Film Review “Unfinished Business”

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Tom Wilkinson, and Dave Franco
Directed By: Ken Scott
Rated: R
Running Time: 91 Minutes
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 1 out of 5 stars

I would have really liked to enjoy “Unfinished Business”. I really would have. I like Vince Vaughn and believe that his mere presence can perk up the lamest of scripts and that his demeanor can bring life into the dullest of ideas. He’s managed to polish up some of Hollywood’s comedic turds into something that’s passable, but maybe he’s finally hit that wall where he can’t save a script. Or that charm has finally run out for me. Either way, “Unfinished Business” is the low point of Vince Vaughn’s career.

Dan Trunkman (Vaughn) has started his own small sales business and his only employees are Timothy McWinters (Wilkinson) and Mike Pancake (Franco), and that last name is not a typo. His last name is Pancake. If that didn’t make you laugh, then I hate to tell you that that’s a reoccurring that joke that wears thin after the first time, much like most of the humor in this movie.

Dan is the only character with any form of depth or range. He’s a family man who’s struggling to keep his tiny firm above water and worries about whether his children can continue going to private school. There’s also the struggle of being a role model for those kids and the two incompetent employees he’s ended up with. As for Tim, he’s just a dirty old man. Mike is the opposite. He’s a naive boy who apparently hasn’t lost his virginity until all three men need to make a business trip overseas to Europe. Tim and Mike play as one note jokes with Tim constantly talking about how much he wants to wheelbarrow (look it up) a girl and Mike who constantly gives a goofy grin and schoolboy chuckle, followed by an ingenuous question. I honestly can’t think of any other jokes that this movie attempted.

There is this plot about Dan having to land a deal with a company and facing off against his former boss/colleague, but it’s never played out and adds to the general incomplete feeling this movie finds itself in. It pitches itself as a debauchery filled trip for the little guy in corporate America, but there’s only about two to five minutes dedicated to the actually vulgarity of partying and half of that is montages. As for the little guy sticking it to the big bad businesses they find themselves competing with, that’s a missed opportunity heaped upon other missed other opportunities. Most of “Unfinished Business” finds itself stumbling into lazy gags and foreign scenery.

When I heard that Vince Vaughn would be on the second season of HBO’s “True Detective”, I was excited because Vaughn has so much thespianism to offer, but consistently finds himself biting on low hanging fruit. After watching “Unfinished Business”, I’m not as excited and worried that he may be relegated to a secondary character that’s still unbecoming of his acting gift.

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Film Review “Hot Tub Time Machine 2”

Starring: Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke
Directed By: Steve Pink
Rated: R
Running Time: 93 minutes
Paramount Pictures

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Let’s go back to very late 2009. I was still in college and people were using Facebook since there was no Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or other form of social media to fill up our limitless down time. This was when we truly shared every little thing on Facebook because we didn’t yet know or understand the consequences of our oversharing. I remember specifically when the trailer for the first “Hot Tub Time Machine” was released. Every status update ripped into it and I remember thinking, “There’s no way in hell this could be remotely good.” Despite my gut reaction, I still saw and was pleasantly surprised. So rewind to not too long ago to 2014 and seeing a trailer for the sequel and thinking the exact same thing. I am once again wrong, but not by much.

This sequel brings back nearly everyone from the first, except John Cusack, who is jokingly mentioned when his character’s absence is brought up. Craig Robinson is still loveable as Nick, Rob Corddry once again brings back his Danny McBride-like contemptible Lou, and then there’s Clark Duke who plays Jacob. Sorry. He’s still just a character who’s kind of a fourth wheel (technically third wheel now) to the group. Since the first movie, the trio of used their knowledge of the future to augment their life. Nick steals ideas from songs that have not yet been crafted, Lou simply blurts out technological advances before their time and Jacob just follows along the coattails of Lou. Like I said, fourth wheel.

Of course Lou is still a miserable troll who irks everyone who crosses his path. So when someone shoots him at one of his lavish parties, they must use the hot tub time machine to go into the past to find who shot him and why. Of course in this movie, they go into the future, but create an alternate time line so technically it’s still the past…I’ll just avoid the confusion and say that they’re in the future which will result in them finding out what happened in the past. They at least make light of this troublesome plot.

What makes this sequel admirable is it’s ability to find every way to jump the shark while drawing out a filthy laugh from you. “22 Jump Street” set the mark for making a comedy sequel, but “Hot Tub Time Machine 2” manages to point a few things that are worth noting. They manage to point out the stolen sci-fi formulas they’re playing with and the absurdity of them. Also by the movies end, they manage to point out some of the predictable set-ups that today’s comedies have fallen into. When a unnecessary comedy sequel points that out, it might be time for the rest of Hollywood’s comedy writers to take note and change up their comedic ingredients.

I should probably quit heaping praise on this movie because it’s not without it’s flaws. This is still a movie that has to introduce another character to demote Jacob to fourth wheel. The introduction of Adam Scott as the son of John Cusack’s character is welcome, but doesn’t quite fill the hole that Cusack left behind. Cusack provided a reliable straight man while Scott is simply the virgin who gets to pop his party cherry. It’s fun, but not the right component for the group that needs a voice of sanity.

Ultimately the movie is choppy, but clever enough at trying to stay new. It’s unwarranted, but funny enough for a one time viewing for fans of the original. I wish it would have maken light of the fact that it’s a redundant sequel to a bizarre comedy. Maybe when “Hot Tub Time Machine 3” (let’s hope not) rolls around, it’ll realize how much of a cash grab for Paramount Pictures it has become and create the ultimate meta, middle finger.

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Film Review “Blackhat”

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis and Wei Tang
Directed By: Michael Mann
Rated: R
Running Time: 133 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars

May I state the obvious? I shall. It seems like every week, and sometimes every day, there’s a breaking update on how someone’s social media account was hacked or how hacktivists have leaked thousands of valuable government or company documents (U.S. military and Sony, I’m looking at you). Cyber terrorism might end up being the most highly used news term for 2015 with how the landscapes of battles are changing. It’s a fascinating new realm in which to play with story ideas and birth high concepts. So why does “Blackhat” feel like such an outdated product?

