Movies Cigars and a Brew: Recent Episodes
Keith Hughes
Director: James Gunn Writers: James Gunn, Dan Abnett (and 9 other creators of the characters and the comic series) Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell Rated PG Runtime 136 MIN In 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy was a surprise hit and a major feather in the cap of Marvel, who somehow knocked it out of the proverbial park with an offbeat space opera starring a talking raccoon and a walking tree. Even as a Marvel fan, I was skeptical of the premise on the big screen back then. Fast forward to 2017, and we are deep into “Phase 3” of the Marvel universe and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, represents a major tent pole of the expanding franchise. Guardians Vol. 2 delivers on the humor and tone of the first but continues to prove Marvel’s struggle to develop engaging bad guys. All of our heroes are back again for round 2 and, as the story opens, we join them on a mission to keep batteries out of the hands of some bad guys. They keep the cargo safe, but Rocket has sticky fingers and the companions end up the object of some aggressive negative customer feedback, for stealing the items they were just paid for protecting. When our heroes seem to be at the end of the line, a would-be savior appears, Ego (Kurt Russell), who claims to be Star Lord’s father. The humor and tone, that made the first GotG so successful, still shines through in Vol. 2 and Baby Groot sends the cute factor through the roof. The complaint the sophomore effort garners comes from the same place as most of Marvel’s movie efforts, the development of a truly satisfying evil entity. GotG Vol. 2 is well over two hours long, but as I looked at my watch and realized I was an hour and 15 minutes in, the main bad guy was not yet fully revealed. Now it isn’t a leap to figure out that the family picture being painted isn’t perfect, but the lack of antagonist motive development and the missing sense of dread fostered by infamous bad guys represents a missed opportunity for Marvel to flip the script. Despite this, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is still a great entry into the growing Marvel canon and one that plays extremely well with family members of all ages. B
Director: Brett Haley Writers: Marc Basch, Brett Haley Stars: Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Krysten Ritter, Nick Offerman Rated R 1HR 33MIN US release June 9th, 2017 The Hero boasts a fantastic cast and a striking story that delves into the life of an aging actor, Lee Hayden (Sam Elliott). Lee lives alone and though he lives comfortably, he does so without the active career of his youth. His agent’s only offer is the acceptance of a lifetime achievement award by the Western Appreciation Guild. While visiting his stoner buddy, Jeremy (Nick Offerman), Lee’s future intersects with a young female comic, Charlotte (Laura Prepon). The chemistry between them was both immediate and, perhaps, a little creepy given their age difference. Lee takes Charlotte to the award ceremony and during his substance enhanced speech (compliments of Charlotte), he creates a youtube and social media sensation, relaunching his career. Not all is golden though, as a terminal form of cancer diagnosis and an estranged daughter, Lucy (Krysten Ritter- Jessica Jones), demand focus and resolution. Sam Elliot’s distinctive mustache, southern draw, and deep resonating voice make him an archetype for the western film world. His real life career, unfortunately, has had fewer opportunities as a result, so seeing him as Lee Hayden, a man whose fame was established in a western movie 40 years in the past is not hard to imagine. The themes of this movie are remarkably similar to another aging actor film, Dog Years (starring Burt Reynolds), though the tone is very different. In The Hero, we never see Lee in his youth, nor does he seem so forlorn. The portrayals are much closer to realism (as long as you can accept the stunning Laura Prepon falling for a man more than twice her age). The recurring theme of the ocean appearing in his dreams hints at the relentlessness of time and establishes it as his inescapable enemy. I can’t help but give a nod to two poignant and relevant poems from Edna St. Vincent Millay that are worked into the film in a satisfying way. Director, Brett Haley, was present for the screening at the Montclair Film Festival and he summed it up pretty well before the screening, “If you are a fan of Sam Elliot then you are going to love this movie if not, there is the door.” B+
Director: Russell Harbaugh Writer: Russell Harbaugh, Eric Mendelsohn Stars: James Adomian, Andie MacDowell, Juliet Rylance, Francesca Faridany, Dree Hemmingway, Gareth Williams This movie had its world premier at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival with Russell Harbaugh and Andie MacDowell on hand, among others, for a post-screening Q&A. Love after Love is Russell Harbaugh’s directorial début and, in comments before the screening, he notes his intention for the movie to have an emotional effect on you. Overall, he was pretty successful with an unusual style that does a great job of mimicking the relentless passage of time and showing how messy people have to become to heal after loss. Suzanne (Andie MacDowell) and Nicholas (Chris O’ Dowd) open the film quietly while exploring the nature of happiness. This pause at the beginning of the movie sets the scene for the frenetic pace of storytelling that is about to unfold. We soon see the patriarch of the family and writer of some note, Glen (Gareth Williams), at a well-attended family dinner. His speech seems off and he notes that his throat doesn’t hurt, though it sounds bad. We are quickly whisked to a bedside scene where the same family members attend Glen, who is obviously dying of an unspecified neuromuscular disorder. Harbaugh makes a brave entry into the world of film direction with a movie that does not rely on classic storytelling or exposition. A lot of faith is put in the audience to follow the story through various scenes of differing emotional clarity. Sometimes it is just a look from Suzanne that reflects her thoughts on the conduct of her son. At other times, you are thrown headlong into a scene of consequence only hinted at before. The center of the success of this movie depended on MacDowell’s ability to suggest nuance and show a woman who is fumbling to find her existence after the loss of her husband. Nicholas has an equal focus in the movie as we see his poor choices play out in his relationships and work life. Both carry out the task at hand and Harbaugh deserves a lot of credit for such an ambitious first feature. At the time of this writing, this movie does not have a buyer, though gauging the films strength, one should be imminent. B+
Director: Kevin Phillips Writers: Ben Collins, Luke Piotrowski Stars: Owen Campbell, Charlie Tahan, Elizabeth Cappuccino, Sawyer Barth, Max Talisman Rated R Runtime 100 min Super Dark Times played at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival with the director and most of the cast in attendance at my screening. It is a dark feature that commits to its premise with considerable zeal. The development of the characters and the situation they face resonates and makes the viewer squirm in his/her seat as the story unfolds. Zach (Owen Campbell) and Josh (Charlie Tahan) are typical suburban high school students and best friends. All the normal rhythms of teen life are well-developed in the opening ten minutes and you genuinely come to like both boys as they discuss their mutual interest in a classmate, Allison (Elizabeth Cappuccino) in a funny scene involving a glue mishap and double entendre. A fringe friend Daryl (Max Talisman), provides early comic relief for this movie. He along with his friend Charlie (Sawyer Booth) round out a foursome that feels very much like Southpark in its makeup. Daryl is hilarious with his personality and delivery. At the post-screening Q&A, he demonstrated that this trait is a basic part of his character on and off the screen. The fun nature of the movie up to this point shifts after a chance accident involving a sword and a bag of weed leads to the death of one of the kids. The subsequent coverup by the remaining party and its aftermath is the focus from here on out. Though you could say we have seen this before, the way in which the violence is displayed onscreen is haunting in its realistic nature without glorifying the acts themselves. Though the movie has some slow points (the movie centers on a lot of wistfulness of one of the characters while the other is locked away for an extended period), the movie is a satisfying affair. One other thing to note, Kevin’s extensive credits in cinematography are quite clear. The many long shots of barren trees at night throughout the film, help to maintain the tone and set the slowly building tension in this dark tale. B+
Director/Writer: Adam Rifkin Stars: Burt Reynolds, Ariel Winter, Clark Duke, Ellar Coltrane, Chevy Chase, Nikki Blonsky 1 HR 54 MIN Dog years premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. Most of the cast and the director/writer, Adam Rifkin, were in attendance for the début (I actually sat directly behind Chevy Chase and his family). The story centers around an aging actor, Vic Edwards (Burt Reynolds), adored in his youth by throngs of fans, who nows lives alone eating Hungry Man tv dinners with his equally senior dog (in a sad sequence the pup is put to sleep early in the movie). Vic’s Hollywood contemporary and apparent only friend, Sonny (Chevy Chase), encourages Vic to attend the Nashville Film Festival where he is to be honored with the lifetime achievement award, arguing that some of the greats received it and attended in prior years. After some consideration, Vic departs LAX back to his home state of Tennesee. He doesn’t quite find the reception he was looking for but he may have gained far more in the end. Though Vic Edwards is a fictional character, the movie brilliantly uses real film from Burt’s career throughout the film. There are several sequences where Vic is talking to a young Burt Reynolds (Vic, himself, from the movie’s point of view). The passage of time portrayed in this juxtaposition is profound. Though not a biopic about Burt Reynolds, the movie captures much of what it must feel like to have risen so far and to have it pass mostly into memory. The truth of that could be seen in Reynolds own comments during the post-screening Q&A where he said he was absolutely crying in many parts. The movie has a pretty straightforward two person unlikely friendship story arc between Lil (Ariel Winters) and Vic. Lil doesn’t know Vic’s work and is not happy that she has to schlep Vic around for the weekend as a chauffeur. The rest of the cast has a small role to play in story and are not developed much beyond stereotypes. Overall, the movie is enjoyable as a nostalgic tribute to Reynolds terrific career even though it only goes skin deep. B
Director: Jordan Ross Stars: Eliza Taylor, Lena Heady, Pablo Schreiber, Grant Harvey, Ben Feldman, Daniel Weber Rated R 1HR 33MIN So I got a chance to view the second showing of the worldwide premiere of Thumper at Tribeca 2017. Director, Jordan Ross, was on hand and introduced the film as well as had a Q&A post-screening. He noted after the film viewing that his work on documentaries was a principal source of material for the story. With the success of this film, I’d like to see more doc director’s write stories pick up the pen and tell tales based on their work with real-life individuals. It is clear that the best stories are those closest to your experience. In Thumper, Ross captured a lot the humanistic elements that exist in the real life producer and seller drug game. The movie opens with Wyatt (Pablo Schreiber) attending two small children until a bedraggled wife takes them off on the day’s journey. Once they leave, Troy (Grant Harvey) shows up with accomplice Beaver(Daniel Weber) and the trio retires to the shed out back. Here we find a meth cooking lab, ala Breaking Bad whose setup is far from Walter White’s capabilities, and maybe even below Jesse’s. We learn that Wolf and several of his friends push Wyatt’s drugs at school. The group’s dealings become much more complicated when the new girl in the school Kat (Eliza Taylor) allows Beaver to copy off a quiz paper and they become friends. What ensues is an engaging tale where lives are upended and consequences are dire. The movie boasts excellent storytelling. Wolf, Kat, and Beaver shine in almost every scene. Thumper is a gritty tale, that approaches familiar themes with a fresh look. This is a movie I highly recommend you to go see. A-
Director: Ben Wheatley Stars: Sharlto Copley, Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Noah Taylor, Cillian Murphy Rated R 1HR 30MIN Wide release April 21 (US) If you have ever wondered what a shootout would look like if BOTH sides had stormtrooper marksmanship, this might be the movie of the millennium for you. This skin deep 1978 Boston warehouse gangster flick, has a lot of humor for the duration of the 90 minutes, even if plot development doesn’t move past the setup. And let’s be honest here, the setup only resembles a plot, in that it leads to the gimmick…but I’ll get to that in a minute. Justine (Larson) is brokering a deal between an IRA faction led by Chris (Murphy) and a gun broker, Ord (Hammer), and his gun dealer friends (Copley et al.). Both sides bring henchmen to facilitate the actual exchange, however, unbeknownst to the parties, these stand-ins have a score to settle with one another from a fight the night before. What ensues is the start of a gunfight that takes up about the next 70 minutes. The relentless onslaught of mostly ineffective weaponry reaches almost comic levels(you are inclined to laugh when someone actually DOES get hit). Every once in a while someone stands up and moves around..only to be shot in the leg and made to crawl around with liberal doses of one-timers. I should feel bad here because I think I may have spoiled the movie. There really isn’t much more to the main plot. The intent is to keep the action high, the walking limited and the mouth free-flowing. Style and action over substance…check. The cast is mostly wasted. Larson has been far more interesting, in fact, they all have. This movie does have a positive aspect in its 90 minutes running time in this day and age of wearing even good scripts thin with bloat. Free Fire is mostly fun, even if you care nothing for any of the characters and won’t remember it past the exit. C+
