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'Safe House' (R) (2 STARS)
Written by David Guggenheim
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Actors: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Shepard
"Safe House" has some cool, well directed car chases and shootouts and it has Denzel Washington. What it doesn't have is a soul or any interesting characters or a story I could get into. It also has a plot twist I saw coming in the first five minutes. There are no surprises here and this is a Washington character that he makes appealing with his charisma but a character I expected more fireworks from. The trailer for this movie makes the cooly named Tobin Frost, played by Washington, seem to be a badass but I kept thinking "Training Day". Tobin Frost is supposed to come off as a cold, mean killing machine and he is but ironically I felt no real danger coming off the character.
Tobin Frost is a rogue CIA agent who has a tape that contains incriminating evidence against the agency. Tobin frost is captured and brought to a safe house which is an apartment that is really made up to be like a fortress. The agents bring him into the safe house manned by Matt Weston who is played by Ryan Reynolds. Matt is craving dangerous assignments and hasn't been given any good opportunities. Frost is brought to his safe house to be tortured and something will happen to drag Weston into the case.
The movie seems like one long chase scene and it has a plot I found dull so the car chases and shootouts became repetitive to me and I lost interest half way through. I expected more of an intense battle between Frost and our hero Matt Weston and I felt I didn't get it. Ryan Reynolds is a very good actor and I like him especially in dramatic roles. I just have seen this character before and it comes off one note thanks to the screenplay which is too political for an action movie like this.
The movie makes political speeches and I have seen this story done to death. Denzel Washington deserves a character with more bite but as usual he makes the mundane more intersting so if you like him I say maybe give this movie a chance. It's funny that before this movie I saw the trailer for the new "Bourne Identity" reboot and I think "Safe House" is a dull copy of those movies. The fights and car chases are good in "Safe House" but they are pale copies of the fights and chases of the Bourne movies.
P.S. For better movies than "Safe House" try all the Bourne movies, "Green Zone", "Training Day" and "The Pelican Brief".
Friday, February 10, 2012
'The Vow'
'The Vow' (PG-13) (2 STARS)
Writers: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein and Jason Katims
Director: Michael Sucsy
Actors: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Scott Speedman, Jessica Lange, Sam Neil
Romantic comedies have been terrible lately save for the occasional "500 Days of Summer" and now you can add romantic dramas to the list. Ever since "The Notebook" we are getting sappy tearjerkers and there is nothing wrong with that. That is if the movie earns it's tears and our emotional connection to the characters. "The Vow" continues in the tradition of movies like "Dear John" and "The Last Song". Thank you Nicholas Sparks for this onslaught of boring trifles! These are silly, drawn out, so polite, dull movies that have no pulse. "The Vow" is based on a true story but I feel that the real life story probably had let's just say more life to it.
The first half hour of this movie is horrible but actually "The Vow" settles down after that and gets better and then it just lays there.
There are some beautiful uses of the wonderful city of Chicago here and Rachel McAdams outshines everyone, without her I would have walked out half way through. McAdams and Channing Tatum are Paige and Leo who get married after the most lackluster portrayl of wooing I have ever seen in a movie.
We see how they get together after the movie starts out with a tragic accident. A truck plows into their car and Paige flies out the front window in an awful and tasteless slow motion shot. Paige wakes up in the hospital and can't remember her past life and thinks Leo is her doctor, a scene that made me laugh.
The movie then gets a little better as Paige gets out of the hospital and Leo tries to make her fall in love with him all over again. It will be a tough assignment and even though I didn't believe anything the movie told me for a second McAdams makes it work. The second half is tolerable but the movie gets so dull and goes through the motions with plot developments that are so predictable and goofy. They involve Paige's parents played by Jessica Lange and Sam Neil who plays the requisite evil and meddling father. How the parents treat Paige and Leo after the accident is not believable for a second. Oh and there is the old boyfriend of Paige's before her and Leo played by Scott Speedman and boy what a boring character.
Rachel McAdams is actually the only actor pulling her weight and that is because her character seems to be the best written one. Which brings me to Channing Tatum who I like and I think is under rated. The only thing is these movies are not meant for him. He is woefully miscast and it is not his fault. I like Tatum in movies that require action and comedy or romantic movies that have something extra like the surprisingly good "Step Up". He was the best thing about "The Dilemma" and looks great in the new "21 Jump Street" movie which requires action and comedy. With "The Vow" and "Dear John" he just stands there and mopes and whispers and looks all doe eyed. I wanted to wake him up but I had to wake myself up first.
