Film Review: “Kubo and the Two Strings”

Starring the Voices of: Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson and Ralph Fiennes
Directed By: Travis Knight
Rated: PG
Running Time: 101 minutes
Focus Features

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Anymore, I’m shocked when I walk out of a movie after seeing something original. I was almost certain that “Kubo and the Two Strings” was based on a book or short story. I was sure that a movie utilizing origami, ancient traditions, and the mysticism of the Eastern world, was someone else’s idea come to life. Nope. The ambitious nature of the film is all its own and it’s amazing to see the animation studio, Laika, put so much faith behind it.

To say that “Kubo” is a kid’s movie or fun for the whole family would be a disservice. It seems more interested in a mature audience that fancies itself as fans of anime, late 70’s kung fu, or people who watch “Adventure Time”. So if anything, you could say it’s a very mature kid’s movie. It doesn’t have predictable silliness, but seems to find itself bordering on family friendly entertainment early on when we meet our hero, Kubo (Parkinson). He’s forbidden from staying out past dark by his near comatose mother.

Kubo spends his days going into town to make money by plucking the two strings on his shamisen (or guitar). Through his musical talents, he’s able to wield magic that puppets different origami creatures, while spinning tales that are inspired by his father, whom he’s never met. He fascinated with the journey of great samurai warrior, and the beasts and monsters they fight. Inevitably after one of his shows, he stays out past dark, invoking his evil twin aunts (voiced by Rooney Mara), sending him on his own perilous journey.

Kubo joins forces with a talking monkey voiced by Charlize Theron and a beetle warrior voiced by Matthew McConaughey. It took me a while to get on the same page as “Kubo” and a lot of that may be because I wasn’t sure what to expect. The movie’s marketing campaign made it feel like I was in for a Japanese rehash of “James and the Giant Peach”, but there’s a lot more depth and heart to “Kubo” than any Roald Dahl classic.

Without revealing too much, the heart and soul of this movie is about the family unit, forgiveness, memory and the damage jealousy can bring upon the human soul. It has some great lessons for kids, but its more heart felt for older audiences who have aging patriarchs and matriarchs at home. “Kubo” is a clash of youth and age, and how families handle the generational divide within their own families. “Kubo” does suffer from an identity crisis, having to balance audience expectations and preventing its mature script from tripping into low-brow kid’s movie pitfalls. I’m sure “Kubo” will get better with age.

The digital stop-motion animation in “Kubo” is next level. A good chunk of scenes are on the same level as most stop-motion movies, but other scenes are breathtaking and groundbreaking. I’m no animator, but I’m sure most out there will have to give pause and wonder how “Kubo” accomplishes many of it’s visual feats. There’s so much for your eyes to feast on, at times the story becomes second nature to everything happening on screen, like a scene where a sailboat made up of Autumn leaves crashes through the waves of a lake during a robust lightning storm.

“Kubo” is clearly a passion project, with a dedicated team behind the camera. It hits deep within the heart for those looking for meaning, but lacks the right amount of force to really do some emotional damage once it’s driven into your soul. There’s a lot of themes, some blatant, some yet undiscovered on my first viewing. “Kubo” will surely be keeping Disney and Pixar on the edge of their seat come award season. Laika Studios is proving to be a worthy adversary and showing that stop-motion can be just as colorfully lively, emotionally heartbreaking and creatively inspiring, than a lost fish in the sea or what your pets do while you’re at work.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: art parkinson, charlize theron, george takei, kubo and the two strings, laika studios, matthew mcconaughey, ...

Film Review: “Hell or High Water”

Starring: Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges
Directed By: David Mackenzie
Rated: R
Running Time: 102 minutes
CBS Films

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Out of curiosity I researched the phrase, “Come hell or high water” since the movie title clearly borrows from that popular saying. My research yielded the fact that it’s an early 20th century saying that relates to the difficulties of cattle ranching. And here I had always assumed it was more of a Biblical saying or something cool Americans would say when facing adversity. That’s not to say that the originators of the saying weren’t God-fearing ranchers.

Brothers Tanner (Foster) and Toby (Pine) aren’t ranchers and certainly don’t appear to be fearful of any afterlife repercussions of their sins. Although the would-be cowboys are working on their future beer guts and sport rough stubble that could certainly mislead one to believe they’ve had to wrangle livestock. They live in western Texas where there’s clearly a hangover from the 2007 market crash. Residents dotting the drought ridden landscape seem more focused on staying true to the beliefs they grew up on, rather than adapt or evolve.

Toby isn’t old fashioned, but he definitely seems lost on what to do in this brave new world. He’s desperately trying to save the family farm and is looking for a life preserver as he swims in debt. His ex-con brother, Tanner, helps him with the first of many bad ideas, robbing banks. They’re not stupid about it at least. They commit robberies at banks in small towns with smaller police officers nearby, they’re only asking for unmarked bills smaller than $100 so the money can’t be traced, and they’re literally burying their getaway vehicles.