Scrawny, pencil thin nerds are what we’ve come to expect in techno thrillers. We imagine them sitting behind a computer, clicking and clacking away at the keyboard, pushing their glasses up the brim of their nose, but instead we have the muscular, wavy golden haired Chris Hemsworth. He plays Nicholas Hathaway, one of the world’s greatest hackers, who’s incarcerated and still able to hack from prison by the way. He does push-ups in solitary, talks with piercing confidence, and seems un-phased by life in prison.

His skills will be needed after a criminal begins hacking his way into the financial systems of China and causes a nuclear power plant to go haywire. He’s recruited by Chen (Leehom Wang), a high ranking military expert for the Chinese government who, by the strangest coincidences of the movie, was Nick’s college roommate. They may have just as well have lived across the hall from our criminal by that logic.

After some unnecessary negotiations with Chinese and U.S. governments to get Nick free, the two meet, and along for the ride, is Chen’s sister, Lien (Tang). Oh by the way, she’s also a master hacker, computer expert, and anything else the script requires. The exact moment Nick and Lien lay eyes on each other, you know they’re going to hook up. It’s usually an obligatory character relationship that’s created to add tension or complicate matters for our group. It doesn’t.

The more I think about “Blackhat”, the more I wonder when this was written and who wrote it. Nick’s on the trail of a supposed genius that neither the U.S. or Chinese government can catch, but his knack for picking up on clues or finding evidence is ludicrously easy or frustratingly unrealistic. It makes you wonder why neither government wouldn’t already have the manpower or staff to catch someone who, as the movie says, is incredibly dangerous. Although it’s example as to why he’s so dangerous is because he’s not doing these attacks for political or financial gain. By the way, one of those ends up being true anyway.

It’s really hard to flat out hate something that tries so admirably. It’s almost like listening to a kindergarten class sing a beloved song. They’re butchering it, but they definitely got some room to grow. Director Michael Mann’s previous movies include “Last of the Mohicans” and “Heat”, but loses so much dramatic flair amidst techno babble. The cast is spick and span despite a baffling script. There are some neat visuals and gorgeous establishing shots. But this movie is just frustrating because it just can’t bring everything together.

Someone might want to consider programming some better hardware into this movie before releasing it. There’s a lot to enjoy, but it’s suppressed by mundane talk sets. It’s even more vexing for me because I keep trying to put my finger on it. What happened? It has a style that screams exciting, but constantly had me stretching my legs and covering my mouth as I yawned.

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Film Review “Selma”

Starring: David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, and Carmen Ejogo
Directed By: Ava Duvernay
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 127 minutes
Paramount Pictures

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

A curious thought popped into my head while I watched “Selma”, has there ever been a movie about the late, great, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? None came to mind and after doing a simple Internet search after the movie, it appears that no mainstream motion picture has attempted to tackle such an arduous task. And even though his life was only 39 years long, there’s so much storied history to attempt to adapt, it seems like an almost impossible feat to cherry pick the nuggets that are worth portraying. “Selma” does an admirable job finding the right event that parallels the present day struggles.

“Selma” places it’s microscope over 1965, dropping us in Selma, Alabama. The main flare up for controversy is voter registration. Anytime an African-American would attempt to register to vote, they were met insanely hard tests, economic/financial pressure, and of course, the looming threat of violence from residents and the Ku Klux Klan. While there is a civil rights movement, it’s very weak, quiet, and disorganized. Enter Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Oyelowo).

King’s presence gives a clearer focus to the angry groups of black people, which seemingly make up a decent percent of the town. The temptation of giving up or simply raising an angry fist to their oppressors is quelled by the soothing words of King. The scenes that work best is when King’s comforting a family mourning the loss of a loved one or withholding aggressive words in diplomatic discussions with President Lyndon Johnson.

Oyelowo gracefully handles King as best one could. Those famous words we all know from King (the “I Have a Dream” speech) are lacking from this movie, but in it’s place are some powerful, stirring calls for action and Oyelowo combines strength and determination while balancing humility. It’s a difficult task to come off so true to King’s persona, but Oyelowo does it. It helps that he has a fine cast surrounding him, including Tom Wilkinson, Tim Roth, and others who I am sure will have a future in Hollywood.

“Selma” would not have worked as a straight biopic, but works magnificently as a focus on grassroots activism. It does get a bit muddled when adding the subplot of King’s relationship with his wife. It also doesn’t help when it keeps cutting to gratuitous shots of Oprah Winfrey’s incredibly minor character. Of course when you’re one of the film’s producers, you can be on screen as much as you want. “Selma” is just a progressive step short of taking the stage with other grand movies, but I’m sure it’ll still gladly take a heaping plate of nominations.

As for it’s message, you’ll either get it or you won’t. And if you do get it, you’ll love it or you won’t. That’s perfectly fine though because whether you want to admit it or not, there’s still a big problem when it comes to equality and oppression. I’m not here to make a political statement or stand up on any soap box, but there’s something to be said about the powerful imagery featuring peaceful protesters being bashed with batons and chased down police in riot gear.

 

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Film Review “Annie (2014)”

Starring: Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx, and Rose Byrne
Directed By: Will Gluck
Rated: PG
Running Time: 118 minutes
Columbia Pictures

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

I need to be upfront with everyone. I have never seen any previous creation of “Annie”. I’ve never laid eyes upon the 1982 original film adaptation, I haven’t viewed a live stage production, or have taken the time to watch either made-for-TV movies on the little orphan. Like most though, I do know the basic premise, and the songs “Tomorrow” and “It’s the Hard Knock Life”. I also have fond memories of the delightful scene in “Serial Mom” where a woman is battered to death while singing along to the movie. I’m not telling you to not to take my opinion seriously or with a grain of salt, but just keep in mind, I had no expectations. With that said, “Annie” is probably your best bet for family fun this holiday season.

