MOVIE REVIEW: CONCLAVE

 

Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with one of the world's most secretive and ancient events -- participating in the selection of a new pope. Surrounded by powerful religious leaders in the halls of the Vatican, he soon uncovers a trail of deep secrets that could shake the very foundation of the Roman Catholic Church.

Director: Edward Berger

Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Isabella Rossellini

Release Date: October 25, 2024

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Rated PG for thematic material and smoking.

Runtime: 2hrs 

Review:

Conclave is a fascinating blend of striking visuals paired with the pulpy, political machinations in selecting a new pope led by a wonderfully layered turn from Ralph Fiennes.  Edward Berger's film is wonderfully shot, taking full advantage of Catholic Church's ornate iconography to great effect serving as a stark contrast to the power struggles on display.  It sets up the overall themes at play throughout as we follow the contrasting ideologues battle for the papal crown.  It creates a vaguely claustrophobic feel to the proceeds that puts the collection of characters in small rooms or narrow hallways more often than not which ramps up the tension.  Ralph Fiennes leads the whole thing with a multilayered incredibly subtle turn that puts his immense talent on display.  Fiennes' conveys his character rotating sense of duty, self doubt and faith with incredible ease as he tries to lead the Conclave.  It’s one of his best performances simply due to the fact that he does so much with small nuanced moves, looks or inflections to exemplify his character’s inner turmoil and drive.  His supporting cast is made up equally impressive albeit more showy turns from a collection of veteran performers such as Stanley Tucci, Lucian Msamati, John Lithgow, and Sergio Castellitto. These characters are written more broadly and representative of their contrasting ideologies with each actor turning in strong work in their limited screentime.  Isabella Rossellini has a small but important supporting role which is pivotal to the story as a series of revelations unfurl with each refocusing the spotlight on a different player.  Once the dominos start to fall it leads Conclave to a finale that leaves an open question about the concepts of belief and faith. 

 

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY

 

Discovered by record executive Clive Davis, Whitney Houston rises from obscurity to international fame in the 1980s to become one of the greatest singers of her generation.

Director: Kasi Lemmons

Cast:  Naomi Ackie, Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, Nafessa Williams, Clarke Peters

Release Date: December 23, 2022 

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music

Rated PG-13 for Strong Drug Content, Some Strong Language, Smoking, Suggestive References

Runtime: 2h 26m

Review:

I Wanna Dance with Somebody is a competent albeit perfunctory exercise of a biopic that rushes thru major moments while delivering barebones dramatic moments.  Kasi Lemmons meticulously recreates a lion's share of Houston's most iconic moments with the film pulsating with energetic verve especially for longtime fans of the singer.  Sadly, the dramatic connective tissue never reaches those kinds of heights.  The interspersed moments showing her upbringing, career and romantic relationships fairly uninspired and rushed.  Those moments never connect, keeping the audience at a distance from Houston's motivations or drives.  As such, it's a scattering of well worn tabloid details with very little emotional depth or resonance behind it.  It's a massive misfire for the film since the cast is clearly dying for better material and do the best they can with what they have.  Naomi Ackie is solid if not transcendent as Houston.  Ackie clearly studied her movements and mannerisms in order to recreate her stage presence which is a tall order to say the least.  Its an admirable turn as she makes the most of what she's given to work with.  The supporting cast is made up of intriguing performers with the script providing hints of more interesting iterations of the characters.  However, none of them are explored properly leaving Clarke Peter and Tamara Tunie playing clichéd parental overseer/overlords.  Nafessa Williams playing Whitney's lifelong best friend seemed ripe for exploration but the film spends fairly little time on their relationship before quickly moving on and leaving her little more than a worried supportive friend at odds with Ashton Sanders' Bobby Brown who takes up a large portion of the final act.  Stanley Tucci fares the best of the bunch due to his sheer talent and playing Clive Davis who is also one of the film's producers.  The final act magnifies the film's faults as it clumsily lumbers toward Houston's tragic end. I Wanna Dance with Somebody ends up being little more than a competent but forgettable biopic that doesn't bring any sort of fresh perspective on its central subject.  

C+

Cindy Prascik's Review of Transformers: The Last Knight

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Transformers: The Last Knight.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing that hasn't been revealed already by trailers and clips.

 

Humans have set themselves against all Transformers, making outlaws of anyone who continues to be their allies, but Earthlings are forced to reconsider that position when the planet is threatened.