On their trail are, outside of the normal law enforcement, are two Texas Rangers, Marcus (Bridges) and Alberto (Gil Birmingham). Their comradery stems from a passion for what they do and years of working together. Marcus is near retirement and has a shoot from the hip viewpoint of everything, even making racist remarks about Alberto’s racial mix. But Marcus isn’t just some out-of-touch old timer; his racist jokes and jabs come from a deep appreciation and bond with Alberto. Alberto gets that too, making sure to quip back at Marcus. Alberto understands that under Marcus’ rough Texas exterior is an elderly man appreciating the friends he has as he dreads the purposelessness that’ll come with his retirement.

The movie follows these two groups journey and most of the time it’s exciting, funny, and heart felt. But behind the upbeat veil is one of hopelessness and deadly uncertainty. Any story about a two bank robbers, armed to teeth, being chased by the Texas Rangers won’t have a happy ending. For every laugh, our characters seem to wonder and ponder the consequences of their actions and the sins that will haunt us to our death day.

“Hell or High Water” captures the rustic West, the deep-seeded “Don’t Mess with Texas” attitude of its characters and the unflinching misery of living in impoverished small town America. It flips between jovial Western and teeth gritting thriller flawlessly. It’s a smart script with rich meaning that offers its characters realistic dialogue. They’re simple folk delivering simple lines, and anything near Shakespeare writing would feel horrendously out of place. Instead we get plain Midwestern men delivering speeches worthy of a Johnny Cash song.

The dialogue is further bolstered by the cast. We get to see a side of Pine we’ve never seen before, and one we’ll hopefully see more of, as well as a side of Bridges that we’ve come to love. Foster also gets the chance to make up for summer misstep, “Warcraft”, giving one of his best performances as the conflicted Tanner. If the summer movie season is truly over and it’s now time to turn the page to award season, “Hell or High Water” is a wonderful primer and a sign of good things to come.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: ben foster, chris pine, david mackenzie, gil birmingham, hell or high water, jeff bridges, ...

Film Review: “Pete’s Dragon”

Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley and Wes Bentley
Directed By: David Lowery
Rated: PG
Running Time: 102 minutes
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Disney’s latest live-action rejuvenation goes way back into the dusty part of their movie vault. The 1977 “Pete’s Dragon” probably isn’t really the pinnacle of Disney’s catalogue and my last viewing of it came when I was five years old when I would generally watch any movie that had animation, especially dragons. So I had no memorable nostalgia, expectations or preconceived notions heading into the “Pete’s Dragon” reboot and I feel it’s a sufficient reimaging for today’s generation.

The 2016 version wisely takes us back to the 80’s, at a time where if there was a dragon, everyone involved wouldn’t automatically be whipping out their smartphones to record. Our trip back in time brings us to Pete (Fegley), a four-year-old about to go camping with his parents. A car wreck kills his parents, leaving Pete to wander into the woods where he’ll surely be consumed by the wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. Instead though, he’s greeted by a friendly, protective dragon.

Instead of a goofy potbellied beast, the computer generated winged creature has a emerald shag carpet fur coating his entire body. The giant reptile’s playfulness is reminiscent of the dragons in “How to Train Your Dragon”. Because of this, the dragon is more dog-like and cute when interacting with Pete. Unwisely though, Disney gives this dragon a growl and deadly fire breathing capabilities, putting the wrong people in peril in multiple instances.

“Pete’s Dragon” establishes a sweet bond as we watch the boy and dragon, which he names Elliot, over a six-year time span. They gallivant through the thick woods and play in the streams like childhood pals. Pete, clearly not remembering the traumatic events that placed him in the woods, reads a book his parents gave him to the dragon every night. It’s odd that the movie never touches upon Pete’s parental loss. A park ranger, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, spots Pete and drags him back to the real world.

With Pete taken from his forest home, Elliot is left alone, but he’s soon hunted by a bunch of Stone Age thinking loggers. It sets up some flimsy intrigue for the final act, but disappoints on a climactic and emotional level. While I do believe that Pete and Elliot have a fondness for each other and care deeply about one another, I never feel the love and adoration they have. “Pete’s Dragon” delivers a warm hug for audiences, but it left me wondering if the affection was genuine.

Kids, who are obviously the target audience, won’t see any of its problems and will enjoy the magic of it. They may understand the vague environmental and importance of family messages, but overall they’ll be wowed and thrilled by the dragon’s escapades. “Pete’s Dragon” is a sure bet for families needing a Summer escape and a positive message, but just like the original, this remake may inevitably end up in the Disney discount bin.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: bryce dallas howard, disney, karl urban, oakes fegley, pete's dragon, wes bentley, ...

Concert Review: “Weird Al Yankovic’s “Return of Mandatory Fun Tour”

Weird Al Yankovic
Date: August 8th, 2016
Venue: Starlight Theater

Our Score: 5 out of 5 Stars

If there was ever music icon that demanded your undivided attention at a concert, it is Weird Al Yankovic. His performance is a full-sensory experience. Obviously it’s a visual and audible treat for those who show up in tin foil hats, polka pants, Amish attire, or whatever reference they can make to the musician’s 40-year career. But Weird Al incorporates more theatrics into one show than most bands do throughout an entire tour.