Director: Rupert Sanders Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbaek, Takeshi Kitano, Michael Carmen Pitt Rated PG-13 Runtime: 105min Okay, before I begin this review, I need to confess…I knew nothing about Ghost in the Shell in its anime incarnation prior to this movie (the original manga written by Masamune Shirow with the anime showing up in 1995). My review, therefore, can only assess the movie at face value. And since we are talking about faces, let’s start with the lovely Scarlett Johansson who plays the lead “Major”. Her casting created a whitewashing uproar since the source material calls for an Asian lead, and it does seem odd that she is one of the only caucasian people in an obviously far east setting. Late in the movie, we find a flimsy reason for this, but I’ll leave it there for you to discover. The opening of the movie has an android building experiment sequence taking place. In it, Major’s (Johansson) human brain is fused with an entirely fabricated body. The result looks like a barbie doll body with Scarlett’s face. Every time she goes to fight mode this is also the way she looks. It is about as close as you can get to having her fight in the nude without committing fully. Apparently, Major’s brain was saved when her parents and family were killed as refugees by terrorists. With her enhanced body and human mind, she is an ideal agent for a counter terrorist group, Section 9, led by Amaraki (Takeshi Kitano). In a stylistic onslaught, Major thwarts an attack on Hanka Robotics (her creators) business conference by robotic geishas. She attempts to hack into one of the geishas to discover the origins of the attack and is nearly hacked into herself. You can clearly see by this early narrative, a lot of cyber witchcraft takes place. Unfortunately, this asset is never fully explored. The world, though highly infused with generically Asian esthetic, fails to capitalize on the concept and possibilities of a world where artificial enhancements are commonplace. That being said, the movie kept me interested. I know that the source material is supposed to explore more profound concepts. However this is a fun romp with retread concepts of evil corporations and the abhorrent nature of technology. Oh did I mention, Scarlett Johansson epitomizes loveliness? B-
Director: Marc Webb Star: Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan, Jenny Slate, Roberta Taylor Rated PG-13 101 minutes This is Marc Webb’s most recent effort since his big screen Amazing Spiderman days. And like those two movies, I am left with conflicted feelings over what was brought to screen. Don’t get me wrong, the casting and portrayals are excellent, but, I have some questions about the message and the framing of the dialogue in question. Chris Evans has become the on-screen personification of the ultimate Boy Scout through his work with Marvel as Captain America. This can be a somewhat limiting career predicament. In his most recent roles, whether in the horrific future dystopian world in Snow Piercer or a nice guy that chooses the high road in Before You Go… Evans characters have stood for justice and “doing the right thing”. In Gifted, Evans plays Frank Adler, a single man living in rural Florida, raising his niece, Mary (Mckenna Grace). The movie makes it a point to establish Frank as an every man. His house is small and his niece sleeps on a bed that’s in a common area. Frank’s white shirt is dirty because he works on boats to make a living. At the beginning of the movie, Mary is preparing for her first day of school. She has been homeschooled up until now and she does not want to go. Frank sees her off to the school bus and receives an admonishment that he should not be sending her to school by his neighbor and friend, Roberta (Octavia Spencer). Mary has a rough first day but she attracts the interest of her teacher, Bonnie (Jenny Slate) because she is a math genius. Before long she is offered a scholarship to a new school that would challenge her math prowess. Frank turns down the offer which then gets the attention of Mary’s grandmother (Frank’s mother) and sets up the legal procedural that dominates the second act. The movie is well acted and has a story that will keep you engaged. Mckenna Grace’s presence on screen hints at a potentially bright future, even if it is not in Mathematics like her on-screen character. The issue I have with Gifted relates to the message delivered. The movie insinuates that having access to better school conditions is a negative thing. Of course, the movie frames the story in such an extreme way, you would tend to agree with the premise. The resolution of the story is less high-minded than it is derivative. The early frustration Mary shows in class is a real outcome of being in an environment that is less than challenging. Kids also do not automatically associate with the smart kids, being smart is generally not the thing that makes you the cool kid. Decent movie, even if I don’t agree with the framing of the message. B
Director: Zach Braff Stars: Joey King, Ann-Margret, Michael Cain, Alan Arkin, Christopher Lloyd, Matt Dillon Rated PG-13 Runtime 96 min Though we often think of Zach Braff for his role in Scrubs, one of his most notable roles was a writer, director, and star of 2004’s Garden State. This time he helms the action comedy, Going in Style, written by Theodore Melfi (Hidden Figures), a re-imagining of Martin Brest’s 1979 film of the same name. The 1979 version was a darker version, starring George Burns, Art Carney, and Lee Strasberg. Ordinarily, I would say trying to remake a movie with the cast name of the former movie, would be a steep hill to climb. Fortunately, for this rendition, the services of three modern legends of the older persuasion were employed. Joe (Michael Cain) plays an elderly gentleman, whose daughter and grandchild live with him in his home after a divorce. He, Willie (Morgan Freeman), and Albert (Allan Arkin) worked for years at a plant who moves to Vietnam and cuts off their pensions. While conducting unsatisfactory business at his local bank, Joe witnesses a robbery where three masked individuals waltz in and steal 1.6M dollars. This puts the idea of a heist in Joe’s head. After some convincing, the other two friends agree to take part. All of them are penniless and with the loss of their pensions, life looks grim. Together they set out to fool everyone with the help of a shady coach. There is a lot of physical comedy and jokes related to growing old throughout. You can’t help but root for these guys to overcome the odds. Going in Style is pretty straightforward. There are not a lot of concepts we haven’t seen done before, including the jokes. One of the funniest small parts in the movie is played by Christopher Lloyd. He appears to be a leader in their local social club, but he exhibits a high dose of craziness and adds strength to the comedy relief. With these men close or above 80 years of age, we may not have many more opportunities to see them on the big screen. This isn’t a bad one to check out, if for just that alone. B-
Director: Niko Caro Stars: Jessica Chastain, John Heldenbergh, Daniel Bruhl US Release 3-31-17 Rated PG-13 124 min Endless tales of heroic deeds can be told about World War II and the atrocities associated with the holocaust. The Zookeeper’s Wife tells the courageous story of Antonina Zabinski, adapted from a novel (written by Diane Ackerman) based on Antonina’s diaries. The movie, however, is disappointing in several aspects, despite a wealth of riveting material to draw from. Antonina (Chastain) helps her husband, Jan Zabinski (Heldenbergh), manage the Warsaw Zoo leading up to and through WWII. Time is taken to establish her special connection to the animals with images of her riding a motorbike around the zoo with a young camel running after her and her helping to deliver a baby elephant that was in trouble during birth. The early scenes of beauty and harmony serve as a sharp contrast to the images of exploding bombs, death and invasion forces that soon transpire. Soon after the occupation of Poland, Lutz Heck (Bruhl) arrives to assume the role of chief zoologist for the Reich. He convinces the Zabinskis to let him take best breeding stock left alive after the bombing back to the zoo to Berlin, he subsequently kills all of the remaining animals, saying there is no food to feed them. It is here that we see the Zabinskis begin to work for the resistance. They offer to set up a pig farm in the zoo to feed the occupying German troops and Lutz Heck decides to use the zoo for experiments to bring an extinct German species of livestock back to life. Meanwhile, Jan uses his need to get slop for the pigs from the ghetto of Warsaw (enforced Jewish encampment near the zoo) to smuggle Jews away from imprisonment, hiding them in the many tunnels beneath the zoo grounds. There are obvious tension points with Lutz daily presence at the zoo and the hidden escapees. Antonina plays different tunes on the piano to indicate when the jews should hide and when they can come out. However, the movie glosses over these things. There is no development in any of the struggle for those that are hiding. There is no development in the reason for the resistance. My biggest dislike, however, was the Hollywood inclusion of a fabricated love triangle. Through it, Jan is seen as a jealous husband concerned about his wife paying attention to Lutz advances on her that were carnal in nature. Jan, himself, was a fascinating man, who in real life, was a firm atheist but still had a humanistic need to right the wrongs of those persecuted for their religion, by others of differing faith. In the end, this is a movie that could have been so much more. Chastain was amazing as always, but the tale told lacked. C+
Directed by: Charlie McDowell Stars: Rooney Mara, Robert Redford, Jason Segel, Riley Keough, Ron Canada, Jesse Plemons A Netflix Original Available to stream March 31st Charlie McDowell directs his second feature film with a stellar cast and poses an answer to the ultimate question of life…what comes next? The potency of the question possesses a riveting character that offers a myriad of potential treatments. McDowell and cowriter Justin Lader choose to sidestep the trappings of a theological discussion, focusing on the scientific conundrum inherent and ground level science resulting in realistic consequences. Another direct to Netflix original, The Discovery, opens with a melancholy and deserted ferry porting Will (Segel) and Isla (Mara) to a rainy and equally lonely dock. A blaring TV serves as the backdrop to a chance encounter, with news coverage recounting the number of suicides in the year and a half that has transpired since it was proven that there is an afterlife. Awkwardly, and with that innate spark that indicates a future attachment, Will engages Isla with discussions of suicide and the state of the world. After an apparent permanent parting on the dock, Will is picked up by his brother, Toby (Plemons), and taken to a secluded estate that looks a lot like a cult compound. We learn that Will’s father, Thomas (Redford) is the man responsible for proving that there is an afterlife. We also learn that Will had a large hand in this discovery and that due to an incident involving his mother, Will left to live a life as a neurosurgeon. The movie possesses a multilayered narrative, with several parallel and disparate mysteries that resolve together with the reveal of the story. Jason Segel and Rooney Mara have terrific chemistry, reminiscent of the leads in Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind. Robert Redford plays a man haunted by his past and his impact on the world, seeking an element of redemption in light of the consequences of his scientific breakthroughs. This movie will leave you with a lot to think on. I found it to be wholly engaging and worth the time spent. A-
Director: Craig Johnson Stars: Woody Harrelson, Laura Dern, Cheryl Hines, Isabella Amara This graphic novel adaption, directed by Craig Johnson, will not supplant the volleyball of the same name (from the movie Castaway) with household recognition of the name Wilson. The considerable potential of this movie lies in the source material and most notably the inclusion of Woody Harrelson as the lead. Unfortunately, the limitations of dialogue and script diminish the result. Wilson can be described with one adjective…weird. He seems to relish in uncomfortable situations and encroachment of personal space. In any public situation, he seeks to sit right next to a person when a myriad of less invasive options are available. He hates technology and wants to converse with people regardless of their wish to do so. Wilson’s father dies early in the film and after being distraught over his passing, he seeks out his ex-wife Pippi (Laura Dern). He finds her and interacts with her in typical Wilson fashion…ie. dysfunctional. Somehow he manages to kindle a relationship with Pippi, who is a recovering addict that left Wilson 17 years prior. We learn that Pippi did not have an abortion when she parted from Wilson but gave the child up for adoption. Wilson convinces the struggling Pippi to seek out and contact their daughter to great comedic effect. Overall, the movie has its moments of effective comedy delivered by veteran and capable actors. However, the movie attempts to tie together a middle-aged aversion to technology and a complete inability to have appropriate interactions in life. It leads one to believe the latter is a natural progression for the former and its cure, a weak premise at best. The characters appear to be play acting, without relevant and real responses to the situations at hand. Harrelson lifts an otherwise dismal script. C+