Annie (Wallis) is a cheeky young girl gallivanting around Harlem and searching for her parents, believing that they will return to her one day. Then they will be the happy family she dreams they will be. Annie lives with other foster children in the care of Miss Colleen Hannigan (Cameron Diaz). She’s soaked in booze and uses every vocal opportunity she has to put Annie down.

In the much nicer, cleaner and more brightly lit part of town, is Will Stacks (Foxx). He’s an isolationist cell phone tycoon and an absolute germaphobe. Not as bad as Howard Hughes though. His habits don’t mix well with his current mission, to become the mayor of New York City. Watching him in action, you actually wonder how someone like him went along with the idea of becoming a public official for one of the world’s largest cities in the first place. At one point he spits up mashed potatoes on a homeless person.

So by pure chance, these two meet. Stacks “saves” Annie’s life and he quickly disregards Annie, right after applying some hand sanitizer, as to not get any poor on him. His circle of trust, the lovely Grace (Byrne) and the skeevy Guy (Bobby Canavale) see the potential to increase his likeability amongst the populace by having him temporarily adopt Annie. Annie simply sees this as another great opportunity in life although she’s fully aware she’s a political ploy. Hijinks, flashy tech, and montages ensue along with some catchy tunes that I haven’t heard besides the aforementioned songs.

The highest praise I can give this movie isn’t to the movie itself, but to Rose Byrne and Quvenzhane Wallis. The actresses already radiate a delightful charm by themselves, but together they’re quite endearing. Their scenes together feel like the most genuine among any of the other characters. While most dialogue in “Annie” feels hokey or nauseatingly cute, the conversations between their two characters feel honest. It’s almost like they give each other some meaningful girl power to help propel their own self-esteem and optimistic outlook.

Outside of that, there are a list of negatives, including an overacting Cameron Diaz, an odd pro and anti-capitalist slant, and hit or miss self-aware winks towards the camera; just to name a few. What had me push all those aside is the charming energy this pumped into me. I tapped my toes, I smiled, I laughed, and if you have any kind of happy reaction to something, it’s worth noting.

While I may have nothing to compare “Annie” to in terms of its predecessors and stories, I must note that it comes off playfully mocking towards the original source content. It’s almost like it knows that what it’s doing is sure to piss some people off, such as fans of the original. Well. I’m not a fan of the original. I enjoyed its taunts, its urban take on the original score, and it’s smug cuteness.

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Author Jason Offutt talks about his latest book “A Funeral Story”

Depending on who you ask, Jason Offutt is one of the leading journalists on things that go bump in the night, or he’s the helpful professor for hundreds of future journalism students at Northwest Missouri State University. Both can agree though, he’s a damn good writer. Avid readers of Jason’s work might be surprised by his next release, “A Funeral Story”. Instead of providing a good non-fiction scare, and a need to leave a nightlight on, Jason has crafted a fiction book that will have people snickering and laughing as they turn the page. Jason Offutt took time during a busy finals week at Northwest to talk with Media Mikes about his first novel.

Jeremy Werner: Alright Jason, tell us about “A Funeral Story”
Jason Offutt: “A Funeral Story” is a story about a 30-year-old man that still lives at home, plays dungeon and dragons with his old high school buddies every Friday and nobody knows that he likes to pick up and have sex with strange women at funerals.

JW: (laughs) Where does an idea like that come from?
JO: I have no idea, actually, where it came from. I was sitting at Kansas City International Airport waiting for a flight to Houston and it just popped into my head. I carry a notebook everywhere and I probably wrote three chapters as I was waiting on a plane.

JW: So this isn’t based on anyone?
JO: No. Nobody at all.

JW: Do you see any of yourself in this character?
JO: No. I never picked up any strange people at funerals…I think lots of writers do this, they try to put people in ridiculous situations and see how they react. And somebody trying to pick up sex at a funeral is probably the most extreme I could think of. That’s probably where it came from.

JW: I’ve read the book and it can be pretty filthy. Was there any part of you that was worried about publishing something like this?
JO: Well…a little bit because what I’ve written before is family friendly. So to that extent, yes. I am going to put a warning out there for people who are use to my non-fiction that this is not family friend, but one of the things that I’ve been known to do is take things to a level that people probably shouldn’t go to. (laughs) That’s what I did with this.

JW: Now, if someone who doesn’t know you was to look at your previous writing examples, and even people who’ve read all your works, they’ll notice you usually write about the paranormal. Were you starting to get burnt out on writing about the paranormal or did you just want a change of scenery?
JO: Right. I’ve been finding that out. I’m going to be on a Travel Channel show this season because I’m the go-to paranormal guy. But…I’ve always wanted to write novels. Ever since I was 10-years-old, I remember telling my parents I’ve wanted to write novels when I grew up and of course they laughed, rubbed my head, and sent me off to play. But that’s something I’ve wanted to do forever. I’ve been stuck with the non-fiction mainly because I was a journalist for 17 years and that’s what I’ve done. And I finally decided…if I want to write novels, I should probably do it because if I don’t now, I’m going to regret it later.

JW: Is this your first novel?
JO: It’s my first novel being published. I wrote one before it that’s being published in a year from January. I got two novels coming out in 2016. They’re a book series on…it’s an apocalyptic type series.

JW: Are you going to stick with fiction for a while or do you see yourself going back to writing about paranormal occurrences and what not?
JO: If the right subject, the right book hits me, yeah, I’ll definitely go back to non-fiction. But I’m having a lot of fun right now writing fiction.

JW: In terms of your fiction writing, do you ever see yourself straying away from humor and going more for a serious tone?
JO: No matter what I write, something funny comes out because that’s just what I’m use to. I really, really want to write a horror story. I really want to write something terrifying. So that’s something I got going on in the future.

JW: I assume you’ll pull some inspiration from some of the real-life horror stories you’ve heard from people.
JO: Oh yes. I’m definitely going to heavily rely on the non-fiction work that I’ve done on the paranormal and on ghosts, spirits, monsters. I think that’ll help…lend it a lot of realism.