P.S. I do love the opening shot of Paige and Leo exiting The Music Box Theatre on a snowy night though. Better movies than "The Vow" are "The Notebook" and "Step Up".
Writers: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein and Jason Katims
Director: Michael Sucsy
Actors: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Scott Speedman, Jessica Lange, Sam Neil
Romantic comedies have been terrible lately save for the occasional "500 Days of Summer" and now you can add romantic dramas to the list. Ever since "The Notebook" we are getting sappy tearjerkers and there is nothing wrong with that. That is if the movie earns it's tears and our emotional connection to the characters. "The Vow" continues in the tradition of movies like "Dear John" and "The Last Song". Thank you Nicholas Sparks for this onslaught of boring trifles! These are silly, drawn out, so polite, dull movies that have no pulse. "The Vow" is based on a true story but I feel that the real life story probably had let's just say more life to it.
The first half hour of this movie is horrible but actually "The Vow" settles down after that and gets better and then it just lays there.
There are some beautiful uses of the wonderful city of Chicago here and Rachel McAdams outshines everyone, without her I would have walked out half way through. McAdams and Channing Tatum are Paige and Leo who get married after the most lackluster portrayl of wooing I have ever seen in a movie.
We see how they get together after the movie starts out with a tragic accident. A truck plows into their car and Paige flies out the front window in an awful and tasteless slow motion shot. Paige wakes up in the hospital and can't remember her past life and thinks Leo is her doctor, a scene that made me laugh.
The movie then gets a little better as Paige gets out of the hospital and Leo tries to make her fall in love with him all over again. It will be a tough assignment and even though I didn't believe anything the movie told me for a second McAdams makes it work. The second half is tolerable but the movie gets so dull and goes through the motions with plot developments that are so predictable and goofy. They involve Paige's parents played by Jessica Lange and Sam Neil who plays the requisite evil and meddling father. How the parents treat Paige and Leo after the accident is not believable for a second. Oh and there is the old boyfriend of Paige's before her and Leo played by Scott Speedman and boy what a boring character.
Rachel McAdams is actually the only actor pulling her weight and that is because her character seems to be the best written one. Which brings me to Channing Tatum who I like and I think is under rated. The only thing is these movies are not meant for him. He is woefully miscast and it is not his fault. I like Tatum in movies that require action and comedy or romantic movies that have something extra like the surprisingly good "Step Up". He was the best thing about "The Dilemma" and looks great in the new "21 Jump Street" movie which requires action and comedy. With "The Vow" and "Dear John" he just stands there and mopes and whispers and looks all doe eyed. I wanted to wake him up but I had to wake myself up first.
P.S. I do love the opening shot of Paige and Leo exiting The Music Box Theatre on a snowy night though. Better movies than "The Vow" are "The Notebook" and "Step Up".
Thursday, February 9, 2012
'The Innkeepers'
'The Innkeepers' (R) (3 1/2 STARS)
Written and Directed by Ti West
Actors: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis, George Riddle, Lena Dunham, Alison Bartlett
"Halloween", "Rosemary's Baby", "Carrie", "Psycho", the 1974 version of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". These are some of my favorite horror movies of all time. They had one thing in common and that was character development, patience, story telling skills, charisma, character and minimal gore. Even many would be surprised to remember that Tobe Hooper's "Chainsaw Massacre" and John Carpenter's "Halloween" actually are not that gory. In 2009 director Ti West made my favorite horror movie of the last two decades "House of the Devil". It was a flawless throwback to the movies I mentioned above and a perfect recreation of an early 80's horror movie that was better than any horror movie that came out in the 80's. I say all this becuase I have gotten heat for my 4 star review of the wonderful "House of the Devil".
Horror buffs who have seen House should agree on my statements and if you have not seen it and grew up in the 80's a huge smile will spread on your face and stay there throughout as you watch it. Now Ti West has made one of the best ghost stories of the last few decades that is such a huge step up from those horrible Japanese ghost movies and their weak American remakes that have popped up in the last ten years. "The Innkeepers" does take it's time, moves slow and is not as great as "House of the Devil" but it is a lot of goofy fun, actually has a great amount of good scares and will make you smile. I loved it because it takes it's time to develop some good, likable characters and tells a story instead of bludgeoning us to death.
