MOVIE REVIEW: DUNE PART TWO

 

Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe, he must prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux

Release Date: March 1, 2024

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some suggestive material and brief strong language.

Runtime: 2h 46m

Review:

Denis Villeneuve's Dune Part Two is a sci-fi epic in every sense of the word filled with mesmerizing visuals, a stellar cast and a beefier story than you'd expect from a blockbuster of this size.  Villeneuve, now free of the first film's exposition dump, moves his film at a steadier pace delivering massive action set pieces that are impressively staged and far more engaging than the first film's offers.  Paul's first ride on a sandworm is wonderfully set up and executed to create a thrilling and visceral experience, something the battle sequences can't quite match.  Visually, you can see Villeneuve pulling inspiration from other legendary sci-fi films such as 2001 or Star Wars for Arrakis and contrasting it with the Harkonnen's which clearly draws inspiration from H.R. Giger early work from Jodorowsky’s failed attempt to bring the film to the screen in the 70's.  There are a bevy of shots that are sure to join the pantheon of the memorable shots in cinematic history.  Overall, the film and story move at a brisker pace with the full scale of the story's themes and relationships unfurling at steady pace leaving very few dead spots throughout the film’s hefty runtime.  The film's ensemble cast shines throughout with each delivering strong performances regardless of screen time.  Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya get the lion's share of the screen time with both doing fine work albeit their romantic chemistry isn't quite as strong as it should be likely due to their romance being rushed thru in the opening act.  It’s a minor issue especially with the amount of story they have to work through and both still deliver the goods on the dramatic sides.  Rebecca Ferguson gets a meatier role here as her character takes a darker more ominous tone which she's more than capable of conveying.  Javier Bardem also gets more to do this go around after his extended cameo in the first film.  Bardem is fun every time he's onscreen thanks to his general charisma which works for his character's unwavering zealotry.  Austin Butler proves he doesn't have to be Elvis in everything with an impressive about face as the psychotic Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen.  Florence Pugh does well in her limited screen time even though the character is mainly used for exposition dumps, but you get the sense there's more on the horizon if a third film comes to fruition.  Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin and Charlotte Rampling return from the first film with much smaller but important roles with each making those small moments far more impactful.  It’s a testament to the scale of Dune Two that these actors serve as garnish to its cinematic cornucopia which delivers on multiple fronts while leaving you wanting to see the story's final act.   

A

Cindy Prascik's Review of Dune

My dear reader(s), this weekend gave me a rare bit of time for watching and writing, so I decided to check out Denis Villeneuve's latest, Dune.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

Chronicling the grim interplanetary shenanigans of some absurdly beautiful people.

I will surprise no one by admitting I did not: a) revisit the source material, or b) revisit the original, before diving into Dune 2021. In fact, I remembered so little about the 1984 movie that I had to resort to IMDB to remember who was in it. No, this weekend's choices came down to going to the cinema for over two and a half hours of James Bond, or staying home for over two and a half hours of Dune. I was equally excited (or not) for both, so - as is my norm these days - I opted to stay home. Having said that, I really wanted to like Dune, and was disappointed to find that impossible.

First, though, the good.

Dune boasts a magnificent score by Hans Zimmer. It grabbed me from the very first minute and never let go. The film is visually stunning, the special effects are nifty, and the fight choreography is quite sharp. The cast features a bunch of folks you probably know and love from other things, which leads us to...

...the bad.

Bad acting that is. With the exception of Jason Momoa, who always manages to entertain, everyone is either wooden as a marionette or overacting wildly. No real in-between. (And, no, I'm not saying Momoa is the best actor here by any means, just that he fares best with what he's got to work with.) It's nice to see David Dastmalchian turning up in everything these days, though. The movie is pretentious and far too long. I imagine you're meant to be entranced by the relationships and conflicts among characters and groups, but...nah. I was bored by the 30-minute mark, and completely checked out with about 45 minutes left. With a mighty display of will, I finished it, but it definitely didn't have anything close to my full attention for that last third(ish). Maybe James Bond could have done better.

Dune clocks in at a bloated 155 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images, and suggestive material."

Dune is a feast for the eyes, but fails to engage otherwise. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Dune gets three.

Dune is now playing in cinemas worldwide, and streaming on HBO Max until mid-November.

MOVIE REVIEW: DUNE

 

Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence, only those who can conquer their own fear will survive.