Directed By: Jeffrey Blitz Starring: Anna Kendrick, Lisa Kudrow, Craig Robinson, Stephen Merchant, Wyatt Russell, Tony Revolori, June Squibb Rated PG-13 Opens March 3rd (USA) Table 19 is a movie that collectively adds up to less than the sum of its parts. Jeffrey Blitz’s penchant for the uncomfortable (most notably demonstrated in his The Office direction) is apparent in this post-Oscar, pre-summer blockbuster no-mans land of film releases. Eloise (Kendrick), opens the movie struggling to make a decision on whether or not to go to a wedding. We soon realize Eloise was recently the girlfriend of the best man and the maid of honor, but because she was dumped through a text message, she stepped down from her role in the wedding. As a result, she is relegated to table 19, the land of misfits. At this table, we also find; the Kepp’s, an unloving couple that are friends of the father of the bride through a restaurant connection(Kudrow and Robinson); Jo, a long forgotten nanny of the bride who was invited because the groom’s nanny was invited (June Squibb); Walter, a distant cousin that is hiding the fact that he is currently on prison leave (Stephen Merchant); and Renzo, a virginal teenager who is at the wedding by the direction of his mother (Tony Revolori). We can all relate to the concept of the movie. I think we have all been invited to a wedding where we were sitting at Table 19, the Table of misfit toys. Each character has revelations to share with his/her companions in this unlikely “Breakfast Club-esque” attempt at building a story arc. The movie tries to walk the line between comedy and drama with a wedding reception as the backdrop. Anna Kendrick and most of her counterparts, individually give top-notch performances. The story itself never feels genuine with a reliance on too many clichés. Go see this movie, only if you love Kendrick. There is better stuff in the theater right now. C+
Every year I intend to give the rundown of my top movies of the year. This year, I am finally bringing this to fruition. Below you will find my top movies of 2016. So Without further ado… #12 The Accountant I know it seems self-serving that I put a movie about an accountant on my list of top movies for the year. The truth is, I went in expecting not to like this one. I adore Anna Kendrick, but, I haven’t loved her in everything I have seen, and the premise of this one seemed bad out of the gate. However, Ben Affleck delivers a controlled performance, his best style, and this movie delivers on the concept….could there be an Accountant 2? Numbers will get you in the end folks. This one is #12 #11 Jackie Natalie Portman is an amazing actress. This role rightfully garners a best actress nomination for her, and though this movie is a bit slow overall, there is a depth reached into the psyche of an iconic figure that few movies can achieve. #10 Florence Foster Jenkins Meryl Streep gets her 20th Oscar nomination. This is another movie that I assumed that I would not like out of the gate. However, it is virtually impossible to dislike Streep’s genuine portrayal of a woman out of touch with her inability to sing. Liberties were taken with the history of the true Florence Foster Jenkins, but the earnestness of the intention and a terrific supporting effort by Simon Helberg lands FFJ a spot at #10. #9 20th Century Women Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig, and Elle Fanning comprise the trio that gives definition to the 20th Century Women of this piece. The movie is more about the coming of age of the women depicted than the object of their attention. Bening has seldom been better in her role as a mother that struggles to express what is in her heart and who finds herself lost in her ability to relate to her teenage son. #8 Arrival Arrival is a thought provoking slow burn. This is an alien first contact movie that centers on a basic concept seldom covered, communication. Louise (Adams) is a linguist assigned the monumental task of understanding an alien race that doesn’t even think as we do. You will be left with more questions than answers after this deftly worked piece. See the full review/podcast here. #7 Star Wars: Rogue OneThis movie proves that Disney has the chops and cajones to give one to the fans. Darkly written in a key moment in time, Rogue One blurs the line between good and evil. The rebels are shown to have an underbelly to achieve goals that might come across as distasteful to a purist. I like the gritty nature of the effort. Heroes are muted and questions are asked, “Does the end defines the means?” Oh, and did I mention that Darth Vader appears in his grimmest display depicted to date? See the full review/podcast HERE. #6 Nocturnal Animals Amy Adams makes it into my top 12 list of the year, not once, but twice. A dark concoction with a stellar cast, this story within a story is riveting and provokes thought through symbolism. As a dude, I applaud the “Lifetime movie” reversal that unfolds. Michael Shannon may have played his best part to date. I relish in my personal identification with the tale. See the full review/podcast HERE. #5 Kubo and the Two Strings This is one of the best animated stories I have seen for some time and it cracks my top 5 for 2016. It tells an original tale of an imagined Japanese mythic fantasy, with somber almost horror-like elements intermixed with a plucky youth in the protagonist. Kubo has already won Best Animated Feature at the BAFTA awards. See the full review/podcast HERE. #4 Sing Street This was a very surprising movie in 2016. A movie could not better capture the feeling of what it meant to be alive in the 80’s better than this movie. If you are in your 40’s, like me, and spent most of the 80’s growing up in a cold war world with the Russians being “them”, while rejecting the bell bottoms of the 70’s and embracing big hair and dudes wearing lipstick, then, this movie is going to spark a lot of nostalgia. See the full review/podcast HERE. #3 A Monster Calls This movie is the most underrated film of the year in my opinion. Frankly, it was a toss up between it and my #2 of the year. A Monster Calls is a tear-jerker, earning a PG-13 rating and treating the topic of loss and denial, honestly, from the perspective of 13-year old Conor O’Malley (Lewis MacDougal). A stellar cast supports this film, with Liam Neeson playing the part of the monster, Sigourney Weaver as the grandmother Conor doesn’t want to live with, and Felicity Jones his dying mother. See the full review/podcast HERE. #2 La La Land La La Land is Damien Chazelle’s third directorial effort and comes only a year after he wrote and directed my top movie of 2014, Whiplash. Again, we are treated to a musically charged affair, that is not only about the craft of music (along with budding film aspirations), but is a full-fledged old style musical itself. The narrative stays tightly on Gosling and Stone, whose shared chemistry, propel this movie forward to great effect. Chazelle has an even bigger winner on his hands this year, and deservedly so. See the full review/podcast HERE. #1 Manchester by the Sea My top movie of 2016 goes to Manchester By The Sea. Manchester By The Sea delivers a haunting echo of loss and misfortune. It does so with a detachment that has profound parallels to the observance of life going on for some while others have to pick up the pieces of what was lost. Words often go unspoken for events that shape the character of a person. Highly recommended. See full review/podcast HERE.
Director: Chad Stahelski Stars: Keanu Reeves, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ian McShane, Ruby Rose, Lance Reddick, Laurence Fishburn, John Leguizamo, Bridget Moynahan Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller Runtime 2HR 2MIN Rated R Chad Stahelski helms the telling of the second chapter of John Wick’s unlikely rise to prominence in the action anti-hero world. This should come as no real surprise given Chad’s history in film, which is mostly made up of stunt coordination in notable films like 300, The Matrix, V for Vendetta, and Constantine. A one-time martial arts instructor with a kickboxing background, he has a long career of orchestrating slick fight sequences. The movie rolls into action right out of the gate, reestablishing the unique action style of the first film. Once again, John is trying to get his car back, and a massive number of bad guys go down, despite hitting John with moving cars multiple times. I truly wondered why he was mowing through guys, damaging his treasured mustang in the process. When he finally returns home, however, we see that he had a card in the glovebox from his deceased wife with a picture of them together that was what he was really after. The world expands in John Wick: Chapter 2. John’s actions to avenge his murdered dog, have put him back in the game. He has a debt to repay the person that helped him retire in the first place. This debt is owed to Santino D’Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio), who wants John to kill his connected sister so he can take over the crime world in NYC. This sets the stage for a massive barrage of intricately choreographed fight sequences and point-blank head shots. On the plus side, this movie delivers on the same gun-fu fighting display that made the first movie such a surprise hit. At the same time, this movie falls into the trap of a second movie, in that it lacks the originality of the former. At 2 hours and 2 minutes, JW: Chapter 2 grows a bit tiresome. Truly, the first film worked as a revenge flick. In it, John lost the one connection to his dying wife who represented his salvation and redemption for a better life. In JW: chapter 2, he plays a guy that is reluctantly doing a nasty deed for a nasty purpose and you are less vested in the outcome. As a fighting-action flick, John Wick: Chapter 2 is top notch. Taken as a follow-up to the first movie, the expansion of the story, length, and lack of heart leaves you wishing for the nostalgia of the first. B-
Director: Chris McKay Stars: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, Zach Galifianakis, Jenny Slate Runtime: 1 HR 44MIN Rated PG Warner Brothers throw everything but the kitchen sink at you in this frenetic tongue in cheek take on Batman set in the Lego universe. Batman is arguably the most successful superhero franchise of all time, having inspired generations from its comic book franchise to early TV and movie incarnation with Adam West, to its turn in the late 80’s and 90’s that was the precursor for the coming age of superheroes and big budget movies, which unfortunately, crumbled under poor scripts and bat nipples (why, dear god why?). Ten years later, Bats took on a much darker form in the Dark Knight trilogy based on a much darker series of comics which earned Heath Ledger a Best Supporting Actor Oscar posthumously for his iconic portrayal of The Joker. Most recently, Batman put on a metal suit and armed with kryptonite, fought Superman in epic fashion. Clearly, we have gotten pretty serious with our Batman stories. I haven’t even touched upon his many animated portrayals, one of which is at the heart of this review. In 2014, Batman made a cameo in the much lauded The Lego Movie, and his light take on the grim character was a standout. It was no surprise he got his own turn in Legoland. Fortunately, this is not an origins movie. We meet Bruce Wayne in full force as the Dark Knight. The movie also wastes no time introducing the villain, Joker. As Batman thwarts his immediate plans to destroy the city, he hurts the Joker’s feelings by telling him he does not need him. This sets up the tension point for the entire film and Batman’s underlying story arc. By day, our over confident jerk persona Batman fights baddies, makes appearances at orphanages to shoot at kids with merch cannons, and then goes home to microwave lobster and watch Jerry Maguire. He doesn’t even seem to want to remove his mask unless prompted. This Batman’s dark brooding manifests itself in narcissistic self-promotion and a lack of self-awareness. Will Arnett reprises his role as the voice of Batman with adequate depth. In general, the voicing choices stayed on the light side. I found Michael Cera’s Joker to be a disappointment. Interestingly enough, the animated version has most notably been portrayed by Mark Hamill in other renditions. The Lego Batman is loaded with color sounds and a plethora of references to Batman history. Tailor-made for the selling of kids toys, this movie lacks the connection to the real world that worked so well in the first movie. Tieing the imagination portrayed on the screen to the world constructing kid behind the magic was sorely lacking. For this reason alone, and despite the geekdom latent in the overloaded references, it fell short for me. (It’s still a great movie for the kiddos, oh, and it was probably meant for them so I will shut up) B-
