Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Our Brand is Crisis & Burnt

Dearest Blog: Welcome to Awards Season, where every film feels vaguely like it *could* be based on a true story. Thus, yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for two stories that kinda sorta seem like they maybe could be a little bit real: Our Brand is Crisis and Burnt.

 

First on my agenda: Our Brand is Crisis.

 

An American political strategist reluctantly becomes part of an unpopular Bolivian presidential candidate's team.

 

Our Brand is Crisis probably isn't a bad movie for any other time of year, but plunked down in October, when everything either hopes for an Oscar or hopes to scare the pants off of you, it seems an inexcusably poor offering. Crisis is hilarious at times, yet the premise is so depressing it feels wrong to laugh. 

 

The film never really earns your full attention, and, sadly, there's no amount of humor that could buoy this all-too-real real depiction of politics with no soul. If there's any good news to be had, it's that the movie boasts uniformly strong performances. Sandra Bullock has a few bravura moments that might justify another Oscar nod, Billy Bob Thornton is an able adversary, and the delightful Anthony Mackie is solid as always. The real star of the picture, though, is Bolivian actor Reynaldo Pacheco, whose earnestness single-handedly salvages what's otherwise a depressing exercise in cynicism.

 

Our Brand is Crisis clocks in at 107 minutes and is rated R for "language including some sexual references."

 

It provides a few good laughs, but Our Brand is Crisis is a mostly-discouraging look at the political process. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Our Brand is Crisis gets five.

 

Next on the docket: Burnt.

 

Bradley Cooper stars as Adam Jones, a brilliant chef who is so messed up he does nothing but hurt the people who care for him, and you'll be too distracted by those baby-blues to really care.

 

Dear reader(s), I don't mean to belittle chefs, as nobody--and I mean NOBODY--has a greater regard for food than I do (as my profile photo will attest), but I am unsold on any attempt to portray a chef, even the world's greatest, as some kind of rock star worthy of a feature film. I'm something of a rock star, myself, when it comes to secretaries, and last I looked, Angelina Jolie wasn't queuing up play me on the big screen anytime soon. 

 

Thus Burnt starts out at an insurmountable handicap: it's just not that great a story. The high-emotion, high-stakes kitchen scenarios may accurately portray behind-the-scenes action at the world's finest dining establishments, but the drama seems plain silly (is it *such* a tragedy if the scallops are a bit overdone?), and the rest of the story is so done-to-death you won't care about any of it for a single second. Bradley Cooper swaggers his way through the film like an actual rock star, and, to his credit, makes the dull exercise almost watchable. 

 

Daniel Bruhl is terrific as Jones' supportive and long-suffering friend, and Matthew Rhys is outstanding as his top rival. Sadly, though, fantastic performances can't save a lame premise that's predictably executed.

 

Burnt runs 101 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout."

 

Much like the pretentious dishes whose preparation it depicts, Burnt is far more interested in collecting awards than it is in actually satisfying anyone. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Burnt gets four.

 

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Concert Movie Review of Ed Sheeran Jumpers for Goalposts

Dearest Blog: If ever a person were worth a 90-minute drive on a Monday night, it'd be Ed Sheeran. Thus I found myself in Morgantown last night for Ed's concert movie Jumpers for Goalposts.

 

Spoiler level here will be...um...I dunno, really? 

 

I wrote down the set list. Is that a spoiler? 

 

Read on at your own risk then, I guess.

 

Jumpers for Goalposts kicks off with a full 45 minutes of "‪#‎edcarpet‬" coverage from the movie's London premiere, including a segment that features Sheeran responding to fans' Twitter questions and performing acoustic versions of Tenerife Sea, Bloodstream, and Thinking Out Loud. 

 

The alternate versions of his hits are enjoyable, but it's otherwise an awkward exercise. Sheeran is visibly uncomfortable with the Q&A--as are many performers when they're in the public eye but not performing--and I'm thinking maybe suit-and-tie premiere attire wouldn't be his first choice. 