The concert begins via jumbotron, displaying crusty black and white propaganda video repeating the phrase, “Mandatory Fun”, the title of Weird Al’s last album. We then cut to Weird Al’s his tour bus where he appears singing “Tacky”. Shoving show extras out of his way and teasing the audience with what’s to come as he enters the Starlight seating area, he comically drifts to the stage through elaborate cheesy dance moves. It doesn’t take the comedy king of polka to bust out the accordion or the new songs that helped him land at #1 on the Billboard Top 40 last year.

Because each song parodies a song or specific style of a band, this is a concert requiring a costume change in between nearly every song during the two-hour show. In between songs like “Fat”, “White and Nerdy” and “Foil” are pieced together video clips highlighting the pop-culture relevance of Weird Al. Everything from his appearance in the “Naked Gun” movies to his vocal talents being utilized on contemporary cartoon favorites like “My Little Pony”. For fans old and new, the clips are a relentless sampling of his lengthy relevance and influence in society.

The seemingly one man show is joined on stage by his bandmates, who match his intensity, comedic timing and quirks. The madcap nature of Weird Al is matched by everyone, even the stage hands who have to awkwardly stand and hold a harmonica during “Ode to a Superhero” or the intentionally unenthusiastic cheerleaders during “Smells Like Nirvana”. The dedication to the surreal nature of it all reaches its peak during the encore. During “Yoda” the band stops playing their instruments and becomes a choir of cartoon sound effects and madcap a capella.

Every song played that night was a unique and unforgettable memory for fans, even the moments of parody medley. Weird Al spends a solid 15 minutes cramming in 10 shorted songs to better cram in his lengthy catalogue of memorable parodies to please every concertgoer. There are even a handful of songs that can be viewed as interactive, on the audiences end and Weird Al’s end. My review could have easily been a recap of every wonderfully joyous moment experienced in each song.

Having seen him live 15 years ago, it’s impressive to see the same energy, if not more. There are signs of age in that jester smile and silly grimace that he flashes, possibly worrying fans that he may be nearing the end of his rich career. I highly doubt the man who truly loves entertaining the nerdy masses is going to retire anytime soon. But on the off-chance he’s getting closer to hanging up the accordion, do yourself a favor and see him now, and often.

Set List:
Tacky
2.) Lame Claim to Fame
3.) Now That’s What I Call Polka!
4.) Perform This Way
5.) Dare to Be Stupid
6.) Fat
7.) First World Problems
8.) Foil
9.) Smells Like Nirvana
10.) Party in the CIA/ It’s All About the Pentiums/ Handy/ Bedrock Anthem/ Another One Rides the Bus/ Ode to a Superhero/ Gump/ Inactive/ eBay
11.) Canadian Idiot
12.) Wanna B Ur Lovr
13.) Eat It/ I Lost on Jeopardy/ I Love Rocky Road/ Like a Surgeon (Acoustic)
14.) White and Nerdy
15.) Word Crimes
16.) Amish Paradise
ENCORE
17.) We All Have Cellphones
18.) The Saga Begins
19.) Yoda

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews, Music Tagged With: al, concert, fun, mandatory, return, review, ...

Win Tickets to the Kansas City Premiere of “Sausage Party”

Media Mikes has teamed up with Sony Pictures to give (10) lucky readers, and their guest, a chance to attend the Kansas City premiere of the new animated comedy “Sausage Party.”

The screening will be held on Monday, August 8, at the AMC Studio 28 Theatre in Olathe, Kansas. The screening will begin at 8:00 p.m., preceded by a cocktail party before hand. Pass winners will also be allowed to attend the cocktail party and they and their guest will each receive one free drink.

To win, all you have to do is head here and get your tickets. This is a first-come, first-serve promotion and, once all of the passes have been given away, the contest is over. Good luck!

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Filed Under: Giveaways, Kansas City, Screenings Tagged With: amc, bill hader, danny mcbridge, james franco, jonah hill, kristen wiig, ...

Film Review: “Suicide Squad”

Starring: Will Smith, Jared Leto and Margot Robbie
Directed By: David Ayer
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 130 minutes
Warner Bros.

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

The Suicide Squad is a generally unheard force in the DC Universe. They’re a group of underdog villains attempting to do good, drawing comparisons from some that this is Warner Bros. attempt at their own version of “Guardians of the Galaxy”. While the comparison is fair, “Suicide Squad” is a far more sinister beast. While Marvel’s Peter Quill and Rocket Raccoon are likable thieves and thugs, the members of the Suicide Squad are a terrifying ragtag bunch of assassins, murderers and sociopaths.

The Suicide Squad is made up of the smooth talking Deadshot (Smith), Joker’s squeeze Harley Quinn (Robbie), the beer drinking Boomerang (Jai Courtney), the gang banger El Diablo (Jay Hernandez) and the hulking monster Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). They’re all led by the self-righteous Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman). The founder of this group is Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), who may as well be the villain of the movie. She’s an unsympathetic, calculating, and murderous government official who abides by her own rules.