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Cast:  Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem

Release Date: October 22, 2021

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images and suggestive material

Runtime: 2h 35min

Review:

Denis Villeneuve's Dune is a massive movie in everyway shape and form.  This second attempt at adapting Frank Herbert's notoriously dense tome is an opulent feast for the eyes with each scene and sequence leaving a lasting impression due to sheer amount of craftsmanship on display.  It's the kind of cinematic worldbuilding that is bound to leave plenty of people in awe due to the visual bounty on screen.  The cast is peppered with A list talent across the board with each delivering strong if self serious performances.  Oscar Isaac's stoic but loving father/general plays perfectly into his wheelhouse.  Likewise, Josh Brolin's stern solider fits him perfectly just like Jason Momoa's Duncan the caring but fierce warrior.  Dave Bautista's animalistic Harkonnen savage and Stellan Skarsgård's nefarious Baron Vladimir Harkonnen serve as the primary villain's in what amounts to an origin story for Timothée Chalamet's Paul.  Chalamet's performance is strong but subdued landing somewhere in the Hamlet territory.  Rebecca Ferguson though is the real life blood of film as her character and performance is always the most interesting thing on screen even in the mist of the visual cornucopia.  There's an air of Shakespearian tragedy to the story and overall approach.  It's all very self serious and methodical in it's approach which might be off putting to people who aren't pulled immediately into the story which is admittedly dense.  There is also a Kubrick like clinical distance from the characters on screen making it difficult to connect to them on an emotional level.  Additionally, Dune is merely setting the table for the real action to kick off in it's sequel.  That doesn't make it any less of a cinematic achievement that's sure enrapture and dazzle audiences.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the highly anticipated (at least by me) Sicario sequel, Day of the Soldado.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing plot-related that the trailers didn't give away.

 

In order to combat trafficking of would-be terrorists across the border, the US aims to set the Mexican drug cartels at war with one another.

 

The usual full and fair disclosure(s)...quite a laundry list this time! First, I love Josh Brolin. Like, I really, really love him...since the Goonies but especially since The Young Riders. He never seems to be one of the guys who comes up in the Gary Oldman-level conversation, but I've loved him so long he's practically part of my DNA, and, despite the fact that he's become a superstar with a hefty collection of accolades, I've never learned to take his position above the movie's title for granted. 

 

Secondly, I am what is not-so-politely referred to as "part of the problem" in Hollywood. I like testosterone-fueled shoot 'em ups, and I didn't miss a female lead this time around. (No hate; I mention it only because it does color my opinion of movies.) Finally, the real world is such a shambles these days that it can be difficult to stomach films that depict some of its worst aspects, and certainly it's never easy to be reminded how awful your own government can be. I was pretty twitchy through Day of the Soldado's opening scene, but I was able to get lost in the story quickly, troublesome as the subject matter is.

 

Onward: Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a solid follow-up to one of 2015's better surprises. The movie loses a bit of momentum in its second act, but, thanks to well-maintained tension, a fully-utilized runtime, and amazing performances all 'round, it never really lets go of your attention. An implausible twist nearly derails the whole shebang (my cinema actually laughed out loud during the grim scene, certainly not the filmmakers' intention), but the film quickly regains its footing. 

 

Brolin and co-star Benicio Del Toro are riveting, and, like the original, Day of the Soldado boasts extraordinary cinematography (this time by the incomparable Dariusz Wolski), and a phenomenal score by Hildur Guonadottir. This felt like the first time in a very, very long time I was truly excited to get out to the movies, and Sicario: Day of the Soldado did not disappoint. Also, small spoiler alert: Josh Brolin eating noodles like he's never seen food before is my new porn.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado clocks in at 122 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence, bloody images, and language."

 

Sicario: Day of the Soldado as a whole is never quite as good as some of its parts, but it met my expectations and kept me engaged to the end. 

 

Of a possible nine Weaslesys, Sicario: Day of the Soldado gets eight.

 

Fangirl points: Yeah, still gotta give 'em to Josh Brolin, and also Dariusz Wolski, whose work never ceases to amaze me. AND...Shea Whigham, too!

 

Until next time...

SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO

FBI agent Matt Graver calls on mysterious operative Alejandro Gillick when Mexican drug cartels start to smuggle terrorists across the U.S. border. The war escalates even further when Alejandro kidnaps a top kingpin's daughter to deliberately increase the tensions. When the young girl is seen as collateral damage, the two men will determine her fate as they question everything that they are fighting for.

Director: Stefano Sollima

 

Cast: Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Jeffrey Donovan, Isabela Moner, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Catherine Keener

Release Date: June 29, 2018

 

Genres: Action, Crime, Drama

Rated R for strong violence, bloody images, and language

Runtime: 2h 3min

Review:

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a solid sequel even though it is missing that spark that made the original film so impressive.  Losing Denis Villeneuve and Roger Deakins was bound to leave a gap but new director Stefano Sollima tries his best to keep the aesthetics the same and general feel of the original.  Still there’s a noticeable talent gap which is compounded by some truly bleak sequences which are as shocking as they are rather unnecessary.  The script has a strange undercurrent of nastiness which can distract you from some strong performances.  Benicio del Toro drives the film with an impressive showing expanding on his character from the first film.  Del Toro is always the most interesting person on screen while Josh Brolin is a close second.  Brolin adds some needed depth to his character but the film doesn’t spend as much time cultivating it as it should.  Isabela Moner is a strong child performer who emotes fairly well even though she’s not given a ton of dialogue.  Catherine Keener is given a thankless role which wastes her considerable talents which is a real shame.  The film’s twisty plot is kind of muddled and once the film gains momentum it suddenly just ends with a door flapping open for a sequel.  It’s weird to think of this series being a franchise but that’s where the film leads us.

