MOVIE REVIEW: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

In the 1920s, members of the Osage Native American tribe of Osage County, Oklahoma, are murdered after oil is found on their land, and the FBI decides to investigate.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser

Release Date: October 20, 2023

Genre: Crime, Drama, History, Mystery, Thriller, Western

Rated R for violence, some grisly images, and language

Runtime: 3h 26m

Martin Scorsese's massive Killers of the Flower Moon is epic in thematic scope while being grounded by powerful performances from its cast.  Scorsese's sprawling story moves at a methodical pace as he lets his film linger in the quieter, character moments that serve  as the lifeblood of the story.  His meticulous style is perfectly suited to the larger story at play onscreen as he recounts a sordid tale of sorrow that had mostly been forgotten to history much like the Tulsa Race Massacre which is referenced at various points during the film.  The murders are grimy ugly affairs and Scorsese aptly portrays those moments with noticeable bluntness as members of the Osage Nation are pruned off with wonton, greedy brutality.  The central trio of characters played by Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro serve as the anchor of the story.  De Niro is far more engaged that he has been in years, playing the manipulative mastermind behind the bloody plot who believably vacillates between earnest and caring to cold blood opportunist with incredible ease.  Leonardo DiCaprio plays his brutish, dullard of a nephew that's tasked with starting a relationship with Lily Gladstone's Mollie whose family holds a large amount of oil wealth.  DiCaprio could easily play this character as a one dimensional thug but he manages to give his portrayal layers that gives it far more depth.  His character is shown to be a murderous opportunist but there are tangible moments of heartfelt love for Mollie even as he's slowly killing her.  DiCaprio's turn manages to let the audience experience these conflicting emotions especially as the film moves on.  Lily Gladstone's soulful performance makes the tragic story all the more impactful as she brings a level of authenticity and earnestness to the role.  Gladstone makes you feel every moment of pain that her character experiences throughout her Jobian level of misery and betrayal.  It’s an understated, nuanced performance that makes you empathize with her plight especially since her character struggles with the reality of the situation before finally coming to grips with it.  Gladstone and DiCaprio share a handful of moments, especially in the film's back half that are truly devastating and heartbreaking for multiple reasons.  Killers of the Flower Moon is filled with subtle, delicate moments, deliberately paced for ultimate effect which demands your attention.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: AMSTERDAM

 

Set in the '30s, it follows three friends who witness a murder, become suspects themselves, and uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history.

Director: David O. Russell

Cast: Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldaña, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Timothy Olyphant, Andrea Riseborough, Taylor Swift, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alessandro Nivola, Rami Malek, Robert De Niro

Release Date: October 7, 2022

Genre: Comedy, Drama, History

Rated R for brief violence and bloody images.

Runtime: 2h 14m

Review:

David O. Russell's star studded Amsterdam is a strange amalgam of a convoluted storyline that's nearly offset by energetic turns from its cast.  The film itself is impeccably shot with a glossy look that gives everything an air of Norman Rockwell nostalgia brought to life.  The visuals keep things interesting while the plot's expansive and overly busy story threads start unfurling.  This is the type of film that's in no hurry to get anywhere as it relishes in setting up scene and sequences which allow his cast to shine.   Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington make up the primary trio carrying the film and each of them brings a specific sort of energy to their characters.  Christian Bale's Burt is a collection of idiosyncrasies in a hunched over, emaciated, battle scarred body.  It’s a showy role, the type Bale loves sinking his teeth in and does so with his usual gusto.  John David Washington's character is the opposite side of the coin, and he delivers a turn that's confidently cool and authentic. Margot Robbie brings a nice mix of bohemian and manic energy which is an old hat to her by this point in her career.  All three make their characters incredibly likable which makes the film's unfocused story more palpable and enjoyable.  The supporting cast is a cavalcade of well known actors gleefully chewing up scenery as an assortment of quirky characters.  Amsterdam is the type of film that allows actors to dig into their characters, unfortunately the story doesn't meet the challenge leaving it an uneven experience where the performances are far better than the mystery laid out.  

B-

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Irishman

Dearest reader(s), Monday I spent nearly half of my day off trying to digest Martin Scorsese's The Irishman.

