Posts
'THE GANGSTER SQUAD' (R) (1 1/2 STARS)
Written by Will Beall
Directed by Ruben Fleischer
Actors: Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Anthony Mackie, Robert Patrick, Giovanni Ribisi, Nick Nolte, Micheal Pena.
All "The Gangster Squad" had to be was a campy, violent and fun riff on "The Untouchables" and "L.A. Confidential". It is campy all right but not in a fun way. I was thoroughly bored by this lifeless gangster movie that has a lot of action but no personality. That is a shame because this is a great cast but when Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone come off as the dullest I have seen them you know this movie has a problem. I don't mean to compare it to something as majestic as "The Untouchables" but I wanted to have a good time at least, I wasn't expecting a masterpiece.
Like the best movie of 1987 "The Untouchables", "The Gangster Squad" builds a team of lawmen to battle an infamous gangster, in this case Micky Cohen. With that set up I thought of a few things this movie fails on. First of all none of the gang have individual personalities. There is a nerdy wire tap officer who is the exact type of character that Charles Martin Smith played in "The Untouchables". The difference is we loved that character. I couldn't care less of what happened to the Ribisi character or what happens to his family. I also know that Gosling is playing a character too cool for words but Gosling has no chance to bring any life to him. There is a romance between Gosling and Emma Stone and this hot couple should have created sparks. The movie doesn't let them, their affair bored me too.
I was actually rooting for Sean Penn's Micky Cohen who comes off as a shallow stereotype but at least he is alive and having fun. Sean Penn's performance is the only great part of this movie. The make up looks awful and Penn is required to chew scenery and it could have gone wrong but Penn makes it new and exciting. I also thought that Josh Brolin as the lead squad member makes a great hero. Though he would be better used as maybe the new Elliot Ness in an "Untouchables" remake? The action scenes and shootouts her run into each other and there is really no set up, they are just a mess. I only liked a really cool fist fight between Penn and Brolin near the end.
I know the screenplay here is not supposed to be the highlight of the movie but I did concentrate on the dialogue a lot because I was bored with the characters and action. The dialogue is terribly cliched and I know it is supposed to be but was it too much to ask for the dialogue not to sound like it was coming from a bad 1940's gangster "B" movie? After awhile I expected a "You'll never catch me "Copper" you see because I am smarter than you, you see?" Though there is a few lines that come close to that goofy "B" movie type crud. "The Gangster Squad" is a major dissapointment and a waste of great talent. I think I will go watch something way better like "The Untouchables" to remind me that a gangster movie can be a lot of fun.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
'ZERO DARK THIRTY'
'ZEO DARK THIRTY' (R) (3 1/2 STARS)
Written by Mark Boal
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow
Actors: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Mark Strong, Chris Pratt, James Gandolfini, Terry Kinney, Jennifer Ehle, Kyle Chandler.
"Zero Dark Thirty", Kathryn Bigelow's follow up to her Academy Award winning Best Picture "The Hurt Locker", is coming out with a lot of hype attached to it. I wish Hollywood and critics would calm down and stop over hyping a movie when you under hype and neglect wonderful movies like "Silver Linings Playbook". Like me, movie goers will come in expecting the best movie ever made. That is unfair to the movie and the audience for some might come out a tad dissapointed even though "Zero Dark Thirty" is a very great movie. This is a very well made, thrilling and very well acted movie and Bigelow's direction is superb. I just don't think it is the best movie I have seen this year and is not as great as the hype.
You know that this is the movie about the tracking down and assassination of Ossama Bin Laden. I will not spoil the movie's pristine and very detailed telling of all the moves or how the mission was completed step by step. It is simply a movie that does a wonderful job of taking you on a journey and then keeping you on the edge of your seat during the final half hour. This is not a movie where you are asked to like any of the characters. It is not a movie that will make you laugh or cry or feel deep emotion. It is a great exercise in showing us the detailed planning, obstacles and execution of the mission of finding and killing Bin Laden.
I was surprised though by the movie focusing first and foremost on the woman C.I.A. agent who sticks her neck out directing this mission, played by one of our best new actresses Jessica Chastain. Her name is Maya and she is a very smart, strong and tough woman who I absolutely loved following. Bigelow's last movie "The Hurt Locker", which I found a tad over rated and not Best Picture material, was from a male's perspective. I liked this movie much better because I love strong female characters and I am very sad that strong female characters are not written half as much as male ones are these days. Finally a story focusing on a mission that will be carried out in the end by male Navy Seals takes time developing this fascinating female character Maya.
Jessica Chastain is amazing here in a tough role that requires her to be tough but also show some emotion. Maya's job is extremely hard and frustrating and I love how her determination is the main reason this mission is successful. She has to go in and sell to a room full of powerful men why this woman has the right answers. If the movie dropped Maya and focused on the men this would be uninteresting to me and would turn into something dull and cheesy like this year's earlier "Act Of Valor". Director Kathryn Bigelow is the perfect director to drive this movie because she wants to show us the frustration, hard work and chances Maya has to take building up to a powerful final shot.
The direction here is excellent and the movie will never bore you but don't expect a edge of your seat type thriller until the final half hour. Though there are two middle scenes that jolted me and were very suspenseful. One great scene deals with another female operative that hits you with it's perfect set up and final jolt. If you love to see the nuts and bolts, roadblocks and process of a mission like this depicted you will not be dissapointed. If you are expecting a major thrill ride there is a lot of talk and you might feel a little let down.
