MOVIE REVIEW: WOMAN OF THE HOUR

 

In 1970s Los Angeles, as a wave of murders makes headlines, a young woman aspiring to become an actress and a serial killer cross paths during an episode of a dating show.

Director: Anna Kendrick

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Nicolette Robinson, Tony Hale, Autumn Best, Pete Holmes

Release Date: October 11, 2024

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Unrated

Runtime: 1h 35m

Review:

Anna Kendrick's directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, is an efficient true crime dramatization that shows promising talent behind the camera for its star/director.  Kendrick displays a steady confidence in the director's chair as she has a clear vision of how she wants to tell this story.  She gives the film a moody, unsettling feel from the onset where the implicit threat of violence is ever present in the form of Daniel Zovatto's charming but off putting Rodney Alcala.  Zovatto's turn is measured for the majority of the film, which makes the eventual moments of violence all the more impactful.  He also manages to convey the intelligent charm and braggadocious nature that made Alcala an engaging figure.  Zovatto packed on a few pounds to deemphasis Alcala's looks, but it gives the screen version more outright, creepy vibe which would sound alarm bells for most women especially when he's offering to take them to a secluded location.  It appears to be a conscience choice in order to avoid glamorizing the serial killer at the center of the story but it does create a bit of narrative turbulence as its harder to explain why these women were so trusting.  Its saps a bit of tension from the story which is unavoidable in general since the outcome is fairly well known.  That being said it doesn't keep Kendrick's scenes with Zovatto from packing an uncomfortable punch in the film's final act.  It’s capped off by an impressively staged sequence in an empty parking lot between the two as there's a palpable change in the dynamic as things turn more predatory and dangerous.  It’s a moment where you get a real sense of the promise Kendrick's has as a director and it should leave you eager to see what she does in her sophomore turn.   

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: TROLLS WORLD TOUR

Poppy and Branch discover that there are six different troll tribes scattered over six different lands. Each tribe is also devoted to six different kinds of music -- funk, country, techno, classical, pop and rock. When rockers Queen Barb and King Thrash set out to destroy the other music, Poppy and Branch embark on a daring mission to unite the trolls and save the diverse melodies from becoming extinct.

Director: Walt Dohrn

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, James Corden, Kunal Nayyar, Ozzy Osbourne, Zooey Deschanel, Rachel Bloom

Release Date: April 10, 2020

Genres: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Rated PG for some mild rude humor

Runtime: 1h 34min

Review:

Trolls World Tour is a fizzy lighthearted follow up to the original film.  The scope of the film expands even if the story is simpler than the first go around.  This entry is brighter and more energetic than the first and its chalk full of jukebox sing a longs that’s sure to get your toes tapping.  Walt Dohrn’s direction keeps the story moving at a swift pace which keeps the film from dragging for the most part.  Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake both ease back into their roles easily while newcomers like Kelly Clarkson and Ozzy Osborn fit right end with their particular musical genres.  There are plenty of musical jokes that are aimed more at the parents than the kids which gives everyone something to enjoy.  Rachel Bloom is solid if underdeveloped as the defacto villain.  The story doesn’t really give you a ton of information or backstory on her character so she mostly works as a function of a story telling tool.  Overall, the story overcomes some of it short comings by carrying a sweet message in an easy to like package. 

B

MOVIE REVIEW: PITCH PERFECT 3

After the highs of winning the world championships, the Bellas find themselves split apart and discovering there aren't job prospects for making music with your mouth. But when they get the chance to reunite for an overseas USO tour, this group of awesome nerds will come together to make some music, and some questionable decisions, one last time.

Director: Trish Sie 

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Hailee Steinfeld, Hana Mae Lee

Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, language and some action.