Director: Stephen Gaghan Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Edgar Ramirez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Stacey Keach Genre: Drama, Adventure, Thriller Rated: R Wide Release USA 1-27-2017 Runtime: 2Hr 1Min Insert punny line indicating the ironic title in relation to the less than “gold” result of the film. Or maybe, use it as an opposite to Matthew McConaughey’s appearance. Either way, Gold falls short of its aim, despite a top-shelf cast. Stephen Gaghan directs the film, which is one part heist thriller and another part historical fiction. The combination may be why it missed the mark. The movie is loosely based on the Canadian gold scandal of the 1990’s. Stephen chose to set the movie in the 1980s, and chose to the “one-time sexiest man alive”, Matthew McConaughey about as ugly as possible without maiming. Matthew plays Kenny Wells, the son of a successful mining operator (Craig T. Nelson), who inherits the business upon his father’s death and in the 7 years after, runs it into the ground. Hawking a gold necklace he gave his girlfriend, Kay (Bryce Dallas Howard), Kenny sets off for Indonesia to make one last gamble with a legendary geologist responsible for finding a huge copper cache. Risking, life, limb, and every last dollar, the pair embark on one of the oldest pursuits of human history…the search for gold. On the plus side, the story is compelling in a “Did this really happen,” kind of way. I did not know the back story that this was based on. Look up Bre-X if you really want to know, though, I suggest you see the movie first. Matthew McCononaughey looks like you have never seen him. He put on significant weight for this role and is balding, pock-marked, and snaggle-toothed. Chain smoking(a requirement for a movie set int he 80s) and poorly dressed, Kenny has an every man with a dream vibe. On the not so plus side, the movie is all over the map. The historical fiction element plays out more like a biopic, that loses its way when you realize the characters could not act in the way they do. This is more apparent as the thriller twists merge with overdone little guy versus big business themes and a hamhanded effort is used to show money is the root of all evil. If you enjoy McConaughey(and I do), this movie will be right up your alley. B-
Directed and Written by Damien Chazelle Stars: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, JK Simmons, Rosemarie DeWitt Genre: Musical, Comedy, Drama Rated: PG Runtime: 2 hr 8 min La La Land is Damien Chazelle’s third directorial effort and comes only a year after he wrote and directed my top movie of 2015, Whiplash. Again, we are treated to a musically charged affair, that is not only about the craft of music (along with budding film aspirations), but is a full-fledged old style musical itself. It is clear that Chazelle is tremendously talented, and with La La Land he has created another Oscar buzz-worthy gem. The movie opens with a large-scale music number originating from a traffic jam in ever-sunny Los Angeles. Immediately you know this is going to be a feel good upbeat affair. At the conclusion of the song, we meet Mia (Stone), an aspiring actress who works in a coffee shop on a movie studio property. Blocking traffic as she practices lines for a reading later that day, we meet Sebastian (Gosling) who is trapped behind her inattentive driving. The first encounter of would-be lovers is one of road rage and the extension of a bird for good measure. From here we follow Mia’s day, which progresses from bad to worse…spilling coffee on her white shirt prior to a casting call…futilely performing at said casting call…and being separated from friends who drag her out to a party…and finally getting her car towed with no friends and no cell service. On her walk home, she hears a piano playing, which entices her to walk into a small dinner club where Sebastian is in the process of ending his employment via song. At this moment, we flip back to the earlier car sequence and follow Sebastian’s day. A talented jazz pianist, Sebastian fails to keep steady work. He is relegated to playing Christmas standards for barely noticing dinner patrons. He veers from the set list, just as Mia is walking by, setting up the second encounter. JK Simmons has a cameo here as the dinner club manager that gives Sebastian his walking papers for not playing the Christmas standards… and as usual, Simmons steals the scene. Seasons denote the 5 acts in La La Land, beginning and ending with winter, somewhat ironically, since LA lacks what most of us would call a winter. The third encounter begins the spring act as Mia runs into Gosling sporting full 80’s garb and playing synth at a pool party. Sparks begin to ignite and the pair learns of the others fledgling dreams. In this, they have opposite effects on one another. Overhearing a conversation between Mia and her mother, Sebastian decides to swallow his musical ambitions and join a trendy band. Mia, because of Sebastian’s encouragement, stops auditioning for parts and goes off to do a one-woman act. In the end, they may get what they want, but perhaps not the way they intended. The music of the movie perfectly fits with the story. Mia and Sebastian’s theme carries both the brightness and intensity they share with just a touch of bittersweet. Visually, perhaps the most striking and out of place item takes place in a planetarium. There Mia and Sebastian literally dance into the stars, though clearly, the entire sequence symbolizes the burgeoning relationship. The narrative stays tightly on Gosling and Stone, whose shared chemistry, propel this movie forward to great effect. Chazelle has an even bigger winner on his hands this year, and deservedly so. A
Director: Travis Knight Stars: Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson, Ralph Fiennes, George Takei, Rooney Mara, Matthew McConaughey Kubo and the Two Strings is the second movie by stop-motion animation heavy-hitter Laika, the first being Coraline 2009. This movie is another win for the young animation studio. It tells an original tale of an imagined Japanese mythic fantasy, with somber almost horror-like elements intermixed with a plucky youth in the protagonist, Kubo. Kubo’s mother ran away from Kubo’s grandfather, the moon, who hunts for Kubo each night and wishes to take his eye(he already took one). Kubo’s mother slips into and out of reality each day because of an injury incurred during her flight from Kubo’s grandfather and as a result, Kubo takes care of her. Kubo entertains crowds to earn money during the day with the same guitar-driven musical magic his mother possesses. His guitar playing brings small origami figures to life that accompanies his dynamic storytelling to great effect. By sundown each day he has to return home so that his grandfather will not find him. Of course, he makes a mistake and his grandfather discovers his location. His Mom makes one final bid to protect him, bringing a monkey(Charlize Theron), from his origami stage show to life as his protector. With the monkey, Kubo quests for his father’s armor that will protect him from his grandfather. He is joined in his quest by a beetle samurai warrior (Matthew McConaughey) that was also a miniature cast member in his origami show. There is some mystery about his origin, but I won’t spoil it. This movie is dark and wonderful, yet, it still possesses enough humor and charm to delight old and young alike. It reminds me of my studies of Greek and Roman mythology. To be god-like was to lose what it means to be human. There are some direct connections to that idea as this story unfolds. This is a must-see for 2016, easily making it’s way into my top ten. This was a delightful surprise when I had no expectations. A
Director: Peter Berg Starring: Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons, Kevin Bacon, Michelle Monaghan, Micheal Beach, Alex Wolf, Themo Melikidze Rated R Runtime 2 Hr 13 Min Depicting the terrible events that surrounded the terrorist bombing of the 2013 Boston marathon, Patriot’s Day taps into the fear of a generation. Mark Wahlberg plays a fictional police detective, Tommy Saunders, who is serving the end of a disciplinary action as a beat cop at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Donning uniform blues and a yellow reflective vest, this backstory plus Tommy Saunders apparent status as the officer that knows the bombing area best, allows him to remain a focal point of the story and bear witness to both the infighting between agencies and the eventual triumph against the terrorists. Though the events seem a bit too recent for depiction, the movie handles the key sequences tastefully. Witnessing a normal day for many of the parties leading up to the fateful events was heart-wrenching. Perhaps even eerier was viewing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (Alex Wolf) and Tamerlan Tsarnaev (Themo Melikidze) watch Jihadist videos while munching on cereal before carrying backpacks into the crowded marathon finish line area. The cast boasts a lot of seriously great actors, playing various law enforcement and federal agents. The movie mostly works at tieing together a story around Saunders, while adhering to the historical recount. Unlike another made-for-tv-brought-to-big-screen movie Sully, Patriot’s Day manages to deliver real tension. Whereas Sully’s manufactured court procedural was a vehicle to show Tom Hanks landing a plane safely from three different angles in the middle of the Hudson, Patriot’s Day manages to balance the fictional Mark Wahlberg hero of Boston with the very real threat of some horrible individuals. You really do want to see how these a-holes got taken down. Bottom line, this is a well-acted movie with a grade a cast that mostly works. B+
Director: Gareth Edwards Stars: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Donnie yen, Forest Whitaker, Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikkelsen Rated PG-13 Runtime: 134 min Since the purchase by Disney a couple of years ago, the reality of Star Wars becoming a living breathing entity has been a source of both elation and trepidation. On the one hand, it is what my 7-year-old heart desired most for years upon years. On the other hand, the realization of the prequels, brought to life by Lucas, himself, left much to be desired and raised the question, “Should we have just left it alone in a galaxy far away?” Last year, The Force Awakens gave us a great deal of hope that the future of the series is in good hands. I am willing to give last year’s entry a pass and wait to see how the second act plays out, reserving my feeling that it felt smaller than the original. Why smaller? It’s simple. The heroes can only be measured by the evil they face. One of the most remarkable and lasting figures in the annals of evil exists in the mythic creation of Darth Vader. Pitting a young newly trained Jedi against this visage of evil provided a story arc that basically wrote itself in the original tale. In The Force Awakens, both sides grasp at greater glory of earlier times, hence, diminishing all. Going back in time, as Rogue One does, however, allows for instant intensity and organic peril, tapping into the evil that influences the universe in Vader’s time. The movie portrays the events just before A New Hope, giving life to the sacrifices made to secure the schematics of the Empire’s Death Star. Felicity Jones plays an orphaned girl Jyn Erso. Her father Galen, Mads Mikkelsen, is in hiding from the Empire as the story opens. He is taken and her mother killed by Orson Krennic, Ben Mendelsohn, and she is raised up until her 16th birthday by Saw Gerrera, Forest Whitaker, who is an extreme rebel whose band disagrees with the Alliance for not going far enough in its fight against the Empire. Galen possesses the talent to mastermind the Death Star and the Empire forces him to work on it. A somewhat mottled first act with back story development and motive building characterization that echoes elements of all three trilogies (poor orphan finds his/her way with force) picks up steam as a motley crew pulls together to go after the secret Death Star designs on a planetary fortress. Visually we are treated to new environments for epic battles. Imperial Walkers move across a lush tropical environment and Tie Fighters engage X-Wings in a cleverly conceived closed environment to great effect. Overall this is a movie that will appeal most to the generation that saw the first trilogy and grew to see the world in less than black and white terms. The rebellion has an underbelly that doesn’t gleam white and employs less savory tactics than portrayed in the original series. Even the comedy offered by the Imperial robot, K-2SO, reprogramed for the rebellion is more adult in delivery and context, offering high probabilities of death, with such deadpan that you can’t help but laugh. Finally, young Jyn does not come off as the most powerful person in the universe. She and her fateful companions all seem mortal as the depth of the story unfolds. As the movie finishes, you see the events tie directly into A New Hope, and bare witness to the strength of evil in the form of Vader. This was a great movie that takes a little bit of time to find it’s footing, but launches on a ride that is both plausible and satisfying. Go see it! A-