It has what all good ghost stories should have and that is that contagious spirit of huddling around a campfire and having someone telling you a ghost story as your eyes pop out of your head. "The Innkeepers" has a no name cast with a return of an 80's actress in Kelly McGillis (Top Gun). It is set in a dilapidated hotel that is about to be closed down for good. There are two young workers that are working there on the last week. They are Claire and Luke and they love telling and exploring ghost stories and urban legends. There are only a few people staying at the Inn this one night and one is an old TV actress who is now a medium played by McGillis. There is also an old and creepy man who comes in to check in the same room he stayed at when he was a young man even after the Innkeepers tell him the floor the room is on is now closed.
Not much happens in the first 45 minutes and I mean nothing as in the instant gratification gore and scares horror movie goers expect now. Though it is funny to me that the "Paranormal Activity" movies are the same way but they are more popular and people don't mind. The "Saw", "Hostel" crap is now over and movie goers want a story and "The Innkeepers" has a fun one. There is also the classic horror basement in this hotel but it is the best use of a basement in a horror thriller since the 2000 masterpiece "Zodiac".
The first 45 minutes were fun to me and kept my intereste because Sarah and Luke have so much passion, energy, goofiness and are such well written characters. The movie does a great job setting up the story, the atmosphere and finally we care about the characters. Sara Paxton and Pat Healy are great in their roles and McGillis is very good and makes a triumphant return.
After setting up the solid story the movie finishes the job like an effective horror movie should. It starts to get spookier, scarier and more fun as the movie comes to it's sensible horror movie ending. I jumped a few times and as everyone makes a visit to the basement I actually got goosebumps. I know what I like and the horror genre is a hard genre to crack and I know I really like this movie and want to see it again. Ti West has done such an incredible job with "House of the Devil" and this movie that I think he will become a major future force in horror movie making. He doesn't belittle the genre with extreme gore, doesn't objectify women and doesn't hammer us with dumb stuff that all the latest horror movies have given us. Wait till he gets his hands on a big budget horror movie, I can't wait!
P.S. Don't get me wrong, I like gory horror movies also and "The Re-Animator" and the 1982 version of "The Thing" are also two of favorite horror movies. I am actually talking about the slasher movie genre that has gotten so incredibly horrible lately and that is not the type of movie "The Innkeepers" and "House of the Devil" are. Amen!
Written and Directed by Ti West
Actors: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis, George Riddle, Lena Dunham, Alison Bartlett
"Halloween", "Rosemary's Baby", "Carrie", "Psycho", the 1974 version of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". These are some of my favorite horror movies of all time. They had one thing in common and that was character development, patience, story telling skills, charisma, character and minimal gore. Even many would be surprised to remember that Tobe Hooper's "Chainsaw Massacre" and John Carpenter's "Halloween" actually are not that gory. In 2009 director Ti West made my favorite horror movie of the last two decades "House of the Devil". It was a flawless throwback to the movies I mentioned above and a perfect recreation of an early 80's horror movie that was better than any horror movie that came out in the 80's. I say all this becuase I have gotten heat for my 4 star review of the wonderful "House of the Devil".
Horror buffs who have seen House should agree on my statements and if you have not seen it and grew up in the 80's a huge smile will spread on your face and stay there throughout as you watch it. Now Ti West has made one of the best ghost stories of the last few decades that is such a huge step up from those horrible Japanese ghost movies and their weak American remakes that have popped up in the last ten years. "The Innkeepers" does take it's time, moves slow and is not as great as "House of the Devil" but it is a lot of goofy fun, actually has a great amount of good scares and will make you smile. I loved it because it takes it's time to develop some good, likable characters and tells a story instead of bludgeoning us to death.
It has what all good ghost stories should have and that is that contagious spirit of huddling around a campfire and having someone telling you a ghost story as your eyes pop out of your head. "The Innkeepers" has a no name cast with a return of an 80's actress in Kelly McGillis (Top Gun). It is set in a dilapidated hotel that is about to be closed down for good. There are two young workers that are working there on the last week. They are Claire and Luke and they love telling and exploring ghost stories and urban legends. There are only a few people staying at the Inn this one night and one is an old TV actress who is now a medium played by McGillis. There is also an old and creepy man who comes in to check in the same room he stayed at when he was a young man even after the Innkeepers tell him the floor the room is on is now closed.
