Rogue One

Rogue One

You do not have to be a devotee of the Star Wars saga to see this film, but it defiantly helps. This movie is advertised as a standalone feature presumably to attract new audiences, but there are definitely similarities that establish lineage. Rogue One is a prequel to the 1977 Star Wars movie, A New Hope. The basic story is the rebel’s efforts for a way to destroy the Death Star (stop screaming plot spoilers, this is in the coming attractions).

This movie is like one of those concentration games where you find hidden characters. Some characters are obvious others are not. Then there are plot tie ins which are mind numbing. Folks who go to ComicCon, in full regalia, quiver with excitement connecting the dots between the two films. I only spotted four archived characters (not bad for my age).

The film defiantly has the Star Wars flavor. Rebels fighting the Empire. Lots of alien characters new and old. Huge computer graphics and epic battles. The aerial (space) battles retained the inspired dog fights from actual wars.

There are new characters, some are wonderful. Felicity Jones is the main protagonist, Jyn Erso, the daughter of an important Rebel scientist. I am going on a limb, but I was not impressed, she is too generic (where is Lara Croft when you need her). She is as threating as a shop lifter in Victoria’s Secret. Mads Mikkelsen plays a good guy! He is Jyn’s father. There is a blind samurai, Donnie Yen who channels the Force. Jiang Wen, a Rebel warrior and side kick to Yen who needs a bath. Alan Tudyk , a wonderful comic actor, is a rebel droid. The film would have benefited from more of his comedic dialog. The great Forest Whitaker is literally half a man with a terrible accent. The green card actors are Diego Luna and Riz Ahmed. Diego was effective as a rebel fighter. Riz not so much as a Rebel pilot. Many of the characters were killed off, which is strange for a franchise that uses recurring characters to bridge films.

Then there are the CG character recreations. One was spot on; I thought he was dead; he is dead. The other character looked like she stayed to long in Dunkin Donuts.

No matter what I say here, this film is going to make a ton of bucks. Should you see it? If you secretly keep a light saber under your bed, yes. Otherwise, prey for the for the third Tomb Raider film.

Manchester by the Sea

Manchester by the Sea

A better name for this movie would be Misery by the Sea. This movie is so depressing it could be an ad for Prozac. I fell for the Art House mystic. Rotten Tomato’s gave the film a 97 rating, the banter on in the press was effusive and I went to Times Talk to hear Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams and the director Kenneth Lonergan extol the film.  One thing I did not do was read reviews or had any idea about the plot.

There are two main story lines. Affleck has been told he is the legal guardian of his nephew, played by Lucas Hedges, after his brother died and a tragic incident in the past ending his marriage to Michelle William’s character and driving him into numbing despair. Affleck’s approach to his character is low keyed almost monotoned. The only time he breaks out of his funk is to have a bar fight. Even when he rises above the fray his passion is subdued. It is even keeled numbness.

Affleck was surprised to be his nephew’s guardian. He does not want the responsibility nor does he want to return to Manchester. For his part the Hedges, the nephew, does not want to be looked after by his uncle or leave Manchester. Hedges coping mechanism after the death of his father is to try to get into the pants of his girlfriend (he has two of them). Affleck’s relationship with his nephew is raucous. They achieve a tentative truce and manage to be with each other.

Michelle Williams is Affleck’s ex-wife. She delivers an excellent performance and shows a range of emotions that frames the film. Whereas Affleck stymied his life, she has moved on, grew and started a new family. She has empathy for Affleck but he shuts her out.  A light moment in the movie was when she uttered of the “F” word in an effected Boston accent.

Flash backs are used to reveal the terrible past and how relationships crumbled. The flashbacks were done well. I though the tragic incident was a bit contrived. What made this picture so depressing was bad situations were mainly unchanged. There was no redemption. Sadness was not resolved, it just got old. It did not seem right to pay $12.00 for a depressing movie ticket when I can get all the depressing news for free.

Hacksaw Ridge

Hacksaw Ridge

This is more than a war movie. It is about love, faith, the human spirt and yes the horrors of war. Andrew Garfield gives a tour de force in his portrayal of Desmond Doss the Medal of Honor recipient. This is a true story of Doss who during WWII signal handedly as a medic saved several wounded soldiers. As a Seventh Day Advantest, he could not carry a gun and wanted to serve as a conscientious objector. His soldiers labeled him a coward.

Garfield’s performance in impassioned. It ranges from a smittened farm boy, to a wrongly persecuted coward to a war hero dedicated to saving the lives of his comrades. His execution of these phases anchors the film. Commitment to his religion is the source of his denigration by military commanders and the foundation of his courage. Garfield maneuvers these transitions with aplomb.

