American automotive designer Carroll Shelby and
fearless British race car driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the
laws of physics and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary vehicle
for the Ford Motor Co. Together, they plan to compete against the race cars of
Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.
Director: Jason Mangold
Cast: Matt Damon and Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe,
Tracy Letts, Josh Lucas, Noah Jupe, Remo Girone, and Ray McKinnon
Release Date: November 15, 2019
Genres: Action, Biography, Drama
Rated PG-13 for some language and peril
Runtime: 2h 32min
Review:
Ford v Ferrari an interesting throwback film that’s got so much more going on besides racing. James Mangold directs his film with a glossy veneer that just screams prestige picture. A two and half hour film needs to be engaging to keep from becoming a slog. Thankfully, the film’s story is thoroughly entertaining throughout, so much so that if rarely feels slow. Having a cast of top level talents all delivering excellent performances. Matt Damon gives his Carroll Shelby a good old boy charm and dogged determination which shines through an understated delivery. Christian Bale delivers another physical transformation for this performance but beyond that he gives his character a likable stubbornness that provides the film its beating heart. Together Damon and Bale make this bromance work and it’s incredibly watchable. The supporting cast is equally strong with Tracy Letts, Jon Bernthal and Caitriona Balfe all leaving their mark in limited screen time. On its surface, the film is about winning a car race but peeling back some of the layers reveal a beefier and headier story at work about creation, invention and innovation.
A partially deaf getaway driver (Ansel Elgort) gets caught up in a botched
heist in this action comedy from writer/director Edgar Wright (Edgar Wright,
Edgar Wright). Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Jon Bernthal, Jon Hamm,
and Sky Ferreira co-star. ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi
Director: Edgar Wright
Cast: Jon Bernthal, Kevin Spacey, Ansel
Elgort, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx
Release Date: Jun 28, 2017 Runtime: 1 hr. 53 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy
Review:
Edgar Wright’s latest film, Baby Driver, is
another strong entry into his catalogue.He delivers a musical infused crime thriller that’s innovative even
though the basic plot is well worn.The film
has an impressive rhythm from the opening car chase.The impressively choreographed stunt driving
is some of the best I’ve seen in a years.It’s a testament to practical stunts that you feel every collision and
rumble during any of the sequences.The
car chases are far better than any of the CGI infused trickery in another large
car franchise.The characters themselves
are fun and interesting even if they never feel like actual people.Ansel Elgort makes a fine lead, supplying the
character with a healthy amount of innocence and charm though he’s outshined by
the supporting characters.Kevin Spacey,
John Hamm and Jamie Foxx all deliver fun performances.Spacey is totally in his element as the boss
and Hamm and Foxx make for great villains at different points
in the film.Foxx is at full level crazy
as the most despicable member of the crew.Hamm’s role is tailor suited to his talents of being
charming while looking like he’s suffering from a lifelong hangover.Lily James makes for a cute love interest but
doesn’t really register when compared to the rest of the cast.Still, Baby Driver is one of the most fun
films you’ll watch this year.
Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for one of my most highly anticipated titles of 2017, Edgar Wright's Baby Driver.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
To repay an old debt, a young man is forced to use his extraordinary skills in service of a criminal mastermind.
Dear reader(s), in the interest of full and fair disclosure, I'll confess my firm conviction that Edgar Wright makes perfect movies, all the time. As writer or director, and especially as writer and director, the guy is a visionary. I keep an open enough mind that pretty much anything can surprise me (pleasantly or unpleasantly), but honor demands I admit there was very little chance I wouldn't love Baby Driver. That's the Cliff's Notes. Now, onto the meat and potatoes...
Edgar Wright's love and respect for music lend his films unparalleled attention to detail where it is concerned. Each and every song is selected, each and every note perfectly placed, to underline, energize, advance, or complete its moment, event, or scene. While that's the case with all of Wright's efforts, Baby Driver willfully and overtly makes music its star, the sun around which all the other moving pieces revolve. If you love music, you will feel this film from the roots of your hair to the soles of your shoes. That's not to say the picture's "other" stars are lightweights. Decorated names such as Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, and Jamie Foxx have ample opportunity to shine brightly in Baby Driver's galaxy. "It" girl Lily James charms her way through the movie like an old pro, and Ansel Elgort is a delight in what's sure to be a star-making turn.
Baby Driver is an action film, filled with thrilling chase scenes and beautifully choreographed stunt driving. Baby Driver is a comedy, its humor blooming organically from genuine performances and crazy scenarios. Baby Driver is a drama, boasting sincere moments among layered, engaging characters. Baby Driver is extraordinary filmmaking from an extraordinary filmmaker, everything you could want from a movie and more.
Baby Driver clocks in at 113 minutes and is rated R for violence and language.
Baby Driver is a beautiful, clever, unique cinema experience that should shut up the "Hollywood is out of ideas" crowd for at least the weekend.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, I am pleased and unsurprised to give Baby Driver all nine.
Fangirl points: OHMYGOSH YOU GUYS THERE'S A DAMNED SONG IN THIS MOVIE!
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.
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,
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.
Dearest Blog, today it was off to the pictures to wage war with Brad Pitt's Fury.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
As World War II draws to a close, an outmatched US tank crew undertakes a dangerous mission.
Well,
dear reader(s), I'll be straight with you: my interest in Fury can best
be described as "at least it's not that Nicholas Sparks thing." It
looks like my kind of movie, and the cast is (mostly) terrific, but for
some reason the trailers did nothing to excite me. Figuring I'm gonna
need this one come awards time, though, I set out today hoping to be
pleasantly surprised.
Fury is being lauded as an honest look at
war, and that may well be, but it's otherwise a total dud.
