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The Best Bingo Scenes in TV and Film

Bingo has seen quite the resurgence in recent times with the more traditional version of the game reappearing in land-based venues as well as in various online environments at sites like www.bingosites.uk.

Not only that but it has even begun to sneak further into the public psyche due to it featuring in some of the world most popular TV shows and even into a few films.

Take a look at some of the pastime most memorable appearances below.

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM

Larry David stars in this truly cringeworthy series where the former ‘Seinfeld’ co-creator plays a semi-fictional version of himself and ends up in the middle of some of the most socially awkward scenarios imaginable. In the season 5 episode ‘Kamikaze Bingo’ Larry once more manages to upset and offend those around him whilst taking part in a friendly bingo game at his father’s retirement home in this hilarious scene.

BAD GRANDPA

‘Jackass’ star Johnny Knoxville plasters on the make-up and takes his Bad Grandpa character out on the road for his very own feature length adventure. Knoxville stars as Irving Zisman in this stunt-based semi-scripted hidden camera comedy. There are plenty of memorable scenes including one in a bingo hall where the always inappropriate Zisman does his best to flirt with the other players whilst drinking down the bingo marker fluid to everyone’s amazement.

BETTER CALL SAUL

It’s a shame that most TV and movie scenes that relate to bingo do seem to revolve around the older generation and retirement homes, however that’s once more the setting for this excellent sequence from ‘Breaking Bad’ spin-off ‘Better Call Saul’. During a partial melt down lawyer Jimmy, played by Bob Odenkirk, gets monumentally anecdotal and opinionated during his stint as bingo caller to the residents at the local retirement home, much to their bemusement.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

The only animated scene on our list comes courtesy of family comedy ‘Hotel Transylvania’. It may be brief but is still a humorous bingo-related scene whereby the traditional game takes on a rather disturbing twist. The classic balls being spun in this macabre version of the games are replaced with miniature skulls which even manage to voice their numbers by themselves. One lucky player manages to call bingo only to have her winning card gobbled up by the heartless creature she’s unfortunate enough to sit next to.

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: bingo, film, scenes, tv

Film Review: “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”

Starring: Julian Dennison, Sam Neill, Rachel House
Directed By: Taika Waititi
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 101 minutes
Orchard

Our Score: 5 out of 5 Stars

Last year New Zealand director Taika Waititi breathed life into the vampire genre with his brilliant What We Do in the Shadows, my favorite comedy of 2015. The director this week turns again to his home turf to even more success for the quirky tale of Ricky Baker in Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Wilderpeople is an unconventional spin on the tried-and-true old mentor meeting his younger match that manages to be action packed, unpredictable and heartfelt without veering into the saccharine territory oft trod by coming of age stories. Not only has Waititi matched my expectations based on his Shadows and “Flight of the Conchords” work but he’s significantly upped my excitement for his next project–Thor: Ragnarok (as if that was even possible!)

Julian Dennison stars as a ‘real bad egg’ called Ricky Baker, an orphan from the city who’s been to his share of foster homes. Child services drops him at a remote farm in the New Zealand bush kept by the sweet Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and bearded grump Hec (Sam Neill). Bella invites Ricky to dub them Auntie and Uncle, though Ricky and Hec are less than keen. When the welcoming Bella passes away leaving Ricky under Hec’s care, his new country life looks about to be ripped from under him again by child services. Naturally Ricky flees to the wilderness with Hec following along. They quickly become a pair of outlaws–everyone believing Hec a kidnapper–and infamous for evading a country-wide manhunt.

As Ricky Baker, newcomer Julian Dennison delivers a star-making performance. He is the perfect age for this little adventure of Waititi’s. A foster child who’s been passed around with a long list of ‘offenses’ (which child service agents will rattle off at the drop of a hat to hilarious effect), Baker is on the verge of puberty and of actually buying into his own bad reputation but is still very much malleable. There’s glimpses of Ricky posturing his ”gangsta” image between his wardrobe or his Scarface references but the brilliance of Dennison is watching the child that he actually is come to the surface. Dennison’s vulnerability is exposed when faced with the prospect of being separated from his most stable home to date. Meanwhile, his curiosity and eagerness to learn the bush life chip away at his city-kid exterior and the fact that he’s wont to spout haikus only makes him all the more endearing. There are a million layers to Ricky Baker and Dennison plays them all with great heart.

