MOVIE REVIEW: FANTASTIC BEAST AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

This spin-off of the Harry Potter franchise jumps back in time to explore the wizarding world of 1926 New York, which is being threatened by both mystical acts of destruction and a group of extremist No-Majs (the American term for Muggles, i.e. those unable to use magic). Author Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in the city as part of a global study of fantastic beasts, but he gets caught up in this conflict when some of the magical creatures in his care are accidentally released. Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Colin Farrell, Ezra Miller, and Johnny Depp co-star in this fantasy adventure, which was directed by David Yates (who helmed four of the Harry Potter films) and adapted for the screen by J.K. Rowling from her own book. ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

Director: David Yates     

Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton.

Release Date: Nov 18, 2016     

Rated PG-13 for Some Fantasy/Action Violence 

    

Runtime: 2 hr. 13 min.     

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

Review:

Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them is charming entry into Potterverse.  Kicking off a series of prequel films can be a difficult task but director David Yates pulls it off with ease thanks to some strong turns from his cast.  Eddie Redmayne leads the cast with his Newt Scamander.  It’s an understated performance but engaging enough to keep you invested throughout even if some of the plot seems scattered and unfocused.  The film is at best when Redmayne is paired with Dan Fogler, Katherine Waterston and Alison Sudol.  You can feel the energy in the film pick up with the quartet is assembled.  As for the story itself, it’s a tad busy which can make it feel like it’s hitting multiple stops with no clear destination in mind.  It’s a shame the film didn’t make better use of Colin Farrell.  Instead he’s given a generic villain who’s not nearly as interesting as he could be.  Ezra Miller suffers from a similar situation but he does manage to elevate it a bit with some nifty acting.  That being said it’s a hard film not to like, there’s an inherit charm built into the story which makes it a good start for the series.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them & Bleed for This

Dearest Blog: With Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Oscar hopeful Bleed for This, the pre-Thanksgiving weekend provides a treat that's been all too rare in 2016: a genuinely exciting cinema double-bill. So, with high hopes, I set off once again for Marquee Cinemas. 

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. First on my agenda, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Chaos ensues when a rogue English wizard arrives in New York City with a case full of magical creatures. 

 

While Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is named after a very short Hogwarts textbook, it is not technically "based on" the publication that shares its title; rather, it is an original story written by Potter author J.K. Rowling about her characters, both new and old. Genre fans still smarting from Peter Jackson's ill-advised attempt to stretch a pretty short book into three pretty long movies needn't be concerned; this isn't that. 

 

Admittedly, the film still runs a bit long, and the occasionally-awkward script--on which Rowling has the sole writing credit--might have done with a brush-up from Potter screenwriter Steve Kloves, but the picture's only other real weakness is that the titular "fantastic" beasts are its least-interesting feature. 

 

The good news is Rowling's trademark kind-heartedness and magical imagination are in full effect with Fantastic Beasts. Eddie Redmayne's skittish acting style can be annoying sometimes, but he's perfect as Newt Scamander. 

Redmayne nails traits common in those of us who are more comfortable with four-legged beasts than with two-legged ones; he shuffles and looks at the ground when speaking with another human, but is entirely at ease with even the most intimidating other creatures. Redmayne also gets full marks for some extraordinary physical acting that had to be uncomfortable-to-downright-embarrassing to play off only a green screen. 

 

The solid supporting cast includes Colin Farrell in a menacing turn, and scene-stealer Dan Fogler. Fantastic Beasts boasts glorious effects, good-natured humor, and a charming score by the masterful James Newton Howard. 

 

It's been five years since Harry Potter's final big-screen foray, and if you'd forgotten just how magical it is when that giant "WB" logo appears to the twinkling accompaniment of Hedwig's Theme, Fantastic Beasts will bring it all right back to you. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them clocks in at 133 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some fantasy action violence." 

 

Nostalgic yet standing firmly on its own merits, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is great fun and a perfectly-worthy addition to the Harry Potter film franchise. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them gets seven and a half. 

 

Next up: Bleed for This. A boxing champion faces a long road to recovery after a devastating automobile accident. 