Director: Denis Villeneuve Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker Rated PG-13 Runtime 1HR 56MIN Arrival represents the most recent offering in a string of fall movies that expand the boundaries of our typical space alien genre. Starting with Gravity (2013), Interstellar (2014), The Martian (2015), and most recently Arrival (2016), we are treated to space movies without a clear antagonist. In each of the former, mankind faced off against nature, circumstance, and his own limitations of perception and understanding. Expansion achieved triumph, ultimately, to varying degrees. Based on the short story by Ted Chiang, Arrival centers around linguist, Louise Banks (Amy Adams), efforts to communicate with aliens that suddenly appear over 12 cities around the globe. The movie has a lot more in common with Close and Counters of the Third Kind than Independence Day, despite the multi-city monolith appearance. The focus of the movie on the ability to communicate with the aliens leads to a slow boil cerebral affair. Louise back-story is filled in through an intermixed series of flashes and her own spoken narration outside of time. It is revealed through this that she has lost a daughter and had a husband that abandoned her because of the illness. The side story and backfill lend to the artsy tone of the movie, though later they are revealed to be much more important to the narrative, and not just a development of a character study. This later reveal of the grander tapestry of the film gives it a firm position in the sci-fi genre. Clearly, the movie is a statement about mankind’s ability to cope with “otherness”. Initially, as the nations attempt to communicate with the aliens, they share information and understanding, but as time goes on, fear of alien intent leads to rivalry and competition. Though not a blow-em-up space alien feature, Arrival, is well worth a look. A-
Director: Tom Ford Star: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Ellie Bamber, Armie Hammer Rated R 116 Min Tom Ford, a well-known fashion designer, gives us his sophomore directorial effort in a story within a story thriller based on the novel Tony and Susan. Amy Adams, Susan Morrow, is a disillusioned art gallery owner with a seemingly perfect life and all the trappings of “things” and it’s melancholy possession. Her husband, Hutton, played by Armie Hammer, portrays a self-absorbed and uncaring mate with a failing business and fidelity issues. Early in the movie we see Susan unhappily going through life and waxing nostalgic over what could have been. A perfectly timed package arrives from her ex-husband Edward Sheffield, Jake Gyllenhaal, containing a novel that is dedicated to her. All we know at this point is that she greatly wronged Edward, so the dedication and unfolding of the story within the story is poignant. Even as she opens the package, she gets a papercut foreshadowing the bitter pill to come. The story progresses through periods of time where Susan reads the book, with it playing out on the screen, back to her real life and then to a series of flashbacks where the back story for her relationship with Edward takes place. Jake plays both the role in the novel as the lead character and the flashback sequences as her ex-husband. The beautifully interwoven narrative builds tension to sizable reveals. The story of the novel is brutal and gripping, reminiscent of the movie Breakdown, with a more twisted cast of bad characters. Overwhelming helplessness permeates the novel’s tone with a palpably anguished relatability. Jake Gyllenhaal is fantastic once again, matched by an equally amazing portrayal of a Texas law officer, Bobby Andes by Michael Shannon. The interrelated narratives develop the full picture of Susan’s character and the mistakes she made in trading one life for another. Not until the final frames do we truly have a sense Edward, who remained mostly a mystery throughout the movie despite his obvious kinship to the novel’s protagonist. Overall, this movie engages the viewer, and personally I related to its message. A-
Director/Writer: Robin Swicord Stars: Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Garner, Jason O’Mara, Beverly D’Angelo Runtime: 106 minutes Country: USA Release: TBD Bryan Cranston gives life to Howard Wakefield in this story written and directed by Robin Swicord. Once again, Cranston portrays a less than likable character, though, this time audiences will be hard pressed to find many redeemable qualities in Howard Wakefield, unlike ultimately family driven Walter White, Breaking Bad. Cranston carries this movie in a one-man show style as few others could. Though Jennifer Garner (wife, Diana), Jason O’Mara (rival, Dirk Morrison), and Beverly D’Angelo (busybody neighbor, Babs) are featured in the movie, they have very limited speaking parts. Howard fills in their dialogue from a window in an attic above the family’s detached garage. From this removed viewpoint Howard spies on his deserted family. Here Cranston shines and relating to the comments Howard fills in for the family life unfolding in front of him comes from a very relatable place; we all think things that we don’t say for decorum’s sake. Howard, a successful attorney with a beautiful wife and two twin teenage daughters seemingly has a perfect life. On a night that he comes home late from work, Howard follows a raccoon to an attic above his garage. From here, he can see his family at dinner and the disdain his wife has for his late arrival as she calls him. In a moment of avoidance, Howard decides to stay up in the garage rather than facing his wife and family. He falls asleep in a chair, and then the next morning decides he is not going to go back to his family at all. He doesn’t just leave his family at this point, he leaves his life. He eats from the garbage and continues to spy on his family from above the garage. Through a series of flashbacks, the rest of Howard’s life is filled in. This does little to improve our impression of him, as he has acted selfishly throughout. None of his decisions in life seem to be the result of love or fulfillment but are the result of envy and deceit. It is not hard to see why he has cracked at this point in his life. He did not value any of it in the first place, beyond the simple attainment ahead of others. The movie isn’t perfect. The introduction of a side story line where Howard befriends neighboring kids with down syndrome feels out of place. There were lots of opportunities to give him a chance to show a softer side of himself, especially given his own kids living right in front of him, so this portion of the story didn’t work. This was an odd movie to watch and it’s ending will leave you with a lot of good questions, but it is undeniably Cranston’s best performance on the big screen. B+
Director: Kenneth Lonergan Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges, Matthew Broderick Runtime: 135 minutes Rated: R Country: USA US Release November 18 If you want to get a bead on the Oscars this year, you will want to check out Manchester By the Sea, opening November 18th in US theaters. Ever since it’s debut at Sundance this year, there has been a lot of buzz for Lonergan, Affleck, and Williams as likely nominees, with good cause. Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) performs the duties of a janitor/handyman for an apartment building in Boston during the day and drinks and picks fights at night. His muted personality screams with the mysterious pain that fuels his disconnected and taciturn demeanor. When his brother dies from a heart attack, Lee has to return home to make arrangements for the estate and burial, as well as, see to the welfare of his sixteen-year-old nephew, Patrick (Lucas Hedges). The story reveals itself through a series of flashbacks, exposing the unfortunate demise of both of the brother’s marriages. Lee has to face his past and even come to terms with his ex-wife, Randi (Michelle Williams), in a gut-wrenching scene of loss and anguish. Lee also has to address his brother’s wish that he become the guardian of Patrick and assume the responsibilities of the household. Despite his own tragic grief, Lee has to provide support to his nephew, who is rightly grief stricken and rudderless. Lee has to do this while not wanting to stay in the town that is the nexus of so many personal demons. Tonally, the movie maintains consistency. Outbursts of emotion and epilogues explaining motive are not present. Both Lee and Patrick show emotion through recalcitrance and not open dialogue as a vehicle to narrative development. Manchester by the Sea delivers a haunting echo of loss and misfortune. It does so with a detachment that has profound parallels to the observance of life going on for some while others have to pick up the pieces of what was lost. Words often go unspoken for events that shape the character of a person. Highly recommended. A
Directed by: Juan Antonio Bayona Starring: Lewis MacDuougall, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Liam Neeson, Sigourney Weaver Runtime: 108 Minutes Rated: PG-13 Based on the posthumously completed book, written by British author Siobhan Dowd (completed after her untimely death at age 47 due to cancer by American author Patrick Ness), A Monster Calls is a tear-jerker, earning a lot of sniffles at its conclusion at my Fantastic Fest Alamo Drafthouse screening. The movie is undoubtedly dark, earning a PG-13 rating, but treats the topic of loss and denial, honestly, from the perspective of 13-year old Conor O’Malley (Lewis MacDougal). This tale shines with Conor’s viewpoint on the world being the perspective throughout. His mother, Lizzie (Felicity Jones), is undergoing cancer treatments and seems to be at the end of her road, though, she optimistically tells her son that this next one will be her cure. Conor has a recurrent nightmare that his mom is swallowed up by the ground while reaching for Conor to save her, which he fails. His nightmare underscores his growing realization of the truth of his mother’s situation, though his mother denies it with her continued treatments and refuses to openly talk with him about her prognosis. Conor continues to bottle up his swirl of emotions and one night he witnesses a large yew tree in his backyard come to life in the form of a fire-breathing tree monster (voiced by Liam Neeson) who tells Conor he will tell him three stories over the next few days and that he will then have to tell the monster the meaning of his own nightmare. The monster’s stories help Conor deal with the inevitable though they manifest in the real world in emotional and tumultuous ways. Conor acts out in the throes of his fantasies to impact the world in which he lives in ways you might expect a child that is dealing with the impending loss of his mother would. In this time of upheaval, he must come to terms with the arrival of his grandmother (Sigourney Weaver), who he dislikes greatly, a faraway father that has too little room for him in his life, and bullies at school. The movie shines with an ensemble cast that provides depth to the movie. It is easy to understand the viewpoint of each character and to sympathize with them in the growing tragedy. The fantastic world of Conor’s imagination and the Yew tree monster provide an excellent contrast to give balance to the weighty narrative. This movie opens in wide release December 23rd and is one of my favorites for the year. A
Director: Luke Scott Stars: Kate Mara, Anna Taylor-Joy, Rose Leslie, Paul Giamatti Artificial life is a concept that is not a new story field by any stretch. We have our latest offering in Morgan, which actually becomes quite interesting, defying my general dislike on the sub-genre. Frankly, it is tough to have an original story related to the dangers of AI. Morgan, made me recall lasts years melding of Sci-fi and horror, Ex Machina. This time, instead of the creation of a new life form from mechanical means, Morgan employs the tampering with DNA line of “Frankensteinian” life creation. At the start of the movie, we witness a hooded individual attack a counselor from a grainy overhead surveillance camera. In a quick montage sequence, the history of Morgan (Anna Taylor-Joy) is depicted to get viewers up to speed. Lee Weathers (Kate Mara) is assigned to determine if the program needs to be shut down, by the company that is paying for the research. Morgan is the product of genetic engineering. They have attempted to create a superhuman by completely altering one-half of the DNA strand. Morgan appears to be a teenager but is only 5 years old. Each of her teachers at the closed off medical facility love Margan in his/her own way, both from watching her grow from inception and being isolated from the rest of the world. Dr. Amy Menser (Rose Leslie) has a strange almost romantic interest in the youth and plays the free-spirited counselor that shows Morgan the outside world. Anna Taylor-Joy is excellent in her second effort of the year following much lauded, The Witch. I am unsure whether the effect on her eyes was from CGI or contacts, but this coupled with her unique beauty made for a hauntingly creepy presence. Paul Giamatti plays an outside psychologist that arrives soon after Lee to determine the mental state of Morgan following the incident. Once again he steals the show in his easy portrayal of the confident, yet foolish doctor. This movie stays interesting throughout. I had certain questions that popped up in the narrative that had a satisfying answer in the end. A-
Director: Fede Alvarez Stars: Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto I have to admit, I have a warm place in my heart for a good horror movie. Equally true, I am more than critical on bad ones. What is bad, though? For me, it comes down to the story. If you can find a believable way to create a narrative that is true to its own construct. When the realizations of its characters and audience alike rely on organic flow and not movie construct, you have the makings of something interesting. Don’t Breathe does a great job of using plausible elements to tell a pretty terrifying tale with some significant surprises along the way. The movie is set in Detroit. This is an apt location for a horror story to unfold with it’s dilapidated and crumbling neighborhoods providing an excellent backdrop. Rocky (Jane Levy), Money (Daniel Zovatto), and Alex (Dylan Minnette) rob houses by using keys and passcodes stolen from Alex’s father, who is a security officer for a security company. In the beginning of the movie, we see them robbing an affluent house with specific care given to not steal cash, to keep the charges less significant if caught. Rocky lives at home in a poor situation and dreams of leaving Michigan for California. Money gets the idea to up the stakes to get enough money to leave with Rocky by robbing a blind ex-Gulf War veteran (Stephen Lang), who is a shut-in, in an otherwise dilapidated neighborhood. He has come into a sizable settlement when his daughter was killed by the child of a wealthy family. As mentioned before, Detroit is a perfect place for this kind of tale. The old man’s lack of sight and physical presence as a war veteran make him both logically fallible and impressively scary as the trio soon finds out. Add in a Rottweiler on guard duty, and you have all the makings for genuine terror. Even my pet peeve in horror flicks, the jump scare, was not overused to create unnecessary tension. The movie is not over long, at just 88 minutes, but the time was effectively used. A few times, the movie seemed to be at a logical conclusion only to continue in dramatic fashion. All-in-all, I rate this as highly watchable and enjoyable throughout. A