B-

Cindy Prascik's Review of Deadpool 2

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas to catch up with everyone's favorite foul-mouthed hero, Deadpool.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

 

The further adventures of Wade Wilson, complete with a whole lotta swearing, a fair bit of innuendo, a bucket of pop-culture references, and a pretty thin plot holding it all together.

 

Regular reader(s) may remember I've been in Ryan Reynolds' corner for a very long time. I thought he deserved Oscar consideration for Buried, and I even liked Green Lantern. (That makes one of us, right?) I'm delighted and grateful he can call the Deadpool franchise a big win, but I have to admit the abrasiveness of the first film wore thin for me very quickly. I loved it when I first saw it, but a second screening left me no desire to further revisit it...and you're talking to a person for whom repeat viewings are the norm, rather than the exception. Still, I was looking forward to this sequel, and am pleased to report that, at least on first look, it is a rollicking good time.

 

Reynolds is once again fantastic in the lead. It's a role he fought long and hard to bring to the screen, and he owns it. Josh Brolin continues his MCU takeover with an intense turn as Cable, but it's Zazie Beetz who steals the show as Domino. (*cue the cosplays*) Deadpool 2 boasts plenty of action and non-stop laugh-out-loud moments. Unlike Ready Player One, whose incessant pop-culture references made me want to put a fist through the screen, DP2 works those references to its advantage, taking genuinely funny shots at TV characters, presidents, and pretty much everyone in between, including both Marvel and DC heroes in equal measure. Musical selections such as Air Supply's All Out of Love pile on the comedy. If the plot is erratic and the story barely there, I can't say anyone in my screening appeared to mind, and a reasonable runtime helps the whole feel fresh and exciting. Stay tuned for a handful of mid-credits scenes, including one that drew an enormous round of applause from my theater. 

 

Deadpool 2 clocks in at 119 minutes and is rated R for "sex, nudity, violence, gore, profanity, alcohol, drugs, and smoking." (That's quite a laundry list, and they mean it, folks. There's barely a minute of this movie where someone isn't doing something offensive, so please, please, please leave the kids at home.)

 

Deadpool 2 may or may not stand the test of time, but on first viewing I laughed for nearly two hours straight. If you're looking for a nice afternoon of pure escapism, and you aren't squeamish about explicit content, it's definitely the movie for you. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Deadpool 2 gets seven and a half.

 

Fangirl Points: Yeah, I know he's A-List, nevermind one of the above-the-title stars of this very film, but I have loved Josh Brolin since The Goonies, and I think it's only fair to award him my Fangirl Points when I remember!

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: DEADPOOL 2

Wisecracking mercenary Deadpool joins forces with three mutants -- Bedlam, Shatterstar and Domino -- to protect a boy from the all-powerful Cable.

Director: David Leitch

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Jack Kesy

Release Date: May 18, 2018

Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy 

R for strong violence and language throughout, sexual references and brief drug material

Runtime: 1h 59min 

Review:

Deadpool 2 is the type of sequel that improves on the original while never losing the spirit of the first film.  The meta humor is bad and stronger than the first go around even if a handful of jokes fall flat, particularly in the first act.  Once it gets going though, the film has an undeniable energy and pace.  David Leitch does fine work, picking up seamlessly from Tim Miller works in the first film, directing the sequel.  It’s never a particularly showy film but some of the set pieces are incredibly impressive and funny at the same time.  Ryan Reynolds, of course, makes the whole thing go without him and his charisma this ship wouldn’t sail.  Reynolds and Deadpool are so intertwined it hard to tell where one starts and one ends.  He’s clearly having the time of his life in these films and we get to enjoy the fruits of his labors.  

B+

April Sokol's Reviews of Only the Brave & Geostorm

***Note from Daniel – “Here’s a quick introduction to our newest reviewer joining Cindy Prascik and yours truly”***

Hello fellow movie lovers. My name is April. I am a wife and mother of 3 boys. I have loved everything about the movie going experience ever since my parents took me to see ET. I find that I'm pretty easily entertained so my reviews will always reflect that.

My favorite movie ever made is 1995's Heat. I am highly opinionated on all things, but especially when it comes to movies. I'm thankful for a place to share my thoughts with others. I hope you enjoy the ramblings of my over caffeinated, sleep deprived mind.

Only the Brave is the true story of the Granite Mountain Hot Shots. The first municipal hot shot team ever assembled.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski

Starring Josh Brolin, Miles Davis, Jennifer Connelly and Jeff Bridges

My review:

Only the Brave is a straightforward, unflinching look at some of the bravest among us: firefighters. But these aren't your average community volunteer firemen. This is the Navy Seals of fire fighting. These men are dropped into the biggest, nastiest fires with only an axe and shovel.

There is quite a lot to love about this movie. I feel compelled to mention that I am not a fan of Brolin or Connelly and have at the very most a love/hate relationship with the work of Teller. So I was incredibly surprised by how deeply I fell in love with this story.