This isn’t at all to belittle the terrific support Dennison receives from his adult cast. It’s been 23 since Sam Neill begrudgingly led some kids through Jurassic Park and the years and the beard have only hardened his ornery exterior to perfection. His soft center is tougher to wear down to, but Ricky is game for the challenge. And there aren’t any dinosaurs that Neill needs to evade, but as the formidable Paula from Child services, Rachel House is an absolute scene stealer with dreams of being the Terminator. Rounding out these guys is an appearance from frequent Waititi collaborator Rhys Darby used to wacky effect as Psycho Sam.

Despite some real live threats in the bush and some choice language from kids and adults alike (“Like hell!” abounds), I can’t help but feel that Hunt for the Wilderpeople might be a perfect family film. Shot in beautiful locations, it’s hilarious without being malicious, populated with quirky characters forming genuine human bonds and I can’t stress enough the joy I derived from Dennison’s honest performance. Add to all that an action packed finale and you’ve got A Summer Movie to compete with the biggest of blockbusters. As Uncle Hec says, truly “Majestical.”

June 24 – I screened Hunt for the Wilderpeople at TFF 2016, it is now in limited US release. Visit Wilderpeople.film for trailer and local release dates.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines, Film Reviews Tagged With: film, film review, five stars, hunt, hunt for the wilderpeople, Julian Dennison, ...

Film Review: “A Fat Wreck: The Punk U Mentary”

“A Fat Wreck: The Punk U Mentary”
Director: Shaun M. Colon
Writer: Greg Pratt
Open-Ended Films/ Leaders & Flares/Charlie Uniform Tango
Runtime: 84 minutes

Our score: 5 out of 5 stars

“A Fat Wreck: The Punk U Mentary” is half inspirational story of chosen family and community and half debauchery as it tells the story of Fat Wreck Chords founder Fat Mike (bassist for the band NOFX) and his ex-wife Erin-Kelly Burkett. “A Fat Wreck” has it all from the birth, growth and struggles the label has endured over its 25 years to the thriving label we know today who continues to put out some of the best punk rock albums year after year.

If you were into punk rock in the 1990’s then chances are you at one time or another listened to a Fat Wreck Chords released album or band. Group’s such as Strung Out, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name and Propagandi and many others were fortunate enough to call Fat Wreck Chords their home while at the same time making a phenomenal impact on the evolution of punk music. “A Fat Wreck: The Punk U Mentary” is the story of that monumental label and the bands who helped define 90’s era punk rock. From candid interviews with label founders NOFX bassist Fat Mike and his ex-wife Erin to clips and interviews with the multitude of bands who have made up the labels roster during its past 25 years through today. For the first time in one spot the entire story of how this small independent label grew from a bay area basement to one of the most recognized and respected labels in punk rock. It’s all here!

How can you not like a killer punk rock soundtrack, fresh interviews and puppets!? Yes I said Puppets! “A Fat Wreck” from beginning to end is pure gold. If you were/are a fan of 90’s era punk rock then you owe it to yourself to watch this. The film is more than just another documentary about a group of musicians and a label that kick started a lot of careers, Underneath all of that is a refreshing story of family, unity and fun that everyone needs to check out.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: fat, film, mentary, punk, review, wreck, ...

Film Review: “It’s So Easy And Other Lies”

“It’s So Easy And Other Lies”
Starring: Duff McKagan
Director: Christopher Duddy
XLrator Media
Runtime: 86 minutes

Our score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Based on the New York Times best-selling memoir and featuring exclusive archival footage “It’s So Easy And Other Lies” is an authorized music documentary of Duff McKagan- founding member and bass player for Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver and other bands. The film chronicles Duff’s meteoric rise to fame and fortune, his near fatal struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, and his remarkable life transformation.

One half performance footage from Duff’s book reading at The Moore Theater in Seattle, WA and one half documentary consisting of archival footage and new interviews with former/current band members and friends. “It’s So Easy And Other Lies” is a unique spin on your standard biographical documentary. I really enjoyed the clips of Duff reading passages from his book backed by a band performing melodic renditions of such classic GN’R songs as “Rocket Queen” and “Paradise City” as it was a really cool addition which makes the film stand out from other films in the genre that I have seen recently. With interview from Duff, Slash, Mike McCready and others acting as segues to the performance material you really get a nice balance of music and dialogue.