I wish the movie's first 45 minutes would have cut down on some of the focus on the torturing of a supsect. I could not get fully invested in this movie until about an hour in. That is where my slight dissaapointment lays but don't get me wrong, I loved this movie. I loved the writing, the detail, the finely written Maya character and the beautiful, measured and great performance by Jessica Chastain. I also was on the edge of my seat and fascinated by the final half hour where the action and suspense is really let loose.
"Zero Dark Thirty" is being messed with by critics who say it fails in some ways and others who think it is the best picture they have seen all year. I even messed with whether it should be on my ten best movies of the year. For movie goers and especially me sometimes you just want to see a solid movie that entertains you. I really loved this movie after I blocked out all the hype and just saw it for what it is. To me, it is a competent thriller with one of my favorite female characters of the year, a great performance by a very talented actress and a great film making job by a extremely talented director making another solid movie. Yes, "Zero Dark Thirty" is one of the best movies of the year. It is a great movie, pure and simple.
P.S. In my last paragraph I was going to say that the movie was directed by a great female director. I am glad I stopped myself because shouldn't we be at a point where it doesn't matter what a director's gender is?
Written by Mark Boal
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow
Actors: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Mark Strong, Chris Pratt, James Gandolfini, Terry Kinney, Jennifer Ehle, Kyle Chandler.
"Zero Dark Thirty", Kathryn Bigelow's follow up to her Academy Award winning Best Picture "The Hurt Locker", is coming out with a lot of hype attached to it. I wish Hollywood and critics would calm down and stop over hyping a movie when you under hype and neglect wonderful movies like "Silver Linings Playbook". Like me, movie goers will come in expecting the best movie ever made. That is unfair to the movie and the audience for some might come out a tad dissapointed even though "Zero Dark Thirty" is a very great movie. This is a very well made, thrilling and very well acted movie and Bigelow's direction is superb. I just don't think it is the best movie I have seen this year and is not as great as the hype.
You know that this is the movie about the tracking down and assassination of Ossama Bin Laden. I will not spoil the movie's pristine and very detailed telling of all the moves or how the mission was completed step by step. It is simply a movie that does a wonderful job of taking you on a journey and then keeping you on the edge of your seat during the final half hour. This is not a movie where you are asked to like any of the characters. It is not a movie that will make you laugh or cry or feel deep emotion. It is a great exercise in showing us the detailed planning, obstacles and execution of the mission of finding and killing Bin Laden.
I was surprised though by the movie focusing first and foremost on the woman C.I.A. agent who sticks her neck out directing this mission, played by one of our best new actresses Jessica Chastain. Her name is Maya and she is a very smart, strong and tough woman who I absolutely loved following. Bigelow's last movie "The Hurt Locker", which I found a tad over rated and not Best Picture material, was from a male's perspective. I liked this movie much better because I love strong female characters and I am very sad that strong female characters are not written half as much as male ones are these days. Finally a story focusing on a mission that will be carried out in the end by male Navy Seals takes time developing this fascinating female character Maya.
Jessica Chastain is amazing here in a tough role that requires her to be tough but also show some emotion. Maya's job is extremely hard and frustrating and I love how her determination is the main reason this mission is successful. She has to go in and sell to a room full of powerful men why this woman has the right answers. If the movie dropped Maya and focused on the men this would be uninteresting to me and would turn into something dull and cheesy like this year's earlier "Act Of Valor". Director Kathryn Bigelow is the perfect director to drive this movie because she wants to show us the frustration, hard work and chances Maya has to take building up to a powerful final shot.
The direction here is excellent and the movie will never bore you but don't expect a edge of your seat type thriller until the final half hour. Though there are two middle scenes that jolted me and were very suspenseful. One great scene deals with another female operative that hits you with it's perfect set up and final jolt. If you love to see the nuts and bolts, roadblocks and process of a mission like this depicted you will not be dissapointed. If you are expecting a major thrill ride there is a lot of talk and you might feel a little let down.
I wish the movie's first 45 minutes would have cut down on some of the focus on the torturing of a supsect. I could not get fully invested in this movie until about an hour in. That is where my slight dissaapointment lays but don't get me wrong, I loved this movie. I loved the writing, the detail, the finely written Maya character and the beautiful, measured and great performance by Jessica Chastain. I also was on the edge of my seat and fascinated by the final half hour where the action and suspense is really let loose.
"Zero Dark Thirty" is being messed with by critics who say it fails in some ways and others who think it is the best picture they have seen all year. I even messed with whether it should be on my ten best movies of the year. For movie goers and especially me sometimes you just want to see a solid movie that entertains you. I really loved this movie after I blocked out all the hype and just saw it for what it is. To me, it is a competent thriller with one of my favorite female characters of the year, a great performance by a very talented actress and a great film making job by a extremely talented director making another solid movie. Yes, "Zero Dark Thirty" is one of the best movies of the year. It is a great movie, pure and simple.
P.S. In my last paragraph I was going to say that the movie was directed by a great female director. I am glad I stopped myself because shouldn't we be at a point where it doesn't matter what a director's gender is?
Thursday, January 3, 2013
'PROMISED LAND'
'PROMISED LAND' (R) (3 STARS)
Written by Matt Damon and John Krasinski
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Actors: Matt Damon, Frances McDormand, John Krasinski, Rosemarie DeWitt, Scoot McNairy, Hal Holbrook, Titus Welliver, Tim Guinee, Lucas Black, Terry Kinney.