Not much happens in the first 45 minutes and I mean nothing as in the instant gratification gore and scares horror movie goers expect now. Though it is funny to me that the "Paranormal Activity" movies are the same way but they are more popular and people don't mind. The "Saw", "Hostel" crap is now over and movie goers want a story and "The Innkeepers" has a fun one. There is also the classic horror basement in this hotel but it is the best use of a basement in a horror thriller since the 2000 masterpiece "Zodiac".
The first 45 minutes were fun to me and kept my intereste because Sarah and Luke have so much passion, energy, goofiness and are such well written characters. The movie does a great job setting up the story, the atmosphere and finally we care about the characters. Sara Paxton and Pat Healy are great in their roles and McGillis is very good and makes a triumphant return.
After setting up the solid story the movie finishes the job like an effective horror movie should. It starts to get spookier, scarier and more fun as the movie comes to it's sensible horror movie ending. I jumped a few times and as everyone makes a visit to the basement I actually got goosebumps. I know what I like and the horror genre is a hard genre to crack and I know I really like this movie and want to see it again. Ti West has done such an incredible job with "House of the Devil" and this movie that I think he will become a major future force in horror movie making. He doesn't belittle the genre with extreme gore, doesn't objectify women and doesn't hammer us with dumb stuff that all the latest horror movies have given us. Wait till he gets his hands on a big budget horror movie, I can't wait!
P.S. Don't get me wrong, I like gory horror movies also and "The Re-Animator" and the 1982 version of "The Thing" are also two of favorite horror movies. I am actually talking about the slasher movie genre that has gotten so incredibly horrible lately and that is not the type of movie "The Innkeepers" and "House of the Devil" are. Amen!
Friday, February 3, 2012
'Chronicle'
'Chronicle' (R) (3 STARS)
Written by Max Landis
Directed by Josh Tank
Actors: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Ashley Hinshaw
"Chronicle" shouldn't be this good but that is what I love about movies, the ones that come out of left field, surprise you and get the job done. This is one of those lost and found footage movies where a video shows up of events that happened in the past. "Cloverfield" is an example of this but "Chronicle" blows that movie out of the water! The movie also has the device known as the hand held camera that shakes and sometimes that is annoying. Here not so much because the director Josh Tank does a great job controlling the camera more. Also the story is very compelling and effective so you forget about the hand held camera.
"Chronicle" tells the story of Andrew and Alex who are cousins. One day they hook up with popular high school classmate Steve and they all go to a party together. They wander out in the back and find a deep hole in the ground like something big crashed into it. The movie never explains what this thing is but we kind of see it and we can guess from there if we want. What is down there is not the point and that is the first thing I liked about "Chronicle". There are no real answers, just an effective, scary and engrossing thriller.
The movie has touches of "Carrie" in it as the boys discover they can move things with their minds. First they will use it for fun and to mess with people but then there is a moment and incident and things start getting serious. Andrew has some problems at home and he is one of those shy kids who gets picked on a lot at school and always carries around a video camera filming everyone. Andrew's situation will also change things drastically and the movie will turn into a battle of good vs. evil.
"Chronicle" turns into sort of a twisted version of a superhero movie and it is way better than "The Green Lantern", the last Spiderman movie and the last X Men prequel. Then "Chronicle" has some effective chills and thrilling moments with it's telekenisis angle just like "Carrie". I was happily surprised by how good this movie looks in the effects department with it's low budget. It just proves that the lower the budget the better the horror/thriller and superhero movie is. I also think the movie is very well written and the Andrew character is very interesting and I love his friendship and relationship with his cousin Matt that I thought was deep and touching.
"Chronicle" is delightfully dark with some better than expected special effects that are scary. This movie could have been so cheesy and could have stepped so wrong but it is solid and much better than most of the teenage centered movies like this. I had a fun time and I cared about the characters. There is a charming and energetic performance by Michael B. Jordan (Friday Night Lights TV show) as Steve. He deserves to be a star and I found his performance captivating. "Chronicle" has the goods and it delivers them without any cute tricks. It is perfect for what it's trying to be and I think people will be surprised how solid it is and how much they like it.