Though I found some of the editing to be a little awkward at times as the performance footage tends to start and stop without the viewer really knowing where we are at in Duff’s story. At times it’s as though large portions of Duff’s story are either not expanded upon or just plain left out as is the case with some of the earlier days of Guns N’ Roses. Because of this gap and a few others it made things seem as though Duff one minute is a struggling young musician and the next he’s in the biggest band in the world. Obviously when a book is transformed to film parts are going to be left out or trimmed down but this seemed to be a really large piece of Duff’s story that sort of just got skirt around. That aside whether you are a fan of Duff and his countless successful projects or not “It’s So Easy And Other Lies” is an enjoyable film that keeps the viewers attention throughout its entire run time however, If you want a more in-depth experience I recommend picking up a copy of the book first and then check out the film.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: easy, film, lies, review

Film Review “The Nice Guys”

Starring: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling and Kim Bassinger
Directed by: Shane Black
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 56 mins
Warner Bros
Our Score: 4 out of 5

Film review by Mike Smith

1977. A young man sneaks into his father’s bedroom and removes a magazine from underneath the bed. He takes it to his room and begins studying the curves of a young lady named Misty Mountains. Suddenly a car screeches outside. The boy hears the crash and goes out to investigate. Who is the driver? Old MM herself.

Outrageously funny from start to finish, The Nice Guys is a period piece co-written and directed by Shane Black, creator of the Lethal Weapon series. Like those films, the story rests on the shoulders of two incredibly gifted dramatic actors given a chance to be funny; Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling. Their chemistry comes across from their first scene together and the film is much richer for it.

Jackson Healy (Crowe) is a leg-breaker. If someone is bothering you and you want them to stop he’s the man you call. Currently he has accepted the task of protecting a young woman named Amelia (Margaret Qualley). Holland March (Gosling) is a private investigator and single father whose latest case has him searching for a young woman named Amelia. Things go progressively from bad to worse for both men before they realize that they need to team up to get to the bottom of things. As they say in the funny papers: hilarity ensues.

I’ve always loved Shane Black as a writer. He has written some of the funniest scenes in some of my favorite films, including Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout and The Last Action Hero. He also wrote and directed the very highly underrated Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Here he creates two more indelible characters. With his ever present cigar and rumpled clothing, Jackson Healy (sounds more like an insurance company) is the tough guy with a heart whereas Holland March, who ensures a negative outlook on life by sporting a tattoo that reads “You Will Never Be Happy,” is the wise-ass who loves his precocious teenage daughter Holly (a very well-cast and wise beyond her years, Angourie Rice). You never question why Holland takes Holly with him on dangerous cases. You just realize that she is his partner in everything. The two leads play off each other perfectly. Crowe is ruff and gruff while Gosling sometimes comes off as an air-headed fool. In fact, once scene has him sputtering and mumbling so much that you would have thought he had channeled the spirit of Lou Costello.

Period wise, the film gets high marks for highlighting the fashion and art of the era, even if some of the items featured are a year or two off in context. A great billboard advertising Jaws 2 would have been out in 1978 while Rupert Holmes’ hit “Escape (the Pina Colada Song) didn’t hit the charts until 1979. That being said, these are minor quibbles with one fantastically funny film.

Murder! Murder! Fans Can Now Pre-Order the First EP from Cult Film Composers

The star of Repo! The Genetic Opera and Songwriters of The Devil’s Carnival explore early American killers in a rustic new concept album

After tackling industrial opera with 2008’s REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA, sideshow cabaret with 2012’s THE DEVIL’S CARNIVAL, and celestial big band in 2015’s ALLELUIA! THE DEVIL’S CARNIVAL, hit cult film composers Terrance Zdunich and Saar Hendelman are reuniting for an edgy, new musical collaboration. This time, they’re taking on early American murder.

AMERICAN MURDER SONG is a collection of original murder ballads by the genre-defying duo, set in 1816 America. The first EP of killer songs, I. DAWN, was produced by BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY’s Scotty Morris and is now available for pre-order. And as a way to thank their fans for their support thus far, as well as a way to welcome new travelers into the fold, AMS’ first single “Murder! Murder!” will be available as a free download for the next two weeks, exclusively on the AMERICAN MURDER SONG website (www.AmericanMurderSong.com).

Between now and May, 10^th, Terrance and Saar are also presenting fans with an exclusive pay-what-you-want opportunity for all EP pre-orders for I. DAWN. All proceeds will go towards funding the next EP and upcoming AMS Tour, which is tentatively slated for Fall 2016. Prior to the upcoming tour, AMERICAN MURDER SONG will also be celebrating its debut performance at the 2016 Steampunk World’s Fair on Friday, May 13^th in Piscataway, New Jersey.

To download your free song, pre-order the first EP, or find out more about the project, visit AMERICAN MURDER SONG‘s official website at http://www.AmericanMurderSong.com. New videos and music are released every Tuesday.