Vince Vaughn played his role as Sargent Howell with modified swagger (that must have been very hard). His repartee was front and center assigning tender humiliating name to the troops. This was a new level of acting for him which he executed well.

Hugo Weaver is Desmond’s tortured father a veteran of the first world war suffering from survivor’s guilt and is an abusive alcoholic. His convincing performance as a broken man who knows the horrors that will confront his son. Sam Worthington plays Captain Glover. Not much to say his performance, but it was nice seeing him again.

This movie has been compared to Saving Private Ryan. Hacksaw Ridge is more nuanced. Desmond’s back story of falling in love at first sight with his wife and remaining true to his faith give the movie more dimensions than a straight forward war movie. One thing in common with Saving Private Ryan is the horrific portrayal of war. You are no less a man or woman for closing your eyes.

Mel Gibson is many things. He is an Uber Catholic, an anti-Semite and a drunk. He is also an Academy Award winner director (Brave Heart). This film is a bravo performance and unless there is movie magic in the next two months the film may get an academy nomination.

In the end of the film there is footage of the real Desmond Doss. He was a slight man but he carried the Medal of Honor with same valor he rescued his commands. He saved an estimated 75 men. He died in 2006, he was 87 years old. God bless.

Dr. Strange

Dr. Strange

The recent crop of super hero movies has been disappointing, especially for DC. This sentient is well founded but you will be sorely remised if you skip Dr. Strange. If not the best 2016 super hero film it is right up there. The script is well written and all plot twists are comprehensible. The end does get a bit weird, a small deficit compared to the whole.

Benedict Cumberbatch is wonderful as Dr. Strange. He plays it straight showing vulnerability undermining supreme confidence. He is a renowned neurosurgeon who finds himself in the Himalayas seeking guidance (God forbid I say why). Tilda Swinton “The Ancient One “is his sensei of dark arts. Her que bald head lends credibility to the mysticism she projects. Her solemnity and tranquil confidence underlie formidable superpowers and dark secrets. As with all “grasshoppers” (Google Kung Fu 1970’s TV show) Strange gets the crap beat out of him until he masters the mysterious arts.

The villain is Mads Mikkelsen (The guy with the bleeding eye in Casino Royal). Mads is currently the go to villain, it must be that warm Nordic blood. His face glows with vengeance through sinister eyes. He is a master of the black arts and Dr. Strange’s foe. The battle scenes are epic and fit the fantastic realm of the story.

Racheal McAdams is Dr. Strange’s girlfriend in the physical world. She to is a surgeon working in the same hospital. She is always a delight to see but her role here is minimal. She is in some important scenes and her repartee with Strange provides some levity. Another character is played by Chiwetel Ejiofor who is an ally of Strange and a fellow master. There are many other characters and they all work well together making for a smoothly cohesive film. The director’s vision comes through.

The big star of the movie is the special effects, they are fantastic. The film liberally took concepts from Chris Nolan’s “Inception” with the folding cities. The scenes here are more complex and extreme; Escher would have been very impressed. There were many fight scenes and none boring. I think the special effects will be at least Oscar nominated. As proof of how good the film was I did not fall asleep, at least I think I did not.

If you think I am over selling this film, I am not. Given the elections we need a little magic to make someone go” POOF!!!”.

Deep Water Horizon

Deep Water Horizon

This is a disaster movie with sub-titles. The oil rig’s catastrophic destruction overwhelms the film. Any human-interest stories are marginalized by non-stop devastation. This is a very technical film. Laced in the dialogue are explanations of the rig’s operation and what went catastrophically wrong. Big pressure dials, lots of buttons are displayed to show the rig’s complexity. Peter Berg, the director, did an effective job depicting the disaster and fatal decisions leading up to the explosion. But the annihilation becomes wearisome.

The first hour of the movie is set up. The movie starts with Mark Walberg and Kate Hudson wife and husband waking up in bed. Walberg has lost his Calvin Kiln underwear model six pack replaced by just one pack and Hudson is puffy in the wrong places (desperately needs a manicure). From there things escalate. There are some fine performances. Kurt Russell who plays Mr. Jimmy the tough but compassionate rig boss and John Malkovich is his counter point. Malkovich is the BP executive desperate to meet deadlines by cutting expenses. The clash between Russell and Malkovich is the start of cataclysmic dominos culminating in the death of eleven men and culminating in billions of dollars in damage.

The movie gives short shrift to the ensuing ecological disaster. Over 130 million gallons of oil was released into the Gulf polluting 1,100 miles of shore lines. Countless numbers of wild life perished. BP would pay $20b to settle claims. Berg just gave one sentence at the end of the film.

Unless you are a rough neck or a bored retired catastrophe underwriter this film is not for you. 