Director: Gary Ross (Seabiscuit, Hunger Games) Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali, Keri Russell, Christopher Berry, Sean Bridges One could not imagine a more curious story in a more curious time than the story of Free State of Jones during the civil war and its aftermath. Here we basically have the succession of several counties, not from the Union, but from the Confederacy, in the deep southeast of Mississippi during the Civil War. At the center of the tale is the controversial Newton Knight(McConaughey), whose life and legacy are a matter for much heated debate to this day. Newton Knight begins this tale in the army of the Confederacy as a field nurse. The opening battle sequence is somewhat typical in its intent at stunning the audience with its visual account of the brutality of war. I found myself cringing at the the triage tent, where, veritable butchery occurred in an attempt to save the lives of the grievously injured. When his nephew is forced into the draft and subsequently dies, Newt deserts the army and returns home. He is further incensed by the decree that families that have 20 or more slaves can exempt one man from mandatory conscription and can increase this number for each 20 slaves that they possess. This brings an immediacy to the story as the statement, “rich man’s war, poor man’s fight,” becomes applicable. He then deserts the army and begins a campaign against the Confederacy. The movie can be divided into three parts, the war itself, post war activism by Newt, and the 1948 trial of Davis Knight, about the status of his lineage, which is interspersed in forward flash snippets throughout the feature. The movies intent is to pull all three together and tell a tale of the roots of our modern civil rights movement, and maybe in a more prompt application the other 98% plight. Truth is…Newt had 9 kids by his first wife and 5 by Rachel, they lived in two houses on his estate and he frequented each separately. The movie made it seem he had one from his first wife and then fell in love with Rachel and had a celibate life with her thereafter. I gathered these items from separate accounts online that show that there is no love lost between his descendants. There is a black and a white reunion that is not attended by the other party. Every account at historical fact has a slant that is either unintended or blatant for the movie arcs sake. I can’t help and be critical of any movie that intends to portray history and craft a recreation of events to “make it Hollywood palatable”. There is way too much cohesion between whites and blacks in this movie. There were moments that made you think that everyone put aside prejudices and realized that they were all fighting against the top 2%. In that part of Mississippi, they might still be fighting the civil war. Clearly Newt was a man before his time in many respects. By the end of his life, he had declared that he was married to Rachel, a black woman, which was illegal in Mississippi far into the 20th century. Upon his death he also left her 160 acres, which would have made her made one of the biggest landowners in the state, then again he outlived her by many years and had a relationship with her daughter from another father. Not all of that makes the movie of course. (insert winky emoticon here) History rewrites itself daily. B-
Director: John Carney Stars: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Aidan Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Jack Reynor, Lucy Boynton, Kelly Thornton Runtime: 1hr 46min Rated PG-13 Sing Street continues the renewal of my faith in movies in 2016. Now it is true, I saw several movies at TriBeca this year that raised the average for the year, but otherwise, few movies have raised the bar above okay. If you are in your 40’s, like myself, and spent most of the 80’s growing up in a cold war world with the Russians being “them”, rejecting the bell bottoms of the 70’s, embracing big hair and dudes wearing lipstick, then this movie is going to spark a lot of nostalgia. Ferdia Walsh-Peelo breaks onto the big screen as Conor (Cosmo, as he is later dubbed by Raphina), a young chap living with his parents failing marriage and escalating money troubles in Dublin Ireland. He is forced to change schools and attend Synge Street, a strict Christian Brothers school so his parents can save money. He spots a mature girl standing on the corner near his school, Raphina (Lucy Boynton) who has intentions to leave Dublin for London to start her modeling career. Conor suggests that she appear in a music video for his band, though he hasn’t formed one yet, and the chase is on. So much about this movie appealed to me. It felt authentic and innocent. The music in the movie was inspired by Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, and the Cure, among others. Scenes evoked humor as Conor evinced not only the musical style of each but the visual as well. Subtle differences, meant to capture the influence of each band, were accurately depicted to great effect. The music of this movie wasn’t even my favorite of the decade. My first cassette purchase was AC/DC, Back in Black, but my second was Duran Duran Notorious. (I think it was that backward “notorious” that was stuck in the opening lick that got me) I parted from the new wave scene to the harder variety of big hair bands (I later adopted the boots and flannel of the Grunge scene in my truly formative early 90’s and squashed the decade entirely via the scent of teen spirit) but the “spirit” of this movie dominated the entire culture of the 80’s. All of the truly cult classic movies of the 1980’s could have fit in the spectrum of this offering. I couldn’t help but feel uplifted by the “happy sad” tone of the music and thought the actual performance of the songs by the young actors was outstanding, as well. At its heart, and the heart of any great story, this was a movie about the chase of affection from a girl. Intertwined with it was the angst of youth and failed dreams. The blight of what can become from settling for the practical was constantly put into focus against Conor’s direction. His brother was a burnout pothead that failed out of college, with his own dreams of musical success hampered by his lack of dedication and follow through. His sister has given up her interest in art to conform successfully as a student headed for greatness at University in line with her parent’s expectations. Perhaps the biggest contrast on one’s youthful hopes and dream is depicted by his parents. They are failing as a couple, having married for the wrong reasons and going through the motions until they have grown so far apart that the end is nigh. This is truly a classic tail and fits well along with the 80’s backdrop. I highly recommend you see this movie. A
Director: Bill Purple Starring: Maisie Williams, Jessica Biel, Jason Sudeikis Running time: 1 hour 47 Minutes This movie premiered at Tribeca 2016. I had an opportunity to view it with a post-movie discussion by Bill Purple at the festival. It just so happens that I watched this movie on the same day I watched a darker version of loss, Demolition. The similarities are uncanny and yet the tone was very different for the pair of films. Henry (Jason Sudeikis) is married to a dynamic, “hurricane” of a woman, Penny (Jessica Biel). After a car crash that leaves Henry a widower, he sets out to befriend a girl who has collected trash in his neighborhood. He was put on this path by his artist wife before her death, in a scene in which she makes him promise that he would talk to her. Millie (Maisie Williams), is the apparent, homeless girl in question who also provides the clichéd voiceover narration throughout the film. She has lost her mother due to illness at a young age and her father by way of him sailing off on a trash raft and perishing. Since then she has been raised by her alcoholic uncle and is trying to build her own trash raft to go to the Azores where her father was heading before his demise. The story was set in New Orléans. Jessica Biel and Maisie Williams both attempted to do southern accents to a limited degree of success. Bill Purple had a very short time to pull this together, shooting in only 20 days. He remarked that the feel of the movie needed to be New Orléans and not Savannah. Savannah almost became the setting of the movie due to cost constraints. Because of the mixed tone of the movie, however, I did not relate it to the Louisiana in the same way as I did Beasts of the Southern Wild, for example. The movie represents a near-montage of elements of comedy, tragic loss and coming of age. In the plus column, given the varied tone, Jason was a great choice as Henry. Some of the funniest moments were when he stayed quiet and just looked at another character with a “you have got to be kidding me face”. In the negative column, the movies characters were thinly scripted and the story had an overall believability liability. Having characters named “Dumbass” for comedic effect, serving as a typical humor fodder, does not add to the theme of profound self-revelation. B-
Director: Andy Goddard Starring: Patrick Wilson, Jessica Biel, Vincent Kartheiser, Haley Bennett, Eddie Marsan, Radek Lord Rated R 95 minutes I screened the world première of this movie at the 2016 Tribeca Film Fest. Seated across the aisle from me was none other than Night Owl, himself, Patrick Wilson. He quickly left once the film started but came back to lead an interesting post-movie Q&A, along with fellow cast members Radek Lord and Eddie Marsan, among others. A Kind of Murder is adapted from the book, The Blunderer, written by Patricia Highsmith. The movie is shot in classic film noir style and is set in 1960’s New York. Drawing upon the essence of Hitchcockian feel, this thriller explores what it means to kill a person. Walter Stackhouse (Patrick Wilson), is a successful architect and aspiring mystery writer. He has a seemingly perfect life, though we get an early sign that not everything is as great as it seems. His wife, Claire (Jessica Biel), a beautiful real estate agent, suffers from mental illness and refuses to get help, though, she has promised before. Walter is clearly frustrated with the state of his life and openly flirts with a visiting party guest, sending Claire into a tailspin that ends in a hospital stint after a suicide attempt. Walter becomes fascinated with a story in the local newspaper about a woman who is killed on a bus trip at a diner stop. Walter is certain that the killer is her husband, Kimmel (Eddie Marsan). Detective Lawrence Colby shares Walters opinion and Walter finds himself blundering into a connection with both. The book was aptly named, The Blunderer…in fact, so much so I asked the cast and crew present why it was changed. Almost sheepishly, the only answer they gave was…they made us change it. The blunderer would have made more sense. The original story had Walter as a lawyer, which would have been more ironic, given the dumb things Walter did in the film. There is a certain sense in it, however, as often we don’t know what we are doing in a moment or why we are drawn to certain situations. This film explores that concept to its fullest, along with what culpability exists in a wish granted. This was a well acted and edited movie. In the post-movie Q&A, Marsan remarked that he felt that he saw himself akin to a session musician. He went on to say that he drew upon Raymond Burr’s portrayals as a classic evil character. He was very effective. Overall, the movie lagged a bit towards the end. Oddly enough, I think the movie would have made more sense, sight unseen if it had been named The Blunderer. I purposely came in knowing very little about this movie, and I was taken out of the movie by the mistakes Walter was making. B-
Director: Ben Falcone Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell, Peter Dinklage, Cecily Strong Rated: R 99 minutes Melissa McCarthy is a top notch comic actor. I think she may risk overexposure at this point, however. In her latest effort, she plays a down on her luck orphan that makes it big in life, Michelle Darnell. She is an entrepreneur on a grand scale…and like so many of her ilk, she has a run-in with the law via insider trading. Unlike so many others that have fallen into the same trap and gotten away with it, she loses it all. She manages to maneuver her way into the apartment of her former employee Claire, Kristen Bell and finds her way back to the big time through Claire’s daughter as a leader of her Dandelion troupe. It isn’t so much that she leads them, but that she competes with them in a cookie war that she intends to win. The movie was all over the map, frankly. It tried to pull on the heart strings, through the development of Michelle’s acceptance into a family, compared to her upbringing (unloved orphan montage in the beginning of the movie). In contrast, it also had a few moments that went full-on absurd, Anchorman style, with Dandelions getting into a knock down drag out fight, that really lifted the movie, and yet, was out of place with the tone set by the rest of the film. Perhaps the most distracting part of the movie, for me, was the visual that Michelle offered. The movie apparently implied that to be a successful woman, one needs to always wear a turtleneck. I have never seen a person completely remove the potential for a double chin as effectively. Perhaps that was the effect they were attempting to illicit. This is a quintessential also ran. Melissa McCarthy has little ability to lift this film, despite her talent. C