 

The latest Transformers movie is taking a critical beating, not unlike those that came before it. It's pretty much exactly as advertised, however, so anyone with reasonable expectations shouldn't be disappointed.

 

Since I actually liked the movie, let's get the negatives out of the way first, beginning with the obvious: a two-and-a-half hour runtime. Ninety minutes, an hour and forty-five at most, would have made The Last Knight a great summer popcorn flick, but even the biggest, best effects and action wear thin at two and a half hours, nevermind the muddled backstory does nothing to earn such an excessive runtime. Then there's the "humor." With only the genuinely amusing bits, the film would have been plenty light enough, but instead it constantly oversells juvenile, annoying one-liners. That's the bad news. The good news is there's actually a great deal of good news. Transformers is all about huge effects and, as such, is one of my very favorite franchises to revisit on the big screen. This outing is no exception, with visuals that are massive-times-ten and sound that shakes the floor. Cool action sequences never seem to drag on, despite the bloated whole, and when the jokes hit the mark, the movie is actually very funny. In what he's declared his final Transformers outing, Mark Wahlberg remains more watchable that Shia LeBeouf ever was, and Anthony Hopkins appears to be having the time of his life, never demeaning the material despite the fact it's clearly beneath him. For my money, it should be easy for anyone to have at least as much fun with this movie as Anthony Hopkins does.

Transformers: The Last Knight clocks in at a whopping 149 minutes and is rated PG13 for "violence and intense sequences of sci-fi action, language, and some innuendo."

 

Transformers: The Last Knight is big, dopey fun that fills a summer weekend quite nicely. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Transformers: The Last Knight gets six.

 

Fangirl points: Mitch Pileggi! Steve Buscemi! SANTIAGO CABRERA! *heart-eyes emoji* 

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT

Humans are at war with the Transformers, and Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving the future lies buried in the secrets of the past and the hidden history of Transformers on Earth. Now, it's up to the unlikely alliance of Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), Bumblebee, an English lord (Anthony Hopkins) and an Oxford professor (Laura Haddock) to save the world.
Director: Michael Bay
 
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Duhamel, Laura Haddock, Stanley Tucci

Release Date: Jun 21, 2017

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Rated PG-13 for violence and intense sequences of sci-fi action, language, and some innuendo

Review:

I’ve always been forgiving of Michael Bay’s live action series because the cartoon will always be a fond part of my childhood.  I’ve always found plenty to like in movies even if they’ve been far from perfect.  I’d actually enjoyed the last installment because Bay finally seemed to figure out that it helps the series if you give the Transformers some personality and make them the center piece.  I’d hoped it was something that’d be continued in The Last Knight.  Sadly, Bay decides to put the Transformers in the background, Optimus Prime barely has 30 minutes of screentime, leaving us with Mark Wahlberg and Laura Haddock’s pillowly lips.  The plot is an overly complex mess that seems to find the most complicated way to do everything.  There are a bevy of new human characters including a plucky child, played by Isabela Moner, who’s introduced and forgotten for the majority of the film only to be reintroduced in the final act.  The saving grace of it all is Anthony Hopkins who’s clearly enjoying himself in the unrelenting madness going on around him.  Hopkins and his robot butler provide the majority of the laughs and enjoyment in the film.  The biggest issue is simply making a movie called Transformers and leaving the titular robots on the sideline while haphazardly throwing famous characters from Transformers lore around like undercooked pasta.  It’s a real shame because the series could be a fun sci-fi series if it could stay focused on its actual stars, the robots. 

D

Cindy Prascik's Review of Transformers: Age of Extinction

Dearest Blog, after dodging the bullet last weekend, yesterday I decided to suck it up and see Transformers: Age of Extinction. It would be less than forthright not to admit that I went mostly because I'd heard Luke Evans' Dracula trailer was running before it, and because I wanted to see Jersey Boys again and don't like begging a ride for less than a double-feature.

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

A down-on-his-luck mechanic lands in hot water when he buys a beat up old truck that's not quite what it seems.

I love Transformers and was genuinely excited for this sequel...until I heard it was over two and a half hours long. Despite almost universally negative reviews, I think Age of Extinction would have been quite a lot of fun at 90 minutes or even an hour and 45, but it does nothing to earn its Middle Earthy runtime.