JW: I know you’re always working on something. Do you have anything that you’re piecing together and working on now?
JO: I’m working on something. I’ve got a lot of notes down. My wife and I just had a baby about a month and a half ago.
JW: Oh wow. Congratulations. I didn’t hear that.
JO: Well, (laughs) it was a bit of a surprise because I had vasectomy six years ago.
JW: Oh. Holy crap.
JO: (laughs) Yeah…I was OK six years ago, everything went well, but I was one in a couple of thousand people that found out my super power is I can heal myself. So I took notes throughout the pregnancy and wrote a bunch of funny stuff that happened. The tentative name for the book is “The Vasectomy Diaries”.

JW: I know you’ve written about your kids and being a father before. Do you still do that?
JO: I still write a weekly humor column and I write funny stuff about the kids, once and a while when they do something ridiculous, which is quite a bit. So I still do that kind of writing.

JW: I know you have a lot of different projects and there was a monster killing book you were working on. How’s that coming along?
JO: I found a publisher and it’s coming out in January.
JW: Tell us about it.
JO: The book’s called “How to Kill Monsters Using Common Household Items”. It’s a book about what would happen if the monsters took over and invaded your house. What do you have if a werewolf breaks into your house? What do you have lying around that you can use to kill it? And I go through just random things around your house that could kill a werewolf, vampire, demonic clown, gnome, killer robot from the future, velociraptor, lots of other different types of monsters.

JW: Is this another humor book or could it be considered real advice?
JO: It’s more humor, but you know what? You could seriously beat a zombie to death with a prosthetic leg. So it’s pretty handy.

JW: How many monsters do you cover in this?
JO: 14. Including reanimated corpses like Frankenstein’s monster, dragons and your evil twin from an alternate dimension.

JW: Do you ever see writing as your full-time gig?
JO: That…I think that is about every writer’s dream, to do it full time, but realistically…there are only about 120 writers in the country, that’s all they do is write books. I could see that if I got successful, but you know what? I really enjoy teaching college students. So even if I did get to the point where I could write books for a living, I don’t know if I would. I think I’d keep teaching.

“A Funeral Story” is available December 19th.
You can check out Jason at his website, http://www.jasonoffutt.com, or follow him on Twitter: @TheJasonOffutt
You can also read his writings, at jasonoffutt.blogspot.com and at from-the-shadows.blogspot.com

 

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Film Review “Top Five”

Starring: Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson and Gabrielle Union
Directed By: Chris Rock
Rated: R
Running Time: 101 minutes
Paramount Pictures

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

It’s really been a year for meta commentary in entertainment. Everything from “The Lego Movie” to the bizarre internet phenomenon of “Too Many Cooks” has left viewers scratching their heads or having to turn on their brain when consuming their favorite pop-culture substance. I’m sure someone at some point, will compare “Birdman” to “Top Five” for how it depicts its main character, but I’d be a little offended if someone was to put these two movies at the same level.

“Top Five” is written and directed by Chris Rock, who also stars in the main role, Andre Allen. Sometimes Dre for short. He’s a comedian powerhouse who’s known for his franchise about a bear cop by the name of Hammy. That part of his life is over now, along with a heavy drinking problem. He’s sober and trying to reinvent himself by turning to a serious role, a Haitian rebellion leader in the movie Uprize. Changing from an actor in a bear suit to an angry slave wielding a machete draw some of the biggest laughs for me, but sadly the movie strays from this rich, fruitful tree of humor.

Allen also has to worry about his upcoming television wedding with the reality star sensation Erica Long (Union), promoting Uprize to people who are more interested in asking him if he’s doing another Hammy movie, and doing an interview for Chelsea Brown (Dawson). On his busy day, there are some detours that include a visit to his extended family. There’s also the constant struggle with sobriety. Hidden bottles of liquor, store fronts lined with a rainbow of alcohol, all tempt him. So much is cramped into its short runtime; it feels choppy and rushed at moments. Andre is struggling to find his identity and reclaim his confidence, but not enough time is given to focus on his emotional tussle.

It’s also a movie that’s highly interested in ridiculing critics, reality TV, cellphones, the media circus, and celebrities, but it also has very little to say and simply eases into a predictable storyline. It’s unfortunate that Rock couldn’t take a more ambiguous approach to Andre’s life instead of having to verbally explain everything, sometimes twice, to the audience. Chelsea, through a day of connecting and learning one another’s feelings, becomes the obvious romantic interest as Andre slowly realizes Long is in a relationship for the ratings.

The amount of humor might lead audiences astray from whatever noble point Rock is trying to make about comedy. There’s the sense that under the raging sexual debauchery and hot sauce tampon jokes, there’s something to be said. But its voice is barely heard above the loud squeals of laughter from the audience and the sights of many prominent comedians. There’s a great message to be told about comedy and how art has an amazing power to heal, but I’m afraid Chris Rock couldn’t quite hit the nail on the head.

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Film Review “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1”

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and Julianne Moore
Directed By: Francis Lawrence
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 123 minutes
Lionsgate

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The final piece of a series is no longer a bloated epic detailing the final time we’ll see our heroes, but now cut in half, with the first part generally being the weaker of the two. That makes it easier to scrutiny because of how much of an obvious cash grab it is by the Hollywood executives hoping to squeeze out those last remaining pennies before finding their next franchise to milk. “Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part – 1” isn’t about to break that stereotype, but it comes pretty close.

For a movie that seems to be advertised as an explosive and heart pounding action flick, it’s surprisingly thoughtful. “Mockingjay – Part 1” picks up moments after the events of “Catching Fire”. Katniss (Lawrence) is still nursing some mental scars and having to come to terms with the fact that District 12 no longer exists. It’s nothing but rubble and piles of charred bodies. The visuals of blackened skeletons is enough to paint a horrific picture and further imply the brutal extent the Capitol will go to strengthen it’s iron fist grip over the districts.

