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 REVIEW: THE WITCH

A devout Puritan family in 1630s New England are exiled from their village, and struggle to survive in their new home situated at the edge of a mysterious forest. The sinister, witching forces in the wilderness emerge silently to terrorize them, first by kidnapping the youngest of their five children. As their life-sustaining crops fail, the clan fall victim to paranoia and fear as they begin to turn on one another, eventually suspecting teenage daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) of witchcraft. With the vast majority of the dialogue culled from primary sources from the time period, Robert Eggers' debut feature The Witch is a terrifying glimpse into a family descending into madness. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Robert Eggers

Release Date: Feb 19, 2016

Rated R For disturbing violent content and graphic nudity.

Runtime: 1 hr. 30 min.

Genres: Horror

Cast: Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Julian Richings, Vivienne Moore

Review:

The Witch is a impressive moody period horror film that is expertly crafted from the top down.  Robert Eggers’ debut film is meticulously crafted exercise in subtly.  Eggers builds and maintains tension throughout the film by using the solitary setting for a maximum effect.  The film owes a cinematic debt Kubrick’s The Shining by playing up a lot of similar themes even though the build up more tempered and methodical.  Eggers is blessed with a fully committed cast who deliver excellent performances all around with Anya Tayor-Joy leaving a lasting impression.  Taylor-Joy, who looks like the world saddest Hummel figurine, conveys so much through her face and eyes, it’s a terribly impressive performance for such a young actress.  The Witch is the type of high quality horror film that that rarely comes around in a genre which is usually littered with garbage.

A  

Cindy Prascik's Review of Race

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog, today it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the first of February's sports biopics, Race. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or from Googling Jesse Owens. 

 

Race is the story of legendary track and field star Owens, from his early days at Ohio State University through the controversial 1936 Olympic Games. There's no denying Race is little more than your run-of-the-mill Inspiring Sports Movie, but still-timely issues, nail-biting sports action, and some nice performances make it worth a look. Stephan James is a delight as Owens, earnest and sympathetic. 

 

The film boasts strong supporting turns by Jason Sudeikis, Shanice Banton, William Hurt, and David Kross. Characterizations are pretty broad--the city of Berlin even has its own super-villian-sounding musical cue--but if the storytelling is a bit hokey, it's easy enough to forgive in such a compelling tale. Race runs just a tad overlong and is by no means comfortable viewing. The issues it raises are too near for that, evidence the ugliness in my Facebook newsfeed during the Grammys, or the casual way acquaintances assume it's okay to drop racist comments around me because we both happen to be white. 

 

Race is a long overdue "thank you" to Jesse Owens for his courage, but also hopefully one small step towards a day when bigotry really is a thing of the past. Race clocks in at 134 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic elements and language." It's not the best sports movie you'll ever see--it might not even be the best sports movie you'll see this month--but Race has a story worth telling and a message worth hearing. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Race gets six and a half. 

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: DEADPOOL

In this irreverent spin on the superhero genre, mercenary Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) agrees to participate in a top-secret experiment after learning that he has terminal cancer. When the procedure leaves him with advanced healing powers and a disfigured face, he reinvents himself as a wisecracking, spandex-clad antihero known as Deadpool, and seeks revenge on those responsible. Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, and Gina Carano co-star. Directed by Tim Miller. ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

Director: Tim Miller

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano

Release Date: Feb 12, 2016

Rated R for language Throughout, Graphic Nudity, Sexual Content and Strong Violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 48 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Deadpool is a fun send up of the superhero genre, one that Ryan Reynolds has been talking about since 2002.  Its story is a pretty basic origin story which would been fairly forgettable if it’d played it straight but since Deadpool is a comic book character who knows he’s a comic book character, it rarely does so.  The first half of the film is the strongest with a hefty serving of super hero jokes and 4^th wall breaking madness.  Ryan Reynolds is totally in his element as the wisecracking merc.  His comedic timing is tailormade for the character, which is probably why he’s been such a huge fan.  The film works best when it’s poking fun at the genre, Reynolds and Huge Jackman.  It’s got an anarchic spirit when it’s rolling along at brisk pace.  First time director keeps the film moving at a steady pace with the main potholes occurring when the film has to take care of the rudimentary parts of the superhero plot particularly defeating the baddie and saving the girl.  Still, it’s different enough to give the genre a nice pinch of variety to keep the genre fresh.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: ZOOLANDER 2

Past-their-prime male models Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) are recruited by Interpol to investigate a conspiracy after a number of beautiful celebrities are assassinated while posing with Zoolander's signature "Blue Steel" look. Their probe uncovers an ingenious plot by fashion mogul Mugatu (Will Ferrell) to locate and harness the source of the legendary Fountain of Youth. Directed by Ben Stiller. Olivia Munn, Kristen Wiig, and Penélope Cruz co-star. ~ Tom Ciampoli, Rovi

Director: Justin Theroux, Ben Stiller

Cast: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Penélope Cruz, Christine Taylor

Release Date: Feb 12, 2016

Rated R for crude and sexual content, a scene of exaggerated violence, and brief strong language.