Birth of a Nation

Birth of a Nation

The momentum of this movie was sluggish, especially the first third. The problem with doing a true story, the ending (for the most part) is known.  The lead up to the climax drags on a bit and anticipation can be a distraction.  Early scenes were a combination of benevolent treatment of young Nat by his masters interspersed with brutalization of slaves by their owners. These horrible acts molded Turner’s character and would serve as a catalyst later on.

 His elders’ saw Nat Turner as a scared child and a future leader. Early on he was tutored to read, but the Bible was the only book slaves were permitted to read. In turn he became a slave preacher. To make money his owner took him to different plantations to preach to the slaves. The real purpose was not religious instruction but another form of control. At these plantations, the cruelties he witnessed seared his mind.  

We (most of us) have seen the brutality of slavery from films like” Twelve Years a Slave” and “Roots”, nevertheless some scenes depicted were hard to watch (I closed my eyes during one shot). If the “N” word bothers you or seeing lots and lots of lynchings disturbs you, this not your movie. I do not wish to diminish the historical importance the Nat Turner’s revolt but reading about it and seeing it are two different things. This is a heroic movie, but tough to watch.

The lead actor is Nate Parker. The director is Nate Parker; the author is Nate Parker and the producer is Nate Parker. His work is commendable; but perhaps another set of eyes would have brought a different perspective. Parker’s acting was commendable and in the horrific last scenes more demanding. He was more effective as an avenging messianic leader than a soft-spoken preacher.

Armie Hammer plays Turner’s master. They go from boyhood friends to beneficent master to slave whipping owner. Hammer is so laid back he sleeps in most scenes. He portrays the dilemmas of befriending a slave and holding him accountable for transgressions required in ways dictated at the time. Penelope Ann Miller played the wife of the slave owner, I did not recognize her. Time is a cruel master.

If you are not familiar with the Nat Turner revolt of 1831, see the movie first. The Nat Turner revolt is pivotal in American history; it portends the Civil War.

p.s.-This movie has nothing to do with W.D. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation”-1915.

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

The last time there was this much testosterone in one place is when the Russian women’s track team were in town. With all the dead bodies the magnificent seven shot they used every bit of their hormone. As gruesome as this sounds the movie is uplifting and enjoyable. The bad guy, played by Peter Sarsgaad, is murdering the locals and pillaging the town for its gold. The good guy, Denzel Washington, who ironically is all dressed in black riding a black horse is hired by a widow seeking revenge for the death of her husband.

The movie harkens back to the old western films. The town is a bunch of rickety wooden buildings. There are sweeping landscapes with red rock formations shaped like castles. There were the usual western outposts: the general stores, and the undertaker looking for business. There are saloon women of questionable reputations. These “ladies” looked a hell of a lot better than the original 1960 movie (but what did I know I was 11 at the time).

 The cast is wonderful. Their comradery was a work in progress jelling together at the critical moment; they are sympatico. All seven play important roles, but Denzel Washington, Chris Platt and Ethan Hawke have air time. Denzel is a steely eyed gun slinger who leads the seven. Chris Pratt delivers comic banter, but he is a dead shot also. Ethan Hawke is a former confederate soldier haunted by past battles.  Peter Sarsgaad interpretation of evil is sublime. With his pinched sweaty face and beady eyes, he kills without compunction.  The body count in the movie is impress but without gore. The bitter taste of revenge is palatable

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What was impressive about the movie was the minor characters contributed to movie with their own back stories and heroic deeds. The widow, played by Haley Bennett, held her own in the gun fights. She was the spirit of the resistance and a natural leader

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Honorable mention goes to Denzel Washington’s body double. His trick riding was quite impressive. No way did Denzel do that ridding. Oh, do I assume too much? I am sure Denzel and I acquired our equestrian skills at the same place, the Merry-Go-Round at Coney Island.

Homage must be paid to Akera Kurasawa’s film the Seven Samari which inspired both versions of the Magnificent Seven. Domo Agrigato.

Hellor High Water

Hell or High Water

This film takes place in Texas; maybe West Texas, but who cares. The film features prosaic tenets of old TV westerns. There are two brothers robbing banks, the hated foreclosures bank, the fat slow moving Texas Ranger who is smarter than he looked. There was a zaftig floozy making the moves on Pine’s character but nothing happened.

The movie’s mood is sullen. The small towns are dusty and lonely. The brazen robberies are a juxtaposition to the towns phlegmatic existence. Aside from a busted nose to one gets killed during the robbery.

Chris Pine is the quite smart brother. He is the brains behind the robberies. This is a chance for Pine to break away the “Captain Kirk” persona and show more dramatic talent. He did good job, but honestly nothing was a stretch.  Ben Foster the other brother who is an ex con who is impulsive and reckless.  They rob numerous small local banks. They only take the draw money. There is a method to their madness of which becomes apparent as the movie unfolds.  It is not complicated.

