Jeremy Werner, Author at MediaMikes

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

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, ...

Film Review: Free State of Jones

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali
Directed By: Gary Ross
Rated: R
Running Time: 139 minutes
STX Entertainment

Our Score: 2 out of 5 Stars

American Civil War movies are either critically claimed masterpieces (“Gone with the Wind” or “Glory) or the bane of moviegoers existence (“Gods and Generals” and “Gettysburg”). “Free State of Jones” fall somewhere in between. There’s enough entertainment and magnificent acting to keep it afloat, but too many nauseating history lessons and a lack of narrative to make it watchable. It may get some future use in high schools across the country, but could also be a punishment for a rowdy classroom.

“Free State of Jones” follows Newton Knight (McConaughey) a MacGyver of 19th century America. He’s a nurse as battles wind down, a soldier when war flares up, a farmer at home, a blacksmith and carpenter when the script calls for it, and many other things. Knight watches too many of his friends, family, and countrymen die for a cause he doesn’t believe in. He views the Civil War as a rich man’s war being fought by the poor residents of Mississippi. So he goes AWOL, evading troops on the lookout for the fresh deserter.

Knight goes into hiding in the swamps where he befriends runaway slaves and slowly starts attracting other deserters to his camp. Over time, he collects more slaves and deserters to help form his own militia. Their core belief isn’t anti-Confederate, but more around the belief that no army or government should steal from the people and that the people have a right to what they create with their own bare hands.

The movie takes place from 1862 to 1867, which already has any historian reading that scratching their head. The Civil War ended in 1865. Un-effectively, “Free State of Jones” is like two different movies. One about the small rebellion against Confederate beliefs and the fallout of the Civil War in the South with Knight having to constantly defend the rights of his African American friends.

Narratively, it’s a mess. At no point does the movie blatantly or subliminally promote a unique theme or message. “Free State of Jones” is another; white man comes to save the day for minorities, history lesson from Hollywood. The movie highlights the corrupt system in place after the war, which prevented minorities from voting in the political process. That could be a link or statement of affairs today in this political climate, but I’m not willing to give the creative team behind “Free State of Jones” that much credit.

It’s a well shot movie that captures the essence of war, but McConaughey is the true highlight of the movie. He works well with the emotional and physical toll of war as he progressively becomes older in “Free State of Jones”. But I can’t help but dislike his character for some of the selfish plot points in the movie. It doesn’t help that the movie constantly jumps forward around 80 years into the future where Knight’s relatives are going through a legal battle. It’s another speed bump that slows down the overall pace of the movie.

“Free State of Jones” is definitely a unique tale for the Civil War that highlights the divide in a traditionally proud part of the country. Even today, people still sport Confederate flags and re-enact famous battles. There’s something interesting that can be said about how war can divide even the most patriotic of people. But “Free State of Jones” doesn’t want to talk about that. It seems more obsessed with messages we’ve heard before and reminding us that slavery is still evil.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: Civil War, free state of jones, gary ross, gugu mbatha-raw, mahershala ali, matthew mcconaughey, ...

Theatre Review: “The Bridges of Madison County” Starlight Theater – Kansas City, Missouri

Starlight Theater
Kansas City, Missouri
June 14, 2016

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

Theatre Review By Mike Smith

1965. In small town Winterset, Iowa, Francesca (Elizabeth Stanley) sees a stranger coming down her driveway. With her husband and children off to show their prize steer at a fair in Indiana, she is at first apprehensive about the man’s arrival. But from the moment she first meets Robert (Andrew Samonsky), a photographer for National Geographic who has lost his way, her life will never be the same.

Based on the novel by Robert James Waller, which also inspired the very popular film starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep, “The Bridges of Madison County” is a faithful adaptation by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning playwright Marsha Norman, opened up a little to provide for more characters and a little humor, which comes courtesy of the various neighbors who can’t help but notice the handsome stranger and his spending time with the married lady.