Runtime: 1 hr. 42 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Zoolander 2 isn’t nearly as terrible as some of the reviews suggest but it’s not nearly good enough to warrant its existence.  Once the nostalgia of seeing Zoolander and Hansel passes, we’re left with a fairly routine comedy that’s never quite as funny as the original.  Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson slip back into their roles easily and they do have some funny bits but its never consistent overall.  There are plenty of dead spots along the way with the film perking up substantially once Will Ferrell’s Mugatu reemerges.   Penélope Cruz is game as the biggest new addition to the cast but it leaves you asking why the film isn’t funnier with all the talent assembled. 

C+

Cindy Prascik's Review of Deadpool

Dearest Blog: Yesterday I took my Valentine (me!) to Marquee Cinemas for the first of 2016's bucket of superhero offerings, Deadpool. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. 

 

After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, a mercenary undergoes a series of experiments that leaves him with some unique powers. 

 

Ryan Reynolds has long been ridiculed as box-office poison, fronting flop after flop, but I've always said he's great, he just needed the right vehicle. 

 

In Deadpool, he's finally found the right vehicle. Deadpool is all about the attitude. Frequently breaking the fourth wall to address the audience directly, he's snarky, rude, and foul. 

 

The movie contains some nudity, a boatload of in-jokes, maximum carnage, and pretty much nothing but bad language, so it's definitely not for the kiddies; however, the incessant puerile humor may wear thin with many adults, too. 

 

Certainly not *this* adult (#driveby!), but...well...some folks may find it a bit much. Deadpool takes its time with a solid story, spelled by well-crafted action and fight sequences, and, though it's Reynolds' movie to carry, he's lucky to be backed by a great supporting cast, particularly the hilarious TJ Miller. 

 

Neither as light as most other Marvel product, nor dark in the same way as DC, Deadpool may be exactly the superhero movie die-hards have been waiting for. 

Deadpool clocks in at 108 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence and language throughout, sexual content and graphic nudity." 

Deadpool's explicit content will take it off the table for some viewers, but, if you're not among the easily offended, you can't go wrong with this funny and thrilling costumed-hero outing. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Deadpool gets eight. 

 

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies & Hail, Caesar!

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for unlikely bedfellows Pride & Prejudice & Zombies and Hail, Caesar! 

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing important that you won't have gotten from a couple of pretty awesome trailers. First on the docket: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. A bit of classic literature gets the Walking Dead treatment. 

 

Oh, Jack Huston, the things I do for you. Nevermind the things I *would* do for you...the things I *do* do for you. Zombies are kind-of the "it" monster these days, but, being more of a vampire girl myself--and not having gone anywhere near Jane Austen since a forced high-school acquaintance--I might have taken a pass on PPZ if not for the presence of the talented and dashing Mr. Huston. 

 

Not surprisingly, though, it was a far less annoying experience than that Nicholas Sparks disaster I was forced to watch last year. Getting the obvious out of the way first: If you look at the name "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies" and think "That's stupid!" well...this isn't the movie for you. 

 

Like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, the concept's chief appeal is in its utter ridiculousness. PPZ isn't quite as tongue-in-cheek as one might expect, but it's still good fun. Highlights include a strong leading turn by Lily James, a solid array of impressive female heroes, nice costumes, good fight choreography, and some sweet zombie effects. 

 

Like World War Z, these undead don't just shuffle along; if you're running, odds are they can catch you. Of all the non-traditional aspects of PPZ, that one is, perhaps, the most disquieting! On the downside, it takes a full 39 minutes for Jack Huston to appear onscreen. (Did I clock it? Yes, I did.) Sam Riley is so miserable looking throughout I feel sure he'll be tapped to play Athos in some future version of The Three Musketeers. 

 

The movie's not overlong, but it does feel slow at times; a little trim might have served it well. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies clocks in at 108 minutes and is rated PG13 for "zombie violence and action and brief suggestive material." 

 

A definitive answer to Hollywood's female problem, Pride & Prejudice & Zombies is a good time that's well worth a look. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, PPZ gets seven. 

 

Next on my agenda: Hail, Caesar! In 1950s Hollywood, a studio "fixer" has his hands full when a marquee name goes missing. 

 

My smarter, funnier cousin once said that the Coen brothers' idea of a comedy is about the same as Iron Tail's idea of coloring Easter eggs. (If you're young, look it up.) I don't find that as true here as it sometimes is, but their humor is an acquired taste; if you don't love Hail, Caesar!, you'll probably hate it. 

 

Though the movie's been touted as a love letter to Hollywood's Golden Age, if we're being honest, it's more of a hate letter, spotlighting everything hilariously stupid about the big studio experience of the 50s. Josh Brolin is fantastic in the lead and, even after all these years, it does my tiny heart good to see his name atop such a list of Hollywood A-Listers. 

 

George Clooney's buffoonish superstar is a laugh every time he's onscreen. Channing Tatum continues to surprise as a real asset to seemingly every movie that'll have him. (And does he have the MOVES!) 