Texas is land of the Second Amendment. When you pull a gun out in a bank there is a high probably lots of guns pointing back at you. This scene was one of the few funny scenes in the movie.

Jeff Bridges is the Texas Ranger pursuing the brothers. His performance nearly highjacks the movie. Not only was his character portrayal great, but he was hysterical.  He has a long suffering partner named Alberto, who is half Mexican and half Comanche. Bridges spews a continues stream of ethnic jabs, which Alberto takes in good nature. They are like an old married couple.  Bridges is the wise old cop a few months away from retirement. He is tuned into the bank robbers and they play a deadly cat and mouse game.

This movie has received high acclamation from the critics. This not a great movie?  It a good movie. If you can restrain yourself wait for On Demand.

Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

This movie mildly met my expectations. As a package it was fun to watch and in many ways nostalgic. Anyone who saw the iconic 1984 version would be naturally curious. Some performances were weak while others acceptable, but none were wickedly funny. The problem with a “reboot” is it wants to hang on to its linage but at the same time has the challenge to be fresh. The director and writers played this movie safe. Cast chemistry was very good. No one character dominated.

Melissa McCarthy has two basic personas, Tammy (wild woman) and Maggie from Saint Vincent.  Here Maggie as the lead scientist appeared. McCarthy was too low keyed and mostly unfunny. Her signature physical antics were absent. A subdued Melissa McCarthy is like watching strippers dance with their clothes on.

Kristin Wiig was the other scientist. Aside from some horny physical attraction to Hemsworth she was relegated as a mumbling worry worth. She is a very witty actress and could have contributed more to her role.

Kate McKinnon was the ordnance maven. She fabricated all sorts of ghostbusting weaponry (reminiscent of the 1984 movie). She sported a frozen a mad scientist look. Even with a limited guise she was funny in several spots even with little dialogue.

Leslie Jones has been described as a force of nature (I describe her as the last person you want to be stuck in an elevator with). Her performance in SNL is aggressive and wild. Here she was relegated to being a mere human. She was essential to the film but restraining here character was a mistake

At first I was not enthusiastic with Chris Hemsworth. The beefcake blond bird brain stereotype was obvious and unimaginative.  But his role grows on you and he has some funny skits. If the writers had more nerve they would have exploited sexual angle with Wiig. A three some with a ghost would have been edgy; calling Patrick Swayze. 

The movie was more effective when it was physical. Being slimed is still fun and fighting specters is what ghostbueters do. There are some end of the world battles. Chaos was done well.

Interestingly the special effects were not much different from the 1984 original. After thirty-two years you would expect some significant innovations. May be the director wanted to connect with the past.  Sadly, the Marshmallow Man did not appear.

There were some wonderful  nostalgic cameos from the 1984 movie.  The big names all seemed to have a good time and boosted the movie. Missing was the “Key Master”, Rick Moranis. He was asked but declined to appear.

This movie has its weak points, but there is enough to make it watchable. For those over sixty this s a nostalgic walk. Hey, for the rest of you can do worse. Until the “Suicide Squad “opens.

p.s. Theme music is the same as the original-why mess with perfect.

Tarzan

Tarzan

As a boy I was a Tarzan fan. My Tarzan was Johnny Weissmuller. He was German American and a five-time Olympic gold medal winner in swimming. He was not great actor, but the shows were action packed. Swinging from vines, riding elephants using his famous jungle call (which he patented). The focus of the films was action sprinkled with accidental acting.

This action flick this film was slow to get going. There was plot set up, convincing Tarzan to return to Africa, flash backs explaining the back story (done well). It dragged on a bit, but the pace quickened later on with human and non-human battles.

The 2016 Tarzan is a blond Swedish actor named is Alexander Skarsgard (before acting he was a model-dah). He is an obvious departure from traditional Tarzans but it does not detract from the action. His acting a bit stiff, but what he lacks in nuance he makes up in physicality. It took an hour and sixteen minutes before he took his shirt off. The guy is ripped. I stopped counting abs at twelve. He fights apes (not too well), natives and evil white men. He looks great on the vines.

 Margot Robbie is Jane. She is bubbly. Even in dire situation she remains rosy.  Whatever happens she knows Tarzan will come for her. This is a theme of the film, Tarzan’s devotion to Jane. There are geopolitical crises afoot and Jane is used as the bait.

Christoph Waltz is the villain who is in the service of King Leopold of Belgium. The plot is to enslave the Congolese natives and plunger their diamonds. Waltz is an admired actor but when he plays the bad guy with Natizi characteristics, you just want to punch him in the nose. He gives a solid performance absent repartee. This made his performance dower. Some levity would have been most welcomed.

