My dear readers, yesterday I caught up with a cute little streaming offering called We Have a Ghost.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
In search of a fresh start, a family moves into a haunted house and finds that supernatural housemates sometimes beget earthly troubles.
We Have a Ghost is typical of most streaming options I've found lately, a decent enough way to pass a couple hours, if nothing particularly special. This one starts off with enough creepy ambiance that I wondered why it wasn't released as a "family" Halloween offering. It then evolves into an action movie that doesn't work well at all. Weaving the two together is a superficial but engaging family drama that's elevated by a very good cast, led by the young standout Jahi Di'Allo Winston. There's a fair bit of humor that's more amusing than laugh-out-loud funny. While the house itself is beautifully spooky, the ghostly effects, and David Harbour's otherworldly turn as the titular spirit, are too cheesy to provide a good fright. The movie runs a bit long, but a solid classic rock soundtrack is an unexpected plus, and a reference to the Wizard Clip (a haunted property in my home state) was a grand surprise.
We Have a Ghost clocks in at 126 minutes and is rated PG13 for "language, some sexual/suggestive references, and violence."
We Have a Ghost is a fun but forgettable offering that's fine for streaming, but you'll be glad you didn't pay cinema prices to see it. Of a possible nine Weasleys, We Have a Ghost gets five and a half.
My dear reader(s), for the first time in what seems like a very long time, I have two reviews to share this weekend. My second film of the weekend was Netflix' the Woman in the Window.
An agoraphobic woman's credibility comes into question when she claims to have witnessed a terrible crime.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
Regular reader(s) will know for certain: I am not a movie snob. I'm addicted to the Expendables movies. I actually own that dreadful remake of Lost in Space. My annual top-ten list once included Gnomeo & Juliet *and* one of the Hotel Transylvania sequels (same year, don't judge). I do not believe the cinema is the only credible way to see new movies. I want Netflix, Amazon, and all the other streaming services to do well with their original films. BUT...the Woman in the Window definitely won't help Netflix be taken seriously as a purveyor of quality content.
I have not read the Woman in the Window. I understand filmmakers took some creative liberties with the book, but I can't say if that's what's to blame for this sad waste of a brilliant cast. Even putting my obsession with Gary Oldman aside, how can a movie go so wrong when it has Amy Adams? Julianne Moore? Brian Tyree Henry? Jennifer Jason Leigh? Anthony Mackie, for flip's sake?? I can't say exactly how, but it definitely does go very, very wrong indeed. Dialogue is so wooden that even this company of decorated, gifted actors might as well be reading from cards. The story itself skips around and fails to maintain any tension or mystery; the characters couldn't be more obvious if they were twirling cartoon moustaches. By the time it limps to its pitiful conclusion, you'll wish they all were murder victims, rather than potential witnesses.
The Woman in the Window runs a painful 100 minutes and is rated R for "violence and language."
The Woman in the Window is a criminal waste of an interesting concept and a superb group of actors. Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Woman in the Window gets two.
The Woman in the Window is now streaming on Netflix.
Fangirl points: My Gary (of course). MACKIE! Until next time...
PS: Just saw a headline that said "The Woman in the Window has two Captain Americas," and I can state with authority that that is the most interesting thing about it.
A young woman battles a ruthless drug cartel to save her kidnapped
friend in Mexico.
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Anthony Mackie
Release Date: February 1, 2019
Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller
Rated PG-13 for sequences of gun violence, sexual and drug content,
thematic material, and language
Runtime: 1h 44 min
Review:
Miss Bala is a ridiculous crime drama that’s watchable mainly because of
Gina Rodriguez.Catherine Hardwicke’s
directs the film with a generic hand delivering very little in terms of visual
style.It has an inherit blandness that
almost guarantees that’ll you’ll forget about the film as soon as it’s
over.The script is a jumbled mess that’s
filled with so many plot holes that thinking about any portion of the story for
too long would cause it to collapse instantly.The film’s saving grace is Gina Rodriguez.Rodriguez screen presence translates well on
to the big screen.She carries the film
well and makes the entire thing so much more watchable than it deserves to
be.It’s a shame the film isn’t up to
her talents but it does show that Rodriguez can carry a film ably.
