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Showing posts with label Carmen Ejogo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carmen Ejogo. Show all posts
Saturday, June 10, 2017
MOVIE REVIEW: IT COMES AT NIGHT
A married couple (Joel Edgerton and Carmen Ejogo) and their teenage son (Kelvin Harrison) isolate themselves from the rest of humanity when a mysterious plague throws civilization into chaos, but their secluded existence is threatened when a young family seek shelter with them. Christopher Abbott and Riley Keough co-star. Written and directed by Trey Edward Shults (Trey Edward Shults). ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi
Director: Trey Edward Shults
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Riley Keough, Christopher Abbott, Carmen Ejogo
Release Date: Jun 09, 2017
Rated R for Disturbing Images, Violence and Language
Runtime: 1 hr. 37 min.
Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller
Review:
Trey Edward Shults second film, It Comes at Night is being sold as a straight forward horror film which doesn’t do it any favors. It Comes at Night is a claustrophobic paranoia themed thriller in post apocalyptic window dressing. It’s a fantastically crafted film that just reeks of talent throughout. Shults clearly has some talent behind the lens which is aided by some wonderful cinematography which echoes Stanley Kubrick. It’s the very definition of a slow burn and the cast is utterly committed with each giving understated but strong performances. Unfortunately, the story seems a tad bit undercooked. It’s meditation on tragedy and paranoia are simplistic to say the least. Its story is light on answers and those looking for any sort of a payoff or resolution will be let frustrated. Perhaps it’s the point or just exemplification of Shults worldview. Even though it’s not a film that people will be clamoring to revisit, its sparse runtime seems longer than it is, it’s a fine showcase for an impressive directorial talent.
B-
Saturday, January 10, 2015
MOVIE REVIEW: SELMA
David Oyelowo stars as Martin Luther King Jr. in this historical drama set during the height of the American civil-rights movement, and depicting the marches from Selma, AL, to the state capital of Montgomery to secure voting rights for black people. Brad Pitt and Oprah Winfrey produce and Ava DuVernay (I Will Follow, Middle of Nowhere) directs. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Ava DuVernay
Cast: David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Cuba
Gooding, Jr., Carmen Ejogo, Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi
Release Date: Dec
25, 2014
Rated PG-13 for Brief Strong Language, A Suggestive
Moment, Disturbing Thematic Material and Violence
Runtime: 2 hr. 8 min.
Genres: Drama
Review:
Selma is an
excellent film which captures the 60’s civil rights movement but feels timely
at the same time. Ava DuVernay’s
direction, helped by some beautiful and evocative cinematography, provides
immediacy to the entire story. As a
result the film rarely drags even though there are a few moments where it could
have been trimmed, just a tad. At the
center of it all is a mesmerizing David Oyelowo who delivers a career making
performance as King. Oyelowo captures
King’s voice inflections perfectly but it’s more than just mimicry. The script gives us a King that’s very human
and Oyelowo brings that to the screen perfectly. We see the passion, some of the failings and
pain King went through along with some wonderfully engrossing reenactments of
famous speeches. The rest of the cast
was strong with nary a weak link in the cast even though I’d love to have seen
a bit more of King’s relationship with his wife, played well by Carmen
Ejogo. Selma
is a sure fire awards candidate, it’s also the type of film that may make your
eyes well up on more than a few occasions.
A-
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Cindy Prascik's Reviews of 22 Jump Street & The Purge: Anarchy + Bonus Afterthoughts on How to Train Your Dragon 2
Dearest Blog, it's Jamboree in the Hills weekend here in the upper Ohio Valley, and you know what that means: I spent BOTH days hiding out at the cinema. On tap: a second screening of How to Train Your Dragon 2, a first (very late) screening of 22 Jump Street, and the new release The Purge: Anarchy.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
First up was a second go at How to Train Your Dragon 2. Regular reader(s) will know I was gravely disappointed in this the first time I saw it, as the original ranks among my favorite movies of all time, and this one...well...this one doesn't. While I still don't agree the sequel is better than (or even as good as) the first, I will say I definitely warmed to it upon a second viewing. I found much more to laugh about, much less to be annoyed about, and remained in awe of its visual magnificence. If you don't bother for any other reason, do see it on the biggest screen you can find just for the privilege of seeing the best-looking movie ever.
After revisiting the film, I would probably upgrade it from my original seven and a half to eight of a possible nine Weasleys. Still not as good as the first, but it probably wasn't reasonable to expect that anyway, no matter who said it nor how often.