Samuel L Jackson is an American named George Washington Williams who accompanies Tarzan back to Africa. Jackson does not even try to use of 19^th century speech cadence. He is still talks like the man on the plane with does M….F…. snakes. His performance grows on you as he tries to keep up with Tarzan. In part It becomes a buddy movie.

Poor Dijmon Hounsou, someone had to go native and he pulled the short straw. He plays the chief of fierce tribe and is Tarzan’s mortal enemy. His fierceness is compromised by wearing a little leopard skin skull cap and mittens with claws. He is intimidating any disguise, but the mittens kill it.

A problem of the movie is actors seem to be on different planes. Skarsgard is too serious, Robbie is too bubbly, Jackson seems to be playing in another movie and Waltz is graven. For movie to coalesce there needs to be some acting consistency.

For $180m production cost I think more action was expected. With some of the disappointing cinematic fair out there this is not the worst movie you can see. Just calibrate your expectations

Spoiler Alert- No loincloths are worn. Anyway who wants to see Samuel L Jackson in a loincloth.

Independence Day-Resurgence

Independence Day-Resurgence

In 1996, the day before leaving for Switzerland, I went to the midnight show of Independence Day. It was a highly anticipated film. The special effects were impressive (who can forget the Empire State building exploding). The story was transparent and the film had humor.  It was also very lucrative.

This movie is a mess. It uses five writers. The more writers used the more chaotic the film becomes. With all the destruction, this film resembles a demolition derby rather than a movie. Destruction is pervasive; it is the hallmark of the film. No landmark on any continent is spared. The original film also used destruction but the director had a purpose, to use it as the catalyst to fight the aliens

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The actors were mere props. Some of the acting was stilted and others uninspired. There were actors from the original film: Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsh, Vivica A. Fox (the striper mom).  They did not energize the film. Pictures of Will Smith were plastered on the walls of the White House so he must be dead (Actually he was filming Suicide Squad). His grown son was his stand in. Liam Hemsworth (Thor’s brother) is one of the leads. No one’s acting was memorable, including Harmsworth’s, but good looks forgive many sins.

The essence of the plot is “let’s get them before they get us”. Same as the other flick but here bedlam highjacks the film. The movie wallowed in excessive and expensive CG. This is a weakness of the poor writing and feckless directing.  The production cost is $165m (plus advertising= $330m). I hope the Chinese (their market rivals ours) have a large appetite for schlock.  

p.s.-To kill time I snuck into the movie “The Shallows” with Blake Lively. I was more curious than interested. I caught the last third of the film. From what I saw It was very good; tension was palatable with Blake trying to outwit a shark. The setup is she is stuck on an out crop of rocks and only a few yards from shore and high tide is rising. The shark waits. The shark made human sashimi of some errant surfers. Jaws is the holy grail for this genera. This film is a worthy candidate for shark movies.

X Men Apocalypse

 X Men Apocalypse

This probably is the worst written superhero film to date. Four writers are credited for this mess implying there were several rewrites and they still didn’t get it right. The divergent subplots did not coalesce. The overall plot is simple, world domination (it took four guys to figure this out!). Getting there was overly complicated. The disappointment is this film follows the last film” X Men First Class” which was a critical and financial success.

The cast is voluminous, with major and minor characters. The stalwarts are:

James McEvoy as professor Charles Xavier

Michael Fassbinder as Magneto

Jennifer Lawrence as Mystic

Nicholas Hoult as Beast

Having so many characters strains the cohesiveness of the film and sometimes is a distraction. Utilizing these characters was a challenge the director and writers failed. Some performances are brief and lacked impact. Remembering their names and powers is challenging for anyone over 60. Please refer to Wikipedia. 

Jennifer Lawrence is out of costume and looked especially fetching with blond tendrils falling on her shoulder. But when duty calls she releases her inner Smurf and transforms into Mystic blue and nude. Wolverine makes a cameo appearance. He is a human Cuisinart shredding soldiers with his talons. McEvoy and Fassbinder rekindle their love hate relationship. As the bad boy Fassbinder does little talking but much damage. McEvoy reprises his savoir of mankind role. There acting was a snooze,

The villain En Sabah Nur, the “First Mutant” (I thought that was Keith Richards?), is played by Oscar Isaac. With makeup and prosthesis, he is nearly unrecognizable, which for the sake of his career is a good thing. His star trajectory is on the rise (Star Wars, Ex Machina) so this role hopefully will just be a bump in his career

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For the most part the film was dower. Repartee was serious and not light hearted.  This movie is another downward spiral for the superhero genera. What hold the presses, to date the movie has made $402m (production cost $178m). Forget what I said!