Katniss is taking refuge underground in District 13, long believed to have suffered the same fate that has recently befallen District 12. There she meets a military society headed by President Alma Coin (Moore). This is the first introduction of President Alma in the series and while it’s easy to trust the person supplying food and supplies, there’s something ominous about a character who never seems to view Katniss more than a puppet for political manipulation. On the other end, Peeta (Hutcherson) is being used to discredit the defiance that grows in the districts.

Katniss and Peeta are clearly being used as propaganda. While Katniss is used to inspire hope to those fighting, through her fiery eyes of anger and bitter words of revenge, it appears that Peeta is nervously regurgitating lines, but we never see or fully know what purpose the Capital is using him for. “Mockingjay” focuses more on President Alma’s use of Katniss to beat the drums of rebellion in the hopes of getting ubiquitous support for their uprising against the Capital. Luckily this disinformation chess match is interrupted by scenes of retaliation around Panem and a third act covert mission to rescue Peeta.

The theme doesn’t say anything new, but it’s refreshing to see a movie, that’s been coined as “young adult”, use such a mature idea in a very presentable and easy to understand fashion. It’s not difficult to see the positive and ill effects of spin that two warring factions can create. Personally, I was expecting CGI explosions and Jennifer Lawrence whipping her hair all about while firing off multiple arrows like Hawkeye in “The Avengers”, but for what we’re given, it is proficient with it’s message and it simply wets our appetites for an explosive finale come next year.

The big problem with the first part of this oversized first course of Mockingjay is that it feels too much like a prologue to something a lot more monumental. There’s a lot of moving pieces, but a lot of downtime that involves staring, sitting and inconsequential dialogue. The obvious payoff for our two hours of time won’t happen until Part 2, but it’d be nice to have some kind of reward for our investment into the lives of these characters. It doesn’t help that Jennifer Lawrence, who’s shown such a wide range of emotions throughout this series, is a bit limited to angry reactions and fear.

Regardless, if it wasn’t for Lawrence’s commanding presence, this movie wouldn’t have the drive and Katniss wouldn’t radiate bravery. All the regulars are back for this movie, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks and the stupendously talented Philip Seymour Hoffman. Without this cast, this movie would have fizzled out like “Percy Jackson” or “The Mortal Instruments”. It’ll be easier to reflect on “Part 1” once the series completes next year. We’ll know if it’s a good enough primer for the grand ending we’re all expecting. For now though, it’s simply an appetizer to keep us content until the main course arrives.

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Film Review “Rosewater”

Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal, Kim Bodnia and Shohreh Aghdashloo
Directed By: Jon Stewart
Rated: R
Running Time: 103 minutes
Open Road Films

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Imagine being taken away from your family and friends, blindfolded and dropped into solitary confinement. Ants crawl in and out of the meager food portions you’re given. The only solace you have is the memories of your family that talk to you in your head and the scribbles on the wall of others before you. This is the reality, Iranian-born journalist Maziar Bahari (Bernal) faces during the fraudulent re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009.

Bahari is in Iran, covering this, much forgotten about, slice of contemporary world history. He walks the streets, interviewing his fellow countrymen and capturing footage of the increasing riots and anger over the corrupt handling of democracy. After filming a murderous retaliation by the military, the Iranian state quickly moves in and detains him. His mom witnesses the secretive extraction and soon, his pregnant wife in London will learn of his plight.

“Rosewater” may be a film that catalogues 118 days of imprisonment and torture, but through it’s rough imagery, it promotes an uplifting message. It’s filmed and written by directorial newcomer Jon Stewart. He trades in his political buffoonery to pay respects to a man he admires and respects. While “Rosewater” could be considered a sort of love letter to Bahari’s sacrifices, it instead channels Bahari’s cause and inspires others who hope to find and document the truth.

Stewart is far from a journalist, instead preferring to be a satirist safe behind a fake news desk, but you can’t doubt his admiration for those who head to the front lines to archive the social and political changes constantly happening around us. When resorting to humor in “Rosewater”, Stewart gives us something light hearted to help boost the morale of viewers enduring Bahari’s predicament.

Bernal is so humbling in his role, he provides a practical warmth to Bahari’s persona, that helps foster the more valiant side of our hero. Kim Bodnia may steal the show here as the man who interrogates Bahari. He’s referred to as the specialist at the prison, but Bahari remember’s him by his scent, Rosewater. The specialist is a man consumed with plucking the fallacious truth from Bahari. He’s constantly flipping back and forth between deceptive banter and angered restraint, and Bodnia handles both of them perfectly.

“Rosewater” offers hope and it’s something we’re in desperate need of, at least if you watch the news. Oppression still exists, and always will, throughout the world. The movie ends by telling us that thousands of journalists and other innocents still sit in prison waiting for that magnificent day where they can bask in the sun that doesn’t shine through unforgiving prison bars. The truth waits to be found and no one can stop the people who spend their life finding it.

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CD Review: Cannibal Corpse “A Skeletal Domain”

Cannibal Corpse
“A Skeletal Domain”
Metal Blade
Produced By: Mark Lewis
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Death metal fans rejoice, Cannibal Corpse is back with a new album. Everyone else, thumb your nose and shake your head. Cannibal Corpse is just shy of 30 years of throat crushing music and in poor taste lyrics, so it’s no surprise that “A Skeletal Domain” is more of the same that we’ve seen in the past. While this latest release is a lot better than the middle of the pack of their work, there’s nothing too monumental that puts itself among the best of their discography.

This new release keeps what I love most about Cannibal Corpse intact: The songs are perfect amount of time, as well as the album, and it’s a feverish blood rush of blasting drums and screeching guitars. Lyrics have always kind of come second tier in Cannibal Corpse and it’s not because they’re unimaginative, but because the usual suspects of violence are once again on display. Icepicks, revenge, murder and emotionless savagery are tools of the lyrical trade in their music.

The real hook for “A Skeletal Domain” is the guitar work by Pat O’Brien and Rob Barrett. You’d think after 13 records they’d start to lose a bit of those creative juices, but O’Brien’s stirring solo on the track, “Funeration Cremation” is downright mischievous. Their dueling solos on “Headlong into Carnage” are something of nightmarish dreams. Alex Webster is also key when strumming the bass since the bass is slowly becoming a lost art in the metal scene. After listening through the album, you have to wonder what kind of wicked arthritis is going to set into those shredding fingers of theirs.