Next up was another sequel, 22 Jump Street. I'm well aware this has already left many theatres and if you were gonna see it you probably would have done by now. I'm still reviewing it for two reasons: first, because it's worth a good word if that good word convinces anybody buy the DVD or see it in a second-run cinema, but also so I don't forget it when it comes time for my year-end top ten, which at this writing would include it.
Having succeeded in their high school undercover mission, Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) move on to college.
22 Jump Street is that rare sequel that is equal to its predecessor, hilarious from beginning to end, with a couple twists that rival most mysteries and thrillers. Hill and Tatum have a genuine chemistry that sells their relationship, and a comedic fearlessness that translates to great entertainment. The supporting cast is a riot, and laugh-out-loud physical humor combines with self-aware sequel jokes to make this the summer's funniest movie thus far.
22 Jump Street runs 112 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout, sexual content, drug material, brief nudity, and some violence."
If you're in the mood for a good laugh, this is your movie. Of a possible nine Weasleys, 22 Jump Street gets seven.
Finally, today it was The Purge: Anarchy.
A small group caught out during the annual Purge teams up to try to survive the night.
Two notes: I have seen only minutes of the first Purge, in passing. It is by all accounts terrible. The sequel was only on my radar--and barely, at that--because I've had a bit of a thing for Frank Grillo since The Grey. Yeah, I know I'm late to that party, so sue me. Earlier this weekend, I saw a review comparing this new Purge to Walter Hill's The Warriors, one of my top ten movies of all time, and it became a must see.
I didn't expect much, but I'm pleased to report I was very pleasantly surprised.
Let this be the first and probably only review to note that the annual Purge takes place on Gary Oldman's birthday, March 21. How's a transplanted Brit to celebrate his special day in a country that's doing THAT with it? I strenuously object, and respectfully petition for a change of Purge date.
Okay, back to business. As mentioned, The Purge: Anarchy is much better than I expected. I figured I'd indulge my crush in a so-so movie and be done with it, but I was actually engaged from start to finish. The concept is scary as hell, but provides some interesting food for thought. There's some wonky dialogue, but the movie is smart enough not to try getting too talkey. Tension holds steady throughout, no chance to feel certain of anyone's safety. The Halloween-masked antagonists are particularly effective, and their scenes especially well staged. There's plenty of violence, but nothing overly graphic or gory. Grillo is well suited to his role. I expect I'd feel pretty safe in his charge were my life threatened...or, hell, even if it weren't. The rest of the main cast does a decent job of: a.) appearing terrified, and b.) running for their lives. So. Much. Running. It's like a World Cup game, but without the diving. Finally, the movie gets full marks for not wearing out its welcome.
The Purge: Anarchy clocks in at 103 minutes and is rated R for "strong disturbing violence and language."
It may not be what you'd call a "summer fun" movie, but it's engaging, entertaining, and worth the price of admission. Of a possible nine Weasleys, I'm happy to give The Purge: Anarchy seven.
Until next time..
Saturday, July 19, 2014
MOVIE REVIEW: THE PURGE: ANARCHY
A vengeful father comes to the aid of a mother, her teenage daughter, and a defenseless young couple on the one night of the year that all crime, including murder, is legal in this self-contained sequel from producer Jason Blum and original writer/director James DeMonaco. This unlikely group must stick together in order to survive the night. But little do they realize that their nightmare has only just begun. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: James DeMonaco
Cast: Frank Grillo, Kiele Sanchez, Michael K. Williams,
Zach Gilford, Carmen Ejogo
Release Date: Jul
18, 2014
Rated: R for Strong Disturbing Violence and Language
Runtime: 1 hr. 43 min.
Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller
Review:
The Purge was a solid film with a nice little premise which
it never really expanded on, instead just turning it into a standard home
invasion thriller. There was plenty of
meat on the idea to explore which was left untouched by the original so I was
looking forward to a sequel but worried it’d miss the point of it all. The Purge: Anarchy is actually a nice
surprise even if the message is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. The story smartly gives us 3 storylines to
follow which converge rather quickly. It’s
enough to give us a feel for the world at play and some of the ideas
extrapolated out stretching the not so subtle metaphor out and expanding the
mythos. The characters outside of Frank
Grillo’s, delivering a grizzled Punisher like performance, man out for vengeance are rather bland but
they’re there to serve a purpose. We are
given a Warriors like trek through the anarchy like streets during Purge
night. At its core, the sequel feels a
lot like some of the wonderfully ham fisted exploitation message movies from
the 70’s and 80’s which isn’t a bad thing.
B-
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