 

The cute, good-natured presenter also does a bit too much buttering up, so it begins to feel fake despite the fact Sheeran *is* widely regarded as one of the nicest guys in the business. Overall, this opening act is far too drawn out; 20 minutes of it would have been more than enough.

 

Once the film finally gets to the Wembley residency, there are pieces from all three nights cut with behind-the-scenes footage, which may look familiar to US fans who will have seen much of it in the NBC special that aired over the summer. Sir Elton John makes a surprise appearance, joining Sheeran for a performance of his old hit Don't Go Breakin' My Heart (Ed in the Kiki Dee role!) and a bit of Afire Love. 

 

John serves as a sort-of mentor to Sheeran, and amusingly names Ed the heir to a pop-music crown that hasn't been his to hand down for many, many years. John is not alone in his gushing praise, both of Sheeran's talent and of his kindness and loyalty. It's a recurring theme that, again, is so often raised that it starts to sound somewhat put-on. Not debating for a minute that Ed Sheeran is one hell of a nice guy, just that...well...eventually maybe they'd do better to just shut up and play another song.

 

As with the times I've seen Sheeran in concert, I was lucky to count my two favorites (Bloodstream and I See Fire) among the songs that made the movie's set list. The special guest was enthusiastically received, but, since the Elton John songs I like don't seem to be the Elton John songs everyone else likes, I was a bit ambivalent. Guess there's noplace for a would-be Kiki Dee in Madman Across the Water...go figure. Much camera time is devoted to crowd shots: singing and dancing fans, weeping teenagers, and two (2) marriage proposals that I counted. Having sold more than ten million units of his latest record, it's clear Sheeran's music speaks to a generation. Of course, some will always roll their eyes at any artist who moves that much product, but Sheeran is a solid singer/songwriter, and there's a fire in his live performance that doesn't begin to translate to his studio recordings. This film gives something of a feel for it--particularly an aggressive rendition of You Need Me (I Don't Need You)--but I enthusiastically encourage everyone to get out and see Ed Sheeran live for the full experience. I promise you will be impressed.

 

Jumpers for Goalposts full set list: I'm a Mess, Lego House, Photograph, Bloodstream, I See Fire, Don't Go Breakin' My Heart, Afire Love (partial), Thinking Out Loud, The A-Team, You Need Me (I Don't Need You), Sing. 

 

Jumpers for Goalposts runs 150 minutes (including premiere coverage) and is unrated. 

 

Dubious content is limited to references to drugs/drinking and a few f-bombs (some are censored; some made it into the finished product). 

 

Jumpers for Goalposts will be released on DVD/Blu-Ray November 13th, and is now available for pre-order at edsheeran.com or your favorite online retailer.

 

While it's not quite on par with an actual live performance, Jumpers for Goalposts boasts some great tunes while providing an entertaining look at one of the world's biggest and most talented pop stars. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Jumpers for Goalposts gets seven.

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: STEVE JOBS

Set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac, Steve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint an intimate portrait of the brilliant man at its epicenter.

Director: Danny Boyle

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Seth Rogen, Katherine Waterston, Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels

Release Date: Oct 09, 2015

Rated R for Language

Runtime: 2 hr. 1 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

Danny Boyle’s electric biopic of Apple’s cofounder and CEO crackles at a steady pace throughout.  Aaron Sorkin’s script is excellent as expected with Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet excelling at the requisite walk and talk throughout the film.  Boyle’s direction and his filming techniques, he uses 3 different film stocks for each section, keeps the dialogue heavy film moving at an impressive pace.  It rarely lags, an impressive feat for a 2 hour film that doesn’t have much going on outside of a series of conversations.  Fassbender disappears into his role especially as the film moves into the final act.  He’s magnetic for the entire run time.  Kate Winslet delivers equally impressive work in a supporting role with Jeff Daniels and Seth Rogen making the most of their limited screen time.  Daniels and Rogen both get excellent exchanges with Fassbender that you just have to sit back and appreciate the level of talent on display.  Steve Jobs is sure to litter the awards docket with Fassbender leading the charge with a best actor nomination.

