MOVIE REVIEW: THE BIKERIDERS

Over the course of a decade, a Midwestern motorcycle club evolves from a gathering place for local outsiders to a sinister gang, threatening the original group's way of life.

Director: Jeff Nichols

Cast: Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Norman Reedus

Release Date: June 21, 2024

Genre: Crime, Drama

Rated R for language throughout, violence, some drug use and brief sexuality.

Runtime: 1h 56m

Review:

Jeff Nichols' The Bikeriders is an engaging motorcycle drama propelled by strong performances from Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy.  Nichols film is set up like a classic tragedy with an air of nostalgia peppering the film's early acts as we follow the rise of the fictional motorcycle club.  There are plenty of wonderfully framed long shots of motorcycles rumbling across the screen against picturesque backdrops.  The club itself portrayed as a rough and tumble group that still has a sense of a moral code especially early on.  Austin Butler serves as Nichols' idealized version of this long lost era but little more.  Butler looks the part of the rebel without a cause although the story doesn't give him any depth or texture.  His character is central to what amounts to a love triangle but he's a frustrating cypher that the script never really explores in any meaningful way.  Jodie Comer, sporting a heavy Midwest accent, fares far better as the film's entry point.  Comer's character is an independent spitfire who is dragged into this world via an undeniable attraction to Butler's Benny.  Comer does an impressive job leading the film and giving her character an authentic sense of desperation as she tries to maintain her relationship alive in a tug a war between the club and Tom Hardy's Johnny.  Hardy is perfectly suited as the club's grizzled president, bring his distinct intensity to the role.  There's an air of sadness to his performance especially in the final act which brings an impressive amount of depth to his character in what is a fascinating turn.  The supporting cast is made up of a series of familiar faces which sadly serve more as window dressing due to a decidedly light script with only Michael Shannon leaving a lasting impression.  There's no denying that The Bikeriders has a distinct appeal mainly due to a pair of stellar performances but it could have been something truly special with a more nuanced script.

B 

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Eddie the Eagle & Triple 9

 

 

 

Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the promising double-bill of Eddie the Eagle and Triple 9. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. First up: Eddie the Eagle. An unlikely prospect dreams of Olympic glory. 

 

I cannot and shall not mince words here: I absolutely adored Eddie the Eagle. It exceeded all my expectations, and marks the second consecutive February that Taron Edgerton stakes an early claim on my year-end top ten. Eddie the Eagle keeps its tone light. A road like this always has more than its share of potholes, but these filmmakers are more interested in presenting a hopeful, inspiring piece than than in putting forth the full truth. 

 

The movie is also a textbook example of that old saying, "A happy ending depends on where you stop your story." (The film's namesake, Eddie Edwards, attempted to participate in three Olympics subsequent to the Calgary Games, and failed to qualify all three times.) Edgerton is phenomenal in the lead, equally convincing as this tenacious outsider as he was portraying Kingsman's streetwise thug turned debonair secret agent. 

 

As Eddie's reluctant mentor, Hugh Jackman owns every minute of his screen time, providing some of the movie's best laughs as well as its most sincere, intelligent moments. 

 

There's some lovely Bavarian scenery on display, and a fair bit of nostalgia for those who fondly remember the 1988 Olympic Games. The movie is smartly paced, fully self-aware, and can't help but speak to anyone who's ever been unfairly disregarded or marginalized. 

 

Eddie the Eagle clocks in at 105 minutes and is rated PG13 for "Some suggestive material, partial nudity, and smoking." 

 

Superficial it may be, but Eddie the Eagle is a thoroughly delightful cinema experience. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Eddie the Eagle gets eight. 

 

Next on the docket: Triple 9. The Russian mob coerces a ruthless gang into attempting a nearly-impossible heist. 

 

Well, dear reader(s), if your current cinema mood is somewhat less cheerful, the weekend schedule also offers the gritty Triple 9, a crime thriller so intense I'm pretty sure I didn't breathe for the first 15 minutes. 

 

Triple 9 boasts an impressive cast, with uniformly solid performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Clifton Collins, Jr., Aaron Paul, and Norman Reedus, and brilliant, nearly unrecongizable turns by Michael Kenneth Williams and Kate Winslet. 

 

Despite showing its hand early, the movie is gripping from the first second to the last. It's a brutal picture, backed by a tense, masterful score, and I was equal parts fascinated and appalled. Triple 9 runs 115 minutes, and is rated R for "strong violence and language throughout, drug use, and some nudity." 

 

Triple 9 won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're not put off by the dark side of life, you can't help but fall for this exciting-but-grim tale. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Triple 9 gets seven and a half. 

 

Until next time... 

 

 

MOVIE REVIEWS: PRECIOUS, BOONDOCK SAINTS 2 & COULPLE’S RETREAT

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

On DVD


PRECIOUS



Monster's Ball producer Lee Daniels follows up his 2005 directorial debut, Shadowboxer, with this adaptation of author Sapphire's best-selling novel about an overweight, illiterate African-American teen from ..Harlem.. who discovers an alternate path in life after she begins attending a new school. Clareece "Precious" Jones is only a teenager, yet she's about to give birth to her second child. Unable to read or write, Clareece shows little prospect for the future until discovering that she has been accepted into an alternative school. There, with a little help from a sympathetic teacher (Paula Patton) and a kindly nurse (Lenny Kravitiz), the young girl receives something that most teens never get -- a chance to start over. Mo'nique co-stars in an inspirational drama featuring the debut performance of screen newcomer Gabourey "Gabbie" Sidibe. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director: Lee Daniels

Release Date: Nov 06, 2009

Rated R for child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language.

Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.

Genres: Drama

Cast: Gabourey Sidibe, Lenny Kravitz, Paula Patton, Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey.




Review:




First and foremost this film’s plot is something that’s probably already done on Lifetime at one point of another. Had the director not been able to get such wonderful performances from his cast, this film probably would have come and gone with little notice. Daniel’s direction is fairly rudimentary only occasionally does he give the film some creative flair. Lee Daniel’s real strength lies on his ability to pull out such strong performances from his much praised and awarded cast. It’s a truly impressive feat that elevates this film. Gabourey Sidibe comes across as authentic throughout, so much so that it feels like a documentary at times. Mo’Nique is just terrifying throughout, he character just seethes with anger and self pity. Paula Patton has been mostly overlooked but she provides a steadiness to the film, her performance is easy to overlook but it shouldn’t be. Mariah Carey is just as effective, shedding nearly all of her pretension and glam for a grounded performance. Precious is a difficult movie to sit through and probably not one you’d be quick to revisit. It is an actor’s movie through and through and the entire cast delivers stellar work deserving of all the praise.



B+





BOONDOCK SAINTS 2: ALL SAINTS DAY




Boondock Saints, the 2000 crime picture renowned for the unique story of the fast rise
and fall of its egomaniacal filmmaker, Troy Duffy, as well as the cult following that appeared later on home release, gets the sequel treatment with this follow-up. Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus reunite as the vigilante MacManus brothers, with Billy Connolly returning as Il Duce. Duffy once again directs from his own script, with Clifton Collins Jr., Julie Benz, and David Della Rocco filling out the rest of the cast. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Director: Troy Duffy




Release Date: Oct 30, 2009




Rated R for bloody violence, some nudity and language




Runtime: 1 hr. 27 min.




Genres: Action




Cast: Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Billy Connolly, Clifton Collins, Jr., Julie Benz.



Review:



The original Boondock Saint’s was a movie I really wanted to love and just couldn’t ever warm up too for some reason. The entire thing seemed terribly derivative and amateurish. That’s not to say that Duffy’s film didn’t have a few inspired moment but it just seemed lacking and I still can’t quite understand the fascination with it. Duffy seemed to have some interesting concepts but his prowess as a writer and director seemed lacking. I was expecting Duffy’s follow up would be something akin to Sam Raimi or Robert Rodriguez follow ups to cult hits. Sadly, Duffy seems stuck in the mud. The sequel gives us a more steady directorial hand but the writing borders on horrid various times throughout the proceedings. The characters are all underwritten, the plot generic and the attempts are humor are terribly sophomoric. Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus return do the best they can with the roles but they seem more like an after thought for some reason. Julie Benz, working with one of the worse Southern accents in recent memory, is never believable. Her character’s spot as William Dafoe’s replacement here doesn’t work and she simply becomes grating as the film proceeds. Clifton Collins Jr., who’s usually solid in manic character’s, is generally wasted and generally seems disinterested as he utters some terrible dialogue. This is something that kind of a recurring theme throughout as the actors lack any energy or conviction. Duffy doesn’t seem capable of getting strong performances out of his cast, it was a problem that plagued the first film and is equally problematic here. Billy Connolly seems to be the only one actually trying and he’s got the least screen time of anyone. Once the film ends, I was left with the same feeling after watching the first one. I wanted to like it a lot more than I did. The ideas could be interesting and witty but they are executed so poorly that it’s hard to enjoy it.




C-





COUPLE’S RETREAT




Their relationship in danger of dissipating, a couple racing to salvage their marriage invites three other couples to join them at a tropical island resort. Upon arriving at the island paradise to enjoy some carefree fun in the sun, the other couples are disturbed to discover that participation in therapy sessions is mandatory if they hope to remain at the resort. Peter Bilingsley directs a comedy penned by Jon Favreau, produced by Vince Vaughn, and pairing the two Made collaborators onscreen with co-stars Jason Bateman and Faizon Love. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Director: Peter Bilingsley




Release Date: Oct 09, 2009



Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language




Runtime: 1 hr. 47 min.



Genres: Comedy



Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Faizon Love, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman.



Review:



Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau have written some strong comedies in the past which makes this totally inert and neutered film a real head scratcher. Peter Bilingsley, Ralphie from A Christmas Story, provides fairly generic direction throughout and does a nice job of capturing pretty vistas once they move to the island. His pacing could use some work as the film seems to have very little flow or momentum. It doesn’t help that the script provides some of the blandest and most generic types for each of the couples. All of them are instantly recognizable and they wouldn’t do anything that surprises you throughout. It’s a real shame considering the comedic talent on hand. The cast just goes through the motions, only rarely delivering more than slight chuckle. Making matters worse this film is overly long, so much so that once we get to the final act you just want it to be over because the laughs have long since disappeared.



D