An NBA star, a corrupt cop, a female rap duo, teenage punks, neo-Nazis and a debt collector embark on a collision course in 1987 Oakland, Calif.
Director:Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden
Cast:Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn, Jay Ellis, Normanit, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, Ji-young Yoo, Angus Cloud
Release Date: April 4, 2025
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout including slurs, sexual content and drug use.
Runtime:1h 47m
Review:
Freaky Tales is a quirky, Interconnected Tarantinoesque anthology that delivers a hefty dose of 80's Bay area nostalgia with increasingly off the wall chapters that benefit from a strong vibe and cast. Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden borrow elements from a variety of sources for the four chapters that make up the story with noticeable nods to Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill being readily evident and even some sprinkles of Scott Pilgrim in the opening. The pairs deep love and affection for this time and space seeps through the screen as they touch on everything from the punk and hip-hop scene to dirty cops, Nazis and basketball ninjas. Some chapters are far more grounded than others with the filmmakers asking you to roll with the punches especially as events get nuttier in the final act. Like most anthologies, some chapters work better than others with the first two really nailing down the vibe of each setting before stalling out in a more straightforward crime drama with the Pedro Pascal focused third chapter. That's not to say the third chapter is bad, it just marks a notice shift in the film's tone to establish the connective tissue that brings everything together in its final act. It’s a minor hiccup but it does have a fun cameo that makes the tonal change easier to deal. The ensemble cast turns in solid work across the board with Jack Champion and Ji-young Yoo sharing some believable romantic chemistry in the opening act with Normanit and Dominique Thorne bringing a similar authenticity to their friendship in the rap battle portion. Pedro Pascal is given the least showy role in the whole thing but delivers a solid turn as usual. Ben Mendelsohn and Jay Ellis are given more fun roles as a sleazy detective and rather lethal point guard. It all makes Freaky Tales a rather unexpected surprise of a film that's sure to become a cult classic in the years to come.
Captain Marvel is an extraterrestrial Kree warrior who finds herself caught in the middle of an intergalactic battle between her people and the Skrulls. Living on Earth in 1995, she keeps having recurring memories of another life as U.S. Air Force pilot Carol Danvers. With help from Nick Fury, Captain Marvel tries to uncover the secrets of her past while harnessing her special superpowers to end the war with the evil Skrulls.
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, Jude Law
Release Date: March 8, 2019
Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language
Runtime: 2h 4 min
Review: Captain Marvel is a solid if bland origin story. That's not to say that there isn't fun to be had but the plot does telegraph some of the biggest reveals. At the center of the film is Brie Larson who is typically a strong performer. Here though, she's mostly wooden and she never really gives her character much personality. As such, the titular character and star isn't all that interesting for the majority of the film. Thankfully the supporting characters give the film a lot more life. Sam Jackson finally gets his proper due in the MCU by giving us a look at Nick Fury as a young SHEILD agent. The film is at its best when it pairs Larson and Jackson in a sort of buddy comedy, which really gives the film some life. The real surprise though is a Ben Mendelsohn who brings a lot more to the table than you'd expect. His character looks like a standard baddie but there's much more depth at play than at first glance. Throw in a scene stealing cat and you get film that's better in it's final act than it was in the previous two portions. The soundtrack is bound to make certain people nostalgic even if it plays like a copy of "Now that's what I call Music 90s." Ultimately the film does a workman like job of checking all the boxes on a origin film but with a clever feminist twist even if it's not a natural or organic as say Wonder Woman. B-
Dearest Blog: The busy holiday weekend having left no time for the cinema (!!), yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for a Monday-afternoon screening of Creed II and Robin Hood 2018.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know or guess from the trailers.
First up: Creed II.
Apollo Creed's son looks to write a new ending to the Creed/Drago story.
The second Creed installment is another solid film that maybe follows the Rocky formula just a little too closely. I didn't love it less for playing out exactly as I expected, but getting there did seem a bit more tedious than last time.
Creed II's chief positive is its strong leads. Michael B. Jordan is brilliant in a title role that provides a perfect showcase for his talent. Sylvester Stallone wears Rocky Balboa like a comfortable old sweater, and his turn as the aging champ is once again sincere and a little bit heartbreaking. Creed II lays on the nostalgia, with heavy references and flashbacks to the tragic, three-decades-past match between the elder Creed and the elder Drago. There are the requisite training montages and brutal, well-choreographed boxing matches, with plenty of Agonizing Over Big Decisions for flexing those acting muscles. The movie doesn't hold many surprises, and--at two hours plus--it certainly could have used a trim, but none of that keeps it from being a great bit of feel-good holiday fare.
Creed II clocks in at 130 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sports action violence, language, and a scene of sensuality."
If Creed II is guilty of sticking too close to a formula, well, at least it's a good one.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Creed II gets seven and a half.