AMERICAN MURDER SONG

DAWN

Official American Murder Song trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYtvW5etwGw

Official EP trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTlRgURpr78

Official Site: http://www.americanmurdersong.com

Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thekillingplace

Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thekillingplace

Follow us on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thekillingplace

Subscribe to us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/AmericanMurderSong

Explicit: No

Genre: Soundtrack, Murder Ballads

EP Pre-Order Date: April 26, 2016

EP Release Date: May 10, 2016

Music and Lyrics by: Terrance Zdunich and Saar Hendelman

Music Produced by: Scotty Morris

Music Arranged by: Saar Hendelman

Track Names:

1.) Murder! Murder!

2.) Johnny

3.) Mary

4.) Edward

5.) Lullaby

Album Liner Notes:

AMERICAN MURDER SONG: I. DAWN is the first chapter in the hybrid film/concept-album project by Terrance Zdunich (Repo! The Genetic Opera) and Saar Hendelman (The Devil’s Carnival franchise). Produced by Scotty Morris of BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY, the EP is a collection of original murder ballads set in 1816 America. AMERICAN MURDER SONG features not only music, but stop motion animation, moving daguerreotype portraits and a rogues gallery of cutthroats and murderesses. As Messrs. Storm & Tender, Saar and Terrance invite audiences to Follow The Mark: http://www.AmericanMurderSong.com

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Filed Under: Music Headlines Tagged With: composers, cult, ep, fans, film, murder, ...

Film Review “Keanu”

Starring: Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele and Tiffany Haddish
Directed by: Peter Atencio
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 38 mins
New Line Cinema

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Abbott and Costello. Laurel and Hardy. Martin and Lewis. Cheech and Chong. Just four of some of the most popular comedy teams that went on to success on the big screen. Time to add a new team to the list: Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who take over your local multiplex this weekend in the new film “Keanu.”

Rell Williams (Peele) is feeling down. His woman has just left him and he’s hit rock bottom. At least until he finds a cute little kitten outside his door. Taking him in and giving him milk, he names the cat Keanu, which he believes means “cool breeze.” Artistic at heart, he begins taking photos of the cat recreating various movie scenes for a calendar. This strikes his friend Clarence Goobril (Key) just a little bit odd. When Rell’s house is broken into by drug dealers, who mistake it for his pot-selling neighbors’ home, Keanu turns up missing. Obsessed with finding his new friend, Rell convinces Clarence to pose as rival drug dealers in an attempt to retrieve their feline friend.

I’ve been a huge fan of Key and Peele from the time I caught their skit, “I Said Bitch” on Comedy Central. Like their popular show, the jokes in the film fly fast and furious, as the two take on the persona of the “Allentown brothers,” a pair well known for their bloody battles with rivals, in order to do business with the “Blips,” the gang that defeated both the Bloods and the Crips! Rell also meets a lady member of the Blips, the tough but tender Hi-C (Haddish). As Rell and Clarence go deeper to find Keanu, the action picks up to a tornadic level.

Teaming with their former television show’s director, and relying on a script co-written by Peele, the two leads are comfortable on the big screen. Each has their own individual moments to shine, but it’s when they are together that they work best. Whether they’re staring down a rival gang leader or instructing others on the impact of the music of George Michael, Key and Peele are a welcome addition to the big screen. If you aren’t familiar with their work, I urge you to head to YouTube. If you are, I urge you to head to the theatre. You won’t be disappointed.

Make sure to check out our interview with Keegan-Michael Key

Film Review “Papa: Hemingway in Cuba”

Starring: Giovanni Ribisi, Joely Richardson and Adrian Sparks
Directed By: Bob Yari
Rated: R
Running Time: 109 minutes
Yari Film Group

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 Stars

Having to write about Ernest Hemingway is a daunting task, but having to write about “Papa: Hemingway in Cuba” is fairly simple task considering how humdrum it is about its biographical choice. So I’m lucky in the sense that I’m going to be telling you about the latter. I’m not lucky in having to admit I’ve never ready anything by Ernest Hemingway or know that much about the Pulitzer Prize winning author, so I can’t refute anything in this movie or speak about Hemingway with any familiarity.

Ed Myers (Ribisi) is a Boston Globe reporter that became infatuated with writing after reading Ernest Hemingway’s (Sparks) works. He’s too timid to write Hemingway a letter, but a co-worker, behind his back, sends off a letter he’s been mulling over for years. Much to Myers’ surprise, Hemingway responds and gladly picks him up in his own boat off the coast of Florida. From there they head off to Cuba to enjoy drinks, laughs and musings.

The movie follows Myers and Hemingway’s relationship over the course of 1959. The problem that arises from the get-go of the movie is that the film never knows how to settle and focus. The movie reflects on Hemingway’s alcoholism, suicidal tendencies, funding and supplying of Cuban rebels, his possible PTSD, his tumultuous marriage, his writer’s block, and probably more that I’m forgetting. Hemingway was known for saying a lot within a few short words. “Papa: Hemingway in Cuba” barely say anything in 109 minutes.