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

An aging mob hitman recounts his past and his relationship with infamous union leader Jimmy Hoffa.
Let it be noted I've already taken much heat for suggesting this film might not be the second coming of Christ...or at least the second coming of the Godfather. Take me to task if you will, but I've probably already heard it. That being said: I didn't hate this movie. I think it's being classed a masterpiece by default, because the individual pieces *should* add up to something spectacular. In my mind they don't, BUT...I didn't hate it.

Let's start with the obvious: the Irishman is too long to be as slow as it is, or too slow to be as long as it is. There are plenty of moving pieces, but it's not half complicated enough to justify such a bloated runtime. Robert DeNiro is, of course, more than alright in the lead; it's a role he could sleepwalk to awards glory. His by-the-numbers assassin isn't particularly sympathetic, but, portrayed as a normal person ravaged by age and a few pangs of regret, he appears to be the good guy...or maybe the least bad guy? Al Pacino's Jimmy Hoffa is an ice-cream loving buffoon, so convinced of his own untouchable status that he almost seems an easy mark. It's a convincing performance, but not a particularly noteworthy item on the Pacino CV. The supporting cast is a who's who of "that guy who was in that mob movie": Joe Pesci, Bobby Cannavale, Harvey Keitel, Stephen Graham, Ray Romano. Everyone is capable; no one is remarkable. The film does feature a pretty terrific soundtrack of old 50s and 60s nuggets, with Marty Robbins' "A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)" bringing particular joy to this old 60s nugget. The Irishman is an interesting enough story that, unfortunately, isn’t particularly well told, although the movie did prove a marginally better sleep aid than the most recent Avengers flick, so there ya go, Scorsese: you got one over on Marvel.

The Irishman runs an interminable 209 minutes and is rated R for "pervasive language and strong violence."

The Irishman is a deliberately-paced tale of violence and betrayal.

While its individual ingredients taste of past brilliance, the finished recipe is more Monday night leftovers than Christmas dinner. Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Irishman gets five.
Fangirl points: Jack Huston!

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: THE IRISHMAN

In the 1950s, truck driver Frank Sheeran gets involved with Russell Bufalino and his Pennsylvania crime family. As Sheeran climbs the ranks to become a top hit man, he also goes to work for Jimmy Hoffa -- a powerful Teamster tied to organized crime.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci, Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, Stephen Graham, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Jesse Plemons, Harvey Keitel

Release Date: November 27, 2019

Genres: Biography, Crime, Drama

Rated R for pervasive language and strong violence.

Runtime: 3h 29min

Review:

The Irishman might be best described as a Martin Scorsese supreme.  This magnum opus seems to encapsulate everything from his gangster golden age populated by all his favorite actors from that era.  In lesser hands, this might come off as superfluous or passé but Scorsese feels refreshed and rejuvenated.  His direction is sharp, crisp and engaging throughout.  You get moments, sequences and shots that recall some of his classic films like Good Fellas and Raging Bull.  However, this isn’t simply retreading old tropes because you can get a sense of a more pensive and reflective director behind the camera.  Similarly, his cast delivers their best work in years with the added depth of age.  The much talked about deaging works for the most part even though it’s a bit jarring in the early sequences.  Thankfully, that wears down over time allowing you to appreciate the performances.  Watching Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci together on screen really helps highlight how well they work off each other resulting in stellar performances from both.  Joe Pesci, after his long layoff, shows that’s never lost his touch for these types of characters with his age aiding his performance.  De Niro looks more engaging that he has in years.  His performance is both frightening and sympathetic at the same time even though his character is a moral wasteland.  Al Pacino though decides to go full Pacino as Hoffa.  His performance is like a mix of Scarface and The Devils Advocate’s Devil, its full decibel from the get go.  The interesting thing is that after the initial shock, it actually works well for the character.  The supporting cast is populated with Scorsese regulars both new and old plus an added bonus of giving Anna Paquin her best performance by making her nearly mute throughout with one solitary line.  These types of decisions are true signs of a auteur still at the top of game as he creates another classic.