 

Well, dear reader(s), I was going to start by pondering how a sport I dislike as intensely as boxing could spawn movies I love so much, but then I remembered Talladega Nights and figured the question kinda answered itself. 

 

At any rate, boxing movies always seem to be favorites of mine, and I'm pleased to report Bleed for This is no exception. 

 

Miles Teller is simply amazing as boxer Vinny Pazienza. He's had good roles in good movies before, but this is a real star turn. The normally-dashing Aaron Eckhart underwent an astounding transformation to portray Pazienza's balding, paunchy, middle-aged trainer, the kind of physical effort that normally earns guys Oscars as long as they aren't named Johnny Depp or Gary Oldman. 

Eckhart's earnest turn is the movie's backbone, but it's Ciaran Hinds who really steals the show with his emotional portrayal of Pazienza's father. For my money, any or all of the three are awards-worthy, and reason enough to see a movie that has plenty more going for it. 

 

While the boxing scenes aren't quite as authentic as Southpaw or Creed, the matches will leave you holding your breath even when you think you know the outcome. 

 

At a smart two hours, Bleed for This is wise enough not to wear out its welcome, and--between Pazienza's constant underdog status and his touch-and-go recovery--it's a pretty tense ride. Meticulous attention to the fighter's recovery and training might have bogged down in less capable hands, but here it is mesmerizing. 

 

Some solid 80s arena rock combines with the soulful sounds of Willis Earl Beal to flesh out the picture's struggling-but-hopeful tone. Bleed for This runs 116 minutes and is rated R for "language, sexuality/nudity, and some accident images." 

 

It's not quite the Best Picture contender it may have seemed, but Bleed for This is a solid drama bouyed by award-worthy performances. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Bleed for This gets seven. 

 

Until next time...

 

 

Cindy Prascik's Review of Arrival

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee cinemas for sci-fi awards contender Arrival. 

 

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

 

When extra-terrestrial crafts land at a dozen spots across the globe, a linguist (Amy Adams) and a scientist (Jeremy Renner) head one of the teams responsible for deciphering the aliens' language and determining the reason for their appearance. 

 

Dear reader(s), you may recall my saying, on many occasions, that I do not read reviews before I write my own. This remains true, though it could not escape my notice that Arrival is carrying outstanding scores on many websites and has already received perfect ratings from two of my movie-reviewing pals. 

 

But...hey...I guess if you wanted someone else's opinion you wouldn't be here, right? Arrival has a good deal going for it. From a purely visual standpoint, it is lovely, with bleak landscapes that underline the movie's tense tone and a glorious depiction of the aliens' written language. 

 

Interactions between the visitors from space and our intrepid interpreters are absolutely stunning. Both Adams and Renner are terrific, and their wonder and earnestness are contagious; you'll be holding your breath, hoping these are ET-aliens and not Alien-aliens. 

 

Johann Johannsson has provided a stunning, intense score that commands your attention, yet never upstages the action onscreen. Arrival has many positive messages about cooperation and not assuming the worst and beginnings and endings and, really, life in general. 

 

That being said: Arrival is about the best insomnia cure you could get for seven dollars and fifty-cents. The movie plods along like an overlong Doctor Who episode and often seems utterly lost in itself.

 

I made it about 20 minutes before the struggle to stay awake began in earnest, and it was a mighty struggle indeed for the remainder of the picture's not-excessive runtime. Unlike last year's trundling would-be masterpiece, The Revenant, this one can't be saved by its physical beauty. 

 

Arrival clocks in at a very reasonable 116 minutes and is rated PG13 for "brief strong language." Arrival will almost certainly make most best picture shortlists this Awards Season. 

 

It'll probably take home some of those trophies, and maybe it'll even deserve to, but I'd take a one-way trip to outer-space before I'd watch it again. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Arrival gets five. Until next time... 

 

MOVIE REVIEW: ARRIVAL

Linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) leads an elite team of investigators when gigantic spaceships touch down in 12 locations around the world. As nations teeter on the verge of global war, Banks and her crew must race against time to find a way to communicate with the extraterrestrial visitors. Hoping to unravel the mystery, she takes a chance that could threaten her life and quite possibly all of mankind.