The most interesting conflict, at least the bit that the actors chomp at, is Hemingway’s alcoholism and his seemingly toxic marriage with Mary (Richardson). Some of the tensest scenes involve Myers and the Hemingway’s. Their conversation goes from passive aggressive jabs to violent outbursts. Because so much happens within one scene, there’s the unshakeable feeling that “Papa: Hemingway in Cuba” may have been better off as a dramatic stage play. The theory is given further credence by presence of Adrian Sparks, a renowned stage actor.

Bob Yari may have not been the man to direct this movie since he only has one other credit to his name. He has produced some magnificent movies, but then he’s credited as the executive producer for the “Agent Cody Banks” movies. My research online yields articles and interviews about how this movie has been in the works for years, but “Papa: Hemingway in Cuba” seems like a passion project without any passion.

Yari doesn’t have the director’s touch. So much of “Papa: Hemingway in Cuba” feels like a TV movie with a few ‘F’ bombs to spice it up. There are transitions that feel like they should be followed by commercials or a spokesman for PBS asking me to donate money. Even the casual viewer will be able to notice awkward cutting in between scenes. It begs the question if Yari was a simple fill-in.

For all its faults, it’s well acted and has a lot of gripping ideas. For those who don’t know much about Hemingway, this could serve as a bridge to learning more about one of America’s greatest authors. If that’s the case, this movie does serve some importance. For Hemingway fans and those familiar with American literature, they’ll be scratching their heads and wondering if Hemingway is turning and tossing in his grave.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: cuba, film, hemingway, papa, review

Film Review “Mother’s Day”

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson and Julia Roberts
Directed By: Garry Marshall
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 118 minutes
Open Road Films

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 Stars

I typed out, “Are ensemble holiday-related movies doomed to be forever bad?” and realized that I answered my own question with the phrasing, ensemble holiday-related movies. Every time I watch them, I feel like I’m watching sitcom leftovers. So it only makes sense that Garry Marshall, who’s worked on dozens of sitcoms, would make “Mother’s Day”, a sappy, cornball movie. Of course this isn’t Marshall’s first rodeo, but I certainly hope it’s his last.

Like most of these movies, there are too many characters to go over, but they all have one thing in common, they’re dealing with some matriarchal problem. Sandy (Aniston) has to cope with her boys becoming attached to her ex-husband’s new squeeze. Jesse (Hudson) is dealing with avoiding telling her mom that she married an Indian man. Jesse’s sister, Gabi (Sarah Chalke) has the same problem, but instead it’s her inability to show off her life partner. The 81-year-old director surely must have thought a lesbian couple and a white woman marrying someone of a different race was groundbreaking material.

Then there’s Bradley (Jason Sudeikis), who’s dealing with the year anniversary of the loss of his wife. There’s also Kristin (Britt Robertson) who can’t handle that her boyfriend, and the father to her child, is proposing to her. Then Julia Roberts is kind of just floating around in the background as the “popular” HSN host. There are a lot more characters and a lot more actors looking for a paycheck that I’m sure I’m neglecting. Some of them connect and some of them don’t and live in their own personal bubble hell without having to bring anyone else into it.

The only thing this movie is missing is canned laughter or the gratuitous audience applause after someone stands up for themselves. The conflicts are forced, outdated, and their resolutions are equally as audacious to reality. I’ll go ahead and gloss over the fact that there’s obnoxious product placement. I mean, how many eight and 10-year-old siblings are going to get excited about going to IHOP? And don’t forget that any beverage must be drunk, has the label on the outside so that the camera can read it.

At times I did find it sentimental, oddly enough. Maybe it’s because I set my brain to cruise control or because there is a universal feeling that moms do go underappreciated. “Mother’s Day” does kind of touch on that, but it could be by accident. As for all you hard working moms in the world out there, you do deserve a movie that loves and supports you, but “Mother’s Day” is not that movie. Let’s spend Mother’s Day with our mom and stop attending these recycled holiday movies.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: day, film, mothers, review

Film Review “Green Room”

Starring: Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots and Patrick Stewart
Directed By: Jeremy Saulnier
Rated: R
Running Time: 94 minutes
A24 Films

Our Score: 2 out of 5 Stars

You’d think killing neo-Nazis would be more fun, or at the very least, more savagely joyful and campy. “Green Room” has the extreme close-ups of graphic violence, like broken bones and lacerations, which we’re accustomed to. We also get to watch characters use multiple tools for stabbing and pit bulls chewing out people’s throats. Sure, that’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But some movies find that gruesome sweet spot and have a lot of fun with it. However, “Green Room” feels devoid of any purpose, in its excessive gore and in its story.