Next on yesterday's agenda: Robin Hood 2018.
A new take on an old legend.
Dear reader(s), I'ma be straight with ya: Like the Three Musketeers, Robin Hood is a story that, no matter how often or how badly you tell it, I'm going to fall for it every time. Every. Damn. Time. I am delighted to report that the streak continues with Robin Hood 2018.
Now...that is not to say this movie is not idiotic, because--oh!--it most certainly is. Rather, it is so willfully idiotic that, sans unrealistic expectations, you can't help but enjoy it, so...let's get started with why.
How about Taron Edgerton? Edgerton is a solid actor and a magnetic leading man, an outstanding fit for the action-hero mold. He's young, he's great, and he's only going to get better. Punching well below his weight class, Ben Mendelsohn chews the scenery with relish. Jamie Foxx is mostly over the top as well, though he does get one terrific speech to remind you he's got an Oscar. Fellow Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham, on the other hand, is sadly wasted. Action sequences are ridiculous, exciting, and well placed. The film doesn't slow down often, but it never feels like one endless fight either. Joseph Trapanese's score had me from note one. Like last year's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and the most recent BBC television version of Robin Hood (not-so-affectionately dubbed "Robin Hoodie" by critics), Robin Hood 2018 makes no pretense of authenticity, instead it's all perky bosoms and perfect dental work. Accents are all over the place, inappropriately modern touches are everywhere (midriff top, anyone?), some of the dialogue is so pitiful it actually hurts to listen to it, annnnnnnd...none of that is a complaint. For two hours, I didn’t stop smiling.
Robin Hood 2018 runs 116 minutes and is rated PG13 for, "extended sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive references."
Robin Hood 2018 is striking out at the box office, but it's a home run for me!
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Robin Hood 2018 gets eight.
Fangirl points: Let's hear it for Jamie Dornan speaking with his real Irish accent! *swoon*
From filmmaker Steven Spielberg comes the
science fiction action adventure “Ready Player One,” based on Ernest Cline’s
bestseller of the same name, which has become a worldwide phenomenon. The film
is set in 2045, with the world on the brink of chaos and collapse. But the
people have found salvation in the OASIS, an expansive virtual reality universe
created by the brilliant and eccentric James Halliday (Mark Rylance). When
Halliday dies, he leaves his immense fortune to the first person to find a
digital Easter egg he has hidden somewhere in the OASIS, sparking a contest
that grips the entire world. When an unlikely young hero named Wade Watts (Tye
Sheridan) decides to join the contest, he is hurled into a breakneck, reality-bending
treasure hunt through a fantastical universe of mystery, discovery and danger.
Spielberg directed the film from a screenplay by Zak Penn and Ernest Cline.
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben
Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe, Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance
Release Date: March 29, 2018
Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action
violence, bloody images, some suggestive material, partial nudity and language Runtime: 2h 20min
Review:
Ready Player One is an interesting bit of cinematic alchemy where 80s
pop culture becomes pop culture in a fun if hollow fable.Steven Spielberg’s film is a rapid fire
collection of gamer and 80’s references that hit you so quickly and
consistently that’s it’s easy to get overwhelmed.The plot isn’t much more than an updated take
on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the characters aren’t terribly dense
but it’s all fairly fun and energetic.Spielberg does some solid world building in and out of the Oasis with
both having a certain charm.That being
said it’s easy to be left with a ton more questions once you start thinking
about the worlds being presented.Tye
Sheridan leads the film ably even if he rates closer on the bland side than
anything.Olivia Cooke is equally
capable but provides a bit more spark than Sheridan.Lena Waithe and T.J. Miller are solid
supporting players that provide some of the films highlights even if we never
see Miller in the flesh.Mark Rylance is
a tad over the top as the socially awkward creator but he does parse out some
humanity and heart of him none the less.Ready Player One is a love letter to multiple things and it delivers
some truly engaging and frenetic set pieces, one in particular I won’t ruin,
but it does fall a little bit in love with itself especially towards the end
which starts to drag just a tad before it ends with one Spielberg’s more candy
coated finales.
Dearest Blog: Thanks to the long holiday weekend, yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for an early screening of Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
The deceased creator of a virtual reality world called "The Oasis" leaves his followers a challenge: Find the hidden Easter egg, rule the Oasis, and win the fortune that goes with it.
From my first encounter with a Ready Player One trailer, I had a feeling something was off, a feeling that carried all the way through the finished product. The movie is not without its positives, but they're far too few to make it less than a torturous couple hours.