A

MOVIE REVIEW: JOKER

Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks -- the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he's part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.
Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, Marc Maron

Release Date: October 4, 2019

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language and brief sexual images

Runtime: 2 h 2 min

Review:

After watching a bit of Todd Phillip’s Joker you get the strong feeling that Phillip’s really hopes that you’ve never seen Taxi Driver.  To say that he mines that particular film seems like a understatement since there are multiple direct references to it through out.  Needless to say, Phillip’s film isn’t as groundbreaking as it thinks it is.  The story of a disaffected loner pushed to the edge is story that’s been told multiple times particularly in Taxi Driver or the underappreciated Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer.  The film can stand on its own merit with some wonderfully composed shots that really leave you feeling grimy and dirty.  Ultimately though, the gas in this particular vehicle is Joaquin Phoenix who throws himself into the roles with such intensity that it’s hard to look away.  His performance elevates the material and makes the whole thing much more prestigious and watchable than it deserves to be.  As for the story, it’s an interesting take on this character but it’s hard to tell if Phillip’s wants us to root for character or despise him.  Nearing the finale you get a sense that Phillip’s is propping him up as a sort of hero of madness and chaos which is a strange message to send in a film like this even as some of the more ham fisted attempts at modern day relevancy fall flat.  It’s certainly a film that will draw plenty of discussion even though it’s really a shadow of better films.  


B-

MOVIE REVIEW: DIRTY GRANDPA

Straight-laced lawyer Jason (Zac Efron) goes on a road trip to Daytona Beach with his horndog grandfather Dick (Robert De Niro), who was recently widowed and is eager to party hard on spring break now that he's a single man. Along the way, Dick prods Jason to let loose and have fun, and tries to convince him that he shouldn't get married to his controlling fiancée (Julianne Hough). Aubrey Plaza, Dermot Mulroney, Zoey Deutch, Jason Mantzoukas, and Adam Pally co-star. Directed by Dan Mazer. ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

Director: Dan Mazer

Cast: Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Julianne Hough, Aubrey Plaza, Dermot Mulroney

Release Date: Jan 22, 2016

Rated R for crude sexual content throughout, graphic nudity, and for language and drug use.

Runtime: 1 hr. 42 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

If you walk out of Dirty Granpa offended then I’m not sure exactly what you were expecting.  It’s a crude vulgar comedy that always shoots for the lowest common denominator.  It hits its marks a handful of times due to the cast and Dan Mazer’s speedy direction.  Mazer doesn’t let his film linger too long on anything.  As a result, you almost don’t notice the clichéd characters and paper thin story.  It’s easy to forget when you see Robert De Niro and Zac Efron clearly having a blast film the bawdy comedy.  Some have decried the downfall of De Niro with roles like these but he seems to really enjoy them otherwise he wouldn’t make as many of them, it helps that he’s got some comedic chops.  So personally, I don’t fault him too much.  Efron does a solid job of playing the straight man to De Niro’s wild man.  The film is helped along by a strong supporting turn from Aubrey Plaza who deserves more movie roles to take advance of her comedic talents.  All in all, Dirty Grandpa isn’t anymore or less than it says it is.  It won’t be a classic but it’s good for a chuckle.

C+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Concussion, Joy & The Big Short

Dearest Blog: A point I've previously belabored: Awards Season necessitates sacrifice, and, thus, yesterday I found myself drowning in a triple-bill of critical darlings at Marquee Cinemas, rather than enjoying the second Star Wars viewing I'd have preferred. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or, I guess, from real life, as all three of these films are based (at least loosely) on actual people and events. 

 

First on my agenda: Concussion. After uncovering the disturbing results of repeated head trauma among former players, a medical examiner faces off with the National Football League. Dear reader(s), I gotta be straight with ya: I don't like football. 

 

There, I said it. In a place where the sun rises and sets on the Pittsburgh Steelers, where many fans would sacrifice a virgin, cut off a limb, or bop their neighbors on the head with a hammer for that seventh Super Bowl ring, I couldn't possibly care less. Thus, I figured Concussion for the lemon in yesterday's lineup. I figured wrong. 

 

Will Smith is extraordinary as Dr. Bennet Omalu, the Allegheny County coroner who first discovered the potential link between the game's violence and former players' mental and physical troubles. As enthusiastic for new knowledge as he is horrified by his findings and determined to prevent further damage, Smith is sincere, believable, and fierce. A non-believer myself, I found it oddly comforting that Omalu is portrayed as both a man of science and a man of faith, two things that seem almost mutually exclusive in today's world. 

 

Concussion's supporting cast is solid, and the story is fascinating and well executed, as Omalu and a few allies butt heads (see what I did there?) with a juggernaut reluctant to acknowledge a very serious potential black mark on its image. 