The Ain’t Rights, made up of Pat (Yelchin), Sam (Alia Shawkat), Reece (Joe Cole), and Tiger (Callum Turner), find themselves playing to a room full of tattooed freaks at a white supremacist club. They’re in the middle of nowhere Oregon, playing for some pissed off skinheads, after a series of poor gig scheduling events on their end. Their current predicament isn’t helped by the fact that their setlist starts with a cover of the Dead Kennedy’s song, “Nazi Punks Fuck Off”.

After miraculously escaping their set unharmed, they prepare to leave, but accidentally witness the post-fallout of a murder in their green room. Things deteriorate quickly for the punk quartet and the hate group organizers. Weapons are drawn, hostages are taken, and the neo-Nazi leader is called in to get everything squared away. It’s only after the leader, Darcy Banker (Stewart), arrives that the Ain’t Rights truly recognize the severity of their situation.

Despite Stewart’s performance as a cold and calculating killer, there’s not a lot of tension in this concert version of “Panic Room”. Which is really unfortunate since the band is in the vast and quiet wilderness, with sociopaths at every turn. The setting is there, but the mood is lacking. A lot of it has to do with the fact that the band isn’t necessarily the brightest or most likeable. The band siphons gas because they don’t make enough money and they’re unnecessarily bitter and violent towards people they just met.

Darcy maps out every intricate detail to the neo-Nazi’s clean-up plan, which is constantly evolving and shifting based on the reactions of the band barricaded in his bar. He’s the most interesting of the characters and the movie would have benefitted more following him around a little more. But instead we’re trapped in the green room, listening to poor attempts at exposition, humor, and back story to a handful of dopey characters.

“Green Room” viewers may benefit from beers, pals, and a twisted sense of humor, but that same trio of items may have helped when writing it. Director/Writer Jeremy Saulnier definitely displays his visual prowess and his ability to create ocular terror and Yelchin and gang yam it up and find plenty of scenery to chew up, but it’s simply not enough. Once we get our fill of Nazi symbolism, hidden drug rooms, and knives to the stomach and throat, the “Green Room” is forgettable.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, green, review, room

Film Review “Elvis & Nixon”

Starring: Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey and Colin Hanks
Directed by: Liza Johnson
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 26 mins
Bleecker Street Films

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

December 21, 1970. As he goes over his schedule in the White House, President Richard Nixon (Spacey) is informed that he has a meeting with one Elvis Presley. He eyes his aide and calmly asks, “Who the f*** set this up?”

It’s the most requested photo from the National Archives. Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley shaking hands in the Oval Office. But what is the story behind the photo? The new film, “Elvis and Nixon,” may or not be the whole truth but it is an entertaining tale that sheds a light on the meeting between two of the most famous men of their time.

While watching television in his home one night, Elvis Presley (Shannon) is horrified by the various news stories he sees. Black Panthers. Drugs. Draft cards being burned. It’s more than the King can take and he hops a plane to L.A. to visit an old friend, Jerry Schilling (Alex Pettyfer). It’s while on the plane that Presley conceives a plan. He will go to Washington D.C. and ask the President to make him a “Federal-agent-at-large,” with the idea of using his fame to infiltrate the youth culture of the day. In 1970 Elvis was in the midst of a huge comeback started two years earlier. Still amazingly popular, Presley and Schilling run across a couple of Elvis impersonators in the airport, who mistake Presley as being one of them. They congratulate him for making an effort to look like the King, even though they tell him, “Elvis would never wear that,” which is pretty funny when you remember the outfits he used to wear. Jump suits and capes anyone?

The film moves quickly, buoyed by the performances of its stars. I’ve always enjoyed Michael Shannon as an actor, but this is really the first time he hasn’t been over-the-top crazy that I can remember. Wearing giant sideburns and gold-framed sunglasses, Shannon makes Elvis a vulnerable character who truly wants to do the right thing. A great mimic, Spacey is spot on as our 37th President, vulnerable to the country he feels doesn’t admire him as much as they do handsome people, like John Kennedy. Both men get down into their respective characters, giving the film a somewhat documentary feel, which gives the film an air of familiarity.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: elvis, film, nixon, review

Film Review “The Invitation”

Starring: Logan Marshall-Green, Tammy Blanchard and Michiel Huisman
Directed By: Karyn Kusama
Rated: R
Running Time: 100 minutes
Drafthouse Films