Her basis for creating the Suicide Squad is so that the U.S. military has an controllable force that can stop the next Superman (spoilers if you didn’t see the disappointing “Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice”). Waller has a working knowledge of nearly every villain on the planet, and seemingly every superhero, which gives pause as to why she thinks this would ever be a good idea. Despite the rather large nature of the cast working under Waller’s character, director and writer David Ayer wisely chose to focus the movie’s attention on the best actors, Davis, Smith and Robbie.

While the media lead-up to “Suicide Squad” has been about Leto’s disturbing antics off-screen, his on-screen Joker portrayal is underwhelming. It’s not because it comes on the heels of Ledger’s performance back in 2008, but because I still can’t imagine the Joker having the patience to get a tattoo or ever concerning himself with fashionable bling-bling. Despite the disappointment of Leto’s Joker, Robbie wows as the stunning lover of Mr. J, Harley Quinn. While we’ve never had a theatrical version of the Clown Prince of Crime’s murderous hunny, Robbie has set the bar, and it’s pretty damn high.

Robbie displays a natural ability to blend Quinn’s flirtatious, deadly, and juvenile nature seamlessly. She manages to convey her as a trashy, demented high school cheerleader most of the time, while displaying a softer, human side to the villain in brief glances. Matching her scene-by-scene is Smith, who’s back to his action movie roots as the assassin that never misses, Deadshot. Both of them provide most of the back story and emotional depth amongst the Suicide Squad, and rightfully so.

El Diablo has a heart breaking backstory, but Hernandez isn’t a strong enough actor or given enough dialogue to feed into his tragic past. Killer Croc is simply a grunting brute covered in scales and Boomerang is the wisecracking comic relief, minus the comic relief. The movie also finds time to wedge in Ben Affleck’s Batman, Ezra Miller’s Flash, and a brief nod to the future “Justice League” movie. Sometimes it’s a visual buffet that finds the right balance without making you too nauseous, as long as you know what the hell the movie’s talking about.

The characters are what make “Suicide Squad”, not the story, which clearly came second. When David Ayer needs to introduce the characters, he establishes a pecking order and focuses on the most relatable. As for the plot, it’s a mess involving the mysterious Enchantress (Cara Delevingne), who’s never explained, possibly angering those unfamiliar with comic books, and maybe even those familiar with them. The exact reasoning behind the Suicide Squad’s pact is a little iffy and the movie doesn’t find a satisfying conclusion after the bombastic finale.

“Suicide Squad” is a wham-bam action punch with enough exuberant and unique performances to help overshadow the lacking plot structure. You’ll be talking about Robbie’s Harley Quinn more than you will about Leto’s Joker. And that’s not a bad thing when DC is trying to establish some girl power. If DC wants to start working on a solo Deadshot or Harley Quinn movie, go ahead and buy my tickets right now.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: adewale akinnuoye-agbaje, amanda waller, batman, Ben Affleck, boomerang, cara delevingne, ...

Win Passes to the Upcoming Kansas City Comic Con

Media Mikes has teamed with the promoters of the Kansas City Comic Con to give (5) readers and their guests passes to attend the convention, which runs from August 12-14, 2016.

Kansas City Comic Con features celebrity guests like Billy Dee Williams, Nichelle Nichols and “the Hammer” himself, former Kansas City Chief defensive back and action film star Fred Williamson.

All you have to do is let us know below what celebrity guest you would like to see at a future convention. On Monday, August 8th, (5) random entries will be selected and the winners will receive (2) passes to attend the convention. Those chosen will be notified by email.

For more information and a complete list of guests head here.

Good Luck!

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: billy dee williams, comic con, fred williamson, kansas city comic con, nichelle nichols

Film Review: “Nerve”

Starring: Emma Roberts, Dave Franco and Emily Meade
Directed By: Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 96 minutes
Lionsgate

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Did kids ever really play “Truth or Dare?” at sleepovers? I certainly didn’t. I grew up in the era where one-on-one conversations and group chat in a circle was replaced by shouting at each over the N64 and trying to decipher the nudity on scrambled HBO channels. So whenever I see the movie trope, especially in horror movies, of a game of “Truth or Dare?” going horribly wrong, I roll my eyes. Who knew a revamp was in order.

Most of the time, “Nerve” is a solid edge of your seat thriller. But at other times “Nerve” seems like a senior citizen’s overreaction and lecture about smartphones, social media and stupid teenage antics. Venus (Roberts) is a timid teenager, who’s known throughout her school as the artistic shutterbug. Her friends are an insipid teenage hacker, Tommy (Miles Heizer) and the school floozy, Sydney (Meade). Most likely one of those groups of friends that met in Kindergarten, grew up together, and hasn’t yet realized they’re bad for each other.

The latest high school craze is the “app”, Nerve. I only say “app” because it’s never fully explained how Nerve actually works. It looks and works like a smartphone app, but also possesses the powers of most Malware, infecting, spreading, and storing all your personal information. In Nerve you can be a watcher or player. The player completes dares and gains followers. The goal is to be the final one to complete the craziest dare. In Nerve, you’re eliminated if you choose not to a dare, snitch, or simply fail at completing your dare.