Written by Max Landis
Directed by Josh Tank
Actors: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Ashley Hinshaw
"Chronicle" shouldn't be this good but that is what I love about movies, the ones that come out of left field, surprise you and get the job done. This is one of those lost and found footage movies where a video shows up of events that happened in the past. "Cloverfield" is an example of this but "Chronicle" blows that movie out of the water! The movie also has the device known as the hand held camera that shakes and sometimes that is annoying. Here not so much because the director Josh Tank does a great job controlling the camera more. Also the story is very compelling and effective so you forget about the hand held camera.
"Chronicle" tells the story of Andrew and Alex who are cousins. One day they hook up with popular high school classmate Steve and they all go to a party together. They wander out in the back and find a deep hole in the ground like something big crashed into it. The movie never explains what this thing is but we kind of see it and we can guess from there if we want. What is down there is not the point and that is the first thing I liked about "Chronicle". There are no real answers, just an effective, scary and engrossing thriller.
The movie has touches of "Carrie" in it as the boys discover they can move things with their minds. First they will use it for fun and to mess with people but then there is a moment and incident and things start getting serious. Andrew has some problems at home and he is one of those shy kids who gets picked on a lot at school and always carries around a video camera filming everyone. Andrew's situation will also change things drastically and the movie will turn into a battle of good vs. evil.
"Chronicle" turns into sort of a twisted version of a superhero movie and it is way better than "The Green Lantern", the last Spiderman movie and the last X Men prequel. Then "Chronicle" has some effective chills and thrilling moments with it's telekenisis angle just like "Carrie". I was happily surprised by how good this movie looks in the effects department with it's low budget. It just proves that the lower the budget the better the horror/thriller and superhero movie is. I also think the movie is very well written and the Andrew character is very interesting and I love his friendship and relationship with his cousin Matt that I thought was deep and touching.
"Chronicle" is delightfully dark with some better than expected special effects that are scary. This movie could have been so cheesy and could have stepped so wrong but it is solid and much better than most of the teenage centered movies like this. I had a fun time and I cared about the characters. There is a charming and energetic performance by Michael B. Jordan (Friday Night Lights TV show) as Steve. He deserves to be a star and I found his performance captivating. "Chronicle" has the goods and it delivers them without any cute tricks. It is perfect for what it's trying to be and I think people will be surprised how solid it is and how much they like it.
'The Woman in Black'
'The Woman in Black' (PG-13) (3 STARS)
Writer: Jane Goldman based on the novel by Susan Hill
Director: James Watkins
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer, Misha Handley, Roger Allam
"The Woman in Black" is a throwback to those old British haunted house/ghost stories that were not particularly scary but very creepy. "The Woman in Black" looks breathtaking and that house is beautiful, the art direction is impeccable. Looking at this bleak, grey movie you can actually feel the cold, damp air hitting you in the face. The scare quotient in this movie isn't high for I really was never scared but I had fun watching it and it held my interest throughout.
Daniel Radcliffe, now done with Harry Potter, is solid as Arhur Kripps who is a young Victorian lawyer. He is sent to a haunted house in North England to settle the affairs and go over some papers belonging to it's now dead occupant. That occupant's children had died in that house thus it is haunted. Arthur stays in town and then winds up staying in the house as many things pop out at him including a woman in black and a plethora of children.
The movie is no great shakes in the scare department for I jumped maybe once and could predict when the scares would come. There is a lot of slow tracking shots over Radcliffe's shoulder and then something will jump out at him. It is like going on a haunted house ride and that is why it is fun. It is definitely an old school British type movie with weird characters and towns people staring at Arthur because he is an intruder don't you know. There is also the creepy house which looks damn great here and and the proper looking but dead little girls who are now ghosts.
Radcliffe is good here and I love the supporting actors here especially the wonderful Ciaran Hinds and Janet McTeer fresh from her Oscar nominated turn in "Albert Nobbs". They have a delightful and creepy and weird scene when Arthur comes to their house for dinner that was a lot of fun. Again I love the look of this movie and I reccomend it on the big screen to see the house and the creepy outside on the big screen. "The Woman in Black" is not really scary (This week's "Chronicle" is actually scarier) but it is an effective mood piece that will have you creeped out. Oh and I love the just right and perfect ending which fits this kind of movie well.