A police raid in Detroit in 1967 results in one of the largest RACE riots in United States history. The story is centered around the Algiers
Motel incident, which occurred in Detroit, Michigan on July 25, 1967, during the racially charged 12th Street Riot. It involves the death of three black men and
the brutal beatings of nine other people: seven black men and two white women.
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Cast: John Boyega, Will Poulter, Anthony
Mackie, John Krasinski, Jack Reynor, Jason Mitchell, Hanna Murray
Release Date: Aug 42017
Genres: Crime, Drama, History
Rated R for strong violence and pervasive
language
Review:
Detroit is a tense, uncomfortable and incredibly timely
film.Kathryn Bigelow’s style of
filmmaking is perfectly suited for the story being told.Bigelow’s immersive style leaves like a fly
on the wall during the entire ordeal.It’s an intense film that’s anchored by a strong ensemble cast.John Boyega and Will Poulter really shine
throughout the film, with some of the films best moments are watching their
character’s process and think through situations.Poulter though is the real surprise here
since he’s been mostly a comedic actor.Poulter provides the character an unsettling detachment and coldness
that’s deeply unsettling.The film loses
a little steam after it moves on to the aftermath with the court proceedings
and post event stories.I was personally
more interested in what happened to John Boyega’s character but the film chose
a different direction.It’s a small
issue on an otherwise strong film that really shines a light on a dark portion
of American history.
Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Detroit and The Dark Tower.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or the news.
First on the docket, Kathryn Bigelow's Detroit.
During the Detroit Rebellion of 1967, a handful of city cops terrorize young people staying at the Algiers Hotel.
Dear reader(s), you know when I call a movie "must-see," it's usually gonna be some big, dumb actioner with a current obsession not *quite* getting enough screen time for my liking. Evidence: that latest Transformers movie that everybody hates? Yeah, that'll be skirting my Top Ten come year's end. However, here I must break with tradition to suggest emphatically that everyone get out and see Detroit. It is a very, very important movie and a timely reminder of what happens when we allow some people to be treated as less than others.
Detroit opens with a clever sequence that brings viewers who might not be familiar with this event up to speed, and from there it's a slow burn into chaos. The movie is never in a hurry to get where it's going, yet there are millions of things happening all at once. Point of view is personal rather than general, with dialogue so natural as to seem unscripted. I'm no fan of Bigelow's jiggly camera work, but I couldn't look away from the terrifying events playing out onscreen. There is no sugar-coating, there are no cookie-cutter characters, and the performances are uniformly extraordinary. Of special note, as usual, is John Boyega in a smart, sympathetic turn. The violence and torment are up close and personal, at times nearly impossible to watch. The movie builds to its unsettling climax with such tension you might not even realize you're holding your breath. This is no fun summer flick; it's challenging and exhausting. (For the record, I ran straight to the ladies' room and threw up when it ended, and it's had me in tears more than a few times since.) Detroit is smart enough not to leave it to viewers to distinguish between "based on a true story" and "inspired by actual events;" it freely acknowledges that its account relies on the recollections of people who were under not-a-little duress during these events. No fun summer movie, Detroit will stay on your mind long after you exit the theatre.
Detroit clocks in at 143 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence and pervasive language."
A headline I saw earlier this morning said, "Detroit is going to hurt, but it's worth it," and that's about the best way to sum up this brilliant but difficult movie.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Detroit gets eight.
Fangirl points: Not to take away from the seriousness of this picture, but I can't imagine a more beautiful human than Anthony Mackie exists anywhere in the universe. *le sigh*
Next on my agenda was the first big-screen shot at Stephen King's Dark Tower series.
The Last Gunslinger hopes to stop the Man in Black from toppling the Dark Tower, which protects the world from evil...or something like that. (I'm pretty close, right?)
Not having read this book series from Stephen King, and having heard nothing good about this adaptation prior to seeing it, I was prepared to state that--while I understood it might not meet the expectations of book fans--the movie is perfectly passable entertainment for the rest of us.