Winner of two Tony Awards, including Best Original Score, the show boasts some excellent songs that not only set the mood of the show but progress it along. The cast, from top to bottom is well cast. My one problem was Ms. Stanley’s accent. Francesca is supposed to be from Italy, but she is played as a combination of Meryl Streep from “Sophie’s Choice” and Madeline Kahn in “Blazing Saddles,” where “Like” is pronounced “Lock” and “Play” sounds like “Ply.” A small squabble, to be sure, but it was something I really noticed.

As a bonus for our Kansas City readers, you yourself can visit the real Bridges of Madison county by heading north on I-35 for 2 hours. You’ll find Winterset to be a nice little town where you can go into the same restaurant used in the film and sit on the same stool that Clint Eastwood rested his butt on (I’ve done it). It’s also the hometown of John Wayne so men, while you’re lady is looking at the bridges you can visit the birthplace of the Duke! Like the show, a good time is guaranteed for all.

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Filed Under: Art/Theatre, Theatre Reviews Tagged With: bridges of madison county, kansas city, starlight theatre

Film Review: “Central Intelligence”

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart and Amy Ryan
Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 54 mins
Warner Bros

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Film Review By Mike Smith

It’s 1996. The last day of high school. And two young men are about to have two very different experiences. For Calvin “the Golden Jet” Joyner, it’s a day spent receiving the accolades of your classmates as you are honored for your achievements in, well, pretty much everything. For Robbie Weirdict, it’s a final day of humiliation, as the portly youngster is tossed, naked, into the middle of the same assembly.

20 years later, Calvin (Hart) finds himself stuck in a job he doesn’t really love, spending more time on Facebook than work. When he gets a friend request from Bob Stone (Johnson), he hesitates at first then, like most people, accepts it. He soon learns that Bob is really Robbie and that he has changed quite a bit. When the two mismatched men reunite it’s an eye opening for both of them.

Funny as hell, with a sweet message built in, “Central Intelligence” is successful in part thanks to its genius casting, which makes Hart the Bud Abbott-like straight man while Johnson grabs the majority of the laughs. And what isn’t funny about a guy Johnson’s size who shows up everywhere wearing a fanny pack? It seems Bob may or may not be a rogue C.I.A. agent looking to sell weapons to the highest bidder. He enlists Calvin’s help in part because Calvin was the only person who seemed genuinely friendly to him in the past, while Calvin goes along because he still feels sorry for what Robbie went through in school.

Hart has learned to tone down his Chris Tucker-like screaming and gives a fine performance here. The supporting cast is just as good, including Ryan as the C.I.A. agent in charge of finding Bob and Danielle Nicolet as Calvin’s high school sweetheart and now wife. But the real star here is Johnson. Always a very likable performer, his comedic work here recalls his standout performance in 2005’s “Be Cool.” A gentle giant with a heart of gold, Bob Stone seems ready to greet the world each morning with a smile. It’s Bob that makes this film the best comedy of the summer so far.

Film Review: “Finding Dory”

Starring the Voice Of: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks and Hayden Rolence
Directed By: Andrew Stanton
Rated: G
Running Time: 103 minutes
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Back in 2003, “Finding Nemo” was the crown jewel of animated movies. After 13 more years of storytelling innovation and cleverness on Pixar’s end, “Finding Nemo” isn’t quite the pinnacle of Pixar’s animation catalogue anymore. It’s known that Pixar is willing to do sequel, just as long as it’s as emotionally resonant and intellectually stimulating as the original. “Finding Dory” does both, even while treading familiar waters.

The protagonist this time around is Dory (DeGeneres), obviously. The blue surgeonfish still suffers from short-term memory loss, but one of Nemo’s (Rolence) class field trips knocks a cobweb loose in Dory’s brain. Memories of her parents come flooding back in an instant. Soon Dory’s head is swimming in a sea of longing and sorrow for her parents. The how’s and why’s of her separation from her parents are still a bit fuzzy, but those will come as the story progresses.

Marlin (Brooks) begrudgingly follows Dory on her journey. “Finding Dory” is a more compact journey. Instead of crossing the vast ocean, the trio heads to California where they wind up at the Monterey Marine Institute and get separated. Dory is snatched up and placed inside the confines of the rescue center. As she slowly makes her way around, Marlin and Nemo spend the movie playing catch-up.

