MOVIE REVIEW: FIRST MAN

On the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, La La Land, Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for Universal Pictures’ First Man, the riveting story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the years 1961-1969. A visceral, first-person account, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the movie will explore the sacrifices and the cost—on Armstrong and on the nation—of one of the most dangerous missions in history. 

Director: Damien Chazelle

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Ciarán Hinds, Christopher Abbott, Patrick Fugit, Lukas Haas

Release Date: October 12, 2018

Genres: Biography , Drama , History

Rated PG-13 for some thematic content involving peril, and brief strong language

Runtime: 2h 21 min

Review:

First Man is an incredible achievement on multiple levels.  Damien Chazelle’s film is a technical achievement as it puts you in the ships and modules on a visceral and claustrophobic level.  All of the flight sequences are just trilling but that shouldn’t come as a surprise considering Chazelle’s talent.  The quieter moments, there are plenty, are just as engaging thanks to a pair of wonderful performances from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy.  Gosling’s turn is understated but you can sense the simmering emotions behind his eyes.  Neil Armstrong is always guarded but driven by past pain as portrayed by Gosling.  Claire Foy is just as strong throughout; so much so that you wished the film spent a bit more time with her but the film is focused on Neil.  It’s an introspective yet epic tale about the man who achieved such a landmark moment in human history.  The flag controversy is thoroughly overblown as the film couldn’t display American achievement anymore than it already does.  First Man is an engaging character study that tries to get us into this pioneer’s headspace and does it with class.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: HALLOWEEN

It's been 40 years since Laurie Strode survived a vicious attack from crazed killer Michael Myers on Halloween night. Locked up in an institution, Myers manages to escape when his bus transfer goes horribly wrong. Laurie now faces a terrifying showdown when the masked madman returns to Haddonfield, Ill. -- but this time, she's ready for him.

Director: David Gordon Green

Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Nick Castle, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Virginia Gardner

Release Date: October 19, 2018

Genres: Horror , Thriller

Rated R for horror violence and bloody images, language, brief drug use and nudity

Runtime: 1h 44 min

Review:

David Gordon Green’s Halloween franchise refresh can be considered a success on multiple levels.  Green and Danny McBride wrote the script and their fandom shines through multiple times with specific call backs or camera techniques throughout the efficient but effective film.  Green occasionally flashes some visual flourishes which give the film a stylish look that makes for a better quality film overall.  The main thing they are able to inject into this entry in the franchise is a sense of fun.  There are well timed jump scares and tension throughout the film but there’s also some well placed comedy which keeps the film from being another soul less sequel.  Michael Myers is scary again even if some of the slasher tropes feel a bit goofy here and there.  Jamie Lee Curtis comes back to her cornerstone franchise and plays her part very well thanks in part to an interesting take on her character.  There are a few surprises here and there but ultimately the film goes exactly where you think its going.  Typically this is a major draw back but the film is so lovingly crafted that fans will be hard pressed not to be impressed by a return to form for one of the hallmark horror franchises. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE

The El Royale is run-down hotel that sits on the border between California and Nevada. It soon becomes a seedy battleground when seven strangers -- a cleric, a soul singer, a traveling salesman, two sisters, the manager and the mysterious Billy Lee -- converge on a fateful night for one last shot at redemption before everything goes wrong.

Director: Drew Goddard

Cast: Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman, Nick Offerman, Chris Hemsworth

Release Date: October 12, 2018

Genres: Mystery , Thriller

Rated R for horror violence, and language including some sexual references

Runtime: 2h 21min

Review:

Bad Times at the El Royale is a solid twisty thriller from Drew Goddard.  You’d be remiss if you didn’t feel some very strong Tarantino vibes throughout mixed together with some Agatha Christie as each individual story plays out.  The film is stylish and engrossing even if the ultimate payoff is bit of a letdown.  Goddard cast is made up of strong performers and a bevy of recognizable faces but Broadway star Cynthia Erivo really leaves an impressive mark.  Jeff Bridges centers the whole thing with a tangible sense of heart with healthy shades of grey.  Jon Hamm does solid work in a limited role and the film is lesser for taking him off the board as early as it does.  A perpetually shirtless Chris Hemsworth is clearly having a blast hamming it up as the cult leader that brings all the plot threads together.  For all the strong performances and stories, you d start to get the sense that Drew Goddard fell in love with his own creation as the film starts to meander towards the end.  There’s really no reason for the film to be nearly 2 and half hours and the film suffers since this type of pulpy fare is best in short doses.  