Ready Player One kicks off with the god-awfulest song in history, Van Halen's Jump, so it doesn't give a person much hope right...well...right from the jump. The main cast of youngsters ranges from a little wooden to pretty awful, so grownups Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance, and even the extraordinary Ben Mendelsohn can't do much to help. The movie's production design is impressive, but scenes inside the Oasis are curiously less so than those in the real world. In fact, the Oasis--a place where people can be anyone or anything they choose--is actually a little creepy and dark, not at all fanciful, and the film's hundreds of pop-culture references wear thin in their ubiquitousness. I had hoped for a great 80s soundtrack, and there are some terrific songs, but they're so muted and cropped as to be nearly invisible. Sadly, Ready Player One did nothing to exceed my middling expectations.
Ready Player One clocks in at 140 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of sci-fi action violence, bloody images, some suggestive material, partial nudity, and language."
A few years back, Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro did a movie called Grudge Match, about a pair of aging boxers coaxed out of retirement for one final match. It wasn't on anyone's awards shortlist, but, if you were of a certain age, plenty of it was pretty damn funny. When a teenage friend mentioned she didn't enjoy it, I told her it probably wasn't "for" her. I'm not a gamer, and there are no other versions of me running around in any VR worlds, so it's entirely possible that Ready Player One just isn't "for" me, BUT...a really great movie is somehow for everyone, regardless of their investment, and this isn't that, either. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Ready Player One gets three.
During the early days of World War II, the fate of Western Europe hangs
on the newly-appointed British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who must
decide whether to negotiate with Hitler, or fight on against incredible odds. Director: Joe Wright Release Date: Nov 22, 2017 Cast: Gary Oldman, Lily James, Kristin Scott
Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn, Stephen Dillane Rated PG-13 for some thematic material Runtime: 2 hr. 5 min. Genres: Biography, Drama, History
Review:
Joe Wright’s Darkest Hour
is a perfectly solid historical drama that’s buoyed by an impressive turn by
Gary Oldman. Wright’s movie hits most of
the basic points of interest as he covers roughly a month of Winston
Churchill’s life as he ascends to the role of Prime Minster as Hilter’s forces
close in on Britain. As such, it makes for an
interesting companion pieces to Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk. While that
film dealt the soldier’s point of view this film is far more concerned with the
political landscape that Churchill was dealing with as he took office. It’s catnip for history buffs even though
everyone knows how it ends. Still, it’s
a fascinating situation to examine considering how badly the odds where stacked
against the UK. Wright does a solid job of
providing a glossy accounting of darken close quarter rooms where major
decisions were being made in the face of impending doom. The film, though, wouldn’t work nearly as
well if it wasn’t for a stellar turn by the film’s star Gary Oldman who
disappears into make up and character. This
isn’t the first time Oldman has lost himself into characters behind make up,
most memorably in Dracula and an underrated and nearly forgotten turn in the
Silence of the Lamb sequel Hannibal. This film is clearly Oldman’s showcase, so much
so that some of sequences might as well have the words “For your Consideration”
emblazoned along the bottom of the screen.
Thankfully Oldman doesn’t disappoint as he delivers one of the best
performances of his career in a long while.
He’s had better roles in the past but this type of biopic seems ready
made for award season.
This prequel to the very tells the thrilling story of how a ragtag band of
freedom fighters -- including a former soldier-turned-prisoner (Felicity
Jones), a Rebel Alliance insider (Diego Luna), a Jedi (Donnie Yen), and a
sentient robot (voiced by Alan Tudyk) -- worked together to steal the Death
Star's secret blueprints. Ben Mendelsohn, Forest Whitaker, Riz Ahmed, Mads
Mikkelsen, and Jimmy Smits co-star in Rogue One, the first of several Jimmy
Smits spin-offs planned after J.J. Abrams' J.J. Abrams reboot. ~ Violet LeVoit,
Rovi
Director: Gareth Edwards
Cast :Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie
Yen, Mads Mikkelsen
Release Date: Dec
16, 2016
Rated PG-13 for Sci-Fi Violence and Action
Runtime: 2 hr. 13 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Review:
It’s probably best to start with a small disclaimer.I’ve never been a diehard Star Wars fan and watched
all of them mainly out of duty.That’s
not to say I don’t like a few of them but I can’t say I really love them with
any deep rooted passion.A fact that was
reiterated after watching The Force Awakens last year, a film I liked the first
time and instantly disliked after a 2nd viewing.The biggest issue with that film was how
lazily it played on nostalgia with very little in the way of innovation.Rogue One thankfully brings some fresh energy
to the franchise by opening up the established world and telling a story free
of major shackles outside of major events from the first film.Gareth Edwards delivers a film that offers a
fresh perspective with a decidedly more grounded and visceral approach.At its center is Felicity Jones who plays Jyn
Eros with a tormented but heartfelt energy throughout.She’s a well rounded character which serves
the film well.Diego Luna is a bit more
of a cipher as the film only gives passing moments of depth to his character
which is a shame since Luna is a talented actor.Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen and Riz Ahmed all
bring a strong sense of heart to the film.It’s a testament to the film that we meet some of these characters well
into the film but form a strong connection with them quickly.It’s nice to see that Mads Mikkelsen fairs
better here than he did in Dr. Strange even if his screen time is much smaller.Ben Mendelsohn plays a perfect villain even
if he leans a bit too much toward the mustache twirling variety.Darth Vader is used sparingly but when he
appears it makes a strong impact, particularly in the third act.A bit of trimming here and there could have
streamlined the film a bit but considering how troubled the production was,
it’s a bit of a minor miracle that the film came out as well as it did.I go even as far as to say it’s probably one
of my favorite Star Wars films in general.
