MOVIE REVIEW: GRAN TURISMO

A player wins a series of Nissan-sponsored video game competitions through his gaming skills and becomes a real-life professional race car driver.

Director: Neill Blomkamp

Cast: Archie Madekwe, David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, Emelia Hartford, Geri Halliwell Horner, Djimon Hounsou

Release Date: August 25, 2023

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sport

Rated PG-13 for intense action and some strong language.

Runtime: 2h 15m

Gran Turismo is one of the more interesting video game adaptations since it takes a real life underdog story as its basis instead of a straight up adaptation.  The story's beats are all familiar enough that it'd be easy to dismiss this as little more than Rocky on wheels but thanks to confident direction from Neill Blomkamp and earnest performances from the cast it’s far more watchable than you'd expect.  Blomkamp manages to balance the human interest side and racing sequences all while still making sure the corporate suits are happy with their IP's representation.  It’s a slick looking film from start to finish but you can clearly tell he's far more interested in the racing sequences than the human drama at play.  That's not to say the dramatic side is bad but it’s just serviceable enough to make you care about the characters.  The racing sequences on the other hand has an energetic verve that pulls you into each race in a visceral way that lets you feel speed and danger in each race.  There's a noticeable spark during those moments which make them the highlights of the film.  It’s a testament to Archie Madekwe and David Harbour performances that you care about the people once the film gets to those rousing moments.  Madekwe's baby face gives him an air of authenticity that works in the film's favor.  He has an understated, uncertainty that makes his character feel far more fleshed out than what's on the page.  Harbour natural, gruff charm works well for his character which plays like a racing version of Burgess Meredith's Mickey from the Rocky films.  When they are onscreen together, they share a believable rapport together that makes it easy to overlook all the paint by the number bits of melodrama woven into the story.  Orlando Bloom, Geri Halliwell Horner and Djimon Hounsou are all familiar faces who are saddled with underwritten supporting roles.  Josha Stradowski suffers a similar fate as Jann's racing antagonist whose characterization comes down to being a rich jerk with the script offering little more than that.  Gran Turismo will never be accused of being a deep dive character study, but it delivers a solid bit of entertainment for those looking for a feel good underdog story.  

B

MOVIE REVIEW: CHAPPIE

Neill Blomkamp expands on his 2003 short film Neill Blomkamp in this futuristic sci-fi saga written in collaboration with screenwriter Terri Tatchellmore

Director: Neill Blomkamp 

Cast: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Sigourney Weaver, Hugh Jackman

Release Date: Mar 06, 2015

Rated R for Language, Brief Nudity and Violence

Runtime: 2 hr. 0 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Chappie is a worrisome film, not because it’s an awful film by any stretch but because it lays bare Blomkamp’s flaws as a director.  Chappie is filled with big ideas but mired by substandard execution and cartoonishly drawn characters.  Casting South African rappers from Die Antwoord is an odd choice made even worse by the fact that they are main characters.  If they’d been supporting characters it might have worked out a bit better for everyone involved.  Dev Patel, Sigourney Weaver and Hugh Jackman (who’s sporting Wolverine’s hairdo in reverse) are saddled by poorly drawn characters who are types instead of well formed characters with depth.  As for Chappie himself, he’s a well formed creation even though he leans a bit too much on the cutesy side than he should.  When all the explosions have ended and the film has run its course you can’t help but wonder if you’ve watched sub par Short Circuit remake.

C+

Cindy Prascik’s Reviews of Elysium / Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Dearest Blog, today it was off to the cinema as usual. On the bill: Elysium and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

First up was Elysium, Neill Blomkamp's followup to the critically acclaimed District 9.
In the not-so-distant future, most folks live on a ruined Earth that's long on people and short on resources. The wealthy, however, spend their days on a luxurious outpost called Elysium, where there's no pollution, sickness, crime, or other unpleasantness. Circumstances force Max (Matt Damon) to try to get to Elysium at any cost, but his efforts could have a lasting impact on both sides of society.

I think District 9 is a masterpiece, plain and simple, so to suggest my expectations for Elysium were ridiculous would be fair enough. Even though the movie doesn't quite meet them, it's still pretty impressive.

There's nothing subtle about Elysium's message--the imbalance between rich and poor--but I never felt like it beat me over the head with it, either, probably because it never pretends otherwise. The plot is reasonably engaging and the runtime is sensible enough that you don't get bored.