A

MOVIE REVIEW: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION

A family that has recently moved into a new house in Palo Alto, CA is terrorized by supernatural entities in the fifth installment of the Paranormal Activity horror franchise. The father Ryan (Chris J. Murray) discovers a box of video tapes left in the house and a video camera that can record paranormal occurrences that are invisible to the naked eye. Together with his wife Emily (Brit Shaw) and his brother Mike (Dan Gill) they must fight protect their daughter Leila (Ivy George), a six year old who is talking to spirits. Directed by Gregory Plotkin, who previously served as the editor on several films in the franchise. ~ Jennifer Lackman, Rovi

Director: Gregory Plotkin    

Cast: Brittany Shaw, Don McManus, Cara Pifko.

Release Date: Oct 23, 2015    

Rated R for some Horror Violence and Language    

Runtime: 1 hr. 35 min.    

Genres: Horror    

Review:

If you find yourself sitting in the 6^th installment of the Paranormal Activity series, you probably have some sort of lingering affection for the franchise or just needed someplace cool and dark to sit down.   In all seriousness, I’m the type of person who likes to follow through and see how things end.  This is supposed to be the last entry in the series and they’ve thrown in some tweaks that kind of goes against what made the series impressive in the first place.  The ghost camera is a neat idea but it just kind of throws out any subtly about the things that go bump in the night.  Instead we get to see everything coming from a mile away leaving very little to the imagination.  A few jump scares here and there don’t really make up for it.  Doesn’t help that the last act of the film starts mining just about every possession and creepy little girl horror movie trope you can think of.  It’s a sputtering end to the series.  By the time the finale comes, you can’t help but feel like you’ve watched this all before.

D

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Last Witch Hunter & Steve Jobs

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: With awards season in full swing, the weekend once again features too many desirable cinema options and too little time. My schedule allowed for just two of the four new releases playing at my theatre, so I chose the two everybody knew I would.

 

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

 

First on the docket: The Last Witch Hunter.

 

Vin Diesel protects humanity from big bad witches. No, seriously, that's it.

 

The Last Witch Hunter combines Hobbity-looking historical battles with an uneasy present-day truce between witches and humans. There'd be no movie if said truce didn't quite hold, so it won't be much of a spoiler to reveal that witches are, in fact, hunted here. Diesel goes from looking like a caveman to looking like an undertaker (or The Undertaker), and I am unsurprisingly giddy about all of it. 

 

The Last Witch Hunter is too dark at times to really see much of anything, but the effects are pretty solid and overall it's got a cool gothic look that's well suited to the subject matter. Action sequences are well executed and keep the picture moving, amid a backstory that's a bit of a shambles and more than the movie needs. 

 

There's a good deal of humor, both intentional and as a result of some spectacular overacting. Female lead Rose Leslie has come a long way since she just wanted to learn to type on Downton Abbey, and I lost count of how many times I muttered, "You know nothing, Jon Snow," under my breath when she was onscreen. 

 

She's not bad by any means, there's just nothing about the role or the performance to make anyone forget what she's done before. Michael Caine and Elijah Wood are both underused, but certainly up to what little is required of them. The movie is nicely-paced and smart enough not to wear out its welcome. 

 

Not an awards hopeful by any stretch of the imagination, The Last Witch Hunter earns its October release with Halloween-appropriate subject matter, but, if you're looking for real scares, you'll need to look elsewhere.

 

The Last Witch Hunter runs 106 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images."

 

It's undeniably hokey, but The Last Witch Hunter is also great fun. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Last Witch Hunter gets six. 

 

(Yes, that's one more than Mississippi Grind. So sue me.)

 

Next on my agenda: one of my most anticipated 2015 titles, Steve Jobs.

 

Long before people started queuing up for days to get the newest iPhone, Steve Jobs was a meanie who actually failed at stuff.

 

When a movie like Steve Jobs is released, the loudest initial reaction is almost always from those complaining about exaggerations and inaccuracies in the portrayal. No doubt this film contains a fair few of both, but, even if it were two hours of total fiction, Steve Jobs is a great, GREAT movie.