There isn’t any real peril, since the humans they encounter don’t want to hurt them and the other aquatic life populating the Institute are all non-aggressive. But Pixar has always been able to do a lot with a just a little. The smaller confines of the settings give way to Dory utilizing an octopus (referred to as a septopus by Dory because one of tentacles was ripped off) named Hank (Ed O’Neil). Hank provides the out of water transportation for Dory, eliminating a lot of the unique ways that the fish could possibly be using to get around. But that’s just a small complaint in an otherwise nearly perfect film.

Ever since “Cars 2”, there’s been apprehension before every Pixar movie. Especially in a sequel that seems warrantless. But the folks behind “Finding Dory” have repackaged and rebranded what made the first one so good. The animation, as always, is a mesmerizing Kaleidoscope trip through the sea. It’s easy to get washed over by the stunning imagery and forgot about the small little tweaks here and there that continually push what the boundaries of computer animation.

DeGeneres is tasked with carrying a lot of the poignant plot points through Dory. The blue fish that was a gag in the original now provides a lot of the heart-rending story. It’s nice to see the childlike wonder of Dory turn into childlike pain that her parents are gone. The themes are either hidden, creating a greater depth of meaning, or the themes are upfront and in focus so that kids can subconsciously learn and grow in a positive way. Pixar once again finds a way to make adults and kids alike find that soft spot of their heart that brings a tear to the eye.

Film Review: Warcraft

Starring: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton and Ben Foster
Directed By: Duncan Jones
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 123 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 1 out of 5 Stars

There’s a really wonderful book called, “Tales from Development Hell”. Author David Hughes summarizes the agonizing process that movies sometimes go through to get made. Some of those movies are failed passion projects, while others are ill-conceived ideas. If Hughes ever considered writing a sequel, “Warcraft” would be the most interesting chapter. I’d really like to know why this was made and given such a grotesquely huge budget.

From a financial standpoint, “Warcraft” makes sense. Over 100 million accounts have been made on the online videogame, “World of Warcraft”. That figure speaks volumes to an ignorant studio executive with no knowledgeable grasp about videogames. The failure by Hollywood to recognize the clear, and distinct, creative differences between cinema and videogames is common knowledge by now. “Warcraft” is a bore in desperate need of a skip button. It’s another lazy attempt by the studios to cash on naïve videogamers.

There are way too many names, places, and exposition to wade through, even by video game storytelling standards. Generally the gamer has to endure five to 10 minutes of information, before they get to click away at their mouse and keyboard. Their payoff is instantaneous. Of course that’s to assume that the run-of-the-mill gamer would care about the story in a point-and-click adventure. “Warcraft” on the other hand spends 20 to 30 minutes explaining things before getting to humdrum action sequences, leaving the viewer without a payoff.

The “Warcraft” movie is about the orcs making their way through a portal, to the human realm. The human realm has dwarves, elves, and probably some other generic fantasy creatures. The orcs are escaping their desolate, uninhabitable world, in hopes of staking a claim and inevitably taking over the human realm. There are a lot of sweeping scenes that imply we’re in a world much larger than the one imagined by J.R.R. Tolkien. But Tolkien’s world has actual stakes and characters we care about. “Lord of the Rings” is a fine wine that will be cherished for decades. “Warcraft” is more like a mosquito in the summertime.

The characters in “Warcraft” are unimportant. If the movie is not going to care about them, I don’t feel like I should either. Orcs are monstrous computer animated creatures, voiced by actors with nothing better to do. Their human counterparts are equally as unenthusiastic, but don’t have a CGI mask to hide behind. It’s hard to tell if they’re bored, avoiding laughter, or regretting their most recent life decision.

Have you ever been so emotionally and mentally exhausted by something that you don’t feel like explaining yourself? That’s how I feel about “Warcraft”. It’s hard for me to summarize and convey how emotionless and devoid of meaning it is, and why I loathe it so much. There are times where it slows to a crawl and feels like you accidentally hit pause on your DVR button. Then moments later it feels like it’s stuck on fast forward.