The first act sets the stage. Teller's Brendan McDonough is a young out of control guy freshly out of jail. He's got a million reasons to finally get his act together if only someone will give him a chance. McDonough is given that chance by the grizzled, wise Eric Marsh (Brolin). There is plenty of heart and humor to be found in his new community. Now we're off to the races. The entire second act of the movie is one beautiful shot after another. The cast does an amazing job of portraying men and women who come together as family in the harshest of situations. Nothing is prettied up. The strain put on the spouses, the distance with their children. It's all there to draw you into this world that so very few people actually live and experience.

You can feel that this will end with a big fire. So when it finally comes it's not a surprise. But still hugely effective. For those of us who were not familiar with this true story, it was a nail biting bit of cinema.

Overall I am more than willing and able to overlook the small issues I had with the tropes that were included in the script. Only the Brave has a run time of 143 minutes and it rated PG 13 for thematic content and brief sexual references. I enjoyed almost every minute. 

A very solid 4 out of 5 stars is my rating. Only the Brave is the best thing currently playing at my local cinemaplex by leaps and bounds.

Geostorm is this year's natural disaster spectacle of a movie. The system put into place to protect Earth from natural disasters has malfunctioned and it's a race to fix the problem before all of Earth is destroyed.

Directed by Dean Devlin

Starring Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess and Abbie Cornish

Before I begin I feel like I should make a confession. Armageddon is one of my all time favorite movies. Yes. I said it. I love the cheesy dialogue and completely unrealistic plot because it's FUN. Geostorm brought Armageddon to mind more than once during my viewing.

The plot is straightforward. Gerard Butler plays Jake Lawson, the hot head developer of the Dutch Boy Program. A system of satellites that are designed to neutralize any and all natural disasters before they happen. It's not a stretch to see Lawson struggling to maintain his vision's integrity when faced with politicians who want to control Dutch Boy. None of this is groundbreaking cinema. The hero has a bad attitude. The government is shady and shifty. There are plenty of estranged relationships. Lots of familiar movie cliches are thrown at the viewer in quick succession.

But if you can suspend reality for the 1hr49min run time there is some good stuff in here. The special effects, both on Earth and on board the Dutch Boy itself are fun. There are huge typhoons, massive sandstorms, eruptions, tornadoes...all of the good stuff! The big reveal of the bad guy is not exactly shocking. The dialogue is silly. The science is nonsensical. But despite all of that, I found myself smiling through the whole thing. Special points given for Cornish's portrayal of a Secret Service agent who is pretty badass.

Geostorm is rated PG 13 for destruction, action and violence. My viewing had plenty of smaller children who all seemed to be having just as much fun as I was. There is absolutely nothing award worthy to be found here. But if you're looking for a few hours of popcorn eating entertainment, this is what you're looking for. I give Geostorm a rating of 2 ½ out of 5 stars.

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies & Hail, Caesar!

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for unlikely bedfellows Pride & Prejudice & Zombies and Hail, Caesar! 

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing important that you won't have gotten from a couple of pretty awesome trailers. First on the docket: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. A bit of classic literature gets the Walking Dead treatment. 

 

Oh, Jack Huston, the things I do for you. Nevermind the things I *would* do for you...the things I *do* do for you. Zombies are kind-of the "it" monster these days, but, being more of a vampire girl myself--and not having gone anywhere near Jane Austen since a forced high-school acquaintance--I might have taken a pass on PPZ if not for the presence of the talented and dashing Mr. Huston. 

 

Not surprisingly, though, it was a far less annoying experience than that Nicholas Sparks disaster I was forced to watch last year. Getting the obvious out of the way first: If you look at the name "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies" and think "That's stupid!" well...this isn't the movie for you. 

 

Like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, the concept's chief appeal is in its utter ridiculousness. PPZ isn't quite as tongue-in-cheek as one might expect, but it's still good fun. Highlights include a strong leading turn by Lily James, a solid array of impressive female heroes, nice costumes, good fight choreography, and some sweet zombie effects. 

 

Like World War Z, these undead don't just shuffle along; if you're running, odds are they can catch you. Of all the non-traditional aspects of PPZ, that one is, perhaps, the most disquieting! On the downside, it takes a full 39 minutes for Jack Huston to appear onscreen. (Did I clock it? Yes, I did.) Sam Riley is so miserable looking throughout I feel sure he'll be tapped to play Athos in some future version of The Three Musketeers. 

 

The movie's not overlong, but it does feel slow at times; a little trim might have served it well. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies clocks in at 108 minutes and is rated PG13 for "zombie violence and action and brief suggestive material." 

 

A definitive answer to Hollywood's female problem, Pride & Prejudice & Zombies is a good time that's well worth a look. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, PPZ gets seven. 

 

Next on my agenda: Hail, Caesar! In 1950s Hollywood, a studio "fixer" has his hands full when a marquee name goes missing. 