The clear thing keeping these inept teenagers in Nerve’s snare is the money. Sydney’s dare, which is suitable for the high school tart, is to flash her bare butt at a football game. Easy dare. Easy money. But the dares grow increasingly dangerous and risqué. Venus gets involved after the constant peer pressure and hurtful words of her friends that she never takes risks. While most of the times, I’d call this poor plot structuring, “Nerve” goes to a short, but adequate length to show that Venus is in need of money and in need of a major confidence boost.

“Nerve” follows Venus on her night of dares across New York City. She ends up teaming up with another Nerve player, Ian (Franco) and the two complete dares together. At first it’s light-hearted summer fun at the theater as the two are forced to run out of a high-end Manhattan clothing store in their underwear, but slowly turns into a pulse pounding action sequence the duo navigating a motorcycle at 60 mph blindfolded.

“Nerve” is a sleek techno thriller utilizing America’s current craving for online infamy, naive adolescent sensibilities, and the mob mentality that the Internet has created. If it flops at the box office, “Nerve” is sure to become a cult classic. If it succeeds at the box office, its problems will surely be highlighted. If you begin to get technical about everything, you realize that “Nerve” is in need of some IT support.

In an era where techno babble is becoming common speak and the focus piece of news media, “Nerve” struggles to keep up with some of its more technologically advanced viewers. The movie attempts to name drop things like “dark web” and “Google” in the hopes of glazing over the scriptural plot holes. But it’s fast paced story, neon visuals, Franco and Roberts likability, and thrilling third act keeps you from questioning the structural problems for too long.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: ariel schulman, dave franco, emily meade, emma roberts, henry joost, juliette lewis, ...

Film Review: “Ghostbusters”

Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones
Directed by: Paul Feig
Rated: PG-13
Running time: 1 hour 56 mins
Columbia

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Film Review by: Mike Smith

OK, let me make this quick announcement. For those of you that went out of your way to note online that a female-led “Ghostbusters” would cause, in the words of Bill Murray’s Peter Venkman, “Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria,” you can come back in off the ledge. The new installment is pretty damn funny and stands as tall as the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.

After leading his final group through a tour of a historic mansion, a tour guide finds himself lured into the basement of the dwelling and under attack from forces unknown. The building’s curator knows he needs help but who’s he gonna call?

One part funny, one part scary and completely enjoyable, this reboot of the popular 1984 film rests squarely on the shoulders of its cast. McCarthy and Wiig have made me laugh for years and I’m happy to say they do the same here. I don’t watch a lot of television so I wasn’t familiar with the other (2) “busters”, McKinnon and Jones. Both do fine work here, with McKinnon’s Jillian the standout. She’s a combination of the original film’s Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler. The film follows the original’s plot, as ghosts begin to appear seemingly out of nowhere in New York City. Not looking for bad publicity, the mayor (Andy Garcia) does his best to keep the lid on the situation. He also opens himself up for a great “Jaws” reference, which in itself gives this review an extra half-star.

Visually the film is heads above the original. I saw the 1984 film on the big screen a few years ago and I couldn’t help but notice how bad the special effects were. Here they are spectacularly presented and downright scary. But not everything is gloom and doom. You’ll be happy to learn that many of the original film’s cast show up in cameos here, which brought applause from the audience I was a part of, especially a sly nod to the late Harold Ramis. His son, Daniel, has a small part in the film, which is dedicated to his memory.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: andy garcia, bill murray, ghostbusters, harold ramis, kate mckinnon, kristen wiig, ...

Film Review: “The Infiltrator”

Starring: Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo and Diane Kruger
Directed By: Brad Furman
Rated: R
Running Time: 127 minutes
Broad Green Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Bryan Cranston is the cure for any of Hollywood’s humdrum scripts that need a jolt of energy. We’ve seen “The Infiltrator” before. There are plenty of movies about the lengthy history of the worldwide drug war. But Cranston’s multi-faceted acting abilities create tension and heart pounding action where there isn’t. If Cranston wasn’t given the key role of “The Infiltrator”, I may have easily been telling you that “The Infiltrator” is a run-of-the-mill undercover crime movie that couldn’t find a fresh way to describe a fascinating story.

Cranston plays U.S. Customs Service special agent, Robert Mazur. He’s undercover as Bob Musella, a money launderer for the cartel and various drug dealers. He’s trusted amongst the low ranking members of various gangs because he plays the part. But Mazur is no longer interested in the criminal table scraps that Customs offers him. Mazur is going after the world’s seventh largest private bank in the 1980’s. He knows they’re the real threat because they hide and launder some of the world’s most dangerous criminal’s funds.

“The Infiltrator” has a lot going on. Too much in fact. Without the movie flat out saying it, Mazur is drawn up like a one man wrecking crew. He’s going after the powers behind the world’s drug market as well as the most crooked financiers in the world in one fell swoop. That alone should be enough for “The Infiltrator”, but the story becomes bloated when factoring in Mazur’s problems living the double life. Mazur constantly worries about the loved ones he’s putting jeopardy, while clearly developing a high off constantly putting himself in danger.

Cranston helps balance the circus act on screen by constantly displaying his prowess for portraying dual roles, much like he did season after season on “Breaking Bad”. The list of characters, real, fake, and the real ones portraying fake ones, is too long to list. So much of the movie, and the emotional core of it, shouldn’t rely on Cranston, but it does. In a better movie with a better script, Cranston would surely be looking at another Oscar nomination.