A cast of familiar faces is unremarkable to either the good or the bad, though Mark Wahlberg is a definite improvement over the unlikable Shia LaBeouf, and I, personally, am always delighted to see Titus Welliver in a movie that does good business. The storyline doesn't hold any real surprises, and the dialogue is almost impressively stupid at times. Let's face it, though, dear reader(s), a Transformers movie is never gonna be about the people or the script, am I right?

It's about giant alien robots and big loud effects and maximum destruction. Age of Extinction does pretty well on all those counts, and, even at my most drowsy, I was utterly caught up in the big machines, if not so much in the daddy/daughter drama.

I elected to see this in 2D, not wanting to waste any more money on it than I had to, but it left me no doubt the 3D would be worth it.

Transformers: Age of Extinction clocks in at a very bloated 165 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language, and brief innuendo."

It has all the components for a great summer blockbuster, but instead it proves that the only thing that's really extinct in Hollywood is the art of editing.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Transformers: Age of Extinction gets four and a half.

Until next time...

PS: No Dracula trailer. Curse you, cinema gods, for depriving me of big-screen Luke!

PPS: If you haven't seen Jersey Boys yet, go see it. If you have seen it, see it again!

MOVIE REVIEW: TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION

The Transformers film series continues with this fourth entry from director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg. Mark Wahlberg and Jack Reynor star. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Michael Bay 

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Stanley Tucci, Ken Watanabe, Peter Cullen

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language

Release Date: Jun 27, 2014

Run Time. 2 hrs. 37 min

Genres: Action/Adventure 

Review:

Transformers: Age of Extinction is going to have a lot of batred shot it’s way most of well deserved.  It’s an over bloated mess that’s got way too many storylines at play to make any of it cohesive.  Had it stuck with the most interesting angle, secret government agency taking out all Transformers, it probably would have been one Bay’s better films.  As is, it’s a absurdly log slog through action set piece in between bits of story with more story followed by action set pieces and more story etc… So is it even worth your time?  Sort of.  As a superfan of the cartoon, I’ve found plenty to like in the previous efforts even the Revenge of the Fallen.  The frustrating part about Extinction is that it fixes a lot of issues from the previous films.  The human side of the story is actually bearable thanks to the addition of Wahlberg, Tucci and Grammer.  Mark Wahlberg is solid as the lead even if it stretches the imagination that he’s some sort of genius inventor.  Kelsey Grammer is fairly solid as the human villain, he poses a creditable threat throughout.  Stanley Tucci proves why he’s a great actor; taking a silly role and making it work.  Another aspect that’s much improved is that the transformers villain, Lockdown, is actually interesting this go around, something they failed to do over 3 films with Megatron.  Additionally, the Autobots at Prime’s side have some characterization that makes them likable and makes this feel the closest to the animated series and any child of the 80s will get chills when the dinobots makes their appearance.  It’s the Bay oddity that this is probably his best Transformers film even though it’s filled with the worse he has to offer.  Sadly, the animated Transformers The Movie is still the best cinematic entry.

C

Cindy Prascik's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Dearest Blog, today I was off to the cinema with every single teenager on Earth to catch the latest Hunger Games installment, Catching Fire.

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

Following her victory in the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen becomes a symbol of hope to the people of Panem, sparking a rebellion against the Capitol.

I haven't read The Hunger Games series and therefore shall take no side in the age-old books vs. movies debate.

Catching Fire is, like its predecessor, a very good movie, and not something only the die-hard fandom can appreciate. If you're looking for a well-written, well-acted, nail-biter of a film, Catching Fire is the one for you.

That's not to say the Hunger Games movies are always an easy or pleasant watch; on the contrary, these are the Game of Thrones of the big screen. Don't go getting too attached to anyone, ya hear? What's important is any unpleasantness feels organic and absolutely integral to moving the story along, nothing is done just for shock value.

Jennifer Lawrence is as fantastic as ever in the lead. I could be accused of some bias there, and the accusation would be fair, but the young lady is a treasure. There's truthfully not a weak link among the cast, though Woody Harrelson is once again my favorite. Can't say having Philip Seymour Hoffman around ever hurt a movie, either.

Catching Fire gets full marks for costumes and set design, the lavish ridiculousness of the Capitol standing in stark contrast to the desolation of the other districts.

Catching Fire runs a slightly overlong 146 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of violence and action, some frightening images, thematic elements, a suggestive situation, and language."