 

Concussion clocks in at 123 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic material including some disturbing images, and language." Concussion is a well-written, well-acted film that will have no trouble holding your attention from start to finish, even if you don't know the difference between a quarterback and a cornerback. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Concussion gets eight. 

 

Next up: Joy. A young divorcee hopes to improve her complicated life with a new invention. Joy is essentially a showcase for Jennifer Lawrence, who is fantastic in the title role, yet the constantly-exaggerated circumstances leave her looking a bit like a female Forrest Gump. The supporting cast includes notables like Robert DeNiro, Virginia Madsen, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, and Edgar Ramirez, but their characters are little more than paper dolls, every move entirely predictable. 

 

Bradley Cooper turns up for a cup of coffee, only because, of late, it seems director David O. Russell doesn't want to make a movie without him, a sad waste of his talent and charm. The story's a jumble that always seems to be moving, yet never gets anywhere, making the movie feel longer than it is. All in all, Joy is much more interested in showing off its star than it is in being a great movie. 

 

Joy runs 124 minutes and is rated PG13 for "brief strong language." It's nothing special, but Joy is still an enjoyable watch. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Joy gets six and a half. 

 

And the final item on yesterday's docket: The Big Short. A handful of financial fringe operators predict (and attempt to cash in on) the big bust of 2008. 

 

The Big Short is a hard film to pin down. It's funny, but it shouldn't be. These guys the film would have you rooting for? They're in the market to rip someone off just as much as the ones you're rooting against. 

 

The terrific cast has already nailed down some awards love, but nobody turns in a game-changing performance. Smart, funny dialogue gets lost in a sea of gratuitous swearing. (Deadwood fan here, so I'm not timid about bad words, but they're not always the right fit.) The story is frenetic, yet the movie seems slow and long. 

 

The narrative setup is interesting, I love the way the film marks time, and, though the characters are comical, The Big Short eventually brings home the gravity of a disaster that destroyed millions of lives. The Big Short runs an excessive 130 minutes and is rated R for "pervasive language and some sexuality/nudity." A comic take on a story that's anything but funny, The Big Short is depressing and entertaining at the same time. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Big Short gets seven. 

 

Until next time...may the Force be strong enough to scare off unwanted holiday visitors, so I can squeeze in another Star Wars screening before going back to work! 

 

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Grudge Match, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty & The Wolf of Wall Street

Dearest Blog, the holiday movie glut necessitated a cinema triple feature yesterday, consisting of Grudge Match, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and The Wolf of Wall Street.

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

The schedule dictated that my likely favorite of the three, Grudge Match, be my opener.

Two aging boxing champions, whose only professional losses were to each other, face off in an unlikely rubber match 30 years after their last battle.

Grudge Match isn't out to cash in on any awards season notoriety; it's meant to be a good time at the cinema, and that's exactly what it is.

Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro are perfect foils, trading verbal and physical jabs throughout. Kevin Hart and Alan Arkin are hilarious as the fight promoter and trainer, respectively, and each scores several laugh-out-loud moments in the film. The main cast is rounded out by Kim Basinger and Jon Berenthal (that guy is everywhere these days!), both of whom are fine for as much as they're needed.

Grudge Match never veers far from its main course, and is smart enough not to overstay its welcome. There's a subplot for some depth, but the film focuses mostly on the big match. I'm not sure how well the humor would go over well with a younger crowd, but for the target older audience, this one is a bullseye.

Grudge Match runs 113 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sports action violence, sexual content, and language."

If you're exhausted from all the awards season fare and just looking for a fun day at the movies, Grudge Match is the perfect cure for what ails ya. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Grudge Match gets seven and a half.

Next on yesterday's agenda was The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

After misplacing an important item, a daydreamer with a humdrum life sets out on a series of adventures to try and recover it.

I'm entirely unfamiliar with the 1947 Walter Mitty, so this review is based only on the current version and not how it stacks up against the original. Though I make a point of avoiding others' reviews until I've written my own, I understand this isn't getting great notices, and, in its first week, it's already in the smallest room at my cinema, so I gather it's not setting the box office on fire, either. I can understand both, though I'm not necessarily on board with either.