Not all the credit should go to Cranston though. Despite scriptural problems, director Brad Furman has a keen eye for how a crime movie should look. He also allows tense scenes to unfold naturally in an unsettling fashion. He also has some wonderful shots reminiscent of late 80’s and early 90’s mobster movies. But there’s really only so much he can do with the script by a first time writer tasked with condensing the fascinating, and probably lengthy, story of Mazur.

For those looking for a suspenseful time, they may get it with “The Infiltrator”. Just as long as they’re truly paying attention for all 127 minutes and bringing a notepad to keep tabs on everyone. One slip of attention on your end and you’ll miss a key point to the plot that’s brought up 30 minutes later. For that reason, “The Infiltrator” is a bizarre addition to the general popcorn summer blockbuster landscape. But if you’re wanting to watch Cranston raise the intellectual and suspense level of a movie nearly all on his own, “The Infiltrator” is your sure bet.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: brad furman, bryan cranston, diane kruger, john leguizamo, robert mazur, the infiltrator, ...

Film Review: “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”

Starring: Zac Efron, Adam DeVine, Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza
Directed By: Jake Szymanski
Rated: R
Running Time: 98 minutes
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 Stars

You ever watch a comedy in theaters and feel like you’ve watched one of the funniest movies of the year, only to watch it home by yourself or with a couple of friends and wonder what the hell happened? Sometimes you have to factor in audience reaction because there actually is some science behind laughter being contagious. When it happens, it really does make you feel ashamed for “enjoying” something so bad. I feel like this will happen a lot after the unfortunate few out there check out “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.

Someone in Hollywood must have thought that a female version of “Wedding Crashers” would prove that women can be just as raunchy. But we’ve already learned this lesson from “Bridesmaids” and “Trainwreck”. The people behind “Mike and Dave” must have not have watched either of those movies because they don’t realize that vulgarity needs heart and that they need two people that can sell their ostentatious characters. Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza are not the actresses that can pull of the daunting task that Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn barely pulled off back in 2005.

The pot smoking, going nowhere in life, Millennials, Alice (Kendrick) and Tatiana (Plaza) are watching daytime TV when they spot Mike (DeVine) and Dave (Efron). The brothers are well dressed, charming, and looking for wedding dates. Their way of going about it draws national attention because they put up an ad on Craigslist and are soon hit up by every male and female gold digger in their vicinity.

But what most of the potential wedding dates don’t know is that the brothers are also losers. They work as mediocre sales representatives for a whiskey company no one’s ever heard of. They get high and constantly make buffoons of themselves at private family events. That’s why their parents have given them an ultimatum that they need dates before attending their sister’s wedding. As to how finding two women to go to Hawaii for a wedding will straighten out these two good-for-nothings is beyond me. Even more bizarre is the parents believe such an outlandish plan could ever work.

The comedy and bulk of the movie is built on the idea that Alice and Tatiana will be conning Mike and Dave the entire trip, with everything going wrong. But from the get-go, Mike and Dave should have realized that Tatiana is not smart enough to reportedly be an elementary school teacher and Alice is too verbally incoherent to allegedly handle a hedge fund (especially when she can’t explain what one is). There’s also the problem, that in the Internet age, Mike and Dave do zero social media research on the two.

I get a lot of flak for my distaste for “Wedding Crashers”, but I admit that it’s endearing because it’s about two cynical men realizing that it’s time to grow up. There’s really no growing up or learning curve in “Mike and Dave”. Unless you count Plaza abandoning her terrible Brooklyn accent after 10 minutes or the filmmakers realizing towards the end that Efron is at the beach and he needs to take his shirt off. “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” has four actors that have no chemistry and are recycling vulgar jokes and punchlines from much better films. This movie should have been called “Zac, Aubrey, Adam and Anna Wanted to go to Hawaii”.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: adam devine, anna kendrick, aubrey plaza, jake szymanski, mike and dave need wedding dates, zac efron, ...

Film Review: “The Legend of Tarzan”

Starring: Alexander Skarsgard, Christoph Waltz and Margot Robbie
Directed By: David Yates
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 109 minutes
Warner Bros. Pictures

Our Score: 3 out of 5 Stars

As someone pointed out to me at the screening, the only version of Tarzan I grew up on was the Disney version (with that obnoxious Phil Collins song). My research skills did yield a cringe worthy adaptation of Tarzan featuring Casper Van Dien in 1998, but I’m fortunate to have dodged that abomination. So it seems after a nearly two decade cinematic drought, the feral child is back on the silver screen with the help of CGI and a bloated Hollywood budget.

I won’t lie. “The Legend of Tarzan” could have been bad. In fact, I thought it would be. I’m happy to say it’s not. It’s an entertaining movie with typical summer blockbuster faults. I’m sure some segment of the movie going population will be upset because “The Legend of Tarzan” drifts away from the standard Tarzan tale; explorers discovering a wild man who was raised by apes as a young boy. Instead “Legend of Tarzan” starts off in the mid 1880’s with a man named John Clayton (Skarsgard).