Dearest Blog: Yesterday I (or, more specifically, the driver) braved inclement weather to get to Marquee Cinemas for the promising double-bill of Rogue One and Collateral Beauty.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
First up: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Episode 3.5: The Rebel Alliance risks everything in hopes of finding the key to destroying the Death Star.
Rogue One is basically the story you don't (or didn't) know that lays the foundation for the one you do.
Familiar elements provide a nice touch, but the movie makes every effort to stand on its own. It's a little slow getting started, but, ultimately, it's solid enough to recommend to even those who have never seen a Star Wars movie before. That being said:
The first act of Rogue One could have been better paced.
The movie spends a good deal of time laying groundwork that really isn't all that complicated; then, as if that weren't enough, it wastes even more time flashing back to stuff that happened only 20 minutes before. It's awkward and frustrating. Warming up to our heroine, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), is no easy task; she's not even half-likeable until she meets up with Rebel pilot Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). (Disclaimer: Opinion may be based entirely on the fact that I don't like Jones or her weird teeth.)
Once the picture gets moving, there's plenty of action to go 'round, and it becomes much easier to get invested in the characters...perhaps because they're just better characters. The movie really finds its heart when Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen), Baze Malbus (Wen Jiang), and Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) turn up, and, unlike Jyn, it's very easy to root for them. Ahmed, in particular, is terrific and does scared and conflicted about as well as anyone. Rogue One has a fair bit of humor, some that hits the mark and some that's just too silly for the situation.
Michael Giacchino provides a rousing score, though, ultimately, it's those hints of John Williams' original music that really feel like home. Large sections of the picture are too dark to see what's going on, and the runtime is a little excessive (which could have been remedied easily if only that first half had been better plotted), but, for my money, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a fun outing that's even better than The Force Awakens.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story clocks in at 134 minutes and is rated PG13 for "extended sequences of sci-fi violence and action."
Rogue One is another worthy installment in one of the greatest movie sagas of all time. Do see it on the big screen while you can.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Rogue One gets seven and a half.
Fangirl points: Ben Mendelsohn! Mads Mikkelson! Jimmy Smits! *swoon*
Next up: Collateral Beauty.
After the loss of his young daughter, a grieving man begins writing theraputic letters to Love, Time, and Death. Much to his surprise, Love, Time, and Death offer the favor of a personal reply.
When I went to buy my ticket for Collateral Beauty, I accidentally asked for Collateral Damage, which anyone who knows anything about me will TOTALLY understand. Collateral Beauty isn't really my thing, but the trailer promised some Oscar-worthy performances, and, since none of the really good awards contenders--La La Land, Manchester By The Sea, Nocturnal Animals--have played here (I'll hopefully add a "yet" to the end of that bit), it became my default option for a weekend so deep into Awards Season I couldn't afford to take a pass.
Collateral Beauty has two chief strikes against it: First, it is a criminal waste of everything that normally makes Will Smith such a compelling lead. Smith is more than capable of tackling this sort of drama, but he's got an inherent charm that's suffocated by this lifeless character.
Even when he gets really angry, it's a flatline. Secondly, everyone outside of Smith is just SO. DAMN. EARNEST. A little of that goes a long way, and so much makes these individuals seem insincere, like one-dimensional paper dolls. Helen Mirren is always a delight, and, if there's something that's almost as cool as Helen Mirren with an RPG in RED, it's Helen Mirren as Death, even if that's not *quite* what the trailer leads you to believe.
The remainder of the cast is more than solid, but they're drowning in broadly-drawn characters that are about as subtle as a dollar-store greeting card. Collateral Beauty's finale is unspeakably hokey, but, if you didn't guess from the trailers that hokey was on the menu, you probably weren't paying attention.
Ultimately, Collateral Beauty fails to tick any of the boxes that make a quality motion picture, but it's got a warm-and-fuzzy holiday vibe and, to be honest, I liked it better than it probably deserves. (But Collateral Damage is still way better.)
Collateral Beauty runs a very reasonable 97 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic elements and brief strong language."
The awards contender that wasn't, Collateral Beauty will still satisfy any cravings for sentimental holiday fare.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Collateral Beauty gets four and a half.
Fangirl points: My beautiful New York City! Naomie Harris (even if her accent is all over the place)!
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.