Once again the annunciation skills of George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher make him the best in the business. “Kill or Become” may be one of the real peaks of his work on this album has he performs the most brutally clear chorus pieces in a while, that’s quite catchy and violently foreboding. Just the songs I’ve listed may be the only ones I listen to again once I hit the play button.

I’m in no way doubting that this CD will get some mileage along with my car as it plays through the speakers, but there’s a nagging worry that it’ll be a forgettable album altogether, save for those few songs. Forgettable isn’t a bad thing, but at times this album feels humdrum and not something legendary like “Gore Obsessed” or “The Bleeding”. I think for first time listeners, which there’s always some out there; it’s definitely a breath of fresh air in a sea of bands foregoing brutality on all levels for a low tuned guitar and generic beatdowns. No matter what they put out, I’m always eagerly awaiting the next dose of brutality.

Track Listing:
High Velocity Impact Splatter
Sadistic Embodiment
Kill or Become
A Skeletal Domain
Headlong into Carnage
The Murderer’s Pact
Funeral Cremation
Icepick Lobotomy
Vector of Cruelty
Bloodstained Cement
Asphyxiate to Resuscitate
Hollowed Bodies

 

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CD Review: Psychostick “IV: Revenge of the Vegeance”

Psychostick
“IV: Revenge of the Vegeance”
Rock Ridge Music
Produced By: Joshua Key, Patrick Murphy and Psychostick
Tracks: 21

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The first track would lead you to believe you’re about to listen to a movie and make you question, “Did we miss a prequel or maybe the first of some trilogy?” Nope. Psychostick is just doing what they do best. Taking a bunch of funny ideas and slapping them together in a chaotic, but structured order of silliness. For nearly a decade and a half, the self-proclaimed humorcore band, has never abided by any rules and have once again created an album generously dipped in comical lyrics and melodic bass slapping metal.

This time, the comedy is a lot more mindless, when in the past it seemed to be lampooning specific targets. The closest they get to critiquing anyone or anything is in “So. Heavy.”, a song parodying the concept of being the heaviest sounding metal band by simply tuning your guitar into non-existent levels and stretching one’s vocals chords to the point of unintelligible lyrics. That’s not to say they don’t have a smidgen of appreciation for the deathcore and metalcore bands that are popular for doing that.

“Obey the Beard”, “Quack Kills” and “President Rhino” have lyrics that “Weird Al” would write with the musical sensibilities of System of a Down and GWAR. “Blue Screen” plays like that Top 40 break-up single by Three Days Grace that you hear on the radio, but instead of a tattooed heart breaking vixen, it’s the emotional pain of a nerd and his computer that has gotten the blue screen of death. By choosing from such a bizarre palette of ideas and constantly expanding their horizons into the other styles, Psychostick has carved a nice little slice of their own brand of music into the landscape.

The band brings a rock show energy with the drive of a stand-up comedian that’s constantly sharpening their skills. With that in mind, there’s bound to be a couple of speed bumps on that path. “Loathe Thy Neighbor” is the longest and most odd paced song on the album and the second half of the CD is not as strong as the first half. The album does end on a strong note with the band trying their hand at something new. “Dimensional Time Portal” and “The Power of Metal Compels You” closes everything out as a screwy mini story arc about a portal that will pretty much ruin life for heterosexual men.

There are so many little things that make this more than your run-of-the-mill laugh and enjoy album. For example, in the lyric book, for the song “Choking Hazard”, it simply displays the pamphlet image of what to do in the event of someone choking. This unpredictable, jokey style they incorporate spills over into their live show and after four albums, they show no wear and tear in their funny bone and no signs of decelerating those head banging riffs. I could ramble a little more, but you’re better off experiencing this yourself. So go buy it already.

Track Listing:
Revenge of the Vengeance
Obey the Beard
President Rhino
H-Flat
So. Heavy.
Dogs Like Socks
Super Legit OFFICIAL Teaser #2 Explod
Quack Kills
Blue Screen
NSFW
Danger Zone (Kenny Loggins Cover)
New to the Neighborhood
Loathe Thy Neighbor
AWESOME!
Choking Hazard
Fight to the Death
Bruce Campbell
Trick or Treat
Dimensional Time Portal
The Power of Metal Compels You
Outtakes IV: The Outtakening

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Film Review “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”

Starring: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton and Naomi Watts
Directed By: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Rated: R
Running Time: 119 minutes
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I feel like thousands of future theses will be written about “Birdman”. It’s a movie that definitely necessitates multiple viewings because of how much is stuffed into its nearly two hour run time. Besides being a contemplative piece of filmmaking, it’s a true joy to watch something so self-conscious and fully aware of what it’s doing. “Birdman” is not the latest box office juggernaut, but more like a powerful awards force.

Could there have been a better choice than Michael Keaton? He plays Riggan, an aged actor living off the memories of being the lead in the powerful superhero franchise, Birdman. He’s nearing the end of his life and reaching the last remains dollars of his checking account. The only thing he can do to recoup his financial, mental and acting losses, is directing, writing and starring in a play adaptation of “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”. Keaton puts on the acting performance of his life by portraying Riggan, the man who hopes to put on the acting performance of his life. Do I even have to mention Keaton was the original movie Batman? Seriously, how meta can you get?

I’m barely clawing at the surface and that’s just by pointing out the most obvious symbol in this movie that’s full of literary devices. Working with Riggan on his comeback performance is one of the best method actors in the land, Mike (Norton). Mike is a philosophical mess who confuses his on-stage performances with his own personality. He’s able to dish out some harsh truths, but when it comes to his own personal life, he finds more relief and comfort in the people he portrays. Leading to a lot of moments where he’d much rather face an audience than face the music.