Clayton (which feels weird to type when referring to Tarzan), is more well behaved than the monkey speaking savage we’re used to. Clayton is stylishly dressed like a British aristocrat,
instead of a loincloth that manages to always tastefully conceal himself. He also walks upright instead of getting around like a primate in his swanky New World mansion. He lives there with Jane (Robbie) and leads a seemingly simple life.

The couple is called to the troubled country of Congo, although it’s not quite a country yet in this tale. Belgium is swimming in debt and trying to find anything that could possibly recuperate the massive debt they’ve accumulated by purchasing the African country. Their last ditch effort is Leon Rom (Waltz) and his ruthless plan. Rom’s preposterous scheme involves a massive influx of mercenaries that’ll turn the Congo into a slave machine, pumping out human lives, blood stained ivory, and sparkling diamonds.

The actual logic of everything is put in the back seat while CGI and action are the true drivers of “The Legend of Tarzan”. Don’t worry yourself with how studied and sophisticated Tarzan is despite being raised in the wild and only having a few years to acclimate himself to civilization. Don’t even think about questioning why Tarzan is fighting an imperialist who’s saving a debt-riddled country by hiring mercenaries and purchasing rows of 19th century machine guns. Of course a lot of the absurdity is quelled by Samuel L. Jackson’s character, George Washington Williams. With a name like that, and his constant witticisms about the irony of everything, it’s easy to forgive “The Legend of Tarzan” for being more fantasy than action-adventure.

“The Legend of Tarzan” is sometimes too caught up in tired clichés like revenge, the more human than human escapades of its main character and the unlikely buddying of two opposites. But like I’ve stated, this isn’t a serious movie. I’d legitimately be upset if this was a serious movie. Halfway through, it seems like Jackson’s character is one moment away from being lost in the lush jungles of the unexplored Congo and one line away from saying, “Damn nature, you scary.”

“The Legend of Tarzan” is a contrived, silly blockbuster. But on that same note, it’s an entertaining, and funny, summer escape. “The Legend of Tarzan” may have arrived a decade late. Blockbusters these days, at least the successful ones, are remembered for their deep characters and developed storylines. This movie is a simple CGI spectacle with a story that’s reliant on pure visual adrenaline. And well before the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that’s all we wanted. But if both those reasons are enough for you to sit back and relax, “The Legend of Tarzan” is your movie

 

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: alexander skarsgard, christoph waltz, david yates, margot robbie, samuel l. jackson, the legend of tarzan, ...

Film Review: “RAIDERS!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made”

Starring: Chris Strompolis and Eric Zala
Directed by: Tim Skousen and Jeremy Coon
Not Rated
Running time: 1 hour 39 mins
Drafthouse Films

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Film Review by Mike Smith

In 1978 my high school guidance counselor, Dr. Robert McGinnis, persuaded the local Air Force recruiter to provide me with a 16mm camera and 10,000 feet of film for my senior photography project. I was crazy about a certain fish movie so I used that material to remake scenes from “Jaws,” featuring Fred Yoder as Quint, Todd Norris as Hooper and yours truly as Chief Brody. I got an A.

Four years later, two 11-year old boys did me one better, taking seven years to film a shot-by-shot remake of another classic Steven Spielberg film, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” After seven summer vacations spent filming, Chris Strompolis (who played Indy) and Eric Zala (who directed) had completed everything except the explosive plane scene (the one where Indy fights the big Nazi, who later gets caught in the blades of a propeller). A quarter-century later, the two reunite in the hopes of filming that final scene. And the adventure begins.

Told with the same exuberance as the filmmakers being profiled, “RAIDERS!” shares the backstory of the production, including footage both from the film and behind the scenes. As the youngsters have their fun, they do so with the blessings of their parents, who have been assured that they have an adult guardian with a knowledge of film guiding them. Unbeknownst to them the guardian’s knowledge comes from his brief time as a zombie while working on George Romero’s “Dawn of the Dead.” It’s only when another parent watches a scene where a child is set on fire (the director sprinkled a little gasoline on his back) that the folks begin to get concerned.

The film floats back and forth, giving us insight into the original production and watching as the filmmakers prepare to film their unfinished scene. Things get sticky when, during the shooting, the weather decides not to cooperate, putting Zala’s full-time job in jeopardy. “Use these two days wisely,” Zala’s boss tells him over the phone after the director begged for two more days off from work. Zala knows the consequences that will befall him if he isn’t back to work, but he also knows he can’t go back without having accomplished his mission. Indiana Jones would be proud!

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: alamo drafthouse, chris strompolis, eric zala, indiana jones, jeremy coon, raiders, ...

Film Review: “The BFG”

Starring: Mark Rylance and Ruby Barnhill
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hour 57 mins
Walt Disney Films

Our Score: 5 out of 5 Stars

Film Review by Mike Smith

In 1982, director Steven Spielberg and screenwriter Melissa Mathison teamed up to create one of the greatest family films of all time, “E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial.” Both earned Oscar nominations for their work, with the film earning a nod for Best Picture and taking home the prize for John William’s amazing musical score. More than a quarter-century later, the band is back together and history just may repeat itself.