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is an outstanding film from start to finish. It features sharp writing, a terrific cast, and will leave you on the edge of your seat until The Hunger Games: Mockingjay is released next Thansgiving.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire gets seven and a half.

Next week we get a new Statham flick, so I'm sure I don't need to tell anyone where to find me!!

Until next time...



Oh, hai...just having some folks over to watch the game...

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

The Hunger Games saga continues in this sequel that finds a revolution brewing as Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) take a "Victor's Tour" of the districts, and President Snow (Donald Sutherland) plots their downfall during preparations for The Quarter Quell, which only occurs every 25 years in celebration of the Capitol's victory over the districts. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Francis Lawrence

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Jena Malone, Woody Harrelson

Release Date: Nov 22, 2013

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some
frightening images, thematic elements, a suggestive situation and language.

Runtime: 2 hr. 26 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure

Review:

The 2nd film in a major film franchise is typically the most difficult. It has to deal with heightened expectations first and foremost with most films failing to match the energy that made the first entry successful. Thankfully The Hunger Games: Catching Fire isn’t one of those films. Catching Fire does everything you want a 2nd entry in a big budget franchise to do, it corrects chemistry and story problems from the 1st film while expanding the world, while delivering a deeper exploration of the themes at play. It’s an impressive feat accomplished by the cast and crew. Francis Lawrence’s direction is steady and capable making the 2 and ½ hour run seem necessary with rarely a wasted scene in the whole film. Lawrence moves the film at a steady pace, giving the audience enough time to digest the events on screen but never lingering. The first two acts in particular are quite impressive mainly because with a lesser director, cast and script it’d be a laborious slog through exposition. Instead the first act serves nicely as an epilogue/entry point for the new film as it shows the after effects of the first film. The 2nd act starts the main plot in earnest even though we do start to run into some retread moments with slightly different spins with the 3rd act leaving you with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. It’s not a major fault but it does feel very familiar until the last 15 minutes change up the entire game. The cast lead by Jennifer Lawrence, providing even more depth to the reluctant rebel, is excellent throughout. Lawrence is the center of the film providing it with heart and strength while maintaining a tangible vulnerability. Thankfully, Josh Hutcherson’s character and performance in this entry is stronger overall even if he does seem to suffer from damsel in distress syndrome quite a bit. The returning cast member, Harrelson and Banks in particular, are given a bit more to chew on, fleshing out their characters into living breathing human beings. Sam Claflin and Jena Malone are both welcome additions to the cast even if Malone tends to oversell her performance from time to time. When you add it all up, Catching Fire really delivers on nearly all counts, stumbling slightly in the 3rd act which can get a little repetitive before an interesting turn and cliffhanger.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE HUNGER GAMES

IN THEATERS

THE HUNGER GAMES



Based on the best-selling young-adult novel by author Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games tells the dark tale of a 16-year-old girl named Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who is selected to compete in a vicious televised tournament in which 24 teenagers from a post-apocalyptic society fight to the death for the entertainment of the masses. In the future, North America is no more. In its place has risen Panem, a divided nation split into 12 districts. Every year, each district selects a teen of each gender (called "Tributes") to test their worth in a competition known as the Hunger Games, which are broadcast across the nation as entertainment, and to reinforce the government's total power. When her younger sister is selected as District 12's latest "Tribute," Katniss volunteers to take her place, and trains under hard-drinking former Hunger Games champion Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) to sharpen her killer instincts. Now in order to survive the game and emerge the victor, this young combatant must put all of her skills to the ultimate test. Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Gary Ross

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Wes Bentley, Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Donald Sutherland

Release Date: Mar 23, 2012

Rated PG-13 for Intense violent thematic material and disturbing images - all
involving teens

Runtime: 2 hr. 22 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama

Review:

As with most of the literally sensations, a shame on me I know, I’ve missed the book
series this film incarnation is based on. A massive amalgam of Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery, Stephen King’s The Running Man, the Japanese film Battle Royale blended with American Idol and Survivor shoots onto the screen in the form of The Hunger Games. Gary Jones directs this film with a wonderfully direct hand, bringing and elegance and brutality to the screen. The result is a film that feels fresh but retro at the same time. Its visuals harkens back to some of the wonderful Sci-Fi films from the 70’s and 80’s. Jones moves his film at a determined pace, never letting it drag too much, making it feel much brisker than it’s 2 and a half hour runtime. Jennifer Lawrence, continuing an impressive run of films, makes for an effectively stone faced heroine. Lawrence lets us into Katniss emotions just enough without overdoing it. After the first third of the film which is populated with excellent supporting roles from established name actors, its Lawrence’s show and she shines throughout. Josh Hutcherson suffers slightly from an underwritten role and shoehorned romance. Regardless, it’s a teen franchise the truly impresses with its heft and ability to envelope the uninitiated with its fully realized world and characters.