Captain America-Civil War

This is my 100^th review

Captain America-Civil War

One of the best things about this movie was absence of Batman. Contrasting Civil War (CW) with Batman vs Superman frames what makes CW a financial and critical success. The plot is understandable, with a few twits, as opposed to the fog of B v S. The actors have good chemistry even when they fight each other. Relations in B v S turned toxic. Robert Downy Jr.’s sarcastic repartee and sharp comments from other actors lightened up the drama. Humor was sorely absent from B v S, making it grim. CW has an unfair advantage using two directors, Antony and Joe Russo. Given the mess B v S, even with a lifeline from a second director, the movie would still have drowned. One thing both have in common is former allies battling each other; hey just like the Republican Party.

Captain America is the leader of the rebellious faction, opposed by Ironman and his team. There are guest appearances by non-Avenger super heroes making solid contributions to the movie. Chadwick Boseman (a.k.a. James Brown, the perfect preparation for his role), stars as Panther the first black Marvel super hero.  He is in neither camp, but mainly fights Captain America with his steel claws. The return of the Winter Solider, Sabastian Stan, provides a pivotal role. He is the childhood best friend of Captain America and is cast as villain. Captain America’s conflicted loyalties create the underlying tension of the movie.

 CG is the back bone of the film and done well. The stunt work was impressive and garnered positive responses from the audience.  The unrelenting explosions and pyrotechnics hastened the movie’s two and half hour run time (much appreciated by the elderly and their bladder).

A big part of the movie is the battle royal; some scenes were quite intense.  The steam of insults and witticisms hurled by the actors provided comic counter point to the mayhem.  Scarlett Johansson is skilled at deflating male egos. Robert Downy Jr.’s motor mouth runs on.

The film’s production cost is $250m ($500m with advertising). Internationally the movie made $291m, and prospects for domestic box office are huge. This means Hollywood will be churning out more superhero movies.  “Nothing succeeds like success”.

At the end of the movie the audience applauded as did I; the producers were delighted.

p.s.- Make sure to check out the credit ending.

Hardcore Henry

Hardcore Henry

Do not see this movie. It is a kinetic orgy of ultra-violence. The movie’s shtick is filming using a GoPro Hero 3 camera strapped to Henry’s forehead. What we see are Henry’s arm and legs flaying around. This unique cinematic technique is good for about two minutes, then it gets boring (the extreme sports crowd does GoPro better). Without this gimmick this film would just be another splatter film.

Henry is a cyborg, part human part machine. The movie is nonstop battle between Henry and a telekinetic mercenary leader and his army. The whole movie rotates on the different ways of killing and maiming people. One interesting aspect of the movie is it is shot in Moscow and you see its grand old buildings and in contrast the filthy underbelly of urban decay littered with drugs and graffiti. There are scant subtitles translating Russian.

There are two actors of note. The South African actor Sharlto Copley (he was in District 9 and Elysium) who plays Jimmy a cyborg who helps Henry. There are many copies of Jimmy and when as one gets killed another pops up. The other actor is Tim Roth. Roth’s screen time is brief I think out of embarrassment.

At the theater they gave out Hardcore Henry comic books. I left mine in the bathroom, which is an apt metaphor for this film.

Midnight Special

Midnight Special

This film is a modest sci-fi movie with a small cast of actors. The story is about a boy with mysterious powers who is abducted   by his father and driven to a secret location.  Bits of the boy’s powers are revealed during the journey and with every new revelation suspense grows. The trip to the final destination is littered with peril because the federal government wants to integrate him and members from an apocalyptic church, from which he escaped, are hunting him and believe he is a spiritual compass.

Michael Shannon is the father. This is a different role for Shannon. Blessed with a face of a stone cold killer he usually plays bad guy. He was General Zod in Man of Steel and played a vicious hit man in the Iceman who actually froze his victims. Here he plays a loving father willing to risk his life for his son. His affection was genuine.

Joel Edgerton joins Shannon on the journey. Edgerton is usually in leading roles so this supporting turn is a bit unusual. The role is not demanding. Kristin Dunst plays the mother. She comes in half way through the movie. She gives her usual sleepy laid back performance.

The boy is played by Jaeden Leiberher (Oliver in St. Vincent). He is very good in this role keeping a level of composure during the high risk journey. For the most part he controls of his powers but things do get out of hand on the road.

Adam Driver is not a big box office draw yet but he gives yeoman’s work in this film. From his appearance in Girls to Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens his resume is growing impressively. Here he is an NAS agent trying to decipher information from the boy.

Computer Graphics do not play a big role in the film which is unusual for a sci-fi movie, except for the end which is fantastic. This movie has a definite feel of Close Encounter of the Third Kind . The ending is spectacular and tender. A good movie for the whole family.