The
characters are broadly drawn caricatures, and the dialogue is so badly
written it might as well be Twilight. Every incident, every encounter,
every happening is more predictable than the last, straight out of the
tear-your-heart-out War Movie Playbook.
The cast actually IS mostly
solid and can't be faulted for the film's failings, with the notable
exception of Shia LeBeouf.
A great actor inhabits a character so you
forget whatever you might know of him, personally, but LeBeouf is so
profoundly unlikable that whatever acting skill he possesses is nowhere
near up to that task. Even Brad Pitt seems somehow diminished, following
so quickly on the heels of Robert Downey, Jr.'s and Denzel Washington's
most recent starring turns.
If Fury gets credit for putting the horrors
of war on up-close-and-personal display, it also has to take the blame
for dawdling overlong on just about everything, resulting in an
excessive runtime that could and should have been trimmed by at least 20
minutes. If this mess makes a ripple come awards season, I shall fail
to feel even the tiniest bit of shame for keeping I, Frankenstein on my
year-end top ten list!
Fury clocks in at 134 minutes and is rated R
for "strong sequences of war violence, some grisly images, and language
throughout."
I never go into a movie set on hating it, and
honestly expected to come out of Fury impressed despite myself, Instead,
the only fury to be had was my own, for seven bucks and two hours I
can't get back.
Two retired boxers (Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro) decide to settle a long-standing beef by heading back into the ring in this sports comedy from director Peter Segal. Back in the day, Billy "The Kid" McDonnen (De Niro) and Henry "Razor" Sharp (Stallone) were the two biggest bruisers in the Pittsburgh boxing scene. Their fierce rivalry drawing nationwide attention, Razor and The Kid were deadlocked for the title of overall champion when the former announced his retirement just before the decisive 1983 match that would have determined the supreme champion. Three decades later, enterprising boxing promoter Dante Slate Jr. (Kevin Hart) lures the aging pugilists back into the ring for the fight that everyone has been waiting for. Alan Arkin, Kim Basinger, and Jon Bernthal costar. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Peter Segal
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Kim Basinger, Alan Arkin, Kevin Hart, Jon Bernthal
Release Date: Dec 25, 2013
Rated PG-13 for sports action violence, sexual content and language
Runtime: 1 hr. 53 min.
Genres: Comedy
Review:
Grudge Match is those type of film’s that’s heavy on clichés and light on surprises. It’s about as harmless as a sleeping kitten. The plot borrows liberally Rocky and Raging Bull mixed with generic family drama (lost loves and children). There are old jokes by the barrel full with plenty of room left for the most obvious ones like Ben Gay and Geritol. It’s about as vanilla a film as they come with only one real surprise. Its watch able, occasionally lots of fun and surprisingly heartfelt in spots. You’d expect the cast to phone it in but most are surprisingly engaged with Stallone and De Niro giving the whole thing a pulse. Stallone in particular delivers his most authentic performance in years. De Niro seems to be having a ball perhaps reliving old glories. He and Bernthal, who does look like he’s related to De Niro, have a nice father long lost son chemistry on screen. Alan Arkin and Kevin Hart provide harmless comedic relief which never veers into anything close to dangerous territory. Kim Basinger meanwhile seems to have thought that it was a good idea to whisper all her lines regardless of the situation. The movie moves along at a nice pace rarely lingering and almost making its 2 hour runtime seem worthwhile. Along the way you’ll get the expected training montages, reunions leading up to the big fight. The climatic fight is impressively edited, making the whole thing seem as real as possible, even if boxers in movies never seem to defend themselves but I digress. It ends on a feel good moment which feels earned even in the most generic of all films.
In the fast-paced action thriller SNITCH, Dwayne Johnson stars as a father whose teenage son is wrongly accused of a drug distribution crime and is looking at a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years. Desperate and determined to rescue his son at all costs, he makes a deal with the U.S. attorney to work as an undercover informant and infiltrate a drug cartel on a dangerous mission -- risking everything, including his family and his own life.
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon, Jon Bernthal
Release Date: Feb 22, 2013
Rated PG-13 for Sequences of Violence and Drug Content
Runtime: 1 hr. 35 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller
REVIEW:
by Cindy Prascik
Dearest Blog, yesterday I headed up to the cinemas to check out Dwayne Johnson's new film Snitch.
Spoiler level here will be mild, limited to tidbits you'd get from the trailers.
When his son faces a minimum of ten years in prison for a minor drug infraction, a father (Dwayne Johnson) goes undercover with local drug dealers and a major cartel to get the sentence reduced.
If you're a fan who sees Dwayne Johnson movies looking only for two hours of him kicking the ever-lovin' crap out of people, I'm sorry to say you'll be disappointed in Snitch. The good news is, that'd be about the only reason you'd have to be disappointed.
Snitch is a solid drama/thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. However accurately it does or does not depict the actual events on which it's based, as a movie it gets it right. The story is strong, if a little implausible in spots, and I chewed my nails to bits worrying about the outcome!
Dwayne Johnson is good in the lead and gets to show off a bit of extra depth with that natural charisma that's gotten him where he is. The supporting cast is fleshed out by notable names and faces such as Susan Sarandon, The Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal, Boardwalk Empire's Michael Kenneth Williams, Barry Pepper, Benjamin Bratt, Harold Perrineau, and Melina Kanakaredes. Rafi Gavron is especially good as the terrified boy facing a stiff jail term for a stupid mistake.
Snitch clocks in at a tense 112 minutes and builds to an ending that's satisfying without feeling forced or hokey, definitely worthy of your movie-going dollars.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Snitch gets seven.
And nearly three decades removed from my days as a high-school Spanish honor student, apparently all that's left is that I speak "drug dealer."