It would be misleading to say Elysium is a beautiful movie, because nothing could be further from the truth. Elysium, of course, looks like a pleasant place to live, but isn't any prettier on screen than the average golf course. The futuristic vision of Earth is grungy and depressing, but effective for bringing home the hopelessness of the average person's life. So...while it's not gorgeous, it is perfect.
Matt Damon is sympathetic and believable as a guy buried under the weight of past poor decisions, with little hope of ever getting out. William Fichtner is appropriately slimy as a business owner with regard for only his own skin (and bottom line). It goes without saying that the standout is Sharlto Copley, who's fantastic as a renegade member of Elysium's security force. The rest of the supporting cast is fine, if unremarkable, with the disappointing exception of Jodie Foster. I found her performance wooden and, frankly, a bit grating (and where she was going with that accent, I have no idea).

Elysium runs 109 minutes and is rated R for "strong bloody violence and language throughout."

It's not the masterpiece I'd hoped for, but it's still pretty darn good. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Elysium gets seven.

Next on the agenda was the sequel Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

To restore protections to their safe haven, Percy Jackson and other half-bloods brave the Sea of Monsters, in hopes of finding the Golden Fleece.

The first Percy Jackson movie was passable teen-fantasy fluff, and the sequel is much the same. The plot feels like a soup that maybe was too thin to start, so the cook just kept tossing in ingredients 'til he ended up with something of a mess for his trouble. The film would have been better served had it focused on the main plot, without the other diversions. The dialogue ranges from flat to plain awful, and most of the attempts at humor are cringe-worthy. While some of the effects are impressive, the terrible CGI moments were too plentiful to really give kudos on that count, either.

Having said all that, the movie does have its pluses. Logan Lerman is perfectly watchable in the lead, and the always entertaining Brandon T. Jackson remains a scene stealer. The rest of the young cast is passable, and the older, familiar faces (including Anthony Head, Stanley Tucci, and Nathan Fillion) are as good as the material permits. One scene of a story being told within the story (think Hermione reading The Tale of the Three Brothers in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) is beautifully shot.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters clocks in at 106 minutes and is rated PG for "fantasy action violence, some scary images, and mild language."
It's a fun but forgettable bit of Summer brain candy that's suitable for the whole family. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters gets six.
And that, dear Blog, is that for this weekend. Next weekend is Gary Oldman's one and only cinema appearance for 2013, so you may expect much giddiness from this corner.

Until next time...




Make more movies, dammit!!

Movie Reviews: DISTRICT 9

Sunday, August 16, 2009
Movie Reviews: DISTRICT 9
IN THEATERS

DISTRICT 9

Aliens become refugees in ....South Africa.... where they are kept isolated from any human contact. While being contained in the refuge being ignored of their welfare, their weapons become the sole interest of Multi-National United (MNU). But only one man , Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), can activate these weapons. He becomes hunted for and only one place can give him refuge, District 9.


Cast: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Vanessa Haywood, Mandla Gaduka


Director: Neill Blomkamp


Opened ..August 14, 2009..


Runtime: 1 hr. 53 min.


Rated R for bloody violence and pervasive language


Genres: Psychological Sci-Fi, Sci-Fi Adventure, Science Fiction


Review:





District 9 is an intriguing and totally engrossing sci-fi romp that, like the best of genre, has so much more simmering under its façade. Rookie director Neill Blomkamp makes an incredibly impressive debut here especially considering the paltry, by ..Hollywood.. standards, 30 million budget. Blomkamp delivers a massively entertaining and visually impressive film that can challenge any big budget summer blockbuster. Blomkamp uses a faux documentary style for the better part of the film making the film seem as if it were cut together from various interviews and live news feeds. It works in creating a sense of reality that’s lacking from a lot of science fiction films. As mentioned this is a message movie but it doesn’t jam it down your throat and can be enjoyed on multiple levels. On the acting front feature newbie Sharlto Copley is pretty much front and center and he does an impressive job throughout. Copley’s character traverses a multitude of emotional states that vary from impish office drone to determined hero. The rest of the human characters are pretty much types and never particularly fleshed out but they serve their purpose so it’s hardly a stain on the film. The effects are pretty much the costars here and they don’t disappoint. The “prawns” are fully realized creations that are mostly believable with only occasional hiccups. Still they are so effective that by the end of the film you can’t help but connect with “Christopher Johnson” and his son’s plight. The final battle is beautifully staged and feels like a fantastic mash up of Black Hawk Down and Transformers that feels fresh and original. Fresh and original a great way to describe this film overall and while some of the conceits will feel familiar to experienced genre fans but Blomkamp melds them so effortlessly and impressively you’d be hard pressed not to enjoy the accomplishment.





A