 

I wouldn't be me if I didn't name check a couple of my favorites who turn up in roles so small the characters don't even have names: Fisher Stevens and Patrick Fischler. 

 

Great to see ya, guys! Hail, Caesar! features a solid mystery that ties together the various movies within the movie. The film is consistently funny, with some laugh-out-loud moments, and boasts top-notch performances from a bunch of top-notch names, as well as charming choreography from the master, Tony winner Christopher Gattelli. 

 

There's also a small cameo by Mr. Jack Huston, which allows me to deem yesterday a "Jack Huston Film Festival." Day = Made! Hail, Caesar! runs 106 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some suggestive content and smoking." 

 

The finished product falls a little short of its stellar trailer's promise, but Hail, Caesar! is a fun, clever picture that should please most moviegoers. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Hail, Caesar! gets seven. 

 

Hope everyone enjoys their Super Bowl Sunday. Until next time...........yay, football!! 

 

MOVIE REVIEW: HAIL, CAESAR!

Slick Hollywood fixer Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) is pressed into action when superstar actor Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) is kidnapped and held for ransom by a mysterious group. Mannix races to quietly collect the ransom money without gossip columnists Thessaly and Thora Thacker (Tilda Swinton in a dual role) catching wind of the scandal. Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Jonah Hill, Frances McDormand, and Channing Tatum co-star in this comedy set in Hollywood's golden age. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Cast: George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Jonah Hill

Release Date: Feb 05, 2016

Rated PG-13 Some suggestive content and smoking.

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min.

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Music/Performing Arts

Review:

Hail, Caesar is the Coen’s brother loving tribute to old Hollywood with a healthy dose of laughter.  Its plot is almost an afterthought since the Coen’s seem more concerned with recreating some of the golden eras favorite genres.  It’s an enjoyable trek with enough laughs to keep you entertained for the better part of its runtime.  Josh Brolin is fine as the studio fixer who’s just trying to keep all the proverbial plates spinning.  He mostly serves as your guide through the fictional studio so we have an excuse to wander through some wonderfully choreographed sequences like Scarlett Johansson water based musical or Channing Tatum’s fun Gene Kellyesque sailor sequence.  Alden Ehrenreich does impressive work as the cowboy star turned dramatic actor, it helps that he shares a fantastic little sequence with an underused Ralph Fiennes.  It’s all light wacky fun which is going to leave you smiling even if the film would have been better if it’d been just a tad more focused.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Finest Hours

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the action-thriller The Finest Hours. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from that lone trailer you've been seeing every week since last May. 

 

When a T2 oil tanker splits in half during a brutal Nor'easter, it's up to a small, brave Coast Guard crew to mount an unlikely rescue. Ahhh...the bleak midwinter...that No Man's Land between the awards hopefuls tuckering themselves out and the Lenten glut of Bible stories, where Hollywood dumps all the movies it's given up on or has no idea what to do with. These are movies with no ulterior motive. 

 

They don't expect to win anything, and they certainly don't expect to save your soul; they just want to entertain you. These movies are my friends. The Finest Hours is an old-school adventure, perhaps too old-school for today's audiences. 

 

The heroes are traditional, Ken-doll types, the elements big and threatening, the romance sweet and chaste. There's not much chemistry between Chris Pine and the always-delightful Holliday Grainger, but both are likeable enough to get by. The movie's real star (outside of some nice water and disaster effects) is Casey Affleck, as the de facto captain of the disabled tanker. Ben Foster, perpetually one great performance away from knocking Russell Crowe out of my Holy Trinity, is fantastic in a smaller role, and West Virginia boy Josh Stewart is great as well, though also with not too much to do. 

 

The rescue itself is hold-your-breath tense, and plays out so Hollywood-perfect that I'd call it hokey if not for the fact they've stuck pretty close to true events. Though it may be an unremarkable picture in the grand scheme of things, The Finest Hours a perfectly enjoyable afternoon at the movies for anyone who isn't expecting an Oscar coulda-shoulda-woulda. 

 

The Finest Hours clocks in at 117 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of peril." It may not win any awards, but The Finest Hours kept me well and propertly entertained for the duration. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Finest Hours gets seven. 

 

Until next time... 

 

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Carol & Room

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas to catch a couple Oscar hopefuls before they beat a hasty path out of town. On the docket: Carol and Room.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn’t know from the trailers if you’ve seen any (which I haven’t).

 

Dear Reader(s), Awards Season is a funny thing here in Smalltown, USA. Unless you’ve got yourself a freakishly-realistic bear attack, your picture may expect a run of about seven days. Thus I found myself at the movies on a Wednesday afternoon in January, watching two films that interested me about as much as one of those “Real Housewives” shows. First on my agenda: Carol. 

 

A young photographer falls for a sophisticated older woman. 

 

Ahhhh…forbidden love. It always sounds just a bit tawdry, doesn’t it? While Carol tells the tale of an affair that was, for the time, utterly impossible, there’s not a hint of dirtiness about it. The romance is a slow burner, with not even a kiss before the movie’s midway point, and the major love scene is as sterile as an operating theatre. 