"Promised Land" might look like a good for you, preachy, enviornmental message movie by it's previews. It is actually an entertaining, clever and well written movie that a Frank Capra could have made in his prime. It is also a fun movie because of the warm and charming actors playing good people that we like right away. There is also a neat plot twist half way through that caught me by surprise and made sense. It is not a cheap trick, it brings out the moral stances of all the characters involved here.
This is a very smart screenplay by actors Matt Damon and John Krasinki. Damon and Frances McDormand play corporate salesmen Steve and Sue who come to a small rural town to try to convince the landowners to sell the rights to drilling on their properties. Th drilling is to retrieve natural gas that could make the owners rich. To get the gas there will be a proccess called "fracking". That process could find riches for these people but it could also harm their land and kill off livestock for example. That is what young Dustin proclaims and Dustin is an enviornmentalist that is trying to stop Steve and Sue from their quest.
Steve will get involved with a pretty school teacher who also may have eyes for Dustin. I was anticipating a love triangle that would come off as phony but it is actually handled really well. The movie is directed by Gus Van Sant who has done a great job of picking very different type projects. He does a great job filming in real locations in Pittsburgh. The town feels real including the waterhole that the townsfolk go to where Steve will meet Alice, the school teacher. The movie also has characters we like, there are no clear cut good guys or bad guys. Everyone is trying to do their job and stand by their principles.
There will be a plot twist that could have ruined the vibe of this movie but I liked how it made sense and how it seemed like it could have actually happened. I like how writers Damon and Krasinski flesh out these characters instead of making them stereotypes. Matt Damon is such a likeable actor who always seems real plus you never see him acting. He gets great support from Frances McDormand as his partner and McDormand is very funny and steals the movie like she does a lot of times in other movies. Also John Krasinski as Dustin seems very likeable and I look forward to more of his big screen work. Rosemarie DeWitt is also very natural and sweet here as Alice. DeWitt is building up a nice career and I find her always a natural beauty who has an easy going charm about her.
"Promised Land" has good intentions and it is never a preachy movie trying to teach you a boring lesson. The screenplay is solid and Krasinski and Damon do a good job even though it is not on the level of Damon and Ben Affleck's work on "Good Will Hunting". Though I will say that this story has some of that movie's charm, humor and characters that we like following and rooting for. It might seem like a cookie cutter drama but I was surprised a lot by how entertaining and different it turned out to be.
Written by Matt Damon and John Krasinski
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Actors: Matt Damon, Frances McDormand, John Krasinski, Rosemarie DeWitt, Scoot McNairy, Hal Holbrook, Titus Welliver, Tim Guinee, Lucas Black, Terry Kinney.
"Promised Land" might look like a good for you, preachy, enviornmental message movie by it's previews. It is actually an entertaining, clever and well written movie that a Frank Capra could have made in his prime. It is also a fun movie because of the warm and charming actors playing good people that we like right away. There is also a neat plot twist half way through that caught me by surprise and made sense. It is not a cheap trick, it brings out the moral stances of all the characters involved here.
This is a very smart screenplay by actors Matt Damon and John Krasinki. Damon and Frances McDormand play corporate salesmen Steve and Sue who come to a small rural town to try to convince the landowners to sell the rights to drilling on their properties. Th drilling is to retrieve natural gas that could make the owners rich. To get the gas there will be a proccess called "fracking". That process could find riches for these people but it could also harm their land and kill off livestock for example. That is what young Dustin proclaims and Dustin is an enviornmentalist that is trying to stop Steve and Sue from their quest.
Steve will get involved with a pretty school teacher who also may have eyes for Dustin. I was anticipating a love triangle that would come off as phony but it is actually handled really well. The movie is directed by Gus Van Sant who has done a great job of picking very different type projects. He does a great job filming in real locations in Pittsburgh. The town feels real including the waterhole that the townsfolk go to where Steve will meet Alice, the school teacher. The movie also has characters we like, there are no clear cut good guys or bad guys. Everyone is trying to do their job and stand by their principles.
There will be a plot twist that could have ruined the vibe of this movie but I liked how it made sense and how it seemed like it could have actually happened. I like how writers Damon and Krasinski flesh out these characters instead of making them stereotypes. Matt Damon is such a likeable actor who always seems real plus you never see him acting. He gets great support from Frances McDormand as his partner and McDormand is very funny and steals the movie like she does a lot of times in other movies. Also John Krasinski as Dustin seems very likeable and I look forward to more of his big screen work. Rosemarie DeWitt is also very natural and sweet here as Alice. DeWitt is building up a nice career and I find her always a natural beauty who has an easy going charm about her.
"Promised Land" has good intentions and it is never a preachy movie trying to teach you a boring lesson. The screenplay is solid and Krasinski and Damon do a good job even though it is not on the level of Damon and Ben Affleck's work on "Good Will Hunting". Though I will say that this story has some of that movie's charm, humor and characters that we like following and rooting for. It might seem like a cookie cutter drama but I was surprised a lot by how entertaining and different it turned out to be.
Friday, December 28, 2012
'THE GUILT TRIP'
'THE GUILT TRIP' (PG-13) (3 STARS)
Written by Dan Fogelman
Directed by Anne Fletcher
Actors: Barbra Streisand, Seth Rogen, Brent Cullen, Adam Scott, Ari Graynor, Kathy Najimy, Miriam Margolyes.