At first glance, Walter Mitty looked to me a bit like Cloud Atlas, that is, something that seemed like sure awards bait, but somehow misstepped in the execution. To a degree that's true, mostly due to Ben Stiller's failings as a leading man. I've learned to give the guy credit where credit is due (Tropic Thunder is my funniest movie of all time!), but, from an acting standpoint, asking him to carry a film on his own shoulders is still a stretch. He's just not good or likable enough. That aside, the film has one of those absurdly inspiring storylines the Academy usually eats right up, and it's beautifully shot. Throw in critical darling Sean Penn in a small role and, well, it's sort of understandable why this might have been considered a contender in a weaker year at the cinema. For my money, I found it entertaining and--if I wasn't wildly excited by it--I wasn't bored either.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty clocks in at 114 minutes and is rated PG for "some crude comments, language, and action violence."

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is uplifting holiday fare set to some truly glorious scenery, definitely worth seeing on a big screen. Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty gets six and a half.

Finally, the closer on yesterday's slate was the Martin Scorsese film The Wolf of Wall Street.

The Wolf of Wall Street is based on (I'd guess more "inspired by" from all the disclaimers) the true story of the rise and fall of Wall Street hotshot Jordan Belfort.

Prior to seeing it, I heard a lot about the controversies surrounding The Wolf of Wall Street, specifically that it glorifies the people at the center of these scandals, and that the sex and drug content had to be seriously pared to avoid an NC17 rating. I strongly disagree that this film glorifies its subjects, as their fall is as integral to the movie as their rise (if not as time consuming). As for the sex and drugs, well, I've worked and played closely with a band and a couple hockey teams, so there's no degree of debauchery that can shock or offend me; that content had no bearing on my opinion of the film. What does shock and offend me, apparently enough to influence my enjoyment of this movie, is unmitigated greed, in particular, this brand of greed where someone feels entitled to everything he can take, regardless of morality/legality and the cost to others. I was well aware of the subject matter, but trailers led me to believe the movie would be entertaining enough to get me past it. Sadly, it doesn't quite make it.

Leonardo DiCaprio is magnificent in the lead, as always, simply one of the most watchable stars Hollywood has to offer. There's a LOT of scenery-chewing going on here, but DiCaprio can dial it up or down as necessary, and I was riveted by his every second on screen. Jonah Hill appears to be shooting for another Oscar nom with his supporting performance, but he hardly seems worth mentioning in the same breath with the brilliant DiCaprio. Jon Berenthal turns up again in this one, and, for the second weekend running, Boardwalk Empire's Shea Whigham makes an appearance in the week's biggest opening (much to my delight!).

At almost an even three hours PLUS trailers, The Wolf of Wall Street is bloated, and it might have been easier to take at two and a half. No doubt there's a lot of story to tell, and it would be unfair to say the movie is ever slow; rather the whole thing feels as frenetic as its roomful of coked-up stockbrokers. I'm not suggesting it could or should be a two-hour shot, but three hours is just too much, and there are obvious places it could have been trimmed.

The Wolf of Wall Street runs 179 minutes (you heard me!) and is rated a HARD R for "sequences of strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and language throughout, and for some violence."

The Wolf of Wall Street is a good, or maybe even a great, movie, and I was probably done in by my overly-high expectations as much as anything else. It's likely my being appalled by greed had less to do with my disappointment than the fact that I was a little bored through some of it. Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Wolf of Wall Street gets seven.

So, dear Blog, with two days left in 2013, I have three movies still at my cinema that I'd like to fit in (Frozen, Walking with Dinosaurs, and 47 Ronin), but none that are likely to affect my annual top ten...which is a work in progress as we communicate. A third Hobbit screening is top priority before my return to the real world on January 2nd, so we'll see if I can manage any or all of those other three. Stay tuned!!

Until next time...



All the awards, all the time, to you, sir!

