or other unpleasantness. Circumstances force Max (Matt Damon) to try to get to Elysium at any cost, but his efforts could have a lasting impact on both sides of society.

I think District 9 is a masterpiece, plain and simple, so to suggest my expectations for Elysium were ridiculous would be fair enough. Even though the movie doesn't quite meet them, it's still pretty impressive.

There's nothing subtle about Elysium's message--the imbalance between rich and poor--but I never felt like it beat me over the head with it, either, probably because it never pretends otherwise. The plot is reasonably engaging and the runtime is sensible enough that you don't get bored.

It would be misleading to say Elysium is a beautiful movie, because nothing could be further from the truth. Elysium, of course, looks like a pleasant place to live, but isn't any prettier on screen than the average golf course. The futuristic vision of Earth is grungy and depressing, but effective for bringing home the hopelessness of the average person's life. So...while it's not gorgeous, it is perfect.
Matt Damon is sympathetic and believable as a guy buried under the weight of past poor decisions, with little hope of ever getting out. William Fichtner is appropriately slimy as a business owner with regard for only his own skin (and bottom line). It goes without saying that the standout is Sharlto Copley, who's fantastic as a renegade member of Elysium's security force. The rest of the supporting cast is fine, if unremarkable, with the disappointing exception of Jodie Foster. I found her performance wooden and, frankly, a bit grating (and where she was going with that accent, I have no idea).

Elysium runs 109 minutes and is rated R for "strong bloody violence and language throughout."

It's not the masterpiece I'd hoped for, but it's still pretty darn good. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Elysium gets seven.

Next on the agenda was the sequel Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

To restore protections to their safe haven, Percy Jackson and other half-bloods brave the Sea of Monsters, in hopes of finding the Golden Fleece.

The first Percy Jackson movie was passable teen-fantasy fluff, and the sequel is much the same. The plot feels like a soup that maybe was too thin to start, so the cook just kept tossing in ingredients 'til he ended up with something of a mess for his trouble. The film would have been better served had it focused on the main plot, without the other diversions. The dialogue ranges from flat to plain awful, and most of the attempts at humor are cringe-worthy. While some of the effects are impressive, the terrible CGI moments were too plentiful to really give kudos on that count, either.

Having said all that, the movie does have its pluses. Logan Lerman is perfectly watchable in the lead, and the always entertaining Brandon T. Jackson remains a scene stealer. The rest of the young cast is passable, and the older, familiar faces (including Anthony Head, Stanley Tucci, and Nathan Fillion) are as good as the material permits. One scene of a story being told within the story (think Hermione reading The Tale of the Three Brothers in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) is beautifully shot.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters clocks in at 106 minutes and is rated PG for "fantasy action violence, some scary images, and mild language."
It's a fun but forgettable bit of Summer brain candy that's suitable for the whole family. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters gets six.
And that, dear Blog, is that for this weekend. Next weekend is Gary Oldman's one and only cinema appearance for 2013, so you may expect much giddiness from this corner.

Until next time...




Make more movies, dammit!!

MOVIE REVIEW: THE RITE

THE RITE



Inspired by author Matt Baglio's nonfiction book of the same name, director Mikael Håfström's supernatural thriller traces the experiences of a young seminary student who discovers the true power of faith after being drafted into the Vatican's Exorcism School and confronted by the forces of darkness. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Mikael Håfström

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Colin O'Donoghue, Alice Braga, Ciarán Hinds, Toby Jones, Rutger Hauer

Release Date: Jan 28, 2011

Rated PG-13 for Disturbing thematic material, sexual references, language, frightening images and violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 52 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

Anthony Hopkins’ character asks, early on in this insipid and horribly clichéd film, “What were you expecting? Spinning heads and pea soup?” At that point in the film, that’s exactly what I wasn’t hoping for and with such a garish dismissal of the usual exorcist genre tropes it leaves you wondering if perhaps we’ll see something new and fresh. Sadly, it doesn’t take The Rite long to fall into an all too familiar pattern. A young priest lacking faith, an elder priest who’s been battling the devil for his entire life, standard contortions and demonic sounding voices, etc, etc…. Throw in some shoddy and thoroughly unnecessary CGI just for good measure. So if we don’t get a fresh take on this genre then at the very least the film should frighten us. Even here it fails, using the cheapest of scares while never getting within shouting distance of any sort of tension. The character’s barely register and carry all the emotional weight of a paper bag. Colin O'Donoghue doesn’t bring much to the table and is instantly forgettable. Alice Braga is thoroughly self serious throughout while being given very little to do. Anthony Hopkins seems to sleep walk through most of his scenes only to pull out a faux version of his Lecter character in the final act which borders on parody. Strangely the only actor who brings any level of creepiness is Rutger Hauer who’s in the film for a total of 5 minutes. Director Mikael Håfström tries to dress this all up as much as possible but in the end it’s like putting make up on a hog.

D-

MOVIE REVIEW: PREDATORS

IN THEATERS

PREDATORS



A group of hardened killers are hunted on an alien planet in producer Robert Rodriguez and director Nimród Antal's entry into the popular sci-fi action franchise. Mercenaries, murderers, gangsters, and convicts, they were the most feared men on Earth. But now they're a long way from home, and when the predators become the prey, fearless mercenary Royce (Adrien Brody) prepares for the fight of his life. And he's not alone, because Mexican gangster Cuchillo (Danny Trejo), Israeli Defense Forces veteran Isabelle (Alice Braga), notorious mass murderer Stans (Walton Goggins), Russian Special Forces operative Nikolai (Oleg Taktarov), RUF death squad member Mombasa (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali), and sword-wielding Yakuza Hanzo (Louis Ozawa Changchien) are all armed to the teeth, and out for blood. The odd man out is Edwin (Topher Grace), a once-prominent physician whose career came to an end following a big scandal. When the motley crew encounters Noland (Lawrence Fishburne), a resourceful human who has somehow managed to survive on the alien's hunting grounds for some time, they prepare to take the ultimate stand against the most powerful Predators yet. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director: Nimród Antal

Cast: Adrien Brody, Alice Braga, Laurence Fishburne , Topher Grace , Danny Trejo

Release Date: Jul 09, 2010

Rated R for pervasive language, gore and strong creature violence

Runtime: 106 min

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

The sequel that should have been made 20 years ago Predators hits the screen feeling like a throwback from the start. Nimrod Antal makes his intentions clear from the start and he delivers the action filled sci-fi follow up you’d expect needless to say it’s predictable in everyway you can imagine but it’s still good fun. Once you get past the face that you’re watching a movie directed by someone named Nimrod, he also directed Vacancy, you’ll find that he directs the action well and hits all the key points for the suspense needed for this type of fare. Taking cues directly from the 1987 John McTiernan Arnold Schwarzenegger testosterone filled classic, Antal uses everything that made the original so enjoyable with a mild twist. When I say twist I should clarify in that Antal uses so much from the original that it almost feels like a remake but it could be worse, see either of the Alien v Predators movies. Adrien Brody is dutifully self serious and self centered as the “leader” of this group of predatory victims, yes the title has double meaning. I couldn’t help but notice that Brody, while passable, is taking himself way too serious throughout. Alice Braga does what she can with a thinly written role and she has one too many damsel in distress moments for my taste especially considering she’s supposed to be a trained killer. The supporting cast is underused which is a sham since there are so many impressive character actors on the cast. Of them only Fishburn and Walton Goggins make an impression. Once we reach the final reel, with the people you know would still be alive, you can feel Antal spreading his wings a little having more fun after a commendable effort of righting what was wrong with the thrown together sequels of the past 20 years.

C+