Along for the ride as well is Sam (Stone), Riggan’s daughter, a recovering addict that has a gloomy look at life and covers her emotional wounds with teenage sarcasm and put downs. She’s kind of like a personal assistant to Riggan although she spends most of her time reflecting and being mopey. Starring in the production itself is Lesley (Watts), who’s constantly saying the wrong thing and half the time on the verge of crying. She’s aspiring towards Broadway infamy. Laura (Andrea Riseborough) is Riggan’s girlfriend who’s not utilized as well as she should be considering she’s a psychotically clingy.

Then there’s Keaton…again…the voice inside Riggan’s head. It’s his Birdman persona constantly reminding him that he’s wasting his time, and needs to strap on the leather suit again and take flight. He gives Riggan an added layer of mystery and throws in some more commentary to the happenings around him and gives the audience a little jab about why we, the movie goer, are even in the theater watching this movie to begin with.

Everyone is outstanding in this. Even Zach Galifianakis gets to stretch out his acting legs. Keaton has been in a lot of movies, but it’s hard to think of one where he’s this amazing. His scenes with Edward Norton are some of the best in the movie and while I personally hold Norton in high regard in terms of acting, Keaton blows him out of the water. I’m hoping Keaton has more performances like this left in his tank.

The direction by Iñárritu is imaginative and genius. The entire movie is put together as one long tracking shot, giving it an on-stage production feel. Obviously there are some clever editing tricks to make this long shot effect real, but when you have characters talking at great lengths as the cameras spins around the room and follow them down the narrow halls of the theatre, it’s quite astounding to experience. Iñárritu employs a jazzy bass and drum soundtrack to match the tension of our characters and by the end starts mixing in some classical tones when it’s time to get a little more abstract.

“Birdman” is a movie that indie and Oscar voters are sure to remember come award season. It’s definitely not a movie for everyone as many, including the gentleman in front of me, were yawning or rotating their neck to prevent stiffness. Some of its more grand ideas may be lost and some of the rapid fire dialogue might not come across as witty without your full and undivided attention. So please, experience “Birdman” undistracted and bask in one of the cleverest movies of the year.

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Film Review “Nightcrawler”

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed and Bill Paxton
Directed By: Dan Gilroy
Rated: R
Running Time: 117 minutes
Open Road Films

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Lou Bloom (Gyllenhaal) is a mad man, but not in the traditional sense. He’s recognizable at every pawn shop and scrap metal recycling yard in Los Angeles. They know the items aren’t his and they know that he most likely stole it. But he’s astute, blunt, sharp, a quick learner and talks his way out of any circumstance. He has a tongue the devil wishes he could tell lies with, and someone with his intelligence and drive could easily be the next criminal racketeer or late night serial killer. Instead he’s found an outlet that satisfies both appetites.

Bloom quickly becomes enticed by the world of nightcrawlers. These are supposed journalists, more like human garbage, which creep along the city streets, waiting for the police scanners to squawk out the latest offering of death and suffering because “if it bleeds it leads”. Bloom seems to relish in the fact that you can get as close to a victim choking on their own blood as long as you’re holding a camera and he becomes even more enamored knowing that news stations shell out big bucks for this kind of footage.

“Nightcrawler” in one hand is a sick, yet painfully funny evaluation of our news industry, while in the other hand it kneads a subtle critique of how the latest headline is being manufactured and manipulated by a corporatocracy. “Nightcrawler” is well-made on nearly every, but the real centerpiece is Gyllenhaal. He thrills as Lou and puts on an Oscar worthy performance that will hopefully garnish the acting attention he deserves. Everyone else in the movie is spot on as they have to bounce their own talents off the dominant performance by Gyllenhaal.

Bloom is such a complicated work to play. You keep waiting in fear because of how much of a sociopath he is, but on the other hand, he’s eerily charming. He could teach a course on pleasant banters, but he uses his false, engaging personality to get what he wants. That’s where a lot of the dark jokes come from and it’ll elicit a nervous or guilty laugh out of you. But you’ll go back to waiting with baited breath because you know he’s just one move away from filming the story to becoming the story.

People who get in his path or finally catch on to his sadistic ways don’t last long. Nina (Russo) is the news director who buys his increasingly violent footage, never actually questioning how he got it because his videos are her job security. Rick (Ahmed) is an unfortunate, homeless schmuck, who gets pulled in with an “internship”. Lou fills Rick’s head with the golden dream of a future career and money. Lou plays Rick and Nina like puppets knowing that he has what they want. If and when you do finally catch on to game, he has an exit strategy to dispose of you, but he’s at least courteous enough to threaten you beforehand. Lou is a mastermind that uses corporate jargon and fallacious business promises that we as a society have come to accept, “If you want to win the lottery, you have to make the money to buy a ticket.”

“Nightcrawler” is sadistic, cruel, exhilarating, and I loved every minute of it. “Nightcrawler” has echoes of a horror and glimpses of a bleak comedy, but overall it’s a thought provoking thriller with a lot of messages, but not too many to overcrowd its overall theme. t simply asks how far have we gone to attain the American dream? “Nightcrawler” is like any award winning news piece, you simply can’t look away.

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Film Review “John Wick”

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyquist and Alfie Allen
Directed By: David Leitch and Chad Stahleski
Rated: R
Running Time: 101 minutes
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

An east coast kingpin by the name of Viggo (Nyquist) is furious. He’s just learned that the owner of a body shop struck his only son in the face. He’s called the owner to fume. He inquires about why the lowly proprietor would even think about laying a hand on his son. The man quickly retorts, “Your son stole John Wick’s car and killed his dog.” Viggo’s face quickly turns from anger to one of ominous regret and he quietly says, “Oh…”

John Wick (Reeves) is an unstoppable, former assassin, whose reputation is known throughout every little nook and cranny of the criminal underworld. Thing is though, he retired from his position as a contract killer, to settle into a normal life. Sadly that’s just not his destiny. His wife has recently passed, but before she died, she left Wick a memento of their love, an adorable puppy. The somber Wick quickly takes a liking to the pup that licks at his face and jumps with joy at the very sight of him. Wick also has another love in his life, his muscle car. He’s a complex man with simple pleasures. Before attempting normalcy with the love of his life, he was known as the guy you hire to kill the Boogeyman. So you can see why Viggo is less than thrilled that his numbskull son would even think about laying a hand on Wick, much less kill the last thing he had to remember his wife.