Batman vs Superman Dawn of Justice

Batman vs Superman Dawn of Justice

This movie is confusing. The plot lines are like pick up sticks strewn about. Scenes appear to be helter skelter and transitioning is not obvious (no I did not fall asleep…I think). There is mayhem galore and a bit too violent for PG-13; I think the PG-13 was a push for the sake box office. Most of the movie is dark and violent. Except for two funny lines (which are in the trailer) the movie is basically humorless.

Henry Cavill reprises his Superman persona from the Man of Steel film. Good hearted as always and Clark Kent is still a nerd (but better dressed). Lois Lane as played by Amy Adams has a relationship with Superman.  My hope soared when there was a potent hot seen between Superman and Lois, but they kept their clothes on.

Ben Affleck’s Batman is grim. His battles with Superman and others were brutal. Batman wears bulky armor that resembles the Lego Batman. The biggest miscasting is Jeremy Irons as Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred. Irons is devoid of humility and if you want a cup of coffee you better get it yourself.

Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luther was extremely annoying with his twitchy dialogue and piercing unnerving glares. His interpretation of the character is off the mark. Also Lex Luther with a mop of hair is anathema.

Wonder Woman is played by Gal Gadot, a former Miss Israel and super model. She played the sexy Brazilian cop in the Fast and the Furious movie. I have a problem, TV’s Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter (with her boom boom hips), is imprinted on my brain as the WW archetype.  Gadot makes a great model but is too thin to be a super hero; she has a credibility problem. A Subway sandwich has more meat on it than she does.

This movie is not terrible, just bad in places. The film is bullet proof, it has already broken box office records. It needs to clear $800m before it is in the black, which it will probably get. The challenge for the studios is selling the other lesser DC hero movies (including WW) which are coming soon. If you are part of the Fan base you will be forgiving of the movie’s short comings. Otherwise Downton Abbey is on demand.

Eye in the Sky

Eye in the Sky

This film had lofty ideas but it fell flat on its face. The movie focuses on the politicization of a drone attack targeting high level terrorists and conflicting with the military agenda. The politicians and the military are at odds on how to proceed with the drone strike. The politicians are incapable of making a decision and play political hot potato deferring to their superiors. This goes on for a while and instead of creating an atmosphere of suspense it becomes tedious.

Helen Mirren is the Colonel impatiently waiting for the go ahead.  Alan Rickman is the liaison Lt. General dealing with the politicians. Arron Paul is the drone pilot. Barkhad Abdi plays Jama Farah, a Kenyan undercover agent (he was a pirate in the Captain Philips movie). There really is not much acting going on in the war room. As this may be his last film it is sad to see Rickman sitting in the war room trying to get bickering officials to reach agreement.  If this feckless bunch were hunting Osama Bin Laden he would still be in Pakistan collecting a pension.

There is more action during the drone strike. The deployment of the missile is delayed because of collateral damage; in this case one person. This caused another round of indecision and procrastination. Targeting the safe house had to be recalculated to Helen Mirren’s consternation.  

How they handled collateral damage is the movie’s moral lynch pin. Not to be too callus, collateral damage depends on what end of the attack you are on. To prevent another terrorist attack would you accept the cost of collateral damage?

10 Cloverfield Lane

10 Cloverfield Lane

In 2008 the movie Cloverfield was released. I assumed 10 Cloverfield Lane was either a prequel or a sequel. No, this is a “spiritual successor”. I told my son I never heard of this expression and he said it is because I am old. For those of you too embarrassed to ask, here is the definition:

A Spiritual Successor is a type of sequel that is not part of the same world or story as its predecessor, but is nonetheless considered to be a successor because it's made by the same creators; shares common themes, styles, or elements; or, most likely, both. In other words, it's a sequel "in spirit.

This is a doomsday/sci-fi movie. There are three principles: John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Gallagher Jr. The small ensemble sustains the movie’s tension and focus. Goodman plays Harold the farmer turned doomsday fanatic who constructs a bunker. Winstead plays Michelle, who is rescued by Howard after an auto accident and taken to his bunker. Gallagher plays Emmett who is a farm worker who stows away in the bunker.

The essence of the movie is you are not sure what is real. Is Goodman really a survivalist or is he totally unbalanced. Is the atmosphere toxic or this is what Goodman wants you to believe? Is he benevolent or does he want to keep Michelle and Emmett captive? Conflicting clues support both positions.

Goodman usually plays the happy fat guy. He is terrific in this role as the doomsday fanatic.  He does not over play the role. I am not familiar with Winstead’s work but she played her role well showing vulnerability and grit. The movie has an atmosphere of suspense. Unexpected things happen making you jump. The film holds your attention completely.