MOVIE REVIEW: GRUDGE MATCH

Two retired boxers (Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro) decide to settle a long-standing beef by heading back into the ring in this sports comedy from director Peter Segal. Back in the day, Billy "The Kid" McDonnen (De Niro) and Henry "Razor" Sharp (Stallone) were the two biggest bruisers in the Pittsburgh boxing scene. Their fierce rivalry drawing nationwide attention, Razor and The Kid were deadlocked for the title of overall champion when the former announced his retirement just before the decisive 1983 match that would have determined the supreme champion. Three decades later, enterprising boxing promoter Dante Slate Jr. (Kevin Hart) lures the aging pugilists back into the ring for the fight that everyone has been waiting for. Alan Arkin, Kim Basinger, and Jon Bernthal costar. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Peter Segal

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Kim Basinger, Alan Arkin, Kevin Hart, Jon Bernthal

Release Date: Dec 25, 2013

Rated PG-13 for sports action violence, sexual content and language

Runtime: 1 hr. 53 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Grudge Match is those type of film’s that’s heavy on clichés and light on surprises. It’s about as harmless as a sleeping kitten. The plot borrows liberally Rocky and Raging Bull mixed with generic family drama (lost loves and children). There are old jokes by the barrel full with plenty of room left for the most obvious ones like Ben Gay and Geritol. It’s about as vanilla a film as they come with only one real surprise. Its watch able, occasionally lots of fun and surprisingly heartfelt in spots. You’d expect the cast to phone it in but most are surprisingly engaged with Stallone and De Niro giving the whole thing a pulse. Stallone in particular delivers his most authentic performance in years. De Niro seems to be having a ball perhaps reliving old glories. He and Bernthal, who does look like he’s related to De Niro, have a nice father long lost son chemistry on screen. Alan Arkin and Kevin Hart provide harmless comedic relief which never veers into anything close to dangerous territory. Kim Basinger meanwhile seems to have thought that it was a good idea to whisper all her lines regardless of the situation. The movie moves along at a nice pace rarely lingering and almost making its 2 hour runtime seem worthwhile. Along the way you’ll get the expected training montages, reunions leading up to the big fight. The climatic fight is impressively edited, making the whole thing seem as real as possible, even if boxers in movies never seem to defend themselves but I digress. It ends on a feel good moment which feels earned even in the most generic of all films.

B-

Cindy Prascik’s Review of The Family

Dearest Blog, today it was off to the cinema for a little wiseguy action with The Family.

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

Relocated to a quiet town in France, a mobster rat and his family cause no end of headaches for their handlers in the Federal Witness Protection Program.

I'm not exactly sure by what criteria I'm meant to judge The Family. The trailers led me to expect a solid action comedy, but what I got was part drama as well. There's a good bit of violence--much of it up close and personal--that shouldn't be shocking in a mob movie, but since I expected something lighter, it did surprise me somewhat. Understand, none of that is intended as criticism, just laying out the facts.

The Family is blessed with an extraordinary cast. Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer are terrific in the leads. If DeNiro feels familiar in a role like this, he's the poster child for "practice makes perfect." Dianna Agron and John D'Leo and are fantastic as their children.

While not the main attraction, the wrong actors could have shredded the film's chemistry, so it's lucky they're both extremely entertaining...even if it is a bit hard to forget she's playing a high-schooler while pushing 30.

Tommy Lee Jones doesn't have a lot to do as the family's government handler, but, let's face it, no movie was ever worse for having him, right? The supporting cast is mostly a who's who of "Didn't I see that guy on The Sopranos?" and everyone is capable and well-suited to their gangster roles.

Despite clocking in under two hours, The Family does feel a bit long. The first and last acts are strong, with the middle bogging down just a little.

Overall it's very entertaining, and I can't pinpoint anything that doesn't contribute to the whole, but in the end I feel like it could have lost ten or 15 minutes somewhere and been better for it. The comedy is without a doubt the movie's highlight; the rest probably could have done with some trimming.

The Family runs 110 minutes and is rated R for "violence, language, and brief sexuality."

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Family gets seven. It's not exactly an offer you can't refuse, but it's definitely a good time for your entertainment dollar.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK




David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook stars Bradley Cooper as Pat, a bipolar man from Philadelphia who has spent the last eight months in a mental hospital. He was ordered there after a violent incident involving his wife and another man. Pat moves in with his father (Robert De Niro), a lifelong Eagles fans who has low-level OCD issues. Pat wants to get back together with his wife, even though there is a restraining order keeping him from contacting her. He soon befriends a depressed young woman who's mourning the death of her husband by engaging in compulsive sex with almost everyone she meets; she also knows his wife and offers to deliver a letter of his to her if he acts as her partner in a local dance competition. Silver Linings Playbook screened at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Director: David O. Russell

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker

Release Date: Nov 16, 2012

Rated R for some Sexual Content/Nudity and Language

Runtime: 2 hr. 2 min.