 

Respect for the subject matter is appreciated, but a taboo affair should feel at least a little dangerous. There are also some weird shots that linger so long as to be almost comical. That’s the bad news is. 

 

The good news is, Carol is a lovely story, slowly paced but never dull. The family drama is well-played, and fleshes out our love story without feeling like an intrusion. 

 

Should Cate Blanchett go home with Oscar on The Big Night, the Academy will undoubtedly be accused of choosing old-and-safe over young-and-edgy (again), but, for my money, she is deserving. 

 

Rooney Mara is equally extraordinary and moving. For all its deliberate pace, the movie never feels long, and, a superhero fangirl stuck in a grownup movie even has a *squee* moment when Cory Michael Smith (Gotham’s Edward Nygma) turns up, so there’s that. 

 

Carol runs 118 minutes and is rated R for “a scene of sexuality/nudity and brief language.” 

 

Carol is a beautiful love story that boasts some very special performances, and, like The Danish Girl, provides nice reminders of how far we’ve come and how far we’ve yet to go. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Carol gets six.

 

Next up: Room.

 

A young woman who bore a son while being held captive attempts to recover from her ordeal, while the boy experiences the outside world for the first time.

 

In the interest of full and fair disclosure, I’ll always admit when a movie’s main or only problem is that it’s not “my thing.” Room is most certainly not my thing (nor is Carol, for that matter), but it’s got much bigger problems. 

 

The first ten minutes of Room are so insufferable that it was all I could do not to walk out. Most of the first half is barely watchable, and not remotely in the way a capable telling of this harrowing story might make itself unwatchable. 

 

Rather than sympathizing with characters that should be very sympathetic, I was bored and even annoyed with them. The film picks up somewhat once it puts “Room” in its rearview, which might be attributed to happier subject matter or simply to more going on. 

 

I attribute it mostly to Joan Allen, a great actress who elevates anything that’s lucky enough to have her. Brie Larson is as good as you’ve heard, though not my Best Actress winner, if the Academy gives me a vote. (Hint: it does not.) 

 

Kid actors are never less than a risky proposition, and, while it may seem unfair to place such a big burden on such small shoulders, it’s youngster Jacob Trembley who ultimately could have made Room fully engaging, but, sadly, does not. 

 

There are a fair few emotionally wrenching moments where you think the film might be finding its feet, but it overstays its welcome so badly that those are barely remembered by the time the picture reaches its longed-for conclusion.

 

Room clocks in at 118 minutes, and is rated R for “language.”

 

Room is this year’s Boyhood, an unjustified critical darling for what it should have been more than for what it is. 

 

Maybe next time they should consult Tommy Wiseau. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Room gets three.

 

Until next time…

MOVIE REVIEW: DIRTY GRANDPA

Straight-laced lawyer Jason (Zac Efron) goes on a road trip to Daytona Beach with his horndog grandfather Dick (Robert De Niro), who was recently widowed and is eager to party hard on spring break now that he's a single man. Along the way, Dick prods Jason to let loose and have fun, and tries to convince him that he shouldn't get married to his controlling fiancée (Julianne Hough). Aubrey Plaza, Dermot Mulroney, Zoey Deutch, Jason Mantzoukas, and Adam Pally co-star. Directed by Dan Mazer. ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

Director: Dan Mazer

Cast: Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Julianne Hough, Aubrey Plaza, Dermot Mulroney

Release Date: Jan 22, 2016

Rated R for crude sexual content throughout, graphic nudity, and for language and drug use.

Runtime: 1 hr. 42 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

If you walk out of Dirty Granpa offended then I’m not sure exactly what you were expecting.  It’s a crude vulgar comedy that always shoots for the lowest common denominator.  It hits its marks a handful of times due to the cast and Dan Mazer’s speedy direction.  Mazer doesn’t let his film linger too long on anything.  As a result, you almost don’t notice the clichéd characters and paper thin story.  It’s easy to forget when you see Robert De Niro and Zac Efron clearly having a blast film the bawdy comedy.  Some have decried the downfall of De Niro with roles like these but he seems to really enjoy them otherwise he wouldn’t make as many of them, it helps that he’s got some comedic chops.  So personally, I don’t fault him too much.  Efron does a solid job of playing the straight man to De Niro’s wild man.  The film is helped along by a strong supporting turn from Aubrey Plaza who deserves more movie roles to take advance of her comedic talents.  All in all, Dirty Grandpa isn’t anymore or less than it says it is.  It won’t be a classic but it’s good for a chuckle.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGH

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is an action thriller based on the 2014 non-fiction book written by journalist Mitchell Zuckoff with the Annex Security Team. The film depicts the harrowing true story of the attack on a CIA annex in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012, which killed four Americans. After the assault begins, a U.S. Special Ops team are sent to the annex to protect those still trapped within the compound. Directed by Michael Bay, the film stars John Krasinski, James Badge Dale, and Pablo Schreiber. ~ Tom Ciampoli, Rovi

Director: Michael Bay

Cast: John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, James Badge Dale, Max Martini, Toby Stephens

Release Date: Jan 15, 2016

Rated R for strong combat violence throughout, bloody images, and language.