London in the early 1980s. As the city sleeps, young Sophie (Barnhill) walks about the orphanage she calls home, taking in the various sights and sounds of the night. It’s 3:00 a.m. The Witching Hour. Sophie recites the three rules: Never Get Out Of Bed; Never Look Out the Window; Never Look Behind the Curtain. Sadly she doesn’t follow them, and in doing so spots a rather tall shape making its way through the dark streets. Realizing that the “shape” has seen her she retreats to her bed. First place they look!

Based on Roald Dahl’s book, in the hands of director Spielberg, “The BFG” becomes a new masterpiece that the whole family will enjoy. And while Spielberg is obviously the captain of this amazing ship, what makes it great is the performance of Mark Rylance. Revered on the stage, Rylance had done a total of eleven films in 30 years before he rose to fame with an Academy Award winning performance in Spielberg’s Cold War-era thriller “Bridge of Spies.” I wouldn’t be surprised if this film makes him the first actor nominated for a vocal performance only.

The story follows Sophie as she ends up in Giant Country, only to learn that the BFG (which is what she calls the Big Friendly Giant) is really rather small in the neighborhood. There are nine giants must bigger than BFG and they love the taste of little children. Which surely proposes a problem for young Miss Sophie. As we follow the mismatched pair, we learn about the magic of dreams and nightmares and even spend a little time with Queen Elizabeth II. Rylance’s performance helps the film jump off the screen and Spielberg shows he is still a master behind the camera. To use the BFG’s own words, “The BFG” is “Scrumdidilyumptous!”

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: mark rylance, melissa mathison, roald dahl, ruby barnhill, steven spielberg, the bfg, ...

Film Review: “The Purge: Election Year”

Starring: Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell and Mykelti Williamson
Directed By: James DeMonaco
Rated: R
Running Time: 105 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out 5 Stars

I had to go back and read my old “Purge” reviews because I had to refresh my mind about what I’ve liked about these movies. The storytelling and political/social themes in the “Purge” movies are always the weak link when they should be the strongest. The contemporary commentary, whether it’s class warfare or racism, is surrounded by scenes of absolute savagery. So its weakest is surrounded by its strongest, violence. This new one is no different, but some minor things make it more robust than previous installments.

For the first time in the series, a character has carried over. Leo Barnes (Grillo) has gone from his half-hearted attempt at purging in the second movie to becoming the security detail for Senator Charlene Roan (Mitchell) for this third installment. The Purge, a 12-hour period in which all crime is legal, is slowly being revealed as a sadistic way for the 1% to profit off murder and keep the poor population under control.

Senator Roan, who has her own horrific Purge story to tell, is pushing for the abolishment of the annual Purge in the latest U.S. presidential election. That doesn’t sit well with the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA), the shadowy political party behind the Purge. So with the next Purge days away, the NFFA plots Roan’s assassination on a night where anyone, and nearly everyone, will be indulging in murder.

It’s crazy to think that back in 2013, “The Purge” was a twisted fantasy about the one night a year Americans get to let out their inner demons and kill one another. The scope was minimal and the unanswered questions have slowly been answered in the two sequels. “The Purge: Election Year” introduces more rogue cells of lower class residents rebelling against the NFFA. But for the first time we get to see the political landscape and how much it’s changed.

The NFFA is effectively a dictatorship that props up a puppet leader, generally a religious demagogue who inspires the masses to believe that the one night of killing is a ritualistic form of purification in God’s eyes. They look at the annual Purge as a religious cleansing and trip to the confession booth. The movie incorporates more factions, including an underground group of doctors and nurses that rescue people and offer sanctuary on the night. We also get a look at the booming tourism industry of foreigners coming to partake in an “American classic”.

Director/writer, James DeMonaco, tones down the overwhelming political overtones, hopefully because someone told him he’s not good at being subtle. Instead of blunt force social commentary, DeMonaco ratchets up the grotesque imagery of people donning monstrous masks and killing innocents in the most gruesome of manners. In a sick way, the scenes of executions and corpses hanging from trees are great palate cleansers for exposition and dialogue downtime. It also helps that DeMonaco finds more unique ways to expand the “Purge” universe without overwhelming the audience.

The annual “Purge” movies have oddly become therapeutic to watch. If you’re looking for a satiric look at the 2016 political landscape here in America, it’s not here. The only real world satire I was able to pick up on was an allusion to President Obama. It’s safe to assume that the script was probably written well in advance of the Trump train that’s steamrolled across America since its attacks are more general than specific. But the “Purge” movies do offer something that a visit to your psychologist supplies, a release.

“The Purge: Election Year” is the best of three, but still more of the same. It’s not a smart, tongue-in-cheek look at our inherently violent culture, race relations, or the current American class struggle. But it’s a chance to watch and cheer on our most animalistic tendencies, killing people who are holding us down. If that visceral experience isn’t oddly salubrious after a long day of watching the state of political discourse right now in America or reading ignorant comments on social media, I’m not sure what is.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: elizabeth mitchell, frank grillo, james demonaco, mykelti williamson, the purge, the purge: election year, ...
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