 

My smarter, funnier cousin once said that the Coen brothers' idea of a comedy is about the same as Iron Tail's idea of coloring Easter eggs. (If you're young, look it up.) I don't find that as true here as it sometimes is, but their humor is an acquired taste; if you don't love Hail, Caesar!, you'll probably hate it. 

 

Though the movie's been touted as a love letter to Hollywood's Golden Age, if we're being honest, it's more of a hate letter, spotlighting everything hilariously stupid about the big studio experience of the 50s. Josh Brolin is fantastic in the lead and, even after all these years, it does my tiny heart good to see his name atop such a list of Hollywood A-Listers. 

 

George Clooney's buffoonish superstar is a laugh every time he's onscreen. Channing Tatum continues to surprise as a real asset to seemingly every movie that'll have him. (And does he have the MOVES!) 

 

I wouldn't be me if I didn't name check a couple of my favorites who turn up in roles so small the characters don't even have names: Fisher Stevens and Patrick Fischler. 

 

Great to see ya, guys! Hail, Caesar! features a solid mystery that ties together the various movies within the movie. The film is consistently funny, with some laugh-out-loud moments, and boasts top-notch performances from a bunch of top-notch names, as well as charming choreography from the master, Tony winner Christopher Gattelli. 

 

There's also a small cameo by Mr. Jack Huston, which allows me to deem yesterday a "Jack Huston Film Festival." Day = Made! Hail, Caesar! runs 106 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some suggestive content and smoking." 

 

The finished product falls a little short of its stellar trailer's promise, but Hail, Caesar! is a fun, clever picture that should please most moviegoers. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Hail, Caesar! gets seven. 

 

Hope everyone enjoys their Super Bowl Sunday. Until next time...........yay, football!! 

 

MOVIE REVIEW: HAIL, CAESAR!

Slick Hollywood fixer Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) is pressed into action when superstar actor Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) is kidnapped and held for ransom by a mysterious group. Mannix races to quietly collect the ransom money without gossip columnists Thessaly and Thora Thacker (Tilda Swinton in a dual role) catching wind of the scandal. Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Jonah Hill, Frances McDormand, and Channing Tatum co-star in this comedy set in Hollywood's golden age. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Cast: George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Jonah Hill

Release Date: Feb 05, 2016

Rated PG-13 Some suggestive content and smoking.

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min.

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Music/Performing Arts

Review:

Hail, Caesar is the Coen’s brother loving tribute to old Hollywood with a healthy dose of laughter.  Its plot is almost an afterthought since the Coen’s seem more concerned with recreating some of the golden eras favorite genres.  It’s an enjoyable trek with enough laughs to keep you entertained for the better part of its runtime.  Josh Brolin is fine as the studio fixer who’s just trying to keep all the proverbial plates spinning.  He mostly serves as your guide through the fictional studio so we have an excuse to wander through some wonderfully choreographed sequences like Scarlett Johansson water based musical or Channing Tatum’s fun Gene Kellyesque sailor sequence.  Alden Ehrenreich does impressive work as the cowboy star turned dramatic actor, it helps that he shares a fantastic little sequence with an underused Ralph Fiennes.  It’s all light wacky fun which is going to leave you smiling even if the film would have been better if it’d been just a tad more focused.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Sicario & The Martian

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to the pictures for a promising pair, Sicario and The Martian.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

 

First on my agenda: Sicario.

 

A tactical specialist for the FBI is recruited for a multi-agency operation targeting a drug kingpin.

 

Dear Reader(s), I was a HUGE fan of the TV series The Bridge, so when I started seeing trailers for Sicario, I thought, "The Bridge on the big screen, with a li'l Josh Brolin stirred in for good measure? SIGN ME UP!" The movie does have its twists, but it definitely includes all the "law vs. cartel" aspects you'd expect, too.

 

To wit: It will surprise exactly no one that a film about running down a cartel boss is not for the faint-hearted. Sicario is brutal, and it does not flinch in its presentation of violence and gore, though torture is mercifully more implied than explicitly shown. It's all about ugliness, with the occasional surprisingly pretty moment. In a world of dirt and shacks, suddenly there's a silhouette framed against a stunning sunset, a frame of breathtaking beauty. Emily Blunt is fantastic in the lead, a competent, confident woman who lands in a situation she doesn't fully understand and can't control. For the second time in as many weeks, Josh Brolin turns up as a vaguely obnoxious guy that you'll kinda like anyway, and Benicio Del Toro all-but steals the show. The proceedings are accompanied by a menacing, magnificent score (composed by Johann Johannsson) that perfectly enhances the movie's tense tone. There are many moving pieces in Sicario, but, at almost an even two hours, it never feels muddled, slow, or long.

 

Sicario clocks in at 121 minutes, and is rated R for "strong violence, grisly images, and language."

I anticipated greatness from Sicario, and I'm pleased to report it exceeded my expectations. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Sicario gets eight.

 

Next up: Ridley Scott's The Martian.

 

A space mishap leaves a presumed-dead astronaut alive and alone on Mars.