Runtime: 2 hr. 24 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is a surprisingly mature and somewhat restrained effort from bombastic director Michael Bay.  It still has many of the hallmarks of most of Bay’s work but it’s not as garish as it’s been in his most recent films.  Bay doesn’t take any time before he throws the audience into a series of well choreographed action sequences which make up the better part of the films runtime.  The characters don’t get nearly as much time as they deserve to get properly fleshed out and what little characterization there is falls into some well worn clichés.  It’s a shame Bay didn’t spend more time with some of these characters because John Krasinski and James Badge Dale are game with their performances.  You get the feeling that if they had a bit more to work with we might have had something more meaningful.  As it is Bay gives us a solid auctioneer that feels like a modern day Alamo on more than a few occasion.  It’s a tad overlong and some clunky dialogue hampers some of the slower sections.  Even though it’s an imperfect film it still qualifies as one of Michael Bay’s best films in recent memory.

B-

Cindy Prascik's Review of Spotlight & The Danish Girl

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday I had the opportunity to catch a couple of awards darlings before they're chased out of town by Adam Sandler or Transformers 47: The Search for Shia LeBeouf. On the docket: Spotlight and The Danish Girl. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. 

 

First up: Spotlight. The Boston Globe exposes the cover-up of a horrifying pattern of sexual abuse by Catholic priests. Spotlight is simultaneously one of the most brilliant and one of the most difficult-to-watch movies I've ever seen. 

 

The events depicted in the film turned my stomach more than any death-defying stunt or gratuitous gore, not just a systematic failure to protect the defenseless, but, worse, a conspiracy to hide and excuse (EXCUSE!) such abuse. 

 

Performances are top notch across the board, with Mark Ruffalo especially impressive in what amounts to the leading role among the strong ensemble. Liev Schreiber is outstanding as always in a smaller part, one of the top five actors in the world, for my money. 

 

The plot is gripping, as the reporters dig deeper and deeper into a plot that reaches higher and higher into the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Despite a runtime that's well over two hours, I was riveted the entire time, even though I wanted to scream at the screen as family members, Church authorities, and legal officials made excuses and attempted to keep the story from getting out. 

 

As the end credits began to roll, and the film presented a list of the many, many communities impacted by this epidemic, I was overcome with grief, not only for what happened, but for how much could have been prevented. 

 

I cannot remember the last time a movie left me this angry and heartbroken. Spotlight runs 128 minutes and is rated R for "some language, including sexual references." 

 

This year's Oscar Best Picture race is a tight one, but Spotlight has won my heart and my vote. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Spotlight gets nine. 

 

Next on my agenda: The Danish Girl. Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne stars as transgender pioneer Lili Elbe. 

 

Whereas Spotlight is a captivating story featuring stunning acting, The Danish Girl is mostly noteworthy for the performances alone. 

 

The story itself *should* be fascinating, but, as told here, is just slow and somewhat dull. 

 

Though much decorated, I find Eddie Redmayne an awkward performer, almost painful to watch in this film. It's undeniably a brave performance, but I'm not sure it's a great one. 

 

Ben Whishaw, delightful in a smaller role, would have been far more effective in the lead, if you ask me. (And, if you're reading this, I guess you're asking me!) 

 

Alicia Vikander is stellar, really a co-lead even though she's been considered a "supporting" player for awards purposes, and Amber Heard provides some welcome light in what's overall a pretty angsty tale. 

 

The film boasts beautiful locations and a lovely score, and, though we may have a long way to go, it's a nice reminder of just how far the world has come on the issues faced by transgender individuals. 

 

The Danish Girl clocks in at 119 minutes and is rated R for "for some sexuality and full nudity." (And they really, really mean that last bit!) 

 

Though sluggishly paced, The Danish Girl is worth seeing for its solid performances and important subject matter. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Danish Girl gets six. 

 

Until next time..

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Revenant

Dearest Blog: After suffering through The Hateful Eight on New Year's Day, a short-and-cheery flick would have been welcome this week. 

Alas, Oscar nominations drop Thursday, so instead I found myself at Marquee Cinemas for another marathon of misery, The Revenant. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. Survival and revenge are a long and painful road for a man who has lost everything. 

Dear reader(s): When I tell you The Revenant is miserable, I mean that happy is not in its dictionary. I do not mean I didn't like it; on the contrary, I absolutely loved it. 

Most news about The Revenant focuses on the physical difficulties of making the picture, no doubt to convince the Academy that Leonardo DiCaprio deserves that elusive Best Actor trophy. DiCaprio's Oscar desperation is so palpable the movie might as well have been called, "Please Let Me Win This Time." 

Luckily, his performance is mostly brilliant, dipping only the occasional toe into unintentional comedy with his overacting. (To clarify, Leo's deserved an Oscar since Gilbert Grape, but he definitely sells it a little too hard at times.) Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, and Will Poulter are equally fantastic, with far less histrionics. 