Genres: Comedy, Music

Runtime: 1h 33min

Review:

Pitch Perfect started off as a spunky girl power film that took people by surprise.  Sadly, by its third go around it’s lost a large chuck of its forward momentum simply because it’s not the type of story that really warranted 3 feature length films.  The cast remains the strongest component of the franchise and their chemistry is still just as strong as it was before.  Their interactions are the high points of the film even though the story feels hacked together.  The plot this go around seems to have two primary purposes, to get to the next song and dance routine and move along a paper thing story about the USO, DJ Khaled and Fat Amy’s father.  It’s weak and really feels more like an after thought.  It’s a shame because they probably could have gotten more run out of these characters if they’d put just a tad bit more effort.  Sadly, it’s more of a final victory lap before these characters are put to pasture for good. 

C+

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Accountant

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas to see my Bat!Boyfriend's new flick, The Accountant. 

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. A CPA with a dangerous clientele handles more than just the books. 

 

The Accountant is a mystery/thriller with a protagonist who may be difficult to warm up to. It's unhurried and often uncomfortable due to the aforementioned protagonist's failure to respond/react to certain situations in the "normal" way. Sound familiar? 

 

If you saw The Girl on the Train last weekend, I'm sure it does. However, unlike The Girl on the Train, The Accountant boasts well-plotted action, solid performances, a couple nice twists, and is funny only when it means to be. 

 

The titular savant, Christian Wolff, is unable to deal normally with people, but his mathematical genius is invaluable to his unsavory clients. Ben Affleck perfectly portrays the mannerisms typical of autism spectrum disorders, creating a character who is sympathetic even when he's doing some pretty bad things. 

 

Jon Bernthal, J.K. Simmons, and John Lithgow are terrific in supporting roles, and Cynthia Addai-Robinson is a pleasant surprise as the FBI agent hot on the tail of our mysterious money manager. (I've always thought she was one of the worst actors working, but maybe when you're on Spartacus there's just nothing for it!) 

 

The Accountant is brutal at times, certainly not for the faint of heart. There's a short spell right about the hour mark where the movie starts to drag a little, but it picks right back up and is otherwise deliberately-paced but never dull. 

 

Wolff's inappropriate and seemingly rude interactions with people and situations outside his comfort zone spell the dark tone with amusing moments that are never a mean spirited laugh "at" autism or its manifestations. 

 

The movie could have explained itself better in a few spots, and the runtime might have benefitted from a trim, but The Accountant is a suspenseful yarn that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. 

 

The Accountant clocks in at 128 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence and language throughout." 

 

The Accountant is a solid thriller featuring satisfying twists and a standout performance by Ben Affleck. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Accountant gets eight. 

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: THE MIKE & DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES

Director: Jake Szymanski

Cast: Adam Devine, Zak Efron, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Stephen Root

Release Date: Jul 08, 2016    

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

Runtime: 1 hr. 38 min.    

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is a breezy R rated comedy that hits most of the right beat even if it doesn’t reinvent the wheel.  Its cast is loaded with excellent comedic actors.  Adam Devine and Zac Efron’s on screen chemistry is readily apparent which really helps the film along.  Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza are just as funny even if they aren’t quite believable as the characters.  Kendrick in particular seems to have to a hard time taking to the role but she’s still pretty funny through out the film.  There aren’t many surprises throughout the whole thing since it follows a pretty predictable path but you shouldn’t be expecting some massive innovation in the genre.  Still it does it’s main job and makes you laugh during most of it’s economical run time.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: PITCH PERFECT 2

In this sequel to Pitch Perfect, the collegiate a cappella group called the Barden Bellas enter into an international competition, but they are told it will be impossible to win because they are from the U.S. The girls refuse to give up and vow to be the first Americans to take home the top prize. Directed by Elizabeth Banks, the film stars Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, and Hailee Steinfeld. ~ Erin Demers, Rovi

Director: Elizabeth Banks

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Hailee Steinfeld, Katey Sagal

