Cindy Prascik's Review of Snowden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas to check out the latest from Oliver Stone: Snowden. 

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. Convinced the US government's spying has gone too far, a CIA consultant steals information to expose its secrets. Snowden is awards bait at its most obvious. 

 

Timely, contentious subject matter combines with decorated talent to peg it an early contender, but that doesn't necessarily make it a great movie. 

 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is compelling as Edward Snowden, though his deliberate method of speech is nearly as distracting as his French accent was in The Walk. Rhys Ifans and Nicolas Cage turn in terrific performances as Snowden's CIA mentors, and Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, and Tom Wilkinson are fantastic as the journalists who helped break Snowden's remarkable story. 

 

While Snowden's tale is undoubtedly fascinating, the movie seems to drag. Your attention isn't likely to wander too far, but you'll be getting mighty fidgety by the second act. A political story by default, Snowden may annoy both sides of the aisle equally. 

 

Unlike last weekend's pristine cinema hero, Sully, Ed Snowden is no squeaky-clean good guy; his reasons were brave and selfless, but he still broke laws intended to protect the country he loves so much. Is he a heroic villian? A villianous hero? The movie asks the questions, but isn't all that convincing in its answer. Snowden is distractingly desperate for awards, but there are some great moments to be found. 

 

A scene where a video-screen Ifans looms cartoonishly-large over Levitt's doubting Snowen is particularly effective. 

 

The film maintains tension throughout, but a cheesy ending leaves you feeling like it was all for naught. Snowden clocks in at 134 minutes and is rated R for "language and some sexuality/nudity." Snowden is a reasonably entertaining outing, but its heavy-handedness is ultimately its downfall. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Snowden gets five and a half. 

Fangirl points: Timothy Olyphant! Until next time... 

 

MOVIE REVIEW BLAIR WITCH

Director: Adam Wingard 

Cast: Wes Robinson, James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandez, Corbin Reid

Release Date: Sep 16, 2016

Rated R for Terror, Some Disturbing Images and Language

Runtime: 1 hr. 29 min.

Review:

The Blair Witch Project was such a singular moment in cinematic history that it’d be impossible to recreate the buzz and feel of watching that original film.  Regardless, Adam Wingard tries to do just that with mixed results.  This sequel is really just a remake of the original film with updated technology and a shiner gloss.  Blair Witch follows a lot of the same beats of the original film with a few twist and turns to spice things up a bit.  The third act offers up some interesting questions about what’s really happening but it’s not enough to make this a truly memorable film.  There are some fun sequences but there are just too many moments that emulate the original film. Occasionally, going so far as to lift shots and dialogue from the original.  This slavish adherence to the original leaves this sequel unable to find its own footing and feel.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW SULLY

Tom Hanks stars in this portrait of airline pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, which depicts his successful emergency landing of an Airbus A320 on the Hudson River in January 2009. In the aftermath of this unprecedented and heroic feat, the traumatized pilot must endure second-guessing by investigators, the weight of sudden fame, and his own doubts about his actions that fateful day. Anna Gunn, Laura Linney, and Aaron Eckhart co-star. Directed by Clint Eastwood. ~ Violet LeVoit, Rovi

Director: Clint Eastwood

Cast: Tom Hanks, Laura Linney, Aaron Eckhart, Autumn Reeser, Sam Huntington.

Release Date: Sep 09, 2016

Rated PG-13 for some peril and brief strong language.

Runtime: 1 hr. 36 min.

Genres: Drama 

Review:

Sully is an impressive piece of filmmaking that showcases the type of heroism that’s rarely shown.  Clint Eastwood directs his film with a steady hand showing the dichotomy of emotions that Captain Sullenberger was going through after his miraculous landing.  Tom Hanks is perfectly cast as Sullenberger, displaying the levels of introspection and self doubt that his character was going through.  It’s a thoughtful piece of filmmaking which screams award season contention.  It’s an impressive character study that’s well acted and directed through even though there is a sense that film has been padded a bit.  It’s an odd sensation to watch an hour and a half film that feels much longer than it is.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of Sully

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Today it was off to Marquee Cinemas to kick off Awards Season with Sully. Spoiler level here will be mostly mild, nothing you haven't seen in a trailer or on the news. Sully is based on the true story of pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who made an emergency water landing on the Hudson River when his plane lost both engines shortly after departing Laguardia Airport. 