Sadly, after nearly nodding off twice in just an hour and a half, I had to rethink that opening.
The Dark Tower is just a bad movie, and that's without even being able to speak to its failings by comparison to the books. It feels like, at some point very early in its making, all the Stephen King forces in the universe decided to focus their positive energy on the remake of It and deserted this entirely. (I guess the good news is my pretty busy cinema seemed to soil its collective drawers at the It trailer that preceded Dark Tower, so King may be redeemed rather quickly.) The Dark Tower's characters are so broadly drawn you'll only care what happens to any of them if you have a vested interest in the actor(s). Shallow storytelling provides very few answers, but leaves lots of question marks, for anyone unfamiliar with the source material. Clearly this was meant to set up a franchise, but if it's to do so with any success it'll need serious retooling. Man in Black Matthew McConaughey is as bland as ever (can't spell "McConaughey" without "ugh!") as a paper-doll baddie who's about as menacing as my little Cockapoo. Idris Elba is smokin'--and I mean SMOKIN'--hot as the Gunslinger, but the role is so poorly fleshed out it scarcely taxes his ability or charisma. Effects are pedestrian at best, and the action (such as it is) is accented by a comically-melodramatic score.
The Dark Tower runs the slowest 95 minutes ev-ah and is rated PG13 for "thematic material, including sequences of gun violence and action."
I truly had hoped to buck the trend and declare the Dark Tower passable entertainment for a summer afternoon, but, sadly, it can't meet even that low bar. Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Dark Tower gets two.
Fangirl points: OMG you guys...Idris Elba! (Teeny-weeny spoiler alert: When a boy says to the Gunslinger, "I dreamt about you!" I'm pretty sure I said out loud to the screen, "Me too!")
Political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability when the
actions of the Avengers lead to collateral damage. The new status quo deeply
divides members of the team. Captain America
(Chris Evans) believes superheroes should remain free to defend humanity
without government interference. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) sharply disagrees
and supports oversight. As the debate escalates into an all-out feud, Black
Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) must pick a side.
Release Date: May
06, 2016 RealD 3D
Runtime: 2 hr. 26 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Director:Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey, Jr., Scarlett
Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie
Review:
Captain America: Civil War is a busy film that has a lot of ground to cover.It’s the type of film that has a clear agenda
and while the story is fairly predicable it never bores you much, the first act
is a tad slow moving, as it moves its chess pieces into place.The Russo brothers deserve a massive amount
of praise for keeping all the proverbial balls in the air while giving each
character their time to shine.It’s an
impressive trick considering the size of the cast and none of the characters
feel short changed.The new additions
add a welcome breathe of fresh air with Tom Holland’s Spiderman leaving the
biggest impression.As always, the
action set pieces are massive and impressive with the airport battle shown in
all the promos being the centerpiece.The best action sequence though might be a fight in an apartment
building which is a masterwork of choreography.Captain America: Civil War is a fun film with a healthy bit of pathos at
play but when everything is said and done the story isn’t quite as ground
shaking as some have made it out to be.
Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the highly-anticipated blockbuster Captain America: Civil War.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from trailers and the odd Internet clip.
Well, dear Reader(s), I've got good news and bad news. The good news is Civil War is a pretty great movie.
The bad news is it doesn't even come close to the masterpiece that preceded it, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
To justify my disappointment, I'll be making some comparisons...not, as regular reader(s) might expect of me, to that *other* costumed hero grudge match movie that came out a few weeks back, but rather to some of Cap's Marvel stablemates.
There are a good many positives here, though, so let's get started with some of those.
This cast is a gift. Most everyone is a fantastic talent in his or her own right, and the chemistry among them is extraordinary. Stoic and steely-eyed Chris Evans remains the perfect embodiment of our all-American hero, and is 100% effective in selling Steve Rogers' Boy Scoutish worldview. Sebastian Stan is incredible, but, while he has more screen time this outing, he unfortunately seems to have fewer opportunities to really showcase his skills.
Disappointing. A longtime Stan-Fan must be forgiven for being a little over-enthusiastic about the Captain America movies, as they're pretty much the only decent movies this gifted actor ever makes.
