MOVIE REVIEW: FLY ME TO THE MOON

 

Sparks fly between a marketing executive and a NASA official as he makes preparations for the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Director: Greg Berlanti

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Jim Rash, Anna Garcia, Donald Elise Watkins, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, Nick Dillenburg, Ray Romano, Woody Harrelson

Release Date: July 12, 2024

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Rated PG-13 for some strong language, and smoking

Runtime: 2h 11m

Review:

Fly Me to the Moon is a charming rom-com throwback carried by Scarlett Johansson who ably guides the film over some of its more glaring missteps.  Greg Berlanti's film is generally lighthearted and fizzy making it easily digestible onscreen even though he struggles to a nail the overall tone he's shooting for.  There's a handful of choppy transition in tones as the film covers more serious subject matter such as Vietnam War and the Apollo 1 tragedy.  Their inclusion makes sense but with the rest of the fictional story playing it very light those moments are all the more jarring.  When the film is focused on the central romance and Johansson's character in particular there's a noticeable bump in energy.  Johansson is magnetic as the ad exec brought in to "sell" the moon by giving her a believable sense of charisma, drive and determination.  It’s a confident turn that drives the entire film which she pulls off with impressive ease.  She's the most interesting on screen for the majority of the film's overlong runtime.  Channing Tatum doesn't fare quite as well as he delivers a serviceable but stiff performance that rarely matches Johansson's energy.  It doesn't help that they don't have much romantic chemistry with their early antagonistic exchanges working better than the romantic side.   Tatum tries his best to give the character an air of tortured regret over the Apollo 1 tragedy, but it doesn't quite land the way it should.  Woody Harrelson, on the other hand, is in his wheelhouse playing the mysterious spook that recruits Johansson's Kelly Jones and devises the fall back plan.  Harrelson brings the perfect mix of playful and menacing to his character who is constantly hovering in the background.  Jim Rash brings his manic, over the top energy as the director tasked with filming the actual contingency plan.  Anna Garcia, Donald Elise Watkins and Noah Robbins have smaller supporting roles but make the most of their screen time even though it’s a bit confounding that film makes such little use of Ray Romano's earnest energy.  There's a handful of issues like that which really keep Fly Me to the Moon from hitting out of the park in spite of Johansson's inspired turn.

B-

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Irishman

Dearest reader(s), Monday I spent nearly half of my day off trying to digest Martin Scorsese's The Irishman.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailer.

An aging mob hitman recounts his past and his relationship with infamous union leader Jimmy Hoffa.
Let it be noted I've already taken much heat for suggesting this film might not be the second coming of Christ...or at least the second coming of the Godfather. Take me to task if you will, but I've probably already heard it. That being said: I didn't hate this movie. I think it's being classed a masterpiece by default, because the individual pieces *should* add up to something spectacular. In my mind they don't, BUT...I didn't hate it.

Let's start with the obvious: the Irishman is too long to be as slow as it is, or too slow to be as long as it is. There are plenty of moving pieces, but it's not half complicated enough to justify such a bloated runtime. Robert DeNiro is, of course, more than alright in the lead; it's a role he could sleepwalk to awards glory. His by-the-numbers assassin isn't particularly sympathetic, but, portrayed as a normal person ravaged by age and a few pangs of regret, he appears to be the good guy...or maybe the least bad guy? Al Pacino's Jimmy Hoffa is an ice-cream loving buffoon, so convinced of his own untouchable status that he almost seems an easy mark. It's a convincing performance, but not a particularly noteworthy item on the Pacino CV. The supporting cast is a who's who of "that guy who was in that mob movie": Joe Pesci, Bobby Cannavale, Harvey Keitel, Stephen Graham, Ray Romano. Everyone is capable; no one is remarkable. The film does feature a pretty terrific soundtrack of old 50s and 60s nuggets, with Marty Robbins' "A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)" bringing particular joy to this old 60s nugget. The Irishman is an interesting enough story that, unfortunately, isn’t particularly well told, although the movie did prove a marginally better sleep aid than the most recent Avengers flick, so there ya go, Scorsese: you got one over on Marvel.

The Irishman runs an interminable 209 minutes and is rated R for "pervasive language and strong violence."

The Irishman is a deliberately-paced tale of violence and betrayal.

While its individual ingredients taste of past brilliance, the finished recipe is more Monday night leftovers than Christmas dinner. Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Irishman gets five.
Fangirl points: Jack Huston!

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: THE IRISHMAN

In the 1950s, truck driver Frank Sheeran gets involved with Russell Bufalino and his Pennsylvania crime family. As Sheeran climbs the ranks to become a top hit man, he also goes to work for Jimmy Hoffa -- a powerful Teamster tied to organized crime.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci, Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, Stephen Graham, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Jesse Plemons, Harvey Keitel

Release Date: November 27, 2019

Genres: Biography, Crime, Drama

Rated R for pervasive language and strong violence.

Runtime: 3h 29min

Review:

The Irishman might be best described as a Martin Scorsese supreme.  This magnum opus seems to encapsulate everything from his gangster golden age populated by all his favorite actors from that era.  In lesser hands, this might come off as superfluous or passé but Scorsese feels refreshed and rejuvenated.  His direction is sharp, crisp and engaging throughout.  You get moments, sequences and shots that recall some of his classic films like Good Fellas and Raging Bull.  However, this isn’t simply retreading old tropes because you can get a sense of a more pensive and reflective director behind the camera.  Similarly, his cast delivers their best work in years with the added depth of age.  The much talked about deaging works for the most part even though it’s a bit jarring in the early sequences.  Thankfully, that wears down over time allowing you to appreciate the performances.  Watching Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci together on screen really helps highlight how well they work off each other resulting in stellar performances from both.  Joe Pesci, after his long layoff, shows that’s never lost his touch for these types of characters with his age aiding his performance.  De Niro looks more engaging that he has in years.  His performance is both frightening and sympathetic at the same time even though his character is a moral wasteland.  Al Pacino though decides to go full Pacino as Hoffa.  His performance is like a mix of Scarface and The Devils Advocate’s Devil, its full decibel from the get go.  The interesting thing is that after the initial shock, it actually works well for the character.  The supporting cast is populated with Scorsese regulars both new and old plus an added bonus of giving Anna Paquin her best performance by making her nearly mute throughout with one solitary line.  These types of decisions are true signs of a auteur still at the top of game as he creates another classic.

A