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

How long are you willing to let little inconsistencies nag at you before you passive aggressively leave, or better yet, uncomfortably point them out in a room full of people? “The Invitation” doesn’t necessarily ask that question, but depending on how you’d react in that situation, it’s certainly something to ponder. “The Invitation” us a slow-burning thriller that picks at Will (Marshall-Green), causing him to question himself and everyone around him

Will, and his current squeeze, Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi) are heading to his ex-wife’s house for a small get together. Will hasn’t seen Eden (Blanchard) in years. Their marriage ended after the accidental death of their son and her inability to cope with the tragic loss. Eden moved on and met David (Huisman), who helped her recover in a unique way. Not only will it be the first time Eden and Will have seen each other in two years, but the first time many of their friends will have seen both of them in the same room.

It’s a relatable circumstance, attempting to reconcile or keep up appearances with a former flame because of mutual friends. But Will starts noticing that the smallest things are amiss. For instance, a bottle of pills in a medicine cabinet, a door that shouldn’t be locked, and a dinner party guest that never arrived. Every time Will, and the audience, is about to burst at the seams, the tension is ratcheted down and the minor irregular is laughed off. The movie does this several times, cranking up Will’s erratic behavior. But is it erratic or justified?

Fans of the horror movie genre might be able to pick up on what’s going on, but not without a lot of fight and sway by “The Invitation”. There’s credence to Will’s paranoia, but credence to everyone seeing Will’s outbursts as irrational inklings. Will could easily be suffering from buried emotions, linked to the death of his son. Or maybe Will’s suspicions are correct and something far more nefarious is afoot. As long as you’re willing to invite “The Invitation” to the inside of your head, you’re going to have an uncomforting blast.

“The Invitation” instinctively knows when to knock us off balance just when we think we’ve got it all figured out. A lot of that can be credited to the director, whose previous theatrical contributions don’t really hint towards the creepy unsettling nature of every shot. Even the actors here put full faith behind their characters, the motivations of their characters, as well as the story. Everyone is on the same page, even when the audience is still trying to piece it all together.

It’s difficult to discuss a movie like this because so much of its tension and story requires you knowing nearly nothing at all. “The Invitation” relies so much on the fear of the unknown, even if you think you know what’s happening. Obviously the disturbing nature of what’s going on won’t happen until the very end, but “The Invitation” is so chillingly effective, you’ll want the end to come as quickly as possible.

Film Review “Criminal”

Starring: Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot
Directed By: Ariel Vromen
Rated: R
Running Time: 113 minutes
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When it comes to groundbreaking scientific advancements, you want the sharpest minds on the case experimenting on the most eligible people. So when doctors plan on transferring the memories from the mind of a dead CIA operative, so that they can acquire highly classified information, they would obviously want the most qualified of human test subjects. In “Criminal”, the best they can do is an murderous inmate.

Jericho (Costner) lacks empathy, has never experienced any human emotion outside of hate and revenge and has killed numerous, if not dozens, of people. His sociopathic tendencies, as he puts it, are because he was thrown from a moving car by his father as a child. The doctors say it disabled the frontal lobe of his brain and doctors say that makes him the “perfect” candidate to accept the memories of undercover agent, Bill (Reynolds). If you’re willing to ignore the irrational set-up, then you might like “Criminal”.

But “Criminal” takes itself too seriously to be enjoyably farcical and its characters are too inherently silly to be earnest. “Criminal” falls flat half the time, but it manages to find a couple of entertaining nuggets when Jericho combines his angry drunken fighting technique with the precise killing method of Bill’s CIA training. It’s rarely there, but Costner in various scenes highlights the carefree nature of a petty thief and the calculating nature of a trained killing machine.

There are actually quite a few other actors that Costner gets to play with, including Bill’s wife played by Gal Gadot, a short tempered higher-up played by Gary Oldman, and a doctor that performs the memory transfer, played by Tommy Lee Jones. All the characters are interesting, but none of them really add much depth to the story or to Jericho. Costner is entertaining enough without us being distracted by the surrounding star power. On the surface it may seem like a waste of talent, but it’s more the case of a movie with unnecessary add-ons.

As the movie goes on, we learn that the CIA wants to find out the location of a master hacker, known as the Dutchman. The government wants to keep the Dutchman out of the hands of the Russians and a rogue anarchist who wants to hit the reset button on society. The plot is vague with details, but gets the point across visually without drowning the audience in tedious exposition, which I’m thankful for. Because of that, the nearly two hour runtime goes unnoticed.