The other returning Avengers are solid as always, and newcomers Tom Holland, Daniel Bruhl, and especially Chadwick Boseman all turn in terrific performances. Those are some BIG impact moments when Black Panther and Spider-Man turn up; electricity rolls through the room like a lightning strike. Civil War includes so many Marvel favorites it's jokingly been called "Avengers 2.5," yet it never shortchanges its titular hero, a remarkable feat in its own right.
Much like The Winter Soldier before it, Civil War opens the action with a massive, complicated sequence that's as much espoinage as ass-kicking, and the overall scope of things leaves some dodgy CGI quickly forgotten. There are plenty of one-liners to go around, and the story itself is engaging, if not as smart or interesting as its predecessor.
On the downside, permit me to copy and paste from a hundred previous reviews: This movie is TOO. DAMN. LONG. No excuse for this thing exceeding two hours, certainly it should never run longer than 2:15.
Civil War needs some serious editing, and I don't mean by taking a hacksaw to entire scenes, I mean, as always, by using an Xacto knife to trim it to a sharper, more manageable whole. Civil War gives the original Avengers a run for its money in the battle fatigue department, and much of the fight choreography isn't even all that interesting, particularly by comparison to the stellar Lumerian Star sequence in CATWS. The movie's humor also misses the mark a bit too often.
Unlike Guardians of the Galaxy, which expertly rides a fine line between brilliant and so-goofy-it's-actually-brilliant, Civil War often shoehorns silliness into scenes where it fits poorly with both mood and content.
The deadpan wit of Tony Stark and Sam Wilson always sets well, but Peter Parker, and, to a much lesser degree, Scott Lang, are jarringly stupid at all the wrong times. By comparison to the Winter Soldier, even Henry Jackman's score feels like it's missing something.
Captain America: Civil War runs 146 minutes, and is rated PG13 for "extended sequences of violence, action, and mayhem."
It's not a perfect movie, but if you bring those expectations down just a smidge, Civil War is a fun, action-packed bit of brain candy.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Captain America: Civil War gets eight.
Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the promising double-bill of Eddie the Eagle and Triple 9.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
First up: Eddie the Eagle.
An unlikely prospect dreams of Olympic glory.
I cannot and shall not mince words here: I absolutely adored Eddie the Eagle. It exceeded all my expectations, and marks the second consecutive February that Taron Edgerton stakes an early claim on my year-end top ten.
Eddie the Eagle keeps its tone light. A road like this always has more than its share of potholes, but these filmmakers are more interested in presenting a hopeful, inspiring piece than than in putting forth the full truth.
The movie is also a textbook example of that old saying, "A happy ending depends on where you stop your story." (The film's namesake, Eddie Edwards, attempted to participate in three Olympics subsequent to the Calgary Games, and failed to qualify all three times.) Edgerton is phenomenal in the lead, equally convincing as this tenacious outsider as he was portraying Kingsman's streetwise thug turned debonair secret agent.
As Eddie's reluctant mentor, Hugh Jackman owns every minute of his screen time, providing some of the movie's best laughs as well as its most sincere, intelligent moments.
There's some lovely Bavarian scenery on display, and a fair bit of nostalgia for those who fondly remember the 1988 Olympic Games. The movie is smartly paced, fully self-aware, and can't help but speak to anyone who's ever been unfairly disregarded or marginalized.
Eddie the Eagle clocks in at 105 minutes and is rated PG13 for "Some suggestive material, partial nudity, and smoking."
Superficial it may be, but Eddie the Eagle is a thoroughly delightful cinema experience.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Eddie the Eagle gets eight.
Next on the docket: Triple 9.
The Russian mob coerces a ruthless gang into attempting a nearly-impossible heist.
Well, dear reader(s), if your current cinema mood is somewhat less cheerful, the weekend schedule also offers the gritty Triple 9, a crime thriller so intense I'm pretty sure I didn't breathe for the first 15 minutes.