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Cast: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tzi Ma

Release Date: Nov 11, 2016    

Rated PG-13 for brief Strong Language    

Runtime: 1 hr. 56 min.    

Genres: Drama, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival is a shining example of how to do heady science fiction with strong emotional depth. It recalls classics like Close Encounters with the Third Kind, 2001 and Contact.  Villeneuve’s film is a measured affair that demands your attention from start to finish with an impressive payoff that rewards you.  Amy Adams has never been better or more subdued.  Her performance carries the entire film and gives the film its bitter sweet heart.  Jeremy Renner provides a nice counterbalance to Adams.  Forest Whitaker is a tab wasted in a thankless role.  Arrival is a sure to join the upper echelon of science fictions films and marks another excellent film from Denis Villeneuve.

A-

Cindy Prascik's Review of Anthropoid

Dearest Blog: By now I'm sure everyone's familiar with that big-budget bore of a World War II flick that's gracing US cinemas this week, but what you may not know is there's also a really good World War II flick right at your fingertips via On Demand, digital download, and DVD. I give you: Anthropoid.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers if you saw one (which I didn't).

 

Anthropoid is the true story of a World War II mission to assasinate Hitler's third in command, Reinhard Heydrich.

 

Two WWII movies in a span of three days probably seems like a true test of endurance, and, if not for Cillian Murphy, I admit this one might have passed me right on by. I'm very glad it didn't.

 

 While Hacksaw Ridge dwells on gunfights, explosions, and the gore of war, Anthropoid is a quiet exercise in strategy all the way to its final act; only then are we thrown into the bloody firestorm, and by then we're so invested in every character that it is utterly devastating. Cillian Murphy (the surly one) and Jamie Dornan (the dreamy one) are outstanding as the leaders of the dangerous mission. Murphy is never less, but if you only know Dornan from his unfortunate 50 Shades fame, be prepared to be surprised. 

 

Supporting players include the terrific Harry Lloyd, and the always-reliable Toby Jones. Anthropoid takes its time getting to the actual assasination attempt, maintaining tension throughout as the rebels make their plans and attempt to avoid discovery. 

 

Fear is so palpable as to be almost another character in a film that feels very intimate and personal, in much the same way as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Anthropoid clocks in at a deliberate 120 minutes and is rated R for "violence and some disturbing images."

 

It may not be loud or flashy enough to have earned wide release in the USA, but Anthropoid is a thoughtful World War II picture that's well worth your time. 

 

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

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: DOCTOR STRANGE

After a car accident leaves him with nerve damage that ends his career as a New York neurosurgeon, Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) travels to Kathmandu in the hope of finding an otherworldly cure for his injuries. There, a powerful mystic known as the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) accepts him as her pupil and trains him in the art of sorcery. Eventually, Strange must use his new powers to stop a rival (Mads Mikkelsen) from causing chaos by accessing the Dark Dimension. Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Benedict Wong co-star in this entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Directed by Scott Derrickson (Sinister). ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

Director: Scott Derrickson 

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benedict Wong, Tilda Swinton

Release Date: Nov 04, 2016

Rated PG-13 for Sci-Fi Violence and Action and an Intense Crash Sequence 

Runtime: 1 hr. 55 min. 

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy 

Review:

Doctor Strange is a visually impressive origin story that’s better than it should be most due to its cast.  That’s not to say that director Scott Derrickson doesn’t do some impressive cinematic gymnastics because he does.  Its just that when you peel back all visual flourishes its plot feels incredibly familiar with magic taking the place of superhero powers.  Thankfully, the film is a generally enjoyable thanks to some strong turns by Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton.  Benedict Cumberbatch feels perfect for the roles and he’s clearly having a great time throughout.  The real stand out though is Tilda Swinton who’s generally the most interesting actor on screen throughout.  It’s a bit of a disappointment that the other great actors assembled aren’t given much to do.  Mads Mikkelsen, Rachel McAdams and Chiwetel Ejiofor are all saddled with some terribly underwritten and generic characters.  It’s a shame because they are all excellent actors and with better material this film could have been something truly special.  As is, the film is a solid addition to the ever expanding Marvel Cinematic universe.

B