B+

MOVIE REVIEWS: EASY A

IN THEATERS

EASY A



Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is re-imagined as a contemporary high school comedy in this tale of a scheming student who plots to give her popularity a boost by painting herself the easiest lay in school. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Will Gluck

Cast: Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Haden Church, Lisa Kudrow, Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson

Release Date: Sep 17, 2010

Rated: Mature thematic elements involving teen sexuality, language and some drug material

Runtime: 1 hr. 33 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Quick witted, smart and just incredibly likable, Easy A should be Emma Stone’s coming out party. Director Will Gluck is fully aware that the film’s strength is it’s cast and script so he keeps it nice and tight. Gluck moves the story along at a brisk pace and he keeps Emma Stone front and center. Stone is more than up for the task and delivers her lines with a wonderful deadpan delivery. She brings an instant likeability and authenticity to her role. She owns the screen uses excellent comedic timing to keep you laughing throughout. The supporting cast is equally impressive. Thomas Haden Church, Lisa Kudrow, Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson all have limited screen time but each make an impression. Amanda Bynes is decent if a tad over the top as school Bible beater. Easy A is the type of movie that light while dealing with some interesting topics about the current world kids live in. It’s not a message movie and that’s alright. What it is is an incredibly funny comedy that’s gives movies like Mean Girls a run for its money. The wonderful Emma Stone keeps proving that she’s a force to be reckoned with in comedy.

A

Movie Reviews: JULIE & JULIA

Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Movie Reviews: JULIE & JULIA
IN THEATERS

JULIE & JULIA

A frustrated temp secretary (Amy Adams) embarks on a year-long culinary quest to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She chronicles her trials and tribulations in a blog that catches on with the food crowd. The film also covers the years Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and her husband Paul (Stanley Tucci) spent in Paris during the 1940s and 1950s, when he was a foreign diplomat who was eventually investigated by Sen. Joseph McCarthy for alleged communist ties.

Cast: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina, Linda Emond

Director: Nora Ephron

Opened August 7, 2009.

Runtime: 2 hr. 3 min.

Rated PG-13 for some sensuality and brief strong language

Genres: Comedy, Domestic Comedy



Review:




Julie & Julia is a fun and light look at 2 women separated by time and space. Based on 2 separate books, Julia Child’s memoir My Life in France and the titular Julie & Julia by Julie Powell, writer director Nora Ephron tries her best to meld these 2 stories into a coherent narrative. It’s a mixed bag mainly because Julia Child’s story is far more intriguing than Powell’s. That’s not to say Powell’s segments are terrible but they just feel closer to your standard Rom-com territory ala some of Ephron’s other directorial efforts. The two women are vastly different and while the film tries to connect them as much as possible it feels forced. The Child segments, helped by a truly inspired turn by Meryl Streep, are delightful throughout and really give insight to this woman who was larger than life both literally and figuratively. Streep captures her mannerism and voice perfectly but also projects the drive and warmth Child possessed. Stanley Tucci matches her step by step as Child’s loving husband. Tucci and Streep have tangible chemistry and they do a wonderful job of giving the audience a peek at Child’s marriage. Special notice has to be given to Jane Lynch as Child’s sister, her appearance comes and goes much too quickly but Lynch hits the mark the entire time. When the film shifts back to 2002 and Powell, Amy Adams does a fairly impressive job with a far less glamorous role. ..Adams.. does a solid job of capturing Powell’s neuroticism coupled with her massive mood swing during the course of her journey. ..Adams.. does her best but, as written, Powell is a tad unlikable and it’s difficult for the audience to connect with her the way they should. It might also just be a case of Child being painted as an almost saintly figure throughout. Chris Messina does yeoman work as Powell’s husband and makes his support and love of his wife palpable and believable to the audience. As mentioned before Powell is a fairly interesting character but when compare to someone of Child’s stature and accomplishments it’s hard to maintain the same level of interest. Ephron does the best she can with these two stories but when the film finishes its 2 hour runtime you can’t help but think that Child deserved her own stage.



B-