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Review:

Silver Linings Playbook is an interesting film that’s probably better than it should be because of a pair of outstanding performances from its leads. David O. Russell directs this film with a steady hand giving it a frantic energy during some of the more intense scenes. What’s impressive about his direction is that at its base the story and film as a whole is a romantic dramedy. Bradley Cooper really impresses as the male lead showing a level talent we hadn’t seen before. Cooper expresses so much on his face, you can see so much about what’s going on in his mind without saying a word. Jennifer Lawrence matches him step for step with an equally impressive and occasionally ferocious performance. Lawrence gives the character strength mixed with a pervading sadness throughout. The pair share a manic yet believable chemistry onscreen with both giving us plenty of insight into these broken people who are still trying to run away from traumatic event in their lives. The supporting cast is filled with an impressive list of actors and actresses giving the film a lot of credibility. If there’s a fault it’s that the film does start down a familiar path especially in the last act. It’s not terrible but noticeable, not enough to detract from the strong work put in by Cooper and Lawrence.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: MACHETE

IN THEATERS

MACHETE



Robert Rodriguez brings a new breed of anti-hero to the big screen in this hyper-violent adaptation of the "fake" trailer originally featured in the 2007 double-feature exploitation throwback Grindhouse. Machete (Danny Trejo) is a former Mexican Federale who plays by his own rules, and doesn't answer to anybody. In the wake of a harrowing encounter with feared drug lord Torrez (Steven Seagal), Machete finds himself in Texas, where the shadowy Benz (Jeff Fahey) offers him the opportunity to make some quick cash by assassinating the unscrupulous Senator McLaughlin (Robert DeNiro). When the job goes awry and Machete realizes he's been set up, he turns to fierce taco queen Luz (Michelle Rodriguez), heavily-armed holy man Padre (Cheech Marin), and trigger-happy socialite April (Lindsay Lohan) to show Benz that he just messed with the wrong Mexican. But before they can get to Benz, Machete's gang will have to contend with blade-wielding ICE agent Sartana (Jessica Alba), who never met an adversary she couldn't flay. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Maniquis

Cast: Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez.

Release Date: Sep 03, 2010

Rated: strong bloody violence throughout, language, some sexual content and nudity

Runtime: 1 hr. 45 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure

Review:

Robert Rodriguez’s Machete could have easily been added to Grindhouse for a full on triple feature. It feels like such an extension of that wonderfully unappreciated exercise that it makes you wish Grindhouse has been more successful so as to spawn more films from those mock trailers, prays for Edgar Wright’s Don’t!. Future prospects might be better should this one do well at the box office but that might be a difficult sell as this film is very much for a certain niche of the film viewing audience. You’ll find out if you are part of this niche within the first 10 minutes of the movie. You’ll either be gleefully grinning like some sort of demented Cheshire Cat or utterly disgusted, a nude woman pulling a cell phone out of her, um, well……nevermind. Rodriguez’s fleshed out story plays out with a strong pro-immigration sentiment throughout but with all the depth of an exploitation film from the 70’s. It’s a modern day Brown-ploitation film using trademark plot points from classic exploitation films like Shaft or Foxy Brown. The entire plot plays out with a self aware sense of self, always keeping things fun and light even if Rodriguez makes it very obvious he’s using this film to make a point. Danny Trejo, one of the legion of “that guy” actors, is stoic and cool throughout, never breaking as much as a grin or a sweat. He’s a superhero in prison tattoos, a wonderful showcase for an actor who has worked in the background for decades. Michelle Rodriguez delivers a strong and believable performance and is slowly but surely becoming a more naturalistic actress. Jessica Alba is everything you’d expect, her character never appears on screen without stilettos, here and plays up her own detached Hispanicity. Jeff Fahey, with those piercing blue eyes, is always terribly interesting to watch. Robert DeNiro, Steven Seagal, Cheech Marin and Don Johnson all ham it up to great effect, Johnson doesn’t leave as much an impression as the other two. Lindsay Lohan’s role is small and feels slightly shoehorned in. Outside of a few dead spots Machete delivers the bloody gory goods you’d expect plus a little more.

B+