“John Wick” is slick, cool and fun as hell. It’s such a crowd pleaser, you would have suspected that a shoot-em up that’s so self-aware about its own gimmick would have been released against more tame summer action movies like the “Expendables 3”. The plot is alert to the fact that Wick is a larger than life character whose life and exploits exceed the length of the movie. That’s why were given so many verbal and visual cues that he’s a relentless machine that doesn’t stop until all the necessary blood has been spilt.

Leitch and Stahleski have spent their whole life performing stunt work and that really helps add to the craft of filming some of the more intimate hand-to-hand combat scenes. Writer Kolstad would appear to be an avid comic book/video game fan since his script relies so heavily on very little plot and first person shooter invincibility for Wick. I mean, he does get injured, but no real human being could shrug off a gaping wound and continue to tumble around like an acrobat. If there’s any marks against Kolstad in his fairly young career, it’s that he has an inability to find a correct time to wrap things up and allowed couple of lulls in what was a brute force adrenaline fueled movie.

There’s so much blood and violence, that the Reeves affable qualities make the more gruesome scenes light hearted in its own regard. Wick isn’t really a hero, but any time some Russian thugs senselessly kill a puppy, you’re going to have a lot of audience members eagerly awaiting revenge. What makes Wick pleasant is that he also doesn’t appear to take any kind of joy from killing, but views it as a way to rectify a universal wrong. Instead of shooting carelessly into a crowd, he waits for a clear shot, as to not harm any innocents. He also doesn’t want to kill anyone he doesn’t have to. If you’re looking for a sick, but pleasurable viewing experience, “John Wick” is your best bet.

 

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Film Review “Men, Women & Children”

Starring: Rosemarie DeWitt, Jennifer Garner, Judy Greer, Ansel Elgort and Kaitlyn Dever
Directed By: Jason Reitman
Rated: R
Running Time: 119 minutes
Paramount Pictures

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Before the lights are dimmed and the movie begins, nearly every single person was looking at a smartphone, whether it is their own or simply sharing with the person next to them. They sat still with their fingers plugging away at a text or simply transfixed by a viral video. Some played mindless games while others, like me, were checking Twitter. It wasn’t always like this. I remember entering a movie theater and having to have a interpersonal conversation while easy movie trivia flashed on the screen. Things are different now, our lives, communication and feelings are all affected by technology and “Men, Women & Children” gives us a blunt look at its influence.

First we meet Don (Adam Sandler) who’s sexually dissatisfied in his marriage and resorts to Internet pornography to service his needs. His wife Helen (DeWitt) is also unhappy, but has yet to find a way to service her needs. Their son is also setting himself up for a life of porn addiction and a fervent discipline for touching himself. The other kids at school are slightly saner. There’s Hannah (Olivia Crocicchia), who gloats about her sexual conquests, and aspires to be a model. Her mom, Joan (Greer), supports these dreams and aspirations in the creepiest way possible, helping her daughter set up an online website to upload risqué photos.

The craziest parent, believe it or not, is the one who stalks her own daughters every cyber movement and reads through page after page of online chat. Patricia (Garner) believes the Internet is a vast, scary, and dangerous place for her daughter, Brandy (Dever), needless to say, is a social outcast at school because her life is under a miscroscope. Oddly enough, she draws the attention of Tim (Elgort). He’s lost meaning in life, recently quitting the football team and finding comfort in his online gaming friends on the massive multiplayer game, Guild Wars. His mom abandoned him and his dad, and as much as he’d like to still talk with her, she blocks on him on social media to prevent his prying eyes from seeing her fabulous new life without them. He doesn’t get much in the way of comfort from his Guild Wars pals who respond to his maternal predicament with “is she DTF?” (I’ll let you look that chat speak up for yourself if you don’t know what it means)

It may seem like a lot to handle (I know trying to explain it was), but Reitman weaves it all smoothly. He manages to give us a contemporary, albeit crude, look at a dysfunctional nuclear family, the overbearing parent, the single parent balancing their own personal despair and their child’s misery, eating disorders, and how these have changed as we’ve evolved from face-to-face talking to texting. It’s not a red flag of danger on where we’re headed, but more of a reminder that we can still be cruel, insensitive and clueless no matter what the means of communication are.

Instead of fixing their marriage and finding that old spark (or Hell, even divorce), Helen turns to online adultery and Don finds an escort through a website. It’s not a condemnation of these websites; married people aren’t the only ones who use these kinds of websites. It’s pointing out how the means to cheat have been filtered through a different way. The old form of peer pressure for students now comes through online help forums and websites pressuring young girls into a particular body image or thought process. Even the classic teen romance bubbles through talking on Tumblr, but the traditional means of affection remain intact. Technology has yet to replace human contact…yet.

“Men, Women & Children” has a bizarre ensemble cast, but I may only be saying that because this is Adam Sandler’s second dramatic role in a career spanning way too many fart jokes. Elgort shows off his range by become a sullen woeful soul, a complete opposite of his charismatic and witty character in “The Fault in Our Stars”. Dever, who I haven’t seen in anything else to my knowledge, is really good here along with Garner who seems borderline psychotic. I would have loved to see more interactions between those two. There’s simply not enough time to go too far into their lives, but I had an feel that this kind of movie could easily be transcribed into television format in today’s golden age of TV dramas.

“Men, Women & Children” is an Instagram snapshot into our digital lives, which runs the risk of being dated within a matter of years. Its social observations are long lasting though. It’s definitely a conversation starter about a topic that needs to be talked about before we fall into the archetypes we seen in this movie. Something tells me it won’t though. As soon as the first line of credits began rolling upwards, people immediately whipped out their smartphones.

There’s simply not enough time to go too far into their lives, but I have a feeling that this kind of movie could easily be transcribed into television format in today’s golden age of TV dramas.

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