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

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of The Good Dinosaur and Krampus

 

Dearest Blog: After a weekend on the town, yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas to make up for lost time with The Good Dinosaur and Krampus.

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

First up: The Good Dinosaur.

A young dinosaur learns to face his fears.

There's no getting around it: The Good Dinosaur is kind of a stinker. Animation doesn't always have to be game-changing--I mean, I quickly forgave a sub-par outing from our little yellow friends the Minions because they're adorable--but I feel like it should at least be cute and fun. 

The problem with The Good Dinosaur is there's almost nothing to like, and certainly nothing to like enough to make amends for what's not to like. The characters aren't cute at all, and the voices--though they include mighty talents like Sam Elliott and Frances McDormand--nearly annoyed me right out of the room. 

Outside of some nifty water effects, the artwork and animation are ho-hum, and the movie's message is heavy-handed. Sadly, The Good Dinosaur was about the least-enjoyable time I've had at the movies this year.

The Good Dinosaur runs 93 minutes and is rated PG for, "peril, action, and thematic elements." The film is accompanied by a trippy little short called Sanjay's Super-Team, which adds about seven minutes to the total runtime.

Gotta be honest: while watching The Good Dinosaur, I was rooting for the asteroid. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The good Dinosaur gets two.

Next on the day's schedule, the holiday horror-comedy Krampus.

A family pays the price for having lost the true spirit of Christmas.

Unless I have an ulterior motive (read: one of my favorite actors has a role), I seldom bother with horror movies, as I almost always find them stupid and not at all scary.  

Benefitting from a fun trailer and a weak schedule of new releases, Krampus became the exception to my rule, and I'm pleased to report I didn't have reason to regret it.

There are no A-Listers, but Krampus boasts a great cast and the performances are quite good. Kid actors can be hit or miss, but the adorable Emjay Anthony is a nice surprise in what essentially amounts to the lead. 

If I was never really scared, the movie still does a great job of maintaining tension, and the monsters are genuinely creepy. In fact, the entire look of the film is exquisite, from the festive holiday decor to cold, snowy exteriors, to some pretty badass baddies. 

The laughs are equally solid and well timed, making Krampus a truly entertaining outing.

Krampus clocks in at 98 minutes, and is rated PG13 for, "sequences of horror violence/terror, language, and some drug material."

It may never become *that* classic you watch with grandma every Christmas Eve, but Krampus is good holiday fun. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Krampus gets six.

Until next time...

Movie Reviews: TRICK R TREAT

Thursday, October 22, 2009
Movie Reviews: TRICK R TREAT
ON DVD



TRICK R TREAT



It is said that Halloween is the night when the dead rise to walk among us and other unspeakable things roam free. The rituals of All Hallows Eve were devised to protect us from their evil mischief, and one small town is about to be taught a terrifying lesson that some traditions are best not forgotten. Nothing is what it seems when a suburban couple learns the dangers of blowing out a Jack-o-Lantern before midnight; four women cross paths with a costumed stalker at a local festival; a group of pranksters goes too far and discovers the horrifying truth buried in a local legend; and a cantankerous old hermit is visited by a strange trick-or-treater with a few bones to pick. Costumes and candy, ghouls and goblins, monsters and mayhem...the tricks and treats of Halloween turn deadly as strange creatures of every variety—human and otherwise—try to survive the scariest night of the year.

Cast: Brian Cox, Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker, Leslie Bibb, Tahmoh Penikett

Director: Michael Dougherty

Originally intended release date October 5, 2007

Rated R for some sexuality/nudity, horror violence and language

Genres: Horror, Psychological Thriller, Ensemble Film

Review:

Stories of studio buffoonery are hardly anything new. Some movies and directors get tossed and beat around when a studio can’t figure out what to do with a film. Some never see the light of day at all or are given an unceremoniously short theatrical release followed quickly by being shoveled off to DVD. Michael Dougherty’s Trick R Treat sat on the shelves for nearly 2 full years before Warner Brothers decided to finally let it see the light of day via a direct to DVD release. Typical films cast off to direct to DVD hell are justifiable horrible and are probably best suited to have been seen by as few people as possible. Trick R Treat is not one of those films. It’s a true oddity that really makes you wonder how studio head couldn’t see the potential in this film. Michael Dougherty wrote and directed this incredibly fun Halloween anthology that pays homage to classics like Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt. Dougherty wrote a razor sharp script that’s effectively funny and frightening. He’s clearly a genre fan and it shows throughout as he interweaves the 4 divergent storylines into each other in a non linear fashion. He gives us fairly established motifs and conceits but gives them a nice little spin to make them interesting and fresh. Sam, the burlap masked midget, is equally familiar yet different and he doesn’t react the way you’d expect a character like him to. The direction is fun and colorful, doing a wonderful job of capturing the Halloween spirit when it’s in full force. Dougherty keeps a brisk pace moving the stories slow enough for you to savor them but he never lingers too much, kind of like going from house to house trick r treating. The director’s energy and enthusiasm is palpable and it extends to the cast as well. The most recognizable faces are Anna Paquin, Brian Cox and Dylan Barker. They all do very well in their roles playing up their stereotypical characters with a wink of a potential twist. The younger members of the cast, made up of primarily unknowns, are surprisingly effective and deserve big kudos for their work. At 82 minutes Trick R Treat is terribly short and it flies by, a good trait for films like this which make repeat viewings easier and required.

A