 

Box office reports indicate that, if you went to the movies this weekend, you probably saw The Martian. And you loved it, didn't you? Seems everyone did. Well, almost everyone...

 

First, the positives: The Martian is a great story, and very well acted. A strong supporting cast is uniformly solid, but it's essentially up to Matt Damon to ensure you aren't rooting against astronaut Mark Watney's rescue. Damon does a fine job; he's believably smart, funny, and likable, yet also beautifully plays those moments of despair bound to beset a person in his situation. It's worth noting that, for all the movie's meant to be taken seriously, it does not hesitate to get a shirtless Matt Damon onscreen as early and as often as possible. There's a shortage of Sebastian Stan (would you even believe I wrote this if I didn't say it?), but it's nice to see Stan, an excellent actor in his own right, in something worth watching. I'm a long-standing Stan Fan, but outside Marvel projects, I'm pretty sure he hasn't done a decent movie or show since the short-lived NBC series Kings. The Martian's effects are big and sweeping, not in the same universe (see what I did there?) as the visual magnificence of Interstellar, but certainly worth seeing on the big screen. It's played for laughs, but there's also a proper disco-stompin' soundtrack that'll leave you humming ABBA's Waterloo for the next week or so.

 

The negatives? Despite all that, The Martian is pretty boring for pretty frequent and pretty significant stretches. You've no reason to care whether anyone outside of Watney lives or dies. The off-Mars sequences at NASA are actually far more interesting and entertaining than the movie's galactic bread and butter. If we're being honest, I looked at the clock a LOT and was fidgetingly anxious to wrap it up before the movie's halfway point.

 

The Martian runs an excessive 141 minutes, and is rated PG13 for "some strong language, injury images, and brief nudity."

 

It's a good movie, maybe even a great movie, but on the heels of Sicario, 

 

The Martian just didn't feel all that special. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, 

 

The Martian gets six and a half.

 

Until next time...

 

MOVIE REVIEW: SICARIO

An idealistic FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is assigned to work a dangerous stretch of the US-Mexico border by her superior officer (Josh Brolin). She's exposed to the brutality of the Mexican drug cartel, and becomes partners with a defector from the cartel (Benicio Del Toro) who possesses keen knowledge about the organization. As she gets deeper into the ruthlessness and corruption surrounding the FBI sting to find the organizations leaders, her moral and professional boundaries are pushed to their breaking point. Denis Villeneuve directs this pulse-pounding crime drama, which competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Cast: Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Jon Bernthal, Daniel Kaluuya

Release Date: Sep 18, 2015

Runtime: 2 hr. 1 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama

Review:

Sicario is the type of action thriller that leans towards the adult audience more so than the blockbusters.  It’s a moody mix of suspense peppered with action and compelling characters.  Denis Villeneuve’s is beautifully shot film that never shies away from the ugly side of violence and vengeance.  Still it’s not nearly as bleak as his previous film Prisoners which seemed intent on showing the closing darkness.  That’s not to say that this film is a bright and uplifting sing along, far from it.  Its characters are various shades of gray.   Emily Blunt’s performance here shores up her transformation from rom-com to ruthless but with a touch of subtle vulnerability.  The supporting cast is headline by Josh Brolin who is having a good time playing a CIA spook that is out for his own interest but Benicio Del Toro is the star of the show.  Del Toro is a fascinating mix of cool and dangerous throughout.  His character doesn’t say much but the performance lets you know there’s plenty going on behind those eyes.  It’s an intriguing drug war drama throughout Villeneuve’s most accessible film yet.

A

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Everest & Hotel Transylvania 2

Dearest Blog, today it was off to the pictures for strange bedfellows Everest and Hotel Transylvania 2.

 Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or (I assume) actual events.

First on my agenda: Everest. Several groups of climbers take on the world's highest mountain. Okay, dear reader(s), admit it: From the very first trailer, you were trying to pick out who among Everest's cast of critical darlings would be first to bite the dust, and who might make it out alive.

It's a teen-slasher flick, except, instead of a masked maniac, the big bad is Mother Nature. I read a piece earlier this week that suggested the movie would keep people from wanting to climb Mount Everest, but I'ma be straight: it didn't take a movie to convince me life-threatening hobbies are a bad idea; rather, once you've seen Everest, you'll be lucky if you aren't scared to walk to your car if it's parked on a grade in a little snow.

Everest has a lot going for it, not least its stellar cast. Josh Brolin and Jake Gyllenhall are always big draws for me, but there are no missteps among this group. John Hawkes is terrific as always, as are Kiera Knightly and a woefully underused Robin Wright. The breathtaking scenery is worth the price of admission all on its own...just stunning.

Visual and sound effects are also top notch. (When sound effects are so good a person who doesn't do sound effects for a living notices, those are some good sound effects!) Both make you feel as though you're right on the mountain with our crew of climbers.

The film does a great job of maintaining tension throughout; in fact, there was not a peep out of anyone in my theatre for the entire two hours; the crowd was mesmerized.