 

Starting with the obvious: Aaron Sorkin has once again penned a masterful script, full of the smart, rapid-fire dialogue that is his trademark. Michael Fassbender is remarkable, completely disappearing into his role as the future electronics juggernaut. The handsome Fassbender even bears an uncanny resemblance to Jobs at times, especially in his later years. 

 

Kate Winslet is no less stunning as Jobs' long-suffering right hand, Joanna Hoffman, seemingly the only person able to derail the locomotive of Jobs' ambition when sanity requires it. Jeff Daniels, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Seth Rogen round out the award-worthy supporting cast.

 

Steve Jobs can be a difficult film to watch, as Jobs browbeats staff and friends, and alienates the few people who actually care for him. Winslet is especially heartbreaking as she lobbies Jobs to do right by his daughter. For an entirely action-less picture, Steve Jobs keeps an extraordinary pace and never once feels dull or too long.

 

Like the Social Network before it, Steve Jobs paints its subject as quite the jerk, but, if lack of social graces is the cost of foresight like Jobs' (or Zuckerberg's), for my money, it's worth it every time. Daryl Dixon may survive alright without the products of such genius, but I daresay the rest of us wouldn't even be interested in trying.

 

 

Steve Jobs clocks in at 122 minutes and is rated R for language.

 

I cried at the end of Steve Jobs, not because it was happy and not because it was sad, but because it was just that great. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Steve Jobs gets eight and a half.

 

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Review of Mississippi Grind

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: This week, Wednesday brought me a new flick in the form of Mississippi Grind, thus managing to achieve something besides being not-as-horrible-as-Monday-but-not-as-awesome-as-Friday.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the...erm...has anyone even *seen* a trailer for this? I haven't. Okay, I'll try not to give away anything of consequence.

 

A gambling addict hits the road with a newfound friend, in search of a big score or redemption or maybe just something new.

 

Dear reader(s), you know me. I like actors. I like a LOT of actors a LOT, but far greater in number than those obsessions who sometimes grace my Instagram are those who simply delight me when they turn up in a movie or show, even if I have no idea of their birthdays or favorite colors. One such actor is Australian Ben Mendelsohn. 

 

When I heard there was some Oscar buzz around his Mississippi Grind performance, it didn't take more than that to sell me on the movie.

 

Mississippi Grind is a downbeat portrait of addiction. It's occasionally humorous and sometimes even a bit sexy, but it's mostly a realistic depiction of desperation, a person who just can't stop what he's doing, however harmful it is to himself or to those around him. Mendelsohn is breathtaking, probably no greater than he's been a dozen times before, but for some reason people are noticing this time. Ably playing opposite is the constantly maligned Ryan Reynolds. 

 

For my money, Reynolds is always solid, however bad the project. He'll surely lose his reputation as box-office poison with next year's Deadpool, but, for now, give him full marks for holding his own opposite a performance that's being called Oscar-worthy. Verbal exchanges between the two leads, as the new friends try to get a read on one another, are the clear highlight of a movie that's otherwise somewhat slow and unremarkable.

 

Mississippi Grind clocks in at 108 minutes and is rated R for language.

 

It won't brighten your day, but Mississippi Grind is a decent drama made worthwhile by stellar performances. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Mississippi Grind gets five.

 

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Crimson Peak & Bridge of Spies

Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to the pictures for the "I'd Rather See Goosebumps" double-bill of Crimson Peak and Bridge of Spies.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you haven't seen in the trailers.

First on the agenda: Crimson Peak.

A young American would-be author (Mia Wasikowska) marries a titled Englishman (Tom Hiddleston), and accompanies him to his creepy mansion in less-than-merry old England.

Dear reader(s), imagine if you will: You stop by the local bakery and select the best-looking cupcake from their display. It's big and fluffy, with an inch of chocolate icing and lots of colorful sprinkles. You get it home, take a bite, and...it's made of sand.