Writer: Jane Goldman based on the novel by Susan Hill
Director: James Watkins
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer, Misha Handley, Roger Allam
"The Woman in Black" is a throwback to those old British haunted house/ghost stories that were not particularly scary but very creepy. "The Woman in Black" looks breathtaking and that house is beautiful, the art direction is impeccable. Looking at this bleak, grey movie you can actually feel the cold, damp air hitting you in the face. The scare quotient in this movie isn't high for I really was never scared but I had fun watching it and it held my interest throughout.
Daniel Radcliffe, now done with Harry Potter, is solid as Arhur Kripps who is a young Victorian lawyer. He is sent to a haunted house in North England to settle the affairs and go over some papers belonging to it's now dead occupant. That occupant's children had died in that house thus it is haunted. Arthur stays in town and then winds up staying in the house as many things pop out at him including a woman in black and a plethora of children.
The movie is no great shakes in the scare department for I jumped maybe once and could predict when the scares would come. There is a lot of slow tracking shots over Radcliffe's shoulder and then something will jump out at him. It is like going on a haunted house ride and that is why it is fun. It is definitely an old school British type movie with weird characters and towns people staring at Arthur because he is an intruder don't you know. There is also the creepy house which looks damn great here and and the proper looking but dead little girls who are now ghosts.
Radcliffe is good here and I love the supporting actors here especially the wonderful Ciaran Hinds and Janet McTeer fresh from her Oscar nominated turn in "Albert Nobbs". They have a delightful and creepy and weird scene when Arthur comes to their house for dinner that was a lot of fun. Again I love the look of this movie and I reccomend it on the big screen to see the house and the creepy outside on the big screen. "The Woman in Black" is not really scary (This week's "Chronicle" is actually scarier) but it is an effective mood piece that will have you creeped out. Oh and I love the just right and perfect ending which fits this kind of movie well.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
'The Grey'
'The Grey' (R) (3 STARS)
Writers: Joe Carnahan and Ian Mackenzie based on the story "Ghost Walker"
by Mackenzie
Director: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo, Dallas Roberts, Joe Anderson
I didn't expect to get a deep meditation on death and what we think about when we confront it in a commercial Hollywood movie like "The Grey". This is actually a heavy movie that is thoughtful but also has great scares and performances. I know one thing, I have a deep respect and new understanding of wolves. I used to think they were pretty and graceful animals but I was dead wrong. The new face of the middle age action star (taking over for Mel Gibson) Liam Neeson is back in prime form in this engrossing movie on nature, death and some bad ass wolves.
Liam Neeson plays John Ottway who is an oil worker and he travels by plane with his co-workers to Alaska. The plane crashes and half of the men die but there are 7 survivors. They will probably not be found because the plane is in pieces, they are in the middle of nowhere and they will have to survive. The men have different personalities and they will have to now watch each other's backs. Oh and I forgot to mention there are a plethora of wolves and they are animals and have no conscious. They will attack without mercy and now the workers need to survive not only the severe weather but also wolves who see these men as dinner.
Tbe wolf attacks will make you jump out of your seat multiple times and Liam Neeson again is a hero we can easily identify with. He is getting really good at his action thing but this is a movie that is a little deeper than "Taken" and "Unknown". There is some good writing here and we get to know a lot about these men. This is not just a thrill ride, each man thoughtfully talks about their lives and loved ones as they face death. The stuff with the wolves is very well done, effective and it will get under your skin. The supporting actors are some of my favorites including the under rated Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts and Frank Grillo. They all have distinct personalities and that is more than I can say for most action movie thrillers these days.
The photography and location work are very effective here and Joe Carnanhan is becoming a very good action director. There is a wonderful scene dealing with a cliff and a steep drop that is very thrilling. "The Grey" is nothing special but I was surprised by it's strong look at death and confronting the end. We have seen plane crash/survivor stories before as in the true life story "Alive". Though there is a somewhat fresh look at survival here with great scares, great acting and Liam Neeson as the quiet hero which he is getting so good at.
P.S. If you see this movie you have to stay until the end of the credits. There is an added scene that is very interesting, let me know what you think about it here or on facebook.