The story is fascinating, beautifully told, but full of deception and brutality. A lovely score underlines the film, taking a quiet backseat but for its powerful climax. The Revenant's real stars, however, are its stunning locations and the expertise with which they're filmed. Magnificent snowy mountains, icy rivers, and majestic forests are presented in such striking big-screen glory it takes your breath away. 

I'd ordinarily complain about a runtime so far in excess of two hours, but I happily could have watched two more hours of this beauty. The Revenant runs 156 minutes and is rated R for "strong frontier combat and violence, including gory images, a sexual assault, language, and brief nudity." The Revenant doesn't have many flaws, but, if we're being honest, I'd have forgiven it just about anything for its visual splendor alone. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Revenant gets eight and a half. 

(Small bonus for having an actual Weasley!) Until next time... 

MOVIE REVIEW: THE REVENANT

In 1820s America, frontiersman and fur trapper Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) joins a pelt-gathering expedition along with his teenage son Hawk (Forrest Goodluck). When attacks by Arikara Indians claim the lives of many of the men in the party, Glass leads a small group on a new path back to a U.S. fort. While attempting to hunt game on the journey, Glass is mauled by a grizzly bear and horribly wounded. Assumed he'll be dead soon, Glass is left under the care of roughneck John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), and the young and inexperienced Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) as Hawk watches on in horror. Fitzgerald betrays Glass and leaves him for dead, alone and unarmed. Glass nurses himself back to health and charts a course of revenge. Alejandro González Iñárritu directed this pulse-pounding epic. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter, Lukas Haas

Rated R for strong frontier combat and violence including gory images, a sexual assault, language 

and brief nudity

Runtime: 2 hr. 36 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s follow up to last years Oscar winning Birdman is beautiful film which shows you a lot more than it ever tells you.  Iñárritu leans on symbolism and some quasi spiritual visions more than outright exposition throughout, leaving us with a soulful, if grittier, Jack London style story.  The bear attach scene and the opening attach sequence, which looks like it’s shot in a single take, will leave the biggest impression but at its base it’s a straightforward revenge tale with very little else going on.  Its bear bones approach might turn off some since it only gives us passing details of DiCaprio’s character but never goes into much detail about it.  DiCaprio’s performance is mostly based off grunts and screams intermixed with passing bits of dialogue.  He’s impressively committed to the roles especially through the adverse conditions he went through while filming the movie.  While, DiCaprio is excellent, I left the film more impressed by Tom Hardy’s performance.  Hardy is a given a slightly meatier role, so much so that sometimes he feels like the main character more so than DicCaprio’s.  It’s an interesting juxtaposition to watch, each succeeds, along with the film.  The Revenant falls just short of reaching the level of Birdman but still an impressive bit of film making none the less.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: THE HATEFUL EIGHT

The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth and his fugitive Daisy Domergue, race towards the town of Red Rock where Ruth, known in these parts as “The Hangman,” will bring Domergue to justice. Along the road, they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren, a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix, a southern renegade who claims to be the town’s new Sheriff. Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie's Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie’s, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. Bob, who’s taking care of Minnie’s while she’s visiting her mother, is holed up with Oswaldo Mobray, the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage, and Confederate General Sanford Smithers . As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all…

Director: Quentin Tarantino    

Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demián Bichir.

Release Date: Dec 25, 2015    

Rated R for Strong Bloody Violence, Some Graphic Nudity, Language and Violent Sexual Content.    

Runtime: 2 hr. 47 min.    

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller    

Review:

The Hateful Eight will probably end up being one of Quentin Tarantino’s most divisive films of his careers.  Personally I found plenty to love here as he pulls from Sergio Leone with a healthy dose of Agatha Christie but it’s a slow burn sort of film.  It’s easy to see why many people could be turned off.  The film plays out like a cinematic stage play with a heavy focus on dialogue and characters.  As always Tarantino brings out the best in his actors, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Walton Goggins benefit the most here, even while they’re playing some fairly despicable characters.  Each character is a fascinating twisted sort that populates most of Tarantino’s films but with an old west slant.  Watching him sets them up in a twist version of Twelve Angry Men with a healthier dose of blood and carnage especially in the final act.  The final act does sort take a different tone as things get more extreme and violent which might turn off some people but it’s just Tarantino  being Tarantino, grindhouse will always be in his blood.

B+

Cindy Prascik's 2015: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!

Dearest Blog: I suppose it wouldn't be the New Year if I didn't weigh in--alongside, you know, everyone else in the world--with my thoughts on the best and worst of the year just ended. So, without further ado: my top ten pictures of 2015, along with a few also-rans, and, of course, the bottom of the barrel! 

 

10. "Desperate times. Desperate measures." Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation The year's best thrill ride, with an action sequence for the ages, Rogue Nation is about the most fun you could expect to have at the movies. 

 

9. "I know you're probably feeling a lot of emotion right now, but please refrain from using the term 'thunderc**t!'" Spy Melissa McCarthy may be locked into a certain kind of character, but when a movie's this laugh-out-loud hilarious from start to finish, it's hard to argue with the formula. Throw in the year's funniest turn from Jason Statham, and Spy is easily 2015's best comedy. 