That's Crimson Peak, a thing of unparalleled beauty--from its preternaturally gorgeous (and top-notch) cast to its striking Gothic architecture to its frilly Victorian finery--that's a grave disappointment underneath.

Crimson Peak does a fine job of looking creepy, and jump-scares are cheap and plentiful, but it never builds any genuine tension. If you haven't figured out exactly where it's going and exactly how it's getting there within the first 15 minutes, you probably aren't paying attention. Jessica Chastain couldn't be more blatantly sinister if she had a moustache to twirl, and, far from being frightened, half of my theatre laughed out loud at the ghouls.

On the plus side, if you love the art of making movies or just enjoy something that's wonderful to look at, Crimson Peak is worth the price of admission on its visual merits alone. In shallower news, Charlie Hunnam is adorable, and there are even a few brief seconds of Hiddlesbutt for those of us who swoon for Tom!

Crimson Peak clocks in at 119 minutes and is rated R for "bloody violence, some sexual content, and brief strong language."

Beneath its gorgeous exterior, Crimson Peak unfortunately has nothing to offer. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Crimson Peak gets two.

Next up, Bridge of Spies.

An American insurance attorney is reluctantly dragged into the business of international espionage.

If there were an award for "Trailer I'm Most Tired Of Seeing," Bridge of Spies would be the hands-down winner. It feels like this one's previewed before every single film I've seen since March, and, since that very first trailer, one thing's been abundantly clear: Bridge of Spies is throwing its hat into the awards ring.

To that end: Tom Hanks is fantastic, as always, in the lead. The Academy owes him as much as its ever owed anybody for snubbing his magnificent work in Captain Phillips, so, even though the Best Actor races look pretty tight this year, it'd be hard to be mad at Hanks if he bumps someone else out (unless said "someone else" is Johnny Depp...then Yours Truly shall be good and damn mad!). Mark Rylance more than holds his own opposite Hanks--could earn some well-deserved hardware of his own--and the supporting cast is uniformly solid, if unremarkable.

Bridge of Spies does a nice job of holding the attention with its nerve-wracking tale, and offers a still-timely message about the perils of unchecked jingoism masquerading as patriotism. Clearing two hours by a good 20 minutes, it could have done with a trim, but the film keeps moving and never feels as long as it is.

Bridge of Spies runs 141 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some violence and brief, strong language."

It's a fascinating yarn with some great performances, but, despite its obvious intentions, Bridge of Spies doesn't look like Best Picture material to me.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Bridge of Spies gets six.

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Review of Pan & The Walk

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: With an insanely busy weekend looming in front of me, it was down to Friday afternoon to cover cinema duties. 

 

On the agenda were two movies that, if we're being honest, I'd have been just as happy to skip: Pan and The Walk.

 

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

 

First up: Pan, a Peter Pan origins story. (Yes, Hollywood is apparently *that* desperate!)

 

By now you've undoubtedly heard that Pan is terrible, and, even worse in many people's eyes, a box office flop. Both of these statements are undeniably true, but there are some qualifiers, so, first, let's get to the positives...

 

Kid actors. Even when they're good for kid actors, they're not always GOOD, but Pan lucked out with its Peter, Levi Miller. A movie riding on a kid star walks a fine line between precociously adorable and annoyingly snotty, but Miller falls firmly on the good side. Pan boasts some lovely locations and sets, and costumes and makeup--while not always to my taste--are unique and interesting. Pan's best feature by far, though, is a soaring score by John Powell that is good enough to make the movie's many other failings almost entirely forgivable.

 

Now the bad news...

 

While Hugh Jackman's booming delivery and exaggerated mannerisms might serve him well on the stage, here he'd have done better to dial it back a notch or ten. 

 

Garrett Hedlund's Hook bears no resemblance to the pirate of lore, but rather looks like a poor-man's Indiana Jones and sounds like someone doing the world's worst impression of Dr. McCoy from the newest Star Trek movies. It's so awful it'll give you a start every time the man opens his mouth. Odd choices that would have looked like genius, had they played well, only end up providing a couple WTF moments. (Some old-school punk or 90s grunge, anyone?) 