Writers: Joe Carnahan and Ian Mackenzie based on the story "Ghost Walker"
by Mackenzie
Director: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo, Dallas Roberts, Joe Anderson
I didn't expect to get a deep meditation on death and what we think about when we confront it in a commercial Hollywood movie like "The Grey". This is actually a heavy movie that is thoughtful but also has great scares and performances. I know one thing, I have a deep respect and new understanding of wolves. I used to think they were pretty and graceful animals but I was dead wrong. The new face of the middle age action star (taking over for Mel Gibson) Liam Neeson is back in prime form in this engrossing movie on nature, death and some bad ass wolves.
Liam Neeson plays John Ottway who is an oil worker and he travels by plane with his co-workers to Alaska. The plane crashes and half of the men die but there are 7 survivors. They will probably not be found because the plane is in pieces, they are in the middle of nowhere and they will have to survive. The men have different personalities and they will have to now watch each other's backs. Oh and I forgot to mention there are a plethora of wolves and they are animals and have no conscious. They will attack without mercy and now the workers need to survive not only the severe weather but also wolves who see these men as dinner.
Tbe wolf attacks will make you jump out of your seat multiple times and Liam Neeson again is a hero we can easily identify with. He is getting really good at his action thing but this is a movie that is a little deeper than "Taken" and "Unknown". There is some good writing here and we get to know a lot about these men. This is not just a thrill ride, each man thoughtfully talks about their lives and loved ones as they face death. The stuff with the wolves is very well done, effective and it will get under your skin. The supporting actors are some of my favorites including the under rated Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts and Frank Grillo. They all have distinct personalities and that is more than I can say for most action movie thrillers these days.
The photography and location work are very effective here and Joe Carnanhan is becoming a very good action director. There is a wonderful scene dealing with a cliff and a steep drop that is very thrilling. "The Grey" is nothing special but I was surprised by it's strong look at death and confronting the end. We have seen plane crash/survivor stories before as in the true life story "Alive". Though there is a somewhat fresh look at survival here with great scares, great acting and Liam Neeson as the quiet hero which he is getting so good at.
P.S. If you see this movie you have to stay until the end of the credits. There is an added scene that is very interesting, let me know what you think about it here or on facebook.
'A Separation' (11)
'A Separation' (PG-13) (11) (4 STARS) (Highest Rating)
Written and Directed by Asghar Farhadi
Starring: Peyman Moadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat, Shahab Hoseini, Sarina Farhadi
Sometimes we forget that other cultures, other religions and other countries go through the same things as our county when dealing with the dissolution of a marriage. "A Separation" is a movie from Iran and it is one of the best movies I have ever seen dealing with a fractured marriage. All the characters are people we can identify with and there are no bad guys here just misunderstandings and deceit based on misscommunication. This is such a rich movie because it is not just about a marriage but it deals with children, the convoluted court system in Iran and morals.
This is an extremely intense movie and there is a lot of dialogue but I couldn't keep my eyes off the screen at any moment. You will not catch your breath because of the drama that is presented in a brisk and dramatic pace. Nader and Simin are a married couple that are drifting apart and they decide to get a divorce. They try to end the marriage in court but it won't allow them to get a divorce. They then decide to have a trial separation and it affects their 11 year old daughter Termeh. Nader has a father with Alzheimers that he has to take care of and Simin is tired of taking care of him. She wants to leave Iran and as she tries to leave Nader hires a woman to take care of his father as a caretaker.
This new caretaker makes a huge mistake and neglects the father for a hour or so. Nader comes back home enraged and tries to push her out the door and what happens next we will not see. The caretaker Hodjat claims she fell down a flight of stairs and now has had a miscarriage because of the fall. Nader claims he did not know she was pregnant and just wanted her out of his house. Hodjat's husband did not know of Hodjat's new job so when he is confronted with this shocking news he becomes enraged. They take the case to a court in Iran as Hodjat's husband Razieh presses charges and Nader might be charged for murder and go to prison.
I really wanted to refrain from spilling out too many details of the plot but I feel it is neccesary. This movie has a lot of levels and it doesn't label anyone good or bad. All the characters have legitimate reasons to be angry and no one person is absolutely correct. All we know is that the daughter Termeh is the one that gets the brunt of all this confusion. Slyly we see her heart breaking and in a final scene we are brought to tears in one of the most perfect endings of a movie I have seen.