Director: Jon Favreau Starring: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, Christopher Walken, Garry Shandling Rated PG 105 Minutes On paper, this movie should hit it out of the park. This is an absolutely stellar cast with a tried and proven story that harkens back to so many childhood memories. For everything that is amazing about this movie, however, there is a counterpoint of not measuring up to the original. Perhaps, I am just an old curmudgeon and I can’t embrace the new, but I will give the reasons for my disappointment. Let’s get it out of the way….this movie looks great. I got to see it on an IMAX 3D screen, and though, 3D added nothing, it was beautifully shot with a blending of apparent real life and CGI that was so well done you could not tell the difference between the two. The problem really starts with the portrayal of the only live-action human character in the film. Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is a cute kid but he lacks the charisma to pull this film forward. He just doesn’t carry himself in a way that makes him believable in the role. I know that I have the backdrop of the animated tale to weigh against, but sadly, as a live action film, it needed more to pull this character off. Keep in mind, the bar is being set by a 1967 animated tale…. Looking at the cast, you would think…this is the makings of a home run. There are so many bonafide stars lending their voices, how could this go wrong? Truthfully, because I am not 7, I recognized the characters behind the voices and, frankly, they took me out of the movie. Scarlett Johansson could hypnotize me anytime as Kaa but I digress. A significant aspect of the original was the music. Unfortunately, the musical aspects seemed like a shadow of the former. They tried to pull in elements of the original, to a muted effect, but despite a spirited effort by Christopher Walken, for example, it never lifted itself beyond the also ran, for my tastes. Despite the beauty of the environment, this is a movie that fell short of its lofty goal. It could have been improved by better casting of the lead character. It isn’t terrible…just not as good as it should have been. I do think it is a great choice for your kids. They will have far fewer hangups with the totality, and a shorter memory of better. C+
Director: Ariel Vromen Starring: Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Gal Gadot, Alice Eve, Tommy Lee Jones, Scott Adkins, Michael Pitt Rated R 113 Minutes I was wondering why Ryan Reynolds did not get a higher billing in this movie. He wasn’t featured in the poster though he was in the cast list…then I saw the movie and realized he really wasn’t in it very long at all…at least not in corporeal form. In fact, outside of Kevin Costner and Gal Gadot, most of the rest of the cast was relegated to smaller roles as well and all were very one-dimensional. This is a key statement, so much talent, used to such poor effect. The movie starts off pretty in pretty good shape. We see Bill Pope (Reynolds) being pursued around town in a game of cat and mouse that he ultimately loses, to rather gruesome, effect. He was trying to arrange an exchange of money and safety with a hacker, the Dutchman, who has cracked the entire US missile firing security system. Some bad guys want him and his toy and kill off Pope to block the exchange. Tommy Lee Jones, comes in and says they can transfer Pope’s consciousness to a psychopath with damaged frontal lobes so that he can remember where the Dutchman is hiding out, and we have the stage set for Costner to play crazy bad guy with a growing heart, and Ryan Reynolds gets to play ghost in someone else’s head. If all of this seems to be cabled together from about 1000 other movies we have seen with similar plot points, you’d be correct. This movie is very disjointed and flimsy in the story department. The cast is wasted on a poor story and nonexistent development. Costner, as the main character, is completely dislikable for far too long into the narrative, and then only marginally improves. Oldman, looking like full on Commissioner Gordon, is given nothing to work with. The same can be said for Tommy Lee Jones and Alice Eve. Gal Gadot is the only character any semblance of depth but she is overshadowed by Costner’s poorly conceived character. You could skip this one and not miss much. C (mainly for the cast)
Director: Kirk Jones Starring: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Michael Constantine, Lainie Kazan, Andria Martin, Martin Wolf, John Stamos, Rita Wilson, Elena Kampouris Runtime: 94 minutes Rated: PG-13 Okay, I’ll be honest, this movie was not targeted to me. It’s not just that this movie clearly plays better to the fairer gender, in general, but also, I don’t come from a large “pack family” upbringing. I am not disparaging either distinction, but, I am noting, those most likely to enjoy this movie. Nia Vardalos has made a career out of being Greek with a big fat family. Her biggest break came from a chance viewing by Rita Wilson of her one-woman stage show back prior to 2002, that was the source for My Big Fat Greek Wedding . It was Rita (and her husband, Tom Hanks, production company) that kept a known actress from playing the lead part over Nia, (reportedly execs wanted Marisa Tomei). It also kept the story focused on the Greek heritage (execs wanted to make it about a Hispanic family instead). For a production cost of just 5M dollars, MBFGW went on to gross 370M worldwide and is one of the most profitable movies ever from a cost to gross revenue ratio perspective. It then spawned a short, though unsuccessful, tv show with many of the same actors. Fourteen years later, the crew is all back for another wedding and another chance to dip into the proverbial well of good fortune. Nia is back as Toula and is still married to Ian, John Corbett. She still works in her parents restaurant and John is the principal of the High School their daughter, Paris (Elena Kampouris) goes. If there seems like there hasn’t been much that has changed since the last iteration, then you are pretty perceptive. Nothing has changed, including the jokes. Gus, Michael Constantine, discovers he and Toula’s mom were never officially married because of an oversight of the priest 40 years before, so the ground is set for a Bigger Fatter “Greekier” Wedding 2. As a backdrop and side story, Paris wants to escape her Mom’s fate and go away to school. Rita Wilson and John Stamos (both of Greek heritage) have small parts in what is otherwise a nice movie that offers nothing new. D+
Directed by: Zack Snyder Starring: Ben Affleck (Gone Girl), Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, Gal Gadot (Triple 9), Diane Lane Rated: PG:13 Runtime: 2 hours 31 minutes I have thought about how to review this movie since I saw it on opening night 4 days ago. I did not get to see it early but my anticipation was great for this one. The tweets before the review embargo lifted were…go see it…it’s awesome. Once the review embargo lifted, the movie was trounced. It was labeled, “Joyless”, “Overwrought”, “Overlong”, “Dark”, “Confusing”. I’ll have to admit, I agree with a lot of those sentiments. I’ll preface it before I go on, I am a huge Batman fan. Nolan’s work in The Dark Knight Trilogy was excellent. I even loved Snyder’s work in The Watchmen, unlike the majority of people out there, critics included. Batman and Superman knew success long before the most recent round of super heroes, AKA MCU. Even with all that, DC’s entry into the cinematic universe war has been viewed with much anticipation, because, in the comic book movie war, they have played catch up with Marvel. Marvel has been able to tie all of their characters together (well, at least, those they have rights) and produced a perennial powerhouse of box office draw. Is it possible that 2 hours and 31 minutes was both too long and too short in its portrayal of a story that both needed more depth and less exposition at the same time? I think so. The opening of the movie shows the events that transpired in Man of Steel from the perspective of Bruce Wayne. He owns a building in Metropolis and gets really pissed off that a lot of his people died at the hands of this alien while fighting another alien. He then makes his mission, the death of Superman. Convoluted back stories intertwine with breakneck speed in a frenzy of far away locales, damsels in distress, lengthy expositions on principal, a plethora of dream sequences, cameos of characters with zero back story and questionable placement in general (Wonder Woman, et al.), inexplicable frenetic ticks (Lex Luthor, Jesse Eisenberg), and a general reduced visual presence in the form of the bat gadgets that was done in a far better way, by Nolan (Batmobile and Batwing). But this is why I don’t care. I don’t especially like how they did it…but I want more. It isn’t Marvel (and I grew up as a Spiderman collector,among others). I will continue to go see every movie made by WB for DC. Why? Because they have created some of the greatest characters ever to embrace the sentiments of what it is to be American. Batman and Superman both espouse the principles of what it is to be good whether we are in the light or in the shadows. This is why we all will go pay our 10-15 dollars to see what they have offered us. Even if it delivers less than we would like, we got our money’s worth. For me it is less than I was hoping to be sure but I applaud the effort. C+
Directed By: Dan Trachtenberg Starring: John Gallagher Jr., John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead PG-13 1h 43min Okay, I’ll be honest. I detest shaky camera and found footage. I won’t even watch it. Even if there is a reportedly good story, I won’t stand in line to go see it. For this reason, I never saw Cloverfield. I know it was deemed a fantastic movie, or at least, one that had very solid marketing. I also have the vague impression it was a shaky cam, found footage, war, of the world-esque film with a generic monster payoff. However, despite its predecessor, 10 Cloverfield Lane, had me interested. The trailer showed John Goodman in a creepy, though, undefined role, which did not show one element of shake. This is Dan Trachtenberg’s first directorial role. JJ Abrams produced the movie and has said that it is not a sequel to the original but could be considered a “blood relative”. The movie is actually an adaptation of another script titled, “The Cellar”, and as you watch it, you can see the potentially disjointed pieces. The movie opens with Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) avoiding talking to her boyfriend, as he repeatedly calls her, while she is in her car in flight from him. She suddenly has a car crash and in the next scene, she wakes, knee-cuffed in a basement with an IV. Howard (John Goodman) tells her that she is lucky to be alive and that there is no one to call. There has been an attack and they need to stay underground because there is toxic gas in the atmosphere that has killed off everyone else. The entire cast is wrapped around three people in a basement for the majority of the movie, so it has to rely on the character strength of the cast and the writing to merit accolades. John Goodman shines, as we have come to expect. And really, without spoiling things, I can’t tell you much more than that. Most of the movie is made up of anticipated action and uncertain motives delivered in a highly character driven environment. The takeaway from this movie is that there could be a legitimate sequel that could have a completely different narrative and frankly genre than the original. This is a confusing piece for me to place and that, in and of itself, garners a fair rating. B
Directed by: Tom McCarthy Starring: Mark Ruffalo(Avengers Age of Ultron), Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Billy Crudup, Brian d’Arcy James Spotlight tells the story of the Pulitzer prize (2003) winning journalistic effort of the four-person team that uncovered the Boston child abuse scandal of the Catholic Church. Marty Baron arrives at the Boston Globe as the new editor, an outsider, in a very small town feel Boston in the early 2000s. There is something very close to irony, that this New York man of Jewish descent, becomes the crucial element in bringing so much scandal to the well-established Boston Catholic community. He uses the four-person Spotlight column, Walter Robinson (Michael Keaton), Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams), and Matty Carroll (Brian d’Arcy James) to do extensive old school journalism, in an uphill struggle, to accomplish his objective. The movie’s brilliance lies in its excellent casting and perfect pacing. We all know that the scandal made headlines, but somehow the story keeps you wanting to see the events unfold. Liev Schreiber is excellent in his soft tones and mild demeanor, perhaps reminiscent of Ben Affleck’s, less is more, role in Argo. Walter Robinson(Keaton) adds self-evaluating gravity to the film as he realizes his own part in not uncovering the massive scandal years before. Sacha (McAdams) attends church weekly with her grandmother and struggles with her faith as the story unfolds. Michael (Ruffalo) shows his excellent range and depth in small demonstrations of each. He ponders his own faith, candidly, as he remarks that he stopped going to church years ago, “I had that in my back pocket”. It as if his safety net has been pulled away. Ultimately, the safety net vanishes for many. Fears are exposed. The world is turned upside down. Fittingly, at times, the characters are driven to get the scoop first. It is an intricate balance between what is right and what will receive accolades. Bottom line…this is a power-packed cast with a well-written script that exposes a dark part of American culture. A-