There is nothing sweeter than the love between a mother and her son! I know that sounds maudlin and lame but it is very true. I thought "The Guilt Trip" would be lame also and very cloying or just a waste of time. It turns out that "The Guilt Trip" is a nice, fun, sweet (without being cloying) and funny comedy. It knows how to relax and just tell us a simple story of a mother and her son. It is a road trip movie and sometimes those can be a pain i.e. "Due Date". "The Guilt Trip" has some nice scenery and location work and a role for and performance by Barbra Streisand who has been off the screen for 16 years. Back then she was in a dramatic movie and I want to see the comedic version of Streisand and this role for her is a great one.
Streisand made some very funny comedies back in her heyday like "What's Up Doc" and "The Main Event". We know the muscial version of Barbra very well but we forget how great she is with comedy. She has a perfectly cast co star in Seth Rogen as Streisand and Rogen play mother and son Joyce and Andrew. Andrew is a smart kid who has invented a safe kitchen/bathroom cleaner made from natural resources. Andrew has to go on a cross country trip to try to sell this cleaner to major companies from New York to Vegas. In a plot development I won't spoil here Andrew feels he has to ask his mother to accompany him on this eight day trip. Andrew and Joyce seem like a normal mother and son and yes Joyce may come off as a nag to him. Credit the writer here Dan Fogelman, who wrote the sweet and wonderful "Dan In Real Life", for not making Joyce a walking cliche.
The laughs attributed to this strained relationship come off naturally, the writing is natural and not forced. Streisand is a delight and Rogen blends in nicely with Streisand and after a while we do believe they are mother and son. This movie could have gone so wrong so easily but the screenplay here is truly funny and sweet. This is not a real gut buster but I laughed many times throughout. I am really happy that Streisand was given this movie to star in. Jane Fonda is another actress who made a comeback and I missed her also. The difference is that Fonda has been given some very weak material to work with. Maybe Streisand and Fonda can do a buddy comedy sometime? Or maybe Barbra can give Fonda her agent's number. Anybody up for a "Nine To Five" sequel with Barbra, Jane, Dolly and Lily? Hmmmm.
There are some scenes here that could have been depicted as cruel and cheap including a strip club scene, a steakhouse scene and the Vegas material. That stuff is actually cleverly written, tasteful and funny. The movie does get sentimental but it is a nice sentimental instead of an obvious, strained sentimental. Streisand and Rogen work so beautifully together and they are both sweet and very funny together. There are surprises in the story but they are smart and very well earned. This is a perfect movie for sons to take their mothers to. It is tasteful, very funny, sweet and captivating. It is a relaxing time at the movies that will make you smile all the way home.
Written by Dan Fogelman
Directed by Anne Fletcher
Actors: Barbra Streisand, Seth Rogen, Brent Cullen, Adam Scott, Ari Graynor, Kathy Najimy, Miriam Margolyes.
There is nothing sweeter than the love between a mother and her son! I know that sounds maudlin and lame but it is very true. I thought "The Guilt Trip" would be lame also and very cloying or just a waste of time. It turns out that "The Guilt Trip" is a nice, fun, sweet (without being cloying) and funny comedy. It knows how to relax and just tell us a simple story of a mother and her son. It is a road trip movie and sometimes those can be a pain i.e. "Due Date". "The Guilt Trip" has some nice scenery and location work and a role for and performance by Barbra Streisand who has been off the screen for 16 years. Back then she was in a dramatic movie and I want to see the comedic version of Streisand and this role for her is a great one.
Streisand made some very funny comedies back in her heyday like "What's Up Doc" and "The Main Event". We know the muscial version of Barbra very well but we forget how great she is with comedy. She has a perfectly cast co star in Seth Rogen as Streisand and Rogen play mother and son Joyce and Andrew. Andrew is a smart kid who has invented a safe kitchen/bathroom cleaner made from natural resources. Andrew has to go on a cross country trip to try to sell this cleaner to major companies from New York to Vegas. In a plot development I won't spoil here Andrew feels he has to ask his mother to accompany him on this eight day trip. Andrew and Joyce seem like a normal mother and son and yes Joyce may come off as a nag to him. Credit the writer here Dan Fogelman, who wrote the sweet and wonderful "Dan In Real Life", for not making Joyce a walking cliche.
The laughs attributed to this strained relationship come off naturally, the writing is natural and not forced. Streisand is a delight and Rogen blends in nicely with Streisand and after a while we do believe they are mother and son. This movie could have gone so wrong so easily but the screenplay here is truly funny and sweet. This is not a real gut buster but I laughed many times throughout. I am really happy that Streisand was given this movie to star in. Jane Fonda is another actress who made a comeback and I missed her also. The difference is that Fonda has been given some very weak material to work with. Maybe Streisand and Fonda can do a buddy comedy sometime? Or maybe Barbra can give Fonda her agent's number. Anybody up for a "Nine To Five" sequel with Barbra, Jane, Dolly and Lily? Hmmmm.
There are some scenes here that could have been depicted as cruel and cheap including a strip club scene, a steakhouse scene and the Vegas material. That stuff is actually cleverly written, tasteful and funny. The movie does get sentimental but it is a nice sentimental instead of an obvious, strained sentimental. Streisand and Rogen work so beautifully together and they are both sweet and very funny together. There are surprises in the story but they are smart and very well earned. This is a perfect movie for sons to take their mothers to. It is tasteful, very funny, sweet and captivating. It is a relaxing time at the movies that will make you smile all the way home.