People might be frustrated by the ending and not understand why some of the characters do what they do. Please do not skip this because you don't want to visit another culture that is supposed to be our enemy. We as Americans and Iranians go through the same emotions and frustrations in our lives and this movie is very engrossing and powerful. The emotions are similiar and I learned a lot about the court system in Iran. There are many frustrating things about it when pertaining to this story but of course America's court system has the same problems. Justice, I find justice is just as skewered and imperfect in America as it is in Iran.
"A Separation" also has wonderful performances and Peyman Moadi as Nader is incredible, subtle and effective. This is a performance that could have easily been nominated for an Oscar as did Damien Bechir for "A Better Life". It is a complex role and Moadi strikes all the right notes. Also Sarina Farhadi as Termeh is great and she is very good at showing her heart breaking in a natural way. The movie is brilliantly written and tautly directed by Asghar Farhadi. I would love to see his next movie and movie goers who don't frequent Iranian movies and see this will want to check out more movies from this country. "A Separation" deserves it's Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination and should have been the 10th movie nominated for Best Picture. It is one of the most powerful and engrossing movies of 2011.
Written and Directed by Asghar Farhadi
Starring: Peyman Moadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat, Shahab Hoseini, Sarina Farhadi
Sometimes we forget that other cultures, other religions and other countries go through the same things as our county when dealing with the dissolution of a marriage. "A Separation" is a movie from Iran and it is one of the best movies I have ever seen dealing with a fractured marriage. All the characters are people we can identify with and there are no bad guys here just misunderstandings and deceit based on misscommunication. This is such a rich movie because it is not just about a marriage but it deals with children, the convoluted court system in Iran and morals.
This is an extremely intense movie and there is a lot of dialogue but I couldn't keep my eyes off the screen at any moment. You will not catch your breath because of the drama that is presented in a brisk and dramatic pace. Nader and Simin are a married couple that are drifting apart and they decide to get a divorce. They try to end the marriage in court but it won't allow them to get a divorce. They then decide to have a trial separation and it affects their 11 year old daughter Termeh. Nader has a father with Alzheimers that he has to take care of and Simin is tired of taking care of him. She wants to leave Iran and as she tries to leave Nader hires a woman to take care of his father as a caretaker.
This new caretaker makes a huge mistake and neglects the father for a hour or so. Nader comes back home enraged and tries to push her out the door and what happens next we will not see. The caretaker Hodjat claims she fell down a flight of stairs and now has had a miscarriage because of the fall. Nader claims he did not know she was pregnant and just wanted her out of his house. Hodjat's husband did not know of Hodjat's new job so when he is confronted with this shocking news he becomes enraged. They take the case to a court in Iran as Hodjat's husband Razieh presses charges and Nader might be charged for murder and go to prison.
I really wanted to refrain from spilling out too many details of the plot but I feel it is neccesary. This movie has a lot of levels and it doesn't label anyone good or bad. All the characters have legitimate reasons to be angry and no one person is absolutely correct. All we know is that the daughter Termeh is the one that gets the brunt of all this confusion. Slyly we see her heart breaking and in a final scene we are brought to tears in one of the most perfect endings of a movie I have seen.
People might be frustrated by the ending and not understand why some of the characters do what they do. Please do not skip this because you don't want to visit another culture that is supposed to be our enemy. We as Americans and Iranians go through the same emotions and frustrations in our lives and this movie is very engrossing and powerful. The emotions are similiar and I learned a lot about the court system in Iran. There are many frustrating things about it when pertaining to this story but of course America's court system has the same problems. Justice, I find justice is just as skewered and imperfect in America as it is in Iran.
"A Separation" also has wonderful performances and Peyman Moadi as Nader is incredible, subtle and effective. This is a performance that could have easily been nominated for an Oscar as did Damien Bechir for "A Better Life". It is a complex role and Moadi strikes all the right notes. Also Sarina Farhadi as Termeh is great and she is very good at showing her heart breaking in a natural way. The movie is brilliantly written and tautly directed by Asghar Farhadi. I would love to see his next movie and movie goers who don't frequent Iranian movies and see this will want to check out more movies from this country. "A Separation" deserves it's Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination and should have been the 10th movie nominated for Best Picture. It is one of the most powerful and engrossing movies of 2011.
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