As someone who’s played the “Warcraft” games, but not enough to call myself a fan, I don’t understand the appeal of a cinematic adaptation. “Warcraft” has its head stuck in the clouds that nothing is wrong, when clearly everything is wrong. I now understand why this movie spent nearly a decade on the shelf, being passed up by acclaimed director after acclaimed director, before finally settling on Duncan Jones. “Warcraft” should have stayed in development hell. There’s no reason it should have been given life so it can drag viewers through hell.

Win Passes to the Kansas City Premiere of a Rare “Raiders of the Lost Ark” Fan Double Feature

Fans of our “Behind the Mikes” podcast know that it’s recorded every week at our favorite place, the Alamo Drafthouse in Kansas City. MediaMikes has teamed up with Drafthouse Films to give one lucky reader and guest the opportunity to attend an amazing double feature celebrating the 35th Anniversary of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

“Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made” brings stars Chris Strompolos and Eric Zala to Kansas City on their Raiders: Follow Your Dreams Tour for a special advance showing of the documentary followed by a rarely-shown screening of their legendary shot-for-shot adaptation of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Eric and Chris, two of the filmmakers behind the adaptation, will be present for a Q&A during the double feature.

To enter the contest all you have to do is let us know below which actor you think should succeed Harrison Ford on screen as Indiana Jones. One random entry will be chosen on Monday, June 27 and that winner notified by email. Good luck!

When: Thursday, June 30th, 2016
Where: Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet 1400 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64105

Initially played just for family and friends, a VHS tape of RAIDERS: THE ADAPTATION made it into the hands of director Eli Roth, who played it publicly for the first time at the Alamo Drafthouse during Harry Knowles’ Butt-Numb-A-Thon movie marathon in 2002. After a rapturous reception from the audience, the adaptation later went on to have official Austin and Los Angeles premieres and has even be seen by Steven Spielberg, who called it “an inspiration.”

The documentary RAIDERS! THE STORY OF THE GREATEST FAN FILM EVER MADE tracks how the film made it in front of an audience, and the filmmakers modern day struggles to complete one final elaborate and expensive sequence. It also follows the lives of the boys who created the fan film, how the rediscovery of the adaptation affected their adult lives, and their memories of fashioning a love letter to their favorite film with little money, expertise, or adult supervision.

Ticket information: Tickets to the RAIDERS! Double Feature of both the documentary and adaptation can be purchased here for $12:

RAIDERS! THE STORY OF THE GREATEST FAN FILM EVER MADE
Official Site
Trailer
Side-by-Side Trailer

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Filed Under: Giveaways, Kansas City, Screenings Tagged With: alamo drafthouse, eli roth, kansas city, raiders, steven spielberg

Film Review: “Weiner”

Starring: Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin and the citizens of New York City
Directed by: Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 36 mins
IFC Films

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Film Review by Mike Smith

In July 2010, New York Congressman Anthony Weiner was a firebrand on CNN, arguing it seemed for days in favor of President Obama’s healthcare plan. To supporters he was a national hero. Less than a year later he was a national disgrace.

The film picks up Weiner’s career in July 2013. Forced to resign his office after it was revealed he had texted sexually explicit messages and photos of his, umm, weiner (did you see what I did there?), he has decided to return to politics by announcing his candidacy for Mayor of New York City, something he had contemplated before his resignation. With his wife Huma by his side, he embarks on a 13-week adventure to win back the trust of his constituents and return to power. If only he could keep it in his pants.

A true “fly on the wall” documentary, “Weiner” gives the viewer almost unfettered access to the man and his campaign. What is admirable about the man is that he knows he’s going to take hits for the past. He acknowledges that and then is able to get his message out. With today’s presidential campaign taking horrible turns (with all of the mudslinging I really have no idea what ANYONE’S stand on the issues are), it is refreshing to see someone that concentrates on the message and not a sound bite. So strong and appealing here is Weiner that when other candidates bring up his past they are booed by the crowds. As the race progresses Weiner begins to lead in the polls. Things look good. Enter Carlos Danger. In the middle of the campaign more photos and texts by Weiner are revealed. At first he maintains that they are from the past and that he even noted when he resigned that other photos may surface. This story works until the woman who received the messages notes that she can’t wait to “be with” the next Mayor, who has been sexting her while using the name Carlos Danger. Because Weiner wasn’t funny enough?