 

Finally, the movie is so dark that even bright daylight scenes appear dingy, a possible side-effect of seeing a 3D movie in 2D because the schedule said so. It's clear the folks who crafted Pan threw as much money as they could at the screen, and it's clear they wanted that to be garishly obvious, so the middling box office was bound to be a disappointment; Pan was a "flop" before it ever got out of the gate.

 

Pan clocks in at 111 minutes and is rated PG13 for "fantasy action violence, language, and some thematic material."

 

It may be terrible, and it may be a flop, but Pan is still strangely enjoyable at times. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Pan gets five.

 

Next on the docket: The Walk.

 

French high-wire artist Philippe Petit captivates the world with a daring illegal walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.

 

Dear reader(s): I'ma be straight: My preconception of The Walk was the same as Gravity, that is, I expected the movie to be visually stunning and boring as hell. 

 

As with Gravity, though, I was too hasty in judgment.

 

The Walk IS visually stunning. When you hear the 3D is making people throw up, BELIEVE IT. I was forced by the schedule to endure 3D myself; I'm not particularly skittish about heights--this is not to say I'm eager to do a high-wire walk anytime soon, either!--but I still I had to look away more than a few times. The visuals from both ground and air level are quite spectacular. Joseph Gordon-Levitt pulls double-duty as Petit, the movie's star and narrator, and his supreme charm is once again in full effect. It's literally impossible to dislike Gordon-Levitt, though I found his French accent to be a bit distracting. 

 

He does a fine job of it, but, as with David Tennant's American accent in Gracepoint, it's just so weird coming out of his face that it feels very noticeable all the time. 

 

The supporting cast, outside of Ben Kingsley, will be mostly unrecognizable to fans on this side of the pond, but they are uniformly solid. The Walk would have been smart to take a page from Gravity's book and rein it in at about 90 minutes, but other than a bit of bloat, it's a pretty fantastic film. 

 

Where the movie is most successful, though, where it's really, really effective, is not with top-notch 3D or engaging actors. At its heart, The Walk is a love letter to the Twin Towers, a heartbreaking declaration of affection from Petit and the filmmakers to those big, beautiful buildings that now live only in memory. I didn't anticipate that aspect, so for me it was a pleasant surprise that turned a good movie into a great one (and left me a blubbering mess).

 

The Walk runs 123 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic elements involving perilous situations, and for some nudity, language, brief drug references, and smoking."

 

The Walk is a film of great visual magnificence, but it's real beauty is in its heart. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Walk gets seven and a half.

 

Until next time...

 

 

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.

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MOVIE REVIEW: THE MARTIAN

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible, rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney’s safe return. Based on a best-selling novel, and helmed by master director Ridley Scott, THE MARTIAN features a star studded cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover.

Director: Ridley Scott    

Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña.

Release Date: Oct 02, 2015

Rated PG-13 for Injury Images, Brief Nudity and Some Strong Language    

Runtime: 2 hr. 22 min.    

Genres: Action/Adventure    

Review:

Ridley Scott’s The Martian is a welcome return to form for the acclaimed director.  The film is a visually stunning and thoroughly engaging story of survival.  It’s an impressive achievement since it the type of film that focuses on a single character.  The story can be described as a mixture of Castaway and Gravity sans manufactured sentimentality.  The man at the center of the film is Matt Damon’s Mark Watney.  Damon’s performance is impressive because it steers clear of the typical tropes we’ve seen previously, keeping the performance rational and fresh.  Damon dominates the first half of the film and it’s to the film’s benefit.  The story starts to falter just a bit when it loses focus on Damon and starts throwing a myriad of supporting characters some of which are more distracting than interesting…..Kristin Wiig & Donald Glover immediately come to mind.  I would have preferred more characterization on Watney’s crew which gets the short end of the stick.  Minor quibbles aside; The Martian is a thoroughly enjoyable survival story which earns the most of its 2 hours plus run time.

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