'JACK REACHER'
'JACK REACHER' (PG-13) (3 STARS)
Written by Christopher McQuarrie based on a book by Lee Child
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
Actors: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, David Oyelowo, Werner Herzog, Robert Duvall, Richard Jenkins, Michael Raymond James.
There has been great criticism towards the movie "Jack Reacher" from fans of the "Jack Reacher" books by Lee Child. It goes towards the casting of Tom Cruise who is supposedly shorter, much shorter, than the book's Jack. Jack is I guess supposed to be 6'5 and Cruise is definitely shorter than that. I have not read the books so I don't really care about that discrepancy. If I did read the books I still wouldn't get that upset but I would if the movie wasn't loyal to the book's story. I am glad I didn't read the book because I had a good time watching Cruise and this movie.
It reminds me of an old fashioned mystery and a "Dirty Harry" movie rolled in to one. In fact one fun fight scene reminded me of a similarly shot scene in Eastwood's "Dirty Harry" movie "Sudden Impact". It is in the style of a 70's mystery picture, clean and with no tricks up the sleeve. It just relaxes us into the story though after an unsettling first ten minutes. The real stir should be caused by a opening scene where a sniper picks off some innocent people. You automatically think of the shooting in Conneticut and other tragedies like that. I started to get a little disturbed and choked up. That is more important than whether Cruise is miscast.
It is tough to get over that opening but I did forget all that after the first hour. The movie has a story I found intriguing and comepelling thanks to the direction of Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise. This is not a happy Tom Cruise role but Cruise does very well here playing the conflicted hero Jack Reacher. If you haven't read the source material the movie concerns that sniper from the beginning and whether he was actually the shooter. We find out right away what the answer really is but the movie really concentrates on who is behind it all and why? Was the shooting actually random?
Jack Reacher is an ex Army soldier who tries to get to the bottom of everything by his own rules. He is like a young Dirty Harry but Cruise brings his own cockiness and cool to the role. He also gets good support by the beautiful Rosamund Pike as a defense lawyer. Those two character's relationship is refreshingly not romantic and that is a plus. We can concentrate on the story then and to the great director Werner Herzog wonderfully playing a creepy, evil bad guy. He has a lot of fun as does Robert Duvall in a small role that becomes big and made me smile. Add to that my dependable and trusty character actor Richard Jenkins and a very good David Oyelowo as a cop.'
I was never bored by and was always into "Jack Reacher". It is a solid film, well made, acted and directed by Christopher McQuarrie who wrote the very popular crime movie "The Usual Suspects". It is a movie that could have fit Eastwood's "Dirty Hary" character or a Burt Reynolds back in the 70's. It is clean, no nonsense with a good mystery, good action, chase scenes and cool vintage cars. You might not remember it a year from now but at the time you are watching it, it goes down smoothly.
Written by Christopher McQuarrie based on a book by Lee Child
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
Actors: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, David Oyelowo, Werner Herzog, Robert Duvall, Richard Jenkins, Michael Raymond James.
There has been great criticism towards the movie "Jack Reacher" from fans of the "Jack Reacher" books by Lee Child. It goes towards the casting of Tom Cruise who is supposedly shorter, much shorter, than the book's Jack. Jack is I guess supposed to be 6'5 and Cruise is definitely shorter than that. I have not read the books so I don't really care about that discrepancy. If I did read the books I still wouldn't get that upset but I would if the movie wasn't loyal to the book's story. I am glad I didn't read the book because I had a good time watching Cruise and this movie.
It reminds me of an old fashioned mystery and a "Dirty Harry" movie rolled in to one. In fact one fun fight scene reminded me of a similarly shot scene in Eastwood's "Dirty Harry" movie "Sudden Impact". It is in the style of a 70's mystery picture, clean and with no tricks up the sleeve. It just relaxes us into the story though after an unsettling first ten minutes. The real stir should be caused by a opening scene where a sniper picks off some innocent people. You automatically think of the shooting in Conneticut and other tragedies like that. I started to get a little disturbed and choked up. That is more important than whether Cruise is miscast.
It is tough to get over that opening but I did forget all that after the first hour. The movie has a story I found intriguing and comepelling thanks to the direction of Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise. This is not a happy Tom Cruise role but Cruise does very well here playing the conflicted hero Jack Reacher. If you haven't read the source material the movie concerns that sniper from the beginning and whether he was actually the shooter. We find out right away what the answer really is but the movie really concentrates on who is behind it all and why? Was the shooting actually random?
Jack Reacher is an ex Army soldier who tries to get to the bottom of everything by his own rules. He is like a young Dirty Harry but Cruise brings his own cockiness and cool to the role. He also gets good support by the beautiful Rosamund Pike as a defense lawyer. Those two character's relationship is refreshingly not romantic and that is a plus. We can concentrate on the story then and to the great director Werner Herzog wonderfully playing a creepy, evil bad guy. He has a lot of fun as does Robert Duvall in a small role that becomes big and made me smile. Add to that my dependable and trusty character actor Richard Jenkins and a very good David Oyelowo as a cop.'
I was never bored by and was always into "Jack Reacher". It is a solid film, well made, acted and directed by Christopher McQuarrie who wrote the very popular crime movie "The Usual Suspects". It is a movie that could have fit Eastwood's "Dirty Hary" character or a Burt Reynolds back in the 70's. It is clean, no nonsense with a good mystery, good action, chase scenes and cool vintage cars. You might not remember it a year from now but at the time you are watching it, it goes down smoothly.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
'DJANGO UNCHAINED'
'DJANGO UNCHAINED' (R) (3 1/2 STARS)
Written and Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Actors: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel Jackson, Kerry Washington, Walton Goggins, Dennis Christopher, James Remar, Jonah Hill.