Director: Michael Showalter Starring: Sally Field, Max Greenfield(The Big Short), Stephen Root, Beth Behrs, Natasha Lyonne, Tyne Daly Doris (Sally Field) has spent most of her life taking care of her mother. She takes the Ferry from Staten Island to Manhattan every day where she has worked as an accountant in a typically boring office setting. Her mother passes away and she finds herself lost in purpose until she goes to a self-help seminar where she has an awakening. She interprets the seminar as an sign that she should pursue her recent young attractive office addition, John Fremont (Max Greenfield)… because as the self-help seminar instructs, “Impossible means I’m possible”. This is a motif that is repeated throughout this light-hearted dramedy as Doris navigates the world that she dreams of while denying the world that is. The world that is… seems somewhat cliché, in that, she is the typical female cat owner and cares for her Mom, through her decline, while giving up on her own dreams. The house they shared has become one that verges on the need for an intervention from a hoarding tv show, and her brother, Todd (Stephen Root), tries to get her to part with the stuff she and her mother have accumulated over their shared lifetime. That sums up the story arc vehicle for Doris. The meat of this tale is in the comical elements around her romantic play for her office crush. Sally Field shines in her comedic portrayal. She elevates an absurd story because she is just so believable as Doris. We all can relate to that anachronistic family member, oblivious to the perception of those around him/her. And yet, that is where the story starts to feel slightly absurd. It is as though Doris is wearing her Clark Kent glasses and no one can see Superman (substituting Doris for Clark and crazy cat lady for Superman). Bottom line, Sally Field is extremely funny and true to her role in an absurdly configured plot. Go see it for the humor. C+
Director: Adam Salky Starring: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot), Thomas Sadoski, Skylar Gaertner, Shayne Coleman Directed by Adam Salky, I Smile Back was adapted from the novel of the same name by Amy Koppelman. This is the story of Laney (Sarah Silverman), a middle-aged housewife, with some clear mental issues coupled with addiction and depression. On the surface, one would consider the structure of Laney’s life to be idyllic. She is a stay at home mom with two kids, a boy (Skylar Gaertnar) and a girl (Shayne Coleman). Her husband is a successful provider with a middle-class lifestyle. Laney is also an addict. We see her barely, and not so effectively, holding it together early in the movie as she drops off her kids to school in a less than perfect fashion and proceeds to an extramarital drug infused tryst with a dad of a friend. Soon after, Laney is admitted into a rehab program to pull herself together. You want Laney to succeed, but you see you can tell this movie is just not going to have that happy ending. It does not shy away from the stark and hopeless nature of addiction and the degenerative path it can lead you to. In one poignant passage, Laney questions why we should love anything, when we all know that we will all feel the pain of death and loss of loved ones in the end. This was a dark exposing display by an actress otherwise known for her comedy. Gone from Sarah’s performance was the childish persona, marked by an innocent voice and playful regard that has been a staple of her career. This was a linear tale, however, and would have been better served with a more dynamic portrayal of her husband. He came off as too weak against her wanton behavior and seemed to just be going through the motions in this addiction tale. B
Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa Stars: Tina Fey, Margot Robbie (The Big Short), Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Alfred Molina Loosely based on the 2011 book, The Taliban Shuffle, by Kim Baker, a real life journalist, Tina Fey has a role that allows her to be something more than what she has shown in Baby Mama, Date Night, and Sisters. Unfortunately, even in this offering, she fails to bring us something that will be as well regarded as her little screen efforts, though I do applaud the lack of Amy Poehler in this one. Kim is a single 40-year-old cable desk jockey that is offered an opportunity to become a war correspondent in Kabul Afghanistan, in a scene that sets the tone for the movie and lends itself to the same brand of comedy she has done for years in 30 Rock and SNL. One woman is crying at the meeting where this assignment is offered because of the insinuation that they would not be missed if they did not return from this dangerous placement. Shortly thereafter, Kim lets her boyfriend know that she is going to Afghanistan, and in an unfunny scene, she drops money all over the ground as soon as she makes landfall in Kabul, causing a near riot from the locals as they try to scoop it up. This movie is all about empowerment of a smart woman. Through Kim’s character, Tina gets to measure herself against, a cheating boyfriend, a sleazy local official (Alfred Molina), a gruff marine general (Billy Bob Thornton), a gruff Scottish male type-A journalist (Martin Freeman), and a young female bombshell (Margot Robbie). The movie, however, never defines itself. Is it a comedy? a dramedy? a war-torn woman’s empowerment movie? a heartbreak finds redemption romance tale? It has elements of all of those and yet doesn’t deliver on any, except, what I will lovingly call, Tina Fey schtick. I can’t even hate her for it, or hate the movie for it. However, this is not going to be the movie that defines her or raises her to the status of a big screen thespian. Perhaps that is not what she wants. I think, based on her intelligence, she knows what this is…a middling movie that is, at least, a step up on the critical thinking scale than what she has offered us before. C+
Director: John Hillcoat Stars: Kate Winslet, Casey Affleck(Gone Baby Gone, Interstellar), Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackey(Avengers Age of Ultron), Aaron Paul, Woody Harrelson, Gal Gadot If you like dirty cop movies and complex storylines, Triple 9 is going to be your movie. John Hillcoat directs this feature, otherwise known for movies such The Road(2009), Lawless (2012), and the Proposition (2005). With that resume, it is no wonder he was chosen for this dark, gritty movie. Kate Winslet plays an almost unrecognizable role in this film. In fact, I did not know she was in it, or realize, until a post-movie conversation, that she was the evil Russian Jew, Irina Vlaslov, and the main antagonist in the movie. Irina enlists the father, Michael (Chiwetel Ejiofor), of her sister’s baby (her sister is played by Gal Gadot), to pull off a heist with his crew, made up of cops and former special forces members. It is implied that Michael only gets to see his son as a consequence of agreeing to aid Irina. Irina’s ultimate aim is to secure certain items that would free her husband from prison back in Israel. This is not the least of the convoluted plot, honestly, but I think I hit on some of the high points. The crew pulls off one excellent stunt filled heist as the movie opens only to be blackmailed into performing another before they will be paid any money. The movie does not develop this well and you have to piece it together from snippets of conversation. The moviegoer that does not pay a lot of attention will get lost in the narrative. To pull off this additional gambit, the thieves decide they will need to execute a 999, officer down. Chris Allen (Casey Affleck), is the new partner on the force for one of the crew and is marked to be the cop that is taken out for the heist. Jeffrey Allen (Woody Harrelson) is Chris’s uncle and a Sergeant Detective. Harrelson does a great job, as usual, as a gritty, verging on dirty, cop. This is a movie with excellent actors and a mottled plot that fizzles a bit towards the end. It doesn’t stand up to extended scrutiny if you start to try to dissect motives for events on the screen. It is a fun film as long as you don’t think too much. C+
Director: Robert Eggers Stars: Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Anna Taylor-Joy, Harvey Scrimshaw After watching many movies over the last few years, I have come to the conclusion that my post movie perception of a film is tied heavily to my expectation going in. There was a lot of marketing for this movie with assertions that The Witch was the best horror movie in a generation. Going in, that was a lot to live up to for me. My favorite recent horror movie of record was It Follows, for which, there was a little buzz, but it more than delivered on a micro-budget. This was Robert Eggers début as director and writer for a feature film. Beautifully shot, muted and somber, this movie gets the tone right. Set as a colonial horror tale in 17th century New England, this movie relies heavily on the folklore of witchcraft. The movie opens with the banishment of William (Ralph Ineson) and his wife, Katherine (Kate Dickie), and their five children from the plantation in which they lived and worked. Forced to move to the edge of the woods, there was a supernatural, apparently God given, rule that they were not to hunt or go into the woods, as enforced by the shrewish mother Katherine. We rejoin the family about a year after their arrival on the edge of the woods as they struggle to eke out a livelihood on the newly established farm. In an eerie peek-a-boo sequence, the baby disappears from the eldest daughter’s care (Thomasin, Anna Taylor-Joy) and from here the movie descends into the darkness of mistrust and madness. Ralph Ineson’s booming timber voice spouting biblical ideology aids in the tone of the movie. Personally, an otherwise innocent scene with Katherine breastfeeding her young babe brings back a remembrance of Kate Dickie doing the same as Lysa Arryn in Game of Thrones with a larger creep factor. Ultimately, this is where the movie falls short for me. I cared very little for any of the characters in the movie. I was equally happy to see them perish as live because I could not come to grasp with the hopelessness of their perception. All seemed to live in a world of restraint where only the fear of punishment held back their true desires, and, in the end, lead to their spiritual demise. This is a thought-provoking piece. I look forward to the future endeavors of Robert Eggers. B
Director: Kevin Reynolds Stars: Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth You might say that this story was told from my point of view. Risen tells the story of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ from the viewpoint a non-believing Roman tribune, Clavius (Joseph Fiennes). Right off the bat, I will say that the movie was well done. I would not claim to know all the nuances of the Bible version of the story, but I think they got across the message they intended in an effective fashion. That is the best part and worst part of this movie wrapped into one. We join the story with a short fight scene, in which, Clauvius puts down a band of heretic Jews in brutal fashion. The scene draws upon the history of the Roman formations in squad form, as they subdue the insurgents, and not, the vast Legions of movies such as Gladiator. Clauvius is all too quickly summoned to the Roman Prefect, Pontius Pilate, to handle a situation with a Jew that has claimed to be the King of the Jews in mid-crucifixion. Clauvius arrives with Jesus and two others on the cross. The scene of their deaths is depicted with a significantly less gruesome overtone than most other movies that depict the event. This isn’t about the crucifixion, however. This is about the conversion of Clauvius and the miraculous events after the resurrection. And to that end, they show that Clauvius is basically a man who wants peace. He fights and does what he must as a construct of the world in which he lives. He exhibits mercy in his handling of Jesus on the cross in front of his mother and allowing the father to prepare the body for entombment as prescribed by their faith. Pontius entrusts Clauvius with the guarding of Jesus body in its tomb past the 3 day period in which Jesus has promised to rise from the dead. He does so because Caesar is visiting soon and he does not want the distraction of a martyr risen to detract from the Prefects rule. I question whether the nuance of a martyr and his significance would have been understood in these times, however, it is a story point. From this point on the story relies very little on the narrative, thus developed, and focuses on delivering more biblical aspects of canon with full parable style. There is very little in the way of dialogue from the King of Kings. His actions and the miracles he performs, say it all. I know that this movie is supposed to show how someone who is not of the faith became faithful. It also shows how Jesus performed miracles and how Jews, themselves, conspired against their own. Perhaps unintentionally, it also shows how even someone watching the events, needed the manifestation of God himself to believe the miraculous nature of events. It almost mysteriously and conveniently says that no one else other than this lucky former Roman soldier and the 11 faithful would ever get to see the same. B-