 

Sully is an entertaining movie, but probably a bonafide awards contender for Tom Hanks' performance only. The true story is compelling enough, but this telling is painted with such broad strokes as to be almost comical at times. 

 

The picture is hampered by awkward dialogue and cartoonish good and bad guys. Even when Sully's decisions come into question, the movie wants to make sure you remember whose side you're *supposed* to be on. A good movie lets you make up your own mind, and a truly good movie gets you where it wants to without beating you over the head; that seems well beyond Sully. 

 

On the plus side, Hanks carries the film with his usual flair, a performance that should be good enough to land him on most of the Best Actor shortlists, especially considering the Academy really owes him one for the Captain Phillips snub. 

 

Aaron Eckhart leads a solid supporting cast full of faces you'll recognize even if you may not know the names. Anything--and I do mean anything--having to do with the flight itself is beautifully filmed, from takeoff to unexpectedly-damp touchdown. There's one glorious moment when that nose-diving aircraft seems to be coming right off the screen...made me a little wistful for 3D! Finally, the movie is smart enough to recognize the limitations of the story it has to tell, and clocks in with a very reasonable runtime. 

 

Sully runs 95 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some peril and brief strong language." Though it occasionally strays into Airplane! territory, Sully is an inspiring outing built on another stellar leading turn by Tom Hanks. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Sully gets seven and a half. 

 

Fangirl points (there are a lot of 'em this time): The USS Intrepid! Sam Huntington! Holt McCallany! Valerie Mahaffey! My beautiful New York City!! 

 

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Review of Mechanic: Resurrection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: yesterday it was off to the pictures for Jason Statham's latest, Mechanic: Resurrection. 

 

Spoiler level here will be pretty mild, mostly nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. A former assassin is forced out of retirement when the love of his life (whom he's known for all of three days) is kidnapped. 

 

Alrighty, folks, I gotta tell ya: if this isn't the dumbest movie I've ever seen, it's good and damn close. 

 

However, it's also pretty funny (usually not on purpose), so I'm not suggesting you shouldn't get out and see it while you can. I have a feeling it won't be around long. The picture kicks off with a good, old-fashioned Statham ass kicking, and smartly keeps 'em coming regularly. 

 

As spectacularly ridiculous as they often are, they're genius compared to everything in between. Jessica Alba is as vapid as she is gorgeous, offering a performance that mostly consists of vacant looks that are meant to pass as terrified (I think?). 

 

Tommy Lee Jones: WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING HERE?? Continuity issues abound, most notably Alba's split lip that keeps appearing and disappearing, and good and bad guys are as broadly drawn as any Saturday-morning cartoon. 

 

The movie boasts action end to end, yet still feels a bit slow at times. Breathtaking stunts, gorgeous locations, and a rip-roaring score by Mark Isham help salvage the whole, but, sadly, this is just not a very good movie. 

 

Mechanic: Resurrection clocks in at 99 minutes and is rated R for "violence and language throughout." Mechanic: Resurrection is good for a laugh, but it probably just should have stayed dead. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Mechanic: Resurrection gets four. Until next time... 

 

MOVIE REVIEW DON’T BREATHE

Three friends (Dylan Minnette, Jane Levy, and Daniel Zovatto) plot to end their money woes by burglarizing the home of a blind recluse (Stephen Lang), but the heist quickly goes awry when they discover that their target is concealing a horrifying secret -- and that he isn't as harmless as they had thought. Directed by Fede Alvarez (the 2013 Evil Dead remake). ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

Director: Fede Alvarez 

Cast: Dylan Minnette, Jane Levy, Stephen Lang, Katia Bokor

Release Date: Aug 26, 2016

Rated R for the Language, Disturbing Content, Sexual References, Terror and Violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 28 min.

Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Don’t Breathe is the kind of stripped down thriller that doesn’t seem to get made much anymore.  The film is being sold as a horror movie but it’s really just a straight forward thriller with some slight horror tendencies.  Fede Alvarez carefully sets up his setting and delivers some genuine scares and tensions the full run of the film.  It’s an interesting piece of cinematic alchemy with large portions of the film moving along with nary a word of dialogue.  The cast does it job with the home intruders delivering a decent amount of terrified looks.  The most memorable thing about them is Jane Levy’s odd fashion choice of pantyhose with shorts and sheer top for a home invasion.  Stephen Lang is appropriately intimidating but I get the feeling he could pull that off on a bad day.  

B