Quentin Tarantino might be my greatest soulmate that has come in my life. That might sound pathetic but we are both ex video store clerks that love movies a lot! The difference is that Tarantino can show his love of movies in every film he writes and shoots. Some of his movies can have their faults but I have never been dissapointed in any movie he has writen and directed. Like after seeing the depressing "Les Miserables" I was counting on watching Tarantino's latest "Django Unchained" after and having fun and not being dissapointed. Lo and behold it happened again, I had a fun time and loved Tarantino's joy in filmmaking coming through again.
In a year that saw the first half populated with lazy movies I forgot how my heart starts to beat faster when watching a Tarantino flick. Out of 3/4 of movies released this year no one can touch on Tarantio's creativity and energy. We are not watching movies on cable, we are watching them on a big screen and want to be carried away and Tarantino carries me away every time. Now his movies can be very gory and violent and "Django" might be his bloodiest. Though this is a Western and I think that blood and depravity can be accepted better in a Western. This is a gloriously funny and exciting Western and this is coming from someone who is not a huge Western fan.
Tarantino can breathe life into all his movies as he does here. I love him because like me he is in love with arguably the best period of filmaking, the 70's. I also love how he uses supporting actors who you have not seen in decades and gives them great roles. I can go on all day with my Tarantino love but let's get into this wonderfully shot and told movie. This is classic old school Western story telling with an energetic twist. The movie tells the story of Django who is a slave and who is rescued by a German bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz. In that wonderful start Schultz takes Django under his wings as a free man to help him catch killers and dispose of them for money.
The movie takes place a few years before The Civil War and Django will joing King on an adventure that will change both of their lives. Django also wants to save his wife Broomhilda from the evil clutches of plantation owner Calvin Candie. There are a few great set pieces throughout the movie starting with a wonderful opening dealing with a small town Sheriff and a Marshall. After a few middling moments (the movie's only detriment)in the middle we get to the plantation owned by Candie. The movie then really gets fun with two beautifully written and funny, fascinating supporting characters. They are Candie and his house servant Stephen.
Both characters are funny and a joy to listen to and watch due to great performances by Leonardo DiCaprio as Candie and Samuel Jackson as Stephen. DiCaprio is deliciously evil and it is a controlled performance that is sly, wicked, flawlessly played and delightful. Samuel Jackson has the funniest character and the funniest lines in the movie and he plays them so well in a character that could have gone over the top. The scenes with Jackson made me laugh longer and harder than in almost any movie this year. I am having a hard time deciding who is better, DiCaprio or Jackson, because both are amazing! Also Christoph Waltz is back with his best role since "Inglorious Basterds" and he is delightful and fascinating also. His line delivery is smooth and he is becoming one of my new favorite character actors.
I also loved Jamie Foxx who gets better as the movie goes on. He is cool, effective and he becomes a hero we can root for. This is due to Foxx's assured delivery and by the end we realize this could be one of our best actors, we forget that sometimes I think. The movie has vintage Tarantino dialogue and like everyone of his movies the dialogue is alive. Sometimes I think movies forget to stand still for a while and entertain us with lively dialogue and writing. Most movies just want to jump around but Tarantino loves the spoken word. People complain about Tarantino having too much dialogue in his films. I don't get it, now we want dumbed down movies with all action and no story or character development? The writing here is alive and I was never bored escpecially in the exhilirating last hour.
Now the movie is not easy to watch if you are not into gore and some explicit violence. It didn't bother me here because like I said before this is a Western and that genre can allow a little leeway. Lets get this straight, by now you should know what to expect from Tarantino and if you don't like his movies don't see them and then attack his style of film making. If you love movies and Tarantino you will not be dissapointed. You have some hilarious dialogue and comedy, some beautifully shot action and shoot outs and a very fun time at the movies. I also like seeing Tarantino bringing back wonderful actors we don't see much like Dennis Christopher (Breaking Away) and James Remar (48 Hours, Warriors, Cotton Club). "Django Unchained" is not as great as Tarantino's last movie "Inglorious Basterds" but again Tarantino movies make me so happy and this one has the same effect.
P.S. There has been some criticism over Tarantino's use of the "N" word and yes I hate that word also. Though this movie is set during the Civil War era in the South. That word was used a lot and flew freely by racist white people during that time. I know, it is a shocker but probably true. Maybe Tarantino is using that word a lot for satire, who knows.
Written and Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Actors: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel Jackson, Kerry Washington, Walton Goggins, Dennis Christopher, James Remar, Jonah Hill.
Quentin Tarantino might be my greatest soulmate that has come in my life. That might sound pathetic but we are both ex video store clerks that love movies a lot! The difference is that Tarantino can show his love of movies in every film he writes and shoots. Some of his movies can have their faults but I have never been dissapointed in any movie he has writen and directed. Like after seeing the depressing "Les Miserables" I was counting on watching Tarantino's latest "Django Unchained" after and having fun and not being dissapointed. Lo and behold it happened again, I had a fun time and loved Tarantino's joy in filmmaking coming through again.