Triple 9 boasts an impressive cast, with uniformly solid performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Clifton Collins, Jr., Aaron Paul, and Norman Reedus, and brilliant, nearly unrecongizable turns by Michael Kenneth Williams and Kate Winslet.
Despite showing its hand early, the movie is gripping from the first second to the last. It's a brutal picture, backed by a tense, masterful score, and I was equal parts fascinated and appalled.
Triple 9 runs 115 minutes, and is rated R for "strong violence and language throughout, drug use, and some nudity."
Triple 9 won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're not put off by the dark side of life, you can't help but fall for this exciting-but-grim tale.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Triple 9 gets seven and a half.
Every Christmas Eve for the last decade, best friends Isaac (Seth Rogen),
Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and Chris (Anthony Mackie) have reunited for a
wild night on the town in New York City.
But since the guys are getting older and have to face new responsibilities,
their tradition is about to come to an end. As a result, they plan one last
epic night together, which includes finding their way to a legendary party
called the Nutcracka Ball. Lizzy Caplan, Miley Cyrus, Mindy Kaling, Jillian
Bell, and Michael Shannon co-star. Directed by Jonathan Levine. ~ Jennifer
Lackman, Rovi
Director: Jonathan Levine
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie,
Lizzy Caplan, Michael Shannon.
Release Date: Nov
20, 2015
Rated R for
Runtime: 1 hr. 41 min.
Genres: Buddy Film, Holiday Film,
Comedy
Review:
The Night Before is a solid stoner comedy that never
really hits its marks consistently enough to elevate it above better comedies of
its ilk.Jonathan Levine moves his film
along at a brisk pace which helps when we run into one of the many dead spots
in the film.When it hits its mark it’s
really funny with Seth Rogen and Michael Shannon delivering the best bits.Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie are
decent but they don’t quite have the comedic timing that Rogen pulls off so
well.The film is pepper with plenty of
comedy stalwarts and each takes advantage of their time on screen.It has all the hallmarks of what should be a
classic comedy but it just never gets there for some reason.
Steve Rogers continues his journey as the super-powered American soldier
who's grasping to find his place in a modern world after being frozen in ice
since WWII with this Marvel Studios sequel. Chris Evans returns to star, with
Community director/producers Joe and Anthony Russo helming. ~ Jeremy Wheeler,
Rovi
Director: Joe
Russo, Anthony Russo
Cast: Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Samuel
L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson
Release Date: Apr
04, 2014
Rated: PG-13 for Gunplay, Action throughout and
Intense Sequences of Violence
Runtime: 2 hr. 8 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure
Review:
Captain America:
The Winter Soldier is one of Marvel’s best scripted stories thus far.That’s not to say it doesn’t have some issues
but it’s a solid attempt at trying to dig a bit deeper into some complex issues
with a complicated villain.It’s rather
blunt if earnest about it’s intentions.If this all makes it sound rather dour well it is at time occasionally
turning into a plodding and somewhat joyless experience that could have been
trimmed by a good 15 to 20 minutes.Personally, I might have been more impressed if I hadn’t seen a similar
story line in a certain DC animated series I was fond of but I digress.The film, when it hits its mark, delivers
some excellent action set pieces and superhero action.Evans does his best to bring some deeper
layers to the Captain and he pulls it off for the most part.Scarlett Johansson has a larger part which
doesn’t require her to runaround in her catsuit and the film’s better for it as
she displays some solid chemistry with Evans.Newcomers Anthony Mackie and Robert Redford bring varying degrees of
excitement to the proceedings.Mackie is
obviously having a blast throughout while Redford’s name
brings some gravitas to the whole thing but he seemed as disinterested as can
be.Sebastian Stan’s Winter Solider is
in the movie title but his screen time is surprisingly small in the grand
scheme of things.It’s a game changing
film that does kind of blows up a lot of the establishment from the Marvel
universe so it’ll be interesting to see where they from here, hopefully they’ll
remember bring a bit more fun.
Dearest Blog, yesterday I chose an afternoon at the cinema over an
afternoon at the office. In the common tongue, I believe that's what's
known as a "gimmie." On the docket, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
Captain America finds himself at odds with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s thinking, and facing a surprising and dangerous adversary.