It is here that the film takes ahold of you. What had been a funny (try not laughing at the various New York Post headlines that continue to run, including “He’s got Balls,” “Weiner Rises” and, my favorite, “Weiner – I’ll Stick it Out”) and possibly inspiring film about rising from the ashes becomes a bucket of cold water thrown in your face. For those who don’t follow politics, Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin, is one of Hilary Clinton’s most trusted advisors. Bill Clinton actually presided over their wedding. She stood by her man during the first scandal and has actually actively canvassed for him during the Mayor’s race. She is there when the news breaks of the new texts and she seems to accept Weiner’s word that they are old. Then the word “Mayor” leaks and, in that quick instant, you can see the hurt and betrayal pass over her face. We are a witness to her pain and if feels terrible.

Needless to say, Weiner is done. He falls from first in the polls to garnering less than 5%. Now, no matter what his causes are, people are outraged at his actions. My father used to say, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,” and it’s the voters who fought hardest for him that are now turning on him. And here is where the real Anthony Weiner shows up. So enamored of himself that he is borderline annoying, he begins taunting those who would taunt him, assuring himself a rousing defeat, barely getting more votes than the gentleman from “The Rent is Too Damn High!” party. Which were more than he deserved. If I may be permitted to join the editors of the New York Post, in my opinion, Anthony Weiner is a dick head! (did you see what I did there?)

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: anthony weiner, elyse steinberg, huma abedin, jason kriegman, new york city, weiner, ...

Film Review: “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping”

Starring: Andy Samberg, Imogen Poots and Bill Hader
Directed by: Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 26 mins
Universal

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Film Review by Mike Smith

You may not know it but you are a fan of The Lonely Island. Fronted by Andy Samberg, this three-man group has created some of the most popular digital shorts for television’s “Saturday Night Live”, including “Mother Lover” and the Emmy award winning “Dick in a Box.” Hollywood has finally caught up with the trio and the result is their first motion picture, “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.”

It is a story as old as show business. A group explodes on the scene but, for some reason, only one member really grabs the spotlight. Sometimes that member refuses to let this happen. There is a great story about how the Beatles were offered a major tour when they were just starting out, with the caveat being they had to drop their then-bassist Stuart Sutcliffe. John Lennon refused. Still, when the talent rises, things change. The Supremes become “Diana Ross and the Supremes” while Destiny’s Child pretty much became Beyonce. Here the Style Boyz are soon taken over by their photogenic lead singer, Conner 4Real (Samberg). He becomes the face of the group, which includes DJ Owen and songwriter Lawrence, played respectively by co-directors/writers Taccone and Schaffer. As the two fall behind, Conner continues a Justin Bieber-like rise. His first album, entitled “Thriller, Also,” wins many awards. However, when Conner accepts credit (and ANOTHER award) for a song he didn’t write, the group dissolves. When his latest album doesn’t perform like it should, all of the stops are pulled out to ensure that Conner remains on top.

There are very few “SNL” inspired films that can sustain 90 minutes. For every “The Blues Brothers” or “Wayne’s World” that come out there are dozens of “Night at the Roxburry” and “Superstar” to contend with. “Popstar” is right in the middle. It does drag on some but Samberg’s performance is so infectious that you’re willing to let a couple slow parts go by. Part of the fun is the sheer number of musical cameos that fill the film. From Ringo Starr to Adam Levine to Seal to Snoop Dogg, I counted no less than ten musical icons that drop by. The film also satirizes “message” songs, including one that praises gay marriage while still inserting quick cuts of Conner asserting that he, himself, is not gay.

Besides Samberg, the supporting cast is also strong. It’s nice to see the other Lonely Island guys get some screen time, and it’s always nice to see some of Samberg’s former “SNL” cast mates working, including Maya Rudolph, Bill Hader, Jimmy Fallon and Tim Meadows. Special kudos go to Will Arnett as the “boss” who is constantly sucking on a big drink in a brilliant parody of the current “TMZ” television show. And extra credit to producer Judd Apatow, whose cameo is both brave and revealing. Conner 4Real may be hitting some hard times, but he is truly never stopping!

Author: Jeremy Werner

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