Having said all that, Everest does have a couple weak points, too. Some sequences are drawn out for effect, but a trim here or there wouldn't have hurt. During the most harrowing climbing scenes, everyone is so bundled up it's impossible to tell who's who, unless you had the presence of mind early on to make mental notes of whose jacket was what color.

Necessary for realism, certainly, but not so much fun for the guy with the popcorn trying to keep score. Overall, though, those are petty quibbles with a mostly solid flick. Everest clocks in at 121 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense peril and disturbing images."

Everest is a good movie sure to convince you mountain climbing is the world's most insane hobby.

I'm glad I learned macrame in the eighth grade!

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Everest gets seven.

Next up, Hotel Transylvania 2. Having grown up, married, and had a baby, Dracula's daughter Mavis considers moving out of Hotel Transylvania to raise her child among "normal" people.

I gotta admit, after the stressful Everest, I was never so grateful for the idiocy of Adam Sandler. Despite my general aversion to Mr. Sandler, I truly enjoyed the first Hotel Transylvania, and hoped for more of the same from the sequel. As with most Sandler vehicles, HT2's voice cast is a who's who of Saturday Night Live alums. It won't do anything for my cinephile cred to admit I laughed my butt off at BOTH Grownups movies, but, well, there it is. No movie was ever worse for a bit of Steve Buscemi, either, and Mel Brooks is a terrific addition to the cast.

Transylvania boasts beautiful art and animation, but the 3D is essentially useless. If it's a bit slow towards the end, the movie mostly moves at a good clip, and I laughed out loud more than a few times.

There are some cute moments to which the older among us are sure to relate, and plenty of gross-outs for the kids. Finally, the not-so-subtle "can't we all get along" message is more than welcome in our contentious times, even if it's buried in a kids' cartoon. Hotel Transylvania 2 runs 89 minutes and is rated PG for "some scary images, action, and rude humor."

It won't come close to any Best Animated Feature awards, but, for my money, Hotel Transylvania 2 is good fun for all ages.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Hotel Transylvania gets six.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: FRANK MILLER’S SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR

Robert Rodriguez teams with Frank Miller to direct this follow-up to Sin City from a script by Miller and William Monahan based on preexisting stories along with new ones written for the big screen. Josh Brolin stars in the adaptation of the comic miniseries (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), which tells the backstory of Clive Owen's Dwight character as he is wrapped up in the thralls of femme fatale, Ava Eva Green. Also new to the series is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays Johnny, a mysterious gambler set on taking down his sworn enemy in a high-stakes game of life and death.  Mickey Rourke, Rosario Dawson, Jessica Alba, and Jaime King return for the Dimension Films release, with Jamie Chung and Dennis Haysbert stepping into roles left by Devon Aoki and the late Michael Clarke Duncan. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez 

Cast: Josh Brolin, Mickey Rourke, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Eva Green, Jessica Alba.

Rated R for pervasive violence, sex, nudity, smoking, and drugs

Release Date: Aug 22, 2014

Runtime: 102 min

Genres: Crime Thriller, Post-Noir (Modern Noir), Crime

Review:

The follow up to Sin City from Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez goes well with its predecessor even if it’s lost a bit of its bite this go around.  The style, violence and attitude carry over keeping the film visually interesting but kind of a mixed bag in terms of a story.  The good part of the film involves anything that contains Mickey Rourke who slips back into Marv’s skin with incredible ease and the always impressive Eva Green.  Green has a second Frank Miller sequel she’s single handedly props up.  Eva is always the most interesting person on screen as chews up scenery as the man eating black widow.  It’s an over the top performance but hints of subtly showcasing Green’s talent and a fair amount of self awareness.  She knows exactly what kind of film this is and what the directors are aiming for, as a result she knocks it out of the park.  On the opposite end of the spectrum is Jessica Alba who misses the mark badly.  Even worse, she seems totally unaware about how badly she’s doing.  Rourke is great but his role is greatly reduced here since he’s more of a supporting player for Josh Brolin who’s surprisingly unmemorable and bland.  Dennis Haysbert fills in capably for the late Michael Clarke Duncan while Jamie Chung is fairly distracting filling in for Devon Aoki for some reason, it might be obnoxious amount of make up they piled on her.   The biggest disappointment is Joseph Gordon-Levitt and it has nothing to do with his performance which is fine.  The problem is that his entire segment and character is utterly pointless.  It makes the entire film feel longer than it actually is, making it a bit of a slog even for fans of the series. 

C+

[Trailer] Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

It's been a long wait but we finally have our first look at the follow up to the original Sin City.  This sequel has been talked about for years but stuck in perpetual production hell until it finally gained traction in the last year and half.

This teaser is likely to thrill fans but probably won't convert newcomers.  Since the sequel is being released around the same time as this past year's Machete Kills, I get the feeling that Rodriguez and Miller are going all out.....