Well,
dear Blog, first I should admit I'm not quite so much on the Marvel
bandwagon as most of the world. They make good superhero movies, and I
like good superhero movies, but they don't make anything that sets my
world on fire like that last Batman trilogy did. A matter of personal
taste, I know, but worth mentioning in the interest of full and fair
disclosure.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier has many
positives, so we'll start with those. It's a layered story that manages
to hold your attention without becoming muddled and over-complicated.
The action sequences are solid, and the CGI tricks look pretty
authentic. The movie is filled with familiar names and faces, and it's
as comfortable as hanging with a group of old friends when they
name-check other characters from the Marvel universe. Chris Evans again
serves the Captain well. If he's neither as charismatic as Robert
Downey, Jr. nor as interesting as Mark Ruffalo, he IS the very picture
of the all-American hero, perfect for this role. For my money, though,
the actor who's really worth seeing here is Sebastian Stan. I've been a
fan since his work on the short-lived NBC series Kings, and am
positively delighted about his jump to the big-screen blockbuster. (I'd
have been more delighted with more screen time, but since I watched
Black Swan for about two minutes of him, I guess I'll live.)
On
the negative side: Had the action sequences been trimmed just a bit,
the movie would have been sharper and better paced; as it is, it does
seem to drag a bit at times. Of more concern was the reaction in my
pretty-crowded cinema, almost a total flatline. No spontaneous oohs and
ahhs, almost no bursts of laughter at the comic bits, no chatter or
applause at the end. For a movie that's been so well received, I found
that very curious, especially as the crowd seemed mostly comprised of
fanboys and kids.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier runs 136
minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of violence, gunplay,
and action throughout."
Some folks are saying The Winter
Soldier is even better than Marvel's Avengers, seemingly the current
benchmark for a great superhero movie. For my money, they're about the
same: fun times that perfectly fit the lighthearted summer-blockbuster
mold.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Captain America: The Winter Soldier gets seven and a half.
A couple of new trailers have hit the interwebs over the last few days so let’s dig right in.
First up is the trailer, which looks surprisingly impressive, for the Captain America sequel. There’s a noticeable tonal shift from the first film which I never loved or hated. This one seems more like an international flavored action thriller with superheroes in the mix. Lots of familiar faces pop up along with plenty of new ones, check it out….
Earlier this week a couple of new Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues trailers hit. The 2nd US trailer showcases plenty of new footage. If that didn’t wet your appetite check out the international trailer which has even more new footage. I’m a huge Will Ferrell so I can’t wait for this, check them out below…
Dearest Blog, hot on the heels of a great concert, the movies seemed like a poor substitute for the thing I really love. Still, it's Saturday, so off to the cinema I went to see Pain & Gain.
Three muscle-bound meatheads hatch a risky plot to relieve a Miami mogul of his considerable wealth.
Spoiler level here will be mild.
There's really no reason Pain & Gain should be a funny story. Three idiots ruin their own lives and several others, just because they think life owes them more than they've got. However, the sheer stupidity of our terrible trio--brilliantly played by Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Mackie, and Dwayne Johnson--makes this the funniest movie I've seen in at least a year.
I've never held with people who believe dramatic acting is more credible than comedy. Wahlberg, Mackie, and Johnson are absolutely fantastic in Pain & Gain, and Ed Harris nearly steals the show when he turns up to take on the bumbling criminals. It's to both writers' and actors' credit that the leads are enjoyable, yet it's
always clear they're bad guys, and you won't feel sorry for them if things go sideways.
Pain & Gain is loaded with brutal violence, bad language, and drug use, with some boobies thrown in for good measure...pretty much offensive across the board. If you're sensitive about such things, this isn't the movie for you. If, for whatever reason, you can get a laugh out of some horrible and inappropriate scenarios, well...you're in the right place! My only complaint is that the movie's somewhat longer than it needs to be.
Pain & Gain clocks in at 130 minutes and is rated R for "bloody violence, crude sexual content, nudity, language throughout, and drug use." I thoroughly enjoyed it, laughing out loud for most of the two hours. Of a possible nine Weaselys, Pain & Gain gets seven and a half.