Release Date: May 15, 2015

Rated: PG-13 Innuendo and Language

Runtime: 1 hr. 55 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Pitch Perfect was one of those films that surprised me when I first saw it and has become a personal favorite.  It was a fun film with some great comedic bite along with some great characters.  A sequel seemed a bit of an odd sale mainly because recapturing that kind of magic is difficult especially in a musical comedy.  The sequel will leave fans content for the most part.  The characters are so much fun that you can kind of ignore the fact that the plot is kind of pedestrian there’s really not much going on.  The film is an overlong by at least 20 minutes.  Thankfully it’s still funny more times than not and all the actresses ease back into their roles comfortably.  Elizabeth Banks does a solid job behind the directors chair delivering some impressively staged musical numbers that are impressively rousing.  Hailee Steinfeld joins the cast and her character is a tad bland for my taste which is a shame since her character is tasked with carrying the torch in an eventual sequel.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: INTO THE WOODS

Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods is adapted in this musical from director Rob Marshall and Walt Disney Studios. Inspired by a choice selection of Brothers Grimm fairy tales, this plot centers on a baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) who incur the wrath of a witch (Meryl Streep) while attempting to start a family. Subsequently cursed by the vengeful hag, the hapless couple find their fates linked with those of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick),Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy) and Jack (Daniel Huttlestone) of Jack and the Beanstalk. Johnny Depp, Chris Pine, and Lucy Punch co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Rob Marshall 

Cast: Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine

Release Date: Dec 25, 2014

 

Rated PG for Thematic Elements, Some Suggestive Material and Fantasy Action and Peril

Runtime: 2 hr. 4 min.

Genres: Music/Performing Arts, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Into the Woods is this year’s entry into the big budget musicals and it fairly solid success.  Rob Marshall, who directed one of my favorite movie musicals Chicago, delivers an energetic film that just enjoyable to watch and listen to.  James Corden and Emily Blunt anchor the film with the latter showing off some impressive pipes.  They share an adorable sort of chemistry together and really bring the film together on multiple levels.  Meryl Streep energetic performance as the witch shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.  Anna Kendrick and a hilarious Chris Pine make for a fun Cinderella and Prince Charming.  Lilla Crawford leaves a solid impression as a head strong Red Riding Hood.  Her encounter with Johnny Depp’s Big Bad Wolf is by far the film’s most subversive segment.  Into the Woods has great energy while we’re running through the mash up of the fairytales but then we hit the 3^rd act where the film comes to a grinding halt.  It’s not horrible by any stretch but it doesn’t have the energy of the first 2 acts as we move from the fairytales to the story’s finale.  A bit of trimming on the film adaptation would have done wonders.

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: END OF WATCH

END OF WATCH




David Ayer's End of Watch stars Michael Peña and Jake Gyllenhaal as a pair of L.A. cops and close friends who work to keep the streets safe. Shot in a found-footage style, the movie follows the duo as they make enemies with a major drug cartel and attempt to lead happy personal lives. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Director: David Ayer

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Anna Kendrick, Frank Grillo, America Ferrera.

Release Date: Sep 21, 2012

Rated R for sexual References, Pervasive Language, Some Disturbing Images, Some Drug
Use and Strong Violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

End of Watch is an aggressive film which feels like a cop version of into The Heart of Darkness. David Ayers uses a lot of filming techniques to get give his film a crazy kind of energy that makes the more mundane parts of the film seem less so. His style works for the most part but occasionally it’s more distracting than it needs to be, detracting from the quality of the story and excellent performances on display. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña have some of the best chemistry I’ve seen in ages in this type of film. Each works off each other extremely well. Their performances have a tangible and believable sense of authenticity throughout. It’s the best performance from both in a long while. They are the heart and soul of the film, creating an impressive connection with the audience even as the story gets more and more extreme, occasionally veering into implausibility. The supporting cast fills out the character’s world well, adding to the film’s overall quality and compounding the emotional punch the climax delivers.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: PITCH PERFECT

IN THEATERS

PITCH PERFECT




A feisty coed joins a collegiate a cappella group and upgrades their song selection for the 21st century during the run-up to a major competition in this melodic comedy from Tony-nominated Avenue Q director Jason Moore. Drifting past the various cliques after arriving at college, Beca (Anna Kendrick) pays more attention to the jams pumping in her headphones than the people she passes on her way to class. But all that changes the moment she stumbles into the one place where every misfit has a voice -- the campus a cappella group. Although the competition amongst the singers proves surprisingly fierce, there's just one aspect of the group Beca can't wrap her head around: All of the songs they perform are at least a decade old. Convinced that they can do better by adding some contemporary tunes into the mix, Beca whips up an exciting new set list that will set the group apart and leave their rivals in the dust. Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, and Rebel Wilson co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Jason Moore

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson.