Jericho is the focal point of the movie and “Criminal” attempts to make him sympathetic by showing how he adapts to emotions like love, affection, and genuine human concern for the first time in his life. On paper, he’s a despicable human who still kills people and is obsessed with his own wants and needs, but Costner adds some level of believability to the rehabilitation credence. But that might be because the American public commonly knows him as an Iowa farmer that plays baseball with ghosts.

“Criminal” could have been really fun if it avoided the pitfalls of humanizing its main character. Costner is a decent enough anti-hero without the sappy injunction of his wife. In a different universe, “Criminal” is a good movie. It’s a sci-fi movie instead though. Kevin Costner remains foul-mouthed, learning to show some compassion, but still remaining crass and blood hungry. In this world though, he’s a predictable character stuck in a generic action movie.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: criminal, film, review

Film Review “The Jungle Book”

Starring: Neel Sethi
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Rated: PG
Running time: 1 hr 45 mins
Walt Disney Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Here are some facts about the 1967 animated film “The Jungle Book:” It was one of the last films to be personally supervised by Walt Disney; Disney was so unhappy with the musical score that he had it re-written – only keeping the song “The Bare Necessities” at the urging of others – the song would go on to be nominated for an Oscar. Now comes a live-action version of the Kipling story, one that is not necessarily meant for its intended audience.

The story begins with young Mowgli (Sethi) running through the jungle with his adopted wolf brothers. Try as he might, he is not able to win the race, much to the chagrin of his “father,” who is trying to raise him like one of the pack. Trouble begins when the Tiger named Shere Khan (voiced by the amazing Idris Elba) shows up hoping to make a snack of the young boy. However, he is deflected by others, causing him to become angry. Knowing the little guy isn’t safe, the panther Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) decides that Mowgli must leave the jungle and return to man. However Shere Khan has other plans.

Told through the amazing use of computer generation, “The Jungle Book” is very faithful to the animated film that precedes it. Young Mr. Sethi is the only human being in the cast (and on film), with the rest being brought to life through the magic of special effects. And brought to life they are. From the mean and angry tiger to the funny and understanding bear, the characters leap off the screen. Which may present a problem to younger viewers, many who may be horrified at the image of Shere Khan murdering Mowgli’s wolf “father.” And if that doesn’t terrify you, there is a great wildebeest stampede that will surely get their attention.

An attempt is made to tone down the darkness by keeping two of the songs made popular in the 1967 animated feature. However, both Bill Murray voicing “The Bare Necessities” and Christopher Walken performing “I Wanna Be Like You” seem like they belong in a film less intense. You’ve been warned!

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: book, film, jungle, review

Film Review “Born to Be Blue”

Starring: Ethan Hawke and Carmen Ejogo
Directed by: Robert Budreau
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 37 mins
IFC Films

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

OK music fans, here’s a name for you: Chet Baker. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? No?
Too bad. How about Miles Davis or Dizzy Gillespie? Oh, those guys you know. Would you be surprised if I told you that Chet Baker was, for a short time in the 1950’s, their musical equal? Sadly, it was the demon called Heroin that took away both his talent and his fame.

We first meet Baker (a well-cast Ethan Hawke) sprawled out on the floor of an Italian prison cell. While ruminating on his life we travel back to the mid 1950’s and the iconic jazz club known as Birdland. There we get a taste of Baker’s talent. Shot in black and white and full of billowy smoke, the scene sets the stage for what might have been. A decade later, his career floundering, he takes a job playing himself in a feature film. However, a beating by muggers leaves him minus his front teeth. And for a horn player, no teeth means no music. Reduced to pumping gas, Baker finds himself on the verge of redemption. If only he can keep the demon away.

A bio-pic that flits around, “Born to Be Blue” takes its name from one of Baker’s best known songs. Though other characters are featured, the film mostly concentrates on Baker and his girlfriend, Elaine (Ejogo), who we originally meet when she is cast as Baker’s ex-wife in the ill-fated movie. We learn that the creator of West Coast Swing had a hard time handling his father, also a musician. Referred to as the “James Dean of Jazz,” he is a junkie that hates needles. “Hello Fear, Hello Death, F*** You,” is his mantra as a friend sticks the needle in his arm. One of the first recovering drug addicts to be prescribed methadone, Baker takes his life one day at a time.

There are two stars in this film. The first is Hawke, who finds a way to make an unsympathetic character sympathetic. Extra points for doing his own vocal work. Second is the music. The soundtrack is full of some of the best jazz standards of the time, each one telling a story that accompanies the one on-screen. With Don Cheadle’s upcoming Miles Davis film on the horizon, it looks like jazz is making a comeback. Give it, and the film, a chance.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: blue, born, film, review

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Tag: film

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