Until next
Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) is a regular bodybuilder who works at the Sun Gym along with his friend Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie). Sick of living the poor life, Lugo concocts a plan to kidnap Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub), a regular at the gym and a rich, spoiled businessman, and extort money from him by means of torture. With the help of recently released criminal Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson), the "Sun Gym Gang" successfully gets Kershaw to sign over all his finances. But when Kershaw survives an attempted murder by the gang, he hires private investigator Ed Du Bois (Ed Harris) to catch the criminals after the Miami Police Department fails to do so.
Director: Michael Bay
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Tony Shalhoub, Ed Harris
Release Date: Apr 26, 2013
Rated R for crude Sexual Content, Bloody Violence, Drug Use, Language Throughout and Nudity
Runtime: 2 hr. 9 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy
Review:
I’ve been a bit of a Michael Bay apologist over the years. Not because I believe he’s a mad genius but because I think he’s actually a solid action director whose becoming a whipping boy admittedly due to some of his really bad films. He creates the type of bombastic popcorn movies that are easily digestible and would rot your teeth if you consumed them regularly. Like all indulgences it should be done in moderation which is ironic since Bay doesn’t know anything about moderation. Pain & Gain is a bulging muscle flexing with veins popping out everywhere. Its first act is the type of caffeinated movie going experience that feels like somebody’s poured cocaine into your eyeballs. A bulging Mark Wahlberg is focused and dedicated to his role. He’s clearly enjoying himself throughout and keeps a bug eyed energy alive through the better part of the film. Equally game Dwayne Johnson, looking bigger than I’ve ever seen him, and Anthony Mackie match him throughout. Their interplay is great comedy especially as things get more ridiculous and out of control. Having the story change from point of during the story allows us to get into these morons minds and see what’s leading them down the incredibly slippery slope towards disaster. Tony Shalhoub delivers an extra salty performance in a limited role. Sadly Ed Harris and Rebel Wilson are mostly marginalized in thankless roles. Pain and Gain’s major faults are really a reflection of Bay’s. The characters, all of them, are caricatures of people; none of them feel real in anyway. They’re Bay mutated version of what real people are. Additionally, Bay never knows too much of a good thing. The first 2 acts are crisp and energetic but the last act drags on. It’s not terrible but it could have been streamlined. Bay would have been better served if he remembered its ok not to flex all the time.
The budding romance between a rising U.S. congressman and a gifted ballet dancer is unexpectedly complicated by otherworldly forces seeking to drive them apart by altering the very fabric of reality in this high-concept sci-fi thriller based on a story by famed author Philip K. Dick. David Norris (Matt Damon) is a rising New York congressmen whose everyman charisma has earned him a loyal following among locals. One night, after suffering a crushing political defeat, David is rehearsing his concession speech in a hotel bathroom when out of a stall wanders Elise (Emily Blunt), who was hiding out from security guards after crashing a wedding. The chemistry between David and Elise is instant and electric. But as fast as she appeared, Elise has vanished, leaving David to wonder if he will ever see her again. A few days later, as if by chance, David is boarding a bus for work when he spots Elise in a window seat. Though he manages to get her number this time, David is terrified when he arrives at his new job and discovers a mysterious group of men performing an unusual procedure on his paralyzed co-workers. Informed by the imposing and sharp-dressed Richardson (John Slattery) that he has just seen behind a curtain that few will ever know even exists, David agrees never to tell anyone of their encounter or talk to Elise again lest his entire memory be completely erased. But three years later, when David spots Elise walking down the street from the window of a city bus, he can't resist the urge to rekindle their romance. Unfortunately for the two young lovers, the mysterious agents at the Adjustment Bureau are determined to keep them apart at all costs in order to ensure there is no deviation from the master plan drawn up by "The Chairman" for the future of all humankind. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: George Nolfi
Cast: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, Michael Kelly, Terence Stamp, John Slattery
Release Date: Mar 04, 2011
Rated PG-13 for Brief strong language, some sexuality and a violent image
Runtime: 1 hr. 39 min.