In a year that saw the first half populated with lazy movies I forgot how my heart starts to beat faster when watching a Tarantino flick. Out of 3/4 of movies released this year no one can touch on Tarantio's creativity and energy. We are not watching movies on cable, we are watching them on a big screen and want to be carried away and Tarantino carries me away every time. Now his movies can be very gory and violent and "Django" might be his bloodiest. Though this is a Western and I think that blood and depravity can be accepted better in a Western. This is a gloriously funny and exciting Western and this is coming from someone who is not a huge Western fan.
Tarantino can breathe life into all his movies as he does here. I love him because like me he is in love with arguably the best period of filmaking, the 70's. I also love how he uses supporting actors who you have not seen in decades and gives them great roles. I can go on all day with my Tarantino love but let's get into this wonderfully shot and told movie. This is classic old school Western story telling with an energetic twist. The movie tells the story of Django who is a slave and who is rescued by a German bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz. In that wonderful start Schultz takes Django under his wings as a free man to help him catch killers and dispose of them for money.
The movie takes place a few years before The Civil War and Django will joing King on an adventure that will change both of their lives. Django also wants to save his wife Broomhilda from the evil clutches of plantation owner Calvin Candie. There are a few great set pieces throughout the movie starting with a wonderful opening dealing with a small town Sheriff and a Marshall. After a few middling moments (the movie's only detriment)in the middle we get to the plantation owned by Candie. The movie then really gets fun with two beautifully written and funny, fascinating supporting characters. They are Candie and his house servant Stephen.
Both characters are funny and a joy to listen to and watch due to great performances by Leonardo DiCaprio as Candie and Samuel Jackson as Stephen. DiCaprio is deliciously evil and it is a controlled performance that is sly, wicked, flawlessly played and delightful. Samuel Jackson has the funniest character and the funniest lines in the movie and he plays them so well in a character that could have gone over the top. The scenes with Jackson made me laugh longer and harder than in almost any movie this year. I am having a hard time deciding who is better, DiCaprio or Jackson, because both are amazing! Also Christoph Waltz is back with his best role since "Inglorious Basterds" and he is delightful and fascinating also. His line delivery is smooth and he is becoming one of my new favorite character actors.
I also loved Jamie Foxx who gets better as the movie goes on. He is cool, effective and he becomes a hero we can root for. This is due to Foxx's assured delivery and by the end we realize this could be one of our best actors, we forget that sometimes I think. The movie has vintage Tarantino dialogue and like everyone of his movies the dialogue is alive. Sometimes I think movies forget to stand still for a while and entertain us with lively dialogue and writing. Most movies just want to jump around but Tarantino loves the spoken word. People complain about Tarantino having too much dialogue in his films. I don't get it, now we want dumbed down movies with all action and no story or character development? The writing here is alive and I was never bored escpecially in the exhilirating last hour.
Now the movie is not easy to watch if you are not into gore and some explicit violence. It didn't bother me here because like I said before this is a Western and that genre can allow a little leeway. Lets get this straight, by now you should know what to expect from Tarantino and if you don't like his movies don't see them and then attack his style of film making. If you love movies and Tarantino you will not be dissapointed. You have some hilarious dialogue and comedy, some beautifully shot action and shoot outs and a very fun time at the movies. I also like seeing Tarantino bringing back wonderful actors we don't see much like Dennis Christopher (Breaking Away) and James Remar (48 Hours, Warriors, Cotton Club). "Django Unchained" is not as great as Tarantino's last movie "Inglorious Basterds" but again Tarantino movies make me so happy and this one has the same effect.
P.S. There has been some criticism over Tarantino's use of the "N" word and yes I hate that word also. Though this movie is set during the Civil War era in the South. That word was used a lot and flew freely by racist white people during that time. I know, it is a shocker but probably true. Maybe Tarantino is using that word a lot for satire, who knows.
'LES MISERABLES'
'LES MISERABLES' (PG-13) (2 STARS)
Written by William Nicholson
Directed by Tom Hooper
Actors: Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter.
With the latest Hobbit movie and now the screen adaptation of "Les Miserables" I realize if you are not a fan of the original material you might not like a screen adaptation of it. I am not a fan of the muscial "Les Miserables", let me get that out of the way first. I saw it on stage when I was a kid and was bored and now after seeing this screen adaptation my boredom has not gone away. Since I hadn't seen the play in a number of years I was still holding a sliver of hope that director Tom Hooper would enliven the material for the screen. I did find the first half hour promising and really good but after that half hour the movie turned sour for me.
The movie starts out beautifully (especially on a giant screen at Evanston Century 12 theater) with an astonishing opening. The opening has a huge ship being pulled by a couple of lines of slaves including I guess our hero Jean Valjean. It is a breathtaking shot and then we hear our first musical moment including Russell Crowe as Javert surprising me with a nice singing voice. The movie is shot differently from other musicals in that the actors actually sing on set as opposed to being dubbed in later. The results sounded really great to me, kind of reminded me of the great rock opera "Tommy" and that awesome, weird muscial adaptation by Ken Russell.
I also love the performance by Anne Hathaway as Fantine, the only character here I find interesting. Hathaway has a scene stealing, show stopping muscial number and her singing is controlled, heartbreaking and beautiful. She will deserve her predicted Best Supporting Actress win at the Oscars. So far so good and Vince here was actually thinking Tom Hooper and Anne Hathaway were going to make this much better than the stage muscial interpretation. Though suddenly my attention started to wander off and the story really kicks in and then really started to bore me. The major problem here to me is that Fantine leaves our promising muscial and the movie will never recover from it. I did not find any other character interesting at all and I attribute that to the weak writing that has to go back to the stage version.