B

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of First Man and Bad Times at the El Royale

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for First Man and Bad Times at the El Royale.

 

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

 

First on my agenda: First Man.

 

Some stuff you know and probably a lot you didn't know about Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon.

 

First Man is approximately 90% Things-I-Hate-About-Awards-Type-Movies, but I still enjoyed it more than I expected to. Ryan Gosling is terrific in the lead, and his supporting cast--led by the extraordinary Claire Foy--has no trouble keeping pace. The story of Armstrong's personal life is almost as fascinating as his road to the moon, and the film gives equal screen time to each. An over-abundance of extreme close-ups is effective in depicting claustrophobic cockpit conditions, but it gets awkward when it's just folks talking science or eating dinner. Likewise, jiggly camera work and very dark shots work well in putting the viewer inside the craft--often under terrifying circumstances--but otherwise are plain annoying. The movie could have used a bit of a trim, but it never really drags or feels bloated; ultimately the amazing story outweighs any flaws in the filmmaking. Closing with full disclosure: for the duration, all I could think of was Lincoln Osiris trying to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere in an old refrigerator box, which is why they don't let me vote for the Oscars.

First Man clocks in at 141 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some thematic content involving peril, and brief strong language."

 

First Man is a flawed telling of a great story, well worth your movie dollar. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, First Man gets seven and a half.

 

Fangirl points: So many much-loved faces in this one! Shea Whigham! Corey Stoll! Ciaran Hinds! Pablo Schreiber! Brian d'Arcy James! Mister Cory Michael Smith!

 

Next on the docket, one of my most-anticipated titles of the year, Bad Times at the El Royale.

 

Mystery abounds at a past-its-prime hotel that straddles the state line between California and Nevada.

From the trailers, I expected Bad Times at the El Royale to be darkly funny, but instead it's mostly just dark. Smart, twisty storytelling and an exceptional cast should be the envy of Hollywood, with Chris Hemsworth, Cynthia Erivo, and Jeff Bridges turning in exceptionally strong performances. El Royale has layers to spare, and just when you think you've got it figured out, another one peels off to reveal something unexpected. The film boasts superb production design and a strong score by Michael Giacchino. I can't go into much detail without spoiling important plot points, but there are some disturbing and uncomfortable moments that lend a grim tone to the whole, ultimately making it less fun than it might have been, but no less brilliant.

 

Bad Times at the El Royale runs 141 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence, language, some drug content, and brief nudity."

 

Bad Times at the El Royale is one of the best movies I've seen this year...but I probably wouldn't watch it again. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Bad Times at the El Royale gets seven, which would have been eight but for a mean and unnecessary dig at my beautiful home state of West Virginia.

 

Fangirl points: You know it's officially awards season when Shea Whigham starts turning up in everything!

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: VENOM

Journalist Eddie Brock is trying to take down Carlton Drake, the notorious and brilliant founder of the Life Foundation. While investigating one of Drake's experiments, Eddie's body merges with the alien Venom -- leaving him with superhuman strength and power. Twisted, dark and fueled by rage, Venom tries to control the new and dangerous abilities that Eddie finds so intoxicating.