 

8. "Sports were, in a way, a kind of warfare." Red Army At a time when it's difficult to imagine the NHL without its Ovechkins and its Malkins, this documentary presents a compelling look at the Cold War glory days of the Soviet hockey machine, and the first Russian players to break into the National Hockey League. 

 

7. "Grizzly? Not particularly. Mind you, I haven't seen him in the mornings!" Paddington England's favorite bear tries to find himself a home in this joyful romp, a delight for all ages. 

 

6. "Chewie, we're home." Star Wars: The Force Awakens Advertising often makes bloated claims, but Star Wars: The Force Awakens truly is the movie event of a generation. This superb sequel met or exceeded nearly everyone's expectations, and has effectively redefined the word "blockbuster." 

 

5. "This man is obviously crazy." The Walk An achievement in both technical wizardry and great storytelling, the Walk is, at its heart, a love letter to the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. A terrific narrative and a charming leading performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt make this one of the year's best. 

 

4. "Speak a little truth, and people lose their minds." Straight Outta Compton Straight Outta Compton is a well written, brilliantly acted biopic of rap pioneers NWA that will leave you feeling like you can take on the world, one of my very favorite cinema experiences of 2015. 

 

3. "Musicians play their instruments. I play the orchestra." Steve Jobs A brilliant but incomplete portrait of the legendary founder of Apple, Steve Jobs features whiplash-inducing exchanges, penned by Aaron Sorkin and smartly delivered by Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, and an exemplary supporting cast. It is the very definition of "must see." 

 

2. "I've been fighting my whole life. It's not a choice for me." Creed Full of heart and peppered with hold-your-breath fight sequences, Creed is the sequel Rocky has always deserved. Michael B. Jordan admirably carries the leading mantle, and Sylvester Stallone delivers one of the year's best performances in a role that he could just as easily mail in by now. You'll want to see this one more than once, I guarantee it. 

 

1. "So hail Satan, and have a lovely afternoon, madam." Kingsman: The Secret Service Kingsman: The Secret Service is a perfect movie. It's action packed, smart, and funny, with a great cast, a handful of fantastic twists, and what just might be the greatest single scene ever to grace the big screen. Released all the way back in February, in the ten months that followed, it never faced a serious challenge for my top spot. Side notes: I have yet to gain access to Macbeth and Spotlight, two films that undoubtedly would be on this list (probably very near the top) had I seen them. 

 

Runners-Up: The Peanuts Movie. My sentimental favorite of the year. Spectre. Bond gave MI5 a good run for its money for that number-ten spot. I'd have liked a second go at both for a fresher perspective, but that didn't happen. And, yes...Pixels. Go on and roll your eyes, I see you! Pixels' worst crime was having Adam Sandler at the helm, so many decided it was terrible even before seeing it, but its effects were stunning and its pop-culture nods fun and funny. Critics be damned, if you're within ten years of my age either way, I promise you'll get a kick out of it. 

 

And, drumroll, please! 

 

My least favorites/biggest disappointments of 2015: 

 

Jupiter Ascending. Hot off an Oscar win and probably on his way to another, Eddie Redmayne turned in one of the most perplexingly awful performances of the year, in a picture that features a chase scene so long and boring I fell asleep three times and woke up while it was still going. An unmitigated disaster.  

Chappie. Two of my favorite people who make movies--Neil Blomkamp and Sharlto Copley--somehow managed to make the most irritating film of the year. Pan. A cluster of epic proportions, and a shameful waste of the multi-talented Hugh Jackman. 

 

Finally, ever shall it rank among my greatest regrets of 2015 that two of my very favorite actors--Johnny Depp and Jake Gyllenhaal--both turned in extraordinary performances in a year when the leading actor categories are just too stacked to offer them proper accolades. 

 

Kudos to Johnny and Jake for two of the year's most mesmerizing turns. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to have a look at this blog over the past 12 months, and especially to my blog partner, Daniel, for all his hard work in getting our Very Important Writings out there. Remember, kids: everyone's entitled to our opinions! 

 

Happy 2016 to one and all! Until next time... 

 

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Hateful Eight

 

 

Dearest Blog: If the truth of Awards Season is sacrifice, the truth of the holiday season seems to be haste. Hurry here, hurry there, never enough time to fit everything in. Thus, at the ungodly (movie) hour of 9:30 this morning, I found myself at "not my" cinema for a screening of Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. 

 

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

 

Dear Reader(s), every December, I visit New York City. Every December, without fail, someone in my group gets 9:00 a.m. Rockettes tickets, so we have to set out at stupid o'clock to see they get to Radio City bright and early for all those peppermint-stick costumes and high kicks. 

 

A person can reasonably be expected to handle just so much of certain things at that hour of the day; the enforced chipperness of the Rockettes is one of those things, and Quentin Tarantino is most certainly another. I have never, ever understood 9:00 a.m. Rockettes tickets. 

 

I am neither a fan nor not-a-fan of Quentin Tarantino. I know what I'm always getting in a Tarantino flick: gratuitous violence and scenarios that shock for the sake of it. 