 My one critique is the set up took a little bit too long. If Alfred Hitchcock did a sci-fi/end of the world thriller it would resemble this film. For fear of life and limb I will not say more about the plot (there is lots more). Hint, during the last half hour do not go to the bathroom.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

There must be a special place in hell for people who make misleading movie trailers. This movie is falsely advertised as a Tina Fey comedy. The Tina Fey part is true, the comedy part is false. This film is a dull Afghan war correspondent movie with hints of comedy. The majority of these comedic gems can be seen for free in movie and TV ads. What is left is a listless war film without direction or heart (they needed two directors for this film, only God knows why).

Tina Fey is a news writer from New York who volunteers to go to Afghanistan as a war correspondent and stays for three years. She becomes addicted to the rush of war. All the clichés are present. She catches her fiancés being unfaithful on Skype (wait, that’s funny); there are torrid alcoholic infused parties (no Talibans were harmed in the making of this movie); casual and uncasual sex; the horrors of war, but not too many since this is a comedy.

Why do they need A listed stars to make this shlock? Margot Robbie is the camp trampoline; Billy Bob Thornton is the tough but soft hearted general; Martin Freeman is the hard drinking Scottish photo journalist who is Fay’s lover. In the Hobbit he plays Bilbo Baggins; now Bilbo having sex that’s funny! Alfred Molina plays a corrupt Afghan minister who is nearly unrecognizable with his beard and hair blending into one big mop.

So why did I go see this movie? Tina Fey is a smart and funny comedian, so I went with the brand. Too bad movies do not come with a list of ingredients.   

2016 Oscar Nominations

2016 Oscar Nominations

Yellow jc picks; red winners; red on yellow jc correct pick

BEST PICTURE

·         The Big Short

·         Bridge of Spies

·         Brooklyn

·         Mad Max: Fury Road

·         The Martian

·         The Revenant

·         Room

·         Spotlight

BEST ACTOR

·         Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

·         Matt Damon, The Martian

·         Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

·         Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

·         Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

BEST ACTRESS

·         Cate Blanchett, Carol

·         Brie Larson, Room

·         Jennifer Lawrence, Joy

·         Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years

·         Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

·         Christian Bale, The Big Short

·         Tom Hardy, The Revenant

·         Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight

·         Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

·         Sylvester Stallone, Creed

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

·         Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight

·         Rooney Mara, Carol

·         Rachel McAdams, Spotlight

·         Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

·         Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

DIRECTING

·         Adam McKay - The Big Short

·         George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road

·         Alejandro G. Iñárritu - The Revenant

·         Lenny Abrahamson - Room

·         Tom McCarthy - Spotlight

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

·         Anomalisa

·         Boy and the World

·         Inside Out

·         Shaun the Sheep Movie

·         When Marnie Was There

COSTUME DESIGN

·         Carol

·         Cinderella

·         The Danish Girl

·         Mad Max: Fury Road

·         The Revenant

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

·         Amy

·         Cartel Land

·         The Look of Silence

·         What Happened, Miss Simone?

·         Winter on Fire

DOCUMENTARY SHORT

·         Body Team

·         Chau, Beyond the Lines

·         Claude Lanzmann

·         A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness

·         Last Day of Freedom

MAKEUP AND HAIR STYLING

·         Mad Max: Fury Road

·         The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

·         The Revenant

ORIGINAL SONG

·         "Earned It" - Fifty Shades of Grey

·         "Manta Ray" - Racing Extinction

·         "Simple Song #3" - Youth

·         "Til It Happens to You" - The Hunting Ground

·         "Writing's on the Wall" - Spectre

ANIMATED SHORT

·         Bear Story

·         Prologue

·         Sanjay's Super Team

·         We Can't Live Without Cosmos

·         World of Tomorrow

SOUND EDITING

·         Mad Max: Fury Road

·         Sicario

·         Star Wars: The Force Awakens

·         The Martian

·         The Revenant

FILM EDITING

·         The Big Short

·         Mad Max: Fury Road

·         The Revenant

·         Spotlight

·         Star Wars: The Force Awakens

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

·         Embrace of the Serpent

·         Mustang

·         Son of Saul

·         Theeb

·         A War

ORIGINAL SCORE

·         Bridge of Spies

·         Carol

·         The Hateful Eight

·         Sicario

·         Star Wars: The Force Awakens

PRODUCTION DESIGN

·         Bridge of Spies

·         The Danish Girl

·         Mad Max: Fury Road

·         The Martian

·         The Revenant

VISUAL EFFECTS

·         Ex Machina

·         Mad Max: Fury Road

·         The Martian

·         The Revenant

·         Star Wars: The Force Awakens

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

·         The Big Short

·         Brooklyn

·         Carol

·         The Martian

·         Room

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

·         Bridge of Spies

·         Ex Machina

·         Inside Out

·         Spotlight

·         Straight Outta Compton

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

·         Carol

·         The Hateful Eight

·         Mad Max: Fury Road

·         The Revenant

·         Sicario