These characters are shallowly written and besides singing they do nothing to enhance a depressing, dull story. The movie then starts to escape Tom Hooper's hands and starts to get monotonous. I am sorry but this has to be one of the most depressing musicals I have ever seen. Now someone who loves this will tell me that there have been so many musicals before that dealt with dark material. I would agree but those musicals are "Hair" and "Fiddler on the Roof" and they had characters and a story I cared about and there was a personality to the story and musical numbers. Fantine is the only character I loved and found touching and interesting. There are also the two worst characters in any musical I have seen who bring the movie to a halt played by Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter. I also think that a musical that is surrounded by a dull subject like the French Revolution is in trouble from the beginning.
The movie is beautifully photographed but there is no control on the story after an hour beacause it is so dull, pretentious, sloppy and dull as dirt. I always have a rule that a movie can look really beautiful but if you don't have a good story or characters you are doomed. I also think that Hugh Jackman is good but I think any Broadway actor could have overplayed this character like Jackman does. Also Russell Crowe surprised me with his singing but it just seems like he is not there after a while what with his weakly written character. Also Cosette should carry the torch of fascination from Fantine when she leaves the story but the grown up Cosette is a simpleton dullard sorrounded by a weak love interest for her.
"Les Miserables" might satisfy the stage musical's fans but to me it just din't stir any emotions in me and I sat there mostly stone faced except during Hathaway's heartbreaking number. This is not really fun, entertaining stuff I am afraid and I love musicals more than most genre of films and I just felt somber and bored throughout. Musicals are supposed to touch us and give us an experience that takes away from our everyday problems. After "Les Miserables" I just wanted to poke my eyes out.
P.S. For better musicals that dealt with dark material but also changed my life and made me feel something try "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Hair" especially if you have never seen them! Skip "Les Miserables".
Written by William Nicholson
Directed by Tom Hooper
Actors: Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter.
With the latest Hobbit movie and now the screen adaptation of "Les Miserables" I realize if you are not a fan of the original material you might not like a screen adaptation of it. I am not a fan of the muscial "Les Miserables", let me get that out of the way first. I saw it on stage when I was a kid and was bored and now after seeing this screen adaptation my boredom has not gone away. Since I hadn't seen the play in a number of years I was still holding a sliver of hope that director Tom Hooper would enliven the material for the screen. I did find the first half hour promising and really good but after that half hour the movie turned sour for me.
The movie starts out beautifully (especially on a giant screen at Evanston Century 12 theater) with an astonishing opening. The opening has a huge ship being pulled by a couple of lines of slaves including I guess our hero Jean Valjean. It is a breathtaking shot and then we hear our first musical moment including Russell Crowe as Javert surprising me with a nice singing voice. The movie is shot differently from other musicals in that the actors actually sing on set as opposed to being dubbed in later. The results sounded really great to me, kind of reminded me of the great rock opera "Tommy" and that awesome, weird muscial adaptation by Ken Russell.
I also love the performance by Anne Hathaway as Fantine, the only character here I find interesting. Hathaway has a scene stealing, show stopping muscial number and her singing is controlled, heartbreaking and beautiful. She will deserve her predicted Best Supporting Actress win at the Oscars. So far so good and Vince here was actually thinking Tom Hooper and Anne Hathaway were going to make this much better than the stage muscial interpretation. Though suddenly my attention started to wander off and the story really kicks in and then really started to bore me. The major problem here to me is that Fantine leaves our promising muscial and the movie will never recover from it. I did not find any other character interesting at all and I attribute that to the weak writing that has to go back to the stage version.
These characters are shallowly written and besides singing they do nothing to enhance a depressing, dull story. The movie then starts to escape Tom Hooper's hands and starts to get monotonous. I am sorry but this has to be one of the most depressing musicals I have ever seen. Now someone who loves this will tell me that there have been so many musicals before that dealt with dark material. I would agree but those musicals are "Hair" and "Fiddler on the Roof" and they had characters and a story I cared about and there was a personality to the story and musical numbers. Fantine is the only character I loved and found touching and interesting. There are also the two worst characters in any musical I have seen who bring the movie to a halt played by Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter. I also think that a musical that is surrounded by a dull subject like the French Revolution is in trouble from the beginning.
The movie is beautifully photographed but there is no control on the story after an hour beacause it is so dull, pretentious, sloppy and dull as dirt. I always have a rule that a movie can look really beautiful but if you don't have a good story or characters you are doomed. I also think that Hugh Jackman is good but I think any Broadway actor could have overplayed this character like Jackman does. Also Russell Crowe surprised me with his singing but it just seems like he is not there after a while what with his weakly written character. Also Cosette should carry the torch of fascination from Fantine when she leaves the story but the grown up Cosette is a simpleton dullard sorrounded by a weak love interest for her.
"Les Miserables" might satisfy the stage musical's fans but to me it just din't stir any emotions in me and I sat there mostly stone faced except during Hathaway's heartbreaking number. This is not really fun, entertaining stuff I am afraid and I love musicals more than most genre of films and I just felt somber and bored throughout. Musicals are supposed to touch us and give us an experience that takes away from our everyday problems. After "Les Miserables" I just wanted to poke my eyes out.
P.S. For better musicals that dealt with dark material but also changed my life and made me feel something try "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Hair" especially if you have never seen them! Skip "Les Miserables".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