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Jenny Slate, Scott Haze, Reid Scott

Release Date: October 5, 2018

 

Genres: Action , Horror , Sci-Fi

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

Runtime: 1h 36 min

Review:

Venom is a strange silly film that is saved by Tom Hardy’s commitment.  Ruben Fleisher’s movie is loud, tonally erratic and occasionally enjoyable.  When it works it works mostly due to Hardy who’s having a blast in the film.  He’s so incredibly watchable that it almost makes you forget the movie and its overall plot is so basic and tired.  Riz Ahmed and Michelle Williams on the other hand seem to be collecting paychecks.  Neither seems to be terribly excited about their characters probably because their so simplistic and one dimensional.  Fleishcher seems to be channeling 90’s movies for some reason.  Some of the action sequences, like a motorcycle/car chase, feel like they’ve been pulled right out of Michael Bay’s The Rock.  Hardy, to his credit, keeps it from being an outright disaster and if there’s a sequel hopefully it gives him a better overall film.

C+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Venom and A Star is Born

  

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the "strange bedfellows" double-bill of Venom and A Star is Born.

 

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

 

First on the docket: Venom.

 

A down-on-his-luck video-journalist unwittingly merges with an alien life form, turning his world upside down.

 

Venom is a disaster. It's a big miss from Marvel, a company noted for not missing even when all it has to offer is Ant-Man. If not for the supreme good fortune of having Tom Hardy in the lead, the movie would be utterly unwatchable. Thankfully, Hardy seems to be having a blast, which makes at least his performance good fun. The rest is, unfortunately, so stupid as to be no fun at all. With its horrific-looking aliens and an overload of carnage, the movie's PG13 rating feels disingenuous; maybe if they'd tossed in an extra F-word and gone full R the finished product wouldn't seem so lame. A told-to-death backstory, underwhelming effects, and idiotic humor ruin any chance of caring about the characters or what is happening to them. If the Captain Marvel trailer made me think a time is coming when comic-book movies will no longer be must-see for me, then Venom certainly drove home the point. In the immortal words of Nathan from The Full Monty, "That were crap."

Venom clocks in at 112 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for language."

 

Venom ranks among the worst movies I've seen in 2018. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Venom gets two.

 

Next up, the third big-screen rendering of A Star is Born.

 

A superstar musician takes on a talented protege, and romance ensues.

 

Dear reader(s): A Star is Born forces me to offer warring disclaimers. If I'm predisposed to view romantic films with disdain, I'm (at least) equally inclined to love any movie about music or musicians. It is to this film's credit that it's so good I don't think either had much influence on my opinion of the whole.

 

There are a great many positives here, so we'll start with the most obvious: the performances of the film's leads, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. I dig Bradley Cooper. Since The A-Team came out in 2010, my ringtone has been Steely Dan's Reelin' in the Years, so when the phone rings I can hope it's Bradley Cooper. (Spoiler alert: It's never Bradley Cooper.) I will watch Cooper in anything, and I think he elevates any project lucky enough to have him. At this point, it should be no surprise to anyone that he is amazing, though at times I still worry he's so ridiculously good-looking as to be sold short. Here he's no less than Oscar worthy, and (now that Gary Oldman has his!), I genuinely hope that this is Cooper's year. In his debut behind the camera, his top-notch direction may garner him additional hardware. Gaga is also terrific. She's served well by her own experiences, and I won't be at all surprised if she, too, bathes in awards love this winter. The picture's original songs are solid, though I much preferred the guitar-driven numbers performed by Cooper's band to Gaga's epic ballads. If you're still having a hard time getting over all the accolades heaped on LaLa Land's lackluster songs and middling vocals, this movie should be the cure for what ails you. The film runs a bit long, and the story is sort-of hokey at times--as love stories are--but it's well told enough and the characters so engaging that it's a petty quibble. I don't think it's spoilery to warn that A Star is Born is a tearjerker--the woman behind me was sobbing so hard I thought we were going to have to call the EMTs--so bring the Kleenex.

 

A Star is Born runs 135 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout, some sexuality/nudity, and substance abuse."

 

A Star is Born offers a new take on a timeless tale, showcasing some truly extraordinary performances and firing perhaps the first real shots of this awards season.

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, A Star is Born gets eight.

 

Fangirl points: Look, there's really no need for me to say any more about Bradley Cooper, but...did I mention Bradley Cooper with long hair and a guitar? *sigh*

 

Until next time...