 

Sometimes that's just stray garbage scattered about a great picture, sometimes the entire movie belongs in the dumpster. 

 

Unfortunately for The Hateful Eight, it appears to be trash day. This muddled mess does nothing to earn or justify its over-three-hour runtime. 

 

Uniformly despicable characters prattle on endlessly, only a fraction of their willfully repulsive dialogue necessary to provide backstory or propel the film forward. The graphic, incessant brutality is no less abhorrent for being expected. 

 

The Hateful Eight has a handful of terrific moments, mostly courtesy of Walton Goggins, as well as a wonderful score and top-notch sound editing, but, generally speaking, this one's a dud. The Hateful Eight runs 167 minutes and is rated R for "strong, bloody violence, a scene of violent sexual content, language, and some graphic nudity." 

 

A bloated exercise in ego, The Hateful Eight neither enlightens nor entertains; it only bores and disgusts. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Hateful Eight gets two. 

 

Until next time, I wish a happy New Year to anyone and everyone who ever takes a moment to read my ramblings. 

 

May 2016 be peaceful, healthy, and prosperous for you all. See you at the pictures! 

 

 

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Concussion, Joy & The Big Short

Dearest Blog: A point I've previously belabored: Awards Season necessitates sacrifice, and, thus, yesterday I found myself drowning in a triple-bill of critical darlings at Marquee Cinemas, rather than enjoying the second Star Wars viewing I'd have preferred. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or, I guess, from real life, as all three of these films are based (at least loosely) on actual people and events. 

 

First on my agenda: Concussion. After uncovering the disturbing results of repeated head trauma among former players, a medical examiner faces off with the National Football League. Dear reader(s), I gotta be straight with ya: I don't like football. 

 

There, I said it. In a place where the sun rises and sets on the Pittsburgh Steelers, where many fans would sacrifice a virgin, cut off a limb, or bop their neighbors on the head with a hammer for that seventh Super Bowl ring, I couldn't possibly care less. Thus, I figured Concussion for the lemon in yesterday's lineup. I figured wrong. 

 

Will Smith is extraordinary as Dr. Bennet Omalu, the Allegheny County coroner who first discovered the potential link between the game's violence and former players' mental and physical troubles. As enthusiastic for new knowledge as he is horrified by his findings and determined to prevent further damage, Smith is sincere, believable, and fierce. A non-believer myself, I found it oddly comforting that Omalu is portrayed as both a man of science and a man of faith, two things that seem almost mutually exclusive in today's world. 

 

Concussion's supporting cast is solid, and the story is fascinating and well executed, as Omalu and a few allies butt heads (see what I did there?) with a juggernaut reluctant to acknowledge a very serious potential black mark on its image. 

 

Concussion clocks in at 123 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic material including some disturbing images, and language." Concussion is a well-written, well-acted film that will have no trouble holding your attention from start to finish, even if you don't know the difference between a quarterback and a cornerback. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Concussion gets eight. 

 

Next up: Joy. A young divorcee hopes to improve her complicated life with a new invention. Joy is essentially a showcase for Jennifer Lawrence, who is fantastic in the title role, yet the constantly-exaggerated circumstances leave her looking a bit like a female Forrest Gump. The supporting cast includes notables like Robert DeNiro, Virginia Madsen, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, and Edgar Ramirez, but their characters are little more than paper dolls, every move entirely predictable. 

 

Bradley Cooper turns up for a cup of coffee, only because, of late, it seems director David O. Russell doesn't want to make a movie without him, a sad waste of his talent and charm. The story's a jumble that always seems to be moving, yet never gets anywhere, making the movie feel longer than it is. All in all, Joy is much more interested in showing off its star than it is in being a great movie. 

 

Joy runs 124 minutes and is rated PG13 for "brief strong language." It's nothing special, but Joy is still an enjoyable watch. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Joy gets six and a half. 

 

And the final item on yesterday's docket: The Big Short. A handful of financial fringe operators predict (and attempt to cash in on) the big bust of 2008. 

 

The Big Short is a hard film to pin down. It's funny, but it shouldn't be. These guys the film would have you rooting for? They're in the market to rip someone off just as much as the ones you're rooting against. 

 

The terrific cast has already nailed down some awards love, but nobody turns in a game-changing performance. Smart, funny dialogue gets lost in a sea of gratuitous swearing. (Deadwood fan here, so I'm not timid about bad words, but they're not always the right fit.) The story is frenetic, yet the movie seems slow and long. 

 

The narrative setup is interesting, I love the way the film marks time, and, though the characters are comical, The Big Short eventually brings home the gravity of a disaster that destroyed millions of lives. The Big Short runs an excessive 130 minutes and is rated R for "pervasive language and some sexuality/nudity." A comic take on a story that's anything but funny, The Big Short is depressing and entertaining at the same time. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Big Short gets seven. 

 

Until next time...may the Force be strong enough to scare off unwanted holiday visitors, so I can squeeze in another Star Wars screening before going back to work!