MOVIE REVIEW: MEN IN BLACK 3

IN THEATERS

MEN IN BLACK 3



The Men in Black are back, and this time Agent J (Will Smith) must take a trip into the past in order to save both the future and his taciturn partner Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) in the third installment of the hit sci-fi comedy series. After 15 years of working with aliens from all across the cosmos, Agent J is sure he's seen it all. But just when he's getting the hang of the game, he learns that history has inexplicably been rewritten. In this new timeline of events, Agent K has been dead for 40 years, and Earth will soon come under attack from an extraterrestrial force with the power to claim the entire planet. Now, in order to set the past straight and head off an invasion of epic proportions, Agent J must travel back to the year 1969, when Young Agent K (Josh Brolin) was just a fresh new face on the force. But Agent J only has 24 hours to find the source of the coming catastrophe and discern how his longtime partner ties into the situation -- should he fail he'll be stuck in the past forever. Jemaine Clement, Alice Eve, and Emma Thompson co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Cast: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement, Emma Thompson

Release Date: May 25, 2012

Rated PG-13 for Sci-fi action violence, and brief suggestive content

Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.

Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

The first Men in Black was one of my favorite blockbuster films when I was in college, I went the see it a multitude of times during its initial run. Its comedy and stars chemistry just hit me perfectly. As much as I loved the original the sequel was an utter mess, filled with too many talking animals and some of the worse product placement I’d been witness to in a film. The long wait for a third film has brought back some of the good fun from the original while injecting some new blood while keeping it fairly familiar. Barry Sonnenfeld learned his lesson from the 2nd film and keeps the focus on K and J’s interactions instead of silly secondary characters. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith jump back into their roles with incredible ease. Tommy Lee Jones is only asked to bookend the film but his turn as K has always been one of my favorite things about these films. Josh Brolin makes his absence easier to deal with as he delivers a spot on performance as a younger K. Brolin does more than just mimic Jones; he infuses the performance with a good sense of heart and depth. He and Smith share a strong chemistry, had they not worked well together the film would have fallen apart. Jemaine Clement, whose villain looks like Hugo Weaving on steroids, is fun but underused. Michael Stuhlbarg delivers a strong supporting performance which is touching and heartfelt. The plot is fairly typical sci-fi fare, its light and fun but bringing enough emotional depth to bring the franchise full circle. Some of the script does feel a tad lazy and some of Smith’s dialogue and one liners fall flat. The finale does feel very familiar to the first film’s climax which emphasizes the laziness to a greater degree. Regardless, the film is enough fun to keep you grinning for its run time.

B-

[Trailer] MEN IN BLACK 3

Men in Black is probably one of my favorite summer films. I can remember watching in the theater multiple times, something I rarely do. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith comedic chemistry was perfect and the sci-fi comedy took itself just serious enough.

The sequel was an example of excess as it just doubled everything with a grating effect, not to mention some of the most obvious marketing ploys in the history of film.

The trailer for the 3rd film gives me hope that we might see a return to the fun of the first….

MOVIE REVIEWS: TRUE GRIT

IN THEATERS

TRUE GRIT



14-year-old mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) joins an aging U.S. marshal (Jeff Bridges) and another lawman (Matt Damon) in tracking her father's killer into hostile Indian territory in Joel and Ethan Coen's adaptation of Charles Portis' original novel. Sticking more closely to the source material than the 1969 feature adaptation starring Western icon John Wayne, the Coens' True Grit tells the story from the young girl's perspective, and re-teams the celebrated filmmaking duo with their No Country for Old Men producing partner Scott Rudin. Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Cast: Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, Matt Damon, Barry Pepper, Dakin Matthews.

Release Date: Dec 22, 2010

Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of western violence including disturbing images

Runtime: 2 hr. 8 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

Being unfamiliar with the novel and John Wayne film, I came to the Coen’s brother’s True Grit a clean slate. Westerns of yesteryear had never had much appeal for me outside of the occasional spaghetti western. The most recent western I’ve found more appealing for some reason and True Grit is one of those films that perfectly personifies why. Its characters are well drawn and thoroughly complex and never disinteresting. The Coen’s have a wonderful eye and love of the wide open spaces and varied climates. They pace this film steadily and thoughtfully so you can savor ever aspect of the scene and sharp dialogue. Newcomer Hailee Steinfeld is a revelation from the outset; she gives her character a forceful strength and wisdom that demand you attention throughout. She more than comfortable onscreen with the big name talent and holds her own with ease. Jeff Bridges chews scenery from the moment his character is introduced; it’s a delightful performance that’s surprisingly multilayered and textured. Bridges and Steinfeld share excellent chemistry together, something much needed for a story like this. Matt Damon turns in solid supporting work as a Texas Ranger who appears to be more talk and vanity than substance. Damon displays strong flexibility and range here working as a solid ying to Bridge’s yang. Josh Brolin and Barry Peppers are excellent in tiny but pivotal roles.

A

Coen Brothers True Grit Trailer

Coen Brothers' adaptation of the book, not a remake of the John Wayne movie, and amazing cast, this one looks like it'll be a winner.