Release Date: Sep 28, 2012

Rated PG-13 for sexual Material, Language and Drug References

Runtime: 1 hr. 52 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

It’d be easy to write off Pitch Perfect as a Glee inspired money grab. The truth is that it’s a fun almost tongue in cheek redux of Bring it On with singing instead of cheerleading. Director Jason Moore has a strong sense of what the film is. In doing so he never takes the proceedings very seriously, leaving everything as light and effervescent to make it as easily digestible and enjoyable. At its core the film maintains a steady flow and tenor, only rarely missing a few beats here and there. The script works in spite of tired tropes with some fun dialogue that moves the film through some of cheesier moments. Anna Kendrick, she of strong features, carries this film with lots of help from her strong supporting cast. Kendrick is strong and believable as the lead, even though the character is about as common as a cold, she even impresses with some nice vocals. Rebel Wilson though is scene stealer here, proving she’s got so much more in her talent tool box than just broad laughs. She’s got some strong singing chops and excellent comedic timing. Anna Camp and Brittany Snow fall into their mean girl roles quite well in supporting but important roles. Some fun bit players round out the cast. If the film suffers from a major flaw its it’s length. There’s really no reason for this film to be nearly 2 hours in length and there are plenty of scenes which could have been trimmed or cut all together to streamline the experience.

B-

Movie Reviews: UP IN THE AIR

Sunday, January 03, 2010
Movie Reviews: UP IN THE AIR
IN THEATERS

UP IN THE AIR

From Jason Reitman, the Oscar® nominated director of “Juno,” comes a comedy called “Up in the Air” starring Oscar® winner George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles and just after he’s met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams.

Cast: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Danny R. McBride

Director: Jason Reitman

Opened December 4, 2009.

Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.

Rate R for language and some sexual content

Genres: Romantic Comedy, Comedy Drama, Psychological Drama, Family Drama, Workplace Comedy

Review:

It’s truly shocking that Up in the Air is director Jason Reitman’s 3rd film. Reitman’s level of polish is something most directors aspire to when they reach their peak. Up in the Air perfectly captures the cultural zeitgeist, a snapshot in time, filled with all the disconnect and artificial appreciation we all live with day in and out. Specifically, air travel and hotel life is wonderfully replicated with all the shorthand that anyone with any sort of travel experience would be hard pressed not to grin throughout. Reitman is able to meld this with a poignant look at the corporate wasteland caused by downsizing, using non actors in snippet interviews, that has consumed the America’s business landscape over the past couple of years. It’s a tricky balance but it works well especially since this is a romantic comedy at its heart. Reitman’s director is top notch and his cast is equally up to task. George Clooney, doing his best work since Michael Clayton, displays a full range of his character’s persona. His character is confident and head strong but very self aware of his ideology’s paradoxes. Clooney doesn’t shy away from showing his vulnerable side and does so with great effectiveness here. Vera Farmiga does an equally impressive job matching Clooney jab for jab in their scenes together. She displays a great ability to be strong and sexy without falling into the standard pitfalls of this type of role. Doing a similar balancing act is Anna Kendrick who makes her mark on her role which could have faded into cliché in lesser hands. She makes her character funny but grounded in reality, making her seem like someone we’ve all run into at some point in our careers. Peppered throughout the film are strong character actors like JK Simmons, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride, Zach Galifianakis and Sam Elliott. They make what could have been quick throwaway moments into something more substantial. Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner adapted the script from Walter Kirn’s 2001 mostly stream of conscience novel of the same name and there are moments in the film that feel like they are starting to head into rom-com clichés but they throw you curve balls keeping you off balance. It’s a true testament to their efforts in giving the audience something fresh with substance.

A