Genres: Romance, Suspense/Thriller
Review:
The Adjustment Bureau is a high concept film that’s wonderfully shot that tries to be a lot of things all at once. First time director George Nolfi seems unable to focus his film. It’s as if we are watching his mind visually being projected on to the screen. The film takes so many thematic turns that’s it’s hard to get an actual feel for it. Nolfi’s heart is in the right place and there are plenty of high concepts rumblings at work, freewill vs. destiny, in the story here but he can’t seem to decide how to address it. As a result we get a shotgun approach. This film could easily be called a romance, Sci-fi, thriller, and even spiritual film. I don’t think anyone can question Nolfi’s eye behind the camera, he give his film a wonderful Kafkaesque feel to the whole proceedings while framing some shots with impressive talent. Matt Damon delivers a strong performance here but he really shines when he shares screen time with his costar. He and Emily Blunt have such wonderful chemistry on screen, their interactions are so strong and authentic that it really breathes life into the film. John Slattery and Terence Stamp, who apparently replace each other half way through the film, do fine work as the fedora wearing master planners. I would have liked to get a bit more from the characters but they aren’t really written that way, they merely serve the story. Anthony Mackie is given a bit more to work with and he’s enjoyable in the limited screen time he has, mostly in the last act. The last act feels a tad rush and not only because it becomes a chase film. Sadly, the finale feel artificial, removing any pop the story might have had if it’d finished on a more ambiguous tone. It’s a shame because there are parts of this film that work so well but it never quite reaches the heights of something like Dark City.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Movie Reviews: THE HURT LOCKER
ON DVD
THE HURT LOCKER
Based on the personal wartime experiences of journalist Mark Boal (who adapted his experiences with a bomb squad into a fact-based, yet fictional story), director Kathryn Bigelow's Iraq War-set action thriller The Hurt Locker presents the conflict in the Middle East from the perspective of those who witnessed the fighting firsthand -- the soldiers. As an elite Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team tactfully navigates the streets of present-day Iraq, they face the constant threat of death from incoming bombs and sharp-shooting snipers. In Baghdad, roadside bombs are a common danger. The Army is working to make the city a safer place for Americans and Iraqis, so when it comes to dismantling IEDs (improvised explosive devices) the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) crew is always on their game. But protecting the public isn't easy when there's no room for error, and every second spent dismantling a bomb is another second spent flirting with death. Now, as three fearless bomb technicians take on the most dangerous job in Baghdad, it's only a matter of time before one of them gets sent to "the hurt locker."
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes.
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Release Date: ..Jun 26, 2009..
Rated R for language and war violence
Runtime: 2 hr. 11 min.
Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller
Review:
Kathryn Bigelow’s tension filled The Hurt Locker is an excellently crafted film even if it becomes a war of attrition by the finale. From the opening sequence, Bigelow ratchets up the tension to 11 and, outside of a few scenes, never really lets up. It’s the type of film that never really lets you breathe as it’s a succession of high stress moments after another. Bigelow does a wonderful job of capturing the tension by framing and shooting scenes so that everything has a sense of immediacy. The film would be a failure if the cast didn’t come off as believable, luckily this cast, made up of working actors not stars, is more than up to the task. Jeremy Renner leaves a strong impression with his work here. Renner gives his character a definite sense of authenticity while never allowing his character to come off as clichéd, something the script falls into later in the film. Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty are equally strong in their performances. The film is almost entirely limited to these 3 men and they share a great chemistry throughout. Effective cameos from name actors such as Ralph Fiennes, Guy Pierce and David Morse add to the overall quality of the film and they keep the audience off balance with unexpected situations or resolutions. If there are a few miscues they limited to the script, as it heads towards its conclusions some situations and relationships start to come off as artificially generated and lack the authenticity of film. It’s nothing horrible but noticeable. The Hurt Locker avoids any political leanings and focuses almost primarily on the individuals that trudge through the Iraq conflict. It’s a film that feels every minute of its 2